Africa WG

[video:http://vimeo.com/93260597 autoplay:0]

This webinar discussed meanings of concepts including Patriarchy, Security, War, Peace, Nonviolence, Gender, Sexualities, Consciousness and Intersectionalities, and motivated for nonviolent action to ensure compassion and justice for all.

It was led by Bernedette Muthien (see bio here).

This webinar was the third in a series of webinars by and for the African Nonviolence and Peacebuilding Network. It took place on the 28 April, 2014.

This series is open to all, and leading up to the July 2014 international conference: Small Actions, Big Movements: The Continuum of Nonviolence, taking place in Cape Town.

[video:https://vimeo.com/90530047 autoplay:0]

In this webinar Matt Meyer explores the rich history of peace and pacifist encounters in Africa over the past century. Understanding that solidarity and social change are dialectical two-way streets, the presentation does not only review the work of those from Global North reaching out to Southern colleagues but equally examines the deep roots of indigenous African initiatives of unarmed civil resistence.

We, members of War Resisters’ International (WRI), express our profound horror and deep sadness at the torture and murder of Nigerian pacifist, Chidi Nwosu, founder and president of the Human Rights, Justice and Peace Foundation, affiliate member of WRI. Nwosu, a lifetime human rights activist and promoter of nonviolent social change, was brutally assassinated in his home on December 29th, 2010.

WRI, a pacifist network with 90 affiliates in 40 countries, recognizes that this is the first time in its 90-year history that the founder and president of an affiliate member has been murdered.

GALZ (Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe) staff Ellen Chadamena and Ignatius Muhambia were bailed on Thursday, 27 May, and will have a "remand" hearing on 10 June, before appearing in the high court on 18 June. They face charges of ‘insulting the office of the President’ and allegedly possessing ‘pornographic material’. Their lawyer told press that they would be medically examined "so that we can pursue an action against the people who were responsible for the beatings and torture.”

Subsequent to the arrest of Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Muhambi, employees of the WRI's affiliate Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) on charges of “possessing dangerous drugs and pornographic material” on the 21st May 2010, the police have gone further to search the house of Chesterfield Samba, former WRI Council member and the Director of GALZ. The raid took place this morning (26 May 2010) at 0600hrs.

Police on Monday 24 May 2010 pressed fresh charges against two employees of WRI affiliate Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ), who were arrested last week after the police raided their offices in the capital.

Police on Monday charged Ellen Chademana, who attended the WRI conference in India in January 2010, and Ignatius Muhambi with contravening Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe.

Sheena Duncan - for many years the president of the Black Sash, a nonviolent women's organisation in South Africa - has died at the age of 78.

Sheena is honoured in the first sentence of WRI's recent published anthology Women Conscientious Objectors:

About 40 workshops were held during the five days of the open conference. A full list of workshops and their convenors is available in the WRI archives.

Workshop
and working group report

Conveners: Jan Van Criekinge, Belgium and Matt Meyer, U.S.A.

present:
Shelley Anderson (IFOR), Bindi Borg (Australia, BiH), Konrad Borst (Germany),
Casha Davis (Germany), Kai-Uwe Dosch (DFG-VK, Germany), Farid Esack (South
Africa), Bart Horeman (VD, Netherlands), Jorgen Johansen (WRI Chair, Sweden),
Koussetogue Koude (Association Jeunesse Anti-Clivage, Chad), Michel Monod
(Suisse Sans Armee, Switzerland), Greg Payton (WRL, U.S.A.), Amy Tinto (Balkan
Peace Team, Croatia)

Proposal for a series of consultations with armed struggle movements

The proposal is to hold a series of consultations with movements engaged ii' armed struggle or who have recently quit armed struggle. These consultations would he held in different countries, and would be documented afterwards. They would happen over a period of time, say a three-year period, to build up the trust necessary for a real dialogue.