Ukraine War – Page 2 – IPB – International Peace Bureau

2023 Seán MacBride Peace Prize for the Three Conscientious Objectors Organization: Our House, Movement of Conscientious Objectors and Ukrainian Pacifist Movement; and peace advocate Tore Nærland

The winners of the 2023 Seán MacBride Peace Prize are champions of the right to conscientious objection, represented by a joint prize for three remarkable movements, and an individual peace advocate. At the heart of this esteemed award are three remarkable movements that have not only made significant strides in advocating for the right to conscientious objection but have also symbolized the enduring spirit of peace in the face of adversity. These awardees include “Our House” from Belarus, the “Movement of Conscientious Objectors”from Russia, the “Ukrainian Pacifist Movement” from Ukraine, and Tore Nærland, a passionate advocate for peace through his initiative, “Bike for Peace.”

Ukraine and Russia have been entangled in a complex and protracted conflict that has left scars on the hearts and souls of countless individuals and communities. This conflict, marked by territorial disputes, political turmoil, and humanitarian crises, has exacted a heavy toll, with civilians often caught in the crossfire and subjected to unimaginable suffering. It is in this context that the 2023 Seán MacBride Peace Prize recognizes the exceptional efforts of those who have chosen the path of peace and conscientious objection.

The first award is a shared prize for Our House, the Movement of Conscientious Objectors in Russia, and the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement.

Our House (https://news.house/), a Belarusian civil society organization registered in Vilnius since 2014, is dedicated to defending human rights, particularly focusing on vulnerable groups, such as women and children. They also support Belarusian and Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania and other EU countries. Founded two decades ago as a small initiative, Our House is now active in 15 Lithuanian cities. Their current campaigns, “NO means NO” and “Non-Children Play,” aim to help Belarusian conscientious objectors, prevent children from being taken from their families for economic and political reasons, and respond to Belarusian army service issues.

In Russia, Movement of Conscientious Objectors (MCO) or Движение Сознательных Отказчиков, Russia (https://stoparmy.org/), a non-profit organization established in 2014, aids young individuals in legally avoiding conscription into the military. MCO offers guidance, resources, and collects conscription-related information. The right to conscientious objection to military service is a fundamental component of the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, as enshrined in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). This right remains inviolable even during public emergencies, as stipulated in Article 4(2) of the ICCPR. Conscientious objection actively contributes to peace, making the protection and promotion of this human right more vital during wartime.

Despite being labeled as Foreign Agents and facing increased threats, the Russian Movement of Conscientious Objectors unwaveringly supports those opposing war and military mobilization, especially individuals subjected to persecution, torture, and imprisonment. Their commitment extends to all cases of forced and even violent recruitment into participating armies, as well as the persecution of conscientious objectors, deserters, and non-violent anti-war protesters.

The “Ukrainian Pacifist Movement” (http://pacifism.org.ua/) from Ukraine established in 2019 by activists involved in peaceful protests against conscription in Kyiv, is a non-governmental, non-profit, and nonpartisan organization. Its mission revolves around promoting the right to peace, disarmament, conscription abolition, nonviolent conflict resolution, and civilian oversight of military affairs. The organization primarily focuses on advocating for the legal right to conscientious objection in accordance with international human rights standards, supporting the right to refuse participation in war, ending the conflict in Ukraine, and striving for global peace. The Ukrainian Pacifist Movement is an active participant in various international networks, including the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection, World BEYOND War, War Resisters’ International, International Peace Bureau, and the Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.

The second award is for Tore Nærland, an individual advocate for peace through his initiative “Bike for Peace,” embodies the transformative power of personal dedication to peace. Through his tireless efforts and determination, he has inspired countless individuals to embrace the idea that peace can be pursued actively, one pedal stroke at a time. His commitment to spreading a message of peace and understanding transcends national boundaries and resonates with people from all walks of life.

In honoring these remarkable recipients, the 2023 Seán MacBride Peace Prize acknowledges the enduring importance of the right to conscientious objection and individual efforts to promote peace in the times that peace is being challenged. Their collective work reminds us that peace is not merely the absence of war, but a deliberate and courageous choice that can shape a better future for us all.

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The International Peace Bureau Has Seen It All Standing For Dialogue Also In Ukraine | Sean Conner

Meet Sean Conner, the executive director of the International Peace Bureau, one of the most vocal and oldest grass-root peace organisations in the world. For over 130 years the IPB has been lobbying governments and organisations for peaceful means to resolve conflicts. Even now they are one of the few organisations that stand for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine and have not been corrupted or coerced into submission by the pro-war narrative of the collective west.

#ConflictResolution #PeaceInUkraine #DialogueForPeace

Stop the Repression in the East and the West

The people and peace network calls on all people’s movements and parties to unitedly stand up against the persecution of independent voices of peace in East and West. Repression is increasing not only in Russia and Belarus, but also in Ukraine and also in EU countries.

This week it will be decided what punishment Boris Kagarlitsky will receive in Russia. During his detention, he was put on a list of terrorists and extremists by the authorities. He is accused by Russian security services of justifying terrorism for his war resistance.

In Kiev, Ukrainian security services boast of having stopped the “vicious Russian propagandist Yurii Sheliazhenko”. He is accused of justifying Russian aggression in a statement in which he explicitly condemns the Russian war of aggression.

In Lithuania, Belarusian pacifist Olga Karach risks being deported to Belarus with the threat of being imprisoned there. The regime-critical opponents and dissidents from Russia and Belarus who were recently well received are now increasingly seen as a national security threat in a xenophobic wave that has gained increasing political support in Lithuania.

In Sweden, pacifist organizations are subjected to slander in order to deprive them of public support and government grants. Strong movements that oppose the thrusts of militarism must be pushed out of the public conversation.

Regardless of our stance on the need for a ceasefire or sending arms to Ukraine, popular opposition to war is a factor of decisive importance. The support for non-armors and war opponents has been and is important no matter how much NATO propaganda says that the only way to peace is arms. Such support must be universal, otherwise it is has no value.

We call for joint action against oppression in East and West! Start by signing protests in support of Boris, Yurii and Olga! Spread the word and participate in uniting all against oppression wherever it occurs.

Links:
https://freeboris.info
https://ipb.org/justice-for-yurii-sheliazhenko
https://ipb.org/international-campaign-protection4olga

Adopted by the IPB 6 October 2023

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Joseph Gerson’s Speech on Past Time for Ukraine Ceasefire and Negotiations

30 September 2023, Berlin

During the opening of IPB’s Week of Global Mobilization for Peace in Ukraine (WGMPU) webinar, Dr. Joseph Gerson addressed the need to prevent nuclear escalation and the absence of arms control and strategic security diplomacy –

This week marks the Days of International Action for a Ukraine ceasefire and negotiations called in last June’s International Peace Summit in Vienna. The killing must stop, and potentially far worse geographical or vertical escalation must be prevented.

Recently Dr, Alexey Gromyko, the grandson of the longtime Soviet foreign minister and significant figure in the Russian establishment, addressed a German webinar. Two essential points stood out in his presentation.

First, this is the most dangerous moment in world history since 1962, when the U.S. and the Soviet Union went eyeball to eyeball during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Back then the Kennedy Administration believed the chances of an apocalyptic U.S.-Soviet nuclear war were between a third and a half. It was also the occasion for a series of miscalculations. Unknown to most then and now is that we were brought to the brink of annihilation when a mistaken nuclear launch order was sent to a U.S. missile base in Okinawa and when a nuclear armed Soviet submarine was attacked by depth charges in violation of Kennedy’s orders. We were saved by a courageous Russian submarine officer who opted to lose rather than use his nuclear tipped torpedoes and by a U.S. missileer who chose to ignore the mistaken Okinawan launch order. Those decisions, luck,, and inspired diplomacy which we lack today explain why we are still alive.

And again, today we are confronted by arrogant great power confrontations and the danger of nuclear annihilation.

Dr. Gromyko’s other point, which we needn’t love but must respect, helps to explain the urgency of today’s crisis. Victory in the Ukraine War is, he said, a “key national security interest of Russia”, and “no nuclear power can accept losing a military conflict.” Fortunately, at this stage in the war, unlike February 24, 2022, “victory” may consist of an armistice that leaves Moscow in control of Crimea and the devastated districts of Donetsk and Luhansk which it now occupies rather than the total defeat and functional elimination of the Ukrainian state.

The greatest danger we face would be if Kyiv threatened Moscow’s hold of Crimea, home to Moscow’s Black Sea fleet for almost three centuries. As one Russian general said in a track II exchange, if Crimea is threatened “All bets are off” in terms of Russian resort to its nuclear arsenal. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 violated the U.N. charter, but it was consistent with Russian history, with the current Russian empire’s perceived vital interests, and with popular support of the Russian identified majority there.

Sixty years ago, President Kenedy was prophetic when he advised that “while defending our own vital interests, nuclear powers must avert those confrontations which bring an adversary to a choice of either a humiliating retreat or a nuclear war. To adopt that kind of course in the nuclear age would be evidence only of the bankruptcy of our policy–or of a collective death-wish for the world.”

Regardless of rights and wrongs, NATO’s reckless expansion to Russia’s borders, the EU’s insistence that Kyiv sever all economic ties with Moscow to join the Economic Union, and Putin’s brutal preemptive and imperial invasion of Ukraine, the reality is that time is NOT on Ukraine’s side. And, as Tom Friedman wrote in the New York Times in the early days of the war, like it or not the war can only end with a “dirty deal.” Better now than later.

Which brings us to June’s International Peace Summit in Vienna and the urgent need for a ceasefire and negotiations.

We were more than 300 people from 32 countries, primarily from Europe, but also from the Global South and several from the U.S.. We were blessed with the courageous presence of Russian and Ukrainian peace advocates, at least one of whom is currently under house arrest for opposing the war. We certainly had our differences. Not least were those between the Italian labor and religious leaders who have organized the largest peace rallies to date, who played a major role in organizing the Vienna Peace Summit, and who wanted to limit demands to ceasefire and negotiations one side. On the other side were the U.S. Peace In Ukraine Coalition representative and others who initially insisted that the Summit’s call include condemnation of NATO imperialism and rejection of all arms transfers to Ukraine.

There was easy unity in condemning Russia’s invasion. And In the course respectful conversation fueled by the desperate appeal from Ukrainian and other delegates to stop the devastation and prevent escalation, and by the need for movement unity, conference organizers unified around our call for ceasefire, negotiations, and this week’s days of international actions.

Two striking memories persist. First was the shock of learning that pressure from the Ukrainian government on the Austrian labor union that hosted the summit had led to cancellation of the conference site two days before we foreign delegates descended on Vienna. Kyiv wanted to prevent the peace summit from happening. So much for Ukraine’s commitment to democracy!. An alternate was found.

Second was the excellent speech by the former U.S. colonel and diplomat Ann Wright. She cut through rhetoric and criticisms that a ceasefire will leave Russian aggression in place, reminding those assembled that it took more than 500 meetings over the better part of two years to achieve the now 70 year old, if still fragile, Korean Armistice. In that light, she stressed the urgent need for negotiations to begin progress toward a ceasefire now!

Before the war began, my hope was that diplomacy would prevent war and result in a neutral, non-NATO Ukraine, whose sovereignty, including the right to join the E.U, would be credibly guaranteed, perhaps by the United Nations. That was discussed in Track II diplomatic sessions, and it is still my hope.

I also believe that it is in Ukraine’s interest to discard its ten point “peace” demands. Crimea will not be returned to Ukraine in our lifetimes, if ever. That is simply a fact of life. This war is stalemated, and the sacrifice of thousands of Ukrainian warriors’ lives to regain a few villages is a fool’s errand that also risks catastrophic military – including nuclear – and geographic escalation of the war.

General Milley was correct when he warned that neither side can win this war militarily. Now, with its infinitely smaller economic and military production capacity, its much smaller population compounded by millions of its people refugeed across Europe, many of whom will never return to Ukraine, and with diminishing international support for a costly and endless war, it is in Ukraine’s national interest as well as ours to press for a ceasefire and negotiations.

President Zelensky does face threats to his rule, and maybe even his life, if he reduces his demands. This underscores the need for President Biden to stop allowing the Ukrainian tail from wagging the American dog. Biden should give Zelinsky cover by insisting on negotiations and a ceasefire. Bidden should be declaring that it’s time for multi-layered and integrated negotiations: Ukrainian-Russian, Russian-NATO, and U.S and-Russia.

This won’t be easy,. The Minsk accords and still secret Istanbul text are dead letters. Wars speed history and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has crystalized the post-Cold War emergence of a new multipolar disorder. Finona Hill put it well when she said that Pax Americana is over. The U.S. is no longer able to almost unilaterally dictate the contours of the European order. It is in our interest, Ukraine’s, and the world’s for the U.S. to insist on a ceasefire, to move to negotiations, and to adjust U.S. policies to the new multipolar reality.

*Dr. Joseph Gerson is President of the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament, and Common Security. He participated in the June International Peace Summit in Vienna and has participated in U.S.-Russian-European track II diplomatic discussions. This article is based on a speech given to the Sept. 30 Boston Peace in Ukraine rally.

For more details about the Week of Global Mobilization for Peace in Ukraine (WGMPU): please visit – https://bit.ly/WGMPU

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INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN #protection4olga

PROTECTION AND ASYLUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER OLGA KARATCH

#protection4olga

German, French and Italian below

August 23^nd 2023

Following the denial of political asylum by the Lithuanian authorities for the Belarusian peace builder and human rights defender Olga Karatch (Volha Karach), the international campaign #protection4olga has just been launched to demand protection and asylum for the director of the organisation ‘Our House‘. She has been fighting for human rights in Belarus for years, including the right to conscientious objection to military service, and is therefore persecuted and faces capital punishment in her country of origin, where she has been labelled a ‘terrorist’ by the regime.

On 18 August 2023, Lithuania denied her political asylum, calling Olga Karatch a ‘person who represents a threat to the national security of the Republic of Lithuania’. She was however granted a one-year temporary residence in the country, probably due to international letters of concerns that some politicians and heads of foundations had written to the authorities and to Lithuanian Ambassadors in different countries. But this status does not give her any safety regarding her status – authorities could at any time renege this decision and decide to deport her.

For that reason, we have started an International Campaign for the immediate protection of the human rights defender and peacebuilder Olga Karatch.

The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted in 1998 acknowledges ‘the valuable work of individuals, groups and associations in contributing to the effective elimination of all violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms of peoples and individuals’.

Olga Karatch, through the organisation she leads, ‘Our House’, has numerous activities to her credit in monitoring and defending human rights in Belarus and Belarusian citizens who have fled to other countries – such as Lithuania – and for this reason her organization was also chosen by the International Peace Bureau to be nominated for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, together with the Russian Movement of Conscientious Objectors and the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement.

States have an obligation to protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms of all citizens, and, especially for human rights defenders who ‘frequently face threats and harassment and suffer insecurity’ ‘to take all measures necessary to ensure the protection of human rights defenders, at both the local and the national levels, including in times of armed conflict and peacebuilding’, as stated in UN General Assembly resolution 66/164.

We express our deep concern that ‘in some instances, national security and counter-terrorism legislation and other measures, such as laws regulating civil society organizations, have been misused to target human rights defenders or have hindered their work and endangered their safety in a manner contrary to international law’, as stated in UN Human Rights Council Resolution 22/6 of 2013 on the protection of human rights defenders, which commits all states to protect and not criminalise those who work to defend human rights.

Therefore, we appeal to the highest Lithuanian authorities, the President of the Republic of Lithuania, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to respect international standards and provide protection and asylum for the Belarussian human rights defender Olga Karatch, who has taken refuge in Lithuania.
Lithuania is also a member of the European Union. We therefore also appeal to the European institutions, EU Missions (Embassies and Consulates of EU Member States and European Commission Delegations) which, as stated in the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, should support and protect human rights defenders.
We also call on our national governments to take action to ensure that the protection of human rights defenders is guaranteed always and everywhere.
We call upon all civil society, from individual citizens to journalists and institutional representatives across Europe to take action in defence of human rights and those who defend them.

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE #PROTECTION4OLGA CAMPAIGN

There are numerous ways we can support Olga:

You can begin by simply sharing our posts!

Spread the word with #protection4olga and #ObjectWarCampaign across all your social media platforms!

Feel free to repost our posts:

Send a letter to the Lithuanian authorities urging asylum for Olga Karatch. We have prepared a sample letter, which you can find and download here. We kindly request that you include Our House in the CC field (info@nash-dom.info) when sending an email. Translations are available below, but we recommend sending the English version of the letter. Thank you!

ENG-Draft-letter_Protection4Olga Download

Reach out to institutions, parliamentarians, journalists all over Europe and the world to support action for Olga Karatch’s protection.

Support ongoing legal expenses for Olga Karatch by making a donation directly to Our House:
- Bank: Siauliu Bankas AB
- IBAN: LT567180300008700065
- SWIFT (BIC): CBSBLT26
- Reference: protecion4olga
- Bank Address: Tilzes g.149 76348 Siauliu Lithuania
- Organization Name: VšĮ Tarptautinis pilietinių iniciatyvų centras “Mūsų namai” [Our House/Nash Dom]
- Organization Address: Vilniaus r. sav., Zujūnų sen., Buivydiškių k., Pamedės g. 6
- Registration Number: 303223926
- Contacts: tel. +370 (5) 215 7190 finance@nash-dom.info

For more information you can contact us.

This statement, along with the sample letter, is being translated into various languages: English statement and sample letter, German statement and sample letter, Italian statement, French statement and sample letter.

If you’re seeking information in other languages, you might also find our organizational partners’ websites helpful: BUND FÜR SOZIALE VERTEIDIGUNG (German), MIR Italia (Italian).

Monitoring Report on the Situation of Belarusian Refugees in Lithuania

Regrettably, a concerning situation is unfolding in Lithuania, involving the rights of Belarusian refugees escaping the Lukashenko regime and compulsory military service.

In collaboration with Our House, we aim to provide you with their observational findings and recommendations for addressing the circumstances in Lithuania related to Belarusian political refugees and conscientious objectors from Belarus.

For instance, Belarusian female human rights activists in Lithuania are victimized in two ways: firstly, they are targeted by Komitet gosudarstvennoy bezopasnosti (KGB) or Committee for State Security (CSS) espionage, and secondly, they face attacks from male Lithuanian human rights defenders. This double victimization places them in a distressing and even more vulnerable position, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced protection and support.

As one voice with Our House, the IPB respectfully calls for global attention to the escalating situation, which is becoming increasingly critical. More than 1700 Belarusians have been classified as posing a threat to Lithuania’s national security, resulting in a five-year ban from entering the European Union. Among this group, 910 individuals are currently at risk of deportation to Belarus.

Read the full monitoring reports:

1st Report: Situation of Belarusian Refugees in Lithuania

Conscientious Objection in Belarus Raises Alarming Human Rights Concerns, Particularly for Lithuanian Refugees. Despite recognized rights, Belarusian objectors face grave situations, including death penalty for desertion and strict military deferment laws. Perceptions of threat to Lithuania’s security are subjective, lacking legal clarity, relying on flexible interpretation.Refuge-seeking Belarusians opt for Russia, not endorsing policies but due to practical reasons like border ease. Female rights activists in Lithuania face dual victimization: KGB espionage and local attacks. Urgent protection needed.

[2nd Report] Situation of Belarusian Conscientious Objectors & Evaders in Lithuania

Our House presents the 2nd report on challenges faced by Belarusian migrants in Lithuania. Highlights include activist struggles, discrimination against conscientious objectors, “National Security Panic,” and hate speech instances. Urgent global attention needed as the situation intensifies. 1700+ Belarusians labeled threats, 910 facing deportation.

Authored by: International Centre for civil initiatives “Our House” (Nash Dom), Belarus & Lithuania

With the support of:

Publication date: August 2023

#HumanRights #Belarus #Lithuania #ConscientiousObjection #Protection4Olga

Monday with Yurii

Let’s start the week with Yurii, debunking myths and providing updates on his case.

“I will not run from my home and my country; if I am sent to prison for pacifism, I will find a way to be useful for peace-loving Ukraine even in prison. I will think, write, and seek ways to contribute to a permanent worldwide dialogue on peace. I will educate fellow inmates about peace and human rights, and I will help them, especially if they are also political prisoners.”

In solidarity with Yurii, please support peace movements in your countries materially. Support Ukrainian peace and human rights activists, as well as his situation, by sharing information and providing funds. Give peace the budget!

As Yurii said today, together, through nonviolent action, scientific knowledge, faith, and hope, we can build a better world where everybody refuses to kill, thereby eliminating wars.

Yurii Sheliazhenko, an IPB Council Member and the Executive Secretary of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, is a legal scholar, journalist, writer, and human rights defender. IPB nominates the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement for the #2024NobelPeacePrize, along with two other organizations (Our House and the Movement of Conscientious Objectors), which focus on the right to conscientious objection.

Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcWh4F5XCPA

Justice for Yurii Sheliazhenko

Berlin, Germany – The International Peace Bureau strongly condemns the Security Service of Ukraine’s (SBU) decision to charge IPB Councilmember and Seán MacBride Prize Laureate Yurii Sheliazhenko with “justification of Russian aggression” and search of his apartment. The charge is based solely on Sheliazhenko’s “Peace Agenda for Ukraine and the World,” a document which explicitly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and promotes peace, justice, and the right to conscientious objection to military service.

Yurii and his organization, the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, have always opposed both sides of the current war and advocated for dialogue, negotiations, and a peaceful resolution which addresses the underlying causes of the war.

We call on the Ukrainian government and the SBU to respect the rights of conscientious objectors and the right to free speech for peace in Ukraine, rights that cannot be violated even during times of war. We vow to support Yurii’s rights and to rally international support for his freedom and wellbeing.

Yurii’s response to the charges and search can be found at https://worldbeyondwar.org/we-object-to-the-illegal-search-and-seizure-at-apartment-of-yurii-sheliazhenko-in-kyiv/

A petition for the Ukrainian government to drop the prosecution of Yurri can be found here: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-the-ukrainian-government-to-drop-prosecution-of-peace-activist-yurii-sheliazhenko/

Please see attached Press Release.

IPB-Statement-Yuri Download

Mother’s Day Calls for an End to All Wars and the Protection of Peace, People and the Planet

IMA: The International Mothers Association launched on Mother’s Day Calls for an End to All Wars and Protection of Peace, People and Planet in Manipur, Ukraine, Sudan and Around the World

“I am sure that if the mothers of various nations could meet, there would be no more wars.” – E.M Forster

14 May 2023: Afghan, Assamese, Karbi, Kurdish, Naga, Kuki, Meitei, Greek, Bolivian, Norwegian, American, Filipino, Chakma, African American, Indigenous women, mothers, people from Afghanistan, Bolivia, Turkey, Philippines, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh, Greece, Manipur, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Karbi Anglong, Guwahati, Assam, New York, Washington DC, Sakha Republic of Siberia, met on 14 May 2023 and successfully launched IMA: The International Mothers Association on Mother’s Day.

The aim of the global organization is for mothers, women, people from all walks of life, across countries, cultures, ethnicities, and faiths to come and work together to find peaceful solutions to the world’s global conflicts and unite for protecting peace, people and planet. The International Mothers Association at the launch recognizes that currently there are 21 known conflicts in the world and 378 forgotten conflicts which have resulted in hundreds of thousands killed and 110+ million people displaced. An average of one person in the world is displaced every two seconds.

The launch highlighted the current ongoing conflicts in the world such as in Manipur, paid condolences for the 71 lives that were lost and mourned with families who’s over 1700 homes were burnt and 43,000 people displaced. The launch also highlighted the plight in Sudan which is experiencing violent conflicts resulting in over 600 killed and over 700,000 people displaced. IMA also highlighted the ongoing civil war in Myanmar where 2,890 people have died, 1.2 million people have been internally displaced and 34,000 civilian structures, including homes, clinics, schools and places of worship, have been burnt over the past two years.

The launch highlighted the ongoing conflict in Ukraine where over 354,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been killed. 61.1 percent of confirmed civilian casualties were men, and 39.9 percent were women. 14 million people have been displaced from their homes. At least 487 children were killed and 954 injured in the war to date. The IMA launch also highlighted the violence in Peru where over 17 people were gunned down during the protests in the beginning of 2023.

The IMA launch highlighted the historic origins of one of the oldest women’s movements- namely Manipur’s Nupi Lan or Women’s War of 1904 and 1939 Against British Colonial Rule and Policies. It also noted the establishment of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom in 1915 when more than 1,100 women from 12 countries travelled across Europe to the Netherlands to protest against the war that was raging across their borders.

One of the first mother’s organizations in Northeast India was the Manipuri Meira Paibis, meaning women with flaming bamboo torches that had its inception in the 1970s as the Nishabandi movement to tackle alcohol abuse and in 1980s when the Armed Forces Special Powers Act was imposed in Manipur valley area and many young people were killed and many disappeared. Mothers in Manipur built bamboo huts and took turns to patrol the streets at night with bamboo torches. Naga Mothers Association (NMA) is also another prominent civil society organization that was established by women in 1984 in Kohima, Nagaland. The Kuki Mothers Association (KMA) was formed after the Kuki-Naga Clash of 1992-1993 when hundreds of villages were burnt down, and thousands of people were rendered homeless on account of ethnic clashes in the hills of Manipur.

The International Mothers Association shared information about the work of The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, Argentina that was formed in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 30, 1977. The organization was first formed to petition against the disappearance of their children. The Committee of Soldiers’ Mothers of Russia founded in 1989 as well as the “Saturday Mothers” founded on 27 May 1995 to remember over 1,000 Kurdish men and women who disappeared were also highlighted at the event. The Saturday Mothers gather in Istiklal Street in Istanbul at 12 PM every Saturday carrying red flowers and photos of the disappeared people, presenting them with letters and poetry and sit-in in silence. The launch also highlighted the work of the Million Moms March in the U.S.A., the mothers of the Disappeared in Kashmir and Sri Lanka and of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada and many other movements led by black, brown and indigenous women, mothers and people from around the world.

Speaking at the launch of International Mothers Association, Professor Elsa Stamatopoulou, Director of the Indigenous Rights Program at Columbia University in New York City stated, “We are from different parts of the world and global hot spots. The beauty of this initiative is that we as women and mothers are joined together in solidarity.”

Rose Mangshi Haokip, a noted Kuki Women Leader said, “Mothers are not turning back. All mothers are coming together for peace. They have done that during the past communal clashes, and they will come together now.”

Bridget Moix, Secretary General of the Friends Committee on National Legislation said, “As a mother of two boys, I greatly worry about the gun violence and mass shootings that are taking place in my country. The U.S. can play an important role in reducing violence. We must continue to work to protect peace, people and the planet.”

Nidia Bustillos from Bolivia said, “Groups are divided, and we create war. In our bodies, we are divided, that’s why we are at war. Not only people but animals and the planet are also dying. We don’t have to be divided between ourselves. We must be complete to stop the wars.”

Cora Fabros, Co-President of the International Peace Bureau (IPB) from Philippines, Dr Pantibonliu Gonmei, President of Rongmei Lu Phum, Assam-Manipur-Nagaland, Hoinu Hauzel from Northeast Odyssey Fred Lubang and Mitzi Austero of Non-Violence International Southeast Asia, Farida Mohibi from Afghanistan,Megan Weise, human rights advocate, Sheryl Mendes of Freedom House, USA, Vera Solovveya from the Sakha Republic, Shaheen Hussain, President, CARDS & Poetess and motivational speaker, Tinat Atifa Masood from Assam, Pratima Enghiphee, Karbi Woman leader, Filmmaker Dr Meena Longjam, Amita Sangma from Civil Society Women’s Organisation, Meghalaya, Gilbert Smith from the Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples, Gender Justice and Peace, Dr Nazan Bedirhanoglu from Turkey and Kelly Moltzen, Convener, Inter-faith Public Health Network, U.S.A. and Kristin Traavik from Norway also attended the launch meeting.

The launch ended with a recognition that the world is seeing a rise in rampant violence that has ripped apart communities as seen in Manipur, Karbi Anglong, Myanmar and other parts of the world. Efforts are to be initiated to open strong peace research areas to enable the understanding of why wars are happening and who is benefitting from these conflicts. The formation of “Mother’s Peace Circles” in all villages, regions, nations of the world to share information and evolve Indigenous peace building techniques to pre-empt conflicts and prevent violence flare ups were discussed and efforts to strongly engage governments and multilateral bodies at local, national and international platforms to advocate the ending of all wars and resolve any conflict through dialogue and negotiation.

Binalakshmi Nepram, Founder of the International Mothers Association at her closing statement of the launch event shared, “If wars and violence are engineered as we are seeing now, we, the women, the mothers will engineer peace. Imagine 100 mothers going to a conflict zone to urge warring parties to stop the violence before it flares up. Imagine 100 mothers for peace amidst us. This is the new Indigenous peace-making that the world and planet earth needs direly, and we call upon all mothers, all women, all people who care from around the world to join us in this effort to stop the wars. This violence must end – now and for all.”

The historic gathering reiterated on Mother’s Day a quote by Rumi, “We are born of love; love is our mother.”

For more details, contact: International Mother’s Association , Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples, Gender Justice and Peace through Gaipgap@gmail.com

OBJECT WAR CAMPAIGN: Petition to support Conscientious Objectors and Deserters from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine

Press Release posted on 21st September, 2022

➡️ Original post here: INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF RECONCILIATION

On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, 21st September, Connection e.V., the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, the European Office for Conscientious Objection, and War Resisters’ International are calling for a signature campaign for deserters and conscientious objectors from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The #ObjectWarCampaign calls on all citizens from everywhere to join the global effort to ensure protection and asylum for conscientious objectors and deserters from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine involved in the current war in the region. They are our hope to refuse war and let peace prevail!

On April 6, 2022, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, had called on Russian soldiers to desert and promised them protection under refugee law. So far, this promise has not been fulfilled.

Within the scope of #ObjectWarCampaign, a petition has been prepared for everyone to sign in. The petition is addressed to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Council Charles Michel, and the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola. The petition emphasizes the need to uphold the right to asylum for conscientious objectors and deserters from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine by hosting states. The petition launched on the WeMove.eu website can now be signed in German, English, French, Italian and Greek.

There are an estimated 100,000 Russian military draftees and deserters refusing the war of aggression. An estimated 22,000 Belarusian military draftees have left their country because they don’t want to participate in the war in Ukraine. Everyone who has refused service risks several years of prosecution because of their stand against the war. They are hoping for protection in various countries.

Ukraine suspended the right to conscientious objection and closed the border for men between 18 and 60. Over 100,000 men have evaded war involvement in Ukraine and fled abroad. Currently, Ukrainian citizens have temporary residence in the European Union. The #ObjectWarCampaign petition demands that the right to conscientious objection to military service is fully guaranteed in Ukraine.

The petition signatures are a crucial sign of support for conscientious objectors and deserters. This campaign highlights the importance of opening borders to those who oppose the war at great personal risk in their countries and calls on everyone around the world to support those who refuse to fight and kill.

Every recruit can be a conscientious objector, every soldier a deserter. Let’s support those who refuse to kill and end war together!

#ObjectWarCampaign
#StandWithObjectors

The launch of the petition has been anticipated by an appeal sent in June 2022, to the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe -supported by 60 organizations from 20 countries – detailing why protection and support for deserters and conscientious objectors on all sides of the Ukrainian war is necessary and moreover that it is a human right. There have already been discussions about this in the European Parliament.

More information:
The appeal to the European institutions can be found here.
Background information can be found here.

Contact and interview requests:
Zaira Zafarana, International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR), zaira.zafarana@ifor.org, www.ifor.org (English, Italian)
Rudi Friedrich, Connection e.V., +496982375534, office@Connection-eV.org, www.Connection-eV.org (German, English)
Semih Sapmaz, War Resisters’ International (WRI), semih@wri-irg.org, www.wri-irg.org (English,Turkish)
Sam Biesemans, European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO), +32477268893, ebco.brussels@skynet.be, www.ebco-beoc.org (French, Dutch, Italian, English)

📌 Share more on social media at https://www.facebook.com/InternationalFellowshipofReconciliation/photos/a.1751009778444220/3294203917458124/

📌 SIGN IT! https://you.wemove.eu/campaigns/russia-belarus-ukraine-protection-and-asylum-for-deserters-and-conscientious-objectors-to-military-service

The INTERNATIONAL PEACE BUREAU supports this campaign, as those who refuse to kill and refuse to take part in violent means of conflict resolution are also contributing to peace.