Riots prompt rethink in security
‘This group is particularly touched by the recent riots and I sincerely hope that we can work on alternatives to strong arm tactics and towards peacebuilding together.'
The Quaker-led French group Stop Fuelling War (SFW) has said that last month’s riots in France have made the need to rethink security more pressing than ever.
The group – which was formed out of Quaker witness at the Eurosatory arms fair in Paris – has been focusing on embracing the message of Rethinking Security France for some time. Last month the group invited mayors of towns and the suburbs (les banlieues) to join a series of meetings with peace groups and academics.
Karina Knight Spencer, president of SFW, told the Friend: ‘This group is particularly touched by the recent riots and I sincerely hope that we can work on alternatives to strong arm tactics and towards peacebuilding together. The issue of insecurity is suddenly in the headlines. We are all aware of the necessity for change. The recent riots have brought this urgently to the fore.’
Among those engaged in the meetings, she said, are the lead of the only peace academic course in France, focussing on civil resistance at the Catholic Institute Paris. Also present are: a writer on nonviolence; a UN peacekeeper; representatives of Mayors for Peace France; and other peace groups. SFW is also supported by Toulouse Quakers and others, to change its focus to Rethinking Security France, said Karina.
‘After we were banned from handing out our leaflets throughout the week at Eurosatory, and the surrounding area, last summer, we have had to retrench and reassess the way forward.’
‘We are the only non-French participants in Repenser la Sécurité France, so we are desperate to find funding in order to employ someone French to work full-time on this, and to be our voice as secretariat, as well as work on research and publicity. This is the next step now that we feel that this project has a chance of coming to fruition.’
Karina Knight Spencer said the overall aim is to advocate, once the group has ‘a set of concrete alternatives to the current situation of security in France and, if there is collective agreement, also its effect on Europe, previous colonies and global stability. Like the other European initiatives, we will start the discussion about alternative approaches to build inclusive and common security’.
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