11.09.2002

Unite against the war

Right at the end of the organising meeting, this statement was proposed by Chris Nineham from the SWP and Leo Gabriel, an independent Austrian comrade.

Originally it contained the formulation, "This war will be a catastrophe first for the people of Iraq, second for the Palestinian people and third for all of us who believe in the necessity of political solutions for international conflicts."

The reformo-pacifist tendencies of the statement aside, it was pointed out by an Italian comrade that a war might be a catastrophe for the re-emerging Israeli peace movement as well. A brief, but very heated debate broke out in which Chris Nineham showed his contempt for the Israeli people as a whole: "I refuse to mention the Israelis at all," he declared. "I'm sure a war would actually be good for the Israeli people, because the big majority of them support the war and the oppression of the Palestinian people." As a compromise the formulation "the people across the Middle East" was then adopted.

To all citizens of Europe and to all their representatives. Together let us stop the war on Iraq. We do not accept this war and we do not believe it is inevitable. There is massive opposition in every country of Europe, and in many places people are starting to mobilise for peace. This war will be a catastrophe first for the people of Iraq, second for the people across the Middle East and third for all of us who believe in the necessity of political solutions for international conflicts. We are convinced that this is a war without resolution, a war with the potential to lead to global disaster. Those who show solidarity with the people of Iraq have no hearing in the White House. But we do have the chance to influence European governments - many of whom have opposed the war. We call on all the European heads of state to publicly stand against this war, whether it has UN backing or not, and to demand that George Bush abandon his war plans. We believe that this imminent war makes the European Social Forum even more necessary and we urge the movements to redouble their efforts to bring people to Florence for the ESF, which will be a vital platform for organising coordinated European-wide action against war. It is particularly important because it will be the first opportunity for a mass Europe-wide mobilisation against the war. We call on the citizens of Europe and their representatives to take steps now to mobilise maximum resistance to war. Mass demonstrations are planned in a number of European countries in the next few weeks. We urge the movements in every European country to follow this example as a matter of urgency. Together we can stop this war! * Grasp the opportunity * Democratise the WSF