“Honour the war dead by ending war” was the theme of a gathering of peace activists in Martin Place in front of the official ceremony commemorating Armistice Day, November 11.
As an army band played The Last Post, the activists stood silently, wearing small placards, with these words.
They handed out a leaflet, authorised by the Marrickville Peace Group, which read in part: “We honour the war dead. We acknowledge their sacrifice in the cause of peace. However, we now know that the overwhelming majority of those who have lost their lives in wars since WW1 have actually been non-combatant civilians, not military personnel.
“War is not inevitable. War requires repeated input from those in power to keep the populace mindful of and ready for war …
“The technology of war has reached a stage where its humanitarian consequences are no longer acceptable (if they ever were). Nuclear war would be catastrophic.
“War against China should not be contemplated. The need to go to war is a failure to negotiate peace. We speak out against war.”