References: Dj Janier (09336412694), Mercy Angeles (09063677594)
Stop the War Coalition Philippines joins the call to demilitarize as global military spending rises for the ninth consecutive year
Wars and military conflicts devastate entire portions of the planet. According to SIPRI estimates, global military spending climbed by 19% between 2013 and 2022 and has risen annually since 2015. Particularly for 2023, for the ninth year in a row, there has been a 6.8 percent increase in spending in real terms from 2022, with the world spending roughly $2443 billion US dollars. This is apparent in all five regions, with considerable rises in Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East.
For the Philippines, military spending has been steadily on the rise in recent years with the latest figures showing that we spent USD 3.965 Million or around 35 dollars per capita (source: demilitarize.org). Around 500 million USD in Foreign Military Financing from the United States is earmarked for the country. This is part of the 8 billion USD emergency aid package for Indo-Pacific allies under the Indo-Pacific Supplemental Appropriations Act that was approved by the United States House of Representatives. This in turn was part of an even bigger 95B USD package that will send aid to other US allies like Israel and Ukraine.
Berlin, 22 March 2024 – The recent award ceremony honored peace activists, recognizing their dedication to promoting conscientious objection and advocating for peace.
We are witnessing the dramatic consequences of escalating global militarization, evident in the numerous armed conflicts around the world, notably in Gaza and Ukraine, but also in many other conveniently ignored places of the Global South. We are suffering the consequences of a militaristic approach to international relations and global emergencies, imposed by countries of the North, which are at the same time responsible for most of the weapons produced.
Moreover, the environmental impacts -direct and indirect- resulting from these conflicts and militarization further underscore the pressing need for peace.
We are thrilled to announce the relaunch of the International Peace Bureau’s (IPB) Peace Education Program, opening with an enriching series of webinars centered around the pivotal topic of neutrality in international relations.
We are honored to announce that IPB has been featured in the World Peace Foundation’s esteemed Movement Index. This recognition comes alongside the publication of their critical report, written by Nico Edwards, examining the complex interplay between military actions, climate change, and social justice.
The report, released in conjunction with the ongoing discussions at COP28, delves into the emerging concept of ‘Green Militarism.’ This term refers to the ways in which environmental challenges are increasingly becoming entangled with military responses, raising important questions about the future of eco-social policies and practices.
With the title “Resisting the Militarization of Eco-Social Crises,” the report is a compelling call to action. It invites us to reconsider our approaches to environmental challenges and to advocate for solutions that are not only effective but also just and equitable.
How You Can Help Amplify This Message:
Retweet the Foundation’s Report: Show your support by retweeting the report from the World Peace Foundation’s Twitter account. Retweet Here
Share the Report on Social Media: Use your platform to spread the word. You can use the suggested copy or create your own to highlight the importance of resisting green militarism. Read and Share the Report
Use the Hashtag #RESISTgreenmilitarism: Including this hashtag in your posts will help in creating a unified voice and will enable the World Peace Foundation to easily retweet and share your support.
We are proud to be part of this critical conversation and are grateful for the World Peace Foundation’s efforts in shedding light on these pressing issues!
Support Peace this Giving Tuesday: Help the International Peace Bureau Create a Better World!
This Giving Tuesday, be part of a global generosity movement that has been inspiring action since 2012. Created as a day to encourage people to do good, GivingTuesday has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon celebrating radical generosity. Every year, millions come together to support causes they believe in, igniting change and fostering a spirit of giving.
Join us in this extraordinary movement by supporting our work, dedicated to promoting peace and sustainable development. Together, we can create a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world.
#GivingTuesday is not just about one day; it’s a commitment to making a difference year-round. Your support for the IPB on this special day contributes to a lasting impact on global peace and sustainability.
Your support will help us to continue to organize and mobilize our international peace network in activities such as:
Moreover, it will provide us with the necessary resources to expand the reach of our message of peace in the unprecedented difficulty of these moments.
Donate now and be a part of this global movement of generosity and hope! Thank you for sharing our belief that a more peaceful and better world is achievable.
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.
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PROTECTION AND ASYLUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER OLGA KARATCH
#protection4olga
German, French and Italian below
August 23nd 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’.
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!
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!
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).
International organizations are uniting their efforts to advocate for a Campaign for a Global Ban on Weaponized Drones, and the International Peace Bureau stands as one of the endorsing organizations.
Our objective stands at securing the endorsement of 300 supporters, paving the path to present a collective appeal to the UN General Assembly for the enforcement of a treaty prohibiting lethal drones.
You can still become a part of this movement by endorsing this campaign. Feel free to send us an email to show your support!
The utilization of drones for warfare, both by state and nonstate entities, has engendered the unlawful killing, physical harm, and displacement of millions worldwide, primarily in the Global South. Moreover, the looming specter of autonomous drones being equipped with depleted uranium and directed towards nuclear power plants and critical installations poses catastrophic prospects. To halt this imminent threat, the United Nations must render this alarming tool of fatality and devastation illegal.
The following statement sets forth the demand by organizations in many countries, including international organizations and organizations of faith and conscience, for the United Nations to adopt a Treaty on the Prohibition of Weaponized Drones.
On July 8-9, 2023, the International Peace Bureauand World BEYOND Warorganized the second edition of the 24-hour Peace Wave, a global event conducted via Zoom. This unique initiative involved live peace actions taking place in various streets and squares worldwide, synchronized with the movement of the sun.
The timing of the Peace Wave coincided with the annual NATO meeting, providing an opportunity for participants to express their opposition to all military alliances. Emphasizing the essence of our mission, the slogan
No to militarization, yes to Cooperation!
captured our commitment to promoting peaceful collaboration.
Significantly, July 9 marked the anniversary of a pivotal event in history. In 1955, Albert Einstein, Bertrand Russell and seven other scientists issued a warning, emphasizing the crucial choice humanity faces between war and human survival.
Throughout the 24-hour period, the Peace Wave traversed numerous locations across the globe, facilitating a diverse range of activities. These included rallies, concerts, artwork creation, blood drives, the installation of peace poles, dances, speeches, and various public demonstrations. The breadth of events underscored the multiple interpretations of the meaning of “Peace” in different regions worldwide.
The Peace Wave served as an extraordinary source of inspiration, reminding individuals of the collective efforts aimed at fostering a safer, improved, and more peaceful world. It brought together like-minded individuals dedicated to this cause, fostering unity and cooperation on a global scale.
A big thank you to all the Regional Coordinatoros, Participants and Supporters who have helped us organizing this incredible Peace Wave!
