CIVIL SOCIETY TO THE STATES PARTIES OF THE NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY

" As the world mobilises in response to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot afford to lose sight of the other global challenges that threaten all of us, including the worsening planetary climate emergency and the ongoing threat of catastrophic nuclear war."

More than 80 civil society organizations, concerned with nuclear disarmament, issued a joint statement to the States Parties of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) on May 11th, 2020. The Statement urges the government members of the NPT, especially the nuclear-armed states and their allies, to take serious steps to fulfill their obligations to nuclear disarmament under article VI of the NPT and join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), also known as the Nuclear Ban Treaty.

IFOR supports this initiative and is one of the endorsers of the Joint NGO Statement, which will be emailed to all Member States of the NPT, in view of the fact that the 2020 NPT Review Conference -previously scheduled at the UN in New York from April 27th to May 22nd 2020- was postponed to next spring due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As reported by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, there are currently more than 14,000 nuclear weapons around the world, 9 nuclear armed states and about 32 nuclear weapons endorsing states.

ATTACHMENTS:
1. Original text of the NGOs JOINT STATEMENT
2. More info on the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty are available at https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/npt/
3. More info on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Treaty http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/tpnw/text

IFOR ADDRESSES CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION TO MILITARY SERVICE AT THE 43rd U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL AND REPORTS OF DISPROPORTIONATE VIOLENCE AGAINST UNARMED PROTESTERS WORLDWIDE

In the opening week of the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council, which started on February 24th, IFOR addressed the plenary during the general debate which followed the oral update by the High Commissioner for human rights Ms. Michelle Bachelet, and referred to the many ongoing conflict situations worldwide, violence against unarmed protesters and conscientious objection issues such as the irregular recruitment of Colombian objector Brayan Blanco, as also denounced by War Resisters' International through its regular alert. Download the statement here.

You can watch it here at {00:15:06}  http://webtv.un.org/…/item2-general-debate-…/6136894268001/…  

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"Madam High Commissioner,

The number of situations of concern which you listed this morning is chilling.

The ongoing conflict in Syria is a dire humanitarian and human rights disaster. In Iraq, as you reported, more than 450 peaceful protesters have in recent months been killed by the security forces. Likewise, in Chile unarmed protesters have been seriously injured.  You did not mention France, where the police reaction to the gilets jaunes protests has been disproportionately violent.

IFOR has serious concerns about the situation in Cameroon, supports your call for prompt investigation, leading to prosecution of the perpetrators of incidents like the massacre in the North-West of the country two weeks ago.  Meanwhile we welcome the positive news from your discussions with the government last autumn, and hope that the pledges made will bear fruit. 

We strongly support the reconciliation process in South Sudan to end violence, stabilize the country and enhance human rights.

Our concerns about the situation in Eritrea were voiced in the interactive dialogue last Wednesday. We also have an ongoing concern about military service in both parts of the island of Cyprus, which, although today peaceful, houses perhaps the densest population of military personnel (belonging to six separate armies!) of anywhere in the world.  Three conscientious objectors to military service in the Turkish-occupied north of the island have now filed cases with the European Court of Human Rights.

In Colombia, despite the legal recognition  of conscientious objection to military service, irregular recruitment practices still persist. Last September, Brayan Gonzales Blanco voluntarily presented himself at the military recruitment office in Bogota to inquire about the process for registration as a conscientious objector. His identity documents were impounded and he found himself transported to immediate incorporation in Battalion 13 in the municipality of Ubaia.  On leave, he contacted IFOR’s partner organisation Asociation Colectiva de Objetores yObjetoras de Conciencia-ACOOC about the process of registration as a conscientious objector. They recommended that he should not simply abscond but should return to his unit and follow the correct procedures.  This he did, but as soon as he returned to the Battalion at the beginning of this month he encountered harassment from superiors and peers so severe as to put his psychological well-being at risk. His application for release is still under review.

The “batidas” under which young men were hoovered from the streets into military vehicles, are now a thing of the past in the major cities.  But Colombia is a vast country.  One fears that in the remote rural areas forced recruitment is still the norm, and that few if any of the victims know even of the  possibility of claiming conscientious objector status.

We call on your Office in Bogota to continue to monitor reports of irregular recruitment practices from all parts of the country.

Thank you"

IFOR engages at UN for the 34th UPR session on Angola and Italy

On October 8th-11th IFOR UN reps attended to the pre-session of the 34th UPR organized by UPR Info at the Palais des Nations in Geneva and engaged in several advocacy initiatives.

At the upcoming session of the UPR among the states under review there are Angola and Italy and IFOR submitted a report for both countries which you can see below. As to Angola military service and conscientious objection, freedom of religion and restrictions on civil society, for instance, have been addressed; as to Italy the report presented the issues of public health risks connected to military installations with reference to the case of Niscemi and the Mobile User Objective System in Sicily, the selling of weapons to countries at war and the pushing back of migrants and cooperation with Libya. 

The UPR is a State-driven process, which provides the opportunity for each State to present what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situation in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations; at the same time member states have the possibility to address recommendations to the State under review.

NGOs have the possibility to contribute with information that can be added to the “other stakeholders” report which is considered during the review.

Prior to the UPR session there is a pre-session, which is designed to facilitate the direct engagement of civil society and to provide member states with opportunities to find out more information on human rights in different countries. During the pre-session some NGOs are selected to give brief presentations and then all civil society representatives have the possibility to advocate directly with permanent delegations in bilateral meetings. 

The 34th session starts in Geneva on Monday November 4th with the review of Italy; this is a symbolic date for this country which remember the end of the First World War and celebrate military forces. The first week of November is also a year since IFOR Council in Sicily and the International Conference on migration “On the move”; a year later IFOR continues to engage and follow up on those issues.

Angola review takes place at the end of that very week, on November 7th and we look forward for recommendations on the issue of conscientious objection, which is one of the main field IFOR is working on at the UN in Geneva.

These UN meetings are broadcasted live here.

For more information on the UPR session click here.  

For details on UPR pre-session of Angola click here and for Italy click here. 

IFOR submission about Italy

IFOR submission about Angola

IFOR STANDS AT UN FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF "PEOPLE ON THE MOVE" AND FOR THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF SOLIDARITY

During the last session of the UN Human Rights Coucil, held in Geneva last September, IFOR has delivered the following Oral Statement during the General Debate on the report presented by the High Commissioner Ms. Bachelet:

"The International Fellowship of Reconciliation appreciates the call upon States “to address the human rights impact of climate change, including in relation to business activities” and the reminder of “the need for policy coherence – nationally and internationally” .

As highlighted, the consequences of climate change are the reason for many people to leave their homes.
Madam High Commissioner, Excellencies,
The human rights of people on the move are constantly threatened and violated. How can we tolerate caged kids, families divided at borders and shipwrecked survivors refused a place at safety or forced back or deported into areas of conflict, deprivation, discrimination and violation.
We support the call to European States to adopt a more effective coordinated action in the Mediterranean and to end the criminalisation of civil organisations that are carrying out life-saving work in the area and are fined for doing it.
This summer we have witnessed too many rescue boats seeking too long for a safe place to disembark. Sea-Watch 3, Proactiva Open Arms, Mare Jonio [of Mediterranea Saving Humans], Eleonore [of LIFELINE], to mention just some examples [others are Ocean Viking of SOS MEDITERRANEE, Alan Curdi of sea-eye...]
It took the courage of such individuals as Carola Rackete to choose humanity over political propaganda to guarantee safety and human rights for migrants; an act of civil disobedience against a ministerial order contrary to International and Human Rights Law. It took the orders of judges to respect international law and to decriminalize the rescuing of people and to re-establish that under the Law rescue is an obligation and the prohibition on entering domestic waters cannot cancel a humanitarian obligation under the International Conventions."

Watch the live-stream here: http://webtv.un.org/…/item2-general-debate-c…/6085299999001…
(IFOR's statement at 01:50:13)

Read the whole statement by clicking here:

IFOR addresses UN Human Rights Council outlining the urgent need to take action to implement the Right to Life

On September 16th, International Fellowship of Reconciliation - IFOR addressed the UN Human Rights Council, outlining the urgent need to take action to implement the Right to Life which is “the supreme right from which no derogation is permitted”.
If the right to life is violated, no other rights can be exercised!
Right to Life should include as well the right to refuse to kill!
IFOR called upon States to ratify the UN Treaty on the abolition of nuclear weapons and referred to the 2nd World March for Peace and Nonviolence which will start in Madrid on October 2nd 2019.

You can read the whole statement here.

You can watch it here at 01:05:34 at http://webtv.un.org/…/item3-general-debate-…/6086710348001/…