WILPF EB/SF JUNE 2024

WILPF NEWS

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

East Bay and San Francisco Branches

Work to Advance Peace, Justice and Human Rights

June 2024

Crisis in Sudan – Your Voice Matters!

The situation in Sudan requires our urgent attention. Armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has led to devastating humanitarian consequences. Civilians are bearing the brunt of the violence, with thousands killed, millions displaced, and essential services disrupted. Your immediate action is needed to bring global attention to this crisis and advocate for meaningful change.

TAKE ACTION NOW: Contact your Representatives. Use this template letter to urge your government officials to take urgent action.

Condemn the violence and urge for an immediate ceasefire.
Increase humanitarian aid and ensure safe corridors for aid delivery.
Support international efforts to hold perpetrators of human rights abuses accountable. This includes supporting the extension of the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan by the UN Human Rights Council.

35^th Triennial Congress

Watch any of the Sessions at the Congress that you missed and then

Join in the Congress “Wrap” and Discussion

Sunday, June 16 1:00-2:30 pm

There were so many exciting and stimulating presentations and discussions at this year’s Congress, with the theme: Water on the Frontlines of Peace. If you would like to view some of the sessions you missed, many of the recordings have been uploaded here.

Still energized by the 35th Triennial Congress? Do you have more you would like to discuss or comment about, but did not have time to say it during the Congress? Here’s your opportunity.

Presenters and participants in this year’s Congress are invited to an open “wrap” session to reflect on concerns, questions and plans towards agency, advocacy, and action. Since this is an unstructured, informal meeting, Congress participants will have time to describe the work they are doing locally, to ask questions of presenters they did not have time to ask, or just generally reflect on their overall experience of the Congress.

Warheads to Windmills Presentation at Congress

On Sunday, June 2, I attended a very informative webinar entitled “Feeding Two Birds with one Scone: Taking Action to Address both Climate Change and Nuclear Weapons” The two presenters, Timmon Wallis and Vicki Elson, have devoted many years to the anti-nuclear movement. Their website of well-researched information about the nuclear weapons and nuclear power industries, including the impact of the nuclear industry on climate. They also provides a roadmap of what needs to happen and how all of us can get involved. They have written a book entitled “Warheads to Windmills: Preventing Climate Catastrophe and Nuclear War,” available on the website. You can download a PDF of the extremely informative and action-oriented 2024 Summary of the book here.

The People over Pentagon Act

It’s time to stop misdirecting hundreds of billions of dollars away from domestic and human needs to pad unnecessary budget lines for endless wars, failed weapons, and the Pentagon’s corporate handouts. Doing so will make our country stronger and more just. The People Over Pentagon Act (H.R. 1134) led by U.S. House Representatives Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.) would cut $100 billion from the three-quarters-of-a-trillion dollar Pentagon budget, reducing waste and encouraging lawmakers to spend this funding on the true needs of their constituents instead.

The $100 billion figure references a 2021 CBO report that demonstrates how this money could be cut from the Pentagon without impacting security. The bill exempts troop pay and the Defense Health Agency. Proponents of the bill argue that reallocating $100 billion away from the Pentagon is an essential first step towards realigning our national spending priorities.

Researchers at the National Priorities Project have noted that $100 billion used elsewhere could pay for:

Powering every household in the United States with solar energy
Hiring one million elementary school teachers amid a worsening teacher shortage
Free tuition for 2 out of 3 public college students in the U.S.
Sending every household in the U.S. a $700 check to help offset effects of inflation

The bill text and current cosponsors can be found here. Organizational supporters of the People Over Pentagon Act are listed below. If you would like to endorse the bill, click here. If you have other questions or comments for People Over Pentagon organizers, please use the contact form here.