Representatives of the European branches of the IFOR gathered in Bremen, Germany April 17-19, 2015. Representatives were from Branches and Affiliates in Austria, Belgium, England, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Wales.
They were joined by Junior Nzita Nsuami from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who was forcibly recruited at the age of 10 by the rebels seeking to overthrow the Mobutu dictatorship and fought in the DRC itself and Angolafor the next 12 years before finally passing through a demobilization and reintentegration programme sponsored by the international community. He subsequently committed himself to the cause of helping those who as child soldierspassed through similar traumatic experiences; he has now been appointed a UN goodwill ambassador on the subject of child soldiers.
February 11, 2012, Seven pacifists entered into the NATO military headquarters also known as the SHAPE facility (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe), in an act of civil disobedience. The Bombspotters (Bomspotters in Dutch), as they called themselves, were there to denounce the presence of nuclear weapons on Belgian soil. They recorded their act of disobedience and posted videos of their actions on the internet. They have been issued a criminal summons to appear in court on October 26, 2015 the activists face up to five years in prison and a substantial fine.
European Court of Justice Advocate General Reinforces Rights of Refusers
In the legal case of U.S. AWOL soldier André Shepherd (37) the European Court of Justice Advocate General, Eleanor Sharpton, today published her final opinion. This official statement contains guiding deliberations for the interpretation of the so-called Qualification Directive of the European Union. Amongst other considerations, these rules state that those endangered by prosecution or punishment for refusal to perform military service involving an illegal war or commital of war crimes, should be protected by the European Union.
