[antiwar-van] Sept 21: UPDATE #8 - Campaign to Defend the Democratic & Human Rights of Alison Bodine Gains Momentu

[Kira Koshelanyk]

Alison Bodine Defence Committee
UPDATE #8 – Friday September 21, 2007

Friday September 21– One Week of the Defense Struggle Against the Political and Illegal Attack of Canada Border Services on the Democratic & Human Rights of Alison Bodine!

Demand of “Drop the Charges Against Alison Now!” grows louder and stronger!
Seventh Defense Rally Today @ 12noon!

Friday September 21st will be the one week mark of the ongoing struggle against the government of Canada & Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) political targeting,illegal arrest and detention of Alison Bodine. Alison Bodine is a US citizen and antiwar and social justice activist with Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO), a long-time executive with the UBC AMS Social Justice Center, President for 3 years of the UBC AMS Coalition Against War on the People of Iraq & Internationally and a well-known Cuba solidarity activist with the Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba. After this unjust arrest and detention at the US/Canada border Alison was released from RCMP detention one week ago this Friday, after less than 24 hours due to huge public pressure and mobilization.

This one week mark has meant six defense rallies at the downtown Vancouver office building of Citizenship & Immigration Canada, two press conferences and massive coverage of the case in print media such as the 24hrs, Metro Vancouver, the Province, the Ubyssey, and on CBC TV, CBC Radio, CKNW Newsradio, Co-op Radio and hundreds of independent media in print and on the internet. In this one week, the Alison Bodine Defence Committee has held two large community meetings and has won important victories in the case; first, having Alison released from detention, and also the return of her political materials and items seized at the US/Canada border on Thursday September 20th. The return of those items did not come without struggle though, as Alison and her supporters again faced CBSA border guards who delayed and harassed them when they went to the border to retrieve the items and materials – which is Alison’s legal right. Though the CBSA has tried to delay the entire legal process, keeping Alison in the dark as long as possible, only Wednesday did the CBSA finally give full disclosure of the case charges against Alison to her and her lawyer.

The Alison Bodine Defence Committee (ABDC) has received dozens upon dozens of support letters from individuals and organizations across Vancouver, BC, Canada, the US and Internationally – all in just one week! The list of support letters that have been sent now includes; No One Is Illegal – Toronto, Bill Siksay, NDP MP – Burnaby Douglas, Libby Davies, NDP MP – Vancouver East, Federation of Post Secondary Educators, Hospital Employees Union of BC, Iglesia San Romero de Las Américas Church - UCC in New York City, International ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) – Seattle.

 The campaign will continue taking this case to the public for their support with a free public forum held this Saturday September 22nd at the Chilean Housing Co-op in East Vancouver. The forum is titled “FROM WASHINGTON, DC TO VANCOUVER, BC: ANTI-WAR AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVISTS UNDER ATTACK! DROP ALL CHARGES AGAINST ALISON BODINE!” (see http://alisonbodine.blogspot.com for full info). The forum will reflect the widespread support for the campaign with a panel of more than 10 Vancouver and US guest-speakers, all activists and organizers from different organizations and groups fighting for social justice, immigrant and refugee rights and organizers against war. 

Coming around the corner to the 2nd full week of the campaign the Alison Bodine Defence Committee will be holding activities, in support of Alison, like forums and petition drives at Lower Mainland college and university campuses in order to collect hundreds more petition signatures and letters to defend Alison’s human and democratic rights.

The Alison Bodine Defense Committee continues to call on all progressive, humanity loving people to come out to these actions and defend not only Alison's basic human and democratic rights, but the rights of us all, by participating in the daily rallies and by sending a letter in defense of Alison (either to the Alison Bodine Defense Committee (ABDC) or to Canada Border Services Agency and CC it to ABDC). Continuing to build the campaign, and pressure the CBSA with an overwhelming show of support for Alison’s case, is our most important task and through collecting hundreds more support letters, from individuals and organizations, we can do it!

Unity in action is the only way that we can show the government of Canada and its agencies that we will not be pushed around or intimidated by their undemocratic measures, repressive actions and fear mongering tactics. United We Will Win!

++++++++++++++++++++++
Alison Bodine Defense Committee (ABDC)
*Contact by phone:
Shannon Bundock 778.891.1470
Tamara Hansen 778.882.5223
Aaron Mercredi 604.339.7103

*Blog, Daily Updates & Action Info: 

http://alisonbodine.blogspot.com   

*Email: 
defendalisonbodine at hotmail.com      
free_alison_bodine at yahoo.ca   


_________________________________________________________________
News, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Get it now!
http://www.live.com/getstarted.aspx
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/antiwar-van/attachments/20070921/c8e81697/attachment.html>