Quakers in Britain have joined other faith and civil society groups calling on the Russian and Ukrainian governments to respect the rights of conscientious objectors.
#peace #propeace #antiwar #ConscientiousObjectors #ConscientiousObjection #pacifist #pacifists #pacifism
Dozens of #remembrance events involving white poppies took place around the UK on Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday - the highest number in at least five years.
There were white poppy events in Bath, Bradford, Brighton, Edinburgh, Ipswich, Leamington Spa, Leeds, Oxford, Peterborough and many other places. In several towns and cities, such as Leicester, white poppies have become an established part of official remembrance events.
The National Alternative Remembrance Ceremony in London had the highest turnout in recent years, with around 200 people gathering in front of the memorial stone for #ConscientiousObjectors in Tavistock Square.
Those attending heard powerful speeches by Pat Gaffney from Pax Christi and Richard Kuper from Jews for Justice for Palestinians. Isabel Kelly read a deeply moving message of grief and hope from the Parents Circle – Families Forum, a joint Israeli-Palestinian organisation of families who have lost loved ones to the ongoing conflict.
12 noon - 1pm, Remembrance Sunday 12th November
Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9EX
Please join us for the National Alternative Remembrance Ceremony to remember all #victims of #war, both #civilian and #military, past and present, and commit to working for #peace.This year's event will focus on the terrible events unfolding in #Israel and #Palestine, as well as the extraordinary work of peace campaigners on both sides and internationally. With speakers including:
Isabel Kelly, with a message from the Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF), a joint #Israeli - #Palestinian organisation of over 600 families, all of whom have lost an immediate family member to the ongoing #conflict.
Pat Gaffney, vice predisent of Pax Christi and a member of Women in Black London. Pat will speak about Pax Christi's ongoing work with peace campaigners in Israel and Palestine.
Richard Kuper from Jews for Justice for Palestinians (JJP), an organisation closely involved in recent demonsrations calling for a #ceasefire in #Gaza.
The national ceremony takes place every year in front of the memorial stone for #ConscientiousObjectors in Tavistock Square. We will observe two minutes' silence and white poppy wreaths will be laid on the memorial in memory of all victims of war.
All welcome - no need to book.
Please take a moment to share the event - www.ppu.org.uk/civicrm/event/info%3Fid%3D367%26reset%3D1
October 19, 2023 marks the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the War Resisters League. We have an active WRL 100th History Committee working on a number of projects and we invite your participation.
#war #pacifist #pacifism #antiwar #peace #ProPeace #HumanRights
WRI executive statement on the escalation of violence in Israel-Palestine, October 2023
As full scale #war again returns to #Israel- #Palestine, we turn to the WRI founding statement, that “War is a crime against humanity. I am therefore determined not to support any kind of war, and to strive for the removal of all causes of war.”
War is sometimes fought with bombs and bullets. Sometimes it is fought by restricting access to the resources that allow people to meet their basic needs, and for humanity to flourish. As antimilitarists, we can and will always reject and condemn both the immediate, deliberate and organised violence that grabs headlines and shocks the world, and simultaneously recognise that the violence that has occurred in Israel-Palestine since Saturday 7th October is rooted in a decades long, asymmetrical, grinding conflict.
The Peace Pledge Union (PPU) described the plan as a threat to #civilian #democracy in the #UK.
The PPU pointed out that #troops have no authority to arrest #civilians under UK law. They said that no-one has any obligation to co-operate with the armed forces or obey instructions from them.
Their comments follow the news that the Ministry of Defence has offered #soldiers to support armed #police officers in the Metropolitan Police after a number of police officers withdraw from firearms roles.
The PPU described the proposal to deploy troops as a particularly alarming example of everyday #militarism. They added that the last 20 years have seen a rise in #military involvement in civilian life, through initiatives such as the introduction of Armed Forces Day, military covenants and sharply increased funding for cadet units while other youth services have been cut.
Symon Hill, Campaigns Manager of the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), said:
“Most British people do not want Britain to be the sort of country in which soldiers stand around on street corners brandishing guns. Deploying troops to carry out police functions is a threat to Britain’s traditions of democracy and civil liberty.
“No-one should feel obliged to obey instructions given by troops on the streets. We have our rights because our ancestors campaigned for them. We must not give up our freedoms by allowing ourselves to be subjected to military authority.
“The armed forces and their leaders are rarely held to account – even less so than the police. Certain police officers’ fears of accountability must not be used as an excuse for the armed forces to grab more power over civilian life.”
#pacifist #pacifists #pacifism #antiwar #antimilitarist #antimilitary #peace #propeace #HumanRights
Ninety years ago in 1933, the first white #poppies were created by members of the Co-operative Women's Guild. Many of these women had lost family and friends in the First World War. They were concerned about the way #RemembranceDay was going - its growing #militarisation and its detachment from a meaningful message of #peace. The Guild's General Secretary, Eleanor Barton, called for a renewal of "that 'Never Again' spirit that was strong in 1918, but seems to grow weaker as years go on".
Then as now, the white poppy stood for three vital principles:
• #Remembrance must include all #victims of #war, not only British #military #casualties, but also those excluded from mainstream commemorations - #civilians, #refugees, people of other nationalities, people affected by #conflict around the world today.
• We need to challenge militarism - both the militarisation of remembrance, and the war and militarism that leads to so much suffering.
• We must look forwards and work actively towards peace, even as we remember the past.
World Without War is a member of #War Resisters' International based in #SouthKorea, and is one of the most successful #pacifist and #antimilitarist movements in #Asia, taking action on issues such as the #arms trade, ending mandatory male #conscription and #activist #empowerment.
This year, WWW is celebrating its 20th anniversary by celebrating its achievements, reflecting on its challenges, and envisioning the coming years/decades. To mark this occasion, we interviewed front-line #activist Jungmin Choi. She has responded to our questions in consultation with the WWW team. Here, they have dived deep into their past, present and future, making this a valuable read for the #pacifists and antimilitarists actively resisting war and reducing its causes within the country and globally.
This interview, among other things, considers issues that are crucial for the Asia #Peace Network and the wider War Resisters' International to consider, if we want to build stronger movements to resist the arms trade, take action on climate crisis and #militarism, and promote activist emotional wellbeing. As we all know, the devastating effects of these issues transcend national borders.
Happy 20th birthday to World Without War!
Following the denial of political #asylum by the Lithuanian authorities for the #Belarusian #peacebuilder and #HumanRights defender Olga Karatch (Volha Karach), the international campaign #protection4olga has just been launched to demand #protection and asylum for the director of the organisation ‘Our House‘. She has been fighting for human rights in #Belarus for years, including the right to #ConscientiousObjection to #military service, and is therefore persecuted and faces capital punishment in her country of origin, where she has been labelled a ‘terrorist’ by the regime.
We are all shocked that the Security Service of Ukraine broke into the apartment of Yurii Sheliazhenko yesterday, August 3rd 2023, and conducted an illegal search and seizure operation, finding nothing criminal and taking his phone, his computer, as well as some documents of the #Ukrainian #Pacifist Movement. We strongly protest about the harassment of Yurii Sheliazhenko, who is summoned to interrogation on August 7th, 8th and 9th 2023.
We remind the Ukrainian government that #pacifism is not a crime in democratic states. We demand that the charge against Yurii Sheliazhenko is immediately dropped, and that #HumanRights are fully protected, including the right to freedom of expression and the right to #ConscientiousObjection to #military service, which is inherent in the right to #freedom of thought, #conscience and #religion, guaranteed, amongst others, under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as under Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which is non-derogable even in a time of public emergency, as stated in Article 4(2) of ICCPR.
Yurii Sheliazhenko is a well-known #ConscientiousObjector, pacifist, human rights defender and lawyer. We strongly condemn all actions of harassment and all attempts of intimidation against him and the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, as well as all cases of forced recruitment and even abduction of #conscripts to the involved armies, and all #persecutions of #ConscientiousObjectors, deserters and non-violent #anti-war protestors.
Stop The Arms Fair is a network of groups and individuals who have joined forces to put an end to DSEI and all UK arms fairs.
DSEI is one of the world’s biggest arms fairs. For one week every two years, in East London, arms companies display their weapons to buyers from around the world, including countries in conflict, authoritarian regimes and countries with serious human rights problems.
The UK government helps to organise this arms fair, invites these military buyers from around the world, and helps arms companies to make deals, at taxpayer expense.
This has to stop, and together we can stop it.
DSEI is planning to return in September 2023 and we are already working to stop it.
Monday 4 September 2023 - Friday 15 September 2023
The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO), War Resisters’ International (WRI), the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) and Connection e.V. (Germany) strongly condemn the listing of the Russian Movement of Conscientious Objectors as “Foreign Agent” as of June 23rd 2023. This action is another blatant #HumanRights violation, a fundamentally discriminatory application of law that contradicts universally accepted human rights and #freedoms.
The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation accuses the Movement of Conscientious Objectors of disseminating supposedly false information about the government's actions, decisions, and policies, in addition to opposing #Russia's #military actions in #Ukraine. For the current government of the #Russian Federation these allegations are sufficient to warrant the stigmatisation of the organisation.
The four organisations urge Russia to stop stigmatising human rights organisations and human rights defenders, and immediately and unconditionally release all those hundreds of soldiers and mobilised civilians who object to engage in the #war and are illegally detained and even ill-treated.
The right to #ConscientiousObjection to military service is inherent in the right to #freedom of thought, #conscience and religion, guaranteed under Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which is non-derogable even in a time of public emergency, as stated in Article 4(2) of ICCPR.
Conscientious objection is a tangible contribution to #peace; therefore, the protection of this human right is even more crucial in wartime.
Join us on 15 May: International Conscientious Objectors' Day
Every year on 15 May we remember #ConscientiousObjectors, past and present.
Around the world many people are imprisoned or forced to flee their home countries for refusing to join armed forces. On 15 May, we will stand in #solidarity with them, as well as celebrating the memory of those throughout #history who have resisted #conscription.
This year we will be showing our support especially to COs resisting the current #conflict in #Russia, #Ukraine and #Belarus.
In the UK, you can join the National Ceremony either in London or online: 1.00-2.00pm, Monday 15 May
Everyone is welcome to join the National Ceremony, which takes place every year in front of the #memorial stone for conscientious objectors in Tavistock Square, London.
For those who can't make it in person, you can watch the event online.
The Peace Pledge Union works with a coalition of peace and #HumanRights organisations on this joint ceremony.
With contributions from:
- #Belarusian peace #activist Olga Karach from Our House, who will send a message on the situation faced by COs in Belarus today.
- Semih Sapmaz from #War Resisters' International, speaking on the global #struggle of COs around the world.
- Historian Ali Ronan, speaking on the often overlooked role of #women COs.
- Hosted by actor and playwright Michael Mears.
Speeches will be followed by a reading of COs' names from around the world. Flowers will be laid on the memorial stone, followed by a minute's silence.
Attend in person - Tavistock Square, London - 1pm Monday 15 May 2023. Or watch online - visit www.CO-Day.org at the time to watch the live stream.
There will be other CO Day events around the UK and the world.
Events to mark CO Day this year will be happening around the UK, in Edinburgh, Brighton, Leicester, Leeds and elsewhere. Please visit our events page to find one near you.
If you have any stories or experiences of #ConscientiousObjection, or are planning anything for CO Day, please get in touch at mail@ppu.org.uk. You can find out more at www.CO-Day.org, including many educational resources on conscientious objection, campaigns, music and videos.
The U.S. Department of Defense- military forces and DOD agencies- is the largest single energy consumer in the United States and the world’s largest institutional greenhouse gas emitter.
-Peace Action
#military #antimilitary #environment #environmentalism #environmentalist #green #antiwar #peace #propeace #pacifist #pacifism
500 conscientious objectors “competed to volunteer” to be “human guinea pigs” for “dangerous and life-threatening medical experiments seeking cures for malaria, infections hepatitis, atypical pneumonia and typhus."
#WWII #history #war #antiwar #peace #propeace #pacifist #pacifism #ConscientiousObjection #ConscientiousObjectors #science #medicine #famine #starvation
### "...All peaceful persons should withdraw their support from the army, and require that all who wish to make war do so at their own cost and risk; that neither pay nor pensions are to be provided for those who choose to make man-killing a trade"
-Voltairine De Cleyre, 1909 essay "Anarchism and American Traditions"
#war #antiwar #military #anti-military #peace #propeace #anarchy #anarchism #pacifism #pacifist
Dear friends,
I’m writing to you about our ongoing Object War Campaign (in support of deserters and conscientious objectors from #Russia, #Belarus and #Ukraine) and to ask for your support.
War Resisters’ International, together with Connection e.V., the International Fellowship of Reconciliation and the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection launched #ObjectWarCampaign on 21st September. Since then, we've been calling out to everyone to join this global effort to ensure the protection of conscientious objectors and deserters from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
So far we have collected almost 7,000 signatures. Thanks to everyone who has joined our campaign.We accelerate our efforts to get more signatures before the end of this year and we need your support!
If you have not signed our petition yet, you can sign it here. We would also appreciate if you help us spread the word, share the campaign within your networks and post on social media with the hashtag #StandWithObjectors and #ObjectWarCampaign.
...
The petition is available on the WeMove.eu website in German, English, French, Italian and Greek.#ObjectWarCampaign highlights the importance of opening borders to those who oppose the war at great personal risk in their countries, and calls on everyone to support those who refuse to fight and kill.
The campaign is being supported by many organisations and groups. You can see a list of them here.
Every recruit can be a conscientious objector, every soldier a deserter. Let’s support those who refuse to kill and end war together!
#ObjectWarCampaign#StandWithObjectors
Merve Arkun
Right to Refuse to Kill Programme Intern
#war #antiwar #peace #propeace #pacifist #pacifism #HumanRights #ConscientiousObjectors #ConscientiousObjection
This Thursday, 1st December, is Prisoners for Peace Day, a day to show solidarity with those activists who have been imprisoned for their work for peace and conscientious objectors imprisoned for their refusal to take up arms.
This year, we want to highlight the situation of many people in Russia and Ukraine that are imprisoned or facing imprisonment for resisting the current war in Ukraine.
You can find the list of Prisoners for Peace here.
#antiwar #peace #propeace #pacifist #pacifism #HumanRights #ConscientiousObjectors #ConscientiousObjection
The marriage of military metaphysics with eschatological ambition is a misbegotten one... it invites endless war and the ever-deepening militarization of U.S. policy... as it alienates people and nations around the world, it will leave the United States increasingly isolated. If history is any guide, it will end in bankruptcy, moral as well as economic, and in abject failure.
-From The New American Militarism, by Andrew J. Bacevich
#militarism #militarization #military #war #antimilitary #antiwar #peace #pacifist #pacifism
