[antiwar-van] DON'T ATTACK IRAN: Rally and Conference this weekend Jan 26-27 in Vancouver

[Kira Koshelanyk]

** REMINDER **
* Please Forward Widely *

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NO WAR ON IRAN!
ANTI-WAR WEEKEND OF ACTION IN VANCOUVER
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>>> Anti-War Demonstration & Anti-War Conference

This January 26th and 27th join the call by Iranian people
"No to Invasion of Iran!" and "Don't Attack Iran" with
Vancouver for a weekend of action opposing US threats
and sanctions against Iran. The Iranian Community
Against War (ICAW) and Mobilization Against War &
Occupation (MAWO) are beginning this weekend of
action on Saturday afternoon with an anti-war rally at
the Vancouver Art Gallery. The focus of this rally is
bringing the Iranian and non-Iranian communities
together to unite under the demand of NO WAR
ON IRAN! Then on Sunday afternoon the
first Vancouver anti-war conference in 2008 will take
place that will give activists a chance to discuss how
to build a large effective anti-war movement united
against the escalating US threats and sanctions on
Iran and how the anti-war movement needs to respond.

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Anti-War Rally:
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MAIN DEMANDS:

NO WAR ON IRAN!
NO SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN!
DON'T ATTACK IRAN!
RESPECT THE SELF-DETERMINATION OF IRAN!

ALSO:
Canada/NATO Out of Afghanistan!
US/UK Out of Iraq!
Israel Hands Off Palestine!
Self-Determination for Indigenous Nations in Canada!

>> Where? – Art Gallery (Robson St. @ Howe St.)
>> When? – SATURDAY January 26th at  3:00 PM

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Anti-War Conference:
"Iran & The U.S.:
History, Realities, Conflicts, & Challenges"
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>> Where? – Britannia Community Centre (1661 Napier
St. @ Commercial Dr.)
>> When? – SUNDAY January 27th from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

GUEST SPEAKERS:

((1)) Morteza Gorgzadeh: Long time social justice
activist who participated in the 1979 Iranian
Revolution who is now currently active in Toronto.

((2)) Ali Yerevani: Participant in the 1979 Iranian
Revolution and the Political Editor of the Fire This
Time (FTT) newspaper.

>> Co-organized by the Iranian Community Against War
(ICAW) & Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)

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ICAW – Iranian Community Against War
http://icaw.blogspot.com
iraniancommunityagainstwar at gmail.com
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MAWO ~ Mobilization Against War & Occupation
http://WWW.MAWOVANCOUVER.ORG
mailto: info at mawovancouver.org
P 604.322.1764 F 604.322.1763
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>> Endorsed by Canadians Against War (CAW)
http://canadiansagainstwar.org
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IRANIAN COMMUNITY AGAINST WAR [ICAW] MISSION STATEMENT

On October 25th 2007, the US escalated its drive for war and invasion
against the people of Iran with the announcement of new sanctions
attacking the Iranian Defence Ministry, Revolutionary Guards, and
major Iranian banks. The US state and treasury departments also
labelled the Revolutionary Guard Corps "proliferators of weapons of
mass destruction" and "a supporter of terrorism".

Since October 2006, the US has been carrying out a massive military
buildup in the Persian Gulf. The new sanctions and condemnation by the
US government are a continuation of this build up through political
and economic attack. The US government has taken this campaign even
further with designating an internal and official army of another
country, Iran, as a 'terrorist' force.

Already, major banks in several European countries have joined the US
attempt to hold Iranian people hostage by withdrawing from any
financial transactions and business with the Iranian banks. The
sanctions seek to cripple the Iranian economy, armed forces and
defences in order to weaken the country in preparation for the attack
against Iran that the US desires. All evidence indicates that the US
is marching to war for broad military aggression against the people of
Iran.

This war drive is part of a bloodthirsty effort to consolidate this
era of war and occupation and to re-establish US hegemony over the
Middle East. The US has been trying to recover from the huge blow they
suffered during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, when their puppet regime
of the Shah was ousted by the Iranian people. Any foreign attack
against Iran will bring a huge loss of life, destruction and terror
for the people of Iran –the same disaster and chaos brought to
Afghanistan and Iraq- and must be opposed by all peace-loving people
around the world! The self-determination of the Iranian people must be
defended under any circumstance.

We are Iranians in Vancouver, Canada, who oppose war, occupation and
sanctions by imperialist countries in this new era of war and
occupation. Our goal is to educate, organize and mobilize the public,
particularly the Iranian community outside of Iran, on the issues of
war, occupation and sanctions. As well, we are currently campaigning
on the ever increasing United States sanctions and military aggression
against the people of Iran.


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