Stop Killing the People of Iraq

Action Alert - Stop Killing the People of Iraq

Peace Movement Aotearoa

PO Box 9314, Wellington. Tel (04) 382 8129, fax (04) 382 8173, [email protected]

Issued 22 December 1998

Kia ora,

The most recent bombing of the people of Iraq, as with previous attacks, was protested by people and governments around the world.

The governments of France, China and Russia stated their opposition, but seemed unable to prevent Britain and the US (the other two permanent UN Security Council members) from once more slaughtering people and destroying life sustaining facilities such as hospitals, communications, and sewage systems. The Russian government withdrew its ambassadors from London and Washington as a mark of their disapproval.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed his deep regret and stated ... "What has happened cannot be reversed nor can any of us foresee the future. All we know is that tomorrow, as yesterday, there will be still an acute need, in Iraq and in the wider region, for both humanitarian relief and healing diplomacy."

The governments of New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Japan and Germany supported the attack.

Here in Aotearoa / New Zealand there were daily protests in Auckland outside the US consulate, daily vigils in Wellington outside parliament, and protest at the Octagon in Dunedin. We have received reports too of protest actions and gatherings throughout the US, in Canada, England, Scotland, Australia, France and Germany.

Click here for photos of the protests in Aotearoa / NZ.

"Bombs and sanctions are only killing the people of Iraq not their leader"

(placard at the Wellington vigil)

While the bombing raids have stopped, we hope permanently, the killing of the people of Iraq has not - thousands of Iraqis are dying each month from malnutrition and disease as the economic sanctions prevent the purchase and distribution of sufficient food and medical supplies; and leukaemia rates have soared due to the poisonous legacy of the depleted uranium weapons used by British and US forces during the Gulf War.

For more information on these topics, click these links here.

ISMAG (3K) - Iraq Sanctions Medical Alert Group
International Action Centre
PMA Action Alert - Protests against attacks on the people of Iraq (17/12/98)
PMA Action Alert - Protest - Stop the Economic Sanctions which are killing the people of Iraq (20/11/98)
Military Attack on the People of Iraq? (12/11/98)

Sign the International Declaration in Opposition to the Economic Blockade on Iraq !

We now have around 250 signatures for the 'International Declaration in Opposition to the Economic Blockade on Iraq' which will be presented to the NZ and US governments towards the end of January. Please help with the moves to get the NZ government to abandon its support for the sanctions by collecting signatures for the Declaration; if you require paper copies, they are available free from PMA by post, or you can print it off our website.

Click here for the International Declaration in Opposition to the Economic Blockade on Iraq.

Emergency Protest Arrangements

Finally, emergency arrangements for protesting if the bombing starts again are as follows - on the day of an attack:

AUCKLAND - meet at 4-30pm outside the US consulate (corner Shortland Street);

WELLINGTON - meet at 5pm by the Cenotaph, vigil there every day at 5pm for the duration of the attack;

DUNEDIN - meet at 5-30pm, at the lower Octagon.

Bring your own banner, poster, candles - whatever you need to state your opposition to the bloodshed.

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