working for since 1934 number 71 autumn 2015 ISSN 1350-3006 w e n e h t peace matters WORKING FOR PEACE WITHOUT VIOLENCE

Beware alien influences at work www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 3 COMMENT support our work ISSN 1350 – 3006 Peace Pledge Union help build a culture Peaceworks 1 Peace Passage London N7 0BT eyaad Khan was over the moon when he met shadow chancellor Phone: 020 7424 9444 join us on of Ed Balls, he wanted to be Britain’s first Asian prime minister. Now Email [email protected] R Remembrance Sunday he is dead, blown to pieces in Syria by the authority of the current prime Web site: www.ppu.org.uk Sunday 8 November minister. We do not know the steps on the journey that took Reyaad Noon Peace Matters is published by the Peace from wanting to be a prime minister to urging British Muslims to join to lay a wreath of white Pledge Union. poppies I/we would like to join the PPU www.peacematters.org.uk insurgents in Syria. But we can speculate. He could, and this is proba - with Joanna Bourke Annual subscription : bly the dominant view, have been ‘radicalised’ - a term popular with Material published in Peace Matters does Fear, Defiance, and Hope: individual £21.00 media commentators and politicians though quite what it means and not necessarily reflect PPU policy. A History of Resistance two at the same address £28.00 Editor: Jan Melichar. how it operates is not clear. It is a key word in the terror lexicon signi - see page 15 low income £10.00 With help from: Annie Bebington fying everything and explaining nothing. Equally he could just have Or subscribe to Peace Matters and Peace Works only Typeset and design: PPU been a normal young man awash with hor - Annual subscription: £6.00 Printing: Lithosphere mones. In a social and political climate where assassination inc uk I/we enclose £ cheque bankers order The Peace Pledge Union is the oldest violence, especially when allied with a ‘cause’, Jan Melichar or debit my card non-sectarian pacifist organisation in is acceptable and often commended, his action should not come as a no Britain. Through the Resisters’ Inter - total surprise. Think Remembrance Sunday. Think the Spanish Civil national it links with similar groups War. Seeing fellow Muslims under attack can seem to offer a more or expiry date throughout the world. It is one of the less rational reason to join a romantic and ex - security no __ | __ | __ original sponsors of Campaign Against citing fight for ‘justice’. Perhaps Reyaad’s wish Arms Trade, a member of Liberty and a co to be prime minister was not that far from Name operating organisation of Landmine where he ended up. Address Action To be sure there are problems posed by For information contact: Annie, PPU 1 young men and now a few women going to Peace Passage London N7 0BT . or take some part in war zones but it is hard not to www.ppu.org.uk suspect that these are being exaggerated and Next Council meeting 1 December ONLINE www/ppu.org.uk/join misinterpreted for less than honourable reasons.

To: The Manager: Bank The back story to the announcement of Reyaad’s assassination, never mind the assassi - Address nation itself, is surely evidence of this, if any is needed. tinyurl.com/ofyzvss. Your account number ‘In an act of self-defence, said David Cameron, ‘and after meticulous Please pay on / /2015 and on the same day each planning Reyaad Khan was killed in a precision airstrike carried out on MONTH / YEAR (delete as appropriate) To: The Co-operative Bank plc, 62 Southampton Row 21 August by an RAF remotely piloted aircraft while he was travelling London WC1B 4AR in a vehicle in the area of Raqqah in Syria.’ Parliamentary prohibition 08-90-61 Peace Pledge Union Main Account no 50504527 the sum of £ ______amount in against military UK action in Syria seems to be no barrier to ‘secret’ words______military action in Syria. Nor, it appears, is there any interdiction to, let’s Signature ______date ______call it politely, extra judicial assassination which is surprising. Just a few weeks ago, whilst visiting Bangladesh, the International Development

Bertold Brecht

4 www.peacematters.org.uk summer 2015 www.peacematters.org.uk summer 2015 5 COMMENT COMMENT

New leaflet from the PPU killing’. Or are these the weasel Believe it or not Legions poppy fundraising which Expansion Programme is You can download copies here: words of politicians the world The Vulcan bomber whose replace - would surely be redundant once part of the Govern - tinyurl.com/q43dvl7 or order copies over?: they may not approve ment front wheel cost £70,000 the missiles do their business. ment’s aim of promoting from the office but hell, if they can they will. has been on a farewell tour military ethos in schools; around the country. Perhaps you Binyamin Netanyahu’s re - Sinister forces at work to instil values in young caught all the excitement in the David Cameron’s long held wish cent flying visit to London to people that will help media. In the case of one event to enlarge the Cadet Forces is them get the most out fix some deals, particularly on apparently the police were so con - finally taking shape. In his sum - of their lives, and to cyber security cooperation cerned about crowd numbers that mer austerity budget George contribute to their com - (surveillance to the rest of us), they threatened to cancel it. Hor - Osborn pledged £50 million to munities and country’. ING? ror! All very interesting. The cost MBER must have been a mixed bless - create cadet forces in 500 state Lord Nash, Parliamentary militarisation project. While some ME l cere- RE annua BE 18. The E r 11 19 nded L W vembe more la of keeping this useless bomber fly - IL on No s once schools. Most would be in ‘less T W topped troop vic- Under Secretary of State for fulminate about Trojan Horses, HA hting s y British istice – ing. Shaking hands with a fig usl rm W he day s previo f the A arked t week aning o ecla- Day m n a few blic me . The d istice 39 whe The pu peace Arm d in 19 med. e being the ing has become prohibit, so no ancelle ing resu n ther then affluent areas’. This is a vast y was c e fight dent o . Since Schools, is also enthusiastic about the silence around this multi mil - mon and th depen eaning d urope s - was that m efreshe man whose state pioneered and E war red ally r mainl t future shatte eriodic on agains e last and p n of arning after th w guise ificatio more entertainment by a billion and w soon in a ne s a just tory ar so e fluid; serve a ies increase over the present 275 other w becom me to popp cadet forces ‘Teenage girls from lion pound, multi agency indoc - of an ay has has co lling red ration ance D Sunday and se - membr rance torch - emem technological assassination g of Re ememb of the some R meanin nges, R passing day for challe e – the ion. To appro- pound doomsday machine. new PR vigilanc ish Leg ctacle cadet units most of which are in meet ternal the Brit is a spe single-parent families who had trination program is profound to ion to e ogo of ic face xhortat orate l ts publ r and e le corp of us i wa valuab he rest out and for whom there are calls the or t ab re now ance; f deeply The Vulcan was part of Britain’s hich a signific oses. o think 39 w rivate al purp rged t d in 19 private schools and already “never experienced the love of a y has p politic e are u ancelle and we need to change this nce Da ial and One w y was c rning bra financ d War tice Da or mou pecific f Worl Armis s time f - ed for s rsary o e time ption a erful re priat nnive at by th conce a pow for his arrest for war crimes y a th blic ry, nuclear MAD force (Mutual ntenar to note inal pu e milita his ce o well its orig for th receive £26 million per year. Too man” could be deterred from In t ould d ly from ay out wherever we come across it. r. We w found ating d rties. year hat wa ged pro lf-valid ry’ pa t not a t y chan to a se f ‘victo rism bu - alread of life d lots o milita g some it had n loss War an erman fightin Assured Destruction for younger ction o stry of hting G ged in Mili- should give pause for fle ini fig nga d. and re r the M y were been e a recor few seem to ask why this expan - forming “unsuitable relation - tool fo ht the ve not y such .. and some heartening news itment thoug itary ha med b cru ay have ish mil be sha ple m the Brit t of or rs 14 peo when n boas soldie In 19 e then ntry ca als and readers) and only managed to fly by sinc er cou c, med t of s gone No oth in. rhetori in fron thought. It’s tough at the sion, in time of ‘austerity’ or ha orld. Brita icose ding ships” if they enrolled in a cadet The Tunisian national dialogue the w oday’s of bell e para e the here in ell in t show rs, or th rivileg w e and w utward om wa that p e is aliv t the o ning fr system d prim tarism st abou n retur belief ces an not ju s whe nd and ds prin nds in ‘anger’ in its declining years to ism is h town t of mi at sen that fu Militar throug he cas ind th f mind indeed any time, is needed. It unit’.The power of cadet forces quartet was awarded the Nobel rching . It is t ast of m cast o top. dly ma d ranks g. A c pots, a prou serrie fightin ury des arch in in war unsavo he mon odied most E t es emb ven the EAC the Falklands causing little incon - ld valu ns to e F P age-o weapo RE O cannot simply be because the seem limitless. to sell LTU peace prize, beating an array of inisters CU A few miles south of m FOR A S ARE OPPIE venience to the Argentinians. Its HITE P prime minister is a former cadet? The WW1 anniversary is a high-powered nominees includ - W Lincoln, whose cathedral is extraordinarily long flight (record A key reason is revealed by an boon for military recruiters and home to one of a growing ing Angela Merkel, the pope, the at the time) undertaken is sus - MoD spokesperson: ‘Cadet units military ethos promoters. On the US secretary of state, John Kerry, number of memorials to Minister Desmond Swayne pected more as a last desperate are beneficial to both society and army’s website alongside an offer and his Iranian counterpart, said ‘Extrajudicial killings can - Bomber Command, is RAF bid for more cash by the RAF than of some not very interesting stuff Mohammad Javad Zarif. not be tolerated in a democratic Waddington. Motto ‘For Faith an expectation of any meaningful about WW1 is an ‘option to This prize, unlike many other country like Bangladesh’, stress - and Freedom’. The base is so impact on the war in the Falklands. request a soldier to support peace prizes, comes close to ing that all incidents regarding proud of its heritage that it has The parading of military teaching activities within the Nobel’s will: t o the person who machinery for public entertain - recent extrajudicial killings a visitors’ heritage centre to classroom’ shall have done the most or the ment is the ‘innocent’ part of mili - there ‘should be investigated show it off but its website is Touting for military recruits in best work for fraternity between tarisation though in the case fund - schools may be bad enough and nations, for the abolition or and the perpetrators should be silent on its role as home for ing the ancient Vulcan it was an indeed the MoD faced mild criti - reduction of standing armies and brought to justice’. Is Her Majesty’s official assassins, expense too far for the govern - cise when it was revealed that it for the holding and promotion of Bangladesh being held to a for it is from RAF Waddington ment who stopped paying for its requested access to sensitive data peace congresses . Meanwhile higher standard than Britain? that the Reaper drone was pi - upkeep some years ago for recruitment into the Armed in the National Pupils database so the Nobel committee is being Should David Cameron be loted and fired its missile at At £3 billion an aircraft the 150 Forces, that is why we want to that it could “target its messag - taken to court for misappropriat - V bombers were the money oubli - worried and did his former two British citizens in Syria. It increase the number of them.’ ing” in relation to military careers, ing the fund by giving peace ettes of its day as Trident is today. The Combined Cadet Force Foreign Secretary William was previously the home of but ‘inculcating the military ethos’ prizes to people such at Henry The Trident missiles are made by website expands on the reason is wholly unacceptable. This is the Kissinger, Barack Obama, Mother Hague not warn him that ‘.. We Britain’s hugely expensive and Lockheed Martin who are gener - for such expansion: ‘The Cadet sinister part of the government’s Teresa etc. don’t approve of extra-judicial totally useless Vulcan bombers. ous contributors to the British 6 www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 7 PERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE

most to the , and beginning of many pointless and de - keir hardie centenary these that we remember now. Keir’s structive . Ben Copsey famous speech to the assembled Keir’s reasons for campaigning crowds at Trafalgar Square forms a against the looming war in 1914 are ne of the centenaries that fore 1914 was made a year to re - part not just of our collective mem - as applicable to any conflict today as Othreatens to pass by without a member. It was Hardie, then, who ory, but a part of our offices, standing they were then. One hundred years murmur in these years of remember - united a disparate movement made as it does as a mural welcoming visi - after his death, broken in body and ing war is one of the most important up of radicals and moderates, ideal - tors to the PPU. We draw a direct spirit by the slaughter of men and to the Peace and Labour movements ists and pragmatists, internationalists comparison between Keir’s stand women across Europe, his words and in this country. On the 26th of Sep - and protectionists, turning it into the against the First World War and our actions live on. A reformer, a politi - tember 2015, we passed by the first modern Peace movement. work today - It was No then, and it’s cian, a member of parties and a 100th anniversary of the death of Keir’s spoke of men and No now. He stands as he did on Au - founder of parties - but most of all a Keir Hardie, now no closer to his life women around the world uniting gust 2nd, looking out over Trafalgar good man - and a pacifist. than his was to Waterloo. against the vested interests that make square not just through space, but When great figures fade into war both possible and profitable. On through to us today and all those the 29th of July 1914, he met with myth, they leave behind them a hundreds of thousands who have as - Visit us to see the mural or get the post - legacy used by any politician who his comrades from around Europe - sembled in that place to protest the cards at www.ppu.org.uk/ppushop cares to remember their lives. “The Jaures, Luxeumburg, Axelrod, Balab - Party of Keir Hardie”, “the Move - nov and others, in a last great at - ment of Keir Hardie”, even “What tempt to stop the oncoming horror. would Keir Hardie Do?” have be - Their hope was that war could be de - come familiar refrains as the many layed until a Europe-wide General movements scrabbling to pick up the Strike would send the message that pieces of his legacy jockey for posi - no nation could force its people into tion, safe in the knowledge that the the terror of war. man himself can never contradict He returned undaunted, organis - their policies. ing the largest anti-war demonstra - The Peace Pledge Union, the tion yet seen in Britain (one only Peace Movement as a whole, is one paralleled nearly 90 years later in of those groups. We have our own vi - 2003), which met in the last faithful sion of Keir, and that’s who we will days before the war, on the 2nd of remember. “Our” Keir was a politi - August 1914. His argument was that cian and a reformer, a tireless cam - war creates poverty for many and paigner for suffrage and the unions. wealth for a few, that workers Our Keir was a pacifist and an inter - around the world were brothers and nationalist. sisters, divided only by the arrange - As we work on our First World ment of political relations for profit War projects, we can perhaps be for - and, most damningly, that war al - given for identifying most strongly ways creates more problems than it with those who stood up before the solves. Painting the Hardie mural. forces of war and militarism long be - It’s these moments that matter 8 www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 9 PEACE EDUCATION

It is important that the PPU engages with schools to provide an alternative perspective

tion form. currently being updated and advice and teaching material on a The deadline for entries is Fri - which introduces some new variety topics. day 29 January 2016 with email teaching and learning materials Please pass on information entries being headed Writing for including those related to school about our Writing for Peace Com - Peace and sent to Peace Educa - assemblies. I have suggested in petition to anybody you feel may tion Officer The Peace Pledge my e-mail to Heads of Depart - be interested and If you have any Peter Glasgow Union 1 Peace Passage London ments and teachers that this flyer ideas about how the PPU could fur - Writing for Peace N7 OBT. entitled Are Your Pupils Getting a ther its work in engaging schools Thus far I have contacted over Balanced Educational Diet could in peace education or wish to par - n this time of centenary com - poetry to express how a Consci - stories of men who in the First 1300 schools in England and be pinned up on their staffroom ticipate in such activity don’t hesi - Imemoration of World War One, entious Objector who refuses to World War refused to take part in bearing in mind the deadline date notice boards. So it may be that tate to contact me. the Peace Pledge Union is provid - kill or a man or woman opposed the killing of strangers – of men I reckon I still have some time to even if pupils don’t participate in [email protected] ing a different way of looking at to the war may have felt during like themselves. The latest publi - tackle and Scotland! the Writing for Peace Competition the conflict by introducing a Writ - the First World War as they strove cation has been updated with a The military is targeting then teachers may be alerted to ing for Peace competition for to make words of peace as re - chapter on the Women’s Peace schools via Community Engage - the fact that if they don’t think schools in the UK. sounding as those that were Movement in World War One. ment Teams that as well as pro - the balance is right then the PPU We hope that teachers and championing war. Judges will be looking for moting recruitment to the armed is in a position to offer, support, their pupils will be interested in The character could be a wife, imaginative approaches, that services also offer a very one sided the Peace Pledge Union’s 2015 a mother, a sister, a suffragette, demonstrate empathy for an anti- and positive view of military life For teaching and related resources visit www.ppu.org.uk/learn Writing for Peace Competition. an anti-war activist, a disillusioned war stance, engage the audience and war very much at odds with a Entries may be by individual munitions worker, whilst showing some understand - reality. It also omits to include any

pupils only and a socialist, an anar - ing of the context of the First references to the devastating im - - the winning etting chist, a soldier, a World War. pact on civilians who are on the pils G t? school will ur Pu al Die conscientious ob - They will also expect budding receiving end of British military re Yo cation A d Edu CE receive a lance RESOUR jector, a father, a authors and poets to write clearly, force. In the words of Ben Grif - a Ba RNING S MY LEA RATION prize of AR MMEMO brother, a priest effectively and imaginatively using fin, founder of Veterans for Peace ACIFISM WAR CO CHOOLS P RS IN S £500; a prize EATRE SOLDIE MENT or a trade persuasive phrases and words UK “the aim is to build unques - TH CE ECRUIT -VIOLEN ARMY R URS of £250 will go NON SM IELD TO unionist. In that are accurately spelt and tioning support for the military ACTIVI ATTLEF ES PEACE ON B E HERO the runners up DUCATI ELP TH other words grammatically correct that de - among the general population, EACE E URE H NFLICT - P LITERAT CO I-WAR EST ENCE there is a velop lucid and meaningful com - and £150 to the ANT T PROT VIOL especially the young”. For more -VIOLEN CTION NON OBJE Peace third place. In US ct the great choice. positions. Expectations that in information about Veterans for NTIO conta aching SCIE t right and te CON e is no advice balanc port, k the fer sup We are effect mirror Ofqual guidance for addition the ou thin can of opics. Peace UK go to www.veteransfor - If y on. We lated t e Uni y of re tion in Pledg variet Objec le al on a ntious s, Peop three winning materi onscie ligion reminding creative writing. peace.org.uk flict, C orld Re mem- of Con e in W ials, Re Roots d Peac emor uding: ar an eace M submissions will Incl cide, W W2, P schools that I am currently undertaking the It is therefore important that , Geno ce in W WW1 nviolen ace, No re. for Pe uch mo take pride of place, and m k/rtk the Peace task of trying to directly contact, the PPU continues to try and en - rance u.org.u b ww.pp .uk http://w ppu.org NLINE ation@ within a collection urces O ceeduc Pledge by name, Heads of Department of gage with schools to help provide Reso r at pea T ct Pete N7 0B Conta NDON AGE LO of other commend - E PASS Union English in schools across the an alternative perspective. Within 1 PEAC years NION for 80 EDGE U eace ACE PL g for p able submitted PE workin publica - country. This entails going onto the information that is currently works, on the PPU tion, Refusing to Kill, each School website, identifying being sent out to the schools is a web-site. provides a comprehensive history the appropriate contact and then downloadable flyer that is located Pupils are being asked, in no of Conscientious Objection in e-mailing the schools with rele - within the Education section of more than 500 words of prose or World War 1 which includes the vant information and an applica - the PPU website; a section that is 10 www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 11 WOMEN FOR PEACE WOMEN FOR PEACE

Numuhoza, a survivor of the geno - ing out to similar voices from using religious references or lan - women making peace cide in Rwanda and a refugee who Africa by relating to different guage.) They are actively sup - Lucy Beck had eventually finished her long es - African communities here who ported by the Voices for Creative cape by reaching the UK. She works campaign for peace in their own Nonviolence. Finally Virginia Mof - over here with fellow Rwandans - country. fatt spoke of her years of work hen the PPU began to write bi - peace movement benefitted in WW1 and here both Tutsi and Hutu Rwan - We also heard from Mia campaigning on peace issues in Wographies for its website of from many women who had learnt dans work together for peace. She Tamarin, an Israeli woman CO this country such as drones and the Men who Refused to Kill, the their political and campaigning skills told us of Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, who had also spoken at the First how to fit this in with bringing up conscientious objectors of WW1, I struggling for the right to vote. There serving a 15 year prison sentence for World War Peace Forum cere - her family - social media providing knew this needed to be balanced were the women who devoted them - working for democracy in Rwanda, mony on International COs Day a tool for action from home. with accounts of the women who selves to the No Fellow - and Mama Khadiga Hussein from the this year. She had served prison Many years ago I joined a supported them and worked for ship, those who helped arrange the Sudanese Mothers for Peace, work - sentences for her peace witness. WILPF delegation to Belfast and peace (as women were not con - Women’s conference in the Hague in ing here and in Sudan, who has also Mary Dobbing spoke in particular Dublin. It was a very powerful few scripted in WW1). This led me on a 1915 which led to the foundation of served prison sentences in the past about her work with the Afghan days learning about the Northern journey of discovery researching the the Women’s International League there and has collected 2 million sig - Peace Volunteers, an amazingly Ireland conflict, and being lives of some amazing and formida - for Peace and Freedom (now cele - natures on a women’s peace petition. brave small group of men brought face to face with those at ble women. I have been privileged to brating its centenary), and remark - WILPF are reach - and women pursuing non - the sharp end of conflict. I met know a few in the PPU - such as Sybil able individuals like Emily Hobhouse violence in the midst of some wonderful campaigners for Morrison, Myrtle Solomon and Hilda and Sylvia Pankhurst: some of their the war and chaos of their peace and valued that experience Morris - but I was ignorant about inspiring stories can be found on the country. They have re - of reaching out to those working their predecessors. I now know a lot PPU website including my favourite cently started the cam - on the ground, trying to listen and more about the struggle for women’s Unknown Grandmother. paign hashtag Enough! learn before taking positive ac - suffrage, and the way in which the In September WILPF UK and Pax - writing this on their tion, which I think is the success Christi (supported by the First World hands and posters. of the Women’s International War Peace Forum and Ekklesia) Conference partici - League for Peace and Freedom arranged a joint conference on pants joined in with a 100 years after they began. I am ‘Women & Peacemaking - Personal & group photograph grateful for the chance to hear Political - finding energy today, fol - saying #Enough! from some brave campaigners lowing the women of 1915’. The title They are using so - of today. reflected their aim of linking the work cial media to reach of WILPF in WW1 with women cam - out around the

paigning today on issues of war and g world, taking part r o

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most moving speaker was Marie-Lyse w with them is asked to refrain from 12 www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 13 PERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Migration, climate and security: the choice PAUL ROGERS The forces driving people's movement into Europe were al - ready apparent in a near forgotten incident of 1991. In August 1991, with the world’s media dominated by the chronic instability in Russia and the aftermath of the violent eviction of the Iraqi army from Kuwait earlier that year, a sequence of events in the Adriatic Sea provides an uncanny foretaste of the current surge of desperate people across the Mediterranean from north Africa, as well as overland from Syria through Turkey, Greece and beyond. One consequence of the collapse of the Soviet bloc was the disintegration of the already weakened Albanian economy in the winter of 1990-91. The long-time leader Enver Hoxha, who died in 1985, had bequeathed a stagnant and unstable economy which, by the end of the decade, was ensuring increasing poverty in an al - ready poor country. In the early months of 1991, many young Al - banians were attempting to get across the Adriatic to a better life in Italy. They had little success. Then, in August, the situation had become so desperate that ian army units to distribute food within the country. On 7 August 1991, the Alban - merchant ships were hijacked by thousands of young people, es - Within a few months, Albania began to make a slow and tor - ian ship Vlora docked at the pecially in the port of Durrës, and the crews forced to set sail for tuous recovery. All that was left of the experience were images of Port of Durrës, twenty miles west of Tirana, with a cargo of Italy. At least 10,000 of them were on the 8,000-tonne merchant desperate people jumping off a ship and trying to get ashore. Today, Cuban sugar. Thousands of ship Vlora - some reports said twice that number - when it made however, the resonance with people clambering ashore from people, desperate to leave the 200-kilometre crossing to the southern Italian port of Bari. flimsy dinghies onto Greek islands - or facing police in the cen - Albania in the first throes of its Caught by surprise, the police there tried and failed to stop the tre of Budapest - is all too apparent. ‘transition’ from communism, refugees coming ashore; some even jumped overboard to swim boarded the ship and prevailed towards land. The incident made news across Europe, at least for a The long-term view on the captain to take them to couple of days, but then the media moved on. Over the years since it began in 2001 prescient comments were Italy. The Vlora arrived in Bari the next day. According to a Faced with this huge number of sudden arrivals, the police made in 1974 by the economic geographer Edwin Brooks. He Parliamentary Assembly of the rounded them up and detained them in the only place in the city warned of a dystopic world that had to be avoided: ‘a crowded Council of Europe report from that could handle such a number securely, namely the local foot - glowering planet of massive inequalities of wealth buttressed by January 1992: ball stadium. There, they started the process of enforced repatria - stark force yet endlessly threatened by desperate people in the After several hours of waiting tion to Albania. A few were allowed to stay; most were forced global ghettoes”‘. in the port of Bari, the Italian home. But the Italians did at least provide substantial financial aid This is a forewarning of the experience of recent months: authorities allowed the Albani - to the faltering government in Tirana, and even arranged for Ital - namely, desperate people fleeing the war-zones of Syria, ans to disembark for humani - 14 www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 www.peacematters.org.uk autumn 2015 15 PERSPECTIVE REVIEW

tarian reasons and led them to Afghanistan and South Sudan and the repression of Eritrea; but primarily with humanitarian concern, rather than by trying to Bill’s teacher, after she’s found La Vittoria Sports Stadium. As also of the millions more who face relative poverty and margin - “close the castle gates” - which in any case is impossible in a out that half the fathers in a class of 50 pupils are unemployed, says the Italian authorities started alisation, not least across sub-Saharan Africa. globalised system. What happened to the Vlora nearly twenty- forced repatriation using mili - Marvellous children. All done. There has been some humanitarian reaction in Europe to these five years ago sharpens the choice over these possible futures. Let’s hope our headmaster asks for tary transport planes and fer - forces. But the more general response has been the "securitisa - sensible prudent measures when ries, clashes broke out opendemocracy.org tion" of the issue, whereby migrants are seen as threats. One head he writes to Mr Macdonald, between policemen and Alba - because those of us in work can - nians. The Albanians barri - of government, the UK’s David Cameron, deliberately used the not support any more wild spend - caded themselves in the sta - term “swarm” to describe the few thousand migrants who had got ing sprees. That’s what got us into dium refusing to return to as far as Calais - though these actually form a tiny proportion of Conscience on trial Peter Glasgow this mess. their country; some 300 suc - Stalwarts of the left and of the the hundreds of thousands of people desperate to get into Europe. Bill Rowe, a plucky cockney population is also ceeded in escaping. anti war movement such as Fen - It may be that over the coming months, humanitarian concern and geordie from a harsh working punctured as descriptions of loot - The Italian authorities offered ner Brockway and James Maxton will prevail and European states will find ways to cooperate more class background, reviews his life ing and violent anti-social behav - the Albanians 50 000 lire (40 make appearances whilst and the decisions he has made iour in the East End are articulated and George US dollars) each and new effectively. But the prognosis is not good. And in the longer term, whilst languishing in cell and when Bill attends a farcically Orwell also get a brief mention. clothes if they would return an extension of the securitising approach will be even more dam - prison infirmary in 1941. After unjust Tribunal in London. All relevant and appropriate but home. As this offer did not aging as it is applied not just to the movement of people but to the months of incarceration and cruel There are resonances for perhaps a more nuanced approach attract the Albanians, forced closely related area of climate change. treatment he is suffering from life today’s austerity Britain. would be appreciated in this repatriation continued. A recent article by Nick Buxton and Ben Hayes focuses on this threatening tuberculosis; ensuing Cogent arguments from an ILP novel. Credulity is beginning to Photographs of the Vlora’s flashbacks to an unhappy child - activist about increasing welfare strain when Bill, on his first day of issue. It points to the manner in which the future effects of climate hood on Tyneside, an awakening spending in order to help stimu - passengers disembarking in work as an apprentice, becomes change are being seen as threats to the wellbeing of comfortable conscience and subsequent experi - late an ailing economy are con - Bari have been circulating on involved in an industrial dispute peoples in the west, implying that what is needed is to put much ences at the hands of a brutal trasted with a perceived lack of and, perhaps a touch stereotypi - the internet this month: first judicious system are ably related. solidarity from Labour politicians. with claims that they show more emphasis on maintaining security rather than preventing the cally, a union shop steward This first novel by Tom Wall, a The following spoken by an ILP becomes the foreman and then migrants from Libya or Syria excesses of climate disruption. journalist living in London, is an member in reference to Ernest knocks about with the brown heading to Europe now; then, Where the two elements come together - current migration inspiring book. It succeeds in cov - Bevin’s position ‘Tell me what shirts. a few days later, with the issues and future climate disruption - will actually be in Europe. ering the complexities of the polit - would happen if New York It is very clear though where facts, setting the historical Around the continent are large centres of population in the Mid - ical landscape of the 1930s with - bankers again withheld loans until the author stands on all the big out losing the dynamism of a grip - cuts are made’ would require only record straight. Falsification dle East, south-west Asia, north Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, issues and it’s perhaps none the can turn out to be a useful ping read. It describes struggles of a little judicious alteration to make worse for that. In any case when where climate change, if not prevented, will lead to marked de - socialists (particularly those in the it apposite to the current situation reminder of the past, once addressing such momentous and Independent Labour Party, ILP) in in Greece and/or the election of a you’ve identified it. But even if creases in rainfall with declining food production and consequent clear issues of principle such as the social and economic hardship. The asymmetric nature of climate their opposition to the remorseless Labour Party leader in 2015. adoption of an unpopular and per - the pictures had been taken in drift to war. A war that was cham - Bill’s Dad (a man whose life has Tripoli yesterday, and the change as it is now being understood means that these large re - sonally damaging anti war stance, pioned by the establishment been shattered by his experiences there is a strength in putting to crowds of people were coming gions surrounding one of the richest parts of the world will have whose aims were some distance during World War One and as a one side positions of nuance and from the Middle East, how the greatest difficulties. As a result, they are likely to become driv - away from those that are now result has an abusive relationship ambivalence. This is a powerful would that alter the obliga - ers of migration to a far larger extent, with numbers measured not commonly lauded and distilled as with his family) expounds, ‘I-I-I’ve and heart-wrenching novel that tions of countries like Italy a noble story of a fight for free - been Labour all me life, son. But in the hundreds of thousands but in millions. reminds us of the importance of under the 1951 Convention on dom against totalitarian oppres - this shower. They’ve bankrupted sticking to our principles and it is the Status of Refugees? In these circumstances, the consequences of securitising these sion. the country. At least the Tories well worth the read. The myth of the People’s War and Liberals know how to handle LRB issues will be huge, far greater than anything yet experienced. For The Coward. Tom Wall. 2015 this reason alone, it is essential that the current crisis is handled with an acquiescent, happy and m-m-money’. Each of us possesses proclivities, skills and spheres of influence that enable us to make a difference

We can stop wounding the world

We are a peaceful people. Few of nations is not inevitable. It is help - power there has been resistance. us actually enjoy hurting others; ful to remind ourselves that con - If the first step requires ac - even enthusiastic sadists ensure ventional wars today are creations knowledging that we don’t have their partners have a safe-word in of sovereign states. Equating in - to passively accept the inevitability case delight turns into distress. ternational wars with sponta - of war and violence, subsequent Most people recognize the look of neous individual aggression is steps are more difficult to identify. pain on other people’s faces, even simply wrong. Wars serve instru - Personally, I don’t have any pa - if they are strangers. Many of us mental purposes; they involve the tience for dogmatists. Activists actively seek to reduce or eradi - investment of trillions of dollars, who insist on laying out rigid cate other people’s suffering. One pounds, euros, roubles or yuan. blueprints for a better world fail of the ways we can do this is by They are a social activity. As such, to engage with the awe-inspiring, resisting the militarisation of our they can be unmade as well as creative diversity of human exis - society. made. tence. Their cardboard cut-out The first step is acknowledging But secondly, I don’t think that figures are easily squashed by the that it doesn’t have to be this pacifism is a dangerous fantasy vast corporate interests involved way: we can decide not to remain that will hamper the struggle in armament design, production helplessly enthralled to military against tyrants. Armed struggle and use. We don’t all have to join ideologies, practices and symbols. by the oppressed is no longer the a peace movement (although I be - One of the most debilitating way in which revolutions take lieve it is a good idea) nor should myths for people seeking to forge place. There is no Bastille or Win - we expect everyone to demon - more peaceful worlds is the asser - ter Palace to storm. In the twenty- strate vociferously in the street. tion that armed conflict is in - first century, radical change of the Each of us possesses proclivi - evitable. So many times when social and economic order de - ties, skills and spheres of influence writing this book I have been told mands different approaches. that enable us to make a differ - that wars have ‘been part of the The final reason it is not a ence in our own local contexts. human condition since the strug - utopian dream is because disobe - Wherever we are situated - as gle between Cain and Abel, and dience and defiance are what it homemakers, academics, labour - regrettably they are likely to re - means to be human. As political ers, shopkeepers, secretaries, main so’.' Pacifist pronounce - philosopher Costas Douzinas re - publishers, journalists, civil ser - ments are often portrayed as minds us, ‘Humanity starts in dis - vants, teachers, entertainers, nov - hopelessly utopian, and one obedience. Adam and Eve defy elists, artists, lawyers, doc-tors, strand of the political left worry God’s command and leave the scientists, unemployed and so on that they forestall the possibility of Garden of Eden. Prometheus - we can make a difference glob - armed struggle from below, or by steals fire from the Olympian ally. The only crucial element is the oppressed. Gods and gives it to men along - this: a refusal to outsource politi - Does this make me a naive ro - side writing, mathematics, agri - cal engagement. mantic? No. I am optimistic for culture, medicine, starting three reasons. The first is that the civilization . . . Humanity is born Wounding the World - how military vio - history of humanity has been one in acts of disobedience, defiance, lence and war-play imvade our lives. Joanna Bouke. Vitrago 2015. of cooperation more than compe - and resistance." Throughout Joanna will be speaking On remem - tition. Armed conflict between human history, wherever there is brance Sunday in Tavistock Sq (see p3)