War Resisters' Stories

Hilal Demir

It started with a park. The government wanted to destroy the only green public park that exists in the centre of Istanbul city. What for? To build a military barracks, they said. Then they said it would be a shopping centre. They gave other reasons, too.

At the end of May, WRI launched 'A Conscientious Objector's Guide to the International Human Rights System'. The Guide should make it as easy as possible for conscientious objectors who wish to utilise human rights mechanisms to do so. You can use the guide here. The Spanish version of the Guide will be launched in the coming weeks.

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After the successful attempt last year, War Starts Here is planning another international camp from the 21 – 29 July, to discuss and take action on international and antimilitarist activities. Like last year, the camp will be located at the Gefechtsübungszentrum (GÜZ). The GÜZ is one of the biggest and most modern military troop training facilities in Europe. Here, different forms and facets of militarization, war and counter insurgency meld together.

This week we have published 'Sowing Seeds: The Militarisation of Youth and How to Counter It'. Through articles, images, survey data and interviews, the book documents how the seeds of war are planted in the minds of young people in many different countries, and explores the seeds of resistance to this militarisation.

Participate this week (10 - 14 June) in the WRI and New Tactics online conversation on Tactics for Combating Militarisation.