Australian Veterans For Peace

July 16, 2007

Time for action

We are supporting the protest action against Bush and Howard at the APEC Summit on September 8. If you are a veteran who is opposed to war; If you are a veteran who thinks that all political action should be nonviolent; If you are a veteran who thinks that war is madness - then join us - contact us.

We have contacted the organisers of this protest and expressed our support and also our absolute commitment to keeping our protest peaceful, and we have requested that all other participants also refrain from any violent action whatsoever.

We stand for peace, peacefully.

We believe it's time to stand up and be counted. Don't you?

About Us

We, having dutifully served our nation, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of world peace. To this end we will work with others as follows:

* Toward increasing public awareness of the costs of war

* To restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations

* To end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons

* To seek justice for veterans and victims of war

* To abolish war as an instrument of national policy

* We support only nonviolent solutions to conflict resolution worldwide.

* We stand for creating a world in which conflicts are resolved through dialogue and involving the principles of conflict resolution; A world which condemns wars based on economic or natural resources imperatives; A world which recognises that a nation's natural resources form part of that nation's sovereignty.

* When taking part in protest actions:

1. We will use our anger at injustice as a positive, nonviolent force for change.

2. We will not carry weapons of any kind.

3. We will not vandalize or destroy property.

4. We will not use or carry alcohol or illegal drugs.

5. We will not run or make threatening motions.

6. We will not insult, swear or attack others.

7. We will protect those who oppose or disagree with us from insult or attack.

8. We will not assault, verbally or physically, those who oppose or disagree with us, even if they assault us.

9. Our attitude, as conveyed through our words, symbols and actions, will be one of openness, friendliness, and respect toward all people we encounter including police officers, military personnel, members of the community at large, and all marchers.

10. As members of a nonviolent action, we will follow the directions of the designated coordinators.

11. In the event of a serious disagreement, we will withdraw from the action.

Note: We have shamelessly borrowed some of the above from
our British counterpart.

We want to know what other Australian anti-war veterans think we should stand for.

We're open to suggestions - and new members of course...

Australian Veterans For Peace

July 16, 2007

Time for action

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