Compiled for Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation (360-491-9093 www.olympiafor.org) on March 26, 2012
News – Resources – Opportunities
Compiled and edited by Glen Anderson with significant help from Alice Zillah
Peace and Other Nations
Latest Information and Video from Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers: On March 7, 2012, Teck Young Wee (our friend “Hakim” with the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan), wrote: “We began our Caravan of Non-Violence on Sunday the 4th of March, travelling to Jalalabad…. As we set off on the road … we wondered as usual, ‘Is non-violence possible in Afghanistan?’ But then, that is like asking, ‘Is love possible in Afghanistan?’ Or like asking, ‘Are Afghan mothers really human beings capable of love?’ Or, as in this video clip of our Caravan, ‘Do Afghan mothers wish the same for their children?’ Jalalabad is where young people took to the streets peacefully to protest the US Afghanistan Strategic Partnership dealings and where much good exists despite foreign intervention. … Love, Hakim and the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers. Info: www.ourjourneytosmile.com and www.globaldaysoflistening.org Watch this video clip of their Caravan, “Do Afghan mothers wish the same for their children?” at http://youtu.be/VNmYHoSxKLY
Both Washington State Senators Sign Letter Calling for End to Occupation of Afghanistan: Twenty-four members of Congress – including Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell – signed a letter urging President Obama to accelerate troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) had circulated the letter to their colleagues stating: “We write to express our support of a transition of US forces in Afghanistan from a combat role to a training, advising and assistance role next year.” Consistent and active pressure from the peace movement in Washington has effectively pushed our senators to take this position. It does not go far enough, but it would improve the status quo.
Afghanistan War Veterans Condemn the Kandahar Massacre: Members of the Afghanistan Veterans Against the War committee of the organization Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) are speaking out against the recent brutal massacre of at least 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children, in Kandahar by a US Army staff sergeant and perhaps other US troops. The IVAW’s peace activists urge letters to the editor condemning the massacre and urge an end to the occupation of Afghanistan. They also urge people to pressure members of Congress to co-sponsor and pass HR 780, the legislation introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) that would cut off funding for the Afghanistan occupation except for the sole purposes of withdrawing troops. After more than ten years of US occupation, 42% of Afghans live in extreme poverty. Half of the population is aged 14 and younger. Only 23% of Afghans have access to clean water, and human rights groups report hundreds of Afghan children dying of starvation every week. And despite President Obama's stated timetable for withdrawal by 2014, his administration is now negotiating a strategic agreement with the Karzai government that would have a small troop presence there indefinitely. The President is wrong – we need a full troop withdrawal by the end of this year, and we say no to an indefinite military presence in Afghanistan. Instead, we need intensive diplomatic and creative humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan involving players from the entire region, and with Afghan women at the table every step of the way.
Coffee Strong Calls Joint Base Lewis-McChord a “Rogue Base.” After an Army Staff Sergeant from Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) allegedly killed 16 Afghan civilians, Coffee Strong, a GI coffee house and resource center near JBLM, has called for a Congressional investigation and hearings into “systemic failures” of the JBLM leadership. Jorge Gonzalez, executive director of GI Voice/Coffee Strong said, “In 10 years of war, JBLM has produced a Kill Team, a suicide epidemic, denials of PTSD treatment, denials of human rights in the Brig, spousal abuse, a waterboarded daughter, murders of civilians (including a park ranger), increased sex crimes, substance abuse, DUIs, police shootings of GIs, police violence toward protesters, differential treatment of GIs, and much more. These abuses are not because of a few bad apples, but because of the base's systematic dehumanization of soldiers and civilians, both in occupied countries and at home.” In 2010 the military newspaper Stars and Stripes called JBLM the “most troubled base in the military,” quoting retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey on the base's “severe leadership problem.” GI Voice operates Coffee Strong, a veteran-owned “pro-soldier, anti-war” coffeehouse in Lakewood, Washington, which provides information and resources to military personnel, veterans and their families near the gates of JBLM, the largest military base on the West Coast. See abundant information at www.CoffeeStrong.org
Iran Pledge of Resistance Gathers Support: The nationwide group United for Peace and Justice invites people to sign onto the Iran Pledge of Resistance. This proposal, modeled after the Central American Pledge of Resistance that successfully prevented a US invasion in Nicaragua in the 1980s, can build an emergency response network and a campaign to prevent war against Iran. The Iran Pledge of Resistance reads in part, “I pledge to join with others to engage in acts of legal protest and/or nonviolent civil disobedience to prevent or halt the death and destruction which U.S. military actions would cause to the people of Iran, the Middle East, our communities at home, and the planet itself.” See and sign the pledge at www.iranpledge.org.
H.R. 4173 Calls for Diplomacy, Not War, for Iran: Representative Barbara Lee introduced H.R. 4173 to rely on diplomacy rather than war regarding Iran. Several other House members, including at least one Republican, have signed on to this bill.
Syria’s Crisis Is Not as Simplistic as the Government and Media Want Us to Think: Politicians from NATO and the US – along with mainstream news media – largely misinformed people about the conflict in Libya, and we are hearing similar misinformation about Syria from people who want military intervention there. After the mid-1990s problems in the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo, and several other parts of the world, it became clear that politicians could fool the public and Congress into allowing US and/or NATO military attacks on countries where innocent civilians were at risk. Geopolitical complexities and political powers with hidden agendas caused deliberate misinformation and deception to stampede Congress and the public into actions that were ill-suited for the underlying realities and caused new problems. If you’d like to receive a batch of e-mail articles about Syria, contact the Olympia FOR at
Bradley Manning Update: The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez, recently published a report that concluded the US government subjected Bradley Manning to cruel treatment during his 11-month isolation at Quantico. Mendez concluded that the US military had used degrading and inhumane treatment, and possibly even torture, in keeping Manning locked up alone for 23 hours a day over an 11-month period. The US is prosecuting Bradley Manning with serious felonies that could cause him to forfeit all pay, face dishonorable discharge, and spend the rest of his life in prison. Repercussions from this case’s charges and potential punishment could seriously damage future generations of activists, whistle blowers and journalists everywhere. Despite every defendant’s right to a speedy trial, US Army prosecutors have been dragging their feet and want the court martial to occur in August, more than two years after Manning's arrest in May 2010. Manning’s defense attorney wants it in April. Learn more at www.bradleymanning.org.
Judge Rules that the Lawsuit Against Olympia Food Co-op Violates Free Speech: In a landmark ruling, Judge Thomas McPhee declared a lawsuit against the Olympia Food Coop illegal under state law and awarded legal fees and sanctions to the defendants. The Olympia Food Co-op’s lawyers argued in court that a lawsuit brought against the store for its participation in a boycott of Israeli goods should be dismissed as illegal under Washington’s anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) legislation. SLAPP lawsuits target the right of free speech by forcing defendants into costly legal battles. “We are pleased the Court found this case to be what it is – an attempt to chill free speech on a matter of public concern,” said Maria LaHood, a senior staff attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights (www.ccrjustice.org). The Olympia Food Co-op, formed in 1976, has participated in many national and local boycotts, including those against Norway for whaling practices and Colorado for anti-gay legislation. More information can be found at www.olympiadbs.org.
Call to Suspend Aid to the Honduran Military: 94 members of the House of Representatives signed onto a letter urging the State Department to “suspend U.S. assistance to the Honduran military and police given the credible allegations of widespread, serious violations of human rights attributed to the security forces.” Of Washington State representatives, only Rep. Jim McDermott signed the letter. In addition, ten labor unions representing 15 million members sent a letter to Congress supporting this demand, and seven U.S. Senators sent a letter to the State Department expressing alarm regarding the worsening human rights crisis. In 2009 a military coup had overthrown democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya and brutally beat and killed many citizens and journalists. This coup was illegal under international law and violated the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS). Every member of OAS except the U.S. condemned it. The Obama Administration recognized the illegal coup government and has been bullying Latin American nations into doing likewise. The new U.S. House and Senate efforts to suspend U.S. assistance because of the Honduran government’s unchecked abuse and impunity comes at a crucial moment. Vice President Biden recently visited Honduras and promising to increase U.S. assistance. This sends dangerous signals regarding the direction of U.S. policy, which had already been opposing democracy and human rights there.
Report: Measuring Peace in the Media 2011: A new report, Measuring Peace in the Media, analyzes global TV networks’ coverage of issues related to peace and violence. The report explores the media coverage, or lack of coverage, of peace and conflict with a special emphasis on news themes that may help to create stable, peaceful societies. This research revealed that the structures that create peace are not well covered in the least peaceful countries. The report was created by The Institute for Economics & Peace and Media Tenor. See www.visionofhumanity.org/info-center/measuring-peace-in-the-media-2011
Canadian School of Peacebuilding Provides Amazingly Good One-Week Courses in Winnipeg MB in Late June: This annual series of courses attracts people of all ages from throughout the world. Canadian Mennonite University offers courses from June 18 to 22 and from June 25 to 29 for personal inspiration, professional development or for academic credit. Info: www.csop.cmu.ca (204) 487-3300 or (877) 231-4570
Nuclear Weapons – And Their Costs
Support Women Peacemakers and Oppose Our Local Nuclear Weapons: Join with “MOMS AGAINST BOMBS” on May 12 Near the Trident Submarine Base: Join Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action on Saturday, May 12, as the group honors the original intention of Mother's Day – for peace – and the women who have resisted war throughout the ages. The day’s activities will include nonviolence training, action planning, and a vigil and civil disobedience action at an entrance gate to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor (in Kitsap County, a few dozen miles north of Olympia), home of the West Coast’s fleet of Trident nuclear ballistic missile submarines. The full day's schedule, downloadable flyer, and more are available at www.gzcenter.org.
Activists Mobilize Against Expanding this Nuclear Sub Base: The Navy plans to build a “Second Explosives Handling Wharf” at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, the base from which nuclear warheads are loaded onto and off of Trident Submarines. If our nation’s leadership is serious about disarmament, then we have no business increasing the capacity to handle Trident’s nuclear missiles. Besides sending the wrong message to other countries, we have already cut back on the number of warheads deployed, and future plans already call for fewer submarines. This project is simply not necessary! The $715 million for this project is desperately needed for programs that build people back up rather than prepare for mass annihilation. You can learn more, and sign a petition in opposition to the project, at www.psnukefree.org.
Obama Proposes $340 Million for Next Fiscal Year’s Budget to Accelerate Construction of an Unnecessary $7.5 BILLION Nuclear Weapons Plant in Tennessee: Two decades after the end of the Cold War – and while the US and Russia are supposedly reducing their nuclear weapons – President Obama’s proposed budget for the fiscal year to begin October 1 includes $340 million to speed up the construction of the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which is projected to cost $7.5 billion. Regardless of Congress’s rhetoric about fiscal restraint, funding this unnecessary project seems to have bipartisan support. Did I say unnecessary? Yes! The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) says that the existing nuclear weapons plant could be repaired and modernized for about $100 million (a tiny fraction of the $7.5 billion cost of a new building), and NNSA’s internal documents recently downgraded the urgency of the new building’s functions. Furthermore, the new building is sized seven times larger so it could produce seven times as many nuclear weapons as what the alleged need is. And, by the way, Obama’s budget also calls for an 11% increase in “directed stockpile work” for nuclear weapons materials. Info: Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (OREPA), PO Box 5743, Oak Ridge TN 37831 www.orepa.org
Moral/Ethical Investing, or “Don't Bank on the Bomb.” Does your pension fund invest in nuclear weapons? You might want to read Don't Bank on the Bomb. This groundbreaking report from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) provides the low-down on financial organizations such as Bank of America and Goldman Sachs – and even the Knights of Columbus – which are investing heavily in nuclear weapons producers. This report gives us everything we need to start calling for divestment by these banks, insurance companies, fraternal organizations and more. See www.dontbankonthebomb.com.