SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2024

Weekend Reading

Dear John,

We all deserve to live in a world free from violence and oppression. In this issue of Weekend Reading, you’ll see some of the ways that AFSC is working with communities to build peace around the globe. That includes helping people heal from conflict, shining a light on human rights violations, and lifting up the voices of communities facing injustice.

Here are this week's picks to inform and support your activism:

New project documents Israel’s violations of U.S. and international law: [link removed] Israel is the largest recipient of military funding from the United States over the years. This week, a group of organizations, including AFSC, released a new online resource [link removed] documenting how Israel is violating U.S. and international law using U.S. weapons. We call for an immediate suspension of any transfers of arms to Israel’s government that could be used to harm civilians or commit further war crimes in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, or elsewhere.

Facing the past, building a peaceful future: [link removed] In Burundi, communities are working to heal after decades of civil war—and to prevent violence from happening again. With support from AFSC, thousands of community members took part in trainings and community dialogues on transitional justice. For many young people, it was the first time they heard elders speak of the violence and loss they had experienced. Read more from AFSC’s Pierre Nyabenda.

Tell Congress to demand a permanent cease-fire for Gaza now!: [link removed] Thank you to everyone who contacted Congress this week as Israel began its ground invasion of Rafah. Instead of agreeing to a cease-fire, the Israeli government is escalating violence. That will only lead to many civilian deaths and further disrupt humanitarian aid as people face starvation and disease. Please keep up the pressure on Congress and keep sending these messages!

New EU-Central America pact offers opportunities for peacebuilding: [link removed] Earlier this year, the European Union and Central America Association reached an unprecedented agreement. The agreement opens doors for peacebuilding and cooperation. It’s also a critical opportunity to ensure the inclusion of historically marginalized communities in dialogues on policy and trade. Read more from AFSC’s Douglas Juárez in English [link removed] or Spanish [link removed] .

Campus protests invigorate efforts to press corporate America: [link removed] Across the U.S., students are urging universities to divest from companies profiting from Israeli war crimes, occupation, and apartheid. This movement can empower shareholders to support social justice and human rights in their investment decisions, and pressure corporate America to do the same. (Bloomberg Law) To learn more, see our guide to divesting for Palestinian rights. [link removed]

Messages from divided families from North Korea: [link removed] It’s been over 70 years since an armistice suspended active fighting on the Korean Peninsula. But today, many Korean Americans remain separated from family members in North Korea because of enduring conflicts. With support from AFSC, a video project is documenting the stories of these Korean Americans. Watch this video of Kyu Bang, a 95-year-old who longed to reunite with his sister in Pyongyang after decades apart. (Instagram)

Special thanks to our monthly donors, our Partners for Peace, for their ongoing support to make all our work possible.

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