Country report and updates: Grenada

1 Conscription

conscription does not exist

Grenada has no regular armed forces and there is no conscription. [1] [4]

2 Conscientious objection

The right to conscientious objection is not legally recognized. [4]

5 History

Conscription has never existed since independence was achieved in 1974.

Following the March 1979 coup the government established a 1,000 to 1,500-strong People's Revolutionary Army and a People's Militia, consisting of 25,000 volunteers. It is unclear whether military service in these forces was voluntary or compulsory, but a report suggested even 8-year-old children had been trained for the militia. [2]

In 1983 there was a military coup followed by an invasion of US troops on 25 October 1983. The Grenadian armed forces were disbanded in 1985. [3]

Sources

[1] Eide, A., C. Mubanga-Chipoya 1985. Conscientious objection to military service, report prepared in pursuance of resolutions 14 (XXXIV) and 1982/30 of the Sub-Commission of Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. United Nations, New York. [2] DIRB, 14 July 1993. [3] DIRB, 4 May 1994. [4] Toney, R.J. 1996. Military Service, Alternative Social Service, and Conscientious Objection in the Americas: A Brief Survey of Selected Countries. NISBCO, Washington DC.