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.

George Galloway was banned from Canada less than two weeks after the CBSA and the government of Canada rolled out the red carpet for former president of the United States, the criminal George W. Bush. When the government of Canada attempts to silence anti-war and social justice voices, but welcomes a person who for eight years was the head of a government responsible for countless murders and crimes against humanity, it is a clear message not only to people in Canada, but also people all over the world that whom the government of Canada sides with. No doubt, the government of Canada supports the war criminals and silences those that work for basic human rights and oppose to imperialist war and occupation.

Without a doubt the Immigration Minister of Canada, Jason Kenney, could at any moment lift the ban against George Galloway so that he could share his experiences and his knowledge with students, workers, anti war and social justice organizers all over Canada. We demand Jason Kenney lift the ban immediately, regardless of the many successful appearances of George Galloway via video in meetings across Canada this week. People in Canada have the right to hear his important voice in person!

During the three months of the campaign from September to November 2007 to drop all charges against Alison Bodine, and the continuing 10,000 signature campaign to Lift the Ban! what we have learned through the Alison Bodine Defence Committee is not only the hypocrisy and injustice of the Canadian border policy, but also the necessity that we stand up and fight back united! George Galloway has vowed to continue his fight against his unjustified banning, and we will continue to stand by him. We also will continue to stand by all people in Canada fighting for their basic human rights to organize against war and occupation and defend our human and democratic rights!

LET GEORGE GALLOWAY INTO CANADA!
THE CBSA WILL NOT SILENCE US!
LIFT THE BAN ON ALISON BODINE!
DEFEND THE BASIC RIGHTS OF EVERYONE IN CANADA TO
STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT AGAINST WAR AND OCCUPATION!

Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)
www.mawovancouver.org