[JNV] Mass Civil Disobedience 2 April Naming The Dead

[JNV]

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Dear friends

Below we are forwarding a message from Voices in the Wilderness concerning the immensely important act of mass civil disobedience which is to take place in London next Sunday, 2 April.

JNV supports this action, and asks you to support and/or participate in any way that you can.

We recommend that people considering participation in the action attend the workshop and legal briefing on Saturday, 1 April.

Best wishes

Maya Evans
Milan Rai
JNV

***

[A] Remembering Fallujah, Resisting Occupation: Join Maya Evans, Jenny Jones
and Jo Wilding for the first mass act of civil disobedience against the
occupation of Iraq since the invasion. 12 noon, Sunday 2 April, Parliament
Square.
[B] Prop-making workshop for the mass act of civil disobedience on 2 April:
Sunday 26 March, 2-4pm, Rampart Social Centre, 15-17 Rampart Street, London
E1 2LA (off Commerical Road).
[C] Nonviolent direct action (NVDA) workshop + legal briefing for the mass
act of civil disobedience on 2 April: Saturday 1 April, London. 11.30 - 4.30
(NVDA workshop), 4.30 - 5.30pm (legal briefing).
[D] Condoleeza Rice in Liverpool and Blackburn next week - protests
organised for 31 March & 1 April.
[E] Demonstration outside arms conference show-casing the new Paveway 4
'Precision Guided Bomb.' Thursday 30 March, 5.30 - 6.30pm, Selfridge Hotel,
Orchard Street, London (nearest tubes Marble Arch, Bond Street).
[F] The real "drones of death" (excerpt from the 45th Voices newsletter -
see www.voicesuk.org)
[G] Other upcoming events
 
*********************************
[A] REMEMBERING FALLUJAH, RESISTING OCCUPATION
Naming the Dead: Mass Civil Disobedience Against the Occupation of Iraq on
the 2nd anniversary of the April 2004 US massacre in Fallujah.
12 noon, Sunday 2 April. Parliament Square.
 
Organised by the Mass Action Group and supported by Nadje al-Ali, Anglican
Pacifist Fellowship, Pax Christi, Chumbawamba, Maya Evans, Hastings Against
War, Iraq Occupation Focus, Ewa Jasiewicz, London Catholic Worker, Caroline
Lucas MEP, Movement for the Abolition of War, Harold Pinter, Milan Rai, Sami
Ramadani, Mark Thomas, Voices UK, Jo Wilding, the Wrexham Peace and Justice
Forum, Haifa Zangana.
 
"We buried many in the stadium for football until it became full. When you
are burying you cannot stay long because [the Marines] will just shoot you"
- Iraqi doctor working in Fallujah, April 2004
 
REMEMBERING FALLUJAH
On 2 April 2004 US forces sealed off the Iraqi city of Fallujah in what
became the first of two major assaults on the city. At least 572 civilians –
including over 300 women and children – were killed in the subsequent siege
(see www.rememberfallujah.org for more info).
 
Fighter bombers were used to attack residential areas, US snipers targeted
ambulances and at least one US battalion had 'orders to shoot any male of
military age on the streets after dark, armed or not' (New York Times, 14
April).
 
Since then, numerous other Iraqi towns and cities have been attacked by
US-led forces for whom “mass detentions and indis-criminate torture appear
to be the main tools” (Financial Times, 29 June 05). Thousands of Iraqis
have been killed and tens of thousands forced to flee their homes. Hospitals
have been attacked and white phosphorus used as a weapon. Unmanned Predator
aircraft are now attacking targets in Iraq and Afghanistan "almost every
day" (AP, 12 Dec 05).
 
RESISTING OCCUPATION
On Sunday 2 April 2006 hundreds of anti-war and peace activists - including
Jo Wilding, who personally witnessed US war crimes in Fallujah in April
2004, and Maya Evans, who last Decemeber became the first person to be
convicted of participating in an "unauthorised" demonstration within 1km of
Parliament - will be gathering in Parliament Square for a mass act of civil
disobedience, reading the names of 1,000 Iraqis who have died as a result of
the invasion and occupation and demanding:
 
• an immediate end to the US/UK military occupation of Iraq
• massive reparations and debt cancellation so that Iraqis can rebuild their
country free from foreign interference
• prosecution of those responsible for war crimes
 
PLEASE JOIN US. Wear black if possible and come prepared for a long ceremony
and possible arrest.
 
PLEASE NOTE: This is an “unauthorised” demonstration within 1km of
Parliament. Under the new restrictions on protest contained in the Serious
Organised Crime and Police Act (April 2005) participation in such an event
is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to £1000. For more info
come to the legal briefing or check back here shortly. There will be post
action support for anyone arrested.
 
A Nonviolent Direct Action Workshop & Legal Briefing will take place on
Saturday 1 April - see [C] below. IF YOU CAN'T MAKE THE WORKSHOP OR THE
BRIEFING BUT CAN MAKE IT TO THE WORKSHOP VENUE FOR 5.30PM THERE WILL ALSO BE
A SHORT RUN-THROUGH OF THE PLAN FOR SUNDAY'S EVENT THEN.
 
For more info: voices@voicesuk.org or 0845 458 2564.
 
***********************************
[B] PROP-MAKING WORKSHOP
Where: RampArts Social Centre, 15-17 Rampart Street, London E1 2LA (off
commerical road)
When: 2-4pm (and possibily later as well).
 
If you can lend a couple of hours to help paste-up some placards or paint a
banner it would be greatly appreciated! Contact idiotbarnes@yahoo.com
 
********************************
[C] NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION WORKSHOP ON SATURDAY 1 APRIL.
 
A Nonviolent Direct Action Workshop & Legal Briefing will take place on
Saturday 1 April at The Front Studio, Diorama 1, 34 Osnaburgh St, London
NW1. (tube Great Portland St). Times: 11.30am-4.30pm (NVDA workshop);
4.30pm-5.30pm (legal briefing). The workshop will be run by Seeds for Change
(www.seedsforchange.org.uk).
 
Please try and make this if you can! IF YOU CAN'T MAKE THE WORKSHOP OR THE
BRIEFING BUT CAN MAKE IT TO THE WORKSHOP VENUE FOR 5.30PM THERE WILL ALSO BE
A SHORT RUN-THROUGH OF THE PLAN FOR SUNDAY'S EVENT THEN.
 
********************************
[D] CONDOLEEZA RICE IN LIVERPOOL AND BLACKBURN? THE NORTH WEST SAYS NO
THANKS. ORGANISE YOUR TRANSPORT NOW.
 
After the great success of last Saturday's national demonstration in London,
anti-war activists are mobilising against the proposed visit of  US
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to the North West next week. Rice, who
has been instrumental in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, is visiting the
region as the personal guest of fellow warmonger, British Foreign Secretary
Jack Straw, who will be taking her on a tour of Blackburn and Liverpool next
Thursday 30 March and Friday 31 March.
 
This has caused outrage in Liverpool and Blackburn and demonstrations have
been arranged by Merseyside Stop the War and by Blackburn Stop the War
groups. The campaign is already having an impact. Liverpool poet Roger
McGough, who was booked to perform for Condeleeza Rice, has withdraw
following pressure from local anti-war activists. The leader of Liverpool
Council has reduced his contact with Rice to one function and is under
pressure to snub her completely. Check the national StWC website for details
and updates.
 
The national website will also carry details of coaches being booked to take
people to Liverpool for the demonstration on Friday 31 March:
www.stopwar.org.uk. A website has been set up by Blackburn STW group
soecifically for the mobilisation against Rice: www.condiwatch.co.uk.
 
Manchester STW have already booked coaches: CONTACT 07875 666239.
Leeds STW has set up a telephone contact number for transport: CONTACT 07875
666239.
 
All local groups planning to joing the Condeleeza Rice demonstrations should
send us details of transport etc as soon as they have it, so we can post
details on the Stop the War website.
 
CALL TO ALL LONDON GROUPS
There are plans to send coaches from London to the Liverpool demonstration
on Friday 31 March. We are asking all London groups to contribute to the
cost of coaches by agreeing to fund tickets, either to send their own
supporters or else to sponsor students or the unwaged to go. The return
ticket will cost #20. As an incentive, for every seat funded we will give a
free copy of the new book NOT ONE MORE DEATH (see the Stop the War website
for details - usual cost #5).
Contact the national office now with the number of seats your group intends
to sponsor:
 
Telephone: 020 7278 6694
Email: office@stopwar.org.uk
 
********************************
[E] DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE ARMS CONFERENCE SHOWCASING THE NEW PAVEWAY 4
'PRECISION GUIDED BOMB'
5.30 - 6.30pm, Thursday 30 March. Selfridge Hotel, Orchard Street, London
(nearest tubes Marble Arch, Bond Street). Org. by Smash Edo.
 
On 30 March EDO MBM and Raytheon Systems will be showcasing the new Paveway
4 'Precision Guided Bomb' at the "Weapons System Integration Conference."
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or "drones of death" (see [E] below), will
also be under discussion.
 
Come and join the "precision guided" demo. outside the conference!
 
************************************
[F] THE REAL "DRONES OF DEATH"
(excerpt from the 45th Voices newsletter - see www.voicesuk.org).
 
The non-existent “threat” posed by Iraqi Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) –
once dubbed “drones of death” by the then UK Defence Secretary George
Robertson (Telegraph, 20 Dec ’98) – was one of the many lies used to sell
the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Ironically real “drones of death” are now being
used around the world by the US - with British assistance.
 
DAMADOLA
At roughly 3am on 13 Jan the US fired a series of missiles into Damadola
village in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province, killing between 13 and
18 people. Among the dead were five women and five children: Hussain Nawaz
(5), Mehda Bibi (9), Sadiqa Bibi (10), Taib (9) and Zahidullah (7)
(DAWN.com, 13 Jan). Pakistani journalists who interviewed local people said
that all of the victims were civilians. The attack’s apparent target -
al-Qaeda operative Ayman al-Zawahiri - was certainly not among the dead.
 
Reports indicated that the missiles were fired from an unmanned Predator
drone, probably operated by the CIA (Amnesty International, 31 Jan). A
member of Parliament from a nearby village told the Observer that he had
seen a drone surveying the area hours before the attack (15 Jan).
 
Just a few days earlier a US helicopter, believed to have flown in from
Afghanistan on the night of 7 Jan, had fired missiles into the house of a
local cleric in Miranshah, North Waziristan, reportedly killing 8 people
including 2 women and 2 children (AI, 31 Jan). Nine more were injured and
‘Pakistan media reported that US soldiers on board the helicopter had taken
away at least two members of the family whose whereabouts remain unknown.’
Local people claimed that a US drone had hovered over the area for at least
three days before the attack.
 
BEYOND PAKISTAN
These were not the first US attacks inside Pakistan. Similar strikes took
place on 17 June 04 (killing 6 people including two local boys); 7 May 05; 5
Nov 05 (killing the wife and daughter of an alleged al-Qaeda operative and 6
others); and 1 Dec 05 (killing 5, including 2 children).
 
Nor have such attacks been confined to Pakistan: in Oct 02, the US Defence
Department ‘admitted for the first time that it was using armed drones to
attack targets … [in] southern Iraq’ (BBC, 5 Nov 02); and on 4 Nov 02 six
suspected al-Qaeda members were killed by a CIA drone in Yemen.
 
In Dec 03 nine children and a 25-year-old man were killed in a strike from a
Predator in the Afghan village of Hutala (NYT, 15 Jan) and according to the
US airforce chief of staff Predator drones are now attacking targets in Iraq
or Afghanistan “almost every day” (AP, 12 Dec).
 
THE BRITISH CONNECTION 1
As at July 2005 forty-four RAF pilots and support staff were ‘embedded’ with
the US Combined Joint Predator Task Force in Indian Springs, Nevada
(http://tinyurl.com/elvyt) and an RAF-commanded crew are known to have
undertaken at least one Predator strike, against insurgents in the Najaf
area in late 04 (Flight International, 8 Feb 05).
 
Furthermore, ‘images take by Predators as they fly across international
airspace are beamed back to … RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire’ and ‘[i]t is
believed that British defence intelligence officers work with their
counterparts to analyse the data’ (Observer, 29 Jan).
 
THE BRITISH CONNECTION 2
The computer boards that control the Predator drones are made in Towcester,
Northamptonshire, by Radstone Technology (Tove Valley Business Park,
NN12 6PF).
 
Last year the Pentagon announced that it would spend $5.7bn over the next
five years on drones (Reuters, 19 Mar 05) and in Aug 05 a US-based
subsidiary of Britain’s biggest arms dealer, BAE Systems, was awarded a
$5.4m Pentagon contract to provide a surveillance and reconnaissance system
for the Predator (http://tinyurl.com/rl8rd).
 
It is likely that, as in 2004, a Predator or its successor will be flown on
display at the Farnborough International Air Show on 16-17 July
(www.farnborough.com) – an event co-organised by the MoD that will also
feature a UAV Pavilion.
 
THE WELSH / ISRAELI CONNECTION
In July 04 the UK opened a major UAV research centre at Aberporth in Wales,
part-funded by money from the Welsh Development Agency. Though pitched as a
research effort to expand civilian uses of UAVs, from Sept 05 Aberporth has
been used to flight-test the Hermes 450 ‘Watchkeeper’ UAV - a collaboration
between the MoD, Thales UK and Elbit, the leading Israeli UAV pioneer
(http://tinyurl.com/zeow8).  Watchkeeper is a purely military programme
(http://tinyurl.com/z4gfb).
 
THE BRITISH CONNECTION 4
A UK military programme has recently been evaluating Predators for purchase
by the RAF, testing a Predator B (‘hunter-killer’) drone in the US between
Nov 04 and February 05 (Air Force Monthly, Aug 05). Last July C4ISR Journal
reported that the RAF was negotiating a deal to buy two Predator Bs for the
2006 British deployment to Afghanistan (http://tinyurl.com/elvyt).
 
[Voices would like to thank Mike Lewis of Campaign Against Arms Trade
(www.caat.org.uk) for generously providing most of the research for this
article.]
 
*************************************
[G] OTHER UPCOMING ANTI-WAR EVENTS
 
EVERY MON-SAT, BRISTOL: PEACE VIGIL. Running since a few days after 9/11.
5.30-6.30pm (Mon-Fri) & 3-4pm (Sat). City Centre, opposite The Hippodrome,
St. Augustines Parade.
 
EVERY SUN, LONDON: FREEDOM TO PROTEST PICNICS in Parliament Square. In
defence of the right to protest, recently criminalised under s132 of the
Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (April 2005). Bring food, drink and
music to share. 1pm, Parliament Square, Westminster. For more info contact
0785 439 0408, marshall_darkness@hotmail.com or visit www.peopleincommon.org
 
SECOND THURSDAY OR EVERY MONTH, LONDON: MONTHLY MEETING OF IRAQ OCCUPATION
FOCUS. 7.30 - 9.30pm, Indian YMCA, 41 Fitzroy Square, W1T 6AQ (nearest tube
Warren Street). The dates for the this year's meetings are: 13 Apr, 11 May,
8 Jun, 13 Jul, 10 Aug, 14 Sept, 12 Oct, 9 Nov and 14 Dec. See
www.iraqoccupationfocus.org.uk.
 
26 MAR, LONDON: PRO-MAKING WORKSHOP FOR "NAMING THE DEAD" EVENT ON 2 APRIL.
2-4pm (and possibly beyond), Rampart Social Centre, 15-17 Rampart Street,
London E1 2LA (off commerical road). Contact idiotbarnes@yahoo.com
 
27 MAR, LONDON: STOP DEPORTATIONS TO IRAQ. Organising meeting called by the
Coalition to Stop Deportations. 7pm, Committee Room 2, Camden Town Hall,
Judd Street. Contact Dashty Jamal (International Federation of Iraqi
Refugees)
07734-704742 or sarahp107@hotmail.com.
 
29 MAR, LONDON: THE NIGHTMARE OF CONTROL ORDERS. Public meeting with Gareth
Peirce (Solicitor), Doug Jewell (Liberty), Adrienne Burrows (Peace and
Justice in East London), Makbool Javaid (HHUGS), Les Levidow (CAMPACC) and
some victims of control orders. 6.30pm, Committee Room 3, House of Lords.
www.campacc.org.uk.
 
30 MAR, LONDON: DEMO OUTSIDE THE "ADVANCED WEAPONS INTEGRATION CONFERENCE".
5.30pm, Selfridge Hotel, London. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, a.k.a
"drones of death") will be high on the agenda of this military conference.
Companies attending will include EDO MBM and Raytheon RSL. Bring banners,
noise and anger... More info at 07891405923, smashedo@hotmail.com
 
30 MAR - 1 APR: PROTESTS AGAINST CONDOLEEZA RICE'S VISIT TO LIVERPOOL AND
BLACKBURN. Demonstrations have already been organised in Liverpool on 31 Mar
(meet 5pm on the steps of Liverpool Cathedral for a 7.30pm march to the
Philharmonic Hall) and in Blackburn on the 1 Apri. See www.stopwar.org.uk.
 
31 MAR, LONDON: TRIAL OF ACTIVIST MARK BARRETT charged with taking part in
an “unauthorised” demo in Parliament Square. 10am, Bow Street Magistrates
Court. See www.peopleincommon.org.
 
1 APR, LONDON: BENEFIT EVENT FOR "PEOPLE IN COMMON" - the folk who hold the
weekly picnics in Parliament Square (see above). Live music. 7pm - 2am,
21 Russell Square (next to SOAS). www.peopleincommon.org
 
APRIL, AROUND THE COUNTRY: SPEAKING TOUR BY ACTIVIST MILAN RAI (author of
Chomsky’s Politics and War Plan Iraq) on his new book 7/7: the London
bombings, Islam and the Iraq war. Events include 5 Apr, Belfast; 10 Apr,
Berwick-upon-Tweed; 11 Apr, Kendal; 12 Apr, London (see below); 13 April,
Lewes (7.30pm, Newton Room at Southover Grange, 01273 473912); 19 Apr,
Southampton University; 20 Apr, Yeovil; 23 Apr, Hereford; 29 Apr,
Aberystwyth; 3 May, Stevenage; 18 May, Tower Hamlets. More info
www.j-n-v.org or 0845 458 9571.
 
1 APRIL, BRIGHTON: PUBLIC MEETING on the New ‘Anti-terror’ Laws with Sagheer
Hussan (lawyer for Stop Political Terror), Anne Costello (CAMPACC) and the
brother of one of the detainees in Guantanamo Bay. 7 - 9.30pm. Friends
Meeting House, Ship Street.
 
1 APRIL, LONDON: NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION WORKSHOP AND LEGAL BRIEFING with
Seeds for Change (www.seedsforchange.org.uk). Front studio, Diorama 1, 34
Osnaburgh Street, London. 11.30am - 4.30pm (nonviolent direct action) and
4.30pm - 5.30pm (legal briefing). Org. by Voices.
 
2 APRIL, LONDON: NAMING THE DEAD: MASS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AGAINS THE
OCCUPATION OF IRAQ on the 2nd anniversary of the April 2004 US attack on
Fallujah. 12 noon, Parliament Square. See http://tinyurl.com/orq9e).
 
3 APRIL, BRENT: PUBLIC MEETING WITH A MEMBER OF THE LONDON GUANTANAMO
CAMPAIGN. 7.30pm, Trades and Labour Hall, 375 Willesden High Road NW10
(nearest station Dollis Hill). Org. by Brent STW.
 
4 APRIL, LONDON: IRAN: SECRETS AND LIES. Public meeting with author Milan
Rai (War Plan Iraq and 7/7: The London Bombings, Islam and the Iraq War) and
artist Emily Johns. 7.30pm, St Vincent’s Centre, Carlisle Place, Victoria,
SW1P 1NL. Org. by Fellowship of Reconciliation, JNV and Pax Christi. See
www.for.org.uk.
 
6 APRIL, LONDON: DEMO ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE ARMED FORCES. 5-7pm, outside
the MoD main building in Whitehall. Org. by At Ease. www.atease.org.uk
 
7-21 APRIL, GLASGOW– LONDON: VANUNU FREEDOM (BICYCLE) RIDE from Faslane to
London. Supporters welcome. 0845 4581965 or www.vanunufreedomride.org.uk
 
8 APRIL, LONDON: LONDON ANTI-WAR ACTION FORUM. Want to take action? Then the
London Anti-war Action Forum – a bimonthly open space for people who want to
organise (and take part in!) actions relating to the so-called “war on
terror”- could be the place for you! The next forum will take place 2-5pm on
Sat 8 April at the London Action Resource Centre, 62 Fieldgate St,
Whitechapel, London E1 1ES. Contact Voices for more info.
 
12 APRIL: PUBLIC MEETING WITH MILAN RAI AND RACHEL NORTH (7/7 SURVIVOR).
Part of a national speaking tour to coincide with the publication of Milan
Rai’s new book (see here). 7-9pm, Friends Meeting House, 173 Euston Road,
NW1 2BJ. Organised by JNV, Quaker Peace and Social Witness and Voices UK.
 
13 APRIL, GWENT: PRAYER SERVICE OUTSIDE MAIN GATE OF BAE SYSTEMS. Time tbc
confirmed but will coincide with arrival of morning shift. Organised by
Penarth Christian Network of CAAT. Info: 02920 711943.
 
22/23 APRIL, RUNYMEDE - LONDON: ALTERNATIVE ST GEORGE'S FREEDOM WEEKEND of
actions and events to raise awareness about the need to repeal Section 132
of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (which bans "unauthorised"
demos within 1km of Parliament). Featuring a camp at Runymede and a
revolutionary tea party in Parliament Square. www.peopleincommon.org or 0785
439 0408
 
28 APRIL - 1 MAY, ABERYSTWYTH: ABERYSTWYTH SOCIAL FORUM. 07767798601 or
www.socialforumcymru.org.uk.
 
29 APRIL, LONDON: NETWORK FOR PEACE AGM on "Security, Civil Liberties and
Peace." 10am - 5pm Brockway Room, Conway Hall, London WC1. All welcome 020 7
278 326. www.networkforpeace.org.uk
 
4 MAY, LONDON: AGM OF LEADING WAR PROFITEER BAE SYSTEMS who are currently
working on a $3.5bn contract to refit the Bradley fighting vehicles being
used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) inside and
outside. For more info ring 020 7281 0297 or e-mail enquiries@caat.org.uk.
See also http://www.caat.org.uk/
 
18 MAY, LONDON: TALK BY MILAN RAI. Org. by Tower Hamlets Co-operative Party.
latw@gn.apc.org.
 
22 JUNE, BRISTOL: BENEFORT GIG FOR BRISTOL STW with Attila the Stockbroker
and David Rovics. bristolstopwar@hotmail.com.
 
26 AUG - 4 SEPT: CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION CAMP. www.climatecamp.org.uk