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Sat

Jan

2024

Elective Military Corps Programs in Schools Should Not Be Forced Upon Minority and Low-income Students

Submitted by nnomy

English translation unavailable for .

Thu

Nov

Bundeswehr ties to put best boot forward

Submitted by hannah on Thu, 20/11/2014 - 12:13

In the middle of Berlin, the German defense minister is opening a new showroom. The aim is to bring more young people into the Bundeswehr's barracks - but there were a few uninvited guests at the grand opening.

Jörg Jankowsky of the Bundeswehr's career center explained the purpose of a new showroom the German military opened in an unassuming office in the middle of Berlin. It is on the ground floor, near the capital's Unter den Linden boulevard with its fast-food restaurants, fashion shops, and bakeries. In between a shoe shop and a pharmacy, the new military showroom offers free information about career opportunities in the German armed service.

'Advertising death'

Inside the new information center, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen is talking to a group of 10th grade students from a Berlin school, and her handlers don't want the press disturbing them as they have their pictures taken with the politician.

Wed

Nov

Report from the week of action for military-free education and research

Submitted by hannah on Wed, 19/11/2014 - 14:59

The first ever international week of action for military-free education and research was held between 25-31 October 2014. This follows on from a day of action last year. Antimilitarists across the world took action to raise awareness, and challenge, the role the military has in education and research in educational institutions. This role gives them access to young people - to lay the groundwork for recruitment later in life, and to promote military values.

Different groups used the week of action in different ways. Some challenged military presence in schools through direct action, some publicly debated the presence of the military in education, others showed films, wrote articles, and campaigned on social media.

Wed

Nov

‘Sexy and cute’: Japan’s new strategy to recruit soldiers

Submitted by hannah on Wed, 19/11/2014 - 12:06

Japan is taking a novel approach to entice young people to join its Defence force, with a recruitment drive showing its service men and women in ‘sexy or cute’ poses.

The series "National Defence - Men/Women" covers the daily lives of 60 service men and women including jet pilots, anti-missile aegis destroyer navigators and gunnery mates - showing a side that most military magazines would not.

Soldiers were directed to pose like pop stars or fashion models in or out of uniform to maximize their charm, some even going shirtless.

Japan's ageing society and decreasing young population have military recruiters struggling to hire new service men and women to sustain the 225,000-strong forces.

In a fresh solution, they had some of their service women put on miniskirts, lick on ice creams and jump while smiling in front of their equipment while having their photo taken.

Wed

Nov

A Pacifist in the Cadets

Submitted by hannah on Wed, 19/11/2014 - 11:21

The author of this article wishes to remain anonymous, so she is known as 'E'.

'When E first saw pupils walking down from the school along the road carrying weapons (to the firing range, as it turned out) – she thought “SHIT! KIDS WITH GUNS – WHAT’S THAT ALL ABOUT!”

Today – it is “THE NORM” for E, she doesn’t even give it a second glance as it’s just an everyday occurrence. Now E, or as she is NOW called Sergeant H hands the guns to the kids of 13 and 14 and puts the bullets into their bullet holders – even though she says, that at the time it feels normal and ordinary – when she thinks about it, it feels wrong.

Tue

Nov

Events for the week of action for military-free education and research

Submitted by hannah on Tue, 18/11/2014 - 09:44

Last Friday, 31 October, the International Week of Action for Military-Free Education and Research ended. The week, promoted throughout the world by organisations like the International Resistance against the War, began Friday 24 October with the talk, “The war in the school” by Wendy Barranco, Iraq war veteran of the United States Army. A talk that aroused an enormous interest in the student body of the centre, credited, as much by its great attendance – that obligated some to stand up in the new assembly hall-, as by its animated and unusual participation in the conference.

Source: gobiernodecanarias.org

Translation: Grace Brown

Fri

Nov

Why is a Christian school promoting an arms company?

Submitted by hannah on Fri, 14/11/2014 - 14:17

The arms company BAE Systems, along with the Royal Air Force, has run a 'science roadshow' for pupils at a Christian school in central London. The school is a few minutes' walk from where I live.

The school, St Marylebone Church of England School, aims to "nurture respect for religious, moral and spiritual values" and to help pupils to "understand the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations".

BAE Systems is a multinational arms firm, selling weapons to oppressive and aggressive regimes around the globe.

Fri

Nov

Extended deadline: War Resisters' International is hiring

Submitted by hannah on Fri, 14/11/2014 - 10:08

Applications have reopened for the position of Countering the Militarisation of Youth Programme Worker.

More information can be found on the main War Resisters' International website: http://www.wri-irg.org/CMOYWorker

We look forward to receiving applications from people committed to nonviolence, with fundraising skills (or willingness to learn) and experience of nonviolent campaigning. Applicants should have knowledge of English and another language, and be willing to travel. All applicants should feel able to sign the WRI declaration: 'War is a crime against humanity. I am therefore determined not to support any kind of war, and to strive for the removal of all causes of war'. Full job descriptions and application forms can be found on the advert.

The closing date is 23 November, midnight (UTC).

Thu

Nov

Abductions by Uganda's LRA rebels on the rise – UN

Submitted by hannah on Thu, 13/11/2014 - 16:38

Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army rebels have launched a string of attacks across central Africa with a "steady increase" in abductions, the United Nations said in a report seen Thursday.

The elusive jungle insurgents, who raid villages and enslave residents, have abducted 432 people so far this year, a "steady increase" from last year and more than double the number in 2012, the report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) read.

Those captured, often children, are forced to work as fighters, sex slaves or porters.

Long driven out of Uganda, small bands of LRA fighters now roam forest regions of Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan, launching over 150 attacks and killing at least 22 people this year.

Mon

Nov

Bloodbath at Careers fair

Submitted by hannah on Mon, 10/11/2014 - 10:37

Shell and BAE Systems get a surprise transfusion from angry students at careers event

Did you hear about those girls who threw blood at BAE and Shell representatives in the Parkinson last week? No? Well we’ve got the video.

BAE Systems –the other recipient of an impromptu blood donation – is the world’s second-largest aerospace, defence and information security company.

Bloodbath at Careers fair

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Countering Military Recruitment

WRI's new booklet, Countering Military Recruitment: Learning the lessons of counter-recruitment campaigns internationally, is out now. The booklet includes examples of campaigning against youth militarisation across different countries with the contribution of grassroot activists.

You can order a paperback version here.