By: DRAMA (Directe Radicale Anti-Militaristische Actie)
Thursday 22 August – 11:00 am
On November 21, the annual arms fair of the Dutch and international arms industry will take place in Ahoy Rotterdam. Dozens of arms companies will present their deadly offerings, while speakers from government and industry will network about arms purchases, exports, more cooperation and higher military budgets. In this workshop we want to hold a brainstorm and provide the first impetus for organizing actions against this fair. Arms fairs like these play a crucial role in the expansion of the Western military-industrial complex.
The Western military-industrial complex is responsible for oppression, exploitation and exclusion, the maintenance of fossil economies, increasing inequality in the world and the militarization of borders. Western armed forces and the arms industry contribute worldwide to (imperialist) wars, human rights violations and the disruption of the climate, instead of contributing to “peace and security”. For example, the Dutch arms industry supplies parts for the F-35 fighter jets with which Israel bombs Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The Netherlands is therefore complicit in genocide, oppression and ecocide.
In 2023, the total global budget invested in the military apparatus was 2,400,000,000,000 dollars. At the same time, armed forces are responsible for 5.5 percent of global CO2 emissions. This makes them one of the largest polluters and causes of climate disruption. The call from politicians and high-ranking military personnel for (even) more investment in the arms industry and further militarization is now taking on authoritarian traits. Dissenting voices are barely given space in the media.
That is why it is time for action. Against the military industry, against military infrastructure and against (lobby) organizations that are connected to the military-industrial complex.
We demand:
- that the explosive growth of military spending is stopped and that disarmament is focused on. There can be no peace in a world full of weapons. There can be no climate justice on a militarized earth.
- that the supply and purchase of weapons, weapon parts and military technology to and from Israel and other countries that are guilty of or complicit in genocide, oppression and ecocide is immediately stopped.
- that the deadly militarization of borders is immediately ended and detention centers for refugees are immediately closed. No trees and barracks but homes for everyone!
As the DRAMA initiative group we want to organize anti-militarist actions in cooperation with other groups.
During this workshop we want to brainstorm ideas for actions, mobilize people and enter into collaborations to build a powerful anti-militarist movement.
