By World BEYOND War, April 2020
1) Sign the petition for a global ceasefire.
2) Contact your nation’s government and get a clear commitment to engaging in the ceasefire (not just urging others to do so).
3) Use the Comments section below to report on what you learn!
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres proposed this global ceasefire:
Our world faces a common enemy: COVID-19.
The virus does not care about nationality or ethnicity, faction or faith. It attacks all, relentlessly.
Meanwhile, armed conflict rages on around the world.
The most vulnerable — women and children, people with disabilities, the marginalized and the displaced — pay the highest price.
They are also at the highest risk of suffering devastating losses from COVID-19.
Let’s not forget that in war-ravaged countries, health systems have collapsed.
Health professionals, already few in number, have often been targeted.
Refugees and others displaced by violent conflict are doubly vulnerable.
The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war.
That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world.
It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives.
To warring parties, I say:
Pull back from hostilities.
Put aside mistrust and animosity.
Silence the guns; stop the artillery; end the airstrikes.
This is crucial…
To help create corridors for life-saving aid.
To open precious windows for diplomacy.
To bring hope to places among the most vulnerable to COVID-19.
Let us take inspiration from coalitions and dialogue slowly taking shape among rival parties in some parts to enable joint approaches to COVID-19. But we need much more.
End the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world.
It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now.
That is what our human family needs, now more than ever.
Read this letter from 53 countries.
Other nations said the same. There were even startling reports that the United States supported it. The latter were based entirely on this tweet from the U.S. National Security Council:
The trouble is that it is simply not clear whether the NSC speaks for the U.S. government and whether it simply wants everyone else to cease firing or is committing the U.S. military (and its junior partners) to a ceasefire.
A list of the nations with troops fighting in Afghanistan raises a similar question about a number of nations backing the ceasefire.
So does a list of the nations fighting in Yemen.
So does a list of the nations with wars actually in their territories.
Below is a list of the world’s nations. Those in bold have indicated support for the global ceasefire. We need help in both getting all of the other nations on board, and in pinning down exactly what each nation is committing to. Please help make this idea a reality by taking these steps:
1) Sign the petition for a global ceasefire.
2) Contact your nation’s government and get a clear commitment to engaging in the ceasefire (not just urging others to do so).
3) Use the Comments section below to report on what you learn!
Here’s the list.
- Afghanistan
The Afghan government proposes a ceasefire, not for itself or Western invaders but for the Taliban. - Albania
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Angola
The UN claims armed groups have “responded positively” in Colombia, Yemen, Myanmar, Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. - Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
Does this mean that Australia wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Austria
Does this mean that Austria wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing?
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
Does this mean that Belgium wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
The UN Sec. General claims that unspecified parties to conlict in Cameroon support the global ceasefire. One military in Cameroon has reportedly declared a ceasefire on its own firing for two weeks, one of the rare examples of a ceasefire declared for one’s own group as opposed to “supported” for everyone else in the world. - Canada
- Central African Republic (CAR)
The UN Sec. General claims that unspecified parties to conlict in CAR support the global ceasefire. - Chad
- Chile
- China
France claims that France plus the U.S., U.K., and China agree. U.S. reports, when not blaming U.S. and Russia are blaming U.S. and China, but there’s one common factor in all the stories of impediments to a ceasefire: the U.S. - Colombia
The ELN has declared a month-long ceasefire for itself, one of the rare examples of a ceasefire declared for one’s own group as opposed to “supported” for everyone else in the world. The UN claims armed groups have “responded positively” in Colombia, Yemen, Myanmar, Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. - Comoros
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Congo, Republic of the
- Costa Rica
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Croatia
Does this mean that Croatia wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czechia
Does this mean that Czechia wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Denmark
Does this mean that Denmark wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
Does this mean that Estonia wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Finland
Does this mean that Finland wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - France
France claims that France plus the U.S., U.K., and China agree.
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
Does this mean that Germany wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
Does this mean that Hungary wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
The UN claims armed groups have “responded positively” in Colombia, Yemen, Myanmar, Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. - Iran
Iran has called for a halt in “warmongering during the coronavirus outbreak,” indicating a demand that the United States stop threatening war. It is not clear that Iran has committed to ceasing any role in any wars. - Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
Does this mean that Italy wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
The UN Sec. General claims that “the Government of National Accord and Marshal [Khalifa] Haftar’s Libyan National Army” support the global ceasefire verbally but are not acting on it. The UN claims armed groups have “responded positively” in Colombia, Yemen, Myanmar, Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. UPDATE: Reports are that Haftar has declared a ceasefire, compelled by circumstances and ordered by Russia. - Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
Does this mean that Lithuania wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Luxembourg
Does this mean that Luxembourg wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
Does this mean that Mali wants others to cease firing or that its troops in Mali will cease firing? - Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
Does this mean that Mexico wants others to cease firing or that its troops in Mexico will cease firing? - Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
Does this mean that Montenegro wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar (formerly Burma)
The UN Sec. General claims that some unspecified parties to conflict in Myanmar support the global ceasefire. The UN claims armed groups have “responded positively” in Colombia, Yemen, Myanmar, Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. - Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
Does this mean that Netherlands wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - New Zealand
Does this mean that New Zealand wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- North Macedonia (formerly Macedonia)
- Norway
Does this mean that Norway wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestine
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
“As a sign of support for Mr. Guterres’ call, New People’s Army guerrillas in the Philippines have been ordered to stop assaults and shift to a defensive position from March 26 to April 15, the Communist Party of the Philippines said in a statement. The rebels said the ceasefire is a ‘direct response to the call of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a global ceasefire between warring parties for the common purpose of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic’.” Source. Second source. The government, too, has announced its intention to abide by a ceasefire. Here we have a ceasefire on both sides of a war, declared by both sides for themselves, not hypocritically for the other. // According to a comment below: “Update from the Philippines. The Communist Party of the Philippines / New People’s Army / National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) has extended their unilateral ceasefire in support of this call. However Duterte has ended the government’s ceasefire and is continuing the war, which is hurting civilians and particularly the indigenous and rural people so much. While the poor are starving under lockdown and health workers dont have the ppe they need, he is spending money on military operations and bombs. We demand for the government to resume peace talks and address the social-economic roots of the conflict!”
The UN claims armed groups have “responded positively” in Colombia, Yemen, Myanmar, Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. - Poland
Does this mean that Poland wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Portugal
Does this mean that Portugal wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
UPDATE: Reportedly, Russia and the United States have been standing in the way of the global ceasefire. // The Russian Foreign Ministry Statement is not crystal clear that it is committing Russia to ceasing fire in places like Syria, as opposed to demanding that others do, as it distinguishes between the illegal aggression by others and the counterterrorism (by Russia?) [bolding added below]: “In view of the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation is urging all parties to regional armed conflicts to immediately stop hostilities, secure a ceasefire, and introduce a humanitarian pause. We support the respective statement by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of March 23. We proceed from the assumption that these developments could lead to a global humanitarian disaster, given that most people in the current hot spots lack access to medicines and skilled medical assistance. Of special concern are the situations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya and Syria, as well in the Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip. We note separately the risks associated with the possible deterioration of the epidemiological situation in African countries, where there is a persisting armed confrontation. The localities with camps for refugees and internally displaced persons are particularly vulnerable. Our call is primarily addressed to the nations, which illegally use military force outside of their national borders. We especially note that the current conditions offer no justification for unilateral coercive measures, including economic restrictions, which are a severe impediment on the authorities’ efforts to protect the health of their populations. We are highly concerned over the situation on territories controlled by terrorist groups, who could not care less about people’s wellbeing. These zones might potentially become most prone to the spread of the infection. We are confident that counter-terrorist measures must be carried on. We call on the international community to provide the countries in need with the necessary humanitarian support without any political preconditions. Such support should be intended for saving people in distress. The use of humanitarian aid as a tool to force internal political change is unacceptable, as is speculation on the fate of any victims. The Russian Federation will continue its work at the UN Security Council to facilitate the political and diplomatic settlement of regional conflicts based on the UN Charter and the universal norms of international law, and is ready for pro-active cooperation in this area with all parties concerned.” - Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
The Saudi royalty seem to have ceased fire out of shear incapacity to continue firing, and to have indicated that it is part of the global ceasefire. - Senegal
The UN claims armed groups have “responded positively” in Colombia, Yemen, Myanmar, Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. - Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia
Does this mean that Slovakia wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Slovenia
Does this mean that Slovenia wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- South Sudan
The UN Sec. General claims that some unspecified parties to conflict in South Sudan support the global ceasefire. - Spain
Does this mean that Spain wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Sri Lanka
- Sudan
The UN Sec. General claims that some unspecified parties to conflict in Sudan support the global ceasefire. The UN claims armed groups have “responded positively” in Colombia, Yemen, Myanmar, Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. - Suriname
- Sweden
Does this mean that Sweden wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing? - Switzerland
- Syria
The UN Sec. General claims that some unspecified parties to conflict in Syria support the global ceasefire. The UN claims armed groups have “responded positively” in Colombia, Yemen, Myanmar, Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. - Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
The UN Sec. General claims that some unspecified parties to conflict in Ukraine support the global ceasefire. Does this mean that Ukraine wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Afghanistan as well as Ukraine will cease firing? The UN claims armed groups have “responded positively” in Colombia, Yemen, Myanmar, Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. - United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Does this mean that UAE wants others to cease firing or that its troops in places like Yemen will cease firing? - United Kingdom (UK)
France claims that France plus the U.S., U.K., and China agree. In the UK 35 MPs support. - United States of America (USA):
UPDATE: The United States has blocked a UN vote on a global ceasefire. UPDATE: Reportedly, Russia and the United States have been standing in the way of the global ceasefire. // The National Security Council either wants others to cease firing in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, or is committing the United States to doing so. It is not clear.
France claims that France plus the U.S., U.K., and China agree. U.S. reports, when not blaming U.S. and Russia are blaming U.S. and China, but there’s one common factor in all the stories of impediments to a ceasefire: the U.S. - Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City (Holy See)
See here. - Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
The UN Sec. General claims that “the Government, Ansar Allah and many other parties — including the Joint Forces Command” support the global ceasefire verbally but are not acting on it. - Zambia
- Zimbabwe
33 Responses
Add what you learn here!
ceasefire? how about abolish wars forever?
Yeeeeeeeeeeees !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK you convinced me 🙂
So is Ireland to stop Shannon war trafficking?
Not unless we compel it to.
Those so greedy they would muster armies to murder and maim are INSANE,all of them no exceptions,STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HIGH TIME WE ALL…YES, WE ALL PUT DOWN OUR GUNS AND THINK ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE W/THE VIRUS WORLDWIDE. STOP THINKING IN THE PAST AND JOINT THE CHILDREN WHO WANT TO LIVWE A LIFE…WHEREVER!!
Tell your friends in Russia and Iran to stop the attacks on Idlib, Syria.
They probably would if NATO member Turkey wasn’t invading to support Al Qaeda forces in Syria, and intentionally or not, to protect ISIS.
People who claim that opponents of war support one side of a war are in fact supporting the other side. Simply joining in such an argument won’t liberate them from it.
The economy of the US is based on the military industrial complex. Good luck getting them to ever do the right thing.
Thanks!
Canada’s inclusion on this list is false. The ‘Liberal’ government has not ended its cruel sanctions — economic warfare — against Venezuela, Iran and Nicaragua. If Canadian troops in countries bordering Russia and elsewhere have been ordered to stand down, it hasn’t been widely reported. Canada supports the aggressive government of Ukraine, blesses war criminal Israel, and despite petitions has done nothing public to pressure Israel to end the blockade against Gaza.
Including the United States on this list would obviously be a deadly joke, but note that it just sent warships to threaten Venezuela on the pretext that Venezuela facilitates cocaine importation to the U.S. In fact, the DEA’s own figures show at least 94% of cocaine imports go nowhere near Venezuela. Meanwhile, U.S. economic warfare against Venezuela has cost at least 40,000 deaths so far.
We’re recording who claims to support a ceasefire and what if anything they mean by it. We’re not recording who ceases all cruel related behavior. Nor are we promoting any cruel related behavior.
The 21st CENTURY & it’s taken a PANDEMIC to make us come together and realize there needs to be A One Planet Unilateral Agreement of Every Single Country – talking to my own Government, the United States of America, to ABOLISH ALL WARS F O R E V E R and not just a “Cease Fire” which leaves this same sick door open for future global armed conflicts. It’s downright embarrassing that we’re still engaged in such UNEVOLVED behavior; it’s Savage & Ignorant! 21st Century and what has OUR species learned? What belongs to OTHERS is THEIRS Period! We were ALL born FREE by the Creator who owns the “store,” the UNIVERSE. Who the hell do we think WE are in comparison, to enslave Any One or Any Living Thing? It’s way past time to GROW UP. We’re all in this together.Our Greed,the Control Freaks & those who can NOT get enough $$$$ are Destroying our ONLY HOME IN SPACE: Chemical companies allowed to grow our FOOD? The Telecom Industry allowed to RADIATE Every Living thing bc that’s how WIRELESS works; it transmits by emissions of RADIATION. There are neither SAFE levels of RADIATION nor CURES for RADIATION Poisoning! Trees provide oxygen & we’ve lost millions of them along w/our pollinators- 2 BILLION birds in 9 yrs! And we dare to think Our species is the top of the Line? HX books are full of the collapse of other Nations & always from Within rather than outside enemies. Whatever happens to Life & this Planet, the Cause is OUR behavior!
It’s not clear whether anyone who realizes what’s needed hadn’t already realized it for years. Specific examples of people who’ve changed their viewpoint would be very valuable.
Is there any entity that has committed “that its troops in places like Afghanistan will cease firing”?
I am all for stopping wars. But, the invading powers like the U.S. and Turkey that occupy areas in Syria cannot just stay in place. If everything is frozen at the current points of demarcation, then they think they own the lands that they occupy.
CEASEFIRE and go home!
But, nobody is asking them to go home. The UN is just asking them to stop fighting. Who is going to force the U.S. and Turkey to go home?
We are going to have to convince them — which will be extremely difficult, but easier without bombs falling.
Update from the Philippines. The Communist Party of the Philippines / New People’s Army / National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) has extended their unilateral ceasefire in support of this call. However Duterte has ended the government’s ceasefire and is continuing the war, which is hurting civilians and particularly the indigenous and rural people so much. While the poor are starving under lockdown and health workers dont have the ppe they need, he is spending money on military operations and bombs. We demand for the government to resume peace talks and address the social-economic roots of the conflict!
Thanks! Links to news reports would be helpful,
Well how much can you believe when the United States is listed and they just stole money from Venezuela on the say so of a self-appointed president?
Saudi Arabia? I dudn’t look but I’m guessing Israel is also listed. Honestly what kind of crap is this?
It’s a test of basic first grade reading skills in which all the nations of the world are listed and any information gathered about them is added.
AUDIT AND EXPOSE THESE WAR CRIMINALS …IDENTIFY WHOSE MAKING BIG MONEY AND THE POLITICIAN, CORPORATIONS AND GOVERNMENT INSIDERS THAT PARTICIPATE WITH THEM. HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, EXPOSE TO THE PUBLIC AND INSIST ON DEMOCRATIC LEAD SOLUTIONS. SEND THE SOLDIERS HOME TO THEIR LOVED ONES. SHUT DOWN THE EMPIRE, INSIST ON DEMOCRACY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. SHUT DOWN THE WAR MACHINES NOW.
SAME COMMENT
Canada has also restarted their exports of arms to Saudi Arabia. I noticed Canada and Saudi Arabia are both on the list of agreeing to Cease Fire. But, apparently neither party expects this to last. Why else would Saudi Arabia need billions worth of arms from Canada?
Stop all wars!
This week in May 2020, illegal US bases in Syria flew Apache helicopters over northern wheat fields dropping ‘thermal balloons’, an incendiary weapon, causing wheat fields to explode into flames which hot dry winds fanned to a raging fire. After destroying food crops, the helicopters flew close to homes frightening residents, especially small children in fear for their lives. Using fire as a weapon of war, 85,000 hectares of grain were burnt in 2019, and the Syrian government was forced to import 2.7 million tons to cover the losses. Destroying Syrian agriculture has been a war strategy used by various enemies of Syria, resulting in mass migration of residents. This is reported by Steven Sahiounie in US Is Using Wheat as a Weapon of War in Syria.
The number of countries committed to a ceasefire gives me hope for a global peace forever! Let’s us hope that during the 75th anniversary of the invention of the atomic bomb that the world will wake up to the dangers of nuclear proliferation. We need massive demonstrations, concerts, speeches by spiritual leaders in August to join hands around the world for peace!!!! The Doomsday Clock is clicking away and 100 seconds to the doom.
We need a cease fire in Syria NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!