A decree passed by the Russian Parliament last summer restricts activities of western ministries in Russia. Yeltsin, though opposing the Supreme Council, did not veto this decree. The law is now valid, yet only arbitrarily enforced. The following article is a scenario of what could take place. Americans are implored by the staff of the Russian language Forerunner, Predvestnik, to pray for the reformation of Russia that religious liberty, which is a part of Yeltsin's proposed constitution, will take hold of this great nation.
Any law ratified by the Russian government inevitably evokes a response in other republics.
The deep crisis of the Russian legislature makes the situation more complicated. The more so, as many of them are contrary to standards of international law signed by Russian officials. Debates flared up that polarized the parliament into extreme positions. Resolute opponents, as well as most ardent supporters of the amendment, well understood that this step would mean a turn from the straight path of reforming the totalitarian system to narrow and dirty ways of bureaucratic pettifoggery and willfulness. According to the new version of the law, a person that does not possess a Russian citizenship has no right to be involved in activities of religion, missions, publicity and propaganda in Russia.