International Human Rights Day, December 10 MLK Days, January 15 - 20, 2003
The Iraq Pledge of Resistance, a campaign of nationally coordinated nonviolent civil disobedience to oppose war in Iraq (sponsor groups listed below), is calling for national days of action on International Human Rights Day, Tuesday, December 10, and on MLK Days, January 15 - 20, 2003.
Freedom from war is among the most fundamental of human rights, so International Human Rights Day is a natural choice to step up our campaign of nonviolent resistance against war on Iraq. It also provides an excellent opportunity to focus on the deepest meaning of the holiday season, the quest for peace.
If your nonviolent civil disobedience action is not yet ready, we nonetheless urge all Pledge groups to hold a public Pledge event on this date. A public signing of the Pledge, with appropriate speakers, is an excellent way to promote and build the Pledge in your area short of the civil disobedience itself. We want to be able to communicate the scope of this nonviolent resistance to the national media, and to escalate our mobilization as we look toward the coming year.
One additional "hook" to hold an event on this date is that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded on International Human Rights Day. Former President Jimmy Carter will be awarded the prize on December 10, and it is widely understood that his award is at least partly a rebuke to the warmongering attitude of the Bush Administration, which Carter himself has criticized.
All Pledge groups should then be ready to execute their plans for nonviolent civil disobedience sometime during Martin Luther King days in January, from his actual birthday on Wednesday, January 15 through the national holiday of Monday, January 20. It is possible if not likely that the Bush Administration will be on the verge of war by January, so it is critical that everyone be prepared to carry out their planned actions by this time. Remember, the call for nationwide CD will be activated if the wider war against Iraq does begin, and should it happen before MLK days, this activation will supercede the called dates (i.e. - if Bush attacks on December 28, our network will respond to that attack.)
Groups to organize the Iraq Pledge of Resistance are needed! While the Iraq Pledge of Resistance is currently being organized in 26 cities and 17 states ( as well as in England and Scotland), we currently have over 5000 individuals who have volunteered for nonviolent CD, and they come from all 50 states and most major metropolitan areas.
If your organization or coalition is interested in organizing the Pledge in your area, please send that information to National Pledge Coordinator Gordon Clark at <pledgecoordinator at starpower.net>. (You will also find a sign-up form at our website, www.peacepledge.org, or you can call the Pledge at 301-589-2355.) Pledge groups will need to assign a contact person to be in touch with the coordinator, along with email/phone number to serve as contact points for interested persons in the area. Your organization will then be sent all names from the national website (or signed Pledge forms) who reside in your area, and it will be your responsibility to contact them, as well as to provide appropriate nonviolence training and legal briefing for those wishing to risk arrest. (We can help you locate resources for these, as necessary.) We hope, of course, that all Pledge groups will agree to take actions on the dates of national calls, but local groups maintain their autonomy of decision-making at all times. The only requirement to be an organizing group for the Pledge is acceptance of and adherence to the nonviolence guidelines that are on the Pledge form (and attached below).
The following list is of cities/states where we do have groups organizing the Iraq Pledge of Resistance. If you are from any other state or major city in the country and would like to organize nonviolent civil disobedience as part of the Pledge, please let us know! Current Pledge organizations are in California (Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco), Florida (Tallahassee), Illinois (Chicago), Kansas (Kansas City and Wichita), Maryland (Baltimore), Massachusetts (Western Mass), Michigan (Detroit, Holland and Traverse City), Missouri (St. Louis), New Hampshire, New York (Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, New York City and Rochester), North Carolina, Ohio (Athens County), Oregon, Pennsylvania (Erie, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh), Texas (Austin and Houston), Vermont, Washington (Bellingham and Seattle) and Washington DC.
Nonviolence Guidelines for the Iraq Pledge of Resistance
* Our attitude will be one of openness and respect toward all we encounter in our actions. * We will use no violence, verbal or physical, toward any person. * We will not destroy or damage any property. * We will carry no weapons. * We will not bring any drugs or alcohol, other than for medicinal purposes. * We will not run or resist arrest; we will remain accountable for our actions as a means of furthering our witness to the injustice of this war.
Sponsoring Organizations: (list in formation) American Friends Service Committee, Education for Peace in Iraq Center, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Global Exchange, Interfaith Network of Concern for the People in Iraq, Lutheran Peace Fellowship, National Network to End the War Against Iraq, Not In Our Name, Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, Resource Center for Nonviolence, Veterans for Peace, Voices in the Wilderness, War Resisters League and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. -- Yoshie
* Calendar of Events in Columbus: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html> * Anti-War Activist Resources: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/activist.html> * Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/> * Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osu.edu/students/CJP/>