Global Womens Campaign For Peace In Iraq

CodePink | 12.01.2006 13:44 | Anti-militarism | Gender | London

On Thursday January 5th 2006 women from around the world - from the USA to Iraq to Britain to Japan - launched a campaign aimed at ending the war and occupation in Iraq.

As a first step, the Women Say NO to War campaign wants to gather 100,000 signatures by March 8th, International Women’s Day 2006. On that day women will deliver the signatures to the US Govt in Washington, to US embassies around the world, and to Downing Street in London.

The campaign aims to bring women together across borders - geographical, religious, and political - to demand an end to the bloodshed in Iraq. “We’re unleashing a global chorus of women’s voices shouting ‘Enough!,’” said Medea Benjamin (co-founder of groups CodePink and Global Exchange).

Cindy Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed fighting in Iraq, said, “The pain that this war has caused for people all over the world is unimaginable. I’ve met women from so many different countries who are ready to stand together to make our leaders end this madness, and it doesn’t matter that we speak different languages – our hearts understand the pain and needless loss that have been caused by this war.”

The Women Say No to War campaign urges a shift in strategy in Iraq, from a military model to a conflict resolution model. It calls for a withdrawal of all foreign troops and foreign fighters from Iraq, and for the full representation of women in the peacemaking process.

So far women from over 60 countries have added their signatures to the ‘Womens Call For Peace’. Men are also signing in solidarity.

Supporters from the UK include; Caroline Lucas MEP, Jean Lambert MEP, Rose Gentle (MFAW), Hilary Wainright (Red Pepper magazine), Houzan Mahmoud (OWFI), Sheila Triggs (WILPF UK) and Maya Evans (recently convicted under ‘SOCPA’ laws for reading out names of UK soldiers killed in Iraq).

Other supporters include authors Naomi Klein, Joanna Macy and Alice Walker; Kathy Kelly (Voices for Creative Nonviolence (USA)), environmental activist Diane Wilson, Jean Stokan (Pax Christi (USA)), Dr Mira Shiva (Diverse Women for Diversity (India)), Hisako Ukita (White Ribbon for Peace Campaign (Japan)), Tamara Chicunova (Mothers Against the Death Penalty and Torture (Uzbekistan)) and Simin Royanin (Women for Peace and Justice in Iran).

Please support the campaign by adding your signature to the ‘Womens Call For Peace’.

For more information about the campaign, or to sign online, see www.womensaynotowar.org

CodePink
e-mail: codepink4peace@yahoo.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.womensaynotowar.org

Additions

Addition - Complete Text Of 'Womens Call For Peace'

12.01.2006 19:05

Here is the complete text of the petition from the Women Say NO To War website:

WOMEN'S CALL FOR PEACE: AN URGENT APPEAL

We, the women of the United States, Iraq and women worldwide, have had enough of the senseless war in Iraq and the cruel attacks on civilians around the world. We've buried too many of our loved ones. We've seen too many lives crippled forever by physical and mental wounds. We've watched in horror as our precious resources are poured into war while our families' basic needs of food, shelter, education and healthcare go unmet. We've had enough of living in constant fear of violence and seeing the growing cancer of hatred and intolerance seep into our homes and communities.

This is not the world we want for ourselves or our children. With fire in our bellies and love in our hearts, we women are rising up - across borders - to unite and demand an end to the bloodshed and the destruction.

We have seen how the foreign occupation of Iraq has fuelled an armed movement against it, perpetuating an endless cycle of violence. We are convinced that it is time to shift from a military model to a conflict-resolution model that includes the following elements:

*The withdrawal of all foreign troops and foreign fighters from Iraq;

*Negotiations to reincorporate disenfranchised Iraqis into all aspects of Iraqi society;

*The full representation of women in the peacemaking process and a commitment to women's full equality in the post-war Iraq;

*A commitment to discard plans for any foreign bases in Iraq;

*Iraqi control of its oil and other resources;

*The nullification of privatization and deregulation laws imposed under occupation, allowing Iraqis to shape the trajectory of the post-war economy;

*A massive reconstruction effort that prioritizes Iraqi contractors, and draws upon financial resources of the countries responsible for the invasion and occupation of Iraq;

*Consideration of a temporary international peacekeeping force that is truly multilateral and is not composed of any troops from countries that participated in the occupation.

*To move this peace process forward, we are creating a massive movement of women - crossing generations, races, ethnicities, religions, borders and political persuasions. Together, we will pressure our governments, the United Nations, the Arab League, Nobel Peace Prize winners, religious leaders and others in the international community to step forward to help negotiate a political settlement. And in this era of divisive fundamentalisms, we call upon world leaders to join us in spreading the fundamental values of love for the human family and for our precious planet.

# # #

Should you wish to sign you can do so at ~ www.womensaynotowar.org

Thank you

CodePinkLiz
mail e-mail: codepink4peace@yahoo.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.womensaynotowar.org

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

Hypocrisy of feminism.

12.01.2006 16:21

At an estimate I would say that of the tens of thousands of people who have died as a result of the Iraq war, that over three quarters are men.

So, presumably the men who are signing your petition to end the war are only doing so in solidarity with women, which would seem to be strange given that most of the deaths are men. Do men not care if they die in wars and conflicts?

Or is it as Hillary Clinton once stated that wars affect women the worst because their fathers, sons, brothers and husbands are killed. I hate to be sarchastic but I would have thought being dead was slightly worse!!!

Not a feminist

Not Exactly

12.01.2006 18:45

Actually, more accurate assessments place the death toll at at least 100, 000, including many innocent men, women, and children slaughtered without compunction or apology during the illegal invasion.

Hang Bush/Bliar

No place for sarcasm

12.01.2006 19:18

Sarcasm is......well I won't go into that. But there is a point here, in that the article appears to exclude men but on visiting the website you find that men are invited to join in the petition. Just a simple misunderstanding.......................sorry what was that G.W.!

justabloke

Clarification...

12.01.2006 21:15

Sorry for any confusion there folks... Everyone is invited to sign the 'Womens Call For Peace', (irrespective of gender) :-)

CodePinkLiz

Anarchism is petit-bourgeois - with no class analysis.

13.01.2006 16:33

""*To move this peace process forward, we are creating a massive movement of women - crossing generations, races, ethnicities, religions, borders and political persuasions.""

And presumably crossing classes as well. So, war is all the creation of those nasty men who are so desperate to murder each other that they die in their hundreds, thousands and millions like all the worst wars through history. And no mention that it is always working-class men who are the ones who always end up being sacrificed.

""And in this era of divisive fundamentalisms, we call upon world leaders to join us in spreading the fundamental values of love for the human family and for our precious planet.""

You mean this era of divisive fundamentalisms like feminism.

Additionally, how very un-anarchist to plead to world leaders to change the system which maintains their wealth, power and status.

Indymedia is even more naive and even less anarchist than I thought if this is the kind of article which qualifies for the exalted status of promotion to the *Promoted Newswire*.

Not a feminist

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