20200328 Keinen Bundeswehreinsatz im Innern

28.03.2020 Keinen Bundeswehreinsatz im Innern

Resist the beginnings!

"Constitutional breach in preparation" writes IMI, the Information Centre for Militarization, about the current plans for a Bundeswehr mission in the interior. Already on March 14, Bavaria's Minister President Söder called for a nationwide domestic deployment of the Bundeswehr and in the Federal Press Conference on March 19, the Minister of Defense Kramp-Karrenbauer called for the Bundeswehr to consider the protection of critical infrastructure in Germany in view of the corona pandemic.

The Ministry of the Interior of Baden-Württemberg is also negotiating with the Bundeswehr whether soldiers* who are weakened by a high level of sick leave could support the police force. And Der Spiegel surpasses all fears with the news that the Bundeswehr is mobilizing. By April 3, 15,000 female soldiers are to be ready for deployment in Germany. According to current plans, 6,000 soldiers are to be available in one week for the undefined "support of the population", 2500 logistics soldiers with 500 trucks for "storage, transport, handling" and 18 decontamination groups with about 250 soldiers* of the NBC defense for disinfection tasks.

All these reports have one thing in common - there is no question of a legal basis for a Bundeswehr mission. Article 35 of the Basic Law (administrative and disaster relief) always speaks of a support service. For example, medical personnel of the Bundeswehr could support civilian facilities. It should not be thought about an independent deployment in its own command structure, for example alongside and independently of the state police forces.

We recall the Bundeswehr operations that took place beyond the law during the summit protests in Heiligendamm and Hamburg - in Heiligendamm even with reconnaissance flights over the protest camp.

IMI concludes its report with the following words: As far as the deployment of the German Armed Forces at home is concerned, the point has now come where we are actively preparing for this breach of the constitution. Once this genie is out of the bottle, he will not return there so quickly. This also brings us to the point where civil society, the peace, civil rights and anti-fascist movements must actively defend themselves against this authoritarian step. The world after the Corona pandemic is now being decided!

A week ago we had already referred to the ideas of the peace movement on the Alternaven Easter March. What else can be done?

Future needs peace! Sign the Easter newspaper advertisement until 31 March
Hang your peace flag or (self-made) banners out of the window over Easter. If you don't have a peace flag yet, have have a look here.
Hang signs in the window with peace messages and demands.
Sing and make music at home from your window or balcony [lyrics and notes are heren ].

The demands for the Easter March are clear and easy to name:

No deployment of the Bundeswehr inside!
Massive reduction of armament expenditures and instead higher investments in health care, climate protection, education and pensions!
Withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Büchel and the signing of the UN nuclear weapons ban by Germany!
Immediate stop of arms exports to human rights violating and warring countries and a comprehensive conversion of the arms industry!
Détente policy and non-violent means of conflict management instead of war manoeuvres such as Defender 2020 or foreign missions of the German Federal Armed Forces!

Additionally there is a current petition Money for Health instead of Armament! - Sign now

The Corona crisis reminds us of the importance of a functioning and well-equipped health care system. At the same time, however, the Federal Government is spending billions of euros on armaments and the military.

Whereas the defence budget for 2014 was only 32 billion euros, it has now reached 45 billion euros. An increase to up to 70 billion euros is even planned. This would be in line with NATO's ludicrous target of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defence. Money that we urgently need in health and other civilian areas!