Group for a Switzerland without an army

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Group for a Switzerland without an Army
(GSoA)
GSoA logo
purpose political movement against the Swiss army
Chair: -
Establishment date: 1982
Seat : Zurich
Website: gsoa.ch

The Group for a Switzerland without an Army ( GSoA , pronunciation : [ ksˈoːa ]) is a Swiss political movement. It was founded in Solothurn in 1982 . She found members especially in circles of the peace movement, especially in connection with the NATO double decision .

aims

One goal of the group is the abolition of the Swiss army . However, the GSoA also deals with other issues of peace and security policy.

history

Prehistory, foundation and first initiative

At a point in time that can no longer be reconstructed in 1981, two members of the Young Socialists in Basel-Stadt came up with the idea of ​​launching a popular initiative to abolish the army. Such an idea was an unheard of taboo break at the time. The idea was taken up by Juso Basel, discussed and carried to Juso Switzerland. On 5th / 6th In December 1981, Juso Switzerland organized a seminar on this subject in Basel, in which representatives from 20 Swiss Juso sections took part. As a result, the abolition of the army was determined to be the annual theme of Juso Switzerland and discussed for a year. In the end, they came to the conclusion to pursue the idea further, but not within the framework of Juso, but in an organization to be newly founded for this purpose. On the one hand, because the launch of such an initiative was beyond Juso's strength and they did not want to become a monothematic organization, but also because they wanted the broadest possible support.

As a result, on September 12, 1982, the “Group for a Switzerland without an Army” (GSoA) was founded in the “Kreuz” restaurant in Solothurn. The following two and a half years were used to build up the organization and formulate the initiative text.

On February 25, 1985, the signature sheet with the formulated initiative text was submitted to the Federal Chancellery for a preliminary examination. The official title of the initiative was: "For a Switzerland without an army and for a comprehensive peace policy". The initiative committee consisted of 100 people. On March 12, 1985, the initiative was published in the Federal Gazette, which started the collection period. This set September 12, 1986 as the end of the collection period.

The initiative was submitted in autumn 1986. The Federal Chancellery found 111,300 valid signatures.

The vote took place on the weekend of 25./26. November 1989. With the turnout of 69.18%, which is unusually high for Swiss standards, 35.6% of those who voted voted for the abolition of the army (1,052,442 yes against 1,904,476 no). The initiative was even accepted in the cantons of Jura and Geneva . The result of the vote and the end of the Soviet Union in 1991 influenced the subsequent reforms of the Swiss army.

After the referendum, some of the founding members left the GSoA because they considered the organizational purpose to be fulfilled.

F / A-18 initiative 1992/93

When, in the spring of 1992, both chambers of parliament approved the procurement of 34 F / A-18 combat aircraft , the GSoA managed to collect almost 500,000 signatures within 32 days for an initiative against this plan. On July 9, 1992, the Federal Chancellery stated that the initiative had come about with 181,707 valid signatures. Army circles also fought this second GSoA initiative. It was called the army abolition in installments . The second GSoA initiative was rejected on June 6, 1993, but 42.8% of those who voted were in favor of abandoning the aircraft.

Yugoslav war

In the mid-1990s, the GSoA campaigned against the war in the former Yugoslavia, both by supporting various organizations (Antiratna Kampanja Hrvatska, Peace Institute Ljubljana, OTPOR in Serbia) and with its own peace education and reconstruction projects .

UN initiative 1999

In 1999 the GSoA took part in collecting signatures for the initiative for Switzerland to join the UN, which was adopted in 2002.

Referendum against the 2001 revision of the Military Law

In 2001 the GSoA collected more than 60,000 signatures for a referendum against a revision of the military law. In particular, she was against arming for foreign missions (especially Swisscoy ). On June 10, 2001, the project was approved by 51% of those who voted.

Second abolition initiative and initiative for civil peace service 1999/2001

On December 2, 2001, the vote on two further GSoA initiatives took place: “For a credible security policy and a Switzerland without an army”, one was called “Solidarity instead of soldiers: For a voluntary civil peace service”. The aim was to replace the army with a kind of civilian peace corps . The initiatives submitted in autumn 1999 were rejected by the majority of those entitled to vote, with only 21.9% voting in favor.

Protests against the Iraq War 2003

During the protests against the war in Iraq in 2003, the GSoA was one of the main organizations of the demonstrations and actions in Switzerland. Within a few weeks, the GSoA sold tens of thousands of PACE peace flags , which became a defining symbol of the protests.

Popular initiative «for a ban on the export of war material»

Since June 27, 2006, the GSoA, together with other organizations, has been collecting signatures for the federal popular initiative “for a ban on the export of war material” . It was submitted on September 21, 2007 - three months before the official collection period expired - with 109,224 signatures. The initiative was very clearly rejected by the people and the cantons on November 29, 2009.

Popular initiative "For protection against armed violence"

The federal popular initiative “For protection against armed violence” , which was launched together with around 40 other organizations and parties , which restricts private gun ownership and no longer wants to give army weapons home to those serving in the military, was officially launched on September 4, 2007. Furthermore, the initiative calls for the introduction of a weapons register and the restriction of weapon ownership to people who can provide proof of needs and capabilities. Parliament reacted by deciding not to give the pocket ammunition home, which, however, was largely criticized by the initiators as insufficient. The popular initiative was rejected on February 13, 2011 by the people and the cantons.

Popular initiative "Against new warplanes"

This initiative wants a ten-year moratorium during which no new fighter jets can be purchased. On June 8, 2009, the initiative was submitted with 107,828 signatures. On November 13, 2010, the GSoA General Assembly decided to withdraw the initiative, as the content of the initiative had been fulfilled and it is very likely that no new combat aircraft will be purchased by 2020.

Popular initiative "Yes to the abolition of compulsory military service"

At its general assembly on April 17, 2010 in Solothurn, the GSoA decided to launch the popular initiative “Yes to the abolition of compulsory military service” . According to the initiative, community service is to be retained as a voluntary service alongside a volunteer militia . The popular initiative was submitted on January 5, 2012 with 107,280 signatures.

A referendum was held on September 22, 2013; 73.2 percent of those who voted voted against the abolition of conscription.

Referendum against the new Gripen fighter jet

On October 8, 2013, a referendum against the new Saab 39 «Gripen» fighter jet was launched with left-wing parties and organizations . On January 14, 2014, the GSoA announced that the referendum had been submitted to the Federal Chancellery with around 100,000 signatures. On January 29, 2014, the Federal Chancellery announced that the referendum had come about with 65,384 valid signatures out of 65,797 submitted. The procurement was rejected on May 18, 2014 with 53.4 percent no votes against 46.6 percent yes votes.

Popular initiative «For a ban on the financing of war material producers»

On April 11, 2017, the popular initiative for a ban on the financing of war material distributors (short: war deals initiative) was launched. On the same day, the then 86-year-old peace activist Louise Schneider sprayed a wall in front of the Swiss National Bank to protest against their investments in arms companies. The campaign made international headlines. The GSoA and the Young Greens Switzerland are the main sponsors of the initiative. On June 18, 2018, the Federal Chancellery announced that the initiative had come about. The population is expected to vote on the matter towards the end of 2020 or beginning of 2021.

Popular initiative against arms exports to civil war countries

In mid-May 2018, the Federal Council announced that it wanted to relax the rules governing the export of war material. Among other things, arms exports to civil war countries should be permitted. Due to the great resistance in the population, however, the Federal Council is back again and waived the relaxation of the War Material Ordinance. Nonetheless, a broad political alliance was formed, in which the GSoA is also involved. This alliance collected a popular initiative against arms exports to civil war countries (short: correction initiative) in record time in order to tighten the rules for the export of Swiss war material and to increase the democratic legitimacy for them. At the end of 2019, the Federal Council presented two variants of a possible counter-proposal to the popular initiative.

Referendum against new fighter jets

On January 8, 2020, the referendum "No to the fighter jet billions" was launched, in which the GSoA, the SP Switzerland and the Green Switzerland are the main sponsors. The referendum is directed against the Federal Council's plan to spend six billion francs on new fighter jets in 2014, despite the population's vote against the procurement of Gripen fighter jets. Overall, the project will cost up to CHF 24 billion. The referendum is expected to take place on September 27, 2020.

literature

  • Democratic disobedience for peace. On the right to resistance in Swiss democracy after the GSoA vote on November 26, 1989 . Realotopia Publishing Cooperative, Zurich, ISBN 3-907586-05-0 .
  • Andi Gross (Ed.): Food for thought on an offensive initiative. Social Democrats for a Switzerland without an army . Realotopia publishing cooperative, Zurich 1989, ISBN 3-907586-03-4 .
  • Hans Ulrich Steger: The inalienable. A commemorative publication for the year of the innumerable Hornvieh anniversaries, an important contribution to the history of the Alpine cooperative's will to defend and a homage to our most sacred national symbol . Limmat Verlag , Zurich 1989, ISBN 3-85791-156-5 (cartoons for the referendum of November 26, 1989 on “Switzerland without an army”).
  • Roman Schürmann: Helvetic hunters. Dramas and scandals in the military sky . Rotpunktverlag , Zurich 2009, ISBN 978-3-85869-406-5 (comprehensive presentation of the history, the voting campaign and the aftermath of the “Stop F / A-18” initiative).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.gsoa.ch/gsoa/geschichte/
  2. ↑ Federal Gazette. No. 9 Volume 1 of March 12, 1985, p. 639 ff.
  3. ↑ 181,797 valid signatures were authenticated ( A brief history of Swiss combat aircraft. In: WochenZeitung. August 24, 2008)
  4. ↑ Niklaus Ramseyer : The F / A-18 gives Ueli Maurer courage. In: Tages-Anzeiger . 16th September 2013.
  5. ↑ A short history of the Swiss fighter planes: E Figgi and e Müli . February 7, 2012 ( woz.ch [accessed February 7, 2017]).
  6. ↑ The F / A-18 gives Ueli Maurer courage. Retrieved February 7, 2017 .
  7. ^ Voting text of the initiative , accessed on May 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ Referendum of 06.06.1993. Template no. 393. In: admin.ch , as of July 7, 2017.
  9. ↑ a b Swiss Social Archives, Ar 452
  10. ↑ Review of demonstrations against the war. ( Memento of the original from March 18, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on: gsoa.ch , August 10, 2006. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gsoa.ch
  11. ↑ Referendum: Swiss want to keep conscription. In: Spiegel online. 22nd September 2013.
  12. ↑ Despite yes to conscription: Army remains an issue. on: srf.ch , September 22, 2013.
  13. ↑ GSoA: Referendum against Gripen paper planes launched.
  14. ↑ Referendum filed against expensive and unnecessary paper planes. ( Memento of the original from February 1, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on: stop-gripen.ch , January 14, 2014, accessed on February 3, 2014.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / stop-gripen.ch
  15. ↑ Referendum against the Federal Act of September 27, 2013 on the Fund for the Procurement of the Gripen Fighter Aircraft (Gripen Fund Law). Media release by the Federal Chancellery, January 29, 2014, accessed on February 3, 2014.
  16. ↑ No to the Gripen fighter jet: Vote for an “Air Force light”. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung . May 18, 2014.
  17. ^ Action Louise Schneider. April 11, 2017, accessed January 26, 2020 .
  18. ↑ Louise Schneider's campaign goes around the world. April 12, 2017, accessed January 26, 2020 .
  19. ^ Chronology of the popular initiative "For a ban on the financing of war material producers". Retrieved January 26, 2020 .
  20. ↑ a b Federal Council refrains from easing. October 31, 2018, accessed January 26, 2020 .
  21. ↑ The correction initiative stands. June 24, 2019, accessed January 26, 2020 .
  22. ↑ Federal Council: Federal Council decides on an indirect counter-proposal to the popular initiative “Against arms exports to civil war countries”. December 20, 2019, accessed January 26, 2020 .
  23. ↑ The fighter jet opponents explain themselves. January 8, 2020, accessed January 26, 2020 .
  24. ↑ Andreas Schmid: Why the costs for fighter jets are increasing. December 7, 2019, accessed January 26, 2020 .
  25. ↑ DDPS: Milestone plan. Retrieved January 26, 2020 .