Motions for Anti-War Movement AGMA

Motions for Anti-War Movement AGMA fully formatted version of All the motions before the AGM can be found athttp://www.irishantiwar.org/files/IAWM_Motions%20AGM%202009%20Final.pdf1 IRAQThe Irish Anti-War Movement calls on the United States to withdraw from Iraq without leaving anyresidual forces in place.Proposed: Julien Mercille IAWM Steering Committee2 AFGHANISTAN2.1 Motion 2.1: The IAWM notes with concern the escalation of the US-NATO occupation of Afghanistan.The US’s decision to send 21,000 extra troops with possibly an additional 10,000 more next year, NATO’scommitment of 58,000 troops in the region, a steeply rising overall death toll of more than 20,000 with over50,000 injured, the obscene escalation of cost of the war in time of recession, the overspill of the war intoPakistan, all these mean that we are experiencing an alarming new chapter in the war on terror. The newUS Administration, dashing the hopes of the international anti-war movement, have merely shifted the focusfrom Iraq to Afghanistan, which has now become “Obama’s war”.The European dimension to the Afghan war is of direct to concern to Ireland. NATO has enthusiasticallyendorsed Obama’s increased troop commitment, NATO spends $250 million a year for the Afghan military,and may now appoint Rasmussen, a avowed anti-Muslim, to its top civilian post. Greater EU –NATOcooperation means that even non-NATO countries are directly involved in the war. Ireland has sent militarypersonnel to work on counter-terror operations with NATO forces in Kabul.The IAWM therefore calls on the Irish government· To immediately withdraw its involvement in this war by recalling its military personnel from Afghanistan,and· To stop the use of Shannon for the passage of military troops to the war zone.It also resolves to bring pressure to bear on our representatives in Europe to bring EU troops home and,through public demonstrations and campaigns, to highlight Irish involvement in this disastrous war.Proposed: Marnie Holborow IAWM Steering Committee2.2 Motion 2.2: Get the troops out of Afghanistan.In the last few weeks thousands of anti war protesters converged on the NATO conference in Strasbourg tomarch against NATO expansion and the Obama surge in Afghanistan. As the fighting intensifies inAfghanistan and more troops are despatched there the IAWM accepts the need for a campaign to inform thepublic of the real situation in Afghanistan/Pakistan: that this is not a "good war" and that Irish troops areinvolved- exposing their roles working with US armed forces as part of NATO aggression, and exposing therealities of the NATO agenda and its expansion programme.We need a national tour with an informed speaker, preferably from the area or who has connections there,exposee information on Irish troops role in Afghanistan, more coverage on the USUK/NATO operation andthe opposition against it around EU/world.Proposed: Galway SWP branch3 SHANNON CONFERENCEThe IAWM supports the proposal by PANA and others to hold a conference at Shannon on 5thSeptember 2009 with the title: 'War, NATO and The Lisbon Treaty', and undertakes to organise adelegation from Dublin to attend the conference, and to take part in the planning of the conference,and to make submissions to the conference as appropriate.Proposed: Mark Price IAWM Steering Committee4 WAR CRIMINALS4.1 Motion 4.1: Declaring War Criminals:The Irish Anti-war Movement declares and recognizes former US President Mr. George W. Bush,Former US Secretary of Defense Mr. Donald Henry Rumsfeld and Former British Prime MinisterAnthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair as war criminals due their actions which led their countriesinto an illegal war and occupation of Iraq, and the killing thousands of civilians throughout theoccupation.As John Pilger has reported: “Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley compared the status ofGeorge W. Bush with that of Pinochet. “Outside [the United States] there is not the ambiguity about what todo about a war crime,” he said. “So if you try to travel, most people abroad are going to view you not as‘former President George Bush’ [but] as a current war criminal.”Rumsfeld has twice been indicted for war crimes in Germany.The International Criminal Court, to which Britain is a signatory, has received a record number of petitionsrelated to Blair’s wars. Spain’s celebrated Judge Baltasar Garzon, who indicted Pinochet and the leaders ofthe Argentinian military junta, has called for George W. Bush, Blair and former Spanish prime minister JoseMaria Aznar to be prosecuted for the invasion of Iraq - “one of the most sordid and unjustifiable episodes inrecent human history: a devastating attack on the rule of law” that had left the UN “in tatters”. He said,“There is enough of an argument in 650,000 deaths for this investigation to start without delay.”Proposed: Memet Uludag IAWM Steering Committee4.2 Motion 4.2: Bringing War Criminals to JusticeAccording to Reuters, the Israeli government communicated to the UN Human Rights Council that itwill not cooperate with an investigation into alleged Israeli and Hamas crimes surrounding theDecember 2008-January 2009 Israeli incursion into Gaza. The inquiry is to be lead by Judge RichardGoldstone, a highly regarded South African jurist and international humanitarian law scholar.Considering the honourable reputation of Judge Richard Goldstone in his work with South African tribunals,the IAWM considers an investigation led by this man highly credible. Therefore, if Israel has nothing to hide,it should allow this UN led investigation to go ahead. It is in the interest of not only Palestinians, but alsoIsraelis, that any war crimes committed during the assault on Gaza be exposed.Furthermore, the IAWM demands that the trial of all cases about possible war crimes committed during theGaza assault, and that are brought to the International Criminal Court in the Hague, be accepted by the court.To date, 220 separate cases have been brought to the court. Hesitation in deciding whether to takeon these cases is because the ICC has jurisdiction only in cases where the accused is a national or a stateparty. The IAWM calls on all European parties signed up to the ICC to support the notion that Palestine is anation and therefore urge the ICC to accept cases relating to the Gaza assault.Proposed: Claudia Saba IAWM Steering Committee5 IRANThe Irish Anti-War Movement calls on the United States and European governments to engage Iranimmediately regarding its nuclear activities, without preconditions. The IAWM also calls on the United Statesand Israel in particular to stop threatening Iran militarily. Finally, the IAWM calls on the US, Israel and allother states possessing nuclear weapons to eliminate them.Proposed: Julien Mercille IAWM Steering Committee6 OBAMA PRESIDENCYThe Irish Anti-War Movement warmly welcomes the end of the administration of George W Bush inthe US. The Bush Presidency marked a new low in the recent history of US/western imperialism.Through its own actions and working through proxies such as Israel, Ethiopia and other "allies" the Bushadministration was responsible for destroying the lives of countless hundreds of thousands in Iraq,Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia and devastating those countries in a manner that will takedecades to repair. The Bush administration also sought consistently to undermine the democraticallyelected governments of Venezuela and Bolivia and provoke a entirely unnecessary conflict with Iran. TheBush administration also contributed to an alarming and deliberate escalation of political and militarytensions in central and Eastern Europe and the Caspian region, through its expansion of NATO and movesto encircle Russia - part a strategy to gain influence in the oil rich Caspian region and surrounding countriesthrough which oil and gas pipelines currently travel or may travel in the future.In this context, the IAWM acknowledges the election of Barack Obama and the widespreadglobal celebration of his victory as evidence that a majority in the US and elsewhere reject thewarmongering policies pursued by the Bush administration.However, the IAWM is gravely concerned at the policy statements and inaction of Barack Obama before,during and after his election in moving to decisively break from the warmongering and imperialist policies ofthe Bush administration.Specifically, the IAWM:· Calls on the Obama administration to unequivocally condemn Israel's slaughter in Gaza at the beginningof this year and retract statements of unconditional support for the state of Israel.· Calls on the Obama administration to recognise the democratically elected PalestinianHamas government and end its continuing calls for the disarmament of Hamas· Calls on the US to cease it's massive military and financial support for the state of Israel and to exert itsinfluence to end the occupation of Palestine and the denial of the Palestinian right to self-determination.· Condemns the escalation of the US/NATO led conflict in Afghanistan and increased troop deploymentsto that conflict and calls for immediate withdrawal of western troops from that country.· Condemns the continuing US bombing of Pakistan and calls for this to cease immediately and an end toall interference in the sovereign affairs of Pakistan.· Calls for an immediate US military withdrawal from Iraq and war reparations to the people of Iraq.· Calls for an end to US military, political and financial support to Saudi Arabia and Egypt.· Calls for an end to all US military and political interference in Somalia.· Calls for an end to political interference in the sovereign affairs of Venezuela and Bolivia.· Calls for the disbandment of NATO· Calls on the US to redirect the massive resources now being spent on its military machine and weaponsarsenal to be redirected into socially useful civilian purposes.· Pledges full support, solidarity and co-operation with the US anti-war movement and other forces in theUS that are campaigning for similar policy changes.Finally, the IAWM recognises that while the US is the pre-eminent militaristic and imperialist power, it is notalone in pursuing militaristic and imperialist polices and we must also, therefore, condemn and demandchange in the same and similar polices from Russia, the EU, China or any other military power.Proposed: Richard Boyd-Barrett Chair IAWM and Steering Committee7 EU MILITARISATION7.1 Motion 7.1: Strasbourg Anti-NATO protest, April 2009The IAWM abhors the brutal suppression by the police of the recent peaceful and democratic anti-war rallyin Strasbourg, and proposes to make a formal complaint to the French and German governmentsconcerning this issue.Proposed: Mark Price IAWM Steering Committee7.2 Motion 7.2: Billy Timmins/Fine Gael statement on Ireland joining the EU Common DefenceIn a statement to the Fine Gael Ard Fheis on Saturday 4th April 2009 Billy Timmins TD Fine Gael’sspokesperson on Foreign Affairs stated; “Fine Gael believes that Ireland can no longer operate in theTwilight Zone and that we should be full participants in a European Common defence.”The Irish Anti-War Movement opposes this statement and calls on Billy Timmins and Fine Gael to withdrawit.This statement can be found on the Fine Gael web site.http://billytimmins.finegael.ie/representatives/common/index.cfm/type/statementdetails/nkey/37157/pkey/0/page/2/Proposed: Kieran O’Sullivan IAWM Steering Committee8 EUROPEAN ELECTIONSThe Irish Anti-War Movement will try to raise the issue of neutrality in the European elections andwill organize a debate between those for and against Neutrality. To this end we will work withgroups such as PANA and others who have a track record of opposing the growing militarization ofIreland.Proposed: Kieran O’Sullivan IAWM Steering Committee9 LISBON TREATYThe IAWM re-affirms its opposition to the proposed EU Constitution – revamped as the Lisbon Treaty. TheCampaign to oppose the Treaty, the CAEUC, with its 14 affiliated Irish and European organisations, will beour main focus for mobilization in the forthcoming Referendum Mark II imposed on our people. We willargue that NO Means NO to Lisbon and will work tirelessly in order to defeat this new attempt by theEuropean elites to bypass democracy. We will continue to mobilize and struggle for a democratic, social andde-militarised Europe.Proposed: Michael Youlton, Secretary IAWM and Steering CommitteeSeconded: Mark Price IAWM Steering Committee10 PALESTINE10.1 Motion 10.1: Allowing aid into Gaza and ending the blockade of Gaza.After the killing of 1400 people and wounding of 5000 in Gaza in Dec-08/Jan-09, Israel is flagrantlyhampering aid efforts into Gaza. According to a report released in March 2009 by the UN Office forthe Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), on average 127 aid trucks a day are entering Gaza.OCHA stated that this was insufficient, as illustrated by the fact that 475 trucks entered daily prior to June2007. The crossings are opened on a seemingly arbitrary basis. Waste water, water plant spare parts andrepair equipment are some of the many essential items still not allowed into Gaza. About 150,000 Gazansare still deprived of access to sufficient quantities of safe drinking water, while 90 percent experienceintermittent power cuts. Gazans in need of medical attention abroad are struggling to get permits.The IAWM asks that Israel immediately stop restricting aid from entering Gaza. The IAWM also asks theIrish government to formally ask the Israeli government to stop hampering international aid efforts into Gaza.Proposed: Claudia Saba IAWM Steering Committee10.2 Motion 10.2: Ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians must stop and Palestine must be freed fromoccupation.Increasingly more eviction notices have been sent out to families in East Jerusalem near the OldCity, warning that because their homes had been built without proper council approval, they wouldbe demolished. In February of 2009 alone, 90 houses were pinpointed for demolition. Israelpurposely withholds building permission to Palestinians and at arbitrary times decides to evict themand demolish their homes.British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on 9 April 2009: "We view with real concern the proposeddemolitions in east Jerusalem (al-Quds),". Miliband further stressed that Jerusalem should be the capital ofboth the Palestinians and Israelis.According to the Palestinian Authority officials, the current destruction of Palestinian houses in the WestBank would leave some 1,500 people homeless.The IAWM calls for the halt of continued evictions of people from their homes in the West Bank andJerusalem. The IAWM views the actions of the Israel government in this regard as an extension of itsunannounced policy of Palestinian ethnic cleansing. Another aspect of this policy are the continued illegalIsraeli settlements being built on Palestinian land.The IAWM continues to condemn the ongoing Israeli military occupation of Palestine, the Apartheid Wall,the continuous land grab, the daily harassment at checkpoints throughout the West Bank and the denial offundamental human rights to the Palestinian people.The IAWM continues to call on the Irish Government to use its influence to censure Israel for its inhumaneactions and collective punishment of the entire Palestinian population.The IAWM pledges to work with members of the Palestinian Community in Ireland and with the IrelandPalestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) over the coming year to continually raise the issue of the plight of thePalestinian people within Ireland and to bring pressure on the Irish Government to take meaningful actionagainst Israel. Meaningful action by the Irish government should include a boycott of Israeli goods untilIsrael complies with International Law and use its influence in the European Union so that the EU terminatesits partnership agreements with Israel as the latter has continuously breached its human rights obligationsinherent in these agreements.Proposed: Claudia Saba IAWM Steering Committee10.3 Motion 10.3: One state solution and Billy Timmins/Fine Gael statement on Israel/Palestine.In a statement to the Fine Gael Ard Fheis on Saturday 4th April 2009 Billy Timmins TD Fine Gael’sspokesperson on Foreign Affairs stated; “The Israel and Palestine conflict is one of the mostemotive and divisive foreign affairs issues in this country. We should seek to move the friends ofPalestine and the friends of Israel to the friends of Palestine and Israel. We should seek to join andnot divide. The Fine Gael position is based on four very clear pillarsA. A Two State solution.B. A return to pre-1967 borders unless amended by agreement between the two parties.C. An agreed solution to the issue of Palestinian Refugees who fled/left their houses in 1948 and 1967.D. Israel to cease settlement activities and dismantle all outposts erected since March 2001.In order to achieve this all Palestinians must cease all acts of violence and commit to peace. Fine Gael alsorecognises Israel's right to protect its citizens from attacks, but in doing so it should act within InternationalLaw. The EU should establish a special trade agreement with Israel and Palestine to assist in the economicdevelopment of the area. It is difficult to see Hamas as part of the process while one of their central aims isthe destruction of the State of Israel.”Fine Gael’s policy is constructive and clear. I am aware of the Hamas tactic of using children as shields andI am also aware that they see the propaganda benefit of their death as being of more importance than theirsafety. However punishing a whole population is not the solution. The Middle East question will alwayspresent strong and emotive responses. There is a responsibility on the conflicting parties to put in place theconditions to facilitate peace.The Irish Anti-War Movement opposes this statement and calls on Billy Timmins and Fine Gael to withdrawit. We oppose it for the following reasons:1. The two state solution is unworkable and it essentially endorses an apartheid system separatingpeople on the basis of religion.2. Calling on all Palestinians to cease all acts of violence is essentially blaming the Palestinians for theconflict. It is not Palestinian violence which is the problem it is the occupation of Palestine and theblockade of Gaza.3. Hamas was elected by the people of Palestine in a Free and Fare election they have to be part ofthe process otherwise it will fail.4. There is absolutely no evidence that Hamas put children in danger for propaganda value. There isevidence that Israel deliberately targeted civilian areas.This statement can be found on the Fine Gael web sitehttp://billytimmins.finegael.ie/representatives/common/index.cfm/type/statementdetails/nkey/37157/pkey/0/page/2/Proposed: Kieran O’Sullivan IAWM Steering Committee11 BURMAThe military dictatorship in Burma have been waging war on their own people since they took powerin 1962. This AGM of the Irish Anti- War Movement unresevedly condemns the savage oppression,rape, forced labour, murder and imprisonment, by the junta, of innocent people whoseonly 'crime' has been to peacefully call for the return of democratic rule.We call upon UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to stop pussy-footing with this brutal regime and to makeit his personal priority to go to Burma and demand the immediate and unconditional release of democraticleader, Freeman of Dublin and Galway Aung San Suu Kyi, and all political prisoners. We also call upon ourown government to continue to urge its European partners to strengthen the EU 'common position' inrelation to sanctions, in order to persuade the recalcitrant Burmese generals to come to their senses.Proposed: Gearoid Kilgallen IAWM Steering Committee12 ECONOMIC CRISISThe IAWM, in the current economic and political environment, opposes the all-out attack on working classpeople of Ireland and the actions of fraud and corruption in the financial system. These attacks haveresulted in severe levies for workers - both in the public and private sector - pay cuts, taxes and job losses.We therefore call for the IAWM to affiliate and work with organizations, trade unions, political parties tosupport any democratic opposition by the workers on these issues.Proposed: Memet Uludag IAWM Steering Committee13 RAF RED ARROWS INVITATIONThe Volvo Ocean Race is a wonderful example of human ingenuity and human endeavour combining toharness the natural elements so as to propel these sailing crafts across the seven seas.What a contrast the Ocean Race is to the British RAF's Red Arrows that are participating in the Galway stopover of the race in an air display on 30th May 2009. Tear away the 'glamour' that shrouds the planes andpilots and what you have is a recruiting sergeant for the British military and an apology for war, death andterror; what you have are pilots who in their day jobs are trained to terrorise and kill people. Their CVscontain the details that nearly every one of them has combat service in Iraq or Afghanistan. Pilots andplanes that kill other people's children are not family entertainment.In the present economic climate of growing unemployment the last thing we need is the recruiting sergeantof the British Armed Forces screaming over our skies to coax naive young Irish men and women to go fightand die in Britain’s foreign wars.Not only do the Red Arrows have no connection whatsoever with the unique character and culture ofGalway or Ireland, but their display is both a polluter of the environment and the international body politic.As an Anti-War Movement the IAWM agrees to campaign against the RAF Red Arrows display in Ireland, tohighlight the alterior motives behind such displays, to denounce these British armed forces as suitablefamily entertainment to represent Ireland, to participate in the campaign by Galway Alliance Against Waropposing this invitation to these killers, and participate in the protest to be held on the day.Proposed: Dette McLoughlin, Galway