In the days and weeks after September 11th, you joined half a million other people from around the world in signing the 9-11peace petition and urging world leaders to exercise restraint in their response. Now, six months later, we're writing to brief you on our work and to highlight an opportunity to help.
The petition that you were part of was a great success. With participants form 192 countries, widespread media attention, and even a personal response from Tony Blair, we are confident that our message was heard.
Since the petition, we have expanded 9-11peace into an ongoing grassroots action network. 9-11peace is now a campaign of MoveOn.org, an organization that helps people influence national leaders through the internet. 9-11peace action alerts reach hundreds of thousands worldwide; in recent months members have sent close to 100,000 emails to world leaders, made thousands of phone calls, and written hundreds of letters to newspapers.
But unfortunately it appears the work for peace is just beginning. The Bush administration has declared a permanent state of war, without clearly identified goals or an endpoint, which is a threat to us all. And the international structures that can support a democratic and just response to terrorism are just now being built.
Six months after September 11th, it is time for a memorial. The best way we can imagine to pay our respects is by making a commitment to creating a better world, a world in which terrorism and war are only a bad memory. We invite you to join us in this most important work.
The 9-11peace campaign is supporting a group of American victims' families, September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, in their efforts to create a compensation fund for the families of Afghan victims. They are running a Washington call-in campaign. Can you help?
Contact your Senators through the main Capitol Hill switchboard:
Capitol Hill Switchboard (202) 224-3121 or (202) 225-3121
Make sure their staffers know you're a constituent. Then urge them to:
"Please support September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows by enacting a Afghan Victims Compensation Fund."
Please let us know you're making these vital calls, at:
http://www.moveon.org/callp.html?id=467-558097-20ecF5JCZAIixWIjFxjF1Q
The US military response has lead to the deaths of many innocent Afghan civilians -- perhaps thousands of them. For their families, circumstances could not be more dire. Those whose homes have been leveled now live in houses made of scraps of metal; food is scarce and the winter is extremely cold.
September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows is urging Congress to set up an Afghan Victims Compensation Fund that would provide money for bare necessities for these families. Further information is attached below.
Over 25 members of Congress have expressed their sympathy and support for the idea of a compensation fund for innocent Afghan victims when Peaceful Tomorrows members met with them in late January. Now they need to hear from you.
Sincerely,
- Eli Pariser The 9-11peace Campaign MoveOn.org March 11, 2002
For more information on the 9-11peace Campaign, please visit: http://9-11peace.org/
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A MESSAGE FROM SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH FAMILIES FOR PEACEFUL TOMORROWS
Peaceful Tomorrows is a group of family members of September Eleventh victims who are working for peace.
"Six months ago members of our families and thousands of other innocents lost their lives in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on Flight 93. The loss of innocent lives continues -- it has now been over five months since the beginning of US military action in Afghanistan in which other families have also suffered. Yet there is no official acknowledgment that innocent Afghan civilians have been killed or maimed in the bombing. While the number of civilian casualties is unclear, estimates range from 1,000 to 4,000 people.
The innocent victims in Afghanistan who lost their lives during the U.S. air strikes deserve our compassion and support. Out of our concern for our Afghan "sister families," four Peaceful Tomorrows members traveled to Afghanistan in January with Global Exchange visiting dozens of grieving and devastated Afghan families. Many of the families of those who were killed or injured by US bombs are living in dire economic straits. We returned from our visit determined to help our Afghan sister families.
We are calling on the US government to conduct a detailed study of civilian casualties and create a fund to help the affected families. Afghan relief organizations suggest an average grant of $10,000 to rebuild homes, restock possessions, secure adequate medical and psychological care, or compensate for the loss of breadwinners and caretakers. Assuming 2,000 families seek compensation, this would amount to $20 million. Twenty million is less than one dayˆs military expense during the bombing campaign, which cost $30 million a day.
While we pressure the US government to do a study and create a fund, we are starting this critical work ourselves. Peaceful Tomorrows and Global Exchange, together with Afghan groups, are doing a survey of civilian casualties and providing immediate help to desperately poor people who were mistakenly hurt during the US military campaign. Please join us. When Peaceful Tomorrows members met with families in Afghanistan they expressed their empathy for our situation. Please help us to show them that Americans care about their well-being and are sorry for their losses. It is through such compassion that we will build the foundation for a secure and peaceful tomorrow."
For more information about Peaceful Tomorrows, please visit: http://www.peacefultomorrows.org/