The Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) reports that together with partners it has formed the Quaker Peace Network (QPN). The Network's 200 election observers will work at polling stations during Burundi's election.

The group recruited and trained more than 200 election observers to work at polling stations on the election days.

"Burundi’s election season started in late May and will continue through September, with at least five elections scheduled during those months. These elections are the first since all rebel groups laid down their weapons in 2008, officially ending the country’s 15-year civil war," writes Chad Umble in a July 9, 2010, MCC release.

San Anselmo Filmaker Haydn Reiss has released a new film based on Amercian poet William Stafford's writings and actions in World War II. Stafford could not reationalize the biblical commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" with the actions of his homeland and the horrors of war. He became a conscientious objector during World War II.

Every War has Two Losers features Stafford's writings as well as a cast of writers including Alice Walker, Robert Bly, Maxine Hong Kingston and just-named U.S. Poet Laureate W.S. Merwin as they reflect on the influence of Stafford's words on their lives. Actor Peter Coyote puts a voice to Stafford's words. Stafford died in 1993.

Common Dreams reports that the "The 32-minute documentary feels more like a poem or a peace meditation than a movie."

"'"I belong to a small, fanatical sect,'" Stafford wrote in his journal. "We believe that current ways of carrying out world affairs are malignant."

Instead of speaking to the G8 political leaders, Robert J. Suderman, General Secretary of Mennonite Church Canada recommended a 9th millennium development goal aimed at the 80 gathered international delegates at the World Religions Summit, 2010 that the religions of the world "... condemn religiously motivated terrorism and extremism and commit to stop the teaching and justification of the use of violence between and among our faith communities."

The Canadian Mennonite's July 12, 2010 issue reports Suderman saying, "This millennium goal could be as simple as that our houses of faith stop teaching—and stop justifying—the use of lethal violence between and among our own people.”

The leaders included Suderman's wording as part of a broader consensus statement called "A Time for Inspired Leadership and Action" calling on G8 leaders to honour decade-old pledges to the UN's Millennium Development Goals.

MP Stephen Fletcher, Minsiter of Democratic Reform (Canada), received the statement on behalf of the religious leaders and promised to deliver it to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper who hosted the G8 political leaders summit in Ontario from June 25-27, 2010.

Faith leaders representing Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Shinto, Hindu, Aboriginal, Baha'i, and Buddist faiths from over 20 countries attended the Summit in Winnipeg, Manitoba, from June 21-23. 

"Did you know that Pentecostal denominations have not always been militaristic?"

That's a question posed on Jay Beaman's Pentecostal and Holiness Pacifism website, a site "dedicated to the history of Pentecostal and Holiness Pacifism and related topics."

Beaman's site claims that between 5-10% of all conscientious objectors in the United States during World War I were "Pentecostals or

Itamar Shapira is a former soldier in the Israeli army. Today he is a refusenik and a member of Combatants for Peace.

During his service, he says he received an order to shoot an unarmed person.

Marina Cantacuzino of The Forgiveness Project wants to interview him hoping his story will inspire others. But he is weary of telling his story for five years, and is suspicious of yet another foreigner using his story, writes Cantacuzino in her blog at the Huffington Post.

"The only reason to tell a painful story is if there's a clear motivation to help others; if not it just re-traumatizes," she observes. "Itamar suggests that I look up his story on the internet and when I get back to the hotel I do just that."

Rahim Musa, a 23 year-old Palistinian law student once plotted to kill Israeli soldiers at a check point. She was 15 years old at the time.

Marina Cantacuzino of The Forgiveness Project writes in blog for the Huffington Post:

"The soldiers, believing her to be strapped with explosives, starting firing and she took a direct hit in her stomach. Riham ended up serving a ten-month prison sentence, spending some of that time in hospital having two operations. Her decision to support a non-violent approach grew out of this traumatic event. 'I believe violence breeds violence and there's no choice now for me other than to find another way,' she declares."

Patrick Hart, 36, came to Canada in 2005 when he couldn't face another deployment to Iraq.

Though some believe Hart is a traitor, he has no regrets. "I've bled for my country, I've sweated for my country, I've cried myself to sleep for my country — which is a lot more than some people who are passing judgment on me have done," he says.

He and other war resistors - though ready to face the consequences should they be deported - are hoping a new bill - C-440 in the Canadian Parliament - will allow them to stay.

Canada's conservative government has been less welcoming of war resistors than previous governments, says a May 24, 2010 article in USA Today.

The War Resistors Support Campaign was founded online when Jeremy Hinzman, an Army paratrooper, deserted and came to Canada in 2004.

The Meeting House church has started a 7-session study on Anabaptism, entitled  “Inglorious Pastors:  Waging Peace in a World of War.”

"In the sixteenth century a renegade group of Christian leaders rebelled against their own religion.  These dissenters called for the church to separate from the state and to reject all forms of violence.  They waged their war with weapons of peace, and many died for their radical cause of calling Christians back to the way of Christ.  Known as 'Anabaptists”' they dared to think that Jesus should be taken seriously when he taught his followers to turn the other cheek, love their enemies, and do good to those who hate them."

- from The Meeting House site

New research by Maria J. Stephan and Erica Chenoweth (HT to Rose Marie Berger writing for Sojourners in the US) on how nonviolence seems more successful than violent strategies in challenging regimes.

The study challenges the conventional wisdom that violent resistance against conventionally superior adversaries is the most effective way for resistance groups to achieve policy goals.

“Peace Among the Peoples: Overcoming the Logic, Spirit and and Practice of Violence” is an ecumenical peace conference hosted by Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana July 28-31, 2010.  Inspired by the World Council of Churches’ Decade to Overcome Violence, the conference will bring together Christians of many persuasions in a focus on contemporary North American responses to war and violence.