Dear Resisters,
When I joined WRL’s National Committee in 2017, an unprecedented number of members from diasporic and marginalized communities were also joining, and I was thrilled to be working with a group of people ready to build a truly internationalist antiwar movement. As we acknowledged the many ongoing conflicts, occupations, and wars happening around the world and in many of our homelands, we wanted to create a program at WRL that would allow us to shine a light on conflicts that are quite literally “forgotten” by the media, and often, even within the antiwar movement in the US.
We’re proud to say, a year later, WRL’s “Forgotten Wars” series of teach-ins and panels has created much needed space to build connections between peoples and communities, who while facing militarism and state repression, do not necessarily have a great deal of exposure to the antiwar movement in the US. After we hosted our first teach-in on Kashmir, in a recent conversation with a Kashmiri activist, we were told the simple fact of seeing a New York event focused on the ongoing struggle in Kashmir was powerful for their community- letting them know their voices and struggle are being heard abroad.
The kind of exchange that takes place at these teach-ins and panels when we gather to learn from people who are engaged in struggles for liberation around the world offers the opportunity to share information about how oppression manifests in different contexts, and more importantly, new approaches to resisting occupation and war.
Across the globe, populist, right-wing, and fascist governments are taking power, giving way to calls for the kind of work WRL has done to counter militarism for nearly a century. It’s an unnerving time, but it is also a time for those in the antiwar movement to adopt a truly internationalist framework, to see the connections between the different fascist movements taking root worldwide and build solidarity with those fighting them.
Join us for the next teach-in in our Forgotten Wars series this Saturday, or please consider giving generously to allow WRL to continue to create the kind of spaces that allow us to build the kind of solidarity we know we need to win!
In Solidarity,
Robindra Deb
WRL National Committee