Publications

Testimonies of Conscience Sent From the Soviet Union to The War Resisters' International 1923 - 1929,

Toronto 1997. Edited by Peter Brock, Professor Emeritus of History in the University of Toronto; 42 pp., £3 (including postage). Available from the WRI office.

The widespread movement of conscientious objection during the first twelve years of Soviet rule remains a topic almost unexplored by scholars. Yet it is one of the most important themes in the history of pacifism before the nuclear age. Professor Brock has presented several archive documents, excerpted from the War Resisters' International Bulletin and its continuation The War Resister, which are key to understanding the overall picture of the Soviet C.O. position before 1930. The focus is on C.Os. -- mostly Tolstoyans or religious members--who failed to gain exemption for military service. The conditions of their terms, prisons, and prison camps are described, along with the increasing harshness with which the Soviet government administered its C.O. legislation. The decline in the Russian antimilitarist movement in this period is starkly evidenced in these first-hand accounts.

Women for Peace, Published by Women in Black, Belgrade, 1997, 311 pp.

Currently available in English and Serbian, and soon in Italian and Spanish. The English version is available from the WRI office for £7.50 including postage. Other orders to Women in Black (tel/fax +385 11 3247877).

The fifth Women for Peace anthology presents the actions, thoughts, and approaches of Women in Black and many others from their feminist network of women and men. The first edition published during this fragile, new truce, its testimonies are permeated by the after-effects of recent events of war. Arising from a common need for reflection and analysis amidst daily activist commitments, the book represents responses to numerous challenges, including militarism in general and contradictions in the resistance movement. An excellent resource for those already familiar with Women in Black and anyone wanting to learn more about their work to achieve alternative politics through protest, testimony, and other nonviolent methods. Sections include "We are still on the streets of Belgrade," "Kosovo: non violence as a choice," and "The challenges and traps of humanitarian aid."

Gasto Militar y Alternativas Sociales, 2nd edition (in Spanish), edited by Colectivo Tritón, Pts 400.

Order from Colectivo Tritón, apdo de Correos 13, 28901 Getafe, Madrid, State of Spain.

Several groups from Madrid working on women's, environmental, education and social issues have come together to propose alternative uses for the Spanish military budget (currently around £18 million per day). This initiative is an impressive attempt to involve the wider population in the search for solutions to unfair distribution of public resources. Collaboration on this book has inspired several of these collectives to translate their words into action by taking part in the war tax resistance campaign.

War Resisters League 1998 Peace Calendar -- Like a Tree Standing by the Water: Celebrating 75 Years of Nonviolent Resistance; US$12.00 each; 4 for $44.00.

Order from WRL, 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 (tel +1 212 228 0450; fax 6193; email wrl@igc.apc.org).

The 75th Anniversary Peace Calendar is available now. Photos, captions, and short decade-by-decade essays tell the story of the War Resisters League and its role in seeking justice and resisting militarism since 1923. From the founding meetings to today's International YouthPeace Week, WRL and its
members have applied a unique brand of radical pacifism to the significant issues of this century.

Housmans Peace Diary and World Peace Directory 1998; £6.95 including postage anywhere in the world.

Discounts apply for larger orders. Order from Housmans Bookshop, 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX England, UK (tel +44 171 837 4473; fax: +44 171 278 0444).

The fully revised, 45th edition of the Peace Diary lists over 2000 national and international peace,
environment and human rights organisations in 150 countries. This year's Diary celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and features the continuation of the time-honoured traditions of weekly quotations, notable dates and anniversaries, and pocket-sized,
week-to-a-view format.