[JNV Announce] BBC's John Simpson refuses to speak at Iraq business conference

[Emma Sangster]

PRESS RELEASE            Voices in the Wilderness UK [A]
22nd April 2004
Contact 0845 458 2564 or 07947 839 992

BBC'S JOHN SIMPSON REFUSES TO SPEAK AT IRAQ BUSINESS CONFERENCE

Activists to protest at oil and arms trade-backed Iraq Procurement=20
Conference

The BBC's World Affairs Editor, John Simpson, has refused to speak at a=20
business conference next week at which representatives from 300=20
companies - including Shell, ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco and US arms=20
manufacturer Raytheon - will meet members of the US-installed Iraqi=20
"government" to discuss 'the wide range of =E2=80=A6 opportunities availabl=
e'=20
to make a profit out of the increasingly blood-soaked occupation of Iraq=20
[B]. Mr Simpson's agency had apparently forgotten to inform their=20
client, who only found out that he was listed on the conference web-site=20
[C] as the 'guest speaker' at the conference's 'four course [gala]=20
dinner with wine' yesterday afternoon, after Voices UK circulated a=20
press release urging him to pull out of the event.

In an email to Voices UK, Mr Simpson explained that the moment he heard=20
his name was on the conference web-site he 'immediately rang the=20
organizers to make it clear there was no possibility of [his] taking=20
part.' 'I'd never accept an invitation to anything that was as=20
contentious as this,' he added.

Voices spokesperson Gareth Evans said 'We are very pleased to learn that=20
John Simpson will not be speaking at this conference and that he was=20
unaware his name was being used by the event's organizers. John Simpson=20
was one of the few journalists to speak out against the devastating UN=20
sanctions on Iraq, so we are not surprised to learn that this "booking"=20
had nothing to do with him. We would urge any other public figures that=20
are approached to speak at this event over the coming week to similarly=20
decline.'

Voices is one of a number of groups and individuals helping to organise=20
a protest to coincide with next Tuesday's conference dinner. Two suited=20
'pigs' bearing corporate logos will gorge themselves on a trough of=20
blood-stained banknotes at 6.30pm next Tuesday outside the London Hilton=20
on Park Lane to protest against the 'corporate feeding frenzy' taking=20
place at the business conference and dinner. The Hilton is the 'official=20
hotel of choice' for the conference. The protest, in support of the=20
rights of Iraqi workers and demanding 'reconstruction, not rip-off',=20
will also feature speakers from the Union of Unemployed Iraqis, the=20
Organisation for Women's Freedom in Iraq, and the Campaign Against Arms=20
Trade amongst others.

For more info. contact 0845 458 2564 or 07947 839 992

NOTES
[A] Voices in the Wilderness UK has been campaigning on Iraq for the=20
last six years. For more info. see www.voicesuk.org.
[B] See www.iraqprocurement.com
[C] See www.iraqprocurement.com/docs/agenda.htm
--=20
Emma Sangster