CODE PINK women say no to war

This Sunday, March 8, is International Women's Day--a day that always energizes us and reminds us of the power of women joining together to create a more peaceful, sustainable future. It was on International Women's Day six years ago that we organized our first major CODEPINK march in DC, encircling the White House with vibrant pink to say No to the imminent war in Iraq. Three years later, we officially launched our Women Say No to War campaign, bringing women together around the globe to give the peace movement a powerful female voice.

We should be proud of all we've accomplished, but even though we're full of hope for the future, now is not the time to sit idly back. War is NOT over, and our voices are still desperately needed. While we are pleased that President Obama is working toward withdrawing our troops from Iraq, we are disheartened by his decision to push that withdrawal back to August, 2010 and leave up to 50,000 residual troops in the area until December, 2011.

Will you write a letter to the editor of your newspaper to take a stand for real peace in Iraq? Click here to send your letter to the editor, it just takes three minutes.

We were heartbroken by this recent NY Times article on the brutal reality of Iraqi war widows; our new administration needs to help rebuild these shattered lives, not further the chaos wrought by Bush. Let your editor know that we are calling on Obama to immediately withdraw all U.S. troops, including residual forces from Iraq. The U.S. government needs to increase efforts in diplomacy, humanitarian aid and refugee resettlement in Iraq, instead. Obama needs to listen to the people of Iraq who want us out their country, and the American people who want our troops and financial resources back home. Please send your letter today and help give voice to the women of Iraq and all people who long for an end to occupation.

Our work continues in Gaza, as well. Our historic 60 person International Women's Day delegation is currently on their way to Gaza, carrying the 2,000+ gift baskets you so generously donated to the women of the beleaguered region. Thank you for honoring our sisters in Palestine, and for asking your senators to encourage Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to dedicate her own trip to Gaza to promoting peace in the region--thanks to you, 33 senators signed on!

A special thank you to all of the CODEPINK local groups who have already organized International Women's Day events in their communities, raising money and awareness for the women of Gaza! Even more are planned for this weekend--from Honolulu to Phoenix to NYC!

Thank you for reminding Obama of his promises and being part of a growing chorus of Women who say No to War,

Audrey, Blaine, Dana, Deidra, Desiree, Farida, Gael, Gayle, Jean, Jodie, Liz, Lori, Medea, Nancy, Paris, and Rae

P.S. Delegation to Gaza Blog Update! As the peace delegation arrives and mobilizes they will be posting their stories here on the PINKTank and here and here and here.Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

URGENT ACTION ALERT, Christian Peacemakers Team, Hebron.

Israeli Civil Administration is set to demolish a clinic and 20 homes near Hebron, in the Beqa’a Valley, this week. Contact information below for Canada, UK, Sweden, and USA.

HEBRON Palestinian residents of the Beqa’a Valley are in danger of losing twenty homes and their health clinic. The clinic is currently under construction. The Israeli Civil Administration issued orders to the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) to demolish the homes and clinic by the end of the week.

Residents in the valley have been building this clinic without governmental or outside funding, even though many have little or no paid employment. The Israeli Civil Administration refused to grant a building permit despite the difficulties residents encounter in reaching other health facilities outside of the valley. Between 600 and 700 people, mostly women and children, will use the new clinic for routine medical care, including prenatal checkups and vaccinations. Palestinian Relief and CARE International currently provide these services one day a week in other existing facilities. The residents decided to build their own clinic as the facilities they are now using are inadequate. Some patients are currently receiving care in part of one resident’s home.

(To view pictures of Beqa’a Valley residents using an existing home as a clinic, visit http://www.cpt.org/gallery/album233. )

Twenty other buildings also have demolition orders. Six of these are homes that the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions (ICAHD) rebuilt after previous demolitions.

Atta Jaber, a resident of the Beqa’a Valley, told CPTers (members of Christian Peacemaker Teams), “We want the world to know that with our new clinic that has the demolition order, if there was an automobile accident on the Bypass Route 60, and Israelis were injured and could not get to a hospital, we would give them medical treatment right here in this Palestinian clinic. Tell the world.” Israeli authorities demolished Jaber’s home in the Beqa’a Valley three times.

ACTION

Please call, e-mail or write to the Israeli Defense Forces. Urge them to rescind the demolition orders and allow residents to complete the clinic in the Beqa’a Valley.

Send appeal electronically:
http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/Contact+Us/

Public Appeals Officer Phone: (country code 972) 03-5691000

Public Appeals Officer Fax: (country code 972) 03-5699400

In addition, please call, email or write to your government officials. Urge them to send a strong message to the Israeli government to rescind the stop work orders and allow residents to complete the clinic in the Beqa’a Valley.

Below is a suggested list of contacts for this Urgent Action.

Canada:

Embassy in Tel Aviv –
The Canadian Embassy,
PO Box 9442,
Tel Aviv
67060,
Israel.
Fax: (011 972 3) 636-3380.
Email: taviv@dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Prime Minister Stephen Harper,
Office of the Prime Minister,
80 Wellington Street,
Ottawa,
K1A 0A2
Canada.
Fax: 613-941-6900
or Email: pm@pm.gc.ca

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada,
Maxine Bernier,
House of Commons,
Ottawa ON,
K1A 0A6
Canada.
Fax: (613) 995-0687
or Email: Berni.M@parl.gc.ca.

You can mail your MP at the House of Commons address, or find their email address at
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/house/PostalCode.asp?Source=SM



UK:

Embassy in Tel Aviv –
British Embassy,
192 Hayarkon Street,
Tel Aviv
63405,
Israel.
Tel: (+972 3) 725 1222;
Fax: (+ 972 3) 527 8574.
Email: webmaster.telaviv@fco.gov.uk

Prime Minister Gordon Brown,
10 Downing Street,
London
SW1A 2AA
England

To email the Prime Minister go to
http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/page821.asp


Foreign Secretary David Miliband,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
King Charles Street,
London
SW1A 2AH.

England
Tel: 020 7008-1500

To email MP, MEP’s, MSPs, or Northern Ireland, Welsh and London AMs
http://www.writetothem.com/

Contact details for UK Members of Parliament and House of Lords:

http://www.parliament.uk/directories/directories.cfm

Contact details for UK Members of Parliament:

http://upmystreet.com/commons/1/

Contact details for the Members of the Scottish Parliaments:

http://scottish.parliment.uk/msp/membersPages/msplocator.htm



Sweden:

Contact PM Fredrik Reinfeldt,
Phone: 46 8 405-1000,
email via senior registry clerk –

http://www.sweden.gov.se

Contact Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt,
Phone: 46-8-405-1000,
email via senior registry clerk –

http://www.sweden.gov.se


USA:

Embassy in Tel Aviv –
US Embassy,
71 Hayarkon Street,
Tel Aviv
63903,
Israel.
Email: "Mary Glantz, Human Rights" <glantzme@state.gov>
or Michelle Schohn <schohnjm@state.gov>
or ac5@bezeqint.net

President George W Bush,
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW, Washington, DC
20500
USA

Register your message with the White House Comment Line
(1)202-456-1111.

comments@whitehouse.gov

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,
2201 C Street
NW, Washington, DC
20520
USA

Matthew S. Rosenstock
Office of Israel and Palestine Affairs
in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
in the State Department.
Email: RosenstockMS@state.gov
phone (1)202-647-1461.
Met with Abduhadi when he was in the States.

To contact your Senator go to
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

To contact your Representative go to
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Or call the Capitol Switchboard at (202)-224-3132
and ask for the appropriate Congressional office.

________________________________________

Christian Peacemaker Teams is an ecumenical initiative to support violence reduction efforts around the world. To learn more about CPT's peacemaking work, please visit our website at
http://www.cpt.org
Photos of our projects may be viewed at:
http://www.cpt.org/gallery

A map of the center of Hebron is at
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullMaps_Sa.nsf/0/5618737E38C0B3DE8525708C004BA584/$File/ocha_OTS_hebron_oPt010805.pdf?OpenElement

The same map is the last page of this report on closures in Hebron:
http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/opt/docs/UN/OCHA/ochaHU0705_En.pdfRecommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

Adriana Beltrán and Gimena Sanchez-Garzoli, "Attacking the Defenders in Colombia and Guatemala," Connection to the Americas, November/December 2006.

Intimidation and attacks against human rights defenders in Colombia and Guatemala have surged over the past year, seriously undermining the promotion of human rights in these two countries. Although efforts to thwart the work of human rights defenders are not new to Latin America, this worrisome trend in Colombia and Guatemala calls for heightened attention and immediate action by the international community.





[...]

International attention and action serve to protect human rights defenders and ensure that they can work effectively. Among the specific actions that international governments, organizations and non-governmental organizations can take are:

1) Support and strongly encourage the Guatemalan government to implement the Commission for the Investigation of Illegal Armed Groups and Clandestine Security Organizations (CICIACS), an initiative that is currently being renegotiated with the United Nations. The commission would assist local authorities in investigating and developing prosecutable cases against these groups.

2) Closely monitor Colombia’s paramilitary demobilization process and express concern to the Colombian government regarding the re-armament of these groups and their continuing threats to and attacks on human rights defenders.

3) Increase support for international accompaniment groups, such as Peace Brigades International, that provide unarmed physical protection to human rights organizations in Guatemala and Colombia.

Digg This

Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content