WRI network

At WRI's recent conference and meeting in Colombia, we were delighted two welcome six new affiliates to our international network.

In August 2019 we were excited to welcome a new affiliate to our international network - Pasifika, based in West Papua. In late August the Indonesian military began a violent crackdown in West Papua, prompting a mass nonviolent response across the region.

From July 30th to August 1st 2019, activists from across Colombia, Latin America and the wider world gathered in Bogota for the Antimilitarism in Movement conference, a three day gathering to explore the intersecting experiences of war and militarism - and our movements’ resistance to militarism – from around the world.

PEACE was founded over 30 years ago as Concerned Educators Allied for a Safe Environment. The Safe Environment being the classroom and the world. We have worked against war toys and for the War Toy Boycott, we have talked to teachers about violent play in the classroom, we have drawn up curriculum for on how-to teacher children about native American tribes which is anti-bias and inclusive, we have supported the growth of peace camps for young children to learn conflict resolution skills.

Another year has passed for WRI and with it lots of work to do our part to be a wrench in the workings of the war machine.

The Antimilitarist Network of Latin America and the Caribbean (Red Antimilitarista de América Latina y el Caribe, RAMALC) have published a statement in solidarity with antimilitarists, conscientious objectors, nonviolent and pacifists in Venezuela (an English version is forthcoming). It extends support to the community of human rights defenders being persecuted for their work. The statement has been endorsed by the WRI Executive Committee.

This year's WRI Council meeting will take place in London in September, coinciding with DSEI - Defence & Security Equipment International - the biggest arms fair in the world. We will take part in actions before and after Council to disrupt the fair.

UK activists: see how you can help international activists to stop DSEI!

The schedule for our events is as follows:

At our eCouncil meeting this month, we were really glad to welcome four new organisations as Associate Organisations of War Resisters' International. They are: Campaign Against Arms Trade (Britain), NESEHNUTÍ (Czech Republic), Şiddetsizlik egitim ve arastirma dernegi (Nonviolence Education and Research Centre, Turkey) and VD AMOK (the Netherlands). Three organisations already affiliated to WRI as Associate Organisations were also admitted as Sections of WRI. They are Alternatives to Violence Project, Nigeria; the Organization for Nonviolence and Development (South Sudan) and Žene u crnom (Women in Black Serbia).

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Every year, WRI holds a council meeting – sometimes this is in person, but this year will be held online over two weeks of internet forums, conference calls and webinars. As well as more formal decision-making related to WRI, it is an opportunity to discuss politics, campaigns, and issues that are important to us. In 2014 we held a series of meetings via conference calls and as 'webinars' (web-based seminars) on different topics, and we are inviting contributions for ideas of similar events for this years meeting. Email info@wri-irg.org with the subject "E-council planning" if there is something you would like to contribute.

In 2012, Megan Rice was part of a group that entered the Oakridge National Laborotory in the United States, where nuclear weapons are developed and weapons-grade uranium is stored. The group - called 'Transform Now Plowshares' - hammered on the storage building, dawbed the walls of the storage building with blood and slogans, and hung banners. All three were arrested, and spent two years in prison. A detailed written overview of the action can be found here.

Statement of the feminist collective TO MOV (Greece) co-signed by the Association of Greek Conscientious Objectors

At a time when the democratic demand is the abolition of compulsory military service, the ministry of Defense, on the contrary, seems to wish the extension of this service to women.

According to publications, a new bill is prepared for the foundation of military secondary schools (lycea) in which all those planning to follow military or police professions will enrol, and also the women enrolling such lycea will have to subsequently perform “voluntary” military service, in order to be eligible for exams in the respective academies. We are faced with a proposal for radical and reactionary reform of the education system in the second grade, which must not pass. What does the Minister of Education say? Does the Minister of Defense decide alone for his own ministry? On what right?

 

Activists from Germany, West Papua and South Korea disrupt the welcome dinner at the ADEX arms fair

In this letter, Lee Yongsuk shares how participating in the WRI network has made a difference to Korean group World Without War. He asks that you consider supporting WRI with a donation if you are able.

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