.
Has any one of our esteemed politicians and endless abundance of economists calculated the cost draft dodgers have on the economy?
Had they bothered, the conclusion would be simple – it costs us less to keep conscripts in the army, then, say, the University of Cyprus, where the upkeep of a student is costing the taxpayer from 10,500 to 13,000 euros a year.
In the U.S., refusing to submit the draft is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and/or a fine of US$ 250,000. In Cyprus, at 1,000 mentally unstable draft dodgers a year, such a fine would plug the public deficit for good.
Apart from the moral investment from recruiting young men into the National Guard, mandatory conscription also helps suppress unemployment, particularly during the summer months, while university students will need longer to graduate and subsequently get a government job with ‘meson’. Ultimately, military service helps shorten an unemployed graduate’s burden on the state by two years.
As cliché as it may sound, the present situation does not afford us the luxury of doing away with a conscripted standing army. Had we had a solution, a professional army with auxiliary services (coast guard, migration officers, community service) would be ideal.
So, who are the draft dodgers? Are one in five young men who are called up really cuckoo? If so, the future of this nation is in great jeopardy, as we cannot have mentally disturbed people in government jobs or operating heavy machinery!
In the case of conscientious objectors, the argument is simple – they don’t really exist, because by nature Cypriots do not conscientiously object to anything. Yes, objections arise when stopped by a traffic cop or when there is a queue no longer than two minutes in waiting time, but does anyone object when the Minister of Finance wants to hike taxes or slap a harsh supplement on the fuel tax?
In the absence of Mennonites, Amish and Quakers in Cyprus, surely one in five conscripts cannot all be Jehovah's Witnesses? Ironically, although these peace churches oppose any kind of military service, they are not opposed to alternative non-uniformed civilian service. This could be a requisite for anyone seeking a place in local administration, the police force or government – no service, no job!
Although some deferments are genuine (extreme medical condition, large families, etc.), we have yet to hear of a young man arriving at a recruitment centre in diapers or feigning homosexuality by dressing up in fluorescent colours and stiletto heels.
On the other hand, passing the legislation that will recognise the refugee status of mothers, will also open another Pandora’s box, as more men will use this status as an excuse for avoiding the army.
For now, the House of Representatives should pass the new bill clamping down on draft dodging as soon as possible, otherwise the public’s concerns about the bias of MPs will grow by the day – not a wise decision 11 months from the next parliamentary elections.
