<<<January 2004  

the poor and the disadvantaged, as it does." Adam Maor 
"We are being punished for saying the word  o-c-c-u-p-a-t-i-o-n. So  here I say it again: occupation, occupation, occupation" Matan  Kaminer.
"The army is causing despair in the  Palestinian society. In fact it is the army which is breeding  the  suicide bombers. This is the kind of army it is, and it is no surprise  that this is the verdict handed by the court of this army."  Shimri Tzameret.  Read more here

»  1700 US deserters in Iraq
According to French magazine Le Canard enchaîné, 1700 US soldiers have quit their post in Iraq. Read here.

»  Soldiers' parents go to Iraq
A delegation of nine family members of US soldiers and army veterans have come to Iraq, led by the San Francisco-based human rights group Global Exchange. Most of the group oppose the occupation, while others say they simply want to see the situation for themselves. Read here.

»  Israel: The Five’s verdict 
Received from Israel: ”The verdict of the Five will be given on Tuesday, 16 December at 14:00. More details will come. Please continue to spread the word on the petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/refuz/petition.html
We already have 2500 signatures.  We need many more ! Thanks, The parents”

» 15 November in North Carolina:
 Protest for Stephen Funk's freedom 
On September 6th, Stephen was sentenced to six months, becoming the first known war resister to be incarcerated in this current period of US intervention in Iraq.  On October 5th, the New York Post reported there are at least 50 more reservists facing charges for refusing to report to duty. Stephen is a political prisoner. Read the appeal here.

» Venezuela: Chavez on the military
"After the February 27 massacre, for instance, to go to a poor neighbourhood a soldier had to dress as a civilian. He was taking a risk, because the people knew that the militaries were those who had massacred them. Today, when a soldier shows up people greet him with enthusiasm and happiness." Read more here.

Iraq: a corporate and military take over
(from an anti-war Spanish flyer)

» Chagos: reclaiming our land from a US military base
Evicted from their islands by the UK government between 1965 and 1973, Chagossian people are reclaiming back their land from the biggest US military and nuclear base outside the US. Read their appeal here.

A US reservist in Iraq writes:
"ONE WEEK-END A MONTH MY ASS!"

» BOLIVIA - Soldiers' threat to President
" we are disposed to fire at tactical targets beginning with your cabinet in full and including some generals at the head of you." Read here

» ISRAEL - the end of the draft?
A military committee is recommending Israel do away with universal draft, one of the pillars of Israeli society. Read here.

» IRAQ - How many more must die before America demands the return of the men and women whose job it is to protect them? Read here.  
» Mysterious pneumonia-like illnesses are striking U.S. troops -- including more deaths, according to soldiers and their families. Read here.

» What happened to the UK troops who refused to fight in Iraq? The Big Issue can now reveal that the Colchester pair are not unique, as those in charge would like the public to think, but just two of many serving armed forces members who have turned conscientious objector (CO). Read here.

» Call or fax to protest Israeli refuseniks' repression
Next court session, with cross-examination of Shimri Tzameret, Adam Maor and Noam Bahat, on October 20th, 2003. Show your opposition by calling or faxing the ambassador of Israel in the US: 
Mr Daniel Ayalon.Tel: (202) 364-5590 Fax: (202) 364-5560 or 
the nearest Israeli embassy  Information: www.refusersolidarity.net

ISRAEL: 
THE TRIAL OF THE FIVE
Both Matar and Kaminer, replying to the prosecutor's questions regarding the duty to obey the law in a democratic state, said that Israel is not fully democratic. Read here.

LETTERS TO STEPHEN FUNK
»  Your act may help others to see the truth and find their courage also. Thank you for reminding us of our power to resist.
»  You speak loudly to remind the whole world that you should not be forced to pull the trigger, that the woman, the child, the man in front of you is no longer a dummy, that he is not your enemy and that he lives just like you… 
»  Although I’m against violence and killing, it would serve these monsters right if some of the military trainees took a tip from Lenin and turned their guns on their own officers who are ordering them to kill other boys.
Read here

AIR FORCE PILOTS REFUSE TO KILL
We refuse to take part in Air Force attacks on civilian population centers. We refuse to continue to harm innocent civilians. Read here

» Write to Stephen Funk jailed at Camp Lejeune
Wednesday, September 10 the Marine Corps flew Stephen Funk under guard to Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in North Carolina. He will serve his sentence in military prison for unauthorized absence during the Iraq War. Stephen would be glad to receive your letters at: Stephen Funk, Building 1041, PSC 20140, Camp Lejeune, NC 28542, US
Read more

» Israeli refuseniks trial resumed on 18 September
The trial of Haggai, Matan, Shimri, Adam and Noam resumed on Thursday September 18. In the last couple of sessions we heard the long testimonies of the refuseniks themselves, in which they explained their reasons for refusing to enlist to an army whose target is the continuous oppression of the Palestinian people. The next sessions will consist mainly of the cross examination by the army prosecutor. 

Sept. 6, 2003: Funk exiting the courtroom during a break prior to being acquitted of desertion, but convicted of unauthorized absence (AWOL).

Stephen sentenced to 6 months for unauthorised absence
Military jury found Stephen "not guilty" of "desertion" -- but guilty of the lesser charge of "unauthorized absence" (aka AWOL). The jury then sentenced him to six months in the brig -- followed by a "bad conduct" discharge. His lawyer is appealing this sentence. 
Read more

Conscientious objector Yinnon Hiller exempted from military service
An important victory for conscientious objection in Israel. Read here.

Mutiny in the Phillipines
On July 27, 300 soldiers rigged a giant Manila shopping mall with C-4 explosives and accused one of Washington's closest allies of blowing up its own buildings to attract US military dollars.
The soldiers complained of low-pay, lack of housing, and inferior supplies. But their main protest was against corruption accusing some members of the armed forces to sell arms to enemies of the state. They say soldiers and civilians are dying from the same bullets used to defend the nation.  Read here

>> Israeli refuser writes to Stephen 
"We live half a world from each other, we have led quite different lives, and yet we are both in the same situation: conscientious objectors to imperial war and occupation" Read here

>> Greek conscientious objector on trial 18 September
Lazaros Petromelides applied for the status of conscientious objector in 1998. He was accepted, and called up for a substitute service 7.5 times longer than the military service he would have had to serve. As a conscientious objector, the length of his substitute service was based on the full time of military service, although he only would have had to serve 4 months instead of 18 months due to his age and the fact that he is the father of a child. Read here

"Remember when I said about weapons of 
mass destruction in Iraq? I lied!!!"

>> Judge upholds court- martial for Stephen
A judge declined on Thursday to throw out the Marines' case against a conscientious objector who claims he is being court-martialed because he publicly criticized the war in Iraq. Navy judge John A. Maksym also denied Lance Cpl. Stephen Funk's lawyer access to Marine files on who else may have been absent without leave, or AWOL, and how they were punished. Read here

>> San Francisco Labor Council endorses the October 25, 2003 International March on Washington, D.C. behind the banner: Bring the Troops Home Now - End the Occupation of Iraq - Repeal the Patriot Act - Money for Human Needs, not for War and Empire. Read the full resolution here.

                  STEPHEN FUNK
>> Letter from Payday 
Indeed it is Mr Funk’s view, and Payday’s, that war is an attack on people with least access to resources, and therefore primarily an attack on women, children and people of colour, everywhere. Read here and send yours!

>> In the press:
"A pretrial hearing is scheduled today 11 August, and Funk's attorney, Stephen Collier, intends to ask the judge to dismiss the charge of "shirking important duty" on the ground that Funk was selectively targeted." Read here.

The five defendants came to court in civilian clothes.  From left to right Matan Kaminer, Adam Maor, Hagai Matar, Naom Bahat and Shimri Zamoret.

Click here to enlarge. From “Addicted to war” http://www.notinourname.net/~orders/default.htm#postcards

What if they called a war and nobody came?
>> We are pleased to announce that apparently the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve are beginning to have trouble meeting their recruiting targets.
    "I think it is reasonable to conclude that people are looking at the last 19 to 20 months of mobilization and they are voting with their feet," says Tom White, a former secretary of the Army. "I think we're seeing the leading edge of a problem." 
    Refusing to kill or to be cannon fodder is apparently growing.  Read more here.

New support for Stephen Funk
>> I am myself both a pacifist and gay, and agree with Stephen that no-one has the right to join an indiscriminate killing machine.

>> Congratulations on opposing war. I am British and have been on trial myself, along with thirteen others, as a civilian for opposing war.

>> Good luck to you Stephen.My daughter stood up against the Burmese government and was imprisoned there for 3 months....her sentence was 7 years, but they relented when we went there and pleaded for her. I'm glad your mother is behind you, too. 
Read more here

Get to your pen and computer!
Mobilise support now!

Money and letters urgently needed
See what you can do and read US conscientious objector Stephen Funk's latest statement in
English, French, Italian, German

“Group for Switzerland without army” demonstrates against the G8 on 1 June 2003