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Announcement :: Protest Activity |
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April 9: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST CATERPILLAR |
Current rating: 1 |
by International Solidarity Movement-Chicago
Email: ISMinChicago(nospam)aol.com (unverified!)
Phone: 312-491-1789 |
11 Jan 2004
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The Chicago chapter of the International Solidarity Movement will sponsor a Midwest Regional Planning meeting on January 25 in Chicago. We invite all interested groups to send a representative to plan the International Day of Action Against Caterpillar in Peoria, ILL. on April 9, 2004. Help stop illegal home demolitions in Palestine! Call 312-491-1789 or contact ISMinChicago (at) aol.com for details. |
PLEASE CIRCULATE TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS!
The Chicago chapter of the International Solidarity Movement is issuing a call for organizations, faith communities and labor representatives to hold a Midwest regional planning meeting on Sunday, January 25 in Chicago. The regional planning meeting will be at Agape House (1046 West Polk St., Chicago) from 1-5 PM. Agape House is located just west of the University of Illinois Circle Campus. The purpose of the meeting would be to plan and organize for the April 9th "International Day of Action against Caterpillar." Please e-mail ust at ISMinChicago (at) aol.com with a contact name and phone number if your group is interested in participating in the January 25 meeting and the April 9 action in Peoria against Caterpillar.
APRIL 9, 2004: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST CATERPILLAR
Whereas, the Caterpillar Corporation's D-9 bulldozer physically embodies the horrible atrocity that is happening to the Palestinian people - the Nabka (Great Catastrophe) - the ethnic cleansing of Palestine;
Whereas, the Caterpillar Corporation's machinery is directly implicated in grave abuses of human rights by Israeli Defense Forces including the collective punishment of the Palestinian people through house demolitions, clearing a path for and construcing the Apartheid Wall and murder of civilians;
Whereas, these actions are illegal under international law - specifically violating the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Rome Statue of the International Court and the Hague Conventions;
Whereas, the sale of the Caterpillar bulldozer to Israeli Defense Forces violates the U.S. Arms Export Control Act;
Whereas, the Caterpillar Corporation's agreements with the Israeli military stand as a stark example of the material, economic and political aid given by the United States government and multinational corporations - the aid that enable these atrocities;
Whereas, U.S. economic and milatary aid is funded entirely by the public's tax money, while public education and social services institutes are suffering severe budget cuts from the federal government;
Whereas, the Caterpillar Corporation's business is largely civilian in nature, it is not dependent on these military contracts to survive as a corporation and therefore can afford to sever these contracts;
Whereas, we are more powerful when united internationally against a common target, a target that has important symbolic relevance, and a target that represents a winnable victory;
Whereas, the Caterpillar Corporation has offices, manufacturing facilities and subcontractors throughout the world;
Whereas, April 9th will be the 56th anniversary of the Deir Yassin massacre, the commemoration of which is meant to recognize and remember the Nakba of ethnic cleansing, murder, terrorism and particulary house and village demolition that befell the Palestinian people in 1948. The ethnic cleansing, murder, terrorism and house demolition have continued to this day (the Jenin Massacre was unfolding two years ago at this time.)
CALL TO ACTION
We therefore call for an International Day of Action against the Caterpillar Corporation on Deir Yassin Day (April 9th) demanding that:
1.) Caterpillar Corporation must sever all contracts with the Israeli Military.
2.) Caterpillar Corporation must draft a public letter explaining why they have done so.
We encourage peace and justice loving people from around the world to organize actions or events addressing the role of Caterpillar in supporting the attacks against the Palestinian people.
Possible Actions:
1. Organize an action at your local Caterpillar representative or sales representatives office. Demand that they sign on to demands of the campaign.
2. Student and community groups call for their institutions, city councils, faith communities or unions pass resolutions divesting from the Caterpillar Corporation until the campaigns demands are met.
3. Activists who are far away from a possible target for action or divestment can organize an educational event to demonstrate to communities the role of Caterpillar in supporting the oppression of the Palestinian people.
4. Activists who do not have the capacity to organize an action or event can stage a "banner drop." This action requires a minimum of two individuals to create a banner supporting the International Day of Action and display the banner in a high traffic (i.e.: freeway overpass, tall buildings, etc.)
We suggest that people work democratically, to work in coalition with a diverse group of organizations and to be creative in their actions.
We propose that the international center of this Day of Action be in Peoria, Illinois - the headquarters of the Caterpillar Corporations.
We propose that the action be two-fold:
1.) A delegation of community leaders who will attempt to visit the CEO to explain how Caterpillar products are being used in Occupied Palestine and to demand that their relationship with the Israeli government be severed.
2.) A mass mobilization of people outside the Caterpillar Corporate Headquarters demanding the same.
Organizations, faith communities, labor groups and individuals from the Midwest region that are interested in endorsing and participating in our organizing effort should send an e-mail to ISMinChicago (at) aol.com. Please include a contact name and phone number in the e-mail.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST
VISIT: www.catdestroyshomes.org and www.sustaincampaign.org |
This work is in the public domain |
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Re: April 9: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST CATERPILLAR |
by Jack Ryan
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 2
11 Jan 2004
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Great, I'll be there. Quick Question: When Cat moves to a foreign country to increase profits and because they tire of union bitching, which one do you think it will be?
Just Curious,
Jack |
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Re: don't waste your energies |
by dgehrig
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
12 Jan 2004
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Action against Caterpillar -- especially in downstate Illinois, which is losing its heavy manufacturing jobs -- has always struck me as a completely misdirected use of energies. You've gotten nowhere, and you'll get nowhere.
I mean, think about it. Suppose, through some miracle, you're able to convince Caterpillar to walk away from its Israel contracts (and therefore lay off some workers). Israel then takes those same bucks and goes to some other manufacturer. Maybe one overseas. Net change for Israel? None. Net change for Palestinians? None. Net change for Peoria? More lost jobs.
Remember, when Ronald Reagan embargoed heavy equipment to the Soviets in the early 1980's, Cat workers turned against _him_. I spent the summer of '82 in Peoria, and trust me, "Reagan" was a dirty word there. If they'll turn against Reagan, what could _possibly_ make them turn down work (= jobs, in this jobless 'recovery') in order to align themselves with Palestinian militants?
Now, if all you really plan to do is get a bunch of people together and rant and gnash your teeth, you can go ahead and do that, and be proud of your successful teeth-gnashing episode. But don't imagine you've had any impact on anything other than your own adrenaline level.
@%< |
