[R-G] March 20: End Colonial Occupation from Iraq to Palestine and Everywhere

Sat Jan 3 12:13:46 MST 2004

BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!
END COLONIAL OCCUPATION FROM IRAQ TO PALESTINE AND
EVERYWHERE!

On March 20, 2004, the first anniversary of the
U.S./U.K. invasion of Iraq, people in cities around
the world will join together to demand: "End the
Occupation - Bring the Troops Home NOW!" In the U.S.,
major demonstrations are planned in New York, Los
Angeles, San Francisco and many other cities.

We will demonstrate on March 20 to support the right
of the Iraqi people to self-determination without
condition. Since the invasion began, tens of thousands
of Iraqi people have been killed. Thousands of U.S.
and British soldiers have been killed or wounded. The
Iraqi people are resisting the occupation - they want
the foreign soldiers occupying their country to leave,
not tomorrow but today. Growing numbers of U.S.
soldiers and their families are calling for the troops
to be brought home NOW. These soldiers are being sent
to kill and be killed for a war that was based on lies
and fraud perpetrated by the Bush government. There is
only one solution: to end the occupation now! We
believe, in the words of the National Council of Arab
Americans, that "internationalizing the occupation
gives colonialism a new marketable cover and should
not be accepted as a viable option for the global
popular movement."

We will also demonstrate on March 20 in solidarity
with the Palestinian people and their right to
self-determination, including the right to return to
their homes and land. The March 20 demonstration comes
only ten days before the anniversary of the historic
March 30, 1976, Land Day in Palestine. Calling for
liberty, right to return, and self-determination for
the Palestinian people on March 20 is an essential
political necessity, without which the end to colonial
occupations cannot be fully realized. The U.S.
invasion and occupation of Iraq is part and parcel of
the administration's larger colonial project targeting
the people of the Middle East. While the Bush
administration spends $2 billion per week to occupy
Iraq, it spends $15 million each day to support
Israel's war against the Palestinian people.

We will demonstrate on March 20 to overturn the "USA
Patriot" Act, and to end the repression directed at
Arab American, South Asian, Muslim and immigrant
communities. We will defend the right to free speech
and oppose Bush's and Ashcroft's war on the Bill of
Rights.

We will demonstrate on March 20 to call for money for
jobs, housing, health care and education, not for war
and occupation.

We will demonstrate on March 20 to demand an end to
the Bush administration's "Endless War" plans for
global domination. We stand for an end to U.S.
intervention, occupation and threats against Korea,
Colombia, Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Zimbabwe,
Venezuela, Syria, the Philippines, Haiti and
everywhere.

Only the people's movement offers hope that an
effective challenge can be mounted to the Bush
administration's war drive. While the Democratic Party
offers candidates to contend with Bush for the
presidency, it agrees with Bush about maintaining U.S.
troops in Iraq and supports continued aid to Israel as
it wages war against the Palestinian people. On April
20, 2002, 100,000 people marched in an historic
demonstration in Washington DC under the banner "Free
Palestine." Six months later, on October 26, 2002,
hundreds of thousands demonstrated against the pending
war of aggression against Iraq. On January 18,
February 15-16, March 15, March 22, April 12 and most
recently October 25, 2003, tens of millions of people
went into the streets around the world to say no to
the Bush administration's war drive. This is a
monumental struggle waged by the people of the world
who seek self-determination, justice and peace. Global
solidarity is the centerpiece of the new mass movement
that has emerged to counter the forces of militarism
and colonialism. The outcome of this struggle will
impact on generations to come.

All Out for March 20, 2004

Call issued by (initial signers):
-A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
-Arab Muslim American Federation
-Free Palestine Alliance
-Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation
-Muslim Student Association

To ENDORSE, fill out the easy-to-use form at
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/m20/index.html#endorsement

* * * * *

Begin planning now to hold a demonstration in your
city on March 20, 2004. Hundreds of cities around the
world are issuing, circulating and joining this call.

- In New York City, the demonstration is planned to
assemble at 12 noon at Times Square with a march to
the United Nations. Call 212-633-6646 for details
about upcoming city-wide planning meetings and for
more information.
- In San Francisco, the demonstration is planned to
gather at 11 am at Dolores Park (18th St. and Dolores
St.) with a march to the Civic Center. Call
415-821-6545 for more information.
- In Los Angeles, the demonstration is planned to
assemble at 12 noon at Hollywood and Vine. Call
213-487-2368 for more information.

If you are holding an event in your city, fill out the
form at
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/m20/index.html#event

Downloadable flyers and more information is available
at
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/m20/index.html

---------------------------

The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition is circulating the recent
March 20, 2004, Call to Action issued by the National
Council of Arab Americans (NCAA):

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF ARAB AMERICANS (NCAA) CALL TO
ACTION
ALL OUT ON MARCH 20, 2004

The National Council of Arab Americans (NCAA)* joins
the call for mass mobilizations against the war on and
foreign occupation of Iraq, to be held on Saturday,
March 20, 2004. Being also only 10 days before the
anniversary of the historic March 30, 1976, Land Day
in Palestine, calling for liberty, right to return,
and self-determination for the Palestinian people on
that same Saturday is an imperative complementary
political necessity, without which the end to colonial
occupations cannot be fully realized.

Marking only the latest assault on Iraq one year ago
this coming March, the NCAA well recognizes that only
through a systematic and organized grassroots effort
that a halt to perpetual war can be achieved. Although
exposing US strategic goals through education is of
primary importance, it is the ability of the American
people to marshal a united front anchored in the
principles of liberty, freedom and respect for
self-determination that has undoubtedly become
priority one.

In formulating the organizational and political
framework of this united movement, the role of
Arab-Americans and Muslims is central. As a people who
are at the primary receiving end of the ravages of war
and racism in their multiple forms, our community must
take difficult extra steps to assert its
constitutional right to free speech and assembly
despite all attempts and scare tactics to abrogate
these rights. Not only do we have this responsibility
to ourselves and to our children, history has also
placed upon us the task of halting the advance of yet
another form of McCarthyism and fear. To that end, and
despite many imposed hardships, we call on our
communities in all sectors nationwide to assume our
just role in shaping a better future for this country
and the world by mass mobilizing against war and
racism.

Indeed, the people of the United States, inclusive of
all and barring none, have an historic duty and a
collective responsibility to: (1) terminate the
escalating state of war of an emerging empire,
particularly against the Arab people, by ending the
occupation of Iraq and bringing the troops home NOW;
(2) stop all forms of economic, political, and
military support for the State of Israel, and,
instead, support the rights of Palestinians for
liberty, self-determination, and the full right to
return; (3) repeal the USA PATRIOT Act, terminate
institutional collective criminalization of Arab
Americans and Muslims, and secure constitutional
rights for all; and (4) redirect budgetary allocations
to domestic reconstruction and needs rather than
militarism and colonial expansions.

It is precisely the multi-faceted nature of this
ever-expanding war that we are tasked to recognize.
Delinking issues for political and organizational
expediency by selectively focusing only on one aspect
of this war is wrong and dangerous. It not only
weakens the emerging global movement for freedom and
liberty but also marginalizes the voices of war's many
victims.

True, the challenges before us are difficult and
monumental, but history, in particular during the past
2 years, has shown that we are equal to the task when
some waited in doubt. As evidenced on the days of
October 26, 2002, January 18, February 15-16, March
15, April 12, and most recently October 25, 2003, we
are a people that have repeatedly taken to the streets
in the hundreds of thousands representing millions
from coast to coast as we soundly stood with millions
across the globe against war in favor of peace. We
have rejected colonialism in favor of
self-determination, opposed the USA PATRIOT Act in
favor of constitutional rights, and demanded funding
for education and health care instead of militarism.

But we also need to be clear on what we stand for in
this emerging movement. Positions such as
"internationalizing the occupation" give colonialism a
new marketable cover, and should not be accepted as a
viable option for this global popular movement. This
is a time when political clarity is a must. Regardless
of the source, the notion that the people of Iraq
"need some form of Western intervention", even if
temporary, to secure their very own stability is
overtly racist and a real threat to civilization.
Self-determination should clearly preclude the return
of any "modern" form of the "Mandate" days of the
League of Nations. Such is the global grassroots
consensus; it must become so for the movement and
popular opinion in the United States.

Ending the ongoing foreign occupation of Iraq and
stopping the destruction and exile heaped on the
Palestinian people are inextricable dual tasks that
require a reformation of our vision towards the world
and us as a people of a variable mosaic. We must
succeed in formulating a strategic vision where we are
partners in the community of nations and in the
building of our own neighborhoods and school
districts.

We cannot continue the path of perpetual domestic and
foreign confrontation and dominance.

All Out On March 20, 2004

The National Council of Arab Americans (NCAA) -
December 24, 2003

*The NCAA is an all inclusive pan-Arab American
national council that was founded on November 29,
2003, in Washington, DC, responding to the needs of
our community and people. For more information on the
NCAA, please write to: info at arab-american.net.

---------------------------

Email circulated by:
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
Act Now to Stop War & End Racism

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http://www.InternationalANSWER.org
info at internationalanswer.org
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Washington 202-544-3389
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