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For MAWO Statement
in Memory of Phillipa Ryan,
click here
NEWSLETTERS!
MAWO Newsletter
# 28
Click here for MAWO Newsletter # 28
Previous Issues
CLICK HERE FOR ISSUES 1 to 27
REPORTS
August 26
Picket Action
CANADA/US/NATO OUT
OF AFGHANISTAN NOW!
Report Coming Soon!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
August 24
Public Forum
Let Them Stay:
The Case of the
490 Tamil Refugees
Report Coming Soon!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
August 18
Public Forum
What is the Future of Occupied Afghanistan?
Click here for Report & Photos!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
August 4
Public Forum
Nuclear Armed Iran?!
Hoax or Real?
What Is Behind U.S.
& Israel Campaigns
Against Iran?
Report Coming Soon!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
July 24
Antiwar Rally
& Petition Campaign
END THE OCCUPATIONS
of Afghanistan, Iraq,
Palestine and Haiti!
US HANDS OFF
Iran and Pakistan!
END THE SIEGE ON GAZA!
SELF DETERMINATION
for Indigenous Nations!
SELF DETERMINATION
for all Oppressed Nations!
Click here for Report & Photos!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
July 21
Public Forum
No War On Iran
US Stepping Up War Drive Against Iran
Report Coming Soon!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
July 15
Picket Action
CANADA/US/NATO OUT
OF AFGHANISTAN NOW!
Click here for Report & Photos!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
July 7
Public Forum
Afghanistan: A Quagmire for Canada & the Imperialist Powers
Click here for Report & Photos!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
June 2
Public Forum
End the Siege on Gaza!
What is Behind Israel's Attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla
Report Coming Soon!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
May 27
Picket Action
CANADA/US/NATO OUT
OF AFGHANISTAN NOW!
Report Coming Soon!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
May 25
In Memory of
Phillipa Ryan
Special Evening to Honour
& Remember Our
Mentor Phillipa Ryan
Report Coming Soon!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
May 22
Antiwar Rally
& Petition Campaign
END THE OCCUPATIONS
of Afghanistan, Iraq,
Palestine and Haiti!
SELF DETERMINATION for Indigenous Nations,
Tamils & All
Oppressed Nations!
US HANDS OFF
Iran and Pakistan!
US HANDS OFF Honduras!
Report Coming Soon!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
May 19
Public Forum
What is the Government
of Canada's Role of
War in Afghanistan?
What Are the Tasks of
the Antiwar Movement
in Canada?
Report Coming Soon!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
May 12
Public Forum
Iraq: The Ongoing
Strangle Hold of
War and Occupation
Report Coming Soon!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
April 24
Antiwar Rally
END THE OCCUPATIONS of Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Haiti!
U.S Hands off Iran & Pakistan!
U.S Hands off Honduras!
Self-determination for Indigenous Nations in Canada!
Self determination for all Opressed Nations!
Click Here for Report & Photos!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
April 21
Public Forum
Haiti, 3 Months After the Earthquake: Where it is and Where is it Going?
Click Here for Report & Photos!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
April 15
Picket Action
CANADA/US/NATO OUT OF AFGHANISTAN NOW!
Click Here for Report & Photos!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
April 9
Special Event
A Book Launch & Talk
with Author Richard Becker
Click Here for Report & Photos!
Sponsored By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
** Sponsored by: SFU's Mobilization Against War & Occupation Club
(MAWO-SFU)
& Simon Fraser Students' Society (SFSS)
April 7
Public Forum
New Sanctions Against Iran:
New Diplomacy of War Mongering
Video Talk By: Phil Wilayto
Speaker: Ali Yerevani
Click Here for Report!
Organized By Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
Click Here for Event Reports from 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003!
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MAWO Statement on Recent Arrival of Tamil Refugees
August 16, 2010
On August 14, 2010, 490 Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka arrived in BC’s waters
aboard the MV Sun Sea. These refugees are fleeing war torn Sri Lanka, where in
2009 the government of Sri Lanka launched a war against the Tamil people who
were fighting for their self-determination. These 490 Tamil refugees are part
of hundreds of thousands of Tamils who were persecuted and detained by the
government of Sri Lanka. Upon their arrival, they were met by Canadian
military, RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency personnel and taken to jails
while they await their immigration hearings. “Families are now being separated,
with many children being taken by the Ministry of Child and Family Development.
The refugees now face the threat of incarceration and eventual deportation,”
according to a statement by No One is Illegal in Vancouver.
The government of Canada has made it clear that the doors will be closed to
these Tamil refugees. Before the MV Sun Sea had even neared BC’s coast, the
Canadian and BC governments had already begun a negative and deceptive campaign
against the refugees, labeling the asylum seekers as ‘terrorists’ and ‘human
traffickers’. On Thursday August 12th, Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews
said, “Human smugglers and human traffickers are now watching Canada’s response
to judge whether or not they can continue to take advantage of us… We will send
a message loud and clear to other criminals: ‘if you do this, then you will be
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.’”
This statement and other similar statements by the government of Canada and BC
are part of the racist fear mongering against the Tamil people. We must not let
this negative and deceptive campaign divide poor and working people, or isolate
the Tamil community – this is not just a Tamil issue, but one of human rights
and dignity, that all peace loving people must unite around. In this crucial
time of attacks against refugees in general and Tamil refugees in particular,
unity is essential.
The refugee and immigration problem today is created by imperialist countries
like Canada on two fundamental basis. Firstly, the effect and impact of
colonial and imperialist policies on third world countries, such as the
destruction of their economy and domestic agriculture, and crisis of market
dysfuctionality, as well as the creation of political crises in these
countries, has created hundreds of millions of refugees and immigrants around
the world. Secondly, the racist and inhuman immigration policies of imperialist
countries have brought this immigration and refugee problem to its state of
tragic crisis for immigrants and refugees. Tamil people are suffering from
imperialist exploitation, as well as being victims of the Sri Lankan
government’s war against them – a war which was the result of divisions imposed
by the legacy of colonialism in Sri Lanka, and supported by imperialist
countries, like Canada, the US and Britain who declared The Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam to be a terrorist organization. We as human and peace loving
people must support the Tamil people’s human and democratic rights to
self-determination. People in Canada and the US must demand that the doors be
opened unconditionally to all Tamil refugees.
Join Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO) in supporting No One is
Illegal’s National Day of Action in support of the Tamil refugees, by attending
as well as promoting these actions. MAWO will actively promote the actions
though announcements to our lists of thousands of our supporters, and by
distribution of posters and leaflets. For further information go to:
www.nooneisillegal.org
Stop Jailing and Deporting Refugees!
Let the Tamil Refugees Stay!
Grant the Tamil Refugees Asylum
Immediately and Unconditionally!
End the Racist Immigration and
Refugee Policies!
DIRECT ACTIONS
Vancouver's 6th Annual International Hip Hop Festival for Peace
3 Day Festival
Free & All Ages
All Events Are Drug & Alcohol Free
6 Years & Still Growing
September 24-26, 2010
For more information, go to
http://www.hiphopforpeace.blogspot.com
Organized By:
Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
STATEMENTS
MAWO Statement Against Israeli Attacks on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla
June 1, 2010
In the early hours of Monday, May 31, the Israeli military special
forces attacked the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, a convoy of 7 ships carrying
humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, Palestine. The Flotilla came
under fire by Israeli navy forces in international waters more than
150km (90 miles) off the coast of Gaza. By attacking the Flotilla in
international waters, the Israeli government has actually committed a
clear act of piracy and has proved itself more and more to be an illegal
outlaw state.
Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) joins peace-loving people
around the world in condemning this attack as the latest act of Israeli
brutality and criminality against Palestinians. According to the Globe
and Mail, as many as 19 international human rights activists were killed
in this vicious aggression. The group of over 700 activists from around
the world was attempting to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to the
people of Gaza, who have been suffering under a brutal Israeli blockade
for nearly four years.
According to the Globe and Mail, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
declared three days of mourning for those killed in the attack, and
called the incident a result of years of “built up aggression”. Also,
the Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniya, said “This is a historic
day… a day of freedom… a turning point in the battle to end the siege of
Gaza.”
This latest attack is a continuation of suppression of the Palestinian
people by the racist Israeli regime. For more than 60 years, Palestinian
people have faced the illegal Israeli occupation of their land and a
campaign of genocide carried out by the racist Israeli state. The most
recent attempt to break the Palestinian people has been the siege and
blockade of Gaza which began in 2006, cutting off the people of Gaza
from food, water, fuel and medical supplies.
The Gaza Freedom Flotilla is the latest effort by human rights activists
to break the siege on Gaza. Participants in the Freedom Flotilla
included politicians and peace and human rights activists from Europe
and North America, including 1976 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mairead
Corrigan Maguire.
The attack on the Freedom Flotilla has already been met with
international condemnation and protest. Hundreds of thousands of people
have gathered to protest the attack in Vancouver and Toronto, Canada; in
major US cities including Washington DC, Los Angeles and New York, USA;
in London, England, Amman, Jordan, Sarajevo, Bosnia; Thessaloniki,
Greece and Karachi, Pakistan and hundreds more cities. Many governments
around the world have also expressed their anger and concern about this
inhuman and illegal military action. The Government of Cuba, in a
statement, concluded, “ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its
most energetic condemnation of this devious and criminal attack on the
part of the Israeli government and calls on the international community
and peace-loving peoples to demand the immediate lifting by the Israeli
authorities of the illegal, ruthless and genocidal blockade of the
Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”
MAWO calls on all peace and human loving people to continue the protests
against this massacre and the ongoing blockade of Gaza. We will not be
intimidated by this latest Israeli attack, and must continue our
protests to demand an immediate end to the Israeli siege on Gaza!
SELF-DETERMINATION FOR PALESTINE
END THE SIEGE OF GAZA!
Click here to view complete statement in text format
MAWO Statement: Fight Back Against Imperialist Offensive!
January 16, 2010
As the world enters a new decade, one thing above all is clear: this
will be a decade of war and occupation ~ the bloodiest decade ever. The
last decade opened with a new era of war and occupation launched by the
United States. The attacks on the World Trade Centre on September 11,
2001 were used to justify the invasions and ongoing wars and occupations
in Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti, Palestine, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Lebanon,
Sudan, Somalia and Pakistan. The new decade has already opened with new
attacks on oppressed people and on independent and sovereign nations
around the world.
Last year closed with the horrifying United Nations announcement that
2009 was the deadliest year for Afghan civilians, who have been
suffering under a brutal US/Canada/NATO occupation since October 2001.
The military invasion of Afghanistan has not brought peace, freedom, or
security to the Afghan people. The presence of thousands of foreign
troops in Afghanistan has in fact only meant tens of thousands of
innocent lives lost and the absolute destruction of a country. But this
ongoing bloodshed and the popular protests in Afghanistan demanding the
withdrawal of all foreign troops from their country has not meant an end
to the occupation. Instead, the US/Canada/NATO occupation forces have
increased troop deployment and expanded their war from Afghanistan to
neighbouring Pakistan. In early December 2009, US President Barack Obama
announced that 33,000 more US troops would be deployed to Afghanistan
in 2010. Without a doubt, this means even more killing and bloodshed of
Afghan people. Ironically, while the US administration and all other
imperialist ruling classes trumpet that there is no military solution to
the Afghanistan crisis, they have time and again increased their troops
and are accelerating the criminal war in Afghanistan.
Not very far from Afghanistan and Pakistan, the people of Yemen were
welcomed into 2010 by the opening of a new US war drive against their
country. Under the pretext of stopping terrorism and al-Qaeda in Yemen,
the US has begun military operations in the country, bombing and killing
many civilians. One must wonder how in a mere 24 hours following an
alleged attempted bombing of an American airplane, Yemen suddenly became
the centre of al Qaeda and the main exporter of terrorism to the United
States. US Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Carl Levin has called
for US drone plane bombings of Yemen, and Saudi Arabia has also been
bombing the country with the support of the US and Israel.
With the beginning of the new decade came the announcement from US
President Barack Obama of an intensified drive for war and occupation
and a renewed campaign against Muslim people around the world.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria,
Sudan, Somalia, Algeria, Libya, Nigeria and Cuba have all been placed on
the US list of potential ‘terrorist threats’. Cuba, which continues to
face a 50-year-old blockade by the US government, is the only country on
the list without a majority Muslim population. These countries are
being singled out not only to have limitations placed on the democratic
and human rights of their people by new so called US security
restrictions, but also in preparation for future US military attack in
the coming decade of war and occupation.
In the US and Canada, this expanding war drive has meant new ‘security
measures’ are being enacted at airports and other public facilities
specifically targeting Muslims for additional scrutiny, intimidation and
humiliation. These measures are being enacted not in order to ensure
public safety, but as part of a renewed fear campaign against Muslim
people and attack on the human and democratic rights of Muslims living
in the US, Canada and Europe in an attempt to create division and hatred
between Muslims and non-Muslims.
Now, since last Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti, the US and Canada are
taking advantage of the massive humanitarian crisis to reinforce and
consolidate their occupation of the country. The illegal military
occupation of Haiti which ousted elected President Jean Bertand Aristide
in 2004 has only kept the country in absolute poverty and social
dysfunction. Today Haiti is the poorest country in the Western
hemisphere. The UN occupation troops as well as US/Canada/France
soldiers and advisors have killed and injured thousands of civilians in
the name of bringing freedom and democracy to the country. In the wake
of the terrible earthquake, Canada is sending 800 troops and the US is
sending 10,000 troops to Haiti not for humanitarian assistance, but to
control the country and suppress any potential opposition to the
occupation and to the lack of basic good medical care especially after
the tragic earthquake. This will not help the Haitian people recover
from this disaster. What is needed urgently right now is doctors and
humanitarian aid, not occupation troops.
The onslaught of new attacks on oppressed people around the world must
be met with a campaign against this new era of war and occupation and
for peace, justice and self-determination. From the Middle East to
Africa to Asia, from Latin America and the Caribbean to North America
and Europe, we must unite in the demands:
ALL FOREIGN TROOPS OUT OF HAITI NOW!
SEND DOCTORS, NOT TROOPS TO HAITI NOW!
RETURN PRESIDENT ARISTIDE TO HAITI!
END THE OCCUPATIONS OF IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, PALESTINE, AND HAITI!
SELF DETERMINATION FOR INDIGENOUS NATIONS, TAMILS AND ALL OPPRESSED NATIONS!
US HANDS OFF PAKISTAN, IRAN AND YEMEN!
STOP ATTACKS ON MUSLIMS!
Click here to view complete statement in text format
MAWO Statement Against
the Coup in Honduras
July 8, 2009
After two decades, reactionary imperialist forces with the help of a
bankrupt and corrupt military establishment once again conducted a coup
d’etat against the will of the people of Latin-America. On June 28th,
the democratically-elected President of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, was
forced to leave his office by special army units. He was taken to Costa
Rica and then Nicaragua. Honduran people were completely caught by
surprise and shocked by the course of this brutality and suppression.
The armed forces took over all the important institutions including the
radio and television stations, and rapidly cut off all lines of
communication in order to suppress the population and potential news
leaks to outside of Honduras. People soon began to protest, and the
illegal military junta found itself at odds with the resistance of the
population against the coup. On July 5th, almost 200,000 people gathered
in the airport outside of Tegucigalpa, the country’s capital, to
welcome back their President who was unsuccessfully attempting to return
to the country.
Zelaya was overthrown by military thugs because his line of progressive
measures was helping people to improve their standard of living, and
they were gaining confidence to fight for their rights - especially
against imperialist domination. Since the military coup people have been
resisting by strikes and all other forms of protest. Marches and
rallies are happening every day all across Honduras, and fighting the
coup d’etat regime has become the main agenda of hundreds of thousands
of people.
The coup d’etat will not succeed because the social movement for change
in Honduras had already started before this coup. In fact, the military
coup was the response of the oligarchy and pro-imperialist army to stop
or at least to slow down this progressive movement.
The coup d’etat has provoked worldwide condemnation from Venezuela,
Bolivia, Cuba and other Latin American countries, as well as the
European Union. The Organization of American States (OAS) has condemned
this illegal action and called for the reinstatement of President
Zelaya. The coup d’etat regime has been completely isolated and has no
choice but to step down.
We strongly condemn this coup d’etat, as well as the brutal kidnapping
and beating of the Cuban, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan Ambassadors to
Honduras. We demand the immediate release of Patricia Rodas, the Foreign
Minister of Honduras.
We invite all peace loving people in Vancouver, and Canada to join
millions of protesters around the globe to condemn this coup and demand
that President Zelaya be returned to office immediately.
MAWO Statement on the
Situation in Iran
Hands Off Iran!
June 23, 2009
Since the June 12th 2009 Iranian election results, there has been
constant coverage of opposition protests in Iran on every major Western
news source, with all sorts of “experts” on the situation in Iran and
statements from the leaders of imperialist countries, as well as
countless cell phone videos replayed despite their origin and
authenticity being unconfirmed. As the internal issues of the Iranian
people are suddenly the prime concern of media outlets and imperialist
governments, this begs the question, where is the coverage of the US
atrocities in Iraq, or the Canada/US/NATO crimes in Afghanistan? Why do
protests of civil dispute warrant a media frenzy, but there is barely
any reporting on the US drone attack on Northwest Pakistan which on
Tuesday June 22nd killed at least 80 Pakistani people? As was done with
the May 4th US air strikes in Afghanistan which killed over 140 Afghan
people, will this be excused by the US government with another claim of
“mistakes?”
One only needs to look at the progression (or regression) of US, EU and
UN policy towards Iran in the last few years. While crocodile tears are
being wept for the Iranian opposition protesters now, the US government
and their EU allies and UN lackey have no problem imposing four sets of
crippling sanctions against the people of Iran. Remember the impact of
the US/UK/UN sanctions on Iraq, and the over 1.5 Million Iraqis, mainly
women and children, who suffered and died under these sanctions? This
does not sound like they really have the interests of the Iranian people
at heart. Furthermore, the bloody occupation of surrounding countries
of Iran’s neighbours Iraq and Afghanistan, military bases in every
surrounding country and a massive build up of military in the Persian
gulf, show more and more that the US is acting upon their agenda of
having complete hegemony in the Middle East, a goal that is only
possible with the control of Iran.
Click here to view complete statement in text format & International Media coverage from Press TV
MAWO Statement on 117th Canadian Soldier Killed in Afghanistan
Canada/US/NATO Out
of Afghanistan Now!
April 16th, 2009
Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO) continues to condemn
the illegal and brutal Canada/US/NATO occupation of Afghanistan, which
for over 7 years has denied the Afghan people to their basic rights to
life, dignity and self-determination. The occupation forces have not
only killed over 50,000 Afghan people in this criminal and unjust war,
but is also taking the lives of young soldiers who have been convinced
to fight in this war.
On Monday April 13th, 21 year old Karine Blais became the 117th Canadian
soldier killed in Afghanistan, and the second women of these 117
deaths. Her death was quickly followed by statements made by her
godfather, Mario Blais, who told reporters that "I think she did this
for absolutely nothing" and said he thinks Prime Minister Steven Harper
should "get the troops out of there as fast as possible."
This godfather’s comments reflect the sentiment of the majority of
people across Canada, as well as the over 14,000 signatures from the
Lower Mainland on the MAWO Canada Out of Afghanistan petition...
Click here to view complete statement in text format
MAWO Statement in Support of George Galloway, Antiwar MP Banned from Canada
Grant Visa to George Galloway!
Stop Harassing Political Activists!
April 1, 2009
On Tuesday March 24th, supporters of the recently banned British MP
George Galloway packed the Federal Court demanding that he be allowed
into Canada. Once again the courts and hearing rooms in Canada have been
filled with people defending the basic right to speak out against war
and occupation.
Mobilization Against War and Occupation –MAWO, stands in solidarity with
George Galloway in his struggle against the Government of Canada and
the Canada Border Services Agency responsible for this unjustifiable
banning.
The banning of George Galloway is further indication of the undemocratic
nature of the government of Canada. When, in September 2007, MAWO
Co-chair Alison Bodine was politically targeted as an antiwar and social
justice activist and harassed when crossing the border into Canada,
this undemocratic nature was also clearly revealed. (Alison is currently
banned from Canada for two years). Not long after, Code Pink Women for
Peace co-founder Medea Benjamin and well-known social justice activist
Ann Wright were both denied entry to Canada after being turned away from
the border for having “criminal records” because they had dared to
deliver a petition in defense of women’s rights to the UN! Ann Wright
was later banned from Canada for one year.
Further revealed was the apprehension the government of Canada felt when
it came to opposition to the Canadian occupation of Afghanistan and
immigrants, refugees and all people in Canada taking a stand for their
human and democratic rights...
Click here to view complete statement in text format
Click here to view complete statement in MAWO Newsletter #22
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GET INVOLVED!
Meetings &
Public Forums
6:30 pm
August 31, 2010
* MAWO Meeting*
Britannia Community Center
1661 Napier Street
at Commercial Drive
Everyone Welcome!
Call 604 322 1764 or email info@mawovancouver.org for more info
Who is MAWO?
Mobilization Against War and Occupation is a coalition of over 50
endorsing members, most of which are labour unions, student unions,
Indigenous groups, Women's Organizations, and groups from the third
world. We are the people in struggle because we are people that suffer
at the hands of imperialism, we have the energy and drive for change,
and it is in our interest to make this change!
Constitution
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