All articles

Sun

Jan

2025

Moscow Activist Detained, Taken to Military Enlistment Office During Police Raid

Submitted by Gary

Tue

Jan

Asian Youth Consider Political Career Despite Barriers

Submitted by antimili-youth on Tue, 24/01/2017 - 12:28

By Peera Songkunnatham

“I have to become a politician,” said Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, a university student well-known in Thailand for his outspoken criticism of Thai schooling. “Even though I’ve given multiple interviews saying that I didn’t want to become a politician at all; I actually hated politicians. But I’ve changed my mind.”

Running against the current of political apathy and disillusionment among youth, Chotiphatphaisal is part of a new wave of youth in Asia considering running for public office to effect change. These young people articulate a willingness to engage in formal politics, but also a need to reform the political system from within.

But first they must overcome the many social and legal barriers in their countries, restrictions on participation that are often rooted in age, gender, and ethnic discrimination.

Tue

Jan

Do you really want to do what counts? German recruitment and the dangerously silent opposition

Submitted by antimili-youth on Tue, 17/01/2017 - 16:38

By David Scheuing*

Fri

Jan

Opposition mounts to German military advertising campaign

Submitted by hannah on Fri, 13/01/2017 - 15:01

Almost every large German city now features signs and billboards praising the services of the German military (Bundeswehr) and calling on people to do their “duty.” In many bus, tram and underground stations, as well as at schools, universities and education centres, the Bundeswehr has been campaigning with provocative slogans like “Do something that really counts” and “You can’t solve crises by hanging around and drinking tea.”

Read the full story on the World Socialist Web Site...

Thu

Jan

SNP Youth disappointed as party MPs block military recruitment motion

Submitted by hannah on Thu, 12/01/2017 - 18:30

SNP National Council knocks back motion on raising age of military recruitment

SNP YOUTH LEADERS have called on a number of their party's leading MPs to rethink opposition to raising the age of British military recruitment from 15 to 18.

Read more at Common Space...

Thu

Jan

Teachers' Union poster questioning military recruitment draws fire

Submitted by hannah on Thu, 12/01/2017 - 18:10

Veterans, military members, and even some teachers are expressing outrage at a B.C. Teachers’ Federation poster discouraging military recruitment.

The poster calls recruiting a “social justice issue,” and encourages teachers to ask their boards to ban recruiting in schools.

Thu

Jan

Disgruntled ex-Maoist child soldiers padlock party office

Submitted by hannah on Thu, 12/01/2017 - 17:55

Former Maoist child soldiers, discontent with the party for discarding them unceremoniously during the peace process, padlocked the CPN (Maoist Centre) office on Monday demanding their proper rehabilitation. Seven Maoist leaders were still trapped in the office as the Post went to press.

Read more at the Kathmandu Post...

Photo: PRAKASH CHANDRA TIMILSENA

Thu

Jan

Underage Soldiers in German Military at Record Highs

Submitted by hannah on Thu, 12/01/2017 - 17:24

According to a new report published in Die Welt, the German military recruited a record number of underage soldiers last year. Despite efforts from Germany’s Die Linke (Left Party) to end underage recruitments, the military has come back saying everything is being done in accordance with the law.

Read the full story on German Pulse...

Thu

Jan

American Teens Get Israel-Style Military Training — at New York Sports Camp

Submitted by hannah on Thu, 12/01/2017 - 16:36

It looks like a slick military recruiting video – exciting background music pulsing in the background, soldiers in training wearing camouflage and face masks crawling through the mud as a commander urges them on, wielding rifles as they ambush an enemy in the wilderness, and, at the end, an Israeli flag waving patriotically in the background with the message to “Enlist Now” printed across the screen.

Read the full story on Forward...

Wed

Jan

UK: Veterans warn young people about ‘traumatic’ army training

Submitted by antimili-youth on Wed, 11/01/2017 - 15:54

Army training is ‘traumatic’ for young recruits and damages the adolescent mind, according to British infantry veteran Wayne Sharrocks, who features in a series of short films released this week by Child Soldiers International. The films offer young people and their parents a frank alternative to army recruitment materials which, say many veterans, present a sanitised and unrealistic impression of military life. In particular, Wayne Sharrocks wants young people to know that the psychological effects of training can be harmful and permanent.

Wed

Jan

South Sudan: More than 17,000 children used in conflict since 2013

Submitted by antimili-youth on Wed, 04/01/2017 - 16:01

Three years after fighting first erupted in South Sudan, children continue to be recruited by armed forces and armed groups, with 1,300 children recruited in 2016, UNICEF said today. This brings to more than 17,000 the total number of children used in the conflict since 2013.

“Since the first day of this conflict, children have been the ones most devastatingly affected by the violations,” said UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Leila Gharagozloo-Pakkala.

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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.