The International Women’s Network Against Militarism was formed in 1997 when forty women activists, policy-makers, teachers, and students from South Korea, Okinawa, mainland Japan, the Philippines, and the continental United States gathered in Okinawa to strategize together about the negative effects of the US military in each of their countries. In 2000, women from Puerto Rico who opposed the US Navy bombing training on the island of Vieques also joined, and in 2004, women from Hawaii. Guam representation joined in the most recent gathering in San Francisco in 2007.

The network is not a membership organization, but a collaboration of among women active in our own communities who share a common mission. Women for Genuine Security hosted the 6th international meeting in the Bay Area. Guahan as the Site for the 7th International Meeting: Following the United States’ Military Realignment Plan developed in response to terrorist attacks of September 11, Guahan was designated to undergo an “unprecedented” military build-up likening it to the “Tip of the Spear” of US military might. The anticipated build-up on Guahan inclusive of the relocation of 8,000 Marines from Okinawa, Japan has been described as the most drastic in recent history.

Guahan anticipates many changes associated with a population influx of nearly 1/3 the island’s current population. Many unresolved concerns impacting the people of Guahan remain such as: military violence against women and children, environmental contamination secondary to military practices, human trafficking, and political self-determination. In light of the fact that Guahan is an American colony, the continued exploitation of the island for its resources is especially appalling in light of the limited commitments being made to improve the island’s systems that will be impacted by the build-up (ex: infrastructure, social service system, etc.). Hence, with Guahan as the site for the 7th international meeting, international attention will be focused on the island and the concerns being raised relative to the proposed build-up. This attention will assist Guam-based proponents who are concerned with the impact of the build-up to articulate our concerns at the international level and will afford women here to participate in setting an international agenda.

More information to follow in the coming weeks on this website.