Press release from the GSOA and the Young Greens – The War Business Initiative, which will be put to the vote on November 29, is widely supported in society. More than 40 organizations now belong to the YES alliance. The initiative’s aim of stopping the financing of war material producers has mobilized support from church circles in particular. terre des hommes schweiz supports the petition for a referendum.
The initiative launched by the group Switzerland without an Army (GSoA) and Young Greens has been supported by various organizations since the start of the signature collection. This alliance has grown even further in recent weeks. The ban on the financing of war material producers moves people. Jürg Liechti-Möri, pastor and President of the OeME Commission of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Bern, believes that as a Christian he cannot proclaim a God of peace and at the same time tolerate his pension fund money being invested in war-related business: “Our money should serve peace and not war!”
If the initiative is accepted, financial institutions such as the Swiss National Bank or pension funds will no longer be allowed to invest in war material producers. “If the financing of weapons is not guaranteed, their production and use in war will also be prevented. The war business initiative is an important step towards a peaceful global community,” says Felix Gnehm of Solidar Suisse. Sylvia Valentin from terre des hommes schweiz adds: “Two of the main reasons for flight are wars and violence. The role of war material producers is often ignored. With the War Business Initiative, Switzerland will no longer co-finance the weapons that force people to flee.”
While the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will come into force in January, Swiss financial institutions are still investing in nuclear weapons producers. Annette Willi from ICAN Switzerland does not understand this: “Nuclear weapons have one goal: to cause as much suffering and death as possible. The fact that our pension fund assets are being used to produce new nuclear weapons is untenable and must change immediately.” ICAN was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for its role in the creation of the treaty.
The initiators are looking forward to the remaining voting campaign with confidence. More organizations are joining the alliance every week. The issue has obviously hit a sore spot in the business of war.
