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
*********************************
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.
*********************************
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
********************************
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
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
*********************************
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
*********************************
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
* 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
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on public trial
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Stop the War emergency appeal
STOP THE WAR COALITION
Email office@stopwar.org.uk
Tel: 020 7801 2768
Web: http://stopwar.org.uk
Twitter: http://twitter.com/STWuk
EMERGENCY FINANCIAL APPEAL
11 January 2010
Dear Friend,
We are writing to ask to you to help our campaigning by
donating to our emergency appeal. This month there are two
events which should be high profile for the anti-war movement.
We know that Tony Blair is due to appear before the Chilcot
inquiry one day in the two weeks from January 25th. We are
organising protests on this day, including a naming of the
dead from the Iraq war while he is giving evidence,
demonstrations, street theatre and other events. We are sure
that many people will want to mark this day and make it a
'judgement day' for Blair. It is unlikely, given the lack of
scrutiny shown by the inquiry so far, that he will face tough
questions. Even more reason why the movement should make its
feelings and those of millions in Britain very clear.
In addition, on January 28th Gordon Brown is hosting a
conference on Afghanistan in London, attended by Hillary
Clinton, Nicolas Sarkozy, Angela Merkel and Hamid Karzai,
which will be aimed at supporting the escalation of the war
there. We, along with CND and European peace activists, will
be protesting there as well.
All these activities cost money, and we rely totally on
donations from our supporters and affiliated organisations. We
are calling an emergency January appeal to ensure that these
demonstrations are a success, and that the anti-war movement
can make its voice heard as loudly as ever.
Please give as generously as you can.
Best wishes for a peaceful new year.
Lindsey German
Andrew Murray
Stop the War Coalition
How to donate:
* Donate online...
* By credit/debit card: Call 020 7801 276
* By post: Make cheque out to "Stop the War Coalition" and
send to
231 Vauxhall Bridge Road
London UK
SW1V 1EH
Download this letter as pdf: http://bit.ly/6kGWu1
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Protest when the warmongers gather in London
STOP THE WAR COALITION
NEWSLETTER
No. 1133 06 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) PROTEST WHEN THE WARMONGERS GATHER IN LONDON
2) AT LAST TONY BLAIR MUST EXPLAIN HIS LIES
3) LONDON STOP THE WAR ACTIVISTS MEETING
4) GAZA ONE YEAR ON: PUBLIC MEETING
5) VIVA PALESTINA CONVOY ENTERS GAZA
*********************************
1) PROTEST WHEN THE WARMONGERS GATHER IN LONDON
On Thursday 28 January the leaders of the NATO occupation of
Afghanistan are coming to Central London for a conference
organised by Gordon Brown to discuss the next steps in their
war effort. President Karzai, Hilary Clinton, President
Sarkozy and Angela Merkel are among those expected to attend.
Stop the War will organise a protest at the conference. We
will publicise time and location as soon as they are
announced.
The situation for the warmongers is deteriorating sharply.
Last year was by far the worst since the invasion in 2001 for
the invading forces, with 108 British soldiers and 319 US
troops losing their lives in a war with no purpose.
The number of Afghan civilians killed in 2009 also rose
dramatically, with the UN giving a figure of well over 2000,
which is undoubtedly an under-estimate of the total, as many
deaths go unreported.
Gordon Brown claims NATO is committed to a stable and secure
Afghanistan, but the war has only increased the suffering of
ordinary people in the world's second poorest country.
This is the environment in which the Taliban continue to grown
in strength -- with even the commander of the NATO forces
admitting they control much of the country.
The Taliban infiltration of the Afghan army -- which according
to Obama and Brown is the long term key to winning the war --
was highlighted at the end of 2009, when five British soldiers
and seven CIA operatives were killed in separate incidents by
Taliban supporters serving in the army.
The western backed Karzai government -- already discredited by
the farcical presidential "election" -- is in utter disarray,
following the rejection of Karzai's new cabinet by the Afghan
parliament. This has made a mockery of Gordon Brown's slogan
for the conference on 28 January: "Afghan leadership,
international partnership".
We are told the purpose of the ever mounting death toll is to
counter the danger of terrorism. But it is clear that far from
combating terrorism , the 'war on terror' has created more
enemies for the west and al-Qaeda has spread across the Middle
East to Somalia, Yemen and beyond.
The one place it isn't, is in Afghanistan, where the US
government admits there are less than 100 al-Qaeda operatives.
The leaders gathering on 28 January have only one response to
the catastrophe their war has created. More war. With his
latest troop surge Obama has doubled the number of troops in
Afghanistan since he became president. As ever - and despite a
majority of the British public calling for the troops to be
withdrawn -- our government follows slavishly wherever US
foreign policy takes it, and Brown has increased Britain's
deployment to over 9500.
It is essential that we make clear on 28 January that these
war policies are opposed by the majority of people in
virtually every NATO country. Instead of discussing an
escalation of the war in Afghanistan, Brown's international
conference should be planning to bring all the troops home.
STOP THE WAR PROTEST
STOP THE KILLING: BRING THE TROOPS HOME
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AFGHANISTAN
THURSDAY 28 JANUARY
CENTRAL LONDON (venue tba)
We hope you will be able to join us.
FOR UPDATES:
http://www.stopwar.org.uk
*********************************
2) AT LAST TONY BLAIR MUST EXPLAIN HIS LIES
It's not often that war criminals have to account for their
crimes in public.
Tony Blair will appear for a full day at the Iraq war inquiry
sometime in the two weeks after January 25.
Stop the War is calling for the biggest possible mobilisation
at the QE2 Conference Centre in London on the day Blair tries
to explain the lies which took Britain into an illegal and
unjustified war.
The outrage that so many people feel because Blair has not
been held to account must be given full voice. The more public
pressure there is, the more difficult it will be for the
inquiry's report to be the complete whitewash that Gordon
Brown intended when he handpicked Chilcot and his committee
members.
Many military families will be coming to London to witness the
evidence of the man responsible for the loss of their love
ones. Our protest activities will include a naming of the dead
ceremony, to coincide with Blair giving evidence.
We urge everyone who can, to join the protest at the Iraq
Inquiry which will demand that Blair is held to account for
his participation in war crimes which led to the deaths of one
million Iraqis and 179 British soldiers.
STOP THE WAR PROTEST
TONY BLAIR AT THE IRAQ INQUIRY
QUEEN ELISABETH CONFERENCE CENTRE
WESTMINSTER LONDON SW1P 3EE
DATE TBA
For updates see: http://www.stopwar.org.uk
*********************************
3) LONDON STOP THE WAR ACTIVISTS MEETING
There will be a London activists meeting, open to all, to plan
for both Tony Blair's appearance at the Iraq Inquiry and for
the International Conference on Afghanistan:
Tuesday 12 January
Bloomsbury Baptist Church
235 Shaftesbury Avenue London WC2H 8EP
(Nearest tube station Tottenham Court Road)
All welcome.
Contact the Stop the War office for more details:
Email: office@stopwar.org.uk; Tel: 020 7801 2768
*********************************
4) GAZA ONE YEAR ON: PUBLIC MEETING
END THE SIEGE OF GAZA
BRING ISRAELI WAR CRIMINALS TO JUSTICE
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.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
Dr Karma Nabulsi, Oxford University
Bruce Kent, Vice President Pax Christi
Sir Gerald Kaufman MP - Just returned from Gaza
Phyllis Starkey MP
Lowkey
Hugh Lanning, Deputy General Secretary PCS
Daud Abdullah, Palestinian Return Centre
Jeremy Corbyn MP
For more information: PSC 0207 700 6192 //
www.palestinecampaign.org
*********************************
4) VIVA PALESTINA CONVOY ENTERS GAZA
One month, thousands of miles, ten countries, one ship and a
four flights later, the Viva Palestina convoy has begun to
enter the besieged Gaza Strip.
The Viva Palestina aid convoy, which planned to enter Gaza on
27 December but has been blocked by the Egyptian government
and was viciously attacked by Egyptian riot police.
For lots of video coverage and reports and how you can send
messages of protest to the Egyptian embassy, go to:
http://bit.ly/pPrky
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