Operation Refuse War

Operation Refuse War

Through workshops, actions, and an international conference, Operation Refuse War will highlight the difficulties that current conscientious objectors face as well as help build relationships and connections between the various communities within the anti-war movement. The focus of the events is on supporting contemporary American conscientious objectors and their families, as well as examining the current potential of conscientious objection (in its various forms) as a strategy for building an anti-war movement. In addition, Operation Refuse War will bring together international and American conscientious objectors to share their experiences and ideas.

Sponsoring organizations include the War Resisters League; War Resisters' International; the American Friends Service Committee Youth and Militarism Program; the Center on Conscience & War; the Washington Peace Center; the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition; the Military Law Task Force of the National Lawyers Guild; the Fellowship of Reconciliation Disarmament Program; the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors (CCCO); Veterans for Peace; and the Student Peace Action Network (SPAN).

International Conscientious Objectors' Strategy Session

New York City, May 11-12 2006

Bringing together conscientious objectors from across the globe, this intimate session focussed on building international strategies for supporting the right to refuse to kill.

Public event in New York on May 11th

7-9pm at Friends Meeting House, 15 Rutherford Place, Manhattan.

Operation Refuse War: An International Conference Of Resisters To Global War

Washington DC, May 13-14 2006

Operation Refuse War is an opportunity for conscientious objectors, anti-war activists, and military families to come together to share strategies and build community.

Workshop topics include:

• Conscientious Objection as a Movement-Building Tool
• Building Support for COs From the Outside
• What does an International CO Movement Look Like?
• Personal Stories of Conscientious Objection and Draft Resistance
• Connecting Resistance within the Coalition of the Willing
• All Wars or This War? Conscientious Objection as a Political or Moral choice
• Building Bridges with Military Families

A full conference agenda is available in English and Spanish.

Please register online or contact register@ centeronconscience.org. You can also download a PDF form and mail it to Center on Conscience and War. Conference registration fee is US$30, which includes lunch on Saturday, May 13th.

Other events include:

• Lobby Day on Capitol Hill for CO Recognition (organized by the Center on Conscience & War),
• Eyes Wide Open Exhibit on the Mall,
• GI Rights Hotline Gathering,
• Silent March Against the War in Iraq.

For more information, please contact: Operation Refuse War, c/o WRL 339 Lafayette St New York, NY 10012 212.228.0450 x102 youth@warresisters.org operationrefusewar.org