Resolutions and Policy Statements 1994
Japan 9-13 August 1994

Extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
The NPT and the People's Democratic Republic of Korea
Arms Trade and Disarmament
Blockade against Cuba
Israel-Palestine
Occupation and Violence
Lebanon
Human Rights for the Kurdish People
Peace in the former Yugoslavia
Exploitation of Migrant Filipino Workers
The New South Africa
Indigenous and Tribal Peoples
Haiti
Rwanda
East Timor
Women in the United Nations
ILO Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples

Extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
In April 1995, the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons will meet in New York to evaluate the effectiveness of the Treaty and decide on its future.

In view of the highly discriminatory character of the Treaty, setting a double standard between nuclear and non-nuclear states, and the urgent need to eliminate all nuclear weapons,  the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom urges that the Treaty be extended by no more than five years on the condition that it be revised to remove the discriminatory aspects while at the same time genuine negotiations should be carried out for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

We call for the conclusion of an international convention to ban the development, production and stockpiling, and the elimination of all existing nuclear arsenals in preparation of entering into a nuclear-free twenty-first century.

Verification measures of the convention should include the safety regime and other relevant provisions now contained in the NPT.

The NPT and the People's Democratic Republic of Korea
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom deplores the DPRK's decision to withdraw from the NPT because it is not in the interest of any country or the world's peoples for states to break loose from the NPT.

We further believe that nuclear weapons proliferation, both horizontal and vertical, is a great danger to world security and must be stopped.

We call on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to observe strict objectivity in enforcing the safety regime under Article IV of the NPT. We further call on the IAEA and the United Nations to honour the "Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula between South and North Korea to resolve the nuclear issues. The Joint Declaration prohibits the testing, production, deployment and use of nuclear weapons in Korea.

We consider that the US does not have the right to threaten a small country because it refuses to accept the imposition of discriminatory policies and insists on its right to decide for itself.

In order to defuse the current crisis, we call on the US and North Korea to continue their talks with the aim of finding long-term solutions to the objective implementation of the provisions of the NPT.

We further call on the U.S., Japan and South Korea to renounce permanently all joint military exercises and in particular "Team Spirit".

We urge the US to submit its military bases in South Korea to IAEA inspection as is asked of North Korea.

Arms Trade and Disarmament
The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom reaffirms its commitment to work for the achievement of total and universal disarmament beginning with nuclear disarmament.

We welcome the agreements on the reduction of certain categories of nuclear weapons but are concerned by the lack of progress toward genuine disarmament. We call on all governments to take the necessary decisions to implement the relevant UN decisions, in particular the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the UN General Assembly devoted to Disarmament, and the decisions of all subsequent special UN General Assembly sessions on disarmament.  We call on the members of the Conference on Disarmament to speedily conclude a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and an International Convention on banning nuclear weapons.

While we welcome the reduction in military budgets, we are deeply concerned over the continuous development of ever more sophisticated weapons. We are also deeply concerned by the continuing production of weapons, a large part of which is sold to Two-Thirds Countries whose people live in poverty and misery.

We call on world public opinion to press all governments to cease the production and sales of armaments and move toward total and universal disarmament.

Blockade against Cuba
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom re-affirms its total opposition to the US blockade against Cuba. It affirms the right of the Cuban people to self-determination and to live peacefully among the community of nations.

We call on the United States of America to end its blockade against Cuba in accordance with the United Nations General Assembly resolution 48/16 of 3 November 1993.

We further call on the United States of America to immediately end restrictions of its citizens on travel to Cuba, and to allow humanitarian aid to reach Cuba unhindered.

Israel-Palestine
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom welcomed the Declaration of Principles on Palestinian self-government in the Gaza Strip and Jericho area, signed in Washington on 13 September 1993. We welcome the first steps taken in the implementation of the agreement.

However, the deferment of negotiations of certain fundamental issues, such as the dismantling of settlements, the right of return, the question of refugees, and the ultimate question of Palestinian statehood and sovereignty could lead to the derailment of the peace process. We therefore call for the acceleration of the negotiating process to achieve as quickly as possible the end of occupation and the establishment of the independent state of Palestine alongside Israel.

We further call for
- the halt to the expansion of settlements in and around Jerusalem as well as to the expansion of all other settlements;
-  the speedy removal of the Israeli settlers from inside Hebron and the dismantlement of all Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories, the Gaza Strip, and Jericho;
- the re-establishment of full access to East Jerusalem of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, the Gaza Strip and Jericho;
- the immediate release of all political prisoners;
- effective United Nations protection of the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories;
- the international community to provide generous and immediate financial assistance to the Palestinians and the National Authority for the development of their state infrastructure and their economy.

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom strongly opposes the intentions of the Israeli Government to close Palestinian national institutions in East Jerusalem, including the Orient House.

Occupation and Violence
The continued occupation by Israel of the Occupied Territories is causing increased tensions and serious human rights violations in the area. Innocent Palestinian and Israeli civilians have been and continue to be killed as a tragic result of the dangerous situation.

We demand that these heinous crimes be stopped. We urge the parties concerned to extend self-rule immediately to all the Occupied Territories, leading to the speedy establishment of the independent state of Palestine alongside Israel.

Lebanon
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom is deeply concerned that at a time when negotiations of peace in the Middle East are being held, Israel continues to occupy the South of Lebanon. This situation is a dangerous obstacle to the peace process.

We call on Israel to immediately withdraw from the South of Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 425, and call on the international community to ensure its implementation.

We demand that the Israeli Government pay indemnities to Lebanon to enable the immediate reconstruction of Lebanese homes that have been destroyed by Israeli soldiers and that compensation be given to the people.

We call on Israel to halt the deviation of the Litani waters into Israel.

We call for the cessation of vicious acts, such as kidnapping, the destruction of crops and land, continuous raids against, and shelling of Lebanese people. Only then will civilians on both sides be able to live in peace.

We call on the international community to exert every pressure on Israel to withdraw from the South Lebanon.

Human Rights for the Kurdish People
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom is convinced that there can be no peace in the Near East unless all concerned parties are involved in negotiating a just settlement of the rights of the Kurdish people. We call on the international community to work rapidly toward this end.

The difficult situation of the Kurds in Iraq is aggravated by the economic sanctions against Iraq. The uncertainty about the UN presence in Northern Iraq to protect the Kurds is creating unrest among the people. Armed conflict between the two major political parties and migration can be seen as a result of this. The military attacks by Turkey on the Kurds in Iraq is causing death and destruction.

We continue to urge that the sanctions against Iraq be lifted and that Turkey cease all military action against the Kurds in Iraq.

The violence in South East Turkey (Kurdistan) has worsened during the past year. The internal war between Turkish armed forces, the PKK and paramilitary groups causes much suffering. The civilians are the victims of this escalating violence.

The Turkish government is systematically and brutally violating the human rights of its Kurdish citizens. Parliamentarians representing the Kurdish people were put into custody in March 1994 and their immunity was lifted. The Democratic Party (DEP), which has been defending the democratic rights of the Kurds in Turkey and has advocated a political and peaceful solution to the Kurdish questions, was outlawed by the Constitutional Court on 16 June 1994.

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom is deeply concerned about the situation of the Kurds in Turkey. We condemn the closing of the DEP and court actions against Parliamentarians for exercising their democratic rights and duties.

The Kurds in Iran are also suffering brutal oppression. 

We urge the United Nations to take firm action to protect the democratic rights and physical safety of the Kurdish people.

Peace in the former Yugoslavia
WILPF believes that the aim of the peacemaking process in former Yugoslavia should be to restore the multicultural society and, therefore, does not support the current proposals to divide Bosnia-Herzegovina. Such a settlement would make the conflict permanent.

WILPF does not support an expansion of the UN role in the former Yugoslavia which must remain that of peacekeeping.

We advocate the involvement on a large scale of civilians of all nationalities to assist in the rebuilding of civil society. We call for the inclusion of more women in the peacemaking process, both as mediators and participants.

We oppose the lifting of the arms embargo against Bosnia-Herzegovina and call for a tightening and proper monitoring of an arms embargo against the entire territory of former Yugoslavia.

We reaffirm WILPF position on sanctions and embargoes adopted by WILPF's 25th International Congress in Bolivia in 1992.

WILPF support the International War Crimes Tribunal on former Yugoslavia to bring to justice those on all sides of the conflict who are responsible for, and have committed, war crimes and human rights violations.
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WILPF supports all democratic and human rights forces in all parts of former Yugoslavia. We fully support plans for the establishment of an International Women's Centre in Sarajevo.

WILPF calls on its sections to press their governments to offer asylum and other assistance to deserters and war resisters from former Yugoslavia as called for in the Appeal for the Support of Deserters and Draft Resisters from Former Yugoslavia (see WILPF International News   April 1994 ).

Exploitation of Migrant Filipino Workers
Worsening economic conditions in the Philippines are linked to foreign debt and structural adjustment programs. The increase in poverty and lack of opportunity have resulted in an increasing number of Filipino migrants and undocumented migrant women workers. Along with migrant workers from other poor countries they provide cheap and docile labour. As migrants, they face a host of problems: racism, discrimination, violence, trafficking, restrictive immigration policies, and socio-psychological problems attendant to this situation. No protection of welfare mechanisms are available for them.

WILPF
- calls on sections to urge governments to sign the UN Convention for the Protection of the Rights of migrant Workers and their Families;

- calls on the Philippine Government to sign the ILO conventions on migrant workers;

- call on governments to set up mechanisms and set aside funds for the protection of and assistance to migrant women;

- calls on governments to develop immigration policies that assist the immigration of undocumented workers;

- supports the appointment of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and asks that  she give special attention to the problem of trafficking of women.

The New South Africa
WILPF hails the recent elections in South Africa as the first step towards true democracy and development in that country, and a move towards stabilization of the entire region. Democracy depends on full and equal participation of all parts of the population in all areas of political, economic, social and cultural life. This means participation by all racial groups in South Africa, but it also means participation of women of all racial groups as well.  A women's Charter, drafted and endorsed by ninety-two South African women's groups stressed that women face social, economic, and ideological barriers to full and equal participation in the economy. Any plan of action addressing the social and economic development needs of post-apartheid South Africa must include the needs and concerns of women paid and unpaid workers.

Peace is the main prerequisite for democratization of a post-apartheid South Africa and for the whole southern Africa region. The international community should take responsibility for assisting in this transformation and in promoting responsible investment according to the Code of Conduct published by the South African Council of Churches.  As an NGO the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom will continue to support and learn from the people of South Africa in this important historical period.

Indigenous and Tribal Peoples
WILPF recognizes that the indigenous are many nations of peoples throughout the world and therefore supports their demand to be referred to as indigenous peoples and not as indigenous people.

WILPF supports the UN General Assembly resolutions on decolonization and recognizes the right of indigenous and tribal peoples to their lands and supports their right to self- determination and rights to sovereignty.

WILPF opposes all changes that affect the removal of indigenous lands from their peoples, including changes that result from all military and related activities.

WILPF objects strongly to the continued abuse of indigenous lands by the production and testing of nuclear and all other weapons.

WILPF supports indigenous and tribal peoples' concerns regarding the enforcement of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade particularly as these relate to intellectual property rights.

WILPF calls for the withdrawal of the large factory ships sweeping the Pacifi Ocean floor and depleting the fish stocks of in this era.

WILPF supports the indigenous and tribal peoples in their peaceful oppositin to the invasion of their territories to rob them of their natural resources on land and at sea.

WILPF voices its strong opposition to the treatment of the indigenous peoples in the area of Chiapas and all other areas in Mexico and the Americas.

Haiti
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom is firmly opposed to any military intervention in Haiti. We call for diplomatic and political actions to restore the democratically elected president, Rev. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, to office.

We urge the Dominican Republic to close its border with Haiti, particularly to oil and gasoline which continues to pass through to Haiti.

We call for the freezing of the bank accounts Haiti military leaders hold in the US, and for the closing of all loopholes that allow US firms to manufacture in Haiti.

Rwanda
WILPF is opposed to any military intervention. The international community must urgently provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Rwanda.

The roots of the conflict go back to the colonization of the country and cannot be explained simply as an ethnic strife.

The resolution of Rwanda's problem lies in the need for econimic reconstruction and economic independence.

WILPF calls for a comprehensive solution of the disastrous consequences of colonial exploitation suffered by the entire Sub-Saharan Africa. The former colonial powers have a special responsibility for providing the countries with the necessary assistance.

East Timor
WILPF calls for

- the UN to implement the resolution for a referendum to be held in East Timor to enable the people to exert their right to self-determination;

- Indonesia to withdraw all its military forces from East Timor and reduce the police presence there;

- the immediate release of all political prisoners including Xanana Gusmao;

- the inclusion of Xanana Gusmao and other East Timor leaders to participate in the ongoing talks between the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the representatives of the Portuguese and Indonesian Governments in the endeavour to achieve a just solution for the people of East Timor;

- to allow international organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Asia Watch to investigate abuses and human rights violations, including the accusations of practicing forced sterilizations.

Women in the United Nations
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom is concerned that only a small number of women are included in decision-making positions in the UN where global policy questions are determined. This situation must be changed.

We are convinced that the election of a qualified woman to the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations would send a message of hope to peoples throughout the world. The International Executive Committee calls on all WILPF sections to work together with other organizations towards the achievement of this goal.

ILO Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom urges that governments ratify ILO Convention 169 on Indignous and Tribal Peoples wherever indigenous and tribal peoples demand it.