WRI activists

Do people have a right to voice their concerns? Can people peacefully speak out against something they consider as injustice? It would seem not if you go by the recent action of Gujarat state and Police.

That Gujarat has one of the worst Human Rights track records in the country is no secret. That it is only hell bent on worsening it, if recent developments are to be believed, is new.

George Willoughby died on 5 January 2010. He was 95. His death came just short of the one year anniversary of the passing of his wife and partner in peace, Lillian, who died on January 15, 2009, just a few feet from where George spent his last minutes.

George and Lil were always there for peace, and it seemed would always, like rocks, be there for us. They were our touchstones and our teachers. Now, both are gone.

Bill Sutherland, unofficial ambassador between the peoples of Africa and the Americas for over fifty years, died peacefully on the evening of January 2, 2010. He was 91.

It is with deep regret and sorrow that Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) informs all our friends and partners of the passing away of our Director - Keith Goddard, one of the champions for the struggle for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) peoples rights in Zimbabwe.

The War Resisters League does a lot of work for peace—organizing demonstrations, publishing a quarterly magazine, developing resources and trainings on nonviolence… Most of this work is done from the comfort of a chair (although you can get a workout on the picket line). 

Now, the War Resisters League is taking our message of peace and pacifism and hitting the road—literally. Patrick Sheehan-Gaumer and Frida Berrigan—members of WRL’s National Committee —WRL staff person Saul Silva and long-time WRL member Mike Levinson, are marathoning for peace.

Later this year WRI will have a postal ballot on changing the constitution. However, the processes of electing a chair and Council needs to start before then. Therefore, these elections will take place under the existing constitution. The election for chair will therefore take place by postal ballot, and the elections for Council at the business meeting (27-28 January) to be held during the international conference in Ahmedabad, India next year.

From all over Belgium, by bus, bike, taxi, public transport and even by walking, hundreds of activists came to NATO's headquarters in Evere, Brussels. They tried non-violently to enter the NATO terrain and seal gates, windows and doors. At the same time, the NATO has been symbolically buried during a farewell ceremony. Today, this burial is still a symbolic act, but the will to turn this symbol into reality is very high.

The War Resisters' International (WRI), an international network of 82 affiliates in 43 countries, including Greece, condemns the terrifying attack on its associate, Association of Greek Conscientious Objectors.

Argument paper on the Vatanen report and beyond, 16 of February 2009

1. The minority opinion to Vatanen's report demands a strict separation of NATO and the EU, why?

Antecedentes:

El escenario ha cambiado, pero la militarización no se ha detenido. Es necesario darle un nuevo impulso a nuestro caminar juntas.

Encuentros parciales, bilaterales, y casuales entre nosotras han sucedido en los últimos años, y la necesidad de un encuentro que nos permita actuar más fortalecidamente se ha hecho patente en ellos.

Debemos encontrarnos para escucharnos e impulsarnos, en lo local y en lo regional.

Justificación:

On 14-15 November, antimilitarist nonviolent actions took place in a number of countries around Europe, as part of the a European Day of Action against military infrastructure. The day of action was another step in the coordinated work of radical nonviolent antimilitarist groups in Europe.

This afternoon, February 1st, I got a call from Ruth Benn that Ralph DiGia, 93, had died at St. Vincent’s here in New York City. I had visited him this past Saturday and sensed he was losing his battle - he had fallen and broken a hip about two weeks ago, got an infection in the hospital (hospitals in the US are notoriously dangerous places for the sick and wounded to go!), and despite rallying several times, died.