International Support for CO's

(thanks to The Nonviolent Activist, July- August 2002)

International Conscientious Objector Day was observed May 15 in Belgium with a blockade of NATO headquarters in Brussels. Anti-militarists and conscientious objectors from ten European countries blocked the main gate for about half an hour, and delivered a declaration they had drafted during a week of nonviolent action training. Three people were arrested as police cleared the area, then released a few hours later.

"We are at the headquarters of NATO... because NATO is a symbol of international militarism, which keeps the global domination system alive.

"Although they pretend to be the guardians of peace, democracy and liberty by so called 'humanitarian' intervention, the military achieves the opposite.

"What we do here is... nonviolent direct action to disturb militarism's daily work and the smooth functioning of the military machine...

"[W]ith this action..., we express our solidarity with conscientious objectors in South America, the Balkans, Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere. They need our support because in many of these countries the expression of conscientious objectors is severely repressed. We condemn such repression.

"Today on May 15, we especially highlight the repression and imprisonment of all conscientious objectors. We are taking peace in our own hands and are asking you to do the same. Peace is too important to be left to the military."

For more information, call War Resisters' International at +32-(0)485-451070 or visit www.wri-irg.org.