refuse: military.01 was produced by Meira Asher. Words by Noam Gur, Hebron recordings by Issa Amro and Hebron Human Rights Press. Prepared typewriter from a performance with Guy Harries. Some beats by Floy Krouchi. Mixed and mastered by Paul Kendall. The piece was initially commissioned by Saout radio, and broadcast on Kunstradio.
More pieces in Meira's fearless radio series are available here.
Meira writes:
refuse: military is a series of radio works, addressing the many youths who encounter compulsory military service in Israel. What alternatives to forced conscription are presented to these children? Schools which allow access to the Israeli military propaganda merchants, rarely, if ever, allow alternative voices to reach the children.
In this first episode 'refuse: military.01', Noam Gur recently refused to serve in the Israeli army. She is a conscientious objector. She had three trials, and was jailed twice for a total of 30 days in military prison. The usual procedure is to be repeatedly ordered to enlist – and repeatedly sent to prison, before one is ironically released on medical grounds. In the first part of the work, Noam reads her imprisonment statement followed by her description of the militarist presence and activity in her high school.
Constellations says:
This complex manifesto of a piece is powerful both in its content and delivery. Noam's written testimony is powerful, but set against the rhythmic collage of percussion, sampling, and field recordings, its descriptions are rendered more raw and graphic. Meira's work is politically relevant as ever, and we're inspired by the bold and heartfelt stand she makes in all her work.