The following is an open letter I sent from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to the International Peace Bureau in Berlin, Germany, following their request for a donation on “Giving Tuesday” (1st December)
Dear IPB Executive, dear friends of peace,
Nothing would make us – HUFUD and me personally – happier than help IPB achieve its goals of “disarmament, development and education”, but I first need to know what your achievements are in your 128 years of existence.
I know you have already created a very wide global network for peace and justice, I know you’ve partnered with trade unions, social movements, and climate activists.
I also know, in those 128 years we have experienced
- two World Wars
- hundreds of long wars, both between countries and civil wars
- thousands of armed conflicts, many still raging, with thousands killed every day
- development of the military industry
- increase in killing power
- Injustice (poverty, homelessness, unemployment, hunger)
- increase in trade union strikes
- increase in the number of refugees
- increase in deforestation
- increase in climate change
- increase in social violence
- many tourist economies destroyed (well before the Covid-19 pandemic)
We have also seen the creation of the War Club known as the United Nations Organization – the idea originating from America, the only country in history to have killed using nuclear power. This partly explains why UNO agreed at their UNESCO meeting to have their own Nuclear Research Centre (CERN) in Geneva, close to their European Headquarters. The United Nations model has inspired many countries to establish their own nuclear centres.
In your communication you say “we know that together we can:”. I believe exactly the same, but I also know peace, justice, equality, education for all, no hunger, no homelessness, control of climate change, of air pollution and the environment in general, better health research and healthcare, and much more, will only be achieved after we free the planet from Militarism, armed forces and military production.
Machine guns, bullets, landmines, grenades, bombs, rockets and torpedoes are made for killing and nothing else. Tanks, rocket launchers, air fighters and warships are manufactured to help destroy life and buildings. As a collateral, they destroy economies and the environment.
Sincere and strong hopes my friends at lPB that you are with me on this and accept the reality, that unless you – we – demand and achieve the universal abolition of Militarism, working for peace, justice, human rights, is a total waste of time, energy and people’s money.
Alberto Portugheis
HUFUD President
IPB Member
