The Antimilitarist Assembly was held on Sunday, January 11th. Attendance, both in person and online, was good, and the debate was interesting and in-depth, despite technical difficulties. At the beginning of the assembly, the topics for discussion were defined, reflecting the points proposed in the invitation. Constraining and Countering Militarism: Forms and Prospects of Struggle was the first topic addressed. In this regard, the Livorno Antimilitarist Coordination proposed an information and protest campaign (leaflets distributed in stations and any other appropriate action) against the expansion of railway lines for military purposes (transportation of weapons, ammunition, and personnel). This follows several initiatives in their area in recent months, including those organized by the "Railway Workers Against War." After extensive discussion, which also explored the possibility of a campaign against military logistics in a broader sense, it was decided to accept the proposal and begin with the railways. There are several reasons, but the most significant is the fact that the rail network covers the entire Italian territory (unlike ports and airports, which are limited to specific areas), that the costs of expanding the rail network for the military directly impact everyone's lives, as they are taken away from the transportation of students, commuters, etc., and that weapons and ammunition endanger departure and arrival stations, as well as all the areas they pass through. The Livorno Coordination Committee, already active on the issue, will provide the materials. The period for the initiatives has been identified as the week of March 23-29.
Regarding proposals regarding the reinstatement of military service, it was noted that several legislative proposals exist, and that Minister Crosetto will likely present a new proposal to replace them. The discussion revealed that Italy will likely adopt a "German-style" solution, that is, strengthening recruitment (in Germany, only a medical examination is mandatory, not service for now), without reinstating actual military service.
Some communities, such as Livorno and Florence, are already holding meetings on this issue, aiming to counter government propaganda aimed at encouraging recruitment in schools and fostering a sense of the "normality" of war and the military choice for one's future. Further action against "conscription," or enhanced recruitment, will have to wait for the government to propose its measures.
Regarding the anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine, three points emerged from the discussion to focus on: support for deserters, financial aspects (not just "warfare," but also the future Western exploitation of Ukrainian resources and the problems associated with the European Union's support for the continuation of the massacre), and, related to the previous point, enhanced recruitment. A truly crucial point could be the first: support for deserters, also linking it to the desertion of propaganda and recruitment that we can encourage in Italy, and therefore to the issue of conscription. The campaign will be carried out by local organizations "on the anniversary," meaning not a specific date but also in the days immediately preceding or following it. The Turin Antimilitarist Assembly will prepare an appeal to be circulated.
Finally, local comrades told us about the mobilization against the F-35 training base at Trapani Birgi airport: their fight to prevent its construction continues.
The next Antimilitarist Assembly will be held the second weekend of May.
Tiziano Antonelli
https://umanitanova.org/primavera-antimilitarista/
_________________________________________
Link: (en) Italy, FAI, Umanita Nova #2-26 - Antimilitarist Spring (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten