September 15, 2007 Antiwar Rally
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REPORT
On September 15th and 16th, Vancouver
antiwar coalition Mobilization Against
War & Occupation (MAWO) took part
in the international days of action against
war and occupation, called by the US-based antiwar coalition International
ANSWER.
Saturday
The rally on September 15 was opened
by Aaron Mercredi, a Métis youth and
organizer with the Indigenous Rights
and Actions Project (IRAP), who spoke
on the importance of the demand of self-determination
for all Indigenous nations
in Canada.
Alison Bodine, Co-chair and
Spokesperson of MAWO, who was
released from immigration detention the
day earlier emphasized that her arrest
was not only an attack on one individual,
but on the entire anti-war movement and
oppressed people around the world. For
more information about her case please
visit alisonbodine.blogspot.com
Calling for “Canada Out of Afghanistan!”,
“US/UK Out of Iraq!”, and “Stop the
War at Home and Abroad!,” the rally
program was diverse, including MAWO
organizer Mike Chimenti speaking on
the war in Iraq as the focus of imperialist
destruction today; followed by powerful
music from Latin America, performed
by Joaquin Ernesto. Mike Larson of
Free the Cuban 5 Committee-Vancouver
spoke about the case of the five Cuban
heroes jailed in the U.S. for fighting
terrorism against the people of Cuba. Ali
Yerevani, the political editor of Fire This
Time newspaper spoke about the “War at
Home” as an extension of war abroad.
MAWO executive member Kira
Koshelanyk spoke on the new imperialist
military aggression which she called
'the new era of war and occupation'.
Kerri Goodwin,
Indigenous organizer
from the Oji-cree
Nation, read the rally’s
closing resolution
to the cheering and
supportive crowd.
Sunday
On September 16th with
MAWO’s conference
entitled, “The World
Since September 11th,
2001: Prospects for
Building a World Wide
Antiwar Movement,”
attracted more than 80
antiwar, anti occupation and
social justice activists.
Alison Bodine the first
speaker of the conference
explained how her case
illustrated one of the many
undemocratic and unjust
features of the “War at
Home”, being waged increasingly
against immigrants, non-residents,
political activists, and all oppressed
people, in conjunction with imperialist
wars and occupations abroad.
Following Alison was Tamara Hansen,
coordinator of Vancouver Communities
in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC) and
an executive member of the Canadian
Network on Cuba (CNC). Hanson
encouraged the audience to compare
U.S. and Canada’s imperialist policies
with those of anti-imperialist Cuba.
Participants then took part in two
workshops and discussion periods.
The first, “War & Occupation in
Iraq & Afghanistan: Similarities and
Differences”, was presented by MAWO
organizers Nita Palmer and Shakeel
Lochan. They both characterized the
US occupation and anti-occupation
Iraqi resistance as a crucial axis in the
world anti-imperialist struggle today.
The final workshop, addressed by
MAWO organizer Shannon Bundock,
was on “Building a United, Effective
Antiwar Movement”. It detailed the
history and gave analysis on how the
movement has developed and faced
challenges since the 2001 invasion of
Afghanistan.
The conference concluded with diverse
participants gaining further knowledge
by discussing and debating issues for
building a united, broad, and effective
antiwar movement in Vancouver and
beyond.
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September 16, 2007 MAWO Antiwar Conference
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