----- Original Message ----- From: Claudia K White <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2000 6:58 PM Subject: [STOPNATO] Fwd: Condemn a Decade of Genocide STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.HOME-PAGE.ORG --------- Forwarded Message --------- DATE: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 15:32:44 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc:[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], <snip>[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Claudia K White) Condemn the Decade of Genocide August 6th, 2000 marks a decade of United Nations authorized sanctions on Iraq. A broadly sponsored public act of protest at the UN in New York City is needed to condemn the war on Iraq. Calling attention to the tenth year of sanctions provides an invaluable opportunity to mobilize the widespread international opposition to the UN sanctions. The Fellowship of Reconciliation and Voices in the Wilderness have called for an action on August 6th in Washington D.C. calling for an end to the sanctions and commemorating the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This call does not directly address this critical question: Can the United Nations authorize a decade of genocide and not be held accountable? The illusions surrounding the UN have proven particularly tenacious. Seldom noted is the political importance of the November 29, 1990, UN endorsement of military action against Iraq. This action legitimized the US led slaughter of the Gulf War. This same UN war coalition against Iraq has lasted for more then nine years under the rubric of sanctions. But the tattered credibility of the UN has only partially covered its crime of the genocide. Kofi Annan in the recent Security Council discussions on the sanctions expressed concern that the UN may be losing "the propaganda war" over who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis; Saddam Hussein or the UN sanctions regime. In this political battle the sanctions regime is certainly under attack. But the principle antagonist is not Saddam Hussein. No, it is the institutions and individuals of integrity from the UN itself that are firing the most damning condemnations of the UN sanctions regime. UN reports (UNICEF and World Health Organization) have for years repeatedly documented the murderous effect of UN sanctions. Top UN officials in Iraq have resigned in protest against the sanctions regime. These high profile resignations and the documented hundreds of thousands of Iraqi victims have condemned the sanctions before the entire world. By pitting the UN against Saddam Hussein, Mr. Annan stands with the defenders of western imperialism, the United States and Britain. The perverted ideal of disarmament in their hands justifies a form of war proven as effective but less overt than military conflict. While yesterdays bombing attack by the US and Britain killed 14 Iraqis, these same nations shamelessly demand Iraq disarm. There is no mentioning of the current Turkish invasion of the UN protectorate in northern Iraq. The no fly zones claiming to "protect the Kurds" obviously do not apply to the Turkish army. The Turkish war on the Kurds is carried into Iraq with British and US air cover. Where are the defenders of the sovereignty of nations and oppressed nationalities willing to go to war for these principles in this case? To deflect criticism and resurrect the fatally discredited UN arms inspectors, the Security Council in December 1999 approved Resolution #1284. Promoted in the US press as an effort to "end the sanctions" the resolution in fact promises to review the suspending of sanctions every six months. This generosity will only be granted after the Iraqis agree and fully comply with a rerun of the UNSCOM fiasco. These diplomatic posturing and humanitarian platitudes are a cruel farce. For the Iraqi people living under UN sanctions 1284 promises more of the same. For the undecided millions we have the recent John Pilger documentary, "Paying the Price". One of the many gripping scenes in this excellent film features an interview with the UN official heading the sanctions committee. He blandly asserts that they are trying their best to minimize the effects of sanctions on the Iraqi population and will keep trying. Are we being too harsh? Should we give them another ten years? They say yes. What is our answer? A clear denunciation of the UN decade of sanctions is needed. On August 6th in New York City stand with the people of the world in solidarity with the Iraqi people. Robert Allen Campaign to End the Sanctions 5 Awbury Rd. Philadelphia, Pa 19138 215-438-4181 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------- End Forwarded Message --------- --- _____________________________________________________________________________ Claudia White~Main Line News~Human & Civil Rights Campaign Internationale' Free Mumia Abu Jamal~Free All Political Prisoners~End the Drug War! Stop the US Bombing of Vieques & use of depleted uranium! to subscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Angelfire for your free web-based e-mail. http://www.angelfire.com ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb
