[antiwar-van] *SATURDAY* MAWO/ICAW Antiwar Rally demands Self-Determination for All Oppressed Nations!

[Kira Koshelanyk]

* Please Forward Widely * 
 
Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO) &
Iranian Community Against War (ICAW)
 
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MONTHLY ANTIWAR RALLY
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Self Determination for Palestine! End the Blockade on Gaza Now!
U.S./Canada/NATO Out of Afghanistan! US/UK Out of Iraq!
U.S. Hands Off Iran! U.S. Hands Off Pakistan!
UN/U.S./Canada/France Out of Haiti!
 
SATURDAY February 28
2:00pm
Vancouver Art Gallery
Robson Street at Howe Street
Downtown Vancouver, BC
 
With the start of 2009, the new era of war and occupation that imperialist countries are waging became more bloody and brutal. This is all at the expense of oppressed people whose basic right to self determination is undermined by war, occupation and military attacks. 
 
In Afghanistan, attacks by occupation forces on civilians are increasing. On Tuesday February 17th, the United Nations released that the civilian death toll had risen by 40% in 2008. What do we see for 2009? After only one month in office, U.S. President Obama decided to send an additional 17,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. On Monday, February 23rd Afghans protested after Canadian rockets murdered two children and injured five other innocent civilians. These attacks are not only confined to Afghanistan, as neighbouring Pakistan’s death toll is now in the hundreds due to the furthering U.S. bombing campaign in Pakistan. 
 
March 20th, 2009 will mark six years of war, bombings, house raids, and the destruction of Iraq at the hands of US, UK and coalition forces. For Iraqi people this has amounted to the death of 1.2 million people. The brutality of this war is having an effect on the U.S. soldiers too ~ according to U.S. army statistics, 24 soldiers are believed to have committed suicide in
January 2009 alone, which is more soldiers than killed in combat in the same month.
 
With the start of 2009, the 60 year occupation of Palestine intensified with the Zionist Israeli siege on Gaza, which killed over 1,300 innocent Palestinians, half of whom were children and women. This genocidal act is continued with a now 20 month blockade on Gaza, and the denial of rights and self determination for the Palestinian people.
 
On February 29, 2004 the imperialist coup in Haiti overthrew the elected and legal government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. On the 5th anniversary of this bloody coup the people of Haiti have been left with extreme poverty and the lack of basic life necessities such as jobs, health care, education, clean water and viable infrastructure. The occupation of Haiti by the UN, US, Canada and France, not only has not improved the security and safety for the people of Haiti but it has deteriorated more and more due to occupation troops and internal violence in the last 5 years.   
 
On Saturday February 28th, peace loving people in Vancouver will protest these wars and occupations in solidarity and defence of our sisters and brothers who face imperialist war and occupation. Join Mobilization Against War & Occupation and Iranian Community Against War at this rally to demand self determination for all oppressed nations, from Afghanistan and Iraq to Haiti, and from Palestine to the Indigenous Nations here in Canada. 
 
For poster:
http://www.mawovancouver.org/materials/posters/090228rally.pdf 
 
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MAWO ~ Mobilization Against War & Occupation
ICAW ~ Iranian Community Against War
http://www.mawovancouver.org | http://icaw.blogspot.com 
info at mawovancouver.org
P 604.322.1764 | F 604.322.1763

 
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