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
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