“No to Germany as a party to war – No to new medium-range missiles!”
(26 July 2024) (26 July 2024) (CH-S) Irrespective of the question of “war guilt”, the catastrophic escalation in Ukraine must be ended as quickly as possible. A strong peace movement can make an important contribution to this. The appeal published on “NachDenkSeiten” is therefore to be strongly supported.
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The following is an appeal by:
Prof. Dr Peter Brandt (historian),
Reiner Braun (International Peace Office),
Anke Brunn (former State Minister),
Prof. Dr Hertha Däubler-Gmelin (former Federal Minister of Justice),
Bärbel Dieckmann (former President of Welthungerhilfe),
Ulrike Eifler (Trade Union Secretary),
Michael Müller (former Parliamentary State Secretary),
Helga Schwitzer (former Executive Board of IG Metall),
Jörg Sommer (Chairman of Deutsche Umwelthilfe) and
Willi van Ooyen (Federal Peace Council Committee),
with the suggestion for support.
In the early 1980s, large demonstrations took place in Germany against the deployment of Pershing missiles. They were an expression of the strength of the peace movement in German civil society. In the former GDR, many demonstrators also called for “swords to be turned into ploughshares” We are building on this broad will for peace. We demand an end to the war. Anyone who wants to support us and the appeal can do so at https://friedenschaffen.net.
Source: https://www.nachdenkseiten.de/?p=118267, 17 July 2024
(Translation “Swiss Standpoint”)
Appeal
No to Germany as a party of war – No to new medium-range missiles!
What our country needs is a strong peace movement that resolutely opposes the increasing militarisation of politics and public debate. We did this in the 1980s against the deployment of medium-range missiles, and we are doing the same today. In Ukraine, the escalation dynamics of the war are unbroken and continue to intensify. We must not remain silent at this historic juncture.
A year ago, we called on the Federal Chancellor to quickly push for a ceasefire and mediate peace negotiations with our appeal “Create peace now!”, which was also supported by many trade unionists. But the killing, the serious injuries, the destruction, the suffering and misery of the people continue. The danger of a major war in Europe threatens to become a conceivable future once again. The fact that Russia’s direct responsibility for the war is beyond question does not change the fact that peace must come first.
War is inhumane
We know from the disasters of the two world wars that war knows no boundaries. The war in Ukraine must not be allowed to escalate further and become a full-scale war. Yet we are always warned about “red lines” when it comes to arms deliveries to Ukraine, which must not be crossed, only to be crossed after all due to internal or external pressure. We condemn the unspeakable war rhetoric of politicians from both governing and opposition parties as well as large sections of the media.
EU Europe, which has become increasingly dependent on the USA, must once again become an independent force for peace with diplomacy at its centre.
Policy of détente
Both superpowers had learnt from the extremely dangerous Cuba crisis of 1962 that they had to take account of the elementary interests and threats of their opponents. This is the basis of the policy of détente. But the opposite is happening in the Ukraine war.
Much is painfully reminiscent of the July of failure in 1914 before the outbreak of the First World War. But weapons systems that can carry conventional warheads and even nuclear weapons to Russia with very short warning times are to be stationed in Germany again.
We say no to land-based missile systems, which were banned in the INF Treaty. We say no to a new Cold War, which could turn into a hot war. Unlimited armament is not the “ultima ratio”, it is the “ultima irratio”.
The conflicts and tensions in the world will increase if the war is not ended and Russia is to be disarmed on the back of Ukraine. And in the background, the rivalry between the USA and the new superpower China is coming to a head.
The NATO states will effectively become warring parties in Ukraine if they do not stop arming and supplying weapons and come up with a peaceful alternative.
The strategy of ruining the opponent with excessive military expenditure is predetermined by the military of the NATO leadership and primarily pursues the interests of the USA. The NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) is being set up in Wiesbaden with 700 military personnel, 40 of whom are provided by the Bundeswehr.
Germany threatens to slide into war
We stand against this. Even if it is claimed that the NSATU is not turning NATO into a party to the conflict, it only has one task: to deliver more and more weapons to Ukraine. This armament is being coordinated in Germany. Our country is becoming a party to the war.
Peace needs a “europeanisation of Europe” and a pan-European security architecture.
More common ground in our world with states with a variety of forms can only mean:
North-South solidarity, common security and sustainability. We say no to armament and war! We need a policy of peace and reason.
Further peace actions
We call on you to take part in the peace actions on 6 August and 1 September in many places and on 3 October 2024 in the nationwide demonstration in Berlin and to campaign for them.
Berlin, 17 July 2024
Further information is available from Reiner Braun
(+49 172 2317475) and Michael Müller (+49 172 2462125) and at https://friedenschaffen.net/aufruf-frieden-schaffen