All articles

Mon
20
Nov

This week is the International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth

This week (20-26 November) is the International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth. During the week activists from various countries will be taking actions and organising events to raise awareness of how the military and military values are promoted to young people, and how we can challenge it.

In Czech Republic, NESEHNUTÍ is organising a screening of the movie “Výchova k válce” (Education for War), followed by a panel session on the militarisation of education in the country.

In Israel, activists from the Mesarvot network - a solidarity network supporting political conscientious objectors in Israel - is organising a demonstration in Tel Aviv in support of the young refuser, Matan Hellman, who's declaring his conscientious objection on 20th November.

Mon
20
Nov

Researching Pop Culture and Militarism: What is normal?

Researching Pop Culture and Militarism: What is normal?

"Human beings are consumers of vast quantities of raw materials and fuels. A tremendous amount of waste materials results from this use--individual, societal, industrial, and accidental."1

Is this sentence a fact, or an opinion? When starting a sentence with "human beings are..." or "human nature is...", who determines whether what is being said is fact or fiction? History? One’s own experiences or philosophy? Is there such a thing as normal human behavior anyway?

In the following article, we'll discuss how "normal" beliefs, actions, and practices are not, despite being often assumed to be so, universally defined. They are products of a specific context, and are often used to judge others outside of it.

English translation unavailable for .
Mon
09
Oct

Bermuda: Government revealed plans to end conscription

The newly elected Bermudian Government is planning to end military conscription, a government official revealed at a speech last month.

Speaking on behalf of the new Progressive Labour Party government, Governor John Rankin said: “The Government will amend the Defence Act 1965 in consultation with the Governor to officially end conscription to the Royal Bermuda Regiment within this legislative session.”

The Royal Bermuda Regiment has not used conscription for two years and relied on volunteers instead after the previous One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) government suspended mandatory call-ups.

However, it didn't mean total abolishment of conscription in the country. The Defence Amendment Bill, issued by the previous OBA government in 2015, still allowed mandatory call-ups “when voluntary enlistment leaves a shortfall in the required number of members”.

Mon
09
Oct

Scotland: SNP Youth motion to raise Army recruitment age passes at conference

The youth wing of the Scottish National Party (SNP) secured a landmark victory at the party's annual conference on Sunday (8 October) as members voted in favour of raising the army recruitment age from 16 to 18. 

SNP Youth have long-campaigned for the Ministry of Defence to ban the enlistment of 16- and 17-year-olds into the armed forces and yesterday a majority of party members agreed as the motion passed with a significant majority. 

Rhiannon Spear, Glasgow councillor and SNP Youth national convenor, told the conference: “This is about what society that we want to be, it is about how we value our young people. We believe that the interests and health of Scotland’s young people must come before the demands of British military recruiters.”

The passing of the motion, which was publicly backed by 17 MSPs, one MP and 12 local branches before Sunday's debate, means that the SNP as a whole will now actively push for an increase in recruitment age.

Mon
09
Oct

Marvel Comics pull tie-in with Northrop Grumman

At 4pm on Friday 6th October, Marvel Comics tweeted that they were to "join forces" with Northrop Grumman, the world's fifth biggest arms manufacturer.

Marvel and @northropgrumman join forces! Come check out the #MarvelNYCC booth tomorrow at 3pm EST. pic.twitter.com/pb5V1tj19L

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) October 6, 2017

Fri
22
Sep

A call to action: 4th International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth, November 20-26

This November, activists from all around the world are taking action against the militarisation of young people in their countries, cities and towns.

Join us in this week with your own nonviolent actions, and be part of this global movement resisting the recruitment of young people's minds and bodies into violence. 

The International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth is a concerted effort of antimilitarist actions across the world to raise awareness of the many ways in which violence is promoted to young people, and to give voice to alternatives. The week is coordinated by War Resisters' International.

English translation unavailable for .
Tue
05
Sep

International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth, 20-26 November

International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth

Between 20-26 November, activists from around the world will take action as part of the International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth.

The week, held for the fourth time this year, is a concerted effort of antimilitarist activists across the world to expose and challenge the ways violence is promoted to young people, and raise awareness about alternatives.

In previous years, many groups from all around the world participated in the week with autonomous events, including direct actions, talks, workshops, vigils and social media campaigns.

Thu
17
Aug

Bolivia: 'Voluntary' conscription of 17 year-olds and plans for substitute service

Plans for an alternative 'Social Action Service' have been announced by the Bolivian Ministry of Defence. An amendment to the Military Service Law will be proposed to the President this month. Currently, no substitute to military service exists.

In other changes announced in May, a new military service law sanctioned the recruitment of 17 year olds - a kind of 'voluntary' conscription, open to those who give their consent, and also have the consent of parents or guardians. This follows the 2016 Constitutional Court decision which declared a previous attempt at lowering the recruitment age to 17 'unconstitutional'.

At the same time, they extended voluntary conscription to women. Incidentally, Bolivia remain the only State in Latin America to admit trans* people to the military.

 

Pages