Text Fwd: [April 12] Civil Society's Joint Declaration for the 1st Global Day of Action on Military Spending

Source: People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy
http://blog.peoplepower21.org/English/21046

[April 12 Joint Declaration]
National Assembly-Civil Society's Joint Declaration for the 1st Global Day of Action on Military Spending
" Use the Tax for Welfare, not Warfare "

As we celebrate the Global Day of Action on Military Spending, we are here to concern ever-increasing military spending and following challenges challenge and menace to our peace. We need to focus on the fact that the sum of global military spending in 2010 marked 1.6 trillion dollars, which is an increase of about 150% compared to that of 2000; the trend does not seem to be discontinued even in the global economic crisis.

30 countries are raising their voices for military spending reduction. The reason is in that
the huge military spending does not guarantee world peace and security but only brings ceaseless military tension and accelerates arms race. Arms race in Northeastern Asia is a typical example on the phenomenon. The sum of military spending by the U.S., China, Russia, Japan and South Korea reached about 889.4 billion dollars in 2009, which holds 58% of the total military spending worldwide. South Korea’s military expenditure has been doubly increased in 2009 compared with 2000. Though each country increases military budget drastically, peace on the Korean Peninsular and Northeastern Asia is in a very distant future. Present situation we are currently facing proves that enormous amount of military spending and multitudinous weapons do not assure peace.

We deeply concern that considerable numbers of matters critical for human lives are ignored and pushed back on the priority list of budget expenditure, while military spending is always overspent. Global warming, poverty, unemployment, education, housing, disease and energy policies relying on nuclear power are highly urgent tasks not only for South Korea, but the whole world. An analysis shows that even only 20% of the global military spending can achieve the Millenum Development Goals(MDG) that the United Nations has set to eradicate global poverty. Therefore, it is the right time to ask what is the most urgent threat of our lives.

We believe that each country should break out of vicious circle of endless arms race. We also believe that even many issues “military readiness” can be solved peacefully through extended mutual respect and trust, and a tight control and reduction in military spending. A huge amount of military spending can be cut by strict verification and effective execution of budget. We emphasize that reduced budget should be used for prioritized issues for people’s lives.

On the Gloal Day of Action on Military Spending , MPs and civic groups in Korea promise to take a leading role in alleviating military tension and confrontation in the Northeastern region of Asia and in establishing a community of permanent peace and coexistence
and suggest as below:


1. We reasonably secure welfare resources through freezing and reducing military budget.
Building mutual trust among countries and reconsidering the validity, transparency and efficiency of military spending will make a considerable amount of fund should be used to relieve many social threats people are facing in their lives.

We are concerned about the fact that major countries in Northeast Asia including South Korea are seeking to foster their war. It is an exaggeration that war industry could benefit the development of civilian technologies. It is war industry that mounts military tension and conflicts at home and abroad and destroys the foundation of peaceful life. Each government should reconsider their policies involved with the investment in war industry, and restrain themselves from promoting weapons which may lead to conflicts. From this aspect, South Korea, which is the world’s second largest arms importer along with China, must reconsider its current policy that it would develop arms industry as the growth engines to become the world’s 7th largest arms exporter. Instead, we are calling upon your government to join the Convention on Cluster Munition and Mine Ban Treaty that regulate inhumane arms.


1. We insist that the Korean Peninsular be denuclearized without relying on nuclear deterrent. lethal nuclear threat is bound to occur from the defense policies dependent on nuclear deterrent such as North’s nuclear weapons the U.S. nuclear umbrella over South Korea and Japan. Treaty banning nuclear weapons should be concluded at the earliest possible moment as the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon suggested. We urge every related country to quickly reopen six-party talks on the denuclearization in Northeast Asia. Also, we call on each nation in Northeastern Asia to start a discussion about the denuclearization of Northeastern Asia to remove nuclear threat from the region as a comprehensive measure.



1. We are worried that continuous arms race, military alliances and aggressive military schemes have been becoming permanent while Northeast Asia being the world’s biggest arsenal. Arms race has not brought peace in the region and only justified military motivations to possess asymmetrical deterrent such as nuclear weapons and missiles. Therefore, we urge peaceful and multilateral efforts to reduce the threats out of conventional arms and alleviate military imbalance along with a discussion on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsular.


1. We are concerned that the expansion of military security education by the government and the army to inject old distorted sense of security. We firmly believe our children need peace education that reflects the values of democracy such as human rights, peace, diversity and tolerance, not the one internalizing confrontation, hostility, militarism, and nationalism. Therefore, one-sided propaganda in the form of education by the government and quasi-military trainings in the name of military experience should be immediately stopped.


1. We do not think the government is the only one that should try to alleviate military tension and confrontation and secure peace and coexistence. As the ultimate goal of military and security policy is to guarantee people live safely, civil engagement is both desirable and essential in the prioritization. We urge to improve systems of all countries including South Korea for the public disclosure and the civil engagement of the policymaking procedures on military security.



12 April, 2011 Global Day of Action on Military Spending

31 MPs and 35 Civil Groups

Photos Fwd: [April 12] Global Day to cut military spending: Our tax to welfare instead weapons

http://peacekorea.org/zbxe/79182#0
[세계군축행동의날] 국회-시민사회 공동선언 '우리 세금을 무기 대신 복지에'
Global Day to cut military spending: Our tax to welfare instead weapons
April 12

See more:
Peace Network 평화 넷워크
http://peacekorea.org/zbxe/
People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy 참여 연대 평화 군축 센터
http://blog.peoplepower21.org/Peace/

Text Fwd: GLOBAL MILITARY SPENDING OR SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY?

Organizing Notes
http://space4peace.blogspot.com/2011/04/global-military-or-sustainable.html
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
GLOBAL MILITARY SPENDING OR SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY?

A new report from a Swedish-based think tank (SIPRI) reveals that U.S. military spending has almost doubled since 2001. The U.S. spent more than $700 billion on the military last year, an 81% increase over the last decade. Writing for Time magazine, Romesh Ratnesar says:

For all the posturing in Washington about confronting the "existential threat" posed by the country's dire fiscal state, there has been, until now, almost no serious discussion about reducing America's vast military expenditures. The White House says Obama's speech on the deficit this week will call for Pentagon cuts. But as TIME's Mark Thompson has shown, neither Obama's 2012 budget proposal nor Representative Paul Ryan's "Path to Prosperity" contemplate a major decrease in overall military spending anytime in the near future. At best, Ryan's proposal would slow the rate of growth of the defense budget over the next 10 years but won't halt it. Even after pocketing the expected savings from a pullback of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Ryan's budget projection calls for nearly $8 trillion in military spending over the next decade — more than the government's Medicare obligations, which Ryan asserts (correctly) must be reformed. The justification for continued runaway defense spending? "The U.S. cannot retreat in its aggressive campaign against the global network of terrorists intent on taking American lives and destroying the American way of life."

One way we could spend our money would be to dramatically invest in sustainable technologies. We do have a serious problem ahead due to climate change. The citizens of Germany seem to get it. They are demanding (successfully it appears) that their country abandon nuclear power production. They are also building a giant wind farm with 89 turbines, set for completion off their North Sea coast in 2014, that will supply electricity for 330,000 homes. Over the next 20 years, Germany plans to install enough wind power to replace what's now produced by its 17 nuclear reactors. About 21,000 wind turbines produce 7% of Germany's electricity, one of the highest rates in the world. (Note above the military spending of Germany.) China meanwhile is now the world leader in clean energy investment, having spent $51.1 billion last year alone. China also moved to the top of the installed wind power list. (Thanks to Nukewatch for this info.)

Associated Press reports, "The military is investigating what appears to be the first case of American troops killed by a missile fired from a U.S. drone. The investigation is looking into the deaths of a Marine and a Navy medic killed by a Hellfire missile fired from a Predator after they apparently were mistaken for insurgents in southern Afghanistan last week, two senior U.S. defense officials said Tuesday. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing."

Associated Press reports, "The military is investigating what appears to be the first case of American troops killed by a missile fired from a U.S. drone. The investigation is looking into the deaths of a Marine and a Navy medic killed by a Hellfire missile fired from a Predator after they apparently were mistaken for insurgents in southern Afghanistan last week, two senior U.S. defense officials said Tuesday. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing."

Watch the full episode. See more Journey to Planet Earth.

Text Fwd: Support The Global Day of Action on Military Spending, April 12

From 'The National Campaign to End the Korean War' on April 10, 2011 supports*

The Global Day of Action on Military Spending, April 12

The National Campaign to End the Korean War strongly encourages its
members and member organizations to participate in the first-ever
Global Day of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) on Tuesday, April
12, 2011.

Co-organized by the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC,
and the International Peace Bureau in Geneva, Switzerland, GDAMS has
been endorsed by more than 100 organizations in 35 countries. Actions
will include a protest in front of the White House, actions at the
United Nations in New York and Geneva, a march in Kampala, a
demonstration in Dhaka, a forum in Seoul, and much more.

The National Campaign to End the Korean War adds its voice to these
protests by underscoring the military costs stemming from the ongoing
state of unresolved war on the Korean peninsula. This figure is
estimated to exceed $15 to $20 billion annually, including costs of
expanding and maintaining U.S. bases and troops stationed in South
Korea and in the region in the event of a conflict.

As a global action, GDAMS coincides with the annual release of the
figures for global military expenditures by the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute. In 2009, the world spent more
than $1.5 trillion on the military. Even in the middle of a global
economic crisis, military spending has increased, with the United
States responsible for nearly half of all expenditures. People around
the world say enough to war and preparation for war. We need
investments in jobs, education, healthcare, and sustainable economies,
including the production of safe, renewable energy.

On April 12, people around the world will demand that their
governments reduce military spending and redirect our public tax
dollars towards investments in building more just and sustainable
societies. We will send a message that these astronomical sums –
whether $20 billion/year related to the unresolved Korean War, or $1.5
trillion/year in overall military spending -- are far too much, and
such excessive military spending takes us far off the path from global
peace and security.

Please visit GDAMS website http://www.demilitarize.org

for more information about the Global Day, the endorsing
organizations, and the specific actions.

From the National Campaign to End the Korean War

www.endthekoreanwar.org