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June 28th, 2005
Congratulations to CA Dept. of Peace Activists for making this happen!
Support Establishing a United States Department of Peace
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Berkeley on February 11, 2003 adopted Resolution No. 61,934 supporting efforts to slow the rush to war and expressing opposition to "pre-emptive" military action against the nation of Iraq, which stated that "It is a fundamental value of the Berkeley community that we must seek to resolve international disputes through collective international diplomacy and without war"; and
WHEREAS, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, in a letter to the East Bay chapter of the Department of Peace Campaign, wrote, "The Bay Area, and Berkeley in particular, have historically been at the forefront of the peace and justice movement, and the creation of the U.S. Department of Peace will give our local peace organizations the support of a Cabinet-level federal agency. We confront new challenges every day in the quest for peace, and the proposal to establish a federal Department of Peace places peace on an equal footing with war"; and
WHEREAS, in March 2003 the United States initiated a unilateral preemptive war against a sovereign State without the approval of the United Nations nor many allies, underscoring the need for a Department within the U.S. executive branch whose Secretary shall:
1. advise the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State on matters relating to national security, including the protection of human rights and the prevention of, amelioration of, and de-escalation of unarmed and armed international conflict;
2. train United States personnel who administer post conflict reconstruction and demobilization in war-torn societies;
3. sponsor conflict prevention and dispute resolution initiatives;
4. draw on local, regional, and national expertise to address the root sources of conflict in troubled areas;
5. provide for exchanges between the United States and other nations of individuals who endeavor to develop domestic and international peace-based initiatives;
6. encourage the development of international sister city programs, for artistic, cultural, economic, educational, and faith-based exchanges;
7. administer the training of civilian peacekeepers;
8. work with the Secretary of the Treasury to strengthen peace enforcement by training monitors and investigators to help enforce international arms embargoes;
9. facilitate the development of peace summits at which parties to a conflict may gather under carefully prepared conditions to promote nonviolent communication and mutually beneficial solutions;
10. submit to the President recommendations for reductions in weapons of mass destruction, and make annual reports to the President on the sale of arms from the United States to other nations, with analysis of the impact of such sales on the defense of the United States and how such sales affect peace;
11. advise the United States Ambassador to the United Nations on matters pertaining to the United Nations Security Council.; and
WHEREAS, peace empowerment processes, including mediation and negotiation, build community and promote understanding, respect, trust and dignity. Peace empowerment has been successful in resolving conflicts where violence has not succeeded. A Peace Academy, under the auspices of the Department of Peace, will help implement peace empowerment locally, domestically and internationally through broad education, research and developing a culture of peace; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Department of Peace may benefit the City of Berkeley by increasing conflict resolution skills and reducing violence in Berkeley and by reducing federal spending on the military budget, which is $399 billion for fiscal year 2004-2005, thereby redirecting funds to the states and cities and assisting in the balancing of our City budget.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Berkeley supports the creation of an executive branch level Department of Peace that shall hold peace as an organizing principle, coordinating services to every level of society; endeavor to promote justice and democratic principles to expand human rights; strengthen non-military means of peacekeeping; promote the development of human potential; work to create peace, prevent violence, divert from armed conflict, use field tested programs, and develop new structures in nonviolent dispute resolution; take a proactive, strategic approach in development of policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict; address matters both domestic and international in scope; and encourage the development of initiatives from local communities, religious groups and non governmental organizations.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Berkeley advise Representatives Barbara Lee, Lynn Woolsey, George Miller, Ellen Tauscher, and Dennis Kucinich and Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein of our position on this matter and enclose a copy of this resolution with a cover letter advising them that the City of Berkeley has adopted a resolution supporting the creation of a Cabinet-level executive branch Department of Peace.
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