This is a translation of my letter of refusal from military and civil service sent to the Finnish civil service authority, should it be of interest. It was mailed in an appropriate home-made envelope. =)

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1. January 2008


STATEMENT OF REFUSAL FROM CIVIL SERVICE


Respected civil service authority,

I hereby announce my unconditional refusal from civil service, for which I pleaded transfer for by force of circumstances in 2001 at Santahamina after a day of military service. I understand that I am hereby committing a crime, and request that a judgment be given as prescribed in the Finnish law.

I hereby also announce my unconditional refusal from possible labor service and other common duties and events in the jail. I demand to be located somewhere into a distant, isolated corner of the prison, beautified by people with their absence, and left there for the duration of my entire sentence without holidays, visitors or disturbances.

Please note that during my stay in the prison I cannot enjoy the meals you prepare owing to the suddha-ahara principle I follow (“pure diet”, vide Jewish “kosher” and Muslim “halal”). My only possible nutrition aside milk in prison circumstances is raw and whole fruits and vegetables that can be washed prior to eating, and that haven’t been kept in contact with animal products involving slaughter.

A few words on the rationale of my decision.

Living in India, I am a mystic, student and teacher initiated in and committed to an ancient Hindu tradition. I have familiarized myself with military service, briefly also in practice, and concluded that the upholding of the personal vows and principles I observe owing to my religion and ideology is a sheer impossibility. The 395 days of civil service offered as an alternative (in contrast to the 180 day military service) I consider poor humor at best.

I have lived in India permanently since 09/2006 and altogether approximately half of the past decade. I have left behind everything in Finland, having built my future here. I will be seeking for Indian citizenship as it becomes possible — and if necessary, will thereby also renounce Finnish citizenship. (One may become a citizen through naturalization after spending 11 years within 14 years in India.) Regrettably the current Finnish law (constitution 1: 5§, citizenship law 1: 4§ and 5: 35§) does not under the circumstances make it possible for me to renounce the now practically unnecessary Finnish citizenship. Demanding the carrying out of the military service — what to speak of the 395 day civil service offered as an option in my case — is not something I consider reasonable as a mere token of gratitude for the years of the past.

I take it that enough has been said on the constitutional liberty for religious faith and practice (2: 11§) and its contradictions with the compulsory military service law, as well as on the report of the UN human rights committee (04/11/2004) and the statements of the EU human rights commissioner (04-07/06/2001, 29/03/2006) on the rights and treatment of conscientious objectors. I take it that enough has also been said on the proclamations of the EU Social rights committee (2004) and the UN human rights commission (1998) on the Finnish compulsory service practice.

Please do note that I live in rural India, not at the Finnish mailing address noted at the end of the letter. Therefore, receiving registered letters is complicated; if your response must be sent in registered mail, please send it as a letter that can be received by an authorized person at the post office. If possible, please also send a copy of your response either via e-mail to the following e-mail address or to the Netmail box corresponding to my postal address.

Friendly regards

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Markus Oskari Loponen