Feb. 24: Stop the Corporate Invasion of Iraq!
United for Peace and Justice | 19.02.2004 10:11
Feb. 24: Stop the Corporate Invasion of Iraq!
United for Peace and Justice
February 12th, 2004
On February 24, protest Halliburton, Bechtel, and the other corporations that are making millions in Iraq, and speak out for Iraqi workers’ rights and self-determination.
WHAT: International day of protest to end the corporate invasion of Iraq and support Iraqi workers’ rights
WHEN: Tuesday, February 24
WHERE: In your city, at the offices of Halliburton, Bechtel, or another war profiteering company (Click here to find a war profiteer in your community)
Following on the heels of the military invasion of Iraq, another invasion began: a corporate invasion by Halliburton, Bechtel, and other U.S. companies that were awarded millions in “reconstruction” contracts. Nine months into the occupation, Iraqi schools are still in disrepair, electricity is intermittent, and the water is not safe to drink.
Qualified Iraqi businesses say they are shut out of the reconstruction of their own country and some 70% of Iraqi workers are unemployed. But the contracts for U.S. companies -- especially ones with close ties to the Bush administration - keep getting fatter, even as Halliburton is suspected of overcharging the U.S. up to $61 million for fuel in Iraq, and the Pentagon has accused Bechtel with doing “horrible” work.
At the same time, the occupation administration has essentially put Iraq up for sale. In September, the Coalition Provisional Authority issued an “order” that allows for the privatization of Iraqi state companies, 100% ownership of Iraqi banks, mines and factories by foreign companies, and 100% expropriation of profits by foreign firms operating in Iraq. While the U.S. saw fit to approve these drastic changes to Iraqi economic laws, which very well may violate international law, it chose not to make any changes to Iraqi labor laws. In a period in which Iraqi workers are organizing throughout the country, the CPA left in place a Saddam Hussein-era law that forbids workers in state-owned enterprises (where the majority of Iraqis work) from forming unions. They have also repeatedly detained or harassed workers who are demonstrating for jobs or better pay.
TAKE ACTION - ORGANIZE A FEB. 24 PROTEST AT THE LOCAL OFFICE OF HALLIBURTON, BECHTEL, OR ANOTHER WAR PROFITEERING COMPANY
Please join the international day of action against the corporate invasion of Iraq by organizing a Feb. 24 rally at Halliburton, Bechtel, MCI or another war profiteering company that has offices in your city. (See below for a list of actions that are already in the works.) If these companies don’t have an office in your city, protest in front of the federal building or at another well-trafficked downtown location.
The protests don’t have to be big - even a few people holding up signs in front of a Halliburton local office would be great! Ideas for slogans include: Bring Halliburton and Bechtel Home, Stop the Corporate Invasion of Iraq, Support Iraqi Workers’ Rights, Iraq is not America’s to Sell, Iraq for the Iraqis, Privatization is not Liberation, No Blood for Corporate Profits, US Corporations get Freedom-Iraqi Workers Get Saddam’s laws, etc.
Tell us about your planned protest so we can publicize it as part of the national day of action. Click here to list your event on the UFPJ website, or call Global Exchange at 415-575-5555.
PRELIMINARY LIST OF ACTIONS
Actions are planned for Albany, Anchorage, Austin, Boston, Cape Corral, FL, Charlotte, Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Pheonix, Martinez, Providence, Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, Reno, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and elsewhere. For a full list of participating cities, see
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2199
NATIONAL SPONSORS
Sponsored by the Campaign to Stop the War Profiteers (Institute for Southern Studies), Citizen Works, CodePink, Democracy Rising, Direct Action to Stop the War, EPIC (Education for Peace in Iraq Center), Global Exchange, National Network to End the War Against Iraq, National Youth and Student Peace Coalition, United for Peace and Justice, US Labor Against War, War Resisters League, WILPF (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom), and others.
United for Peace and Justice
February 12th, 2004
On February 24, protest Halliburton, Bechtel, and the other corporations that are making millions in Iraq, and speak out for Iraqi workers’ rights and self-determination.
WHAT: International day of protest to end the corporate invasion of Iraq and support Iraqi workers’ rights
WHEN: Tuesday, February 24
WHERE: In your city, at the offices of Halliburton, Bechtel, or another war profiteering company (Click here to find a war profiteer in your community)
Following on the heels of the military invasion of Iraq, another invasion began: a corporate invasion by Halliburton, Bechtel, and other U.S. companies that were awarded millions in “reconstruction” contracts. Nine months into the occupation, Iraqi schools are still in disrepair, electricity is intermittent, and the water is not safe to drink.
Qualified Iraqi businesses say they are shut out of the reconstruction of their own country and some 70% of Iraqi workers are unemployed. But the contracts for U.S. companies -- especially ones with close ties to the Bush administration - keep getting fatter, even as Halliburton is suspected of overcharging the U.S. up to $61 million for fuel in Iraq, and the Pentagon has accused Bechtel with doing “horrible” work.
At the same time, the occupation administration has essentially put Iraq up for sale. In September, the Coalition Provisional Authority issued an “order” that allows for the privatization of Iraqi state companies, 100% ownership of Iraqi banks, mines and factories by foreign companies, and 100% expropriation of profits by foreign firms operating in Iraq. While the U.S. saw fit to approve these drastic changes to Iraqi economic laws, which very well may violate international law, it chose not to make any changes to Iraqi labor laws. In a period in which Iraqi workers are organizing throughout the country, the CPA left in place a Saddam Hussein-era law that forbids workers in state-owned enterprises (where the majority of Iraqis work) from forming unions. They have also repeatedly detained or harassed workers who are demonstrating for jobs or better pay.
TAKE ACTION - ORGANIZE A FEB. 24 PROTEST AT THE LOCAL OFFICE OF HALLIBURTON, BECHTEL, OR ANOTHER WAR PROFITEERING COMPANY
Please join the international day of action against the corporate invasion of Iraq by organizing a Feb. 24 rally at Halliburton, Bechtel, MCI or another war profiteering company that has offices in your city. (See below for a list of actions that are already in the works.) If these companies don’t have an office in your city, protest in front of the federal building or at another well-trafficked downtown location.
The protests don’t have to be big - even a few people holding up signs in front of a Halliburton local office would be great! Ideas for slogans include: Bring Halliburton and Bechtel Home, Stop the Corporate Invasion of Iraq, Support Iraqi Workers’ Rights, Iraq is not America’s to Sell, Iraq for the Iraqis, Privatization is not Liberation, No Blood for Corporate Profits, US Corporations get Freedom-Iraqi Workers Get Saddam’s laws, etc.
Tell us about your planned protest so we can publicize it as part of the national day of action. Click here to list your event on the UFPJ website, or call Global Exchange at 415-575-5555.
PRELIMINARY LIST OF ACTIONS
Actions are planned for Albany, Anchorage, Austin, Boston, Cape Corral, FL, Charlotte, Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Pheonix, Martinez, Providence, Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, Reno, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and elsewhere. For a full list of participating cities, see
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2199 NATIONAL SPONSORS
Sponsored by the Campaign to Stop the War Profiteers (Institute for Southern Studies), Citizen Works, CodePink, Democracy Rising, Direct Action to Stop the War, EPIC (Education for Peace in Iraq Center), Global Exchange, National Network to End the War Against Iraq, National Youth and Student Peace Coalition, United for Peace and Justice, US Labor Against War, War Resisters League, WILPF (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom), and others.
United for Peace and Justice