*Iraq - Economic Occupation on Trial - Support Needed*
E.J | 22.08.2005 19:19
**Call for Urgent Support**
In less than a month, four British activists will face trial for
challenging a British company involved in facilitating the Economic
Occupation of Iraq. The chaining of Iraq’s economy to irreversible
economic conditions through Orders passed by the Coalition Provisional
Authority, accompanied by Structural Adjustment Programs rammed through
using Iraq’s odious regime incurred debt, has lead to the steady
imposition of free market lead structures upon Iraq without the consent
of the Iraqi people. This process is barely known, and barely reported
on but has longterm implications for the people of Iraq, their futures
and the future of US empire in the Middle East.
In less than a month, four British activists will face trial for
challenging a British company involved in facilitating the Economic
Occupation of Iraq. The chaining of Iraq’s economy to irreversible
economic conditions through Orders passed by the Coalition Provisional
Authority, accompanied by Structural Adjustment Programs rammed through
using Iraq’s odious regime incurred debt, has lead to the steady
imposition of free market lead structures upon Iraq without the consent
of the Iraqi people. This process is barely known, and barely reported
on but has longterm implications for the people of Iraq, their futures
and the future of US empire in the Middle East.
From the defendants:
We are using this trial as a launch-pad to illuminate this dynamic, to
stimulate discussion and awareness of the economic goals of the war on
Iraq and to inspire an active and effective resistance to it. Solidarity
with workers in struggle against privatisation in Iraq, such as those in
the General Union of Oil Employees active in the south, is a vital part
of this. See www.basraoilunion.org for more details.
The forthcoming trial will present the first legal challenge to the
economic occupation of Iraq and the occupation's orders.
***Please support us and please spread the word***
What can you do?
Circulate this email and press release to friends and fellow activists
Interview us and carry the story of this trial if you are a journalist
or forward this on to sympathetoc journalists. Footage from the action
is available.
Organise a solidarity protest on the day of our trial against the
corporate invasion of Iraq targeting a war profiteer - see
Corporatewatch and Guerrilla News:
http://www.warprofiteers.com/article.php?list=type&type=176
http://www.guerrillanews.com/articles/article.php?id=1029
Write to your local MP/Congress person to raise the issue of illegal
economic Orders (de-facto laws) passed by the occupation authority
between May 2003 and June 2004
For more details on the trial and the GUOE as well as other Iraqi unions
fighting privatisation see:
www.radicalactivist.net/corporateiraq
www.basraoilunion.org
www.uslaboragainstwar.org
www.iraqoccupationfocus.org
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/11/301892.html - background on last
action against the privatisation of Iraq
Attached: Press Release detailing forthcoming trial involving
expereinced human rights activists versus a company organising
conferences on the privatisation of Iraq's assets, resources and public
services. A process the defendants argue is illegal and based on
illegtimate laws (Bremer's Orders) passed under Occupation.
PRESS RELEASE
Monday August 22nd 2005
For immediate release:
Economic Occupation of Iraq on Trial
Next month, four British human rights activists will face trial for attempting to prevent the alleged criminal activity of London-based Iraq privatisation organisers Windrush Communications. The defendants have applied for disclosure of all advice given by the Attorney General to the British Government. Their defence statements will be challenging the legality of the economic reforms imposed by coalition authorities in occupied Iraq.
The defendants will be arguing that they were attempting to prevent crimes being committed under the International Criminal Court Act 2000. The ICCA allows for the prosecution of war crimes committed in Britain or by British Nationals.
Steven Barnes 30, Nick Gill, 28, Ewa Jasiewicz, 27, and Yasmin Khan, 24 will appear at Bow Magistrates Court on September 14th, 16th, and 19th 2005.
The four were originally arrested for ‘Aggravated Trespass’ – disrupting a lawful activity - when they besieged the offices of Windrush Communications in December 2004.
Windrush Communications is responsible for organising ‘Iraq Procurement’ and ‘Iraq Development Program’ conferences. These are corporate and government gatherings where ‘deals are done and contracts signed’ regarding privatisation of Iraq’s assets, services and resources. These conferences operate on the basis of Coalition Provisional Authority passed orders – de-facto laws – passed by former administrator Paul Bremer which radically re-structure Iraq’s economy.
On the 15th December 2004, the defendants brought legal briefings on The Hague Regulations and Geneva Conventions plus copies of the Occupation Authority’s Order 39 on ‘Foreign Investment’ to the offices of Windrush Communications. The briefings outlined clearly why the economic reforms passed by Paul Bremer in 2003 violated international law and were intended to show the Director and employees of Windrush that they were aiding and abetting war crimes including pillage.
All four repeatedly tried to dialogue with employees, attempted to gain entry to Windrush’s office, and refused to move from in front of it for over three hours before finally being physically removed by Police officers.
The four were eventually charged three months after the action with ‘failing to leave land when directed by a police officer’. The defendants believe this is a politically motivated charge which places the burden of proof on the presumptions of the officer and the reasonable belief of the defendants, rather than on Windrush to prove that its’ business activities are not unlawful.
In November 2004 activists Ewa Jasiewicz and Pennie Quinton forced Windrush into exactly this position when they were charged with ‘disrupting the lawful activity’ of the Iraq Procurement Conference in April 2004. In what was believed to be a politically motivated decision, the CPS dropped all charges against them despite clear evidence of their disruption to the conference.
Defendant Ewa Jasiewicz who spent nine months living in occupied Iraq and works closely with the Iraqi trade union the General Union of Oil Employees, which is resisting the privatisation of Iraq’s oil says:
‘Modern day pillage looks like this. ‘Iraq Procurement’ or ‘Iraq Development Program’ - the language of business or NGOs, profit or ‘progress’ –Occupiers do not have the right to restructure a country’s economy. What was illegal in September 2003 is still illegal now. This case will finally see the economic occupation of Iraq on trial’
In a leaked memo dated March 26th 2003, UK Attorney General, Lord Peter
Goldsmith advised Prime Minister Blair that in his view, 'the imposition
of major structural economic reforms would not be authorised under
international law'. (Source: Guardian, 7 November 2003, ‘Pillage is
forbidden: Why the privatisation of Iraq is illegal’ Aaron Mate).
Forthcoming Press conference and solidarity protests tba
Contacts
Ewa Jasiewicz 07749 421 576
stopthepillage@yahoo.co.uk for more information including copies of the legal briefings given to Windrush employees
The defendant’s solicitor, Martin Rackstraw, Bindman and Partners
0207 833 4433 Mobile 07802 604 115 email: M.Rackstraw@bindmans.com
www.radicalactivist.net/corporateiraq
www.basraoilunion.org
We are using this trial as a launch-pad to illuminate this dynamic, to
stimulate discussion and awareness of the economic goals of the war on
Iraq and to inspire an active and effective resistance to it. Solidarity
with workers in struggle against privatisation in Iraq, such as those in
the General Union of Oil Employees active in the south, is a vital part
of this. See www.basraoilunion.org for more details.
The forthcoming trial will present the first legal challenge to the
economic occupation of Iraq and the occupation's orders.
***Please support us and please spread the word***
What can you do?
Circulate this email and press release to friends and fellow activists
Interview us and carry the story of this trial if you are a journalist
or forward this on to sympathetoc journalists. Footage from the action
is available.
Organise a solidarity protest on the day of our trial against the
corporate invasion of Iraq targeting a war profiteer - see
Corporatewatch and Guerrilla News:
http://www.warprofiteers.com/article.php?list=type&type=176 http://www.guerrillanews.com/articles/article.php?id=1029 Write to your local MP/Congress person to raise the issue of illegal
economic Orders (de-facto laws) passed by the occupation authority
between May 2003 and June 2004
For more details on the trial and the GUOE as well as other Iraqi unions
fighting privatisation see:
www.radicalactivist.net/corporateiraq
www.basraoilunion.org
www.uslaboragainstwar.org
www.iraqoccupationfocus.org
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/11/301892.html - background on last action against the privatisation of Iraq
Attached: Press Release detailing forthcoming trial involving
expereinced human rights activists versus a company organising
conferences on the privatisation of Iraq's assets, resources and public
services. A process the defendants argue is illegal and based on
illegtimate laws (Bremer's Orders) passed under Occupation.
PRESS RELEASE
Monday August 22nd 2005
For immediate release:
Economic Occupation of Iraq on Trial
Next month, four British human rights activists will face trial for attempting to prevent the alleged criminal activity of London-based Iraq privatisation organisers Windrush Communications. The defendants have applied for disclosure of all advice given by the Attorney General to the British Government. Their defence statements will be challenging the legality of the economic reforms imposed by coalition authorities in occupied Iraq.
The defendants will be arguing that they were attempting to prevent crimes being committed under the International Criminal Court Act 2000. The ICCA allows for the prosecution of war crimes committed in Britain or by British Nationals.
Steven Barnes 30, Nick Gill, 28, Ewa Jasiewicz, 27, and Yasmin Khan, 24 will appear at Bow Magistrates Court on September 14th, 16th, and 19th 2005.
The four were originally arrested for ‘Aggravated Trespass’ – disrupting a lawful activity - when they besieged the offices of Windrush Communications in December 2004.
Windrush Communications is responsible for organising ‘Iraq Procurement’ and ‘Iraq Development Program’ conferences. These are corporate and government gatherings where ‘deals are done and contracts signed’ regarding privatisation of Iraq’s assets, services and resources. These conferences operate on the basis of Coalition Provisional Authority passed orders – de-facto laws – passed by former administrator Paul Bremer which radically re-structure Iraq’s economy.
On the 15th December 2004, the defendants brought legal briefings on The Hague Regulations and Geneva Conventions plus copies of the Occupation Authority’s Order 39 on ‘Foreign Investment’ to the offices of Windrush Communications. The briefings outlined clearly why the economic reforms passed by Paul Bremer in 2003 violated international law and were intended to show the Director and employees of Windrush that they were aiding and abetting war crimes including pillage.
All four repeatedly tried to dialogue with employees, attempted to gain entry to Windrush’s office, and refused to move from in front of it for over three hours before finally being physically removed by Police officers.
The four were eventually charged three months after the action with ‘failing to leave land when directed by a police officer’. The defendants believe this is a politically motivated charge which places the burden of proof on the presumptions of the officer and the reasonable belief of the defendants, rather than on Windrush to prove that its’ business activities are not unlawful.
In November 2004 activists Ewa Jasiewicz and Pennie Quinton forced Windrush into exactly this position when they were charged with ‘disrupting the lawful activity’ of the Iraq Procurement Conference in April 2004. In what was believed to be a politically motivated decision, the CPS dropped all charges against them despite clear evidence of their disruption to the conference.
Defendant Ewa Jasiewicz who spent nine months living in occupied Iraq and works closely with the Iraqi trade union the General Union of Oil Employees, which is resisting the privatisation of Iraq’s oil says:
‘Modern day pillage looks like this. ‘Iraq Procurement’ or ‘Iraq Development Program’ - the language of business or NGOs, profit or ‘progress’ –Occupiers do not have the right to restructure a country’s economy. What was illegal in September 2003 is still illegal now. This case will finally see the economic occupation of Iraq on trial’
In a leaked memo dated March 26th 2003, UK Attorney General, Lord Peter
Goldsmith advised Prime Minister Blair that in his view, 'the imposition
of major structural economic reforms would not be authorised under
international law'. (Source: Guardian, 7 November 2003, ‘Pillage is
forbidden: Why the privatisation of Iraq is illegal’ Aaron Mate).
Forthcoming Press conference and solidarity protests tba
Contacts
Ewa Jasiewicz 07749 421 576
stopthepillage@yahoo.co.uk for more information including copies of the legal briefings given to Windrush employees The defendant’s solicitor, Martin Rackstraw, Bindman and Partners
0207 833 4433 Mobile 07802 604 115 email:
M.Rackstraw@bindmans.com www.radicalactivist.net/corporateiraq
www.basraoilunion.org
E.J
e-mail:
stopthepillage@yahoo.co.uk
Homepage:
http://www.radicalactivist.net/corporateiraq
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