International Campaign Against US Aggression on Iraq

CALL FOR SUPPORT OF CAIRO DECLARATION
By George Galloway MP and John Rees, vice-president, International
Campaign Against US Aggression on Iraq.

We are writing to ask for your support for an initiative launched from
an extremely important conference that took place in Cairo on 18th-19th
December 2002.
The conference launched the International Campaign Against US Aggression
on Iraq and was attended by over 400 delegates from the Arab world and
the international peace movement. Its proceedings were given extensive
coverage by the press and TV in the Middle East.
The conference issued the Cairo Declaration against globalisation and
war. We would like you to add your name to this declaration.
A co-ordinating committee has been established headed by former
President of Algeria Ahmed Ben Bella and two vice presidents, John Rees
of the Stop the War Coalition in Britain and Elias Rashmawi from the US
peace movement ANSWER.
The Egyptian government attempted to ban the conference but political
pressure forced it to allow the meeting to go ahead. This in itself is a
considerable political triumph since the conference did not have the
support of any government in the region. The conference was followed by
a 1,000 strong demonstration in central Cairo, again widely reported in
the Arab press.
The International Campaign is now attempting to organise solidarity
actions with the anti-war demonstrations in the US on 18th January 2003.
It is also mobilising for solidarity actions with the European
demonstrations planned for 15 February as agreed at the European Social
Forum in Florence last November. These now involve the peace movements
of 11 European countries.
This is an important initiative, the first to link a representative
voice from the Arab world with the wider anti-war and anti-globalisation
movement. Please add your name to the Cairo Declaration by emailing us,
with subject "support cairo declaration", giving your name, position and
contact details. Please ask friends and colleagues to add their names.
George Bush and Tony Blair are now moving swiftly towards a war on Iraq.
We too must move with all possible speed to create a global anti-war
movement. Please lend us your support.
Yours,
George Galloway MP
John Rees, vice-president, International Campaign Against US Aggression
on Iraq.


CAIRO DECLARATION

Against U.S. Hegemony and War on Iraq and In Solidarity with Palestine
The international meeting organized by the Egyptian Popular Campaign to
Confront U.S Aggression was convened in Cairo on December 18 and 19 to
launch the International Campaign.
We, the participants reaffirm our resolve to stand in solidarity with
the people of Iraq and Palestine, recognizing that war and aggression
against them is but part of a U.S. project of global domination and
subjugation. Solidarity with Iraq and Palestine is integral to the
internationalist struggle against neo-liberal globalization. The Cairo
meeting is not an isolated event, but an extension of a protracted
international struggle against imperialism, from Seattle and Genoa to
Lisbon and Florence, to Cordoba and Cairo.
The U.S. provides unlimited support, and even justification, to the
Zionist perpetrators of genocidal crimes against the Palestinian people.
The suffering of the Iraqi people under a regime of genocidal sanctions
lasting over a decade, and the aggressive militarism which they face
today is but a logical outcome of the structures of power asymmetry of
the existing world order:
* The U.S. monopolizes political, economic and military power within the
framework of capitalist globalization, to the detriment of the lives of
the majority of the world's people
* The U.S. imposes control through naked aggression and militarized
globalization in pursuit of its rulers' interests, all while reinstating
the characteristic direct occupation of classical colonialism
* The U.S. global strategy, which was formulated prior to September 11
2001, aims to maintain the existing uni-polar world order, and to
prevent the emergence of forces that would shift the balance of power
towards multi-polarity. The U.S. administration has exploited the tragic
events of September 11, under the pretext of fighting terrorism, to
implement the pre-existing strategy.
Attention to this global context helps explain current world
developments:
First: Capitalist Globalization and U.S. Hegemony
* prioritize the interest of monopolistic capitalist circles above those
of the people, including Europeans and U.S. citizens.
* integrate the economies of different countries into a single global
capitalist economic system under conditions which undermine social
development and adversely affect the situation of women, child health,
education, and social services for the elderly. In addition,
unemployment and poverty increase.
* generalize the culture of consumerism and individualism, to the
detriment of a sense of collective responsibility, whether towards the
thousands of infant and child deaths in Iraq resulting from polluted
water, malnutrition and deficiencies in medical supplies, or towards the
victims of AIDS, malnutrition and famines around the world. Among
millions of people standards of living have deteriorated while
unemployment and poverty have become widespread. Globalization has
resulted in the marginalization of entire peoples who could no longer
acquire the basic necessities to sustain life.
Second: In the absence of democracy, and with widespread corruption and
oppression constituting significant obstacles along the path of the Arab
peoples' movement towards economic, social, and intellectual progress,
adverse consequences are further aggravated within the framework of the
existing world order of neo-liberal globalization.
* Admission to restrictions on democratic development in Iraq in no way
constitutes acceptance of U.S. justifications for continuation of
sanctions, and now preparations for war. Without disregarding
long-standing restrictions on democratic development in Iraqi society -
as is the case in all Arab societies - it is evident that the
U.S.-imposed sanctions have had a devastating effect on Iraq's
development. Whereas Iraq had once enjoyed a relatively positive profile
according to certain human development indicators, its people now suffer
severely as a result of the sanctions regime. Iraq has witnessed a
significant rise in child mortality rates, the spread of several
diseases, reduction of opportunities in education, and a marked
deterioration of the standard of living. As human suffering increases it
generates a sense of defeatism.
* The Palestinian people are suffering as a result of the loss of their
land and continued Zionist aggression, which the U.S. supports
militarily, economically, and politically, making its administration a
de facto accomplice in the crimes committed against the Palestinian
people. The U.S. protects Israel from condemnation in international
forums under the pretext of combating terrorism, and it asserts
additional false claims, such as when it equates the legitimate struggle
of the Palestinian people to resist occupation, liberate their land, and
return to their homes, on the one hand, with terrorism that we all
abhor, on the other.
* The policies of Structural Adjustment associated with neo-liberal
globalization have precipitated global crises manifest in a widening
wealth gap, increase in poverty and unemployment, and general
deterioration of standards of living.
* U.S. military presence in the Arab region, and its dictates to
governments of sovereign nations of the region has compounded the
suffering of the Arab people. Interference in the internal affairs of
these nations now extends to demands of educational reform, and
insistence on "democratization". Ironically this is occurring at a time
when civil liberties in the U.S. are clearly under siege, especially
with regard to Arab and Muslim Americans, along with other minorities.
The U.S. administration also violates international law by its inhumane
treatment of the POWs in Guantanamo. Also evident is the wealth gap in
the U.S., which is the widest among the industrial nations of the world.
* Far from secretly, the US intends to partition Arab countries into
smaller entities on ethnic or religious basis. This would enable Israel
to become the dominant regional power within the framework of the Middle
East Project, to the peril of an Arab project of equitable development
and regional unity.
The suffering of the Arab people and U.S. unwavering support of the
system of apartheid imposed on the Palestinian people, will undoubtedly
fuel conflict and lead to the escalation of violence in one of the most
sensitive areas of the world. Such danger can easily extend to
neighboring Europe, Asia and Africa. Continued preparation for war on
Iraq in spite of its acceptance of a UN resolution of aggressive
inspection of its armament, as well as civilian industries, signals a
predetermined intent to control the Arab region, its oil and indeed the
entire world supply of oil.
Third: For all these reasons we declare our total opposition to war on
Iraq and our resolve to continue the struggle against U.S. policies of
global domination. We strongly believe in the urgency of mobilizing
against these policies. All democratic forces in the world that are for
genuine Peace and Justice must join together within the framework of an
international campaign against neo-liberal, US-centric globalization and
promote an alternate globalism based on Equity and Justice. This would
mean better utilization of the world's resources and protection of the
environment. Together the people of the world are quite able to combat
aggression and all forms of injustice, prejudice and racism, and make a
better world possible.
The Cairo conference against war on Iraq and in solidarity with
Palestine represents the launching of an international popular movement
that creates effective mechanisms for confronting policies of
aggression. The participation of international activists who are
prominent for their struggles for Human Dignity, Rights and Justice, as
well as intellectuals, authors, unionists, human rights workers,
journalists and artists- from Egypt and the rest of the Arab World,
Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the United States- will no
doubt accelerate this noble endeavor in spite of the numerous obstacles
that we have to confront.
Fourth: It is important that this international popular initiative of
solidarity with Iraq and Palestine proceed according to an Action Plan
which includes clearly defined priorities:
1. Condemnation of U.S. military presence on Arab land along with
pressuring the Arab governments that allow U.S military bases on their
territory to close them down, and not to provide air, naval, or land
facilities
2. Develop cooperation among popular organizations of the South to
reinforce solidarity in confronting the policies and practices of
neo-liberal globalization and U.S. hegemony
3. Work towards cooperation with the international anti-globalization
movement of the North and South, and participation in activities and
meetings organized by this movement
4. Promote the unity of democratic forces and popular organizations in
different parts of the world, and form solidarity committees which
oppose war on Iraq, and the genocidal crimes faced by Palestinians,
supporting their right to resistance and struggle for liberation
5. Under the banner Together against globalization and U.S Hegemony add
Iraq and Palestine to the agendas of international progressive meetings,
particularly the next Social Forum at Porte Allegre
6. Invite Arab and international human rights organizations to evaluate
humanitarian conditions in Iraq and disseminate their findings worldwide
7. Prepare to send human shields to Iraq
8. Introduce the boycott of U.S. and Israeli commodities in solidarity
campaigns in support of Iraq and Palestine, with emphasis on the right
of return for Palestinians
9. Elect a Steering Committee to follow up on the implementation of the
Cairo Declaration, and coordination among organizations which commit to
its principles, and enhance awareness through appropriate actions
ranging from the preparation of posters to organizing marches and
demonstrations in solidarity with Iraq and Palestine