conscription

Mon

Apr

2016

Statement in solidarity with the conscientious objectors of Bolivia for ANOOC, Colombia

New translation available

Submitted by hannah

This year on the 22nd of March, the Bolivian Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal (PCT) rejected the right of conscientious objection as an alternative to its obligatory military service. This has occurred in spite of the generally agreed-upon...

Sat

Feb

The Israeli “Refusers”

Submitted by nnomy on Sat, 12/02/2022 - 03:54

Israeli draft resisters. Source: www.refuser.org.

When Israeli children play with toy soldiers, it’s not just a game, a fantasy or an aspiration. It is a fact of life that they will serve in the military, usually right after high school. When children hear stories from family members about their time in the military, it is not just from a father or one aunt or cousin. Nearly all (male and female) adult family members have stories to tell about their time in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). There are exemptions for Orthodox Jews, the mentally or physically unqualified, young mothers, Arab Israelis, and a few others, but it is rare for a citizen to be deemed a conscientious objector. To seek CO status in Israeli society is considered the ultimate betrayal and a process that will bring certain suffering to the individual.

Mon

Nov

US Senate Prepares To Expand Selective Service to Women as Well as Men

Submitted by nnomy on Mon, 22/11/2021 - 23:10

Edward Hasbrouck / Antiwar.com - After months of delay, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Sunday that the Senate is "likely" to vote this week on an annual defense [sic] bill which includes a provision – already approved by the House of Representatives in its version of the bill – to extend the President’s authority to order men to register with the Selective Service System for a possible military draft to include

Wed

Sep

House and Senate Armed Services Committees vote to make women register for the draft

Submitted by gdghirardi on Wed, 15/09/2021 - 01:01

Edward Hasbrouck / Antiwar - On September 1st, 2021, the House Armed Services Committee joined the Senate Armed Services Committee in voting 35-24 to expand registration for a possible military draft to include young women as well as young men.

Tue

Feb

Supreme Court asked to review Constitutionality of current male-only draft registration requirement

Submitted by nnomy on Tue, 23/02/2021 - 12:35

Edward Hasbrouck / Resisters.info - On January 8, 2021 the National Coalition For Men, a men’s rights organization represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, petitioned the U.S.

Wed

Jan

Poll: Most women oppose registering for draft

Submitted by nnomy on Wed, 27/01/2021 - 19:25

Rasmussen Reports -

Most women said they are opposed to having to register for the draft in a new Rasmussen Reports poll.

In contrast, a majority of men said they would support having women register, according to the poll released Wednesday.

The poll found that 52 percent of women oppose requiring women to register, while 38 percent favor it and 10 percent are undecided.

Sixty-one percent of male respondents favored requiring that women register.

Overall, the split was more even, with 49 percent supporting and 44 percent opposing.

Most Republicans, 53 percent, said they oppose making women register for the draft, while 49 percent of Democrats said they favor it.

Thu

Jan

60 High School Seniors Refuse to Serve in the Israeli Army Because of the Occupation

Submitted by nnomy on Thu, 07/01/2021 - 16:46

A demonstration outside an IDF enlistment center in 2018.Credit: Dror Mizrahi

Or Kashti -

The group's members say in a letter their stance comes from 'taking responsibility for our actions and their implications,' and accuse the education system of ignoring the Palestinian narrative

Sixty Israelis of eligible draft age have signed a letter declaring their refusal to serve in the military because of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Departing from previous letters of this kind, the signatories call out the country’s education system for various issues, such as encouraging enlistment in the Israel Defense Forces and emphasizing the Jewish narrative in Bible and history classes.

They also draw attention to issues they say the curriculum ignores, such as the expulsion of Arabs in 1948 and the current violation of human rights in the occupied territories.

Mon

Jan

How Woodrow Wilson Persecuted Hutterites Who Refused to Support His War

Submitted by gdghirardi on Mon, 04/01/2021 - 07:01

Woodrow Wilson had no qualms about jailing people he disagreed with. His persecution of the Hutterites can attest to that.

Lawrence W. Reed -

Campaigning for President of the United States in September 1912, “progressive” icon Woodrow Wilson said something that would gladden the heart of any libertarian:

Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of the government. The history of liberty is a history of resistance. The history of liberty is a history of the limitation of governmental power, not the increase of it.

That was two months before the election that Wilson won. He garnered slightly less than 42 percent of the popular vote in a four-way contest. Over the next eight years, he proved to be the most repressive, anti-liberty president to ever occupy the White House.

Fri

Jan

Defence forces survey: Appetite for national defence and conscription has declined

Submitted by gdghirardi on Fri, 01/01/2021 - 21:02

The Finnish Constitution stipulates every male Finnish citizen is obligated to participate in national defence. Image: Niko Mannonen / Yle

Uutiset -

Finns’ support for conscription and national defence has decreased, according to a survey by The Advisory Board of Defence Information (MTS).

Just over half (52 percent) of respondents believe Finland’s defence system should be based on mandatory conscription for men, and voluntary conscription for women. The figure is considerably lower than in previous years.

The Finnish Constitution stipulates that every male Finnish citizen is obligated to participate in national defence. All Finnish men aged between 18 and 60 are liable to complete military service, and women can opt to do it on a voluntary basis.

Military service has to be completed as armed or unarmed military service, or non-military (civil) service.

Almost a quarter of respondents preferred a conscription that would apply to both men and women. The idea of voluntary conscription for both sexes, or a professional army got much less support.

Thu

Jul

South Korea: Constitutional Court recognises conscientious objection

Submitted by antimili-youth on Thu, 05/07/2018 - 14:47

Last Thursday, in a landmark decision, South Korea’s Constitutional Court ordered the government to introduce alternative service of a civilian nature for conscientious objectors.

The court ruled that Article 5 of the Military Service Act (MSA), which fails to provide alternative forms of national service, is unconstitutional and obligated lawmakers to change the law by the end of 2019. Meanwhile, regrettably, the Court also ruled that Article 88 of the MSA , which provides up to 3 years of imprisonment for anyone who fails to enlist without justifiable grounds, does not violate the Constitution.

Mon

May

5th International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth to take place between 12-18 November

Submitted by antimili-youth on Mon, 07/05/2018 - 15:01

On 12-18 November this year, activists from across the world are taking action against the militarisation of young people in their countries, cities and towns.

Join us this November in this global action with your own nonviolent actions and events!

The International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth is a concerted effort of antimilitarist actions across the world to raise awareness of, and challenge, the ways young people are militarised, and to give voice to alternatives. The week is coordinated by War Resisters' International.

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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.