WHO WE ARE
LOC (Conscientious Objection League) was born in 1973, following the approval of Law 772 dated 15.12.1972; at first it was federate with the Partito Radicale (Radical Party), but since 1979 it has become politically independent and has started promoting its own initiatives.
LOC is an association composed by conscientious objectors to the military service and by those people who believe in Peace, Solidarity and Nonviolence. Its members contribute with their declaration to the development of an alternative system to the military model and organization.
Each single citizen, also non-Italian, can become a member of LOC; committees, associations or local groups can join LOC after examining its Statute and the Program Paper; in such case they should provide their technical datas and organization.
The LOC has a strong political background which is put into practice by each local group in its own peculiar way though still according to the association program:
1) nonviolence and the development of cultural, ideological, racial, sexual and religious differences as means and starting points of political activity
2) refusal of the logic that carries conflicts to a violent resolution, refusal of the organization of defense models based on professional or non-professional armies, refusal of scientific research for military purposes and of military weapons trade
3) comprehension of the strong links which exists between problems as Peace, environment protection and the people development, as a first step in order to abolish strong social and economical discrimination and to promote each being's free development according to everybody's needs; these are fundamental terms for the integral realization of human rights.
LOC's commitment is put into practice according to the following principles:
a) scrupulous monitorization of technical and political management by the Defense Ministry of conscientious objection and objectors; LOC represents of the objectors in order to promote their duties and rights respect
b) settlement of a peculiar contact with members of Parliament who care for problems related to conscientious objection and civil service, in order to gain a bigger support for the objection Law reform and in order to join those political forces which are ready to discuss and promote laws for Nonviolent Popular Defense, conversion of the military industry, Disarmament (to be approved both with unilateral acts and agreements between different States which are based on transparence and international cooperation)
c) support of local groups which set a co-operation plan with the local Boards, particularly the ones as Comune Denuclearizzato (Denuclearized City) or Town Councils which create a special Peace committee, in order to stimulate a debate on Peace, Disarmament, Social Defense and Nonviolent Popular Defense
d) peculiar attention for mass medias which have to be used on each initiative in order to bring to spread issues such as Peace and Conscientious Objection
e) popularization of Conscientious Objection both nationally and locally, particularly for young citizens who are close to the military service call, possibly joining the Public Administration information activities
f) support and promotion of nonviolent demonstrations for Peace and Disarmament
g) legal defense of conscientious objectors
h) promotion of training courses for young objectors in order to investigate about their role as citizens engaged in social service for the community defense
i) institution of training stages on Peace, Disarmament, conversion of military industry and conscientious objection Law reform
l) contribution to debates about Nonviolent Popular Defense together with the groups already engaged in this issue and development of practical instruments for the appliance of nonviolent defense systems during national and international conflicts, particularly North-South ones
LOC has always been busy supporting conscientious objectors in service in order to monotorize federated Boards activities engaging objectors and if necessary to denounce the many violations daily committed by these Boards;
LOC also works for the promotion of a Parliamentary committee for the monitorization of Law 772
LOC is engaged in national campaigns against Nuovo Modello di Difesa (New Defense Model) and professional army, producing together with other pacifist groups informative material on this subject.
Since 1982 it has promoted fiscal Objection to military public expenses with six other pacifist groups; in 1994 it started a pacifist Convention which connects more than 80 groups, committees, associations and magazines.
On a local level it also collaborates with Centri Sociali (Social Centers, young alternative selforganized groups), Rete Antirazzista (Antiracism League) and other self organized movements.
Giancarla Cordignani is the LOC actual president.
National office:
LEGA OBIETTORI DI COSCIENZA
Via Pichi 1 - 20143 Milano - Italy
tel. 0039 2 8378 817 e 0339 2 5810 1226
fax 0039 2 5810 1220 e-mail : locosm@tin.it