Unity Statement of the International Solidarity Conference on War, Militarism and Displacement
Migrants, Refugees and Peoples Unite
Against Imperialist War, Aggression and Militarism
Unity Statement of the International Solidarity Conference on War, Militarism and Displacement
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 26-27 October 2024
We, the participants*1 of the International Solidarity Conference on War, Militarism and Displacement, come together to discuss, analyse and take position on wars of aggression and rising militarism in our world and its relation to collective realities of asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and displaced peoples, and the growing movement calling for an end to unjust wars and fascist rules and demand just peace.
Peace is not merely the temporary absence of war. The wars and conflicts that beset our world require us to look at and study the root causes of war so as to identify a genuine path away from the catastrophic state the world is in.
We acknowledge that war and militarism contribute greatly to forced migration. Yet as we bear witness to this, US imperialism and imperialist countries continue to sell weapons of mass destruction, support and instigate wars, and aggressively set up military bases both on land and sea as if preparing for war. As their own people suffer from poverty, unemployment and lack of access to services, imperialist countries increase their military budgets and build narratives of war.
Imperialism is resorting to wars and conflicts to salvage itself from deepening economic quagmire. It is not impervious to the It cannot deny that they are ravaged by the same neoliberal policies that put colonies/neo-colonies and their people put the latter and their peoples into poverty and
We bear witness and experience war, conflict, and genocide that are products of colonization and imperialism. Proxy wars, military and fascist rule, wars of aggression, and occupation have incited and cultivated massive displacement of peoples and destruction of environments, with devastating and lingering impacts on women, children, men, and all displaced people everywhere - in their own homes, places of refuge, and even in their new found homes. Sexual assaults and all forms of gender-based violence are inflicted on women as the elderly, people with disabilities, indigenous minorities and many marginalised are among the most affected by wars.
US-backed Israel continues to wage its genocidal war on the people of Palestine as it intends to expand its territory over Palestinian land and in the Arab region while blatantly ignoring international multilateral institutions and conventions. Millions of lives have been lost, especially infants, children and youth, yet little action has been taken by those in power to stop and punish the Israeli Zionist government.
As war rages in Palestine, Rohingyas and many ethnic minorities in Myanmar continue to resist the military junta’s genocidal war while the people of West Papua continue to wage their struggle for liberation. The women and people of Kurdistan wherever they may be continue to build resistance against fascist rule. The Filipino migrant movement and peace advocates express concern and resistance to growing US military presence in the Philippines and US-instigated hysteria over China’s “aggression on the people of the Philippines and Asia”.
Similar conflicts, political persecution and killings have been endured by communities in many countries in the world for decades. The stories shared by asylum seekers and refugee leaders from Myanmar, Cameroon, Iran, Sudan, Liberia, Colombia, and Afghanistan during the conference are testaments to this reality. Our refugee brethren were forced to leave their homelands yet they continue to experience various forms of racist violence, discrimination, xenophobia and exclusion because of their status.
Asylum seekers and refugees endure: deprived access to daily basic necessities such as food, clean water, housing, clothing as well as to legal employment and protection, health care and education for their children; systematic discrimination, stigmatization, xenophobia and attacks; prolonged application process by UNHCR with no guarantee of positive result as most governments close their door to accept refugees; and refusal by many governments to ratify The 1951 Refugee Convention and implement agreements affecting the well-being of asylum seekers and refugees.Their voices continue to fall on deaf ears and their self-representation are denied or dismissed in policy and agenda on wars and conflicts, displacement and migration.
We continue to fight!
The long history of people’s resistance to unjust wars and occupation, fascist, military and autocratic rule proves our strong siding with life, human rights, dignity and just peace. Many in the conference have shared their struggles and campaigns that have been won by the people and their continued resilience and resistance amidst growing attacks from imperialist-backed regimes like Zionist Israel, military juntas and their ilk.
Therefore, we, asylum seekers, refugees and migrants, and all allies share the struggles and stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine as well Rohingyas, Chins, Kachins and many more Myanmar Ethnic minorities, Kurdish, Hazaras, Iranis, Syrians, Sudanese, Cameroonians, Liberians, West Papuans, and many more peoples in the world fighting imperialist wars including proxy wars, military aggression, fascism and genocide.
We vow to stand by the people as we work towards building a world with peace, prosperity and justice, a world without imperialist exploitation and war.
*1 The participants of the Solidarity Conference on War, Militarism and Displacement are migrants, asylum seekers, refugees as well as rights and peace advocates coming from Australia, Bangladesh, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, USA, and West Papua.
