Newsletter No. 22 Summer 2012 £1

Movement for the Abolition of War11 Venetia Road London N4 1EJ 0203 397 3019 www.abolishwar.org.uk

IN THIS ISSUEEditorial 2Chair’s Report 3Peace History 3Henry Richard Events 4Nobel’s Prize 5Afghan Women 6The ICC 7Military Games 8-9The Better Angels 10Levellers’ Day 10Events 11Joseph Rotblat 11Reviews 12

81LQYROYHG�LQ�3HDFHDo you despair at how Western powers have used UN Resolutions simply to give vaguely ‘legal’ backing to their military actions, in essence trying to get round international laws? We tried the Resolution route with Iraq and illegally invaded anyway. The Resolution concerning Libya (done on the ‘responsibility to protect’ basis) was broken even as it was agreed. Syria, while

they are backing off military action for the moment, will probably end up with a Resolution that will be interpreted as allowing bombing. In the meantime, both sides are being flooded with arms from outside. Filling a country full of unrest (a lot of which has also been imported from outside) full of arms is hardly the best way to stop people being killed. And then there’s Iran.And how many countries and their innocent citizens have suffered because of sanctions pushed by the West and imposed by the UN? If this is part of ‘diplomacy’, it’s very coercive. Is it really the UN’s job to ensure children die from sanctions, as they did in Iraq? Now, finally, the UN is debating the Arms Trade Treaty, with more than 150 countries taking part, many of them countries that have been harmed by the arms trade. They desperately want some form of control over a dirty business. Yet even before the debate gets going the US is trying to force a weakening of the wording. They don’t want ammunition included in the Treaty and they don’t want a ban on selling arms to countries with poor human rights records. The UK does. Amazing, considering who we’ve sold arms to!While powerful states are devoting so much of their budgets to war and weapons, there’s little to spare for peace, starving those parts of

Sunday November 11The Imperial War Museum, London

MAW AGM Conference Room – 11:15 am to 1:00 pmMembers! Take this opportunity to air your

ideas and views

The Remembrance Day LectureOld and New Wars

with

Mary KaldorProfessor of Global Governance

Museum Cinema - 2:00 pm Free entry – and bring your friends!

Dr Rosalie Bertell1929 – 2012

People who campaign on the environment, against war, and nuclear issues including radiation and cancer have lost a tireless

well-informed voice. Always approachable when you needed support for your

campaign, endlessly researching, speaking and writing, she will be greatly missed.

the UN that are trying to protect women and children, support human rights, provide aid, education and look after refugees – although millions of Middle Eastern refugees do not get the help they need and we owe. The UN was formed to prevent war, not rubber stamp military action. It was meant to put peace at the top of the agenda. But at the moment it seems to be very uninvolved in peace. But we won’t, we cannot, give up. The world desperately needs a reformed UN. It needs an Arms Trade Treaty that has teeth. Even more, it needs a way of enforcing international laws and treaties. The West has used the UN to apply sanctions to other states. Maybe it’s time we had a dose of the sanction medicine.

5(0(0%5$1&(�681'$<One day out of every 365 we put aside to remember those who died in our national wars. It is a comfort to relatives to know they are not forgotten. But is remembering all we can do? Should we not dedicate Remembrance Sunday to a special effort in our work to end war? War is so dreadful we cannot even talk about it honestly. Let us face the fact that those who died did not ‘lay down their lives’. They were killed - perhaps trapped in a burning plane or bleeding to death with limbs blown off. Imagine it, and then persuade others that violence solves nothing. We must settle disputes by negotiation.MAW’s job is to get this message across to the many who are still indifferent. Two years ago we sent a pamphlet Towards Ending War to every secondary school in the British Isles. Last year we put half-page advertisements in some church papers, appealing to leaders to spread this message. This year we are asking you to help us to achieve an even wider circulation. We are sending an email message to hundreds of email contacts, including all MAW members. The message will be on the MAW website by August. Will you please add to its circulation by sending it on via email, post or word of mouth, to as many people as you can.

Robert Hinde, MAW President

GÜ

VEN

MEN

DI

ABO-14775 NEWS 22.indd 1 19/07/2012 09:10

Newsletter of the Movement for the Abolition of War Issue 36, May 2016

Bookmark our website: www.abolishwar.org.uk Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/abolishwar

For electronic versions of the newsletter email Gillian Hurle at gill.hurle@abolishwar.org.uk

SUNDAY  15  MAY,  2016    INTERNATIONAL  CONSCIENTIOUS  OBJECTORS’  DAY  

 Join  us  at  12  noon  in  Tavistock  Square,  Bloomsbury,  London  WC1  We  gather  each  year  at  the  Conscientious  Objectors’  stone  for  the    

annual  ceremony  in  honour  of  COs  past  and  present.  There  will  be  some  short  speeches,  songs  led  by  Sue  Gilmurray,  a    minute’s  silence,  and  flowers  laid  at  the  stone,  as  we  remember    

the  COs  of  all  countries  and  all  times.  The  ceremony  takes  about  one  hour.  Bring  your  family,  friends  and    

a  picnic  for  afterwards.  All  welcome.    

FIRST  WORLD  WAR  PEACE  FORUM  Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, Conscience, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Movement for the Abolition of War, Network for Peace, Pax Christi, Peace News,

Peace Pledge Union, Quaker Peace and Social Witness, the Right to Refuse to Kill Group, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom mail@coproject.org.uk

Ex-SAS man to be star speaker We  are  delighted  to  announce  that  Ben  Griffin,  founder  of  Veterans  for  Peace  UK,  will  be  the  guest  speaker  at  the  MAW  annual  Remembrance  Day  event.  It  will  be  held  at  the  Imperial  War  Museum,  London,  on  November  13,  starting  at    3  pm.      Ben,  a  former  SAS  soldier  and  paratrooper,  has  campaigned  tirelessly  for  many  years  exposing  the  lies  and  exploitation  used  by  the  authorities  to  persuade  young  people  to  join  the  armed  forces.  

1

The  MAW  youth   committee   is   looking   for  two   people   to   join   them   at   the  International   Peace   Bureau   World  Congress   in  Berlin   from  30  September  -­‐  3  October.   Transport,   accommodation   and  the  congress  fee  will  be  covered.  The   congress,   titled  Disarm!  For  a   climate  of   peace     -­‐   creating   an   action   agenda,   is  

inspired   by  UN   Secretary   General   Ban  Ki-­‐moon  who  said:  “The  world  is  over–armed  and  peace  is  under-­‐funded.”  The   event   will   bring   together   a   range   of  experts   and   activists   from   around   the  globe  and  will  include  talks,  presentations,  roundtables,   discussions,   workshops,  information   booths,   exhibitions   and  

2

cultural  activities.  Contributors   include   the   economist   James  Gilbraith   and   the   environmental   activist  Vandana   Shiva   plus,   via   video,   former  Soviet   president   and   Nobel   peace   prize  laureate   Mikhail   Gorbachev   and   author  Naom  Chomsky.  MAW   youth   committee   member   Becky  Garnault     said:   ‘This   is   a   fantastic  opportunity   for   any   young   person   who  wants   to  meet   some   of   the   leaders   of   the  world   peace   movement   and   really   get   to  grips  with  the  issues.  “And  it’s  in  Berlin,  one  of   the  coolest  cities  in  the  world.  What’s  not  to  like?”  If   you   would   like   to   come   please   write   a  short   piece   or   film   yourself   talking   about  what  you  think  is  the  most  damaging  effect  of   war   or   militarism   on   young   people  around  the  world  (we  will  publish  some  of  these  on  the  MAW  Youth  blog).  Please  also  include   a   few   lines   about   why  we   should  choose  you.  Entries  –   from  UK  residents  aged  30  years  or   under   should   be   emailed   to:  youth@abolishwar.org.uk   .   The   deadline  for  entries  is  mid-­‐June.  

[Type text] [Type text]

2

xxxxx

1

Opinion Shameful use of red poppy, say peace veterans Anyone  who  thinks  the  red  poppy  is  a  symbol  of  remembrance  that  should  be  preserved  in  a  spirit  of  respect  for  those  -­‐  military  or    civilian  -­‐  who  lost  their  lives  in  the  First  World  War,    will  be  shocked  to  read  a  recent  report  from  Veterans  for  Peace.  My  Name  is  Legion:  The  British  Legion  and  the  Control  of  Remembrance  describes  what  it  calls  the  “poppy  fascism”  to  which  we  are  increasingly  subject.  It  details  the  British  Legion’s  commercialisation  of  the  poppy  and  its  use  of  it  as  a  trademark.  More  shockingly,  it  focuses  on  the  Legion’s  use  of  the  poppy  to  support  government  policies  which  promote  the  military  in  the  media,  sport  and  education.  The  Legion  even  accepts  sponsorship  from  the  world’s  leading  arms  dealers  and  arms-­‐related  companies:  BAE  Systems,  Lockheed  Martin,  Thales  and  Sphinx  among  others.      And  it  has  a  close  working  relationship  with  the  Ministry  of  Defence.      The  result  is  not  to  uphold  a  spirit  of  “never  again”  but  to  legitimise  war  and  glamorise  those  who  make  it,  and  make  it  possible.  This  is  a  report  that  should    be  read  by  everyone  who  is  concerned  that  the  First  World  War  -­‐  and  all  wars  -­‐  should  be  remembered  for  what  they  were:  barbaric,  obscene  and  tragic:  the  disastrous  failures  of  politics  and  politicians.    

Martin  Aitken    ●  The  next  edition  of  Abolish  War  will  be  published  on  August  1  –  send  your  news  and  views  to  helenriley@abolishwar.org.uk    

1

I   live   a   flat   in   a   quiet   street   in  North  London.  I  suppose  about  30  people   live   in   similar   flats   on   the  same  street.  We  get  on  with  most  of  our  neighbours.  If  there  are  disputes  about  parking  or  rubbish  at  least  no  one  has  ever  pulled   out   a   gun.   If   there   are  problems  which  we   can’t   sort  out  in   a   sensible   way   between  ourselves   there   are   local  neighbourhood  schemes,  solicitors  and,  as  a  last  resort,  the  police  and  the  courts.  It’s  normal.  What   is   not   normal   is   a  world   of  nearly   200   different   states,  dominated  by  a  few  of  the  most  powerful  ones   and   armed   to   the   teeth   with  weapons  which  could  bring  the  world  as  we  know  it  to  an  end.  That   is   why,   under   the   inspiration   of  Professor   Joseph   Rotblat,   MAW   was  launched   over   ten   years   ago.   Rotblat  said:   ‘War   must   cease   to   be   an  admissible   institution.   The   abolition   of  war  must  be  our  ultimate  goal.’  He   was   actually   echoing   Clement   Attlee  who,   in  August   1945,   just   after   the   first  nuclear  bombs  were  dropped,  said:  ‘This  sort  of  thing  [the  abolition  of  war]  has  in  the   past   been   considered   a   Utopian  dream.  It  has  become  today  the  essential  condition  of  the  survival  of  civilisation.’      Little  did  he  know  then  of  the  long  list  of  future   nuclear   weapon   accidents   which  led   Robert   Mc   Namara,   senior   United  States   official   throughout   the   Cold  War,  to   say   that   we  were   only   saved,   not   by  

2

good  judgement  but  by  “good  luck”.    MAW   supports   all   those   organisations  challenging   specific   aspects  of  militarism  ranging   from   CND   to   the   Campaign  Against   the   Arms   Trade.   Our   special  message   is   that   war   itself   can   be  eliminated   as   a   means   of   solving  problems   between   states.   We   need   a  major  culture  change.  It   can't   be   done?     That’s  what   they   once  said   about   getting   votes   for   women,   or  abolishing  torture  and  the  slave  trade.  We  can  move  on.  Hadrian's  Wall  is  an  ancient  monument.   Culloden   is   a   tourist  attraction.   Germany   and   France   will  never   fight   again   thanks   to   European  political   unity.     It   is   up   to   us   to   help   to  turn   the   dream   of   eliminating   war   into  reality.   It   can   be   done.   Join   us:      http://www.abolishwar.org.uk/join.html  

Bruce  Kent  

Deeds as well as words: Bruce and some of the MAW contingent at February’s anti-Trident march in London

2

 

[Type text] [Type text]

     

3

1

One  hundred  years  ago,  men  aged  18-­‐40  were  forced  to  become  soldiers  and  fight  in  the  First  World  War.  They  were  also   allowed   to   refuse   on   grounds   of  conscience,  making  it  a  key  date  in  the  history  of  British  human  rights.    A   group   of   Oxford-­‐based   activists,  representing   FoR,   Quakers   and   MAW  have   arranged   a   series   of   events   in  Oxford  to  mark  this  centenary.    The   series   includes   an   event   at   the  Bonn   Square   Peace   Plaque   on  International   Conscientious   Objectors  Day  (15  May,  12-­‐1.30pm).  Elsewhere,   the   Peace   News   exhibition  of   Emily   John’s   original   artwork,   The  world   is   my   country,   celebrating  resistance   to   the  First  World  War,   can  

2

be   seen   in  New  Road  Baptist  Church,  from  15-­‐28  May,  11am  -­‐2pm.    A   play,  We  will   not   fight,   written   by  Canterbury   Amnesty   International  Group,   and   adapted   by   Jeremy   Allen,  re-­‐enacting   one   of   the   Tribunal  experience,  will  be  staged  in  the  Town  Hall   Court   Room   on   19   May   at  7.30pm.  Finally,   a   speaker   evening   on  Conscientious   objection   then   and  now,  with   Symon   Hill,   author   and   activist  for   peace   and   nonviolence,   Annette  Bygott,   local   peace   campaigner,   and  Hannah   Brock   from   War   Resisters  International,   will   be   held   in   New  Road   Baptist   Church   on   26   May   at  7.30pm.  

Elephant in the room at climate conference

Members  of  MAW  and  friends  at  a  Conference  on  Resistance  to  War  held  in  Leeds  recently.  ● MAW  Youth:  the  Militarisation  of  our  Society,  a  Youth  Conference,  will  be  held  on  Saturday,  8  October  at  SOAS,  London  and  will  be  of  interest  to  students  and  young  people.  See  more  details  in  the  next  Abolish  War  and  on  MAW  Youth’s    Facebook  page.  

1

Carbon   emissions   from  military   activity:     definitely  off-­‐limits   for   discussion   at  the   Paris   Climate  Conference  last  December.    Figures   for   these   vast  quantities   of   greenhouse  gases  are  difficult   to  obtain  and   are   often   shrouded   in  secrecy.   At   the   1997   UN  Climate   talks   in   Kyoto,   the  US  won  exemptions   for   the  military   from   any   required  disclosure  and   reduction   in  such   emissions;   other  nations   took   advantage   of  these  exemptions.      Emissions   from   global  military   activity   include     -­‐  

2

on  a  colossal  scale:    ■ Ore   extraction,   and  manufacture   of   equipment  and  weaponry  ■  Trials  and  training    ■  Fuel  and  explosive  use   in  combat,  and  resulting  fires  ■   Extensive   rebuilding   of  devastated  infrastructure.  One   estimate   put   forward  that   military   activity   could  be   responsible   for   up   to  10%   of   global   carbon  emissions   seems   not   too  fantastic.   Why   are   these  emissions   not   included   in  climate   negotiations?   “The  atmosphere   counts   the   cost  of  carbon  from  the  military,  

3

therefore  we  must  as  well”,  Stephen   Kretzmann,  Director   of   Oil   Change  International,   told   the  Guardian.   Under   the   Paris  agreement,   countries  won’t   get   automatic  exemption   from  consideration   of   military  emissions   –   but   they   will  not  be  obliged  to  cut   them  either.  One  tiny  step  in  the  right   direction   …   or  business  as  usual?  Prince   Charles   and  Charlotte   Church   are   not  alone   in   pointing   out   that  climate   change   leads   to  

4

instability   and   war.   This  though   is   the   other   half   of  the   vicious   circle:   war,   its  preparations  and  aftermath  lead  to  climate  change.  True   support   for   the  climate  agreement   involves  promoting  the   ideals  of   the  UN,  exposing  those  sections  of  big  business  which  relish  “opportunities”   resulting  from   insecurity   and  conflict,   and   demanding  much  more  serious  funding  for   and   commitment   to  non-­‐military   security   and  non-­‐violent   conflict  prevention  and  resolution.    

Hilary  Evans  

Fairs and fetes help spread the word Spring  is  here  and  around  the  country  plans  are  afoot  for  fairs  and  fetes.    How  about  booking  a  stall  at  your  local  event  to  promote  peace  and  oppose  war?      Never  done  it  before?    Don't  have  any  likeminded  helpers?  Call  Hilary  on  020  8898  4850,  or  email  eevans298@btinternet.com  to  see  if  we  can  sort  out  these  or  any  other  difficulties.      We  can  supply  literature  and  other  goods.    We  may  be  able  to  find  other  MAW  members  in  your  area  who  are  willing  to  help,  or  even  supply  a  peripatetic  experienced  MAW    stallholder.    Anything's  possible  -­‐  just  get  in  touch!        Hear a survivor’s story A  Noiseless  Flash  -­‐  a  rare  chance  to  hear  first  hand  the  testimony  of  Hiroshima  survivor  Setsuko  Thurlow  -­‐  will  take  place  at  Friends  House,  173-­‐175  Euston  Road,  London  NW1  2BJ  on  Thursday,  May  12  at  6pm  (no  charge).  Setsuko  was  a  13-­‐year-­‐old  student  on  August  6,  1945,  working  for  the  military  in  Hiroshima  to  decode  secret  messages.  At  8:15am  that  morning  she  recalls  being  given  a  pep-­‐talk  by  an  Army  General  when  a  bluish  white  flash  filled  the  room,  and  she  remembers  the  sensation  of  floating  in  the  air.  

44

 

4

Abolish  War  is  published  by  the  Movement  for  the  Abolition  of  War,  11  Venetia  Road,  London  N4  1EJ.    

LETTER Please support my book Thanks  to  all  who  have  expressed  interest  in  Echo  Hall,  my  novel  about  three  generations  of  women  who  experience  love,  loss  and  conflict  during  the  1991  Gulf  War,  WW2  and  WW1.    The  project  is  doing  well  so  far,  but  there  is  still  a  long  way  to  go.  If  you  would  like  to  see  a  novel    bringing  questions  of  war  and  peace  to  a  mainstream  audience  published,  I'd  appreciate  your  support.  There  are  several  ways  you  can  help.  You  can  support  the  book  :  https://unbound.co.uk/books/echo-­‐hall  .  If  you  are  unable  to  support  it  financially,  you  can  share  it  on  social  media.  I  tweet  as  @aroomofmyown1  and  am  on  Facebook  as  Virginia  Moffatt.    For  those  who  are  interested  in  twitter  fiction,  I'm  conducting  an  experiment  with  three  of  my  1911  characters  tweeting  about  their  lives,  politics  and  whether  there  will  be  a  war  -­‐  https://unbound.co.uk/books/echo-­‐hall/updates/experiments-­‐in-­‐twitter  

Virginia  Moffatt  

1932 disarmament colour poster on offer Copies  of  an  historic  A3  colour  poster  advertising  the  1932  World  Disarmament  Conference  of  1932  are  available.  Send  three  2nd  class  stamps  to  this  address:  11  Venetia  Road  London  N4  1EJ.  

Comrades  In  Conscience  will  be  performed  on  May  25  (7.30pm)  at  Conway  Hall,  London,  WC1R  4RL  -­‐  an  evening  commemorating  Britain's  WW1  COs  with  drama,  songs  and  talks.  Speakers  include  Cyril  Pearce,  Lois  Bibbings,  and  Ben  Copsey  from  the  PPU.  www.conwayhall.org.uk/event/comrades-­‐in-­‐conscience    Tel:  0207  405  1818.  

The pain of war: time is not such a great healer

1

Our   Youth   Committee   has   set   up   a  blog  and   is   looking   for   contributors.  Here  is  one  of  the  first  entries:  We   rarely  see  the   effects   of   war   at   our  centre:   occasional   faces   covered   up  where   scars   or   disfiguration   cause  others   to   shudder.   Sometimes  wheelchair   users   struggle   over   the  threshold   but   the   reality   is   that   the  asylum  seekers  who  make   it   out  of   the  war   zones   are   fit   health   young   men.  Most   scars   are  hidden.  Wounds   from   a  torturer  glimpsed  in  the  changing  room  of   Monday's   football   session,   testicles  wired   up   to   an   electrical   current   leave  no   outward   signs,   clothing   covers   a  multitude  of  hurt.  The   most   common   effect   of   war   is   a  deep-­‐seated   trauma   which   corrodes  people’s   thoughts   and   behaviour.   A  woman   clutching   my   arm   when   dogs  run   past   in   the   park,   barking   at   their  owner.   She   said   it   reminded   her   of  when  they  hunted  for  her  in  the  bush  in  the   Rwandan   Genocide.   Wives  estranged   from   husbands,   questions  about  what  happened  too  painful  to  talk  about:   the   wife   wants   to   talk   but   the  husband   can't   stand   it.   They   sleep   in  separate   rooms   now.   He   bleeds  internally  when  stressed.    

1

 

2

 People   reconstruct   their   lives   with  possessions,   piles   and   piles   of   clothes,  old  kettles,  broken  crockery.  I've  visited  the   rooms   of   asylum   seekers   stacked  high   to   the   ceiling   with   bric-­‐a-­‐brac,  jumpers,   old   shoes,   coats,   hats   -­‐  anything   and   everything   -­‐   to   cover   up  the   sorrow   and   the   pain,   to   distract  from  the  awful  past,  constructing  a  new  life  with  bits  and  pieces.    Of   the   thousands   of   asylum   seekers  using   our   centre,   many   will   carry   this  unseen   burden   for   the   rest   of   their  lives,   each   year   hoping   the   pain   will  lessen.   Mulling   over   the   death   of   my  own   father   in   a   recent   conversation,   I  naively  said  time  heals,  and  got  a  reply  I  wasn’t  expecting.  The  sense  of  betrayal,  hurt   and   loss   for   my   colleague   was  almost   as   agonising   and   present   as  when  it   took  place  20  years  ago.  There  was  no  reconciling  what  had  been  done.  I   asked   one   of   our   volunteers   how   he  could   remain   so   upbeat.   He's   been  waiting   for   a   decision   on   his   case   for  eight   years.   With   a   tear   in   his   eye   he  said:  “If  I  don't  laugh  I  cry.”  War  lingers,  and  we  all  feel  it.  The  article  can  be  found  here:        https://abolishwarnow.wordpress.com/2016/02/15/scarsofwar/  

2

THE MAW YOUTH BLOG NEEDS YOU!

The MAW youth group has started a blog aimed at engaging young people

with issues of militarism, the arms trade, forced migration and more. We are

looking for articles, poems, photos, videos, essays or anything else creative

that fits this theme. We prefer contributions from the under 30s - but will

welcome anything accessible and relevant to young people.

Find the blog at: www.abolishwarnow.wordpress.com

Email contributions to: youth@abolishwar.org.uk

An  early  visitor  is  pictured  at  an  exhibition  called  A  Peace  Perspective:  Stories  and  thoughts  from  WW1  which  is  currently  taking  place  in  Clun,  Shropshire,  home  to  MAW  member  Sue  Dowell  and  produced  by  Hereford  Peace  Council.  It  includes  panels  telling  the  stories  of  local  people  affected  by  war.