WLOE E-Newsletter: 17 January 2003
News about US protests for peace; Sources of information,
International Opposition to the war and more
This
month we are launching our e-mail ‘Newsletter’ service in German and English.
Each week we will send a compendium of brief reports on women and peace, globalization
and ecology, with links to more information on our own and other websites. Please
let us know what you think of this format; your comments and contributions are
welcome. This issue has a special focus on the week's demonstrations against
a US war in Iraq.
To cover costs we depend on your contributions, of any size.
Please
send a return e-mail with information on your donation. Checks for Women and
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Thanks
for your interest and support,
Anna
Gyorgy, Co-coordinator, Rene
Karadeniz, Webmistress, Miriam
Wess, Women and Agriculture Project (Germany)
- NEWS
ABOUT U.S. PROTESTS FOR PEACE
The
Code Pink daily vigil at the White House continues. Check their website for
regular updates: www.codepink4peace.org
Women
Rising for Peace and Justice, a caucus of United for Peace, which includes
Unreasonable Women, Code Pink for Peace, many contingents of Women in Black,
the American Friends Service Committee, Global Exchange, and other women's
groups has a full day of activities today, 17 January. See: http://www.codepink4peace.org/alert.html
There
will be several women's actions in support in Germany, and signatures are
being gathered on this statement.
Statement
of Women from Germany concerning the call:"Women
Rising for Peace and Justice"
"We,
women in Germany from different groups and networks, support the call of our
American sisters.Many of us have not gone through the last world war started
by Adolf Hitler. But -- because of the heritage of our mothers and fathers,
grandmothers and grandfathers -- we have a special responsibility to do what
we can, so that democracy, freedom, and justice will be maintained, as long
as this is still possible. Against
the background of our German history during the time of fascism, in memory
of all people that have been murdered and of our ancestors, seventy years
after Hitler’s seizure of power, we say NO to the cutback of democratic rights
under the guise of fighting terrorism. We say NO to the huge extent of destruction
that would be caused by a military attack driven forward by the USA. WE SAY
NO TO WAR! Side
by side with our American friends and the women of the world we are rising
to stand up for peace and justice." (signed
by representatives of German women's organizations, full list available from
our office.)
- SOURCES
OF INFORMATION - USA
From
the umbrella coalition United for Peace and Justice, 17 January 2003:(“On
January 7, the United for Peace network decided to change our name to United
for Peace and Justice.”)
“The
current momentum against a U.S. war against Iraq is phenomenal. In
this week alone, we saw dozens of mainstream media stories about the growing
anti-war movement see
New York Times story below and others at: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/news
The
launch of a new coalition of labor unions against war; an advertisement in
the Wall Street Journal by Republicans opposing a war with Iraq; the birth
of an environmental anti-war group; and an anti-war television ad campaign
sponsored by Moveon.org…The
whole world will be watching the anti-war protests in Washington, DC and San
Francisco this Saturday, using the size of the protests to gauge U.S. opinion
about the Bush Administration's proposed war. Now is the time to come out
and demonstrate with your presence the huge and growing opposition to a war
against Iraq… To find what events are planned in your community, use the search
events feature at http://www.unitedforpeace.org
January
and February are critical months for us to get our anti-war message out as
loudly and clearly as we can. Following are some of the most important upcoming
protests and days of action.
January 27 – 29: Actions During the UN Weapons Inspectors' Report to the UN
Security Council in New York and Bush's State of the Union Address http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?calid=1007
February
4: The Price of Oil is Too High—Day of Actions at Gas Stations http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=602
February
15: Mass “Stop the War” Protest in New York City and in a dozen European cities.
Details to come on the United for Peace and Justice web site.
From
International Answer:Find
general and specific information on actions this weekend and planned from:
http://www.internationalanswer.org
Honoring
Phil Berrigan, with action for peace:
“The
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition joins with people all over the world who mourn the
loss of Phillip Berrigan who devoted his life to courageous opposition to
militarism and war. Phil Berrigan put his body on the line in the struggle
to call attention to the inherently evil nature of weapons of mass destruction
produced by and for the US military industrial complex. In addition to honoring
Dr. King, we intend to make the January 18 march a living tribute to Phil
Berrigan's life and legacy. Elizabeth McAlister, a longtime member of the
Jonah House community and Philip Berrigan's wife, will be a featured speaker
on January 18. She, members of Jonah House and others from the Catholic Worker
community will help to lead the march.” http://www.internationalanswer.org/berrigan/index.html
- CITIES
FOR PEACE
January 10, 2003 -- 34 Cities have now passed resolutions against the war.
Check their site for the list of cities and their resolutions.
http://www.citiesforpeace.org/
“Cities
for Peace is a rapidly growing effort to get City Councils and other civic
bodies to pass resolutions against a war on Iraq. Civic and religious leaders,
educators, peace activists, business leaders and individuals from all sectors
are coming together across the country to say "no" to Bush's call
for war. We the people of the U.S. are wary of a military venture against
a country that has not attacked us. We are fearful that a war will lead to
the deaths of thousands of Iraqis and US troops. We see this as a potentially
dangerous distraction from fighting terrorism and we are aware that such a
war would have devastating consequences on our city budgets and on local capacity
to meet the current needs of our own communities in these difficult economic
times.”
- INTERNATIONAL
OPPOSITION TO THE WAR
What’s happening in ENGLAND: “Tell your MP: ‘Don’t attack Iraq’
Prominent
figures from many walks of life will join parliamentarians to speak out against
war. Called jointly by Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, No War on Iraq Liaison
and Stop the War Coalition. http://www.stopwar.org.uk/action.asp
GERMANY:
At
least 37 actions are planned throughout Germany on the weekend of 17-18 January.
Organizing is going on for a major national demonstration in Berlin on 15
February 2003.
ACROSS
EUROPE: At
the European Social Forum, anti-war organisations in 11 European countries
agreed to demonstrate against Bush and Blair's war on the same day: 15 February
2003. More at: http://www.stopwar.org.uk/action.asp
- RESOURCES
ON IRAQ: women on war and peace
For
a good leaflet on situation by Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies
Fellow
http://www.war-times.org/pdf/Iraq%20Leaflet.pdf
Go
also to the War Times front page for the latest : http://www.war-times.org/
- PROMOTE
PEACE — put a sign in your window
The
War Resisters League offers two Anti-War Window Signs and a variety of leaflets
to
download in PDF:
http://www.warresisters.org/demo_flyers.htm
From
MADRE: Madre is an international women’s human rights organization demanding
human rights for women and families. MADRE’s publications explore the impact
of US policies on women and families around the world and highlight women’s
work for human rights in their communities and internationally. www.madre.org an
excellent fact sheet on Iraq: “Like
people everywhere, most people in the US think it’s wrong to kill civilians
as a means of pressuring their government. But for many, the link between
this conviction and opposition to US plans to attack Iraq is severed by fear,
misinformation and a desensitization to what war will really mean for ordinary
Iraqis. This guide is intended to help combat the euphemisms (“collateral
damage”) and passive language (“bombs fell”) that obscure the suffering that
the Bush Administration’s plans will cause. We hope it will be useful in navigating
conversations about the war and encouraging family and friends to take a stand
for peaceful alternatives.” For
full text see: http://www.madre.org/co_iraq_thanksgiving_ep.html
A
November report by the global health organization Medact estimates that at
least 50,000 civilians are likely to be killed by a US attack. “The
evidence-based report, introduced by Dr June Crown, Medact President and former
president of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal College of
Physicians UK, summarises from a public health perspective the effects of
the previous Gulf War, and outlines the likely impact of another war on the
people of Iraq, on the combatants and on the wider world. It concludes that
the threatened war could have disastrous short, medium and long-term consequences
for all concerned and summarises alternatives to war.” Medact
is “a health professionals organisation challenging barriers to health”. Their
excellent 13 page report can be downloaded in PDF format at:
http://www.medact.org/tbx/docs/Medact%20Iraq%20report_final3.pdf
CALENDAR:
for events related to women and peace in January 2003 see http://www.peacewomen.org/frame/calendar/calendar.html#january
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In Germany: GLS Gemeinschaftsbank, Konto-Nr: 105 421 100, BLZ: 430 609
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