[antiwar-van] MAWO statement on the crisis in Somalia

[shannon]

Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
http://www.mawovancouver.org
****************************

On January 10th 2007, Mobilization Against War &
Occupation (MAWO) took on the “MAWO Sudan Campaign:
US/UN Hands off Darfur!” This campaign was developed
as a necessary response to fierce agitation by the US
government to “Save Darfur” – paving the road for
invasion and occupation of Sudan. Between threats to
Sudan and the US-backed Ethiopian invasion of Somalia,
the US government is expanding its wars and
occupations to Africa in order to plunder the
continent and consolidate its hegemony over rival
imperialists of Europe and Japan.

Below are the two statements that we have released –
Jan 13, 2007: against the invasion of Somalia and Nov
29, 2006: against the threats to Sudan. In these
statements we declare the position of MAWO to stand
beside the demands of people in Somalia and Sudan, who
are constantly demonstrating against intervention in
their countries.

----------------------------------------------------
Mobilization Against War & Occuaption (MAWO)
STATEMENT ON THE INVASION OF SOMALIA
January 13th 2007

In the last week of December 2006, after a month of
cross border military conflicts, Somalia was invaded
by Ethiopia with the justification of supporting the
interim Somali government against the widely supported
Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) government. By the time
of invasion, the Ethiopian-backed interim Somali
government had little support in Somalia and was
isolated to the north of the country. The government
was limited to being a “government” of a number of
warlords and was absolutely isolated from the majority
of the Somali masses. The illegal and criminal
invasion by Ethiopia has been fully backed with US
military support and intelligence and therefore was a
complete joint military operation by the Ethiopian and
US governments. 
 
Even before Ethiopia began air strikes and stepped up
troop deployments to Somalia, the US had stationed a
fleet of war-ships off the coast of Somalia. On
January 8th, the US backed proxy-war by Ethiopia
received the direct military support of the United
States through US air strikes across southern Somalia
killing hundreds of Somalis and destroying villages.
This massacre was carried out with the excuse of
hunting down and killing a handful of “terrorists”
targeted by the US. 

The US has attempted to justify the massive killing of
Somalis as the “collateral damage” in their “War on
Terror” – the same justification they used in the
invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Somalis understand
that this war is not part of the “War on Terrorism” or
a war for liberation. The Washington Post on January
10th 2007 quoted Somali biology teacher Ahmed Weli
Mohammed, “I am very, very angry
 Even if there are
terrorists, there are maybe two or three people, but
hundreds of people are killed. Is this logical? It is
inhumanity
 Americans don’t respect us as humans.”  
 
Prior to Ethiopian and US intervention into Somalia,
just a couple of weeks before the invasion, on
November 30th the Ethiopian parliament approved the
invasion of Somalia, and subsequently on December 6th
the UN Security Council passed resolution 1725
authorizing the Intergovernmental Authority on
Development (IGAD) and member states of the African
Union (AU) to establish a mission in Somalia. For this
mission in defense of the interim Somali government,
the UN is responsible for mobilizing resources and
logistics.

In the past week tens of thousands of Somalis have
been rallying in Mogadishu and throughout the country
demanding the immediate withdrawal of Ethiopian
invasion forces. Demonstrations have also been
protesting the US air strikes and further US threats
to Somalia. The message from Somalis is that they do
not see the invasion by Ethiopia as a source of
stability acting in their favour. Somalis, such as
Ahmed Weli Mohammed, rightfully consider the Ethiopian
troops an occupier, not a liberation force.

Alongside diplomatic and political preparation for
military intervention in Sudan, the invasion of
Somalia is another arm for opening the era of war and
occupation into Africa. The invasion of Somalia has
begun after 2 years of fierce campaigning by the US
government to “Save Darfur” – paving the road for
invasion and occupation of Sudan. The US government -
the government of corporations and capital - is
expanding its wars and occupations to Africa in order
to plunder the continent and consolidate its hegemony
over rival imperialists of Europe and Japan. 

Today it is clear more than ever the world understands
that the US “War on Terrorism” is nothing but a war on
the sovereignty and self-determination of oppressed
nations. Do we need more lies and deception like the
wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to believe the US is
helping the Somali people?

Vancouver’s antiwar coalition, Mobilization Against
War & Occupation (MAWO) stands beside the Somali
people’s demand against the presence of all foreign
troops in Somalia. We demand: No foreign troops in
Somalia! US hands off Somalia! Ethiopian army out of
Somalia immediately! No UN troops in Somalia!
Self-determination for Somalia!

Shannon Bundock & Kira Koshelanyk
Co-Chairs of Mobilization Against War & Occupation
(MAWO)
http://www.mawovancouver.org
info at mawovancouver.org
P. 604 322 1764
F. 604 322 1763

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Canada/US/UN/EU/NATO Hands Off Sudan!
NO TO INVASION OF SUDAN!
End Imperialist Threats Against Africa!
Self-Determination for All Oppressed Nations! 

Nov 29th, 2006

Adopted at November 29, 2006 MAWO General Meeting

WHEREAS there is currently a growing international
imperialist propaganda campaign calling for foreign
intervention in Sudan. Those pushing this campaign are
the governments of imperialist countries such as the
United States, Britain and Canada, all citing the
current internal conflict in the Darfur region of
Sudan as an attempt to justify foreign military
intervention and sanctions.

BE IT RESOLVED that firstly, we as Mobilization
Against War & Occupation (MAWO) reaffirm that Sudan is
an independent and sovereign nation. No foreign
country, coalition of foreign countries, or
international organizations has the right to impose
their will or interests on Sudan’s internal affairs.

Secondly, we point to the recent invasions, wars, and
occupations that imperialists tried to cover with
“humanitarian” concerns – whether working separately
or together in the destruction and pillaging of Iraq,
or under a “multilateral” mandate like the United
Nations death squad occupation of Haiti, or the NATO
organized destruction of Afghanistan and Yugoslavia.
We have not forgotten the last five years.

We know that Sudan is also very rich in natural
resources with huge deposits of oil, natural gas,
copper, and uranium. All of these are coveted by
Sudan’s self-professed “benevolent” invaders. Sudan
also borders nine other African nations and would be
used, like Afghanistan in the Middle East, as a bridge
to war and occupation throughout Africa. 

Therefore, MAWO demands an immediate end to the
imperialist intervention and threats against Sudan,
whether by individual countries or through a United
Nations or NATO mandate.

Canada/US/UN/EU/NATO Hands Off Sudan!
No to Invasion of Sudan!
End Imperialist Threats Against Africa!
Self-Determination for All Oppressed Nations! 


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