[tadamon-l] (Montreal) 17 March global day of action against the occupation of Iraq

[Tadamon]

BELOW:
1. Call for an Anti-Imperialist Contingent, part of the worldwide day of
action against the occupation of Iraq on March 17th + how to get involved in
organising the contingent
2. Call from Échec à la guerre and Canadian Peace Alliance for a
cross-Canada day of action on
17 March + how to participate in the mobilisation and action

***

Join the "Block the Empire! Anti-Imperialist Contingent"
Part of a worldwide day of action against the occupation of Iraq.

BUSH OUT OF BAGHDAD! CANADA OUT OF KANDAHAR!

:::::
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, NOON
Norman Bethune Park
Guy and de Maisonneuve
(metro Guy-Concordia)
:::::

-> en français:
http://blocktheempire.blogspot.com/2007/02/17-mars-de-lirak-afghanistan-il-n
y-pas.html
-> en español:
http://blocktheempire.blogspot.com/2007/02/17-de-marzo-de-iraq-afganistn-no-
hay.html

A child-friendly march. Bring your kids!
We begin marching at 12:30pm (sharp) to join other anti-war marches in
Montreal.

March 2007 marks the fourth anniversary of the brutal invasion and
occupation of Iraq . George Bush is increasing -- despite worldwide
opposition and outrage -- the number of American troops in Iraq, meaning
more death and devastation for Iraqi civilians . The so-called "War on
Terror" expands, with the recent bombardment and occupation of Somalia, and
continued torture and abuse at American-run concentration camps at
Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, Bagram and at secret prisons all over the world.

Meanwhile the Canadian government continues to support US-led imperialism in
the Middle East with thousands of troops in Afghanistan, and Stephen Harper
describing the deaths of civilians in Lebanon and Palestine as "measured and
justified."

In opposition to war, occupation and imperialism, this coming Saturday,
March 17, 2007 we take to the streets to demand:

BUSH OUT OF BAGHDAD!
CANADA OUT OF KANDAHAR!

OCCUPATION ANYWHERE, RESISTANCE EVERYWHERE!
We are denouncing war and occupation, and supporting grassroots resistance
and self-determination: Iraq . Afghanistan . Palestine ... Lebanon ... Iran
... Somalia .Bolivia ... ... Mapuche territory ... Oaxaca .Chiapas ...
Philippines ... Haiti ... Six Nations ... Kahnawake ...Kanehsatake ...
Nitassinan ... Turtle Island ... everywhere!

HOW TO SUPPORT AND GET INVOLVED

--> Mobilizing and Outreach: We are actively reaching out to the Montreal
community, to spread the word about anti-war mobilizations on March 17, as
part of worldwide actions against the occupation of Iraq (and against all
military occupations). To help with our efforts, get in touch!

--> Endorsements: In addition to opposing the occupation of Iraq and
Canada's involvement in Afghanistan, the Anti-Imperialist contingent is also
highlighting support for indigenous sovereignty on Turtle Island, solidarity
with grassroots resistance to imperialism, and clear opposition to war,
militarization and occupation (including opposition to the complicity of
Canadian corporations and so-called "NGOs"). If you endorse the contingent
let us know by e-mail bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca or phone
(514-848-7583). There are currently at least 40 collectives, groups and
organizations that have endorsed the Anti-Imperialist Contingent (Full list
below).

--> Postering and Flyering: We will be postering throughout Montreal, and
flyering at metros and community events in the coming weeks. To help with
both efforts, get in touch.

--> Art, Theatre and Creative Resistance: One very important part of the
anti-imperialist contingent will be art, theatre and other forms of creative
resistance. We have an active crew of artists, and a marching band, that are
preparing for the contingent on March 17. An art committee will be preparing
materials for the demo. To get involved, or to find out about art committee
meetings, contact us by e-mail or phone.

--> Organizing: If you have the time, get involved directly with Block the
Empire-Montreal, by attending our meetings or events. In addition to
organizing the anti-imperialist contingent on March 17, we are also
campaigning against armed forces recruitment, organizing against the
upcoming deployment of 2000 troops to Afghanistan from Valcartier,
supporting indigenous sovereignty efforts at Six Nations, organizing popular
efforts, and more.

ABOUT BLOCK THE EMPIRE-MONTREAL

Block the Empire-Montreal is an anti-authoritarian, direct-action collective
opposed to war and militarization, and their roots and manifestations:
colonialism, imperialism and capitalism. We seek to expose the links between
capitalist globalization and patriarchy, racism and all forms of oppression,
both here and abroad. Our work locally aims to disrupt and directly impact
the interests of those who are actively complicit in these systems, from
companies who fuel and profit from war and occupation, to the supporters and
outposts of US Empire and the Canadian state. We endorse the People's Global
Action (PGA) hallmarks, and we act in direct solidarity with all those on
the frontlines of resistance and struggle against occupation and
exploitation - from those resisting the racist "War on Terror" in the Middle
East, Latin America, Africa and Asia, to the struggle for indigenous
sovereignty here on Turtle Island (occupied North America).

ENDORSEMENTS

The following groups have endorsed the Anti-Imperialist Contingent on March
17, 2007:

- Action créative/Acción creativa
- L'Association étudiante du Cégep de Saint-Laurent (AÉCSL)
- L'Association générale étudiante du Cégep du Vieux-Montréal (AGECVM)
- L'Association facultaire des étudiants en sciences humaines de l'UQÀM
(AFESH-UQÀM)
- L'Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ)
- Center for Philippine Concerns (CPC)
- Collectif Piranha (Québec)
- Le Centre d'Asie du Sud (CERAS)
- Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees (CADPR)
- Le Collectif opposé à la brutalité policière (COBP)
- Le Comité des sans-emploi (Montréal-Centre)
- Documentation Information Ressources Alternatives (DIRA)
- Food Not Bombs
- Le Frigo Vert
- Le Front Rouge
- Groupe d'action et de sensibilisation au pouvoir étudiant (GRASPÉ-McGill)
- le Groupe de Recherche d'Intéret Public (GRIP-UQÀM)
- Haiti Action Montreal
- La Otra Campaña Montréal
- Immigrant Workers Center (IWC)
- International Solidarity Movement (ISM)-Montreal
- Liberterre
- Northeastern Federation of Anarcho-Communists (NEFAC)
- No One Is Illegal-Montreal/Personne n'est illégal-Montréal
- La Pointe Libertaire
- La RueBrique
- Libertad (Cégep du Vieux-Montréal)
- Projet Accompagnement Solidarité Colombie (PASC)
- Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG-McGill)
- Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG-Concordia)
- Réseau anarchiste en milieu étudiant (RAMÉ)
- Résistance haïtienne au Québec
- Société Bolivarienne du Québec
- Solidarité sans frontières/Solidarity Across Borders
- South Asian Women's Community Center (SAWCC)
- Students Taking Action in Chiapas (STAC)
- L'Observatoire de l'Asie Centrale et du Moyen-Orient
- Tadamon! Montréal
- Unité des socialistes iraniens à Montréal
- Unité théâtrale d'interventions loufoques (UTIL)

TO GET IN TOUCH AND STAY INFORMED

e-mail: bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca
telephone: 514-848-7583
web: http://blocktheempire.blogspot.com

To get on our news and announcements e-mail list, e-mail us with "subscribe
blem-nouvelles" in the subject line.


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Call from Échec à la guerre and Canadian Peace Alliance for a cross-Canada
day of action on 17
March ...

DEMONSTRATION on March 17th, in Montreal,
        Departing at 1 pm, from Dorchester Square
        (corner of Peel & Rene-Levesque)
        RALLYING TIME : 12:30 PM
against the wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On the occasion of the 4th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq
March 17th 2007:
We demand the end of the wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan !

On 10 January 2007, George W. Bush made the announcement that the US would
send 21,500 more troops to Iraq.  A few weeks earlier, Stephen Harper was
insisting that members of NATO should provide more combat troops in
Afghanistan.  This is the same dead-end recipe to "win the hearts and minds"
of the Iraqi and Afghan people!  The Canadian Peace Alliance and Collectif
Échec à la guerre reject these war policies and call on the people of Quebec
and Canada to participate in a Canada-wide day of action, on March 17th,
against the wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Iraq

In the aftermath of the attacks of September 11th 2001, while launching its
"war on terror" and invading Afghanistan, the Bush administration was
already intent on occupying Iraq. After twelve years of merciless sanctions
which had killed more than one million people in Iraq, four years of
occupation, false promises of democracy and reconstruction have only
resulted in more deaths and devastation, and plunged the country into a
civil war.

In October 2006, the medical journal The Lancet estimated that 655,000
people had died in Iraq following the invasion.  Oil production, electricity
production, and the accessibility of drinkable water are all at lower levels
presently as compared to four years ago, under sanctions!  According to the
estimates of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR), out of a total population of 26 million, 2 million Iraqis have fled
to neighbouring countries and an additional 1.7 million are internally
displaced persons: While many of them were displaced before 2003, increasing
numbers of Iraqis are now fleeing escalating sectarian, ethnic and
generalised violence. In 2006 alone, UNHCR estimates that nearly 500,000
Iraqis fled to other areas inside the country and that 40,000 to 50,000
continue to flee their homes every month.

In Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, a country which was already ravaged by 30 years of war, the
situation is also very bleak after more than five years of 'allied' military
occupation. According to Human Rights Watch, more than half of the Members
of Parliament elected in September 2005 are linked to armed groups, guilty
of past human rights violations; the illegal growing and processing of
poppies has again become the main economic activity of the country
(Afghanistan provides more than 90% of world heroin). According to Amnesty
International, thousands of Afghans have been tortured by the US army or
armed Afghan groups under its control. According to the UNHCR, there are
still more than 3,000,000 Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran, and
approximately 120,000 internally displaced in Afghanistan. Finally,
according to WOMANKIND Worldwide, after five years and contrary to media-fed
illusions, it is imperative that the media, donor governments, international
organisations and the Afghan government acknowledge the lack of progress in
the domain of women's rights and immediately take action in key areas of
education, the legal system, security services, healthcare, and livelihoods
to transform paper rights to rights in practice.

Wars of conquest of the US Empire and its allies

The Canadian Peace Alliance and Collectif Échec à la guerre refuse to buy
the deceitful message of the "war on terror" and  so-called support of the
Iraqi and Afghan peoples towards democracy and reconstruction in their
countries.  What we are dealing with is foreign control imposed by force led
by the United States government and supported by Canadian economic and
political elites to secure control of the resources of the Middle East and
Central Asia.  This is clearly indicated not only by the results achieved,
but also by comparing the level of expenses committed by our countries.
Thus, on 10 January 2007, while announcing a one billion dollar programme to
sustain employment in Iraq, President Bush is about to request 100 billion
dollars to pursue his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan!

In Canada, the simultaneous announcements by ministers Peter McKay and Josée
Verner of projects totalling about 20 million dollars in Afghanistan -10
million to pay police salaries, 8.8 millions for landmine removal and 1.9
million to stimulate community development in Kandahar - are mere crumbs
when one remembers that Canada wastes more than one billion dollars per year
to continue its war in that country...

END the wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan.
BRING Canadian and US troops home immediately.
REJECT the Canada-US military partnership.


PARTICIPATE IN THE MOBILISATION AND THE ACTION

1. LEAFLETS AND POSTERS :  you can first download
and print the leaflet produced by Collectif Echec a la
guerre to mobilise people around you:
http://www.echecalaguerre.org/docs/demoMarch07.pdf
A poster will also be available soon for downloading. On the other hand, if
you require more important
quantities of leaflets and posters, you can come
and get some at the Berri-UQAM metro station,
between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm, on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday, March 6, 7 and 8.
Someone will be present either inside or very
near the area of the turnstiles.  Please look
around, since that person may actually be
handing out leaflets, and not simply sitting in
the middle waiting for you...  If these times are
not convenient for you, other arrangements can
be made by calling 514-253-4388.

2. STREET THEATER:  PLEASE COME DRESSED IN BLACK... First, we ask you to
come to the demonstration
dressed in black, to mark the death of thousands
of innocent civilians.  We will also try to visually
organize a good section of our march to give
the impression of a long funeral procession. In addition, Unité théâtrale
d'interventions loufoques
(UTIL), will prepare special sqads under the theme
"Militarisation -- MARCHING units".  To take part
in this theatrical event, you simply have to come
with a ladle and a pair of scissors and participate
in two rehearsals on MONDAY March 5 and
MONDAY 12, from 6 pm to 9 pm, at UQAM, Room
J1120.  Please CONFIRM your presence by email
at info at theatreutil.org or by phone at  514. 223.2241.


INFORMATION

Collectif Echec a la guerre
info at echecalaguerre.org