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
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
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!
Yesterday the Peace Pledge Union held its annual National Alternative Remembrance Ceremony - to honor ALL victims of war, both civilians and military from all parts of the world.
You can watch the inspiring video here:
#antiwar #peace #propeace #pacifist #pacifists #pacifism #remembrance
On April 17, 2022, Ukrainian pacifists adopted a statement reposted here...
Ukrainian Pacifist Movement is gravely concerned about the active burning of bridges for a #peaceful #resolution of #conflict between #Russia and #Ukraine on both sides and signals of intentions to continue the #bloodshed indefinitely to achieve some sovereign ambitions.
We condemn the #Russian decision to invade Ukraine on 24 February 2022, which led to a fatal escalation and thousands of deaths, reiterating our #condemnation of the reciprocal #violations of the #ceasefire envisaged in Minsk agreements by Russian and #Ukrainian combatants in #Donbas prior to the escalation of Russian #aggression.
We condemn the mutual labeling of parties to the conflict as Nazi-alike enemies and #war criminals, stuffed into legislation, reinforced by the official #propaganda of extreme and irreconcilable #hostility. We believe that the law should build #peace, not incite war; and #history should give us examples how people can return to peaceful life, not excuses for continuing the war. We insist that accountability for crimes must be established by an independent and competent judicial body in due process of law, in result of unbiased and impartial investigation, especially in the most serious crimes, such as #genocide. We emphasize that the tragic consequences of military brutality must not be used to incite #hatred and justify new #atrocities, on the contrary, such #tragedies should cool the fighting spirit and encourage a persistent search for the most bloodless ways to end the war.
We condemn military actions on both sides, the hostilities which harm civilians. We insist that all shooting should be stopped, all sides should honor the memory of killed people and, after due grief, calmly and honestly commit to peace talks.
We condemn statements on the Russian side about the intention to achieve certain goals by military means if they cannot be achieved through #negotiations.
We condemn statements on the Ukrainian side that continuation of peace talks depends on winning the best negotiating positions at the battlefield.
We condemn the unwillingness of both sides to cease fire during the peace talks.
We condemn the practice of forcing #civilians to conduct military service, to perform military tasks and to support the army against the will of peaceful people in Russia and Ukraine. We insist that such practices, especially during hostilities, grossly violate the principle of distinction between militaries and civilians in international #humanitarian law. Any forms of contempt for the human right to conscientious objection to military service are unacceptable.
We condemn all military support provided by Russia and NATO countries for militant radicals in Ukraine provoking further escalation of the military #conflict.
We call on all peace-loving people in Ukraine and around the world to remain peace-loving people in all circumstances and to help others to be peace-loving people, to collect and disseminate knowledge about peaceful and #nonviolent way of life, to tell the #truth that unites peace-loving people, to #resist evil and #injustice without #violence, and debunk myths about necessary, beneficial, inevitable, and just war. We don’t call for any particular action now to ensure that peace plans will not be targeted by hatred and attacks of #militarists, but we are confident that #pacifists of the world have a good imagination and experience of practical realization of their best dreams. Our actions should be guided by hope for a peaceful and happy future, and not by fears. Let our peace work bring closer the future from dreams.
War is a crime against humanity. Therefore, we are determined not to support any kind of war and to strive for the removal of all causes of war.”
#CODay #peace #antiwar #pacifist #pacifism #ConscientiousObjectors #ConscientiousObjection
The #PeacePledgeUnion (PPU) has today issued the following statement with regards to the prospect of #war over #Ukraine. The #PPU is #Britain's leading #pacifist organisation and the #British section of War Resisters' International.
The Peace Pledge Union shares the concern felt around the world about the possibility of war between #Russia and Ukraine. Sending more #troops and more #weapons to the area is only making the situation worse.
We oppose the actions of #politicians and #military leaders on both the #Russian side and the #NATO/Ukrainian side who are stirring up military #tension and using each other’s #aggression to justify their own. We stand with people in all countries who are resisting the drive to war.
We utterly reject any suggestion that to oppose NATO’s #militarism means supporting #VladimirPutin and Russian #forces. We oppose militarism on all sides.
We condemn the action of the Russian #government in building up troops on the #Ukrainian border. We do not accept their claim that this is not aggressive because the troops are in Russian territory. We similarly condemn the aggressive actions of NATO members, including the #US and #UK governments, in building up troops on Russia’s other borders. This follows NATO’s expansion eastwards since the 1990s, which has broken promises made at the end of the #ColdWar.
Each side uses the other’s aggression to justify their own. Each side claims that their actions are purely defensive. This situation has occurred countless times before in many parts of the world. It illustrates the futility of seeking to solve #conflict through #violence. Militarism anywhere fuels militarism everywhere.
As the British section of War Resisters’ International, the Peace Pledge Union stands in #solidarity with #pacifists and other #anti-militarists around the world. We are confident that the people of #Ukraine, Russia, the US, the UK and all the other countries involved have more in common with each other than with the #militaristic politicians, generals and arms companies who would wage war in their name.
As an organisation based in the UK, we note that UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss repeatedly states that UK troops and their NATO allies are promoting “freedom”. Yet the lack of #democracy and civil #liberties in Russia is mirrored in countries that the UK government counts among its military allies. NATO members include the #authoritarian regime of #Turkey. While Truss claims that UK troops in #Estonia are defending #freedom, other UK troops are training the #Saudi forces bombing #civilians in #Yemen. The Ukrainian government has recently imprisoned members of our sibling organisation, the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, for campaigning against militarism; these actions mirror the Putin regime’s repression of peaceful #activists in Russia.
There is no military solution to the #crisis over Ukraine. We urge both sides to withdraw troops from each other’s borders and to stop pouring further troops and weapons into an already highly volatile situation. We encourage them to focus on tackling the real dangers that threaten us all, including Covid, poverty and the climate emergency. We support people in all countries who challenge militaristic polices and we welcome the actions of individuals in the armed forces in any country who refuse to obey orders to fight or to prepare for war.
#peace #propeace #antiwar #ConscientiousObjection #HumanRights
#Ukrainian conscientious objector and journalist #RuslanKotsaba will be on trial again on September 20th. Support #Kotsaba with your actions ahead of his trial!
Kotsaba, president of the #Ukrainian #Pacifist Movement, is accused of treason and obstructing #military operations for his expressions calling for #peace in a video he posted in 2015. In the video, Kotsaba was calling to boycott military mobilisation for the #conflict in Eastern #Ukraine.
Kotsaba had already spent 524 days under #arrest for his expressions opposing the #war and was duly acquitted in 2016. His retrial is a clearly politically motivated #persecution which must end immediately. Furthermore he was attacked by neo-Nazis several times and seriously wounded. For background and more information on Ruslan’s case, see here.
War Resisters’ International ( #WRI ), European Bureau for Conscientious Objection ( #EBCO ) and Connection e.V. are calling for #international actions ahead of Kotsaba’s next hearing, scheduled to take place on September 20th.
What can you do?
- Write to the #Prosecutor General of Ukraine demanding an end to his #prosecution. You can use our template letter which can be reached here.
- Organize a #vigil in front of an Ukrainian #embassy or #consulate in your country. You can find the list of Ukrainian embassies here.
- Ask #politicians in your country to support Ruslan Kotsaba by sending a letter to the Ukrainian authorities and/or the Prosecutor General.Please contact us about your activities via actionruslankotsaba@Connection-eV.org.
WRI, EBCO and Connection e.V. are standing in #solidarity with Ruslan Kotsaba. We urge the Ukrainian #government to end his prosecution and to ensure that all #pacifists, in Ukraine, including the #activists of Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, are able to freely express their opinions and continue their non-violent activity. We also urge the Ukrainian government to safeguard the right to #ConscientiousObjection to military service, according to the European and international standards.
#ConscientiousObjector #antiwar #propeace #pacifist #pacifism #HumanRights
