International Conscientious Objection Day

Although War Resisters' International's focus for International Conscientious Objectors' Day is Chile and Latin America, activities in different countries obviously respond also to the local situation, while drawing attention to the focus region at the same time.

Britain

There will be a memorial event for conscientious objectors past and present at the commemorative stone for conscientious objectors in Tavistock Square, central London, on 15 May. The event will start at noon.

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

Mexico

Conscription exists for men aged 18-40, recruitment is via ballot, as only 60000 recruits are needed from a pool of 975,000 men reaching conscription age annually. Conscientious objection is not recognised.

El Salvador

Conscription has not been enforced since the peace treaty of 1992. The right to conscientious objection is not recognised.

International Conscientious Objectors' Day is celebrated on 15 May since the early 1980's. It is a day to highlight the struggle of conscientious objectors for the right to conscientious objection, and against war and militarism, globally.

The disproportionate influence of militarism in Chile is not entirely due to Pinochet's military dictatorship (1973-90) but rather is a historical construction that has given character and form to the Chilean nation-state.

The focus of this year's International Conscientious Objectors' Day is a country - Chile - but also Latin America in general.

International Conscientious Objectors' Day 2004 focuses on conscientious objection in Chile and Latin America. Jointly with Ni Casco Ni Uniforme War Resisters' International is organising an international seminar and nonviolent action training in Santiago, culminating in an international nonviolent action on 15 May - International Conscientious Objectors' Day.

The activities will start with an international seminar “Social Militarisation in Latin America: Experiences of Resistance to the New World Order” at the Universidad Bolivariana in Santiago, Chile, on 10/11 May 2004.

The Israeli refusenik organisation Yesh Gvul has a programme called "adopt a refusenik", aimed at generating support for Israeli refusenik and conscientious objectors. As part of WRI's campaign to support conscientious objectors in Israel, WRI also promote Yesh Gvul's "adopt a refusenik" programme.

Yesh Gvul: Adopting a refusenik

We in Yesh Gvul have found over the years that an effective way of supporting jailed refuseniks, is by having them adopted by support groups from outside of Israel.

New Profile and WRI invite you to an International Refusal seminar which takes place on May 9th-15th, 2003, in the "Old Jaffa" Hostel in Jaffa. For details call +972-58-595500

The programme:

The project will start with a seminar style event on the weekend prior to 15th May (Friday/Saturday 9/10 May 2003).

Focus on Israeli refuseniks and nonviolent resistance against the Israeli occupation and in favour of coexistence and cooperation

Resources and links on Israel and Palestine | Seminar/action details | History of International Conscientious Objectors' Day | Right to Refuse to Kill project

Many Israelis believe in separation from the Palestinian populace. Some call for the erection of a segregating fence between ourselves and the Palestinian populace of the 1967-occupied territories, while some call for an agreement with the "legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people". In this way, they claim, the occupation will be ended and Israel shall be cleansed of its responsibility for the situation of the Palestinians.

Huwaida Araf

The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) was founded to support and strengthen the Palestinian nonviolent resistance to Israeli occupation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Palestinian people, who have been dispossessed since 1948 -- over 750,000 driven from their lands for the establishment of the Israeli state, and approximately 3 million who have been living under Israeli military occupation in the West Bank and Gaza since 1967 -- over the years have adopted various means of struggle in an attempt to regain their homeland.