Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on public trial‏

STOP THE WAR COALITION 
NEWSLETTER  
No. 1134 13 January 2010  
Email office@stopwar.org.uk  
Tel: 020 7801 2768  
Web: http://stopwar.org.uk  
Twitter: http://twitter.com/STWuk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:  
1) WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ON PUBLIC TRIAL  
2) BLOCKADE GORDON BROWN'S WAR CONFERENCE  
3) TONY BLAIR'S JUDGEMENT DAY 
4) L/CPL JOE GLENTON'S COURT MARTIAL HEARING  
5) BRITISH  GAZA PROTESTORS IMPRISONED 
6) GAZA ONE YEAR ON: PUBLIC MEETING  
7) KEEP THE MONEY COMING IN

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1) WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ON PUBLIC TRIAL

The Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are on public trial in the  
next few weeks. In January we will have the opportunity to  
give high profile expression to the opinion of the  
overwhelming majority of people in this country, that these  
wars are wrong and that they have to end. Stop the War is  
calling demonstrations at both Gordon Brown's International  
Conference on Afghanistan and for the day Tony Blair gives  
evidence to the Iraq Inquiry. See below for details.

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2) BLOCKADE GORDON BROWN'S WAR CONFERENCE  
THURSDAY 28 JANUARY  
LANCASTER HOUSE, STABLE YARD, ST JAMES'  
LONDON SW1A 1BB

Gordon Brown has called a conference to discuss the  
Afghanistan War. It will be attended by leading players,  
including Hilary Clinton, stooge Afghan President Kharzai,  
President Sarkozy from France and Chancellor Angela Merkel  
from Germany.

The conference aims to parade support for Obama's second troop 
surge and to boost Gordon Brown in his general election  
campaign, for which the lives of Afghans and British soldiers 
are being cynically used .

Stop the War and CND are calling for the biggest possible  
protest to attempt to blockade the conference. We will be  
protesting as near as possible to the conference before it  
starts, probably in the morning. The government has not  
announced timings yes, so book the day off now and look out  
for update mailings or check our website:  
http://www.stopwar.org.uk

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3) TONY BLAIR'S JUDGEMENT DAY 
QUEEN ELISABETH CONFERENCE CENTRE  
WESTMINSTER LONDON SW1P 3EE

Stop the War is calling a protest at the Chilcot Iraq inquiry 
from 8am on the day Tony Blair gives evidence. He is due to  
appear within the two weeks following 25 January and he will  
be questioned all day.

Stop the War is planning a "judgement day" for Blair, which  
will include protest, politics and performance. We aim to  
involve all the groups and individuals that came together to  
oppose Blair's criminal war, and which culminated in the  
demonstration by two million people on 15 February 2003.

Many military families who lost loved ones because of Blair's 
lies will be attending the Inquiry and joining our protest  
outside.

There will be a naming of the dead ceremony when Blair first  
appears at the morning session, followed by readings, 
speeches, music and performance throughout the time he is  
giving evidence.

Appearances  have already been confirmed by by playwrights  
Caryl Churchill and David Edgar, the band King Blues, rapper  
and poet Lowkey, novelist A.L. Kennedy, actor Tim  
Piggot-Smith, Bruce Kent from CND, Lancet editor Richard  
Horton and many more.

We welcome more suggestions for activities to dramatise the  
need for Blair to be brought to justice for his war crimes.

Student and local Stop the War groups are already calling  
activist meetings to build support for Blair's Judgement Day  
and to discuss proposals for activities. Please contact the  
Stop the War office if you would like to be put in touch with 
your local or college Stop the War group.

Please spread the word about these protests. Publicity will be 
available soon. In the meantime please use every means you can 
to publicise these events by forwarding this e-mail, texting  
or tweeting your contacts etc.

*********************************  
4) L/CPL JOE GLENTON'S COURT MARTIAL HEARING

Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, the only serving British soldier  
refusing to fight in Afghanistan, was released from the  
Military Correction Training Centre in mid December and is now 
awaiting the legal hearings prior to his court martial. The  
initial legal arguments will be heard on Friday 29 January.

The army has decided that the hearing will be held at Bulford 
Camp , about 10 miles from Andover, probably because it thinks 
holding it in Wiltshire will diminish media coverage.

Stop the War will be organising transport to go to Bulford to 
give support to Joe on the day of his first court martial  
hearing. If you would be interested in going, please inform  
the Stop the War office: Call 020 7801 2768 or email  
office@stopwar.org.uk.

For background and updates on Joe's case see: 
http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/1594/27/

*********************************  
5) BRITISH  GAZA PROTESTORS IMPRISONED

It is outrageous that while the United Nations Goldstone  
Report -- which listed Israel's war crimes in its attack on  
Gaza and called for those responsible to be held to account -- 
has been ignored, those who demonstrated against these crimes 
at the time are being imprisoned for their protests.

Over 60 protestors who joined the major demonstrations in  
January 2009, which brought over 100,000 on to London's  
streets, have been charged with 'violent disorder' offences.  
Prison sentences are now being handed down by the courts.

To help those that have been charged we need film footage,  
photographs or video of any of the protests outside the  
Israeli Embassy or of the demonstrations on the 3rd, 10th or  
17th January 2009.

If you can help, please contact Joanna Gilmore who is helping 
with the defence of the protestors who have been charged:  
Email joanna.gilmore@manchester.ac.uk 
Call 07813 797 853.

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6) GAZA ONE YEAR ON: PUBLIC MEETING

END THE SIEGE OF GAZA TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 7PM  
CONWAY HALL, RED LION SQUARE  LONDON WC1R 4RL 
Organised by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War  
Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and British Muslim 
Initiative.

FULL DETAILS: http://bit.ly/4Oq31K  
Palestine Solidarity Campaign 0207 700 6192

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7) KEEP THE MONEY COMING IN

We have had a fantastic response to our emergency financial  
appeal, receiving over three thousand pounds in the last 36  
hours. However we need much more than this to ensure we can be 
as effective as possible in the coming weeks.

If you have not already donated, please consider doing so now:

* Donate online: http://bit.ly/APlKX  
* By credit/debit card: Call 020 7801 2768  
* By post: Make cheque out to "Stop the War Coalition" and  
send to:  
     231 Vauxhall Bridge Road 
     London UK  
     SW1V 1EH

Download appeal letter as pdf: http://bit.ly/6kGWu1