Russia: Opposition Opens Parallel Parliament, Decries 'Monopoly On Power'

Russian opposition leader Garry Kasparov has formally launched an alternative parliament aimed at the "restoration of democracy and popular government in Russia.

The National Assembly, the brainchild of Kasparov's Other Russia coalition, is intended as a sort of parallel parliament to the State Duma and will be comprised of delegates from grassroots organizations from across the country.

Addressing several hundred activists attending the meeting in central Moscow, Kasparov accused Russian authorities of creating a "feudal fiefdom." He also criticized mainstream opposition parties that did not attend the assembly, such as Yabloko and the Union of Rightist Forces (SPS).

Eduard Limonov, who also heads the Other Russia coalition, said former Russian President, and now Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin and his allies want to keep power forever. "We want to destroy the monopoly on power," he said.

In addition to Kasparov and Limonov, the delegate list includes former presidential economy adviser Andrei Illarionov; former government economy adviser Mikhail Delyagin; and former Central Bank Chairman Viktor Gerashchenko.

A founding charter blames the authorities for "taking the country to the brink of national disaster" and reaffirms the inviolability of fundamental human rights, including freedom of speech, of assembly, and of conscience.

The document contains a renunciation of violence or the threat of violence for political ends. It also renounces the restriction of freedom of speech or assembly for political purposes.

The move is seen as the latest attempt by Kasparov to unite Russia's opposition against Putin and his successor, Dmitry Medvedev.

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle...F6FFD1C30.html

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Jesus beat the devil with two sticks. Colossian 2:13,15

Proud American!

Communism/Socialism is similar to legalizing burglary and murder!

oh I do hope our commie freinds on here don't see this.

Russia is a very interesting country. On the one hand many in the country want and open Western style democracy but the country has a precedent whereby unless there is a strong leader ruling dictatorially, the country fragments and engages in Civil War.

Such is the Russian cunundrum.....

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I'll tell you this no eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn
Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too
You may bury my body, down by the highway side,
so my old evil spirit can get a Greyhound bus and ride.

Do you know that Gasprom will surpas Exxon Mobil in 4 years. Now that is something US has to worry about!!

yea...while 49 russian million people will continue starving to death...as of what gasprom will surpass it truly doesn't matter because they have neither the money nor the capacity to maintain with the growing global economy...live in dreams...

russia is an unstable country that promotes war, sponsors terrorism, threatens democracy and violates human rights...

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Jesus beat the devil with two sticks. Colossian 2:13,15

Proud American!

Communism/Socialism is similar to legalizing burglary and murder!

Russia is a country immensely older than the US, but is a fledgeling in Democracy. Perhaps it would behoove us in the established Democracies to help those just trying to attain it.

ok. when are you going to shoot Putin????

its the same ole same ole. the people live in poverty while the regime spends for war.

In what sense do you feel that would help attain Democracy in Russia?

because he's spending the money