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.

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• 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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