No to War - No to NATO
International Demonstration
April 4, 2009
Strasbourg, France
A major international demonstration, “No to War – No to NATO”, will be
held in Strasbourg, France, April 4, 2009 on the occasion of the sixtieth
anniversary of the military organization’s establishment. The
demonstration, led by several anti-NATO coalitions from around the world
(encompassing peace and anti-globalization movements, trade unions, and
student organizations), will protest against NATO’s aggressive military
and nuclear policies, and assert their determination to create a more just
and peaceful world.
(See below the appeal in English and in italiano)
Rather than providing “security”, NATO has, over the decades, increasingly
become an obstacle to the achievement of world peace. It has become an
instrument for military actions sanctioned by the “international
community”, and another means of promoting and facilitating the “war on
terror”.
These efforts to give a strong voice to pacifists across Europe and beyond
can only be strengthened by our involvement. Our group has already
endorsed the demonstration, and some of us have contributed to the Winter
Soldier Europe fundraiser, an important Strasbourg-associated event, at
one of our recent documentary film screenings.
Please add or increase your support by sending funds (as instructed below), and/or consider making the trip to Strasbourg
to take part in the demonstration!
Despite the short notice, we are sure – especially with the help of U.S.
friends in Paris and Germany, as well as Italian peace groups, who will be
there – that we will be able to help with finding travel and sleeping
arrangements (hostels, cheap hotels, etc.). If you are at all interested
in making this trip please contact info@peaceandjustice.it.
The activities during the anti-NATO protest will include:
a demonstration on Saturday 4th April 2009,
an international conference from Thursday 2nd April to 3th Friday April,
direct action and civil disobedience,
and an international resistance camp from Wednesday 1st April to Sunday 5th April.
The international conference, “No to NATO – No to War””, held in
Strasbourg, will provide an opportunity to analyse NATO politics and
strategies and discuss alternatives to NATO. It will also provide a space
for the peace movement to prepare long term actions. Offering a wide range
of stimulating and insightful workshops, it will commence with “60 Years
of NATO – 60 Years of Threats to World Peace: A critical appraisal of NATO
and the development of NATO strategies”; speakers include Phyllis Bennis
(USA), Tariq Ali (Pakistan/UK), Jan Tamas (Czech Republic), Noam Chomsky
(USA), and Sophie Zafari (France).
Please contribute in any way you can – financially or with your presence – to say No to NATO, and its plans to gain unlimited access to all resources
in the world through military power.
On the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the NATO military organisation, we appeal to all people to come to Strasbourg and Baden-Baden 2009, to protest against NATO's aggressive military and nuclear policies, and assert our vision of a just world free of war.
NATO is an increasing obstacle to achieving world peace. Since the end of the Cold War, NATO has reinvented itself as a tool for military action by the “international community”, including the promotion of the so-called “war on terror”. In reality it is a vehicle for US-led use of force with military bases on all continents, bypassing the United Nations and the system of international law, accelerating militarization and escalating arms expenditure – NATO countries account for 75% of global military expenditure. Pursuing that expansionist agenda since 1991, designed to advance strategic and resource interests, NATO has waged war in the Balkans, under the guise of so-called “humanitarian war”, and has waged seven years of brutal war in Afghanistan, where the tragic situation is escalating and the war has expanded into Pakistan.
In Europe NATO is worsening tensions, feeding the arms race with so-called “missile defence”, a massive nuclear arsenal and a nuclear first strike policy. EU policy is increasingly tied to NATO. NATO's ongoing and potential expansion into eastern Europe and beyond, and its “out of area” operations are making the world a more dangerous place. The conflict in the Caucasus is a clear indication of the dangers. Each advance of the NATO border increases the possibility of war, including the use of nuclear weapons.
To achieve our vision of a peaceful world, we reject military responses to global and regional crises – these are part of the problem not part of the solution. We refuse to live under the terror of nuclear weapons, and reject a new arms race. We must decrease military expenditure – directing resources instead to meeting human needs. We must close down all foreign military bases. We oppose all military structures used for military intervention. We must democratise and demilitarise the relations between peoples and establish new forms of peaceful cooperation to build a more secure and just world.
We call on you to spread this message in your communities and movements, to come to Strasbourg and Baden-Baden and to make this vision a reality. We believe that a world of peace is possible.
No to war - No to NATO.
Call for Mobilization
Demonstration April 4th in Strasbourg
In not less than four weeks we will be non-violently and creatively protesting against Nato in Strasbourg. Until then there is much to do and organize. In order to send beautiful pictures of our protests in the City of Democracy and Peace to the citizens of the world we need to intensify our efforts in mobilizing a broad range of people. Those need to be addressed that do not know about the protests and also those that have been approached already need to be invited again.
We have to leave the meetings rooms now and go to the people. But also many of our friends and colleagues are not convinced to go to Strasbourg!
It is of major significance that we increase our efforts in mobilizing participants to join our protests. Only with them, coming from all parts of the world and society, we will be able to send powerful and colorful images of non-violent protests against Nato around the world.
Nato means the opposite of our ideals, means war and spending huge amounts of money not for social and ecological changes.
To be in Strasbourg means to be apart of the world wide movement for democracy and will defend the constitutions and the human rights. It is our right to demonstrate in the City of Strasbourg. We will get it when many people are coming.
We have to show to the world that the peace movement is an international and big force, independently and defending their rights.
Come to Strasbourg join us. Enlarge your efforts, strengthen the mobilization: we need every woman and man.
Appeal for Funds
In four weeks more than 500 organizations will protest with tens of thousands of citizens of the world against Nato in Strasbourg. Until then many preparations have to be taken care of: International guests have to be invited and accommodated, rooms for the congress and equipment for manifestation and congress have to be rented. This is only a short extract of a long list of expenses that need to be covered in order to ensure a good course of our protests.
In times of crisis it is even harder to accumulate financial means. Therefore we insistently ask all signatories of the Stuttgart Appeal to transfer money to the following account. Especially those signatories, which still have not contributed financially are called upon to donate money for our cause.
Unlike their war and their crisis this is our protest and we have to pay for it. Everybody needs to bear the costs, not just few.
Accountholder: Monty Schädel – Peter Delis
Account No.: 1202 0065 48
BIN: 500 502 01
Bank: Sparkasse Frankfurt 1822
Reference : "60 Jahre NATO NO"
IBAN: DE02 5005 0201 1202 0065 48 SWIFT/BIC : HELADEF1822, Reference: "60 Jahre NATO NO"
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Ongoing/Future Events
Our Eyes Wide Open Film Series is suspended; for further information click here.
Upshot of our Nov. 9th group discussion on current politics:
It wasn't the Russians that got us Trump. Or Comey. Or even the massive GOP election fraud. It was the DNC.* *Dem National Committee
To learn how to stop the DNC
from delivering us another Trump, read Autopsy: the Democratic Party in Crisis.
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Tell Trump to STOP THIS CARNAGE, not fuel it! Click here.
Also participate in the CodePink email and/or phone initiative:
Click here to sign a petition, to put an end to the sanctions against Syria - their only effect is to take a terrible toll on the population, causing them to migrate! And click here to see the video by the Italian Committee to lift sanctions against Syria.
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Like what happened to "our" creature al Qaeda in Afghanistan). And the death toll continues to rise...
Write your senators and tell them: "Enough! U.S. out!! Iraq has shown it can curb ISIS by itself!"
April 4, 2009
