Just outside Rome in the town of Colleferro, is Simmel Difesa SpA, a munitions manufacturer and producer of cluster bombs. On Saturday, September 23, USC4P&J will join local Italian groups at a protest against war, militarization and production of these doubly deadly weapons.
A single cluster bomb, with its submunitions, or bomblets, will kill and maim indiscriminately in an area of up to 1 sq km. But the killing continues long after the bombardment. With a "dud" rate of up to 40%, many of the submunitions fail to explode on impact, becoming in effect land mines. Cluster bombs have been used in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and most recently in Lebanon, where the U.N. has estimated there are over 350,000 unexploded bomblets.
As citizens of the country considered the largest producer of cluster bombs, as well as the largest user, we will unite with local activists in expressing our outrage and calling for reconversion of the arms industry.
This date also falls within the week of the Declaration of Peace, endorsed by over 500 groups in the U.S. planning close to 400 actions aimed at establishing a concrete and rapid plan for peace in Iraq, including:
a prompt timetable for withdrawal of troops and closure of bases;
a peace process for security, reconstruction, and reconciliation;
and the shift of funding for war to meeting human needs.
In solidarity with fellow activists in the U.S., we will use this opportunity to call attention to the events taking place throughout the country.
We will have signs, U.S. and Italian peace flags as well as flyers to distribute.
Join us on September 23 in Colleferro!
No War, No Cluster Bombs!
Program: 4:00pm - Rally in Piazza Italia in Colleferro
5:00pm - Protest at the gates of Simmel Difesa
6:00pm - Speak out against war and militarization.
9:30pm - Concert by Assalti Frontali
There will also be stands around Piazza Italia as well as screening of films and videos [in Italian].
The demonstration in Colleferro is organized by the Coordinamento contro la guerra - Valle del Sacco, Monti Lepini.
Meeting point: Termini, Platform 10 We will travel together by train from the Termini station. The train for Colleferro departs at 2:47pm. Please be at the meeting point with ticket (Euro 2.90) in hand by 2:30pm or look for us on the train. There is also a train at 3:20pm if you miss the first.
Please make your own arrangements to return to Rome. There are frequent trains, the last train is at 10:44pm.
