Rally for Peace
Saturday 15 March 12:30 pm
Parliament Lawns
– the 5 year occupation of Iraq
– the occupation of Afghanistan
– the occupation of Palestine
– the war on civil liberties
Organised by the Hobart Peace Coalition
www.PeaceTasmania.org 0419 406 875
Saturday 15 March 2008, 12:30 pm – Palm Sunday weekend
Rally for peace – Parliament House lawns Hobart
STOP – the 5 year occupation of Iraq
Dr Gerry McGushin, Hobart GP, member of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War (MAPW).
The Iraqi health system is in disarray, with huge staff shortages, intermittent electricity, unsafe water supply and frequent violations of medical neutrality. Four million people have been displaced internally or into nearby countries. A million people have died.
Visit: <www.mapw.org.au>. Report <www.medact.org/article_wmd.php?articleID=739>. Excess mortality in Iraq <http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/358/5/445>.
STOP – the occupation of Afghanistan
De-arne Hodges, from the Support Association for the Women of Afghanistan.
The occupation has not brought human rights, democracy or press freedom. Afghani parliamentarian Malali Joya has criticised the presence of criminals and drug lords in the government, "… fundamentalists are in power and only pretend that the government is democratic." Most aid to Afghanistan is wasted; corruption is worse than any time in the past 30 years (Oxfam). RAWA is distributing Zonta birthing kits in villages and has established a vocational training centre in Kabul.
Visit: RAWA <www.rawa.org>, SAWA <www.sawa-australia.org>,
Oxfam <www.oxfamamerica.org/newsandpublications/press_releases/oxfam-report-cites-concerns-on-afghanistan>.
STOP – the occupation of Palestine
Lyndsay Farrall, Presiding Clerk of Australian Quakers, recently visited Palestine.
Many Palestinian families have been refugees for 60 years; this is far too long. Palestinians today live under occupation and the daily humiliations associated with it. We need to urge our government to support peace now in Palestine. We can also support groups within Israel and Palestine that are working to build understanding.
Visit: Gush Shalom <http://gush-shalom.org/>. <http://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/index_e.asp>.
Electronic intifada <http://electronicintifada.net/new.shtml>. Sabeel <www.sabeel.org/>.
Hamas, peace and where to now for Palestine? <www.lrb.co.uk/v29/n13/croo01_.html>
STOP – the war on civil liberties
Alison Wiss, Tasmanian Legal Network Convenor, Amnesty International Australia.
Amnesty is pushing for a Charter of Rights for Tasmania and encourages people to contact parliamentarians to support it. Amnesty is campaigning to close Guantanamo Bay. The Australian anti-terrorist legislation has serious implications for our civil liberties.
Visit: Amnesty <www.amnesty.org.au/>. Rights Charter <www.law.utas.edu.au/reform/>.
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The Hobart Peace Coalition promotes a vision of peace, social justice and the non-violent resolution of conflict, to inspire our personal lives, our society and our world.
Come to meetings, last Sunday of each month, 2 pm at Sirens Restaurant Hobart.
<www.peacetasmania.org> has more links on the rally issues and much other information.
For Palm Sunday rallies around Australia and the World: <www.iraq5yearstoolong.org>.
