Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Asylum Rights and Protection to Conscientious Objectors and Draft Evaders

Report about the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation

(15.06.2011) War has been part of humanity from early on. It mainly emanates from human greed, hatred and abuse of power. All this evil has been igniting causes of war. However, it seems collective behaviour of humanity can win over all these elements of evil and achieve everlasting peace. On the contrary all humanity regardless of origin, race or geographic location shares a common desire for peace. Almost all religious teaching advocates for peace. This was evident from the World Council of Churches (WCC), International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC).

Refusing Military Service and War is vital

Statement at International Ecumenical Peace Convocation

(23.05.2011) There exists objection and evasion of war and military in many countries of the world. It can occur at any time. A person may object before or after joining the military, before or after being recruited in case of conscription. Evaders and deserters are generally prosecuted, COs are rejected still in a lot of countries. If a CO right exists, they often have to face a complicated and degrading screening process. Furthermore a lot of countries do not give the opportunity to already recruited draftees and professional soldiers to legally declare their CO. Globally, COs are facing prosecution, repression, or re-recruitment. For this reason some of them apply for asylum somewhere else.

Eritrea: The fact that the flight itself might cost the refugees lives, is telling

Statement to press conference "Eritrean deserters report about imprisonment and torture"

(09.09.2010) As we all know, people from poor countries like Eritrea may leave their homeland for obvious and no obvious reasons. Some of the obvious reasons that have been driving people to migrate within their political borders, across their political borders and across continents can be:

1. Instability caused by war and warfare induced forced recruitment and military brutality
2. Dictatorial regimes and absence of security, justice and rights
3. Drought, famine and other natural catastrophe caused by environmental and climate change
4. Poverty, economic disparity, and search of a better life and change

The list of persecution, abuse and human rights violations, of deprivations and hardships in Eritrea is long. And worst is, that there seems no hope or means to change the situation. The fact that the flight itself might cost the refugees lives, is telling. If you risk death to escape from a situation – how bad must it be?

Nonviolent Livelihood Struggle and Global Militarism: Links & Strategies

WRI 2010 conference in Ahmedabad

(05.02.2010) Nonviolent activists from 32 countries denounced development-induced displacement and corporate violence at the War Resisters’ International (WRI) conference held in Ahmedabad at Gujarat Vidyapith. WRI, Gujarat Vidyapith, Gujarat Sarvodaya Mandal and Sampoorna Kranti Vidyalaya have together organized the conference to investigate the links between militarism, war profiteering and the patterns of development pursued across the world today. Around 175 participants from 32 countries took part in the deliberations during the 25th WRI conference.