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Ofog demands an end to war preparations
2010-07-28 Luleå
United States and Swedish Air Force are right now preparing for a large war exercise in Norrbotten. War preparations can never go undisturbed says Ofog, who on Thursday at 12:00 will be at Norrbotten Air Wing F21.
The purpose is to break the silence about the fact that Sweden is at war and USA as an ally is allowed to practise bomb war on Swedish soil. War starts here and we can stop it from here, says Ofog who wants to show a better way to use common resources.
- Spending public funds on running a war in Afghanistan and arranging advanced military exercises with USA is not something for the common good or a more peaceful world, says Karin Carlsson, acvtive in Ofog.
The US Air Force in Europe, USAFE, is coming to Norrbotten to practise bomb dropping during a couple of weeks. There has been a large secrecy around the exercise and the lack of democratic transparency has been almost total, but the exercise is expected to start next week. F21 will be home base for the exercise where about 20 US military aircraft will participate.
- USA is the worlds largest military power. They have got nuclear weapons, use phosphorus bombs and are notorious for lawless actions, torture and offences. When Sweden allows US Air Force to come here and improve their skills in dropping bombs over Iraq and Afghanistan we are accomplices in USAs war crimes, says Maja Backlund, active in Ofog.
The network Ofog is right now in Luleå holding an action camp to place attention on the war exercise that starts next week. During the week there are lectures, workshops and Ofog invites the public to direct action for peace.
Disarmers on second trial
When: April 21st, 2010 - 09:30
Where: Svea Hovrätt (Court of Appeal), Stockholm
In the autumn of 2008, activists from the antimiltaristic network Ofog disarmed fourteen rocket propelled grenades at Saab Bofors Dynamics weapons factory in Eskilstuna. The two activists, Anna Andersson and Martin Smedjeback, were sentenced to four mounths imprisonment each in Eskilstuna district court. At the same trial Smedjeback was also sentenced to pay damages of 155 000 SEK (about 15 000 euros) for having climbed the fence at arms factory Aimpoint in Malmö. Both these cases where put on appeal and will now be tried again in Svea hovrätt (Court of Appeal) in Stockholm.
More information: Disarmers on second trial
Shamepoint climbers on trial
Time: Monday May 17th , 2010 - 09:00
Location: Malmö District Court, Kalendegatan 1, Malmö
During the European Social Forum in Malmö, September 2008, the network Ofog organised an action with hundreds of participants outside the weapons factory Aimpoint. This company manufactures red-dot sights, something that has become a major export product, especially to the U.S. Army since the invasion of Iraq. At the action six activists climbed over the fence and went into the factory site with banners saying no to war.
Four of the activists have already been on trial, and the last two are now on trial for trespassing. Aimpoint has also submitted a claim of 513 143 SEK (about 50 000 euros) for saftety and surveillance expenses, missed-out profit of the day caused by the closing of the factory and additional legal expenses.
You are very welcome to attend the trial!
Film about the action at Aimpoint and European Peace Action in 2008 European Peace Action 2008
About Ofog
On February 11-13 2002, 35 Swedes participated in a blockade of nuclear-armed UK submarines. The blockade was an initiative by Trident Ploughshares, which had received the “Right Livelyhood Award” in the Swedish parliament in December 2001. During the three-day blockade the nuclear base Faslane was shut down for several hours, and 186 people from 12 countries were arrested.
Before the blockade activists from Trident Ploughshares were invited to Sweden to hold a two-day action training for those who were going to participate. In spring 2002 those who were interested got together again, and during several meetings the platform for "Ofog - för en kärnvapenfri värld" ("for a world without nuclear weapons") was formulated.
Since then the network has participated in disarmament camps in Faslane, Coulport, Aldermaston, Menwith Hill in UK, as well as in Shape and Kleine Brogel in Belgium, train blockades in Germany, and also some smaller actions. Members of the campaign have also organized trainings, camps and actions, spent some time behind bars, held lectures and so on…
Through the means of blockades, disarmament actions and other open, non-violent actions, Ofog is working to put pressure on the nuclear states to follow international law and disable their nuclear arms.
Since it started, Ofog has developed into a broader spectrum of activities and interests. While the struggle to abolish nuclear weapons continues, we now put the focus also on other areas of war industry, such as the Swedish weapons exports, NATO, and the militarization of space. We intend also to work towards a deepened co-operation between peace-activism groups in different countries.
In accordance with the broader focus, the network in January 2007 officially changed name to "Ofog - for a nuclear free and demilitarised world".
About the name ”Ofog”
”Ofog” literally translates into ”mischief”. But ofog is also a play with words. “Foga” is a Swedish verb meaning to conform, to obey. But in Swedish, if you put an O before a word, you turn it into its opposite.
“Foga” also means, roughly, fixating things together in a decided and unchangeable form, so in this meaning of the word, when we put the O before, this is an allusion to our function as a flexible, dynamic network.
Latest news:
Swedish peace activists in action against nuclear weapons in Belgium
At lunchtime Saturday April 3rd, hundreds of peace activists entered into the airbase of Kleine Brogel in Belgium. Mila Ostojic and Cattis Laska, both from Ofog, were among those that with non violent direct action entered into the base to highlight and protest against the fact that the airbase hosts nuclear weapons.
"By participating in this action, we want to highlight that while sanctions are being planned against countries suspected of having nuclear weapons, there is no pressure against those countries possessing nuclear weapons for sure, and also threatening to use them," says Mila Ostojic.
The airbase of Kleine Brogel hosts 20 B-61/4 nuclear bombs along with 36 fighter planes for aerial combat and bombing, and also capable of carrying the nuclear bombs. These weapons are available for NATO to use when it suits them.
The action in Belgium is part of a European day of action against nuclear weapons, which calls on all countries having nuclear weapons on their soil to get rid of them. During the day, actions will also take place at nuvclear bases in Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, France and Britain.
"In the Foreign Policy Statement of 2010 the Swedish government says that their goal remains a world without nuclear weapons. However, this is nothing more than empty words unless they are acting accordingly. We urge the Swedish government to act for the disarmament of all nuclear weapons, in the West aswell as in the rest of the world and to bring this issue to the Conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty in May" says Cattis Laska.
The activists that entered the airbase of Kleine Brogel were arrested by the military and held in custody for some hours inside the base before being released.
Images from the action: http://www.vredesactie.be/gallery.php?gallery=12, 0,0,68
Ofog starts talks with Electronic Defense System
On Monday March 29th four activists from Ofog began a dialogue with Electronic Defense Systems, one of Saab's business units. Electronic Defense Systems' main office is situated in Gothenburg, where they also have factories.
The meeting took place at Electronic Defense System's office and present were Miahabo Berkelder, Kristina Johansson, Elsa Berglund and Kimo Kjernmoen from Ofog and Linn Lichter Mann and Per Järbur from Saab. Presented and discussed were the business and products of Electronic Defense Systems, Ofog's work and plans, ethics and Saab's thoughts about their contribution to the global war industry.
These talks are a part of the work Ofog does against the weapons industry in Sweden. Ofog will continue to talk to Electronic Defense Systems about their responsibility regarding products being exported to war, talk to local politicians about the fact that arms are being made in the municipality and inform the people living in the municipality of what is going on in their neighbourhood.
"War doesn't begin in Afghanistan or Iraq, it starts here in Gothenburg where production of military equipment is taking place. Arms are made to serve in wars where people actually die", says Miahabo Berkelder, one of the participants at the meeting.
Electronic Defense Systems manufactures mainly a variety of radar systems that have been and are marketed for use in war. For example they've been sold to Pakistan and Colombia.
Juror wanted to free Ofog activists in trial
On Thursday March 4th the two Ofog activists Martin Landin and Jonas Ek were sentenced to 40 day of fines each for the Crime scene investigation they conducted during the NATO exercise Loyal Arrow in June 2009.
In the trial held a week earlier, the activists claimed they acted accordning to "nödvärn" (emergency situation), while they were trying to prevent NATO from preparing war crimes.
"We had hoped the district court would show faith in change and democracy, but anyway this will not prevent me from doing other actions", said Martin Landin.
However, one of the jurors, Gösta Ahl, was not agreeing with the sentence. He considered the action as a legitimate way of raising public opinion about the issue.
"The fact that a juror wanted to free us is a huge success for the non-violent direct action movement, and it gives hope for the future of a judiciary which sees civil disobedience from a broader perspective", says Jonas Ek.
Here follows an attempt at a timeline of actions that Ofog has participated in:
2008.
October 16-19. Avrusta disarmament actions. Karlskoga and Eskilstuna, Sweden.
www.avrusta.se
September. Dissent, Disturb, Disrupt. European Peace Action. Malmö, Sweden.
www.europeanpeaceaction.org
June 12-19. Disarm'08. Karlskoga, Sweden.
http://www.ofog.org/disarm08
May 15. Rebel Dia. Göteborg, Sweden.
Spring. Ofog on tour. Meetings in different cities.
March. Nato Game Over.
www.ofog.org/nato-game-over
February. Shamepoint. Malmö, Sweden.
www.ofog.org/shamepoint
2007.
September-October. Faslane 365. Faslane/Coulport, Scotland.
www.ofog.org/faslane-365-2007
June. Disarm´07. Karlskoga, Sweden.
http://www.ofog.org/disarm07/
May. Rebel Mariner vs Nato. Göteborg, Sweden.
http://www.ofog.org/rebel-mariner
2006.
November. Protest. Brussels, Belgium.
http://www.ofog.org/nato-aktion-i-bryssel-2007
October. Faslane 365. Faslane, Scotland.
http://www.ofog.org/faslane-365-2006
September. Non au missile M51. Bordeaux, France.
http://www.ofog.org/non-au-missile-m51-2006
2005.
June. Spy camp inspections. Fauske, Norway.
May. Nato. Göteborg, Sweden.
April. Bomspotting XL. Belgium.
2004.
August. Nuke base inspections. Coulport, Scotland.
http://www.ofog.org/coulport-2004
June. Spy radar inspections. Vardö, Norway.
2003.
October. Get in Shape. Belgium.
August. Coulport, Scotland.
April. The Really Big Blockade. Faslane, Scotland.
2002.
November. Nuclear sub inspection. Devonport, England.
October. Bomspotting.
February. Block´n Roll. Faslane, Scotland.
Ofog is an antimilitaristic network working with nonviolent direct action against the weapon industry, nuclear weapons, Nato and other kinds of militarism.
Ofog has organised peace camps with direct actions against the weapons industry in the town of Karlskoga. During the autumn of 2008 the first disarmament actions by Ofog activists took place. Ofog also participates in international protests and actions against nuclear bases and Nato headquarters.
Journalists can reach Ofog at +46(0)733815361. During actions and camps we try to answer your calls directly. In between we may not answer right away but leave a message on the answering machine and we call you back as soon as possible.
You can also e-mail us at info[at]ofog.org.
Contact
e-mail: info[at]ofog.org.
Or you can phone us at +46 733 81 53 61 to leave a message.
Ofog Göteborg: goteborg@ofog.org
Ofog Stockholm: stockholm@ofog.org
Ofog Malmö: malmo@ofog.org