WILPF Update

WILPF and Afghanistan Leaks: the Reality of War, Militarism and its Human and Economic Costs

On July, 25, 2010 WikiLeaks released a document set called the Afghan War Diary, an extraordinary compendium of over 91,000 reports covering the war in Afghanistan from 2004 to 2010. Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, stated purpose was to bring home the "every day squalor of war" and he has done that. In so doing he echoes the reason for the creation of WILPF in 1915 to “protest the madness and the horror of war”. Therefore, WILPF supports the courageous actions taken by Julian Assange and those who have provided the information to him. To read WILPF's entire statement on “Afghanistan Leaks: the Reality of War, Militarism and its Human and Economic Costs” please click here.

United National Peace Conference

The United National Peace Conference, held in Albany, NY from July 23-25, came to a close just hours before the controversial Afghan War Diaries were published by Wikileak and right before the US Congress voted for additional funding for the perpetual U.S. wars and occupations. Over the three-day period, thirty-three workshops on topics related to war and social justice brought together over 750 peace activists from across the country. Participants came from a range of perspectives and movements.

On Saturday July 24, Maria Butler, Associate of the PeaceWomen Project, presented on the Women Against War Panel, along with Col. Ann Wright, 1 of 3 State Dept officials who resigned in protest of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and had just returned from the Gaza Peace Flotilla, and Connie Frisbee Houde, from Albany Women Against War. Of the thirty-three workshops, this was the only one about women and peace. It was co-organized by WILPF-US.

Maria Butler speaks at the United National Peace Conference.