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A row of Honduran military holding riot shields during 2017 elections. Photo: Sean Hawkey

Militarism and repression

Militarised wars and conflicts are major causes of global poverty. Caused by governments, companies, or individuals, they devastate and displace communities, and lead to grave human rights abuses, the loss of life, livelihoods, and social protections. 

Many companies thrive off war and conflict by supplying weapons that kill and maim, by financing war efforts, or by running mercenary armies. The global arms trade supports repressive regimes, fuels wars and armed violence, and reinforces global oppression and inequality. 

Multinational mining companies are buying up land across the planet to extract natural resources, contracting state forces, private mercenary companies, and even illegal paramilitary groups to protect their interests and repress local opposition. Their operations have forced communities from their own land, polluted the environment, and led to widespread human rights violations

We pressure the UK government to stop approving billions of pounds worth of arms exports to human rights abusing regimes. We stand with our partners and all human rights defenders in the Global South in the fight for their land and livelihoods, and we hold UK-based mining companies to account for the violence they inflict on communities.

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Blue background with bomb with Barclays logo inside. Text reads: Barclays don't bank on apartheid.

Barclays: Stop Bankrolling Genocide and Apartheid

Barclays has ramped up its bankrolling of companies selling arms to Israel’s occupation and apartheid regime by 55% since 2021. Demand an end to its complicity in apartheid and genocide.

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Fist of solidarity plucks a fighterjet made of British money out of the air

Say NO to the anti-boycott bill

The UK government is trying to restrict our collective right to campaign for justice. Show your opposition to the government's anti-boycott bill.

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Rishi Sunak & Keir Starmer aren't protecting the right to protest graphic

Defend the right to protest

Demand all UK political parties protect our basic human rights.

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Siemens Gamesa Western Sahara

Siemens Gamesa: Stop the plunder

Siemens Gamesa are profiting from Morocco’s plunder of illegally occupied land & violent repression of the people of Western Sahara.

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Palestinians waving flags

Defend Palestinian human rights organisations under attack

Israel has banned and raided six leading Palestinian human rights organisations, in an escalation of its targeted suppression of Palestinian civil society.

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Palestinian children protest forced displacement with JCB complicity

Stop JCB bulldozing Palestinian rights

The UK government must end its complicity with Israel’s settlement enterprise and hold businesses – including JCB – to account.

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Man with Saharawi flag. Credit: Michele Benericetti

Stand with Western Sahara

Demand self-determination for the Saharawi people

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Sixteen-year-old Ahed Tamimi arrives for a hearing at Ofer military court. Photo: Photo: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP

No civilian should be subject to military courts

Email your MP to demand an end to Israel’s unjust system of military courts

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Protesters run for cover under clouds of tear gas © Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty

The UK must stop arming repression

Pressure the government to end its trade in arms with human rights abusing regimes.

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Western Sahara flag flying in the desert

End the occupation. Free Western Sahara.

Morocco has been illegally occupying Western Sahara for nearly 50 years. Email your MP to demand it uses its position on the UN Security Council to secure the rights of the Saharawi people.

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Barclays: Arming Israel's apartheid and genocide

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Boy runs with Palestinian flag in front of a prison with the Israel flag on.

Hold Israel to account for torturing Palestinians

Palestinian detainees have been systematically tortured by Israel, with impunity, for decades. And now, Israel is dramatically escalating its use of torture against the Palestinian people. The UK must act.

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Related news

Partners

Action for Ecology and People’s Emancipation (AEER), Indonesia

Action for Ecology and People’s Emancipation (AEER) is an environmental NGO that struggles for improvements in the management of natural resources to help build sustainable relationships between communities and their environment. It undertakes research and defends the rights of communities negatively impacted by extractivist policies and companies.

Association for Social Research and Action (Nomadesc), Colombia

In Colombia, more than five million people have been forced from their homes by violence and extreme poverty, made refugees in their own country. Rural Colombians have lost huge swathes of land. This humanitarian crisis and the needs of displaced people are well known in Colombia. The Social Research and Action Association (Asociacion para la investigacion y la accion social – Nomadesc) works to fix this massive disadvantage. By bringing these vulnerable groups together, Nomadesc unites and raises the voices of these communities. By strengthening the ties between the groups and giving them the tools to defend their human rights, communities are better able to protect themselves from violence and displacement. War on Want has supported Nomadesc in their work investigating violations of human rights and working to strengthen social movements through popular education initiatives.

Networks

Dismantle Corporate Power

London Mining Network

Resources