Last election, apathy left Primorye with a Duma that some, anyway, may regret. Although voters did reject Mayor Victor Cherepkov’s bid for a seat, there was little else decisive about the vote. Some voters leaving the polls told reporters they couldn’t remember whom they voted for. One man turned out just because he wanted to see his old school, where the voting was taking place.

This time, a field of nearly 300 candidates for the 39 seats might understandably scare off some voters. But we hope voters will take the time to study the issues and the candidates.

Voters won’t be casting a ballot on all Duma candidates — just those in their district. This means they must decide among fields of candidates as few as four or five in some districts. In larger districts, the numbers are as high as 15, but that still is a reasonable number to inform oneself on.

Western nations — especially America — face similar problems with voter apathy. The reasons for electoral passivity, however, are different there. In America, many middle class citizens are too lazy to vote because they feel their comfortable lives won’t in any way differ if their congressman or state legislator is a Democrat or a Republican. In Russia, apathy, we fear, may have more pessimistic roots: Voters don’t believe politicians have the power to stop the current depression or come up with unpaid wages. And like Americans, many distrust the motives of those elected to office.

We have already run across one candidate’s rally, attended largely by students hired to hand out leaflets. We hope to see more activity. Primorye, with all its problems, deserves a heated campaign in which politicians debate ideas for improving the region, and justify how they will accomplish their goals. We want finger-pointing. We want pulpit-thumping. We even would settle for a little mud-slinging. But the campaign should address the people’s needs. And we hope that voters, through their numbers, provide a mandate to the politicians to make some tough choices (for a start, cut the fat from the krai budget by laying off eight or 10 vice governors).

We have one final wish for the political season: that the next time a Duma thinks of delaying an election, the deputies will glance over their shoulders and see an informed, passionate, even angry electorate, itching to cast its ballots.

In the interests of being multicultural, we plan to celebrate more international holidays this coming year. We’ll start with Japan’s bean-throwing festival (Feb. 3), then slurp some hot salsa on Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo (May 5). We’ll hold our noses and choke down Sweden’s Sour Herring Premiere (Aug. 19), and toast the mid-September Sherry Wine Harvest in Spain.

One holiday, however, has us a little uneasy: the annual Elephant Round-up in Thailand (Nov. 20). What are you supposed to do with a pachyderm once you’ve cornered it: feed it, or eat it? Either way, it sounds like a challenge.

How can we seriously expect politicians who came to power in the time of greatest devastation to the Russian society to make a change for better. All they know is how to destroy, not create anything new. They say they know what the free market is, but how? Have they ever lived in a free market environment? Have they ever studied the guiding principles that exist in free market? What do they know but corrupt ways of the old Soviet system and post-Soviet power warfare?

Maybe it would be wise instead of electing the corrupt politicians all over again, to invite a professional city manager from outside (a foreign country, for example). Pay him a fixed fee -- in any case it would be less then all the money regularly embezzled by publicly elected officials. And much more productive too!

Think about it this way. If people of Vladivostok hired a professional city manager, then a legal contract would have to be signed specifying all the duties to be performed, tasks to be accomplished, etc. A management fee would be offered in return. The manager would have to provide regular feedback to the public as to his progress and state of affairs in the city. That will create full transparency in the city finance and public affairs, and give people of Vladivostok real tangible control over the fate of their lives and the city. If a manager doesn't fulfill his contract, his tenure will be terminated and pay witheld. Whatever the outcome, the people of Vladivostok would appear to be the winners. Such a manager can be a foreigner, a Russian, or a consortium of several professional parties.

I hope to receive some feedback through your excellent publication from all people who are interested in changing lives and business environment of Vladivostok for better. Please, e-mail me for further discussion of this idea.

Stan Danysh
University of Alaska
Anchorage
danysh@hotmail.com

I previously submitted a brief statement concerning the ironically named new religious law "On Freedom of Conscious and On Religious Associations." At that time, I said, "I guess it just goes to show you can take the boys out of communism, but you can’t take communism out of the boys." Now that I have stirred up the hornets’ nest so to speak, I should like to offer commentary on the words I wrote and their relation to the new law.

The new religious law has been widely promoted by its backers as a way to combat violence in Russia. Typical of such comments is the statement issued by Metropolitan Kirill, head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Kirill indicated that if it becomes clear that "new" religious groups "do not put bombs in public palaces, do not kidnap children from their parents and do not break up families, then they will have the right to be registered legally." While dining at a friend’s apartment in St. Petersburg this past summer, I watched a television broadcast that promoted this exact image for a well-known religion in North America and western Europe. Certainly the average Russian would not have ever had any contact with this particular faith, and would not be in any position to make an independent judgment. Indeed, it made for a very interesting evening of conversation with my friend. Though not a member of that faith, it appeared to me the television program was totally misleading in every aspect of any importance.

While supposedly implemented to prevent totalitarian sects from ravaging the nation, I believe this is a very disingenuous position. Russia already has in place laws against bombing, kidnapping, and abandonment of dependents. Rather, the new law has every appearance of simply being a crude attempt at eliminating religious competitors. "Foreign cults" are promoted as a destabilizing enemy in a xenophobic way, thereby giving the law a populist appeal. However, it is in fact the various branches of Orthodoxy that are bearing the brunt of repression under this new law. The first victims to be legally shut down under the new law were several congregations of splinter Russian Orthodox groups not loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate, quickly followed by several Ukrainian Orthodox congregations. The biggest potential loser is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with several hundred congregations in Russia.

Preserving civil liberties is one of the most important duties any government can perform for its citizens. Especially important is that minorities also be protected to the same degree as the majority. While average citizens cannot reasonably be expected to be well-informed on all issues, the Duma deputies are paid legislators. It is their job to be well informed on every piece of legislation they pass, and to protect ALL Russia’s citizens. The law, which uses Council of Religious Affairs as a starting point for judging all religions, is a disgrace. Russian citizens belonging to religions not registered under the Soviet regime, and there were plenty that were denied registration by the Council of Religious Affairs, are now faced with having their church property confiscated, and having no rights to publicly congregate, publish or preach. The author of a letter written in rebuttal to my "communist" comment noted that Russia has a history of state involvement into religion preceding the Soviet regime. Indeed, I should like to add that state involvement with religion is generally true of almost every society for the entire recorded history of mankind. Nevertheless, the new law takes its inspiration and form directly from Russia’s more recent attempts at religious repression under the Soviets, not the distant past.

As brevity is the soul of wit, my first comment was necessarily open to wide interpretation by virtue of its terseness. Specifically, I was referring to the legislators and those who worked to pass the law. If there was anyone who opposed to the new law and felt my communist comparison unfairly included them, I apologize to you. If there was anyone who supported the law, and the sting of my words caused a rethinking of positions, I applaud you. And for those who still think the law is a good idea, well, it’s like I said the first time.

Newark, Delaware
U.S.A.

I have come to respect and trust Russians more that my own Australian people. They always go out of their way to help me, and make me feel like I was part of their family or crew.

The best time of my life was when I was invited aboard a Russian container ship to sail with them down the coast of Australia. It was there that I really made some great friends and got to live the way Russian sailors do.

I try to keep in touch with my friends, but during the times they are at sea, it is often very hard to stay in touch and find out what they have been doing.

But I do read your newspaper. I find it very enlightening, and also it makes me feel as if I am in Vladivostok with my friends.

I haven’t ever been to Russia, but I do hope one day to get to Vladivostok. My dream would be to go by container ship, but alas, this is very expensive, so I can’t see it happening in the near future.

For those of you who may not know, the Pallada and Nadezhda have set sail for Australia, and in particular, Tasmania, where I live, and I will be helping to coordinate and look after the cadets of those ships. Rest assured that they will be looked after very well, with a wide range of activities organised for the cadets and crew of these majestic vessels.

If anyone who reads this has friends or relatives on board, feel free to e-mail me, and I will pass on any messages. Also if you wish to send them a letter, you may use my home address and I will endeavour to pass the letters on to those concerned.

I wish to finish by saying a big hello to all my friends in Vladivostok

Scott Cook
113-17 Albert Road
Moonah, Tasmania
Australia 7009
cooksg@southcom.com.au