Vredesactie closes down the Ministry of Defence.

November 14. A group of Vredesactie activists block the gates of the Belgian Ministry of Defence, renamed Ministry of War, in a protest against the Belgian involvement in the war in Afghanistan. Their actions fits in the framework of a European action day against military infrastructure "War starts from Europe".

Belgium is at war. The country is involved in several military operations worldwide.

The Belgian minister of Defence has dragged us into the war in Afghanistan and wants to engage the army more actively in military operations worldwide. That's why the peace movement Vredesactie has closed down the Ministry of Defence today. The activists are demanding that the Belgian government puts an end to the military presence in Afghanistan. This action is part of an international action day 'War starts from Europe', which aims to visualise how Europe is involved in wars worldwide.

A group of around 30 Belgian activists blocked the gates of the Ministry of Defence with chains and locked themselves to the entrances. They climbed the building to hang banners, while a crew of cleaners swept blood from the pavement in front of the building. Police forces were mobilised quickly after the start of the blockade. A special 'lock on team' intervened to remove the activists which had attached themselves to the entrances. All the activists were arrested.

War starts in Europe. We have to stop it in Europe.

Belgian cooperation in the war in Afghanistan is only one example of how our country is involved in wars elsewhere. The military transports from military bases in Germany via Antwerp's Harbour to warzones in Irak and Afghanistan are still going on.

European countries are participating in the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. More than 25,000 European soldiers fight under NATO command in Afghanistan. EU forces are intervening in Africa. Both NATO and the EU are developing rapid intervention forces. Several European countries have military bases outside Europe to support their interventions.

Nearly every European citizen lives near a military base which delivers soldiers for ongoing wars or an other military or civil infrastructure that makes these wars possible. You can find a detailed overviewand map of these facilities on http://mcmilitary.org/oorlog_vertrekt_vanuit_europa
(soon to be translated into english)

The international action day 'War starts from Europe' wants to show in what way Europe is involved in wars worldwide. On the 14th and 15th of november, there are actions in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Finland, Great-Britain, Poland, Spain, Tjechie, and Sweden.

Pictures on Indymedia
Vredesactie
European Peace Action