WVWS Attends 6th IWNAM meeting in the Bay Area

II. In 2007, WVWS mobilized again to attend the 6th International Women’s Network Against Militarism gathering in the Bay Area. Note the name change from  East-Asia-US-Puerto Rico Women's Network Against Militarism. The name has changed to be inclusive to women from other countries who are joining this network. At this meeting, Hawaii delegates shared the effects of militarism in Hawaii and the various ways they are speaking out. They also presented a power points, performances and booklets that gave a historical and cultural information on the effects of Hawaii's military occupation.

As a ho'okupu (offering) for this gathering, we created a book of poetry entitled: Ho'omo'omo'o: Piecing Together Expressions of Resistance, written by local women in Hawaii.

As stated in image above, "the term ho'omo'omo'o was given to the first beating in the traditional kapa making process, and is also appropriate for the first edition of this collection. Because women were traditionally responsible for the making of kapa (the goddess Hina was a kapa maker), a book of poems by women is well represented by a word connected to kapa making. There is a lot of kaona in the title ho'omo'omo'o as it encompasses the word mo'omo'o, the name for the bundles of fibers which stick together. Like these fibers, the individual voices in this collection will be pieced together to make a stronger statement against the militarization of our homeland. The title can also be connected to the mo'o, protectors of sacred bodies of water, who were identified throughout Hawai'i in both 'oli and mo'olelo. These mo'o were usually identified as being women, and were revered by the people of Hawai'i. Like these mo'o who protected our sacred sites in the past, the voices of women collected in this book are meant to expose the impacts of militarization on our communities, and to protect our 'aina from further militarization."  ~ Darlene Rodrigues and Summer Nemeth

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Hawaii Report on the 6th International Women’s Network Against Militarism 

Bay Area Gathering

September 11-14, 2007

WOMEN RESISTING MILITARISM AND CREATING A CULTURE OF LIFE
THE GATHERING

 For four days fifty women grassroots activists , advocates, teachers and researchers from Guam, Hawaii, Okinawa, Japan, Philippines, Puerto Rico and South Korea assembled in San Francisco, California for the  6th International Women’s Network Against Militarism gathering.  The women shared information about their work for peace and genuine security. Many issues were discussed including the negative impacts of the US military in their community’s i.e.  adverse health impacts caused by military contamination, resisting the expansion of US bases in their nations, and opposing limitations on civil rights for those who speak out against militarism.
Hawaii sent 7 delegates, all representing DMZ Hawaii Aloha Aina.  Read more...

EAST ASIA-US-PUERTO RICO WOMEN’S NETWORK AGAINST MILITARISM

     Herstory

The East Asia-US-Puerto Rico Women's Network Against Militarism was formed in 1997 when 40 women activists, policy-makers, teachers, and students from South Korea, Okinawa, mainland Japan, the Philippines and the United States gathered in Okinawa to strategize together about the negative effects of the U.S. Military in each of our countries. In 2000, Puerto Rican women who opposed the U.S. Navy bombing training on the island of Vieques also joined. The Network is not a membership organization, but collaboration among women active in our own communities. Our 5th international meeting will be in the Philippines, November 2004.

     Principles

We envision a world of genuine security based on justice, respect for others across national boundaries and economic planning based on local people's needs, especially the needs of women and children. Genuine security arises from the following principles:
1. The environment in which we live is able to sustain human and natural life;
2. People's basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, health care, and education are met;
3. People's fundamental human dignity and respect for cultural identities are honored;
4. People and the natural environment are protected from avoidable harm.

     Misson

Our mission is to promote, model, and protect genuine security by creating an international women's network of solidarity against militarism. To strengthen our common consciousness and voice by sharing our experiences and making critical connections among militarism, imperialism, and systems of oppression and exploitation based on gender, class, and nation.


     Goals

To contribute to the creation of a society free of militarism, violence, and all forms of sexual exploitation, in order to guarantee the rights of marginalized people, particularly women and children, and to ensure the safety, well-being, and long term sustainability of our communities.

     Actions

Activities of participating organizations include the provision of services and support, public education and protest, research and lobbying, litigation, promoting alternative economic development, and networking.

Through our actions we seek to:

1. promote solidarity and a healing process among the diversity of women who are impacted by militarism and violence;

2. integrate our common understandings into relationships in the Network and in our daily lives;

3. promote leadership development and self-determination among all the sisters of the Network;

4. initiate and support local and international efforts against militarism;

5. strengthen our work by exploring our diverse historical, social, political, and economic experiences in the context of each country