Dear Friends,

We are pleased to announce the current BLYM Monthly Cause

Support of Conscientious Objectors and Deserters from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus

For September-December, our monthly cause will be the three organisations in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus that support conscientious objectors and deserters in their countries, often under very difficult circumstances. In June, the Russian Movement of Conscientious Objectors was labelled a ‘foreign agent’ by the Russian state. For that reason, the organisation had to move abroad to continue its activities there. In Ukraine, the situation is also very worrying. The Ukrainian Pacifist Movement is currently facing intimidation and harassment by the Ukrainian state. The executive secretary of that organisation, Yurii Sheliazhenko, was charged by the Ukrainian government with the crime of “justification of Russian aggression”. After a house search, he was placed under house arrest. Yurii has always harshly condemned in his publications and statements Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which makes charges baseless. Support for conscientious objectors is also very difficult in Belarus. The organisation “Our House” operates from Lithuania, giving support to conscientious objectors and deserters in and from Belarus. The International Peace Bureau has announced their intention to nominate the three organisations for the Noble Peace Prize 2024. 

More information about the three groups: 

https://pacifism.org.ua/en , https://stoparmy.org/en/  and https://news.house/

Background information can be found especially on the websites of 

EBCO: https://ebco-beoc.org/ and Connection e.V.: https://en.connection-ev.org/

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Donations to Belgium and Luxemburg Yearly Meeting may be made to:
Account Name: Quakers BLMM
IBAN: BE76 9794 2781 7895     BIC: ARSP BE22

Donations to a Monthly Cause should be made to the same account, specifying in the bank transfer comments section that the donation is for the “Monthly Cause”. 

Friends are invited to recommend a Monthly Cause for donations. There need to be at least two friends who recommend each Monthly Cause. Send your recommendations for a Monthly Cause to the BLYM Fundraiser via our Contact Page.

Make a donation to BLYM Quakers

Please do not hesitate to contact the treasurer if you have any questions.

Caroll Ewen:
Email: quakers.lux@gmail.com

Thank you for your generous support this year.