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Pakistan - The Anti-War Committee-Pakistan, a
coalition of 27 NGOs, progressive political parties and activists
including Labour Party Pakistan, National Workers Party, People’s
Party Shahid Bhutto, Mazdoor Kisan Party and Joint Action
Committee for People’s Rights, organized the protest to coincide
with an International day of action against war. The intention was
to march to the US consulate and present a petition opposing war
on Iraq.
However, even after extensive negotiations with police, they were
denied the right to march and allowed only a stationary rally.
Chanting “Bush Bush Hush Hush” (Go away Bush) and waving placards
with slogans such as ‘operation infinite lawlessness’ and ‘WTO –
economic terrorists’ the rally managed to march about a block
before being blocked by police.
Farooq Tariq, a member of the Anti-War Committee, called the
protest a great success. “Pakistan is known for anti-American
demonstrations led by fundamentalists, but these fundamentalists
are not anti-imperialism and they are not for peace; they want
more war with America. It is only the Left wing forces that have
consistently fought against American imperialism and today all the
left parties are united in an Anti-war committee and we will show
the real alternative to the masses in fighting against
imperialism.”
A number of messages of solidarity were received from around the
world including ASAP (Australia), John Pilger (film maker), Asia
Peace Alliance, ANSWER (USA), UIT (Latin America) plus others.
John Pilger message to Pakistan
"I send my greetings to the Anti War Committee Pakistan. I can
think of no other country where campaigning against a barbaric
attack on Iraq is more important than Pakistan. Pakistan is at the
centre of American war planning. It was part of the American
attack on Afghanistan, and Washington will expect Islamabad to
support when it drops its cluster bombs on Iraq. I admire you
people immensely. We in the West don't need the courage that you
people of principle must have in your everyday political lives. I
admire you and I am honoured to regard myself as one of your
comrades. All power to you!"
John Pilger
MESSAGE OF SUPPORT TO ANTI-WAR PROTESTS AND SOLIDARITY TO IRAQI
PEOPLE
The Asian Peace Alliance greets the (Pakistan peace coalition) on
this day of anti-war protest. We stand side by side with you in
extending our solidarity to the people of Iraq as they face
another crisis that promises to heighten their already
unimaginable suffering For there is already a war on Iraq. The
governments of the United States and Britain have consistently
been waging a war on its people since the end of the first Gulf
war. Over the last 12 years, barbaric economic sanctions have
claimed the lives of more than half a million children, according
to UNICEF. This means that 5-6000 children are killed in Iraq
every month, due to contaminated water, lack of medicines and
malnutrition: the direct result of American attacks against water
treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, electrical generating
plants, and communications centers during the Gulf war, and the
subsequent imposition of sanctions. 500,000 children. Every single
one of them is a young life snuffed out forever by easily
preventable causes. It is a human tragedy on a scale few of us can
comprehend.
How can we comprehend that the infant mortality rate in Iraq rose
by 100% between 1991 and 1995? That chronic malnutrition in Iraqi
children under 5 shot up by 72% in the 6 years following the ‘Gulf
war’? That Iraqis are now dying from diseases that were once
easily treated in their country? Under the noses of UN inspectors
combing Iraq for ‘evidence’ of a weapons programme, very real
weapons of mass destruction, economic sanctions, continue to be
deployed against the Iraqi people. It is also often forgotten by
the media that a military campaign has continued to be waged
against Iraq by the US and its allies over the past 12 years.
Almost completely hidden from international scrutiny, US and
British planes have continued to bomb Iraq an average of 3-4 times
per week, killing hundreds in their enforcement of so-called
‘no-fly zones’. These no-fly zones blanket more than 60% of Iraq,
60% of a country over which no plane can fly without prior
approval from Washington.
The cost of reconstructing an economic infrastructure in Iraq is
estimated to begin at US$50-60 million. And while most Iraqis are
forced to subsist upon an average of US$130 a year, the US has
continued to spend $1.4 billion annually on further bombing their
battered country. There is already a war on Iraq. Any further
military action by the US and Britain will only increase the
suffering of a people who have known only misery, violence, and
tragedy for a decade. Can the world watch, give its tacit consent,
as the US and British militaries pummel them even further? How can
anyone support this war and still call themselves human?
In the name of humanity and peace, it is time to stop this war on
the innocent. There is no justification for a new military
campaign, and there must be no new military campaign. We extend
our strong solidarity to the efforts of the (Anti-War Coalition in
Pakistan) against the planned escalation of US and British
violence on the people of Iraq. Similar efforts are being carried
out throughout Asia and around the world. The collective strength
of peace loving people around the world can and will stop this
insanity. It is also time to end the sanctions, time to let the
people of Iraq enjoy their right to life and security. Their
suffering must end. We demand peace for the people of Iraq, for
the people of Asia, for the people of the world. |
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