War Resisters' International Visitor

Howard Clark, Coordinator of the War Resisters' International in London since
1985, is planning to visit Australia early in 1995, from late February until
April.

He is hoping to learn more about issues that nonviolent activists are
involved in here as well as sharing wider international concerns, especially
following the WRI's Triennial Conference in Brazil in December this year -
the first to be held in Latin America since the WRI began in 1923.

Howard has been an activist since his student days more than twenty years
ago, after which he became an editor of Peace News for five years. He was
involved in the struggle against nuclear power in Britain in the late 1970's
and at one stage, cycled round the country calling in at every nuclear power
plant.

He later worked as a researcher for the Alternative Defence Commission at the
University of Bradford and was active with the European Nuclear Disarmament
movement in the 1980s. He has been involved in NVA training over many years
and has been arrested on a number of occasions for civil disobedience.

The War Resisters' International has gone through many changes in its seventy
year history, but has always been active in promoting the right to
conscientious objection to military service as a basic human right, so it is
not surprising that Australia has not had an active WRI branch since the days
of the Vietnam War.

Most WRI branches are in Europe and the United States so much of its focus in
recent years has been on former Yugoslavia, but a number of Australians did
attend the 1985-86 WRI Triennial conference in India and Australian women
gave active support to the Women and Nonviolence gathering in Thailand a
couple of years ago. Australian activists have also helped provide financial
assistance for people from the Asia-Pacific region to attend meetings in
Europe.

Current WRI concerns cover a number of issues which are considered to be at
the roots of war and militarism, ranging from actual armed conflict
situations where they are calling for non-military options to be explored, to
involvement with feminist issues, the environment, safe energy, campaigning
against the arms trade, social defence, and support for organisations such as
SERPAJ (Service for Peace and Justice) in Latin America and Peace Brigades
International.

In recent years, the WRI has taken over Peace News, which is now a monthly
with a Canadian editor, and can be subscribed to through the WRI Australian
financial agent in Canberra (sample free copies available from Peter D.
Jones, P.O. Box 451 North Hobart, TAS 7002), and has moved back to offices
above Housman's Bookshop in Kings Cross, next to its old offices from twenty
years ago.

Somehow the WRI struggles on financially living off the smell of the
proverbial oily rag, yet supporting anti-militarist struggles around the
world, and keeping in touch with a host of other campaigns related to its
mandate.

Howard is looking forward to meeting Australian nonviolent activists and
sharing news of current WRI campaign involvement. Any groups willing to host
him and contribute towards his surface travel around Australia, should get in
touch with Peter D. Jones at the above Hobart address.
Peter D. Jones