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Home , Conscientious objector

No 73, February 2007

Editorial People's Struggles, People's Alternatives is the theme of the Against all World Social Forum in Nairobi, a theme, which certainly is of relevance to antimilitarists and Why an antimilitarist perspective is pacifists. And a theme, that is also very relevant in the African context, where people struggle important for all social movements against neo-colonial exploitation, and against and violence. The World Social Forum is now Since the beginning of the 6 years old. Since the beginning in World Social Forum process in Porto Alegre in 2001, it grew, it in- 2001, antimilitarists and pacifists spired regional processes, and it have remained more on the changed. With the success of the sidelines of this process, thus World Social Forum came interest missing the opportunity to enga- from the traditional left, and from lef- ge in a debate with movements tist governments. Brazil's president from all over the world. Certainly, Lula spoke at the World Social For- there are differences of opinion, um, and the Venezuelan govern- of strategy, and most importantly ment instrumentralised the “poly- often a differing view on the use centric” forum in Caracas to promo- of violence. While we should te the “Bolivarian ”. So is stand firm in our commitment to the WSF embracing old-fashioned and , we traditional left politics, and does it still have a lot to learn from other abandon its own principles? Does movements – but also a lot to the WSF fall into the old trap of op- give. posing one side of the political spec- has a huge trum – (US) imperialism – and tur- repertoire of tools and expe- ning a blind eye on human rights vi- rience in practicing real grass- olations and militarism when they roots democracy, empowering occur on the left side of the politic- people, and building alterna- al spectrum, according to the sim- tives. This experience – often ple principle “the enemy of my derived from and enemy is my friend”? – is valuable for the World Social Forum process, The principles of the World which struggles with issues such Social Forum as participatory democracy, The Charter of Principles of the decision making and others. Not World Social Forum [1] goes back that we have all the answers – to 2001. The first paragraph of this far from it – but we can contri- charter sets out the basis of the bute our valuable experience. WSF: “The World Social Forum is We think it is now not the an open meeting place for reflec- European Union force (EUFOR) presents its dissuasion force in Kinshasa, DRC, 20 July 2006. 2000 EU troops time to sit on the fence and criti- tive thinking, democratic debate of provided additional support to MONUC during the electoral period. © MONUC Photo/Romain Desclous cise the WSF and other move- ideas, formulation of proposals, ments from a purist perspec- free exchange of experiences and tion of one person by another.” give pre-eminence to building generates. Discriminating sabot- tive. It is time to engage with interlinking for effective action, by And paragraph 13 mentions as democracy”. age tends to blur into indiscrimi- other movements, to use the groups and movements of civil so- one of the objectives to “streng- However, most strikingly, in nate attacks killing non-combatant space provided by the World So- ciety that are opposed to neolibe- then and create new national and both the original Charter of Prin- civilians and bringing reprisals. cial Forum – not uncritically – in ralism and to domination of the international links among organiza- ciples and in the Bamako appeal, Local conflicts erupt into self-per- order to be part of the deve- world by capital and any form of tions and movements of society, any analysis of militarism in itself is petuating feuds beyond any politic- lopment of new alternatives and imperialism, and are committed to that – in both public and private life completely absent. Anti-militarism al control; violence becomes a new strategies to change the building a planetary society direc- – will increase the capacity for non- is seen as anti-imperialism, and is pattern for handling conflict. world. Because change – ted towards fruitful relationships violent social resistance to the pro- limited to opposing US and NATO If the struggle is to radical, revolutionary change – among Humankind and between it cess of dehumanization the world military action, but does not ex- bring ultimate victory, then an army is needed, if we want to break and the Earth.” is undergoing and to the violence pand to other actors. is required – an army of soldiers out of the cycle of violence, po- Paragraph 5 states: “The used by the ”. willing to kill to order, operating verty, environmental destruction, World Social Forum brings togeth- The Bamako appeal [2], which Why antimilitarism? with firm chains of command, and and potential nuclear overkill. er and interlinks only organizations is somewhat a departure from In its 1990 statement “Nonviol- dependent on suppliers Andreas Speck & Javier Garate and movements of civil society these principles, was passed at ence and armed struggle” [3], War who wish to exploit the struggle, from all the countries in the world”, the polycentric WSF in Mali in Resisters' International writes: “In either for political influence or and it thus excludes governments January 2006. The Bamako appeal our view, liberation movements are profit. Military necessity comes to The Broken Rifle The Broken Rifle is the news- and . Paragraph 9 even is full of the old-fashioned rhetoric authentic to the extent that they take priority over human or social spells it out, though a bit weaker: ” letter of War Resisters' Interna- of the left, and puts a special em- strengthen popular self-reliance considerations. tional, and is published in Eng- “Neither party representations nor – phasis on the working class in and self-organisation and reflect lish, Spanish, French and Ger- military organizations shall particip- fact, it almost seems as if the term the aspirations of the excluded. There are plenty of examples, man. This is issue 73, February ate in the Forum. Government lead- “civil organizations” used in the They may contain many different and there is not enough space to 2007. ers and members of legislatures Charter of Principles disappeared social groups and political tenden- analyse them here. So some This issue of The Broken who accept the commitments of from the language of the Bamako cies, but they depend on the partici- “snapshots” will need to be suffi- Rifle was produced by Andreas this Charter may be invited to parti- appeal. For example, the Bamako pation of the powerless. cient: Speck and Javier Garate. Spe- cipate in a personal capacity.” appeal uncritically calls for wide- The liberation they seek cannot ► After the victory of the Sandinis- cial thanks go Jan van Criekin- Paragraph 10 is about import- ning “the solidarity campaigns with entail the oppression of others but tas in Nicaragua in 1979, the ge, Abraham G. Mehreteab, ant values: “The World Social For- Venezuela and Bolivia, since these should respect the rights of all: we US launched a campaign of and Matt Meyer. If you want um is opposed to all totalitarian are places where people are buil- are only too aware of the danger low-intensity warfare and sup- extra copies of this issue of The and reductionist views of economy, ding new alternatives to neolibe- that today's liberators could be- ported the contras. As a re- Broken Rifle, please contact development and history and to ralism and crafting Latin-American come tomorrow's oppressors.” sponse, the Sandinista go- the WRI office, or download it the use of violence as a means of integration”. However, the Bamako “There is nothing romantic vernment of Nicaragua intro- from our website. social control by the State. It up- appeal recognises “that the fai- about the experience of war, includ- duced , in order to War Resisters' International, holds respect for Human Rights, lures of the Soviet system and the ing revolutionary war. We can un- be able to recruit sufficient 5 Caledonian Road, the practices of real democracy, par- regimes that arose from decoloni- derstand the reasons for resorting numbers of youth for a military London N1 9DX, Britain tel +44-20-7278 4040 ticipatory democracy, peaceful rela- zation resulted largely from their to armed struggle, but we warn struggle against the contras. tions, in equality and solidarity, ► fax +44-20-7278 0444 denial of freedom and their under- against its consequences. No mat- The armed independence [email protected] among people, ethnicities, genders estimation of the value of democra- ter how just the cause, no matter struggle in Angola since the and peoples, and condemns all http://wri-irg.org/pubs/ cy. The development of alternati- how much armed struggle is a br73-en.htm forms of domination and all subjec- ves must integrate this fact and method of last resort, warfare de- continued on page 2 2 World Social Forum 2007 – Nairobi, Kenya The Broken Rifle No 73, February 2007

Global Initiative Profiteers Revolutionary Nonviolence in Africa: One of the main pillars that Old Commitments, New Hopes supports war and militarism is economics. It is in war times Collected by Matt Meyer when war related corporations make their big killings. For advocates of revolutionary the seeds of the troubles to Kenya; to identifying new chal- see that refusing In Africa this becomes very nonviolence–the interconnected come, as leaders relied too heav- lenges to , such as the paves the way for peace. We clear, where the governments commitment to radical social ily on the same methods and tac- work on HIV/AIDS and conflict un- need democracy and the rule of that are “promoting peace” for change and the strategies and tac- tics that the colonial rulers had dertaken by Femmes Africa Solid- law. The people of Eritrea are in a the region, at the same time are tics of unarmed “soul force”–the employed. Today, there are still a arité; to reintegrating child political, social, and economic facilitating the trade of small history and contemporary lot of troubles. Yet, time and time soldiers back into civilian society, crisis. We urgently need a healthy arms and the exploitation of struggles throughout the contin- again–in conversations with grass- as done by the women of Jamii democratic political atmosphere, natural resources ent of Africa provide rich example roots activists, at conferences Ya Kupatanisha in Gulu, Uganda. a constitutionally elected leader- Illegal small arms pose a of great hope. with professors and alternative They are healing the wounds of ship, and a multiparty political sys- major threat to public safety From the early Pan-Africanist economists, and in the presenta- war, as Pro Femmes/Twese Ham- tem. There is also an urgent need throughout central and east movements, when Ghanian lead- tions contained in this volume–we we in Rwanda are attempting in for the release of all political pris- Africa, encouraging crime while er Kwame Nkrumah was de- see the seeds of new hope. My building Peace Villages where oners and conscientious object- fuelling and prolonging conflict. scribed as the Gandhi of Africa, to own hopes for Africa today center Hutu and Tutsi widows and ors. The ideas and teachings of Small arms and light weapons the successes of the anti- around the belief that we will over- orphans role model living togeth- conscientious objection are paci- such as assault rifles are espe- apartheid movement, to grass- come the limitations that occur er. In so doing, African women fist in nature. cially suited to the irregular war- roots women’s groups currently when people become seduced by are reinterpreting tradition and ex- They are based on humanity fare that is still widespread in fostering conflict resolution and power. panding the public space for wo- and morality. We believe that they the region because they are dialogue, the continent derivat- My hopes and expectations men. can stand against the deceiving, cheap, easy to use, widely avail- ively called “dark” a century ago are that, once again, people's –International Fellow- confusing propaganda of national able and durable. Bladed wea- and popularly seen as nothing but movements will flower. Only in ship of Reconciliation officer Shel- unity and national sovereignty, pons like machetes have also “war-torn” today in fact has more this way will we be able to ley Anderson which are devastating and always been widely used in conflicts in examples of positive, pacifist ac- achieve a real people's demo- provocative. Rwanda and Burundi. tion than most places on the plan- cracy. After the war between Eritrea –Eritrean Anti-Militarist Millions of lives have already et. In the forthcoming Africa World –Pan African elder and and Ethiopia in 1998-2000, which Initiative co-founder and CO Yo- been lost in the region, and the Press two-volume collection WWII Conscientious Objector Bill claimed tens of thousands of lives hannes Kidane supply of arms to both govern- Seeds of New Hope: Pan African Sutherland on both sides and maimed and dis- ments and rebel groups con- Peace Studies for the Twenty- figured many youngsters, dis- If perhaps people had come to tinue to grow. First Century (2008, edited by J. African women are pioneering placed thousands of civilians, and Africa and had shared the re- In 2000, 10 countries signed Atiri and M. Meyer, see peace initiatives, mixing in innovat- consumed the national treasury, sources equitably, perhaps we the Nairobi Declaration on Small www.africaworldpress- ive ways the latest research and the number of conscientious ob- would never have had the con- Arms and Light Weapons and in books.com), academics and activ- theories in nonviolent conflict resol- jectors increased. Currently, thou- flicts that we have. But they were 2002 the East Africa Police ists have come together to ution and traditional conflict-resolu- sands of Eritreans object to not shared equitably. Anywhere Chiefs Committee was formed. document and discuss this bur- tion mechanisms. They are often military service. They are forced in this world, unless we learn to The Committee has set up a geoning movement. Below are reinterpreting the latter, adapting to leave Eritrea and live in exile. share resources equitably we are programme to register and clas- some excerpts from a selection of traditions to contemporary prob- Considerable numbers of them not going to enjoy peace. sify firearms. However, ongoing essays, which also include work lems and expanding women's are in Libya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Unless we learn to respect oth- instability presents major chal- from WRI’s own Jorgen Jo- roles. African women play many parts of Europe seeking political er people’s human rights–wo- lenges for these and other initi- hannsen, Chesterfield Samba, roles in conflict: as victims, as per- asylum. In Eritrea, conscientious men’s rights, environmental atives. Jan Van Criekinge, Koussetogue petrators, and as leaders in pre- objection is taboo. Conscientious rights–we won’t know peace. We The top three small arms ex- Koude, and Marianne Ballé venting, ending, and healing the objectors are considered cowards even go must beyond that and porters during 2006 were: the Moudoubou, as well as from wounds of conflict. . . African wo- lacking patriotism. There is no al- say that there are others who live $ 533,000,000, Silvia Federici, Yash Tandon, men's peace initiatives range ternative civilian service. Deser- on this planet besides us, the hu- Russia $130,000,000 and Chi- IPRA’s Bernadette Muthien, Tran- from initiating dialogue between tion is punishable by up to five man species. We have the other na $ 100,000,000 (Figures in scend’s Rais Neza Boneza, enemy groups, as in the under- years imprisonment, and in war- species, and they too have a right US dollars, Sources: CRS, Joseph Sebarenzi, and Elavie ground networks established by time the punishment includes the to be respected. Only then can SIPRI and UN website) Ndura. women from northern and south- death penalty. Due to its militarist- we begin to live peacefully. The Control Arms Cam- ern Sudan; to mobilizing whole ic nature, the government does –Green Belt Movement paign, founded by Amnesty Inter- At the time of the liberation sectors of communities to prevent not tolerate independent NGOs, founder and 2004 Nobel Peace national, Oxfam, and the Inter- movements, there certainly was a violence, as the women of the human right groups, international Laureate Wangari Maathai national Action Network on lot of hope, yet there were also Wajir Peace Group do in northern observers, or reporters. . . But we Small Arms, estimates that there are over 600 million items of small arms in circulation, and continued from page 1 imperialism. World Social Forum is open to anti- one person by another.” that over 1135 companies ba- Power is central. Power not militarist perspectives, but such a In its 1990 statement, WRI sed in more than 98 different lead to political independ- only in the sense of power over – perspective is not yet part of it. The writes: “There may be times when countries are manufacturing ence in 1975, but was immedi- the power of one group of people to Bamako appeal lacks any anti-milit- it seems that nonviolence has fai- small arms as well as their vari- ately followed by a , dominate another group of people arist perspective, and thus leads in led. However, we are convinced ous components and ammuni- that lasted until 2002. In this (structural violence). An understand- the wrong direction. that, if active nonviolence brings re- tion. Worldwide, an average of war, outside actors – apartheid ing of power is also crucial to fight The anti-globalisation move- pression, armed struggle will pro- over 500,000 deaths are caused South Africa, the USA, and the power over and violence: power ment, the radical gay/lesbian move- vide a pretext for even more by the use of small arms every Soviet Union and Cuba, which with as the power of people acting ment, the feminist movement, the ruthless repression. If active nonvi- year, approximately one death sent its military to support the together in co-operation, to achieve anarchist movement, are some of olence cannot bring change rapidly, per minute. MPLA – played an important things they won't be able to achie- the places to explore and build new no other form of popular resistance The exploitation of natural role. ve on their own; and power to do relationships, where we aim to over- will bring victory in the short term. A resources especially of minerals ► Eritrea won independence from something, based on skills, know- come structural and cultural viol- new strategic framework will be in Africa is also a way of profi- Ethiopia after decades of ar- ledge, conviction. An analysis of po- ence. Affinity groups, community needed, based on building up the teering from war. In many cases med struggle by the EPLF wer needs to include an analysis of groups, nonviolent , but confidence and cohesion of the these exploitations bring displa- which ended in 1991. However, the state. also the development of alternat- people through activities rooted in cement and fuels local conflicts since formal independence in According to Gustav Landauer, ives – squats, food-coops, alternat- local communities.” [6] as it happens for example in the 1993, Eritrea has embarked on “the State is a condition, a certain re- ive housing, etc – are places where We are convinced that a per- Democratic Republic of Congo. a policy of militarisation and hu- lationship between human beings, we can contract other relationships, spective of nonviolence and antimil- You will find a further analysis man rights violations. All Erit- a mode of human behaviour; we behave differently, not with the aim itarism is crucial for all social on this in the article on War rean youth – boys and girls – destroy it by contracting other rela- to become part of the state, but to movements engaged in the social Profiteers in Congo in this are subject to military service pri- tionships, by behaving differently.” dissolve this form of organising hu- forum process. Broken Rifle. or to leaving school, and penal- [5] This is even more important for man relations which is based on Andreas Speck War Resisters' International ties for or deser- anti-militarists. Landauer puts it (structural) violence, and which cre- is developing a Global Initiative tion include torture, death, im- quite bluntly: "War is an act of ates violence – within society and Notes: Against War Profiteers. With the prisonment, and even imprison- power, of murder, of robbery. it is globally. 1 http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br aim to coordinate and support ment of relatives. the sharpest and clearest life ex- In doing so, we “will increase /main.php?id_menu=4&cd_language=2 local campaigns against war pro- This list could be extended. pression of the state. The struggle the capacity for non-violent social 2 http://www.openspaceforum.net/twiki fiteers at an international level. Venezuelan president Hugo against war is a struggle against resistance to the process of dehu- /tiki-read_article.php?articleId=66 At the WSF we will be giving a Chavez demanded in 2005 that the the state; whoever gets involved in manization”, as the World Social 3 http://wri-irg.org/statemnt/libstrug.htm workshop on war profiteers with WSF needs to “add a strategy of politics of the state, even from the Forum aims to do, and learn to prac- 4 http://www.ipsterraviva.net/TV a special eye on how to chal- power” to its agenda [4]. I don't standpoint of revolution, is a party tice “real democracy, participatory /WSF2005/viewstory.asp?idnews=170 lenge it in Africa. agree with Chavez very often, but to the war." democracy, peaceful relations, in 5 Gustav Landauer, For . St Louis, If you want to know more here I do. But a strategy of power equality and solidarity, among Missouri, 1978 (German: Berlin 1911) please contact the WRI office at requires an analysis of power, and The World Social Forum and people, ethnicities, genders and 6 http://wri-irg.org/statemnt/libstrug.htm [email protected]. in this analysis antimilitarism differs antimilitarism peoples, and condemns all forms of greatly from Chavez' populist anti- The Charter of Principles of the domination and all subjection of The Broken Rifle No 73, February 2007 World Social Forum 2007 – Nairobi, Kenya 3

The Right to CONGO (DRC) and War Profiteers Refuse to Kill A tragedy forgotten by the global ? Since the founding of War Resisters' International in 1921, ‘ After decades of colonialism, from the Congo as well as from rate behaviour known as the Guide- recommends an immediate morato- the right to refuse to kill – ’ dictatorship and , on 6 Decem- other 'internal' wars of the Africa lines for Multinational Enterprises . rium on the signing of new con- conscientious objection – has ber 2006, the Democratic Republic Great Lakes region (Uganda, Rwan- An April 2004 report by RAID tracts until after the elections. been at the core of WRI's work. of Congo (DRC) swore in its first da, Burundi, Sudan). Troops mainly (Rights & Accountability in Deve- While carrying out the investiga- Although this right to today ’ fair and freely elected president from Zimbabwe, Namibia, Chad lopment), examined the UN Panel s tion, some members of the com- recognised as an international since independence from and Angola secured the Kabila regi- allegations against 40 companies mission were threatened and they standard, it is in practice often ’ ’ in 1960, Joseph Kabila. me s survival, whereas Uganda s and included additional evidence found politicians, officials, and not granted, and those who ’ The six-year civil and interna- Museveni and Rwanda s Kagame attesting to the companies' involve- company executives unwilling to claim their right are thrown into tional war in Congo that has killed were the primary backers of the ment in human rights violations, answer questions. Officials from prison, or worse (see for more than four million people and . Rwanda justified inter- corruption and/or illegal resource the United Nations and the Belgian example the article on Eritrea in displaced another two million may vention in Eastern DRC by security exploitation. Most OECD govern- Senate, both of which had investi- this Broken Rifle). ‘ ’ have officially ended, but the concerns over Interahamwe rebels ments refused to investigate the gated natural resource extraction in War Resisters' International ’ dying has certainly not. Every day based in that part of the country. Panel s allegations and in the face the Congo between 2000 and supports conscientious in Congo, a deadly combination of But there were also very important of their inaction, international 2003, withheld important informa- objectors and deserters conflict-related atrocities (in which economic motivations behind NGOs started to file complaints tion regarding some of the illegal wherever they are. The focus of ’ ’ rape is widely used as a Rwanda s and Uganda s actions. and public awareness campaigns deals, citing concerns over confi- the work is supportung groups ‘ by all parties involved), starvation, In January 2001, L-D Kabila under the name No Blood on my dentiality. and movements of objectors in ’ poverty and disease kills over was assassinated by his body- Cell Phone , concerning the plun- In its report, the commission their struggle for the recognition 1,200 people. This conflict is for guards in circumstances that der of the very rare mineral coltan. corroborates the central findings of of their right. International sure one of the most under-repor- remain unclear, leaving his son About a dozen complaints alleging the UN Panel of Experts and other Conscientious Objectors' Day – ‘ ted human tragedies of our lifetime, Joseph in power. violations of the OECD Guidelines investigations, which concluded 15 May – is used every year to ’ yet it is one of the most lethal since The war bore destructive for Multinational Enterprises were that belligerents were motivated by highlight a particular struggle. In ’ II. Decades of unrelen- effects on the already very weak submitted to the American, Belgi- their desire to exploit Congo s mi- 2007, the focus is on ting violence, poverty, and disease political structures, especially the an, British, and Dutch governments. neral and economic wealth. Belli- conscientious objectors in “ have created what the United de facto division of the country bet- The government of the DRC gerents used some of their profits Colombia. Nations has called the greatest ween the western and southern must act promptly on the recom- to finance further military opera- In addition, War Resisters' humanitarian challenge now facing parts, controlled by the Kabila go- mendations of a Congolese par- tions that often involved wide- International maintains an email the world. vernment and its allies, and large liamentary investigation that spread human rights abuses alert system (co-alert) in cases Congo has a long history of plun- territories in the north and the east uncovered illegal natural resource against civilians and violations of of imprisonment or arrest of a der and war profiteering. Extremely occupied by various rebel organisa- exploitation and profiteering from international humanitarian law. conscientious objector. ” “ rich in cobalt, diamonds, copper, tions, and intervening ar- armed conflict , said a leading The message of war and International solidarity and gold and other rare minerals, Con- mies from the neighbouring group of international human transition in Congo is that violence can help to protect a go attracted the interest of the Euro- countries. Infighting and power rights, environmental and aid orga- works. Without a firm response, the conscientious objector in prison, pean imperialist powers only at the struggles about the control of the nisations in July 2006. destructive effects of this lesson and in some cases facilitate end of the 19th century. At the Con- mineral wealth within the respec- In June 2005 the Lutundula are very likely to be felt for a long their release. – ” ference of Berlin (1884 1885) the tive territories in the rebel held Commission, a special Congolese time to come , explains Timothy War Resisters' then Belgian king Leopold II suc- parts have resulted in a humani- National Assembly commission led Raeymaekers, a researcher wor- International's work for the right ceeded in getting recognition for tarian catastrophe. Almost 90% of by the courageous parliamentarian king for the University of Ghent to conscientious objection is ‘ ’ his claims over this enormous terri- the war victims are civilians, mostly Christophe Lutundula, submitted a Conflict Research Group . The closely linked to our antimilitarist tory. In his personal name, the king victims of starvation, disease and report on its investigations into mi- author sees opportunities in im- perspective: to fight against war ‘ created the so-called Congo Free criminal violence as a result of the ning and other business contracts proving the living conditions of the and the causes of war. For WRI, ’ State , in which a brutal exploitation complete lawlessness. Rape has that rebels and government autho- Congolese population by coun- conscientious objection is not of wild rubber, ivory and timber been widely used as a weapon in rities signed between 1996 and tering the systematic exploitation of about individuals being ’ wood started soon. It is said that this war. 2003. It found that dozens of con- Congo s resources by a small but exempted from military service, nearly half of the population of the Although a peace deal signed tracts are either illegal or of limited powerful elite. They give concrete but about furthering the Congo Bassin disappeared bet- in 2004 under South African au- value for the development of the recommendations in the field of antimilitarist cause to abolish ‘ ween 1880 and 1920 as a direct or spices supposedly ended the con- country and it recommends their agricultural reform, the war and militarism. In this, the ’ indirect result of this ruthless colo- ventional war, fighting continues in termination or renegotiation. It fur- sector and economic integration. right to conscientious objection nial plunder. the east of the country between ther recommends judicial action Plundering from illegal mining by is a tool, but not an end in itself. Congo gained independence rebel , the Congolese army against a number of senior political government officials and the irre- WRI's Right to Refuse to Kill from Belgium on 30 June 1960 and UN MONUC-forces, causing and corporate actors involved in gular militias has been running into programme published a monthly “ under president Kasavubu and the many civilian casualties. these operations. For years, Con- billions a year. "This is money that e-newsletter in English, French, ’ charismatic and popular prime mi- Since the start of the transi- go s politicians have struck deals must be used for the benefit of the and Spanish, with updates on nister Patrice Lumumba. There fol- tional government in June 2003, that enrich themselves but provide Congolese people". conscientious objection and lowed a period of great instability armed groups linked to neigh- no benefit to the Congolese public. Jan van Criekinge military service. More and foreign military intervention, bouring countries and corrupt Con- Profits from such deals have often information is available at including by the United Nations. golese government officials have come at the cost of enormous A longer version with sources has http://wri-irg.org/co/rrk-en.htm. ” The mineral-rich provinces of Katan- continued illicit economic exploi- suffering and loss of human lives , been published in WRI's If you have any questions, ga and South Kasai, with the active tation in the country. A three-year said the coalition of NGOs. warprofiteers-news email please contact the WRI office at support of colonial companies and investigation by a Panel of Experts, The Lutundula Commission newsletter, available at [email protected]. mercenaries, soon even declared convened by the United Nations report draws attention to the on- http://wri-irg.org/pubs/warprof-0612.htm their independence. In 1965 it was Security Council in 2000, found going illegal exploitation and finally army colonel Joseph Mobu- that sophisticated networks of high- tu’s second coup d’etat that mar- level political, military and business Donate to War Resisters' International ked the beginning of a 32 years persons in cahoots with various re- rule by a western-backed dictator – bel groups were intentionally fuel- he changed his own name to Mobu- ling the conflict in order to retain How to make a donation to WRI? Payment by credit card tu Sese Seko and that of his coun- their control over the country’s na- try in Zaire. Mobutu and the elite tural resources. In a series of con- ► by standing order which enables us to plan but Please debit my credit card for the amount of around him plundered the nation's troversial reports, the Panel let us know (see bank details overleaf) £/€/US$ ...... (delete currency as appropriate) wealth so deeply that the corrupt exposed the vicious cycle of re- ► in USA by arranging for regular donations to be system became commonly known source-driven conflict that has sent through your bank's bill payment service Credit Card Visa/Access/Mastercard/ as a ‘kleptocracy’. This system col- taken hold of Congo. ► by giro transfer to War Resisters' International, American Express (delete as lapsed in May 1997 when the “There's a worldwide profit inter- • in Euros to Bank of , appropriate) troops of lifelong rebel Laurent-Dési- est that the present plundering me- IBAN IE91 BOFI 9000 9240 413547 ré Kabila, Joseph’s father, helped chanism stays in place. There are BIC/SWIFT BOFIIE2D Card number: ______depose the already terminally ill an enormous number of people • in £ sterling to Unity Trust Bank, Mobutu. siphoning off Congo's resources. ... IBAN GB11 CPBK 0800 5150 07 32 10 Expiry date: ___ / ___ Security code: _____ L-D ‘Mzee’ Kabila could only There's the Congo government eli- ► by credit card – complete details in the next seize power in Congo with the te, all kinds of European and North column or use our web facility at http://wri-irg.org Name on card: ...... massive military support of Rwan- American firms, a huge number of ► by cheque, in £, €, or US$, payable to "WRI" da and Uganda and the use of African firms, and especially the ► (UK only) by Charity Aid voucher (CAF), made Signature: ...... child soldiers. On August 1998. elites from neighbouring countries. out to Lansbury House Trust Fund (to request Rwanda and Uganda backed a re- It's a very vast and complex net- such vouchers, write to: Charities Aid Founda- Billing address (if different from overleaf) bellion against L-D Kabila's weak work profiting from the war and its tion, Kings Hill, West Mailing, Kent ME19 4TA, or and corrupt government – a war exploitation.” visit www.CAFonline.org) ...... dubbed “Africa's First World War” In its October 2002 report, the ► (USA only) by sending a tax deductable dona- because of its similarities with what Panel also accused dozens of wes- tion – make checks payable to the A.J. Muste In- ...... happened in Europe in 1914: near- tern companies of violating a set of stitute ly all the neighbouring countries government-backed international BR73/02/07/en-int and many armed non-state groups standards for responsible corpo- 4 World Social Forum 2007 – Nairobi, Kenya The Broken Rifle No 73, February 2007

WRI merchandise You can order merchandise from War Resisters' International by filling out this form and sending it to War Resisters' International, 5 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX, Britain – together with a cheque made out to War Resisters' International in ₤,€,US$. Or order online at http://wri-irg.org/shop/shop-uk.htm. All prices include postage.

No Description UK.. Europe...... World Broken Rifle badges, metal ___ 1-9 badges per badge £1.20...... €2.25.....US$2.75 ___ 10-90 badges per 10 £8.80....€14.00...US$18.25 ___ 100 plus badges per 100 £76.10.. €117.50.US$144.00

___ Housmans Peace £8.95 €13.50...US$17.00 Diary 2007 and Housmans Directory ISSN 0957-0136 ISBN 0-85283-263-X

___ Emily Miles: CO Guide to the UN £11.40....€19.00...US$25.50 Human Rights System (WRI and Quaker UN Office Geneva, 2000)

€ ___ Resistance and Reconstruction £3.50...... 7.25... US$11.50 Remains of the two year war between Ethiopia and Eritrea at point 44 of the temporary security zone, March (Institute for Total Revolution, Vedcchi 1988) 2003, UNMEE Photo/J.Aramburu ___ Devi Prasad & Tony Smythe: £3.30...... €7.00... US$11.00 Conscription: A World Survey (WRI, London, 1968) Is it ransom or fine? ___ Brian Martin et al: £5.95....€10.50...US$14.00 An oddity of legal principle in Eritrea Nonviolence Struggle and Social Defence Thousands of young men and the army, the deserters face indef- raids. (WRI, London, 1991) women fled Eritrea and sought inite arbitrary detention, torture, ill- None of those arrested has asylum in neighbouring countries treatment or at times shooting by been charged with a formal crimin- ___ Mitzi Bales, ed: £3.85 €7.00.....US$9.25 like The Sudan, Libya, Ethiopia their commanders. Those are regu- al offence or taken to court within Opening Doors to and other countries in Europe and larly used methods of punish- the 48 hours stipulated by the Peace: A Memorial to the United States. This even in- ments for draft evasion, and laws of Eritrea. Myrtle Solomon creased after Eritrea's war with and other military offences in the The authorities have stated that (WRI, London, 1991) Ethiopia from 1998 to 2000 and Eritrean defence force. However, the detainees must either pro- the open repressive acts of the none of these measures stopped duce the missing conscripts or ___ : Testimonies of Con- £3.85...... €7.00.....US$8.75 present government in Eritrea. the desertion and evasion of pay a fine of 50,000 nafka (ap- science (privately printed, Toronto Such massive running away those men and women from the proximately US$1,200) for each 1997) of young men and women is part military. missing child. If they refuse to of an effort to avoid conscription The latest measure that the comply or pay the money, they ___ Devi Prasad: War £32.00....€47.00...US$66.00 or necessary after deserting from government applied is the de- face indefinite prison terms. is a crime against the army. According to a tention of parents of deserters Some families could be obliged to humanity. The proclaimed regulation, national ser- and evaders as a hostages, and pay for two or three of their miss- story of War Resis- vice, compulsory for all men and to oblige them to pay money. For ing children. ters' International women aged between 18 and 40, a government which depends for Similarly, in July 2005 several (WRI London 2005) has been extended indefinitely its hard currency mainly on remit- hundred relatives of people who from the original 18 month term in- tance, such measures seem to be have evaded or deserted from mil- ___ Please add a donation £ ____....€ ____...US$ ____ stituted in 1994. Besides excess- lucrative. But the hard fact is that itary conscription were detained ive violations of the human right most of the evaders have no in the Southern region of Eritrea Total £ ____....€ ____...US$ ____ of draftees, con- chance to reach countries where (Debub Region). They were held sists of military service and labour they would be able to send back incommunicado, many in harsh Name: ______on army-related construction pro- the ransom money to facilitate the conditions, and were at risk of tor- jects. release their detained parents. ture or ill-treatment. Address: ______The right to conscientious ob- The majority of the evaders are The Eritrean Antimilitary Initiat- jection to military service is not re- staying in neighbouring countries ive has been denouncing the un- ______cognised by the Eritrean like Sudan and Ethiopia, stranded lawful arrest of parents of the authorities. There are frequent in camps, and are depend- military evaders. Our initiative be- Date: ______Signature: ______round-ups to catch evaders and ant for their livelihood on interna- liefs that the principle of individual deserters. Once in the hands of tional humanitarian and refugee penal responsibility, that no one assistance organisations. may be penalised for an act for According to Amnesty Interna- which they are not personally li- War Resisters' International tional’s news service No. 329, the able, is a fundamental principle of Eritrean government in December law which is reflected throughout supporting and connecting war resisters all over the world 2006 arrested over 500 relatives, international human rights law. Please send your donation today to support the work of WRI – Thank You! mostly parents, of young men and These arrests of parents of milit- women who have either deserted ary evaders violate this principle, I want to support WRI: My address: the army or avoided conscription. and specifically the right to (Please tick at least one) Those arrested were the fathers, and security of the person and Name: ...... mothers or other relatives of men the right not to be subjected to ar- □ I enclose a donation of £/€/US$ ...... to WRI or women over the age of 18 who bitrary arrest or detention con- □ Please send me a receipt Address: ...... have either failed to report for na- tained in the International □ I have completed credit card details overleaf tional service since 1994, failed to Covenant on Civil and Political □ I will set up a monthly/quarterly/yearly (please ...... attend the compulsory final Rights (ICCPR) and the African delete) standing order to War Resisters' school year at Sawa military train- Charter on Human and Peoples International Country: ...... ing camp, abandoned their army Rights, to which Eritrea is a party. In Britain to Unity Trust Bank, account no: unit, or left the country illegally. 5072 7388, Sort Code: 08-60-01 for £ ...... Where to send your donation to: The relatives have been accused Abraham G. Mehreteab Eurozone: IBAN IE91 BOFI 9000 9240 of facilitating their evasion of con- 4135 47, Bank of Ireland, for € ...... USA only: scription or flight abroad. Eritrean Antimilitary Initiative □ Please send me a standing order form WRI Fund, c/o Ralph di Gia, WRL, The latest arrests have taken Mühlgasse 13, 60486 Frank- □ I enclose a CAF voucher for £ ...... 339 Lafayette Street, New York, NY10012 place in the villages of Central Re- furt/Main, Germany □ I enclose a cheque to A.J. Muste Institute for gion surrounding Asmara, the cap- http://www.eritrean-ai.com US$ ...... Britain and everywhere else: ital city, in a sweep that started on WRI, 5 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX, Britain 6 December 2006. Ever since it in- Please visit our webshop at http://wri-irg.org for stituted its policy of arresting par- War Resisters' International publications, Broken WRI keeps supporters names and addresses on com- ents for the alleged crimes of their Rifle badges, and other WRI merchandise. Thank puter, for our sole use. If you do not consent to this, children, the government has You! please let us know. been relying on the reports of the local (zoba) offices to conduct its