Join us, the corporate pirates, in a week of action on 1 - 6 April to oppose the corporate plunder of Iraq. We have a series of events planned for this week and anyone who believes in justice for the people of Iraq should join the campaign.

The target for these actions will be Windrush Communications Ltd, the British company responsible for organising the Iraq Procurement Conferences (see earlier indymedia articles  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/02/305889.html)

These regular events gather together multinational corporations and the US puppets that represent occupied Iraq, to "realise the enormous trade and investment potential of Iraq". That is, to plan and discuss the sell-off of Iraq's assets, properties and and resources, all in contravention of international law (Hague Regulations of 1907 and Geneva Conventions 1949).

Our actions aim to show the link between the physical violence being waged against the Iraqi people and the economic violence being wreaked on their lives and on the living standards of generations to come. The illegal restructuring of Iraq's public assets is the desired product of our government's War in Iraq. Now that the murderous Saddam has gone, the war is still continuing to alter Iraqi society to benefit corporate interests.

FURTHER BACKGROUND:

The Corporate Pirates website:  http://corporatepirates.gzzzt.net/

IndyMedia Feature about the week of action:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/02/305011.html

schNEWS info on the week of action  http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/pdf/news489.pdf

Iraqi Occupation Focus www.iraqoccupationfocus.org.uk


CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

The following events have been planned for the week of action. Other affinity groups are welcome to organise their own actions to target the corporate plunderers.
............................................................

Friday 1st April

April Fools Day Pro-Privatisation Party!

11am outside the offices of those dastardly pirates Windrush Communications Ltd.

With Rhythms of Resistance and Theatre of war.

Come dressed as pirates! Shiver me timbers!
Mark Street London EC2A
............................................................

Saturday 2nd April

12-5pm Non-Violent Direct Action Training Workshop

Every wanted to take part in non-violent direct action (nvda)? This workshop explores the principles and practicalities of taking part in nvda.

RampART Social Centre 15/17 Rampart St, E1


............................................................

Mon 4th April

7.30pm Public Meeting: Buried treasure: corporate plunder and the reality of occupied Iraq

Away from the bloody battlefields, Iraq is being plundered with a brutal economic reconstruction of a country already bombed to submission and starved by years of sanctions.

This meeting reveals the true nature of the occupation; the everyday destitution of the lives of ordinary Iraqis, the imposition of debt and structural adjustment loans and the corporate takeover of Iraq set in the context of a global economic system that is fuelling war and conflict in its quest for the exploitation of natural resources.

Speakers include:

Yaser Hasan - Jubilee Iraq, Haifa Zangana - Iraqi writer, exile from Saddam’s regime, Tim Woolrich - London Rising Tide, Yasmin Khan - Corporate Pirates

Room D202, Clement House, LSE, Aldwych W1

Meeting supported by Iraqi Occupation Focus, Voices in the Wilderness and Stop the War Coalition

............................................................

Tue 5th April

8.30am Vigil outside offices of Windrush Communications

Mark Street London EC2A

7pm Creative Forum

LARC, 62 Fieldgate Street, E1. Films, poetry and much more

............................................................

Wed 6th April

12pm Say Farewell to Windrush

Direct Action outside their offices.

............................................................