Cia&Friends

On Easter Lilith II and other CIA agents are going to Brussels for a civil inspection of NATO-Headquarters

What’s it all about?

Brussel hosts the political headquarters of NATO – a centre of worldwide war planning.
NATO creates more problems than it solves. We don’t need a military alliance that threatens the rest of the world.

• We don’t need a machinery for global military interventional

• Security is too important to leave it to the military

• We want to make the resistance against military globalisation visible again.

It it time to question the legitimacy of military power tools.

Sa 22.3. NATO Game Over
Su 23.-Mo 24.3. Seminary on military globalisation and nonviolent resistance in Europe

What will we do there?

‚NATO – Game Over‘ is not an ordinary demonstration, neither is it a game. It is a nonviolent and resolute attempt to close NATO. Up till today, every nonviolent direct action at or around NATO’s headquarters was met with large numbers of police, miles of barbed wire, prohibitions,… This will not stop us. Through nonviolent direct action we try to prevent wars and stop war crimes. Our basic conditions for taking part are openness, active nonviolence and a strong sense of responsibility.
Together we will head to the NATO headquarters, five years after the start of the war in Iraq, to close it down. Literally we will shut its gates and access roads. We are nonviolent and determined. Bomspotters will enter and inspect the terrain where the preparation for the use of nuclear weapons occurs in order to stop war crimes.

What does this have to do with our countries?

The NATO has deployed 350 US nuclear weapons in Europe. It permits the use of nuclear weapons against states who do not posses nuclear weapons themselves.

Every nuclear weapon is a threat to safety and undermines international efforts towards nuclear disarmament. Every bomb is a potential target for acts of terror and brings with it an unacceptable risk of accident.

How do we organise ourselves?

We form an affinity group (or several of them), which participates in Game Over with a common goal. We take decisions by consensus. We share the various roles (press, legal support, first aid,…) within the group, in a way that suits all . Every one of us has a „buddy“ during the action – both remain together for the entire action and look out after one another.

Practical stuff

Accomodation will be organised and we – and all the others – can stay there with our sleeping mats and sleeping bags.

Schedule

Thu, 20.3. Travelling to Brussels, sight-seeing at NATO headquarters, meeting with local people who have taken part in past bombspotting actions

Fr, 21.3. Preparation of the action, nonviolence training

Sa, 22.3. Game Over at the NATO headquarters

23.3.- 24.3. Seminary on military globalisation and nonviolent resistance in Europe

You can also arrive on 21 March and just take over the decisions taken by your group until then and be part of the decision-making from the moment you arrive.

Legal information

Trespassing on a military base without permission is a crime according to Belgian criminal law and is in theory punished with a prison sentence of maximal 5 years. During the ten years that the Bombspotting-campaign has taken place, the Belgian courts have not sentenced anyone for these actions. In practice, the only consequence of participating in a Bombspotting-action is an arrestation for several hours.

Although the legal situation makes it doubtful that any legal consequences will follow, we can not guarantee that. We provide legal support and make sure you do not end up isolated in court, but in case of prosecution it is still you facing the courts. Be aware that in such case the action is not finished on 22 March but after a court procedure. Civil disobedience is never a risk-free activity.

Background

What is a bombspotting action?

A Bombspotting-action is a mass action of civil disobedience by trespassing and inspecting military bases and headquarters. It is strictly nonviolent.

Reasons for the action and its timing

The use and threat of use of nuclear weapons is illegal according to an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. This also applies to NATO nuclear weapons in Europe.

The 22 March is the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq. Through NATO, Europe is involved in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. European states train military forces for the NATO Response Force and due to NATO the US still maintains bases in Europe used for military interventions worldwide.

At the beginning of April NATO has a very decisive summit in Bucharest. NATO is discussing its future and an important step will be the review of its Strategic Concept, which will start on the Bucharest summit. A new Strategic Concept will shape NATO policy for the next ten years. This makes the coming year very important for the future of NATO. Will NATO remove its nuclear weapons or do they get a new role towards the Middle East? Will NATO become a global military alliance? Will NATO legitimate the US missile defense system? With the NATO Game Over-action we hope to create international political pressure targeted at these decisions.

Seminary on military globalisation and nonviolent resistance in Europe

5 years ago, the Iraq war enlarged the public awareness of Europe’s role in the military globalisation. In 2003, all over Europe nonviolent direct actions took place against the deployment of troops to Iraq. Meanwhile, several military bases are met with a lot of local resistance.

On this seminar we bring together the local resistance against bases and nonviolent direct action groups from several European countries to share knowledge on the military complex and to build partnerships and common strategies.

More Infos: http://www.vredesactie.be/dossier.php?id=21

Any questions? Ask Renate ugatza@gmx.net

Download Flyer NATO – game over (pdf 110 kB)