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News :: Iraq |
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Recap of the Global (and Local) Day of Action against the War and Occupation of Iraq |
Current rating: 0 |
by Danielle Chynoweth
(No verified email address)
Address: IMC |
22 Mar 2004
Modified: 01:18:57 AM |
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The one-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq — witnessed a well coordinated Global Day of Action against War and Occupation. This weekend, in more than 575 cities around the world, people demonstrated for peace and against Bush’s militaristic policy and the occupation of Iraq. Our local News Gazette buried the global story and ignored local protests. |
The one-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq — witnessed a well coordinated Global Day of Action against War and Occupation. This weekend, in more than 575 cities around the world, people demonstrated for peace and against Bush’s militaristic policy and the occupation of Iraq. Our local News Gazette buried the global story and ignored local protests.
In Iraq, a demonstration took place in Baghdad against the violence of the occupation. The protest was also a powerful show of unity between Sunni and Shia muslims. The marches started with the Shia's and the Sunni's across the river from one another. The two groups met just as the Shia's came over the bridge, and emotions were high as they merged into one. They then walked together to a public square where speakers denounced the occupation and called for unity between all Iraqis.
Friday, 20 Arab Journalists walked out of Powell's speech in Baghdad in protest of the shooting deaths of 2 Iraqi reporters by U.S. troops.
In Turkey, one of Iraq's neighbors, about 2,000 demonstrators protested the war in Ankara and Istanbul before dispersing peacefully amid tight security. Jordan and Bahrain (bah-RAIN) also witnessed small rallies.
In the Philippines over 1000 people – both demonstrators and the media - were attacked by fire hoses. The Vice President of the Philippines called the war immoral and condemned the Philipino President for his support of it.
Protesters in Sydney held aloft a 5 foot-high effigy of Prime Minister John Howard in a cage, saying it represented Australian terror suspects detained at the U.S. military prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Howard's government has sent troops to fight in Iraq, despite overwhelming public opposition, and some repeated allegations that he lied about the reasons for going to war. Protests were pervasive throughout Australia and New Zealand.
In Seoul, Korea about 1,500 mostly young college students staged a peaceful anti-war demonstration.
30,000 demonstrators braved a downpour in Tokyo, Japan, to protest the Japanese involvement in sending members of the Self Defense Force to Iraq. Some carried signs depicting the Statue of Liberty about to launch a missile.
In Bangkok, Thailand, a man in a mask depicting Bush carried an oil can and led another man -- wearing a mask of Thai Prime Minister -- by a leash. There are 450 Thai troops in Iraq.
Demonstrations also occurred in Hong Kong, East Timor, New Delhi in India, South Africa, Eqypt, and Greece. Rallies also took place in Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Finland, Ukraine and Denmark.
Over a million people jammed the streets of Rome, some of them decked out in rainbow-colored peace flags and chanting "assassins." Protesters – including a small cadre of Italian policemen - demanded that the Italian government, a strong supporter of the war, withdraw its 2,600 troops from Iraq.
About 150,000 demonstrated in Barcelona, Spain. Paolo Quadrardi, a 42-year-old mechanic, said the Madrid train bombings that killed 202 people and injured some 1,800 others showed that "war doesn't do anything but increase terrorism” according to the British AP.
1,000 protested outside a U.S. air base at Ramstein, Germany.
People bearing torches form a giant peace sign Saturday in Heroes' Square in Budapest, Hungary. Thirty civil organizations planned the protest.
Protesters carried signs in London, England, calling Bush the "world's worst terrorist" and labeling Prime Minister Tony Blair a "Bliar." Two protesters scaled Big Ben, then stood for hours just beneath the face of the clock tower with a sign reading "Time for Truth."
Anti war demonstrators carry a sign that reads ''No to war, no to terrorism'' during a protest Saturday in Santiago, Chile.
Representatives of the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations shout slogans against President Bush during a protest Saturday in front of the U.S. Embassy in Honduras.
In the United States, notable protests included a 100,000-person march and rally in New York City, and a similar event in San Francisco attended by more than 50,000. In San Francisco, thousands of taiko drummers, cyclists, activists and other protesters chanted "End the occupation" and "Impeach Bush." Hundreds locked down outside Bechtel corps headquarter effectively shutting down their offices. Bechtel is one of the corporations most profiting from the war with a 3 billion dollar contract to reconstruct Iraq.
In Los Angeles, one of thousands of protesters held photographs of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney with the words, "forget Janet Jackson's — expose the real boobs."
In Cincinnati, Claire Mugavin wore a biohazard suit to a protest that drew several hundred people. She pretended to look for weapons of mass destruction beneath benches and garbage cans. "We figure they're not in Iraq," said the 24-year-old Cincinnati resident. "So we figured we'd come look for them in Fountain Square."
In Crawford, Texas, where President George Bush owns a ranch and often vacations, 1000 protesters converged to repudiate his militaristic policies and call for a diversion of the billions of dollars that are being spent on war to domestic programs like schools, health clinics, and unemployment benefits.
Military families and veterans led a protest that drew 1500 to Fayetteville, North Carolina, outside the Fort Bragg military base.
In Montpelier, Vt., hundreds of silent protesters placed a pair of shoes on the Statehouse steps for each of the more than 560 U.S. soldiers killed in the war.
"The liberation of Iraq was good for the Iraqi people, good for America and good for the world," the president said Saturday.
And this brings us to our own local demonstration where several hundred gathered in auditorium of the Urbana Middle School to mourn the dead and call for the end of the Bush regime. The group heard poetry and songs, viewed a slide show of suffering Iraqis, lit candles and listed the names of some of the Iraqis and Americans who have died.
The walls of the auditorium were lined with the names and faces of those who have died. Roward Mohammed Suleiman – 8 months – whose lower body was blown off after crawling over a cluster bomblet last April. Fernando Padilla-Ramirez, 26 of San Luis Arizona, who was killed in combat last March after becoming a U.S. citizen in 2001. He was married and had a 5 year old and new born.
These faces of the dead provided the backdrop for keynote speaker Dr. Mohammad AlHeeti, a local business owner who is originally from Iraq. He has made two trips to Iraq to ensure the safety of his family since the war began. He spoke out against the Bush regime and the continued occupation.
After AlHeeti’s talk, attendees marched down Vine Street to the County Courthouse where they held a spirited rally in heavy wind. Meg Miner one of the speakers, served as an engine and aircraft mechanic for the U.S. Airforce from 1979 to 1995 including the first Persian Gulf War. She talked about the new generation of veterans who were being created. |
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Re: Recap of the Global (and Local) Day of Action against the War and Occupation of Iraq |
by James Mortland
mortland1976 (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 4
25 Mar 2004
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Here's some photos from the "Global Day of Action" in San Fran, Mar 20, '04. Enjoy!
http://users.lmi.net/zombie/sf_rally_march_20_2004/ |
