Brazil

Militarism is guns, armored tanks and drones, but it’s also a state of mind. Militarised mentalities have permeated many police forces and amplified dramatically the force of police violence against our communities.

In a globalized world, any analysis of militarization and repressive ideologies, methodologies and technologies has to take into account the dynamics of import and export of these concepts and tools across borders. One of the world’s most prominent exporters of ideology and technology of repression is undoubtedly Israel. With over sixty years of experience in repressing the Palestinian people and expelling them from their lands, Israel markets proudly its weapons for war and ‘riot control’ as ‘field tested’ - either during the repeated full-scale military aggressions against Palestinian territory or Arab countries or in the day-to-day subjugation of a people under occupation.

Providence Equity Partners is a global private equity firm focused on media, communications, education and information investments. Providence Equity Partners have a history of profiteering from war, including owning the company U.S.Investigation Services, which trained the violent and secretive 'Emergency Response Unit', an Iraqi paramilitary security organisation. However, Providence are our particular focus this month because the company has just bought an events company called Clarion Events.

Maren Mantovani (Stop the Wall) and Henrique Sanchez (MOPAT - Movimento Palestina para Tod@s). Originally published in WRI's 'Broken Rifle' newsletter, April 2015.

Compared with countries in the Middle East, Europe and especially the United States, Latin American nations don't spend vast amounts in defence. Border disputes have been mostly settled; the potential for conflicts between states is minimal. But lately this seems to be changing with a number of countries increasing their arms purchase, and Brazil is leading this new arms trade wave in the region.

The New York Times reported on
18 December that Brazil is planning to modernise its military.
According to the report, this will include a national debate on
conscription, with the aim to enforce the countries existing
conscription laws.

Controlling Fear

Convenor: Roberta Bacic, Chile

Within the context of the WRI Triennial, a short workshop was developed on the control of fear. There was a large attendance and active participation in this workshop which made possible a dialogue and exchange of experiences on all kinds of valuable and significant activity carried out in various countries.

The workshop was divided into two parts;

This is an - incomplete - list of groups in Latin America working on issues of conscientious objection and related areas.

1 Conscription

conscription exists

Conscription is referred to in art. 143 of the 1988 Federal Constitution which states that military service is compulsory. [1] [5]

Conscription is regulated by the Military Service Decree. [5]

military service

According to the Military Service Decree all 19-year-old citizens are liable for military service. [5]

But in practice it seems that men are called up at the age of 18. [3] [7]

Military service lasts for 12 months, and may be extended to 18 months.

Landless people in Brazil are resorting to direct action to meet their needs; Grace Livingstone reports.

Rural landless labourers converged on Brasilia last April after a 1000km march. They were met m the Brazilian capital by a 50,000 strong cheering crowd waving banners, throwing flowers and offering baskets of food. The government agreed to meet the leaders of the landless.

by Maggie Helwig

"Our daily lives must be visible," says Staša. "They must become international policy. It is my international policy that Haya comes to my house. That is my government."

Staša, from Belgrade, and Haya, from Jerusalem, were both part of the theme group on women's work against violence at the War Resisters International's Triennial in Sao Leopoldo, Brazil, held in December 1994. Although the group's conclusions cannot be summed up in any brief form, Staša's words do express a fundamental principle underlying much of what was said.

Brazil

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world. Under the military government (1964-1985), Brazil also accumulated the largest foreign debt in the world—US $121 billion. A constitutional process began in 1986, culminating in a new Constitution in 1988. Fernando Collor de Mello was elected President in 1990, the first directly-elected president since 1960.