This popular initiative proposal has already been published and is ready to collect the 15,000 signatures needed to be part of the process of incorporating popular initiatives into the drafting of the new Chilean Constitution.
The link to support the proposal is bit.ly/ChileRenunciaALaGuerra.
It alludes to the fact that social conflicts in the world today, such as: immigration, environment, financial crisis, climate change, among others, have meant a significant increase in the level of violence. It is in this context that it seems necessary to learn to solve the regional and global challenges that afflict societies collaboratively. In particular, Chile has signed several international treaties renouncing war as a form of conflict resolution. However, it seems important to elevate to constitutional level the principle or will of the country to repudiate and renounce war and all armed conflict.
This initiative takes as a precedent the constitutional reform project presented, among others, by the humanist deputy Tomás Hirsch and the current president-elect of the republic Gabriel Boric, on 22 October 2019.
Chile is building a society that learns to resolve conflicts without using violence in a regional atmosphere of trust and collaboration. It promotes and encourages the signing of treaties for progressive and proportional disarmament with the countries of the region, facing global conflicts together and being able to allocate more resources to the needs of the population and not to the threat of war. Its armed forces become a relevant actor in the collaborative resolution of social conflicts and cooperate in emergencies and catastrophes within and outside their territory.
The repudiation and renunciation of war and all armed conflict recognises and protects the value of human life by resisting the killing of human beings. This proposes a direction of non-violent conflict resolution that will help not only at the international level, but especially at the national level.
In addition, it will create a regional atmosphere that will allow a decrease in war spending to be redirected to social rights. Being a patriot is much more than a territorial issue. To be a patriot is to work for the well-being and dignity of the people who share a territory.
This proposal goes in the direction of promoting collaboration over competition as many philosophers and educators around the world are proposing; it is a way to prevent the state and the armed forces from being used for private ends or the manipulation of foreign powers or corporations.
Finally, the incorporation of these principles and commitments in the New Constitution will facilitate the redefinition of the role of the military for the new times.
The repudiation of all forms of violence and war, the most inhumane and atrocious, is a cry of humanity that we believe deserves to be elevated as a guiding principle of the State by this Constitutional Convention.
Proposed articles for the new Constitution:
Chile repudiates and renounces the use of war and all armed confrontation as an instrument for the solution of disputes and conflicts between States.
Chile may exercise the right to legitimate self-defence in the event of a military attack by foreign forces, in order to defend the life or integrity of the population, bearing in mind the necessary proportionality, necessity and immediacy of the armed response. This right may not be invoked in order to execute or justify a military attack on foreign territory or as a means to an end other than that stated, in accordance with international treaties ratified by Chile and which are in force.
Chile undertakes to promote progressive and proportional disarmament among the countries of the region.
Chile undertakes to collaborate in solidarity in the resolution of international conflicts by means of nonviolence.
