February 27, 2023
We are coming upon another remembrance of Bloody Sunday, when the nation will recall how Black, white and brown Americans...put their bodies on the line...to expose the evils of segregation, racism, and the denial of voting rights.
"Selma is Sacred Ground"
An Open Letter to President Biden
Remembering and Building Upon the Global Protests of the Invasion of Iraq
On February 15, 2003, activists in over 600 cities worldwide filled the streets to express their opposition to the imminent United States-led invasion of Iraq. Twenty years later, the International Peace Bureau, together with partners and supporters, organized an event to examine the organization and consequences of these massive anti-war rallies. You can now view the three-part webinar. Part 1 looks back on the causes and consequences of the war and features remarks from key organizers of the protests, including UFPJ's former National Coordinator, Leslie Cagan. Part 2 examines the current state of the peace movement introduced with analysis from Noam Chomsky, Part 3 includes a round table discussion of the future of the peace movement in light of current challenges of our times and concludes with a musical and artistic presentation.
To Turn Back the "Doomsday Clock" Zoom Discussion -- Tuesday, February 28
The Doomsday clock is at 90 seconds to midnight and the Secretary General of the UN warns that humanity is "one miscalculation" away from "nuclear annihilation." All nuclear weapon states are enhancing their arsenals, while nuclear arms control talks have come to a halt. Amid nuclear threats and inflammatory rhetoric, the Nonproliferation Treaty is under critical pressure. Scientific studies warn that a U.S.-Russian nuclear war could cause five billion famine deaths and usher in a "nuclear Little Ice Age." The NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security and the All Souls Nuclear Disarmament Task Force invite you to join a discussion on Tuesday, February 28, 2pm EST/11am PT for a discussion of actions to begin pulling the world back from the edge of the abyss. Find panelists and more details here.
Protest the War on Yemen -- Wednesday, March 1
March 2023 marks the 8th anniversary of the war on Yemen which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and wreaked havoc on the country. In part as a result of our organizing, for over 10 months Saudi Arabia has not dropped any bombs on Yemen. This could change anytime. UFPJ is among more than 70 organizations calling on Congress for a permanent end to U.S. complicity in the war and for March 1 protests at Congressional offices to demand that our Representatives immediately pass a War Powers Resolution, stop weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, support the people of Yemen, assemble a Congressional hearing to examine the U.S. role in the war in Yemen, and call on Saudi Arabia and the UAE to lift the blockade and fully open airports and seaports. Read the full list of demands, learn more, and find a demonstration near you.
First-ever UN International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness -- Wednesday, March 1
To mark the first-ever International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, the Permanent Mission of Kyrgyzstan to the United Nations (UN) and the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA) will co-host a virtual launch event on Wednesday March 1, from 11am to 12.30pm EST. Register here. The International Day seeks to promote awareness and better understanding of disarmament issues among the public through General Assembly resolution A/RES/77/51. The inaugural event will provide an opportunity for all Member States, the organizations of the UN system, civil society, academia, the media, and individuals to commemorate the International Day as well as highlight the role of disarmament education as a tool for peace and security. The ODA is also launching a social media campaign from March 1 to 5. Learn more.
GTMO UPDATE: Detainee Releases and High-Level Reviews of Guantanamo Policies and Practices
Good news and Guantanamo are two ideas not normally linked together, but February 2023 has brought positive developments for the detainees at GTMO and for ending the failed system of military "justice" being used to try men who have been charged with crimes. On February 1, the UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights announced she had come to an agreement with the U.S. government to visit and review practices at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The next day, Majid Khan, who had been detained for nearly a year more than the sentence issued by senior military officials, was resettled to Belize. On February 23, the Rabbani brothers, were returned to Pakistan after 20 years without charges. Additionally, Ted Olson, who coordinated 9/11-related litigation for the Bush administration, denounced the GTMO military commissions arguing plea agreements were the only way to close the remaining cases. Read more.
"This is no time for foolishness." President and Members of Congress Urged to Mark Bloody Sunday by Acting on Voting Rights and Economic Justice
The 58th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when civil rights activists marching for voting rights were beaten by police in Selma, Alabama, will be commemorated March 2 -- 5. In preparation, Repairers of the Breach organized an open letter to President Biden and members of Congress demanding that they take action on voting rights, living wages and rural economic investment. The letter, signed by faith and civil rights leaders including Bishop William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, Co-Chairs of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, declares that "Selma is sacred ground, not a place for political pretense," and that leaders who are truly committed to honoring the legacy of those beaten on Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 must do more to intensify the fight against inequality. Read the letter and add your name.
Webinar: Conscientious Objection in Times of War: Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine -- Thursday, March 2
The webinar series "Conscientious objection to military service in times of war" continues with a focus on the war in Ukraine. The March 2 webinar at 8:00am EST will host peace campaigners reporting live from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The war has raged for a year, yet calls for negotiations and cease-fires remain unheard. Meanwhile, CO's provide hope for peace as hundreds of thousands of people on all sides have refused to participate in this war. Speakers: Elena Popovka (Movement of Conscientious Objectors, Russia); Olga Karatch (Our House, Belarus); Yurii Sheliazhenko (Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, Ukraine). Register here. Hosted by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, War Resisters' International, and Connection e.V. during the UN Human Rights Council's 52nd session in Geneva.
Webinar: The Coming War with China: What Are the Causes? What Will It Entail? How Can It Be Prevented? Thursday, March 2
Michael Klare will discuss the sources of U.S.-China tensions, the dangers of the current approach the US government is taking, and how grassroots peace groups can address this issue on Thursday, March 2 at 7:00pm EST. Klare is professor emeritus of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College, a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Arms Control Association in Washington, D.C., and defense correspondent for The Nation magazine. He is the author of 15 books, including, most recently, "All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon's Perspective on Climate Change." He is also the defense correspondent for The Nation and a contributing editor of Current History. Sponsored by Brooklyn For Peace. Register here.
The Ukraine War One Year On
February 24 marked one year since the massive invasion of Ukraine by the armed forces of the Russian Federation. The Russian government in recent weeks has intensified its offensive in Eastern Ukraine and continues to bombard cities across the country. UFPJ maintains a resource page on the Ukraine war, with analysis from a variety of perspectives and documents from governments and international organizations. Some recent additions are views from the anti-war opposition in Russia, including How will the War in Ukraine End?, an interview with Boris Kagarlitsky and a statement from the Russian Socialist Movement, the Chinese Government's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis, and documents reflecting key international law developments.
Urge Your Representative to Show Leadership on Nuclear Disarmament by Cosponsoring H. Res. 77
On January 31, Reps. McGovern and Blumenauer introduced H. Res. 77 which calls on the President to embrace the goals and provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It also calls upon the U.S. government to adopt Back from the Brink's set of policy solutions, including actively pursuing and concluding negotiations on a new, bilateral nuclear arms control and disarmament framework agreement with the Russian Federation before 2026, and pursuing negotiations with China and other nuclear-armed states on an agreement or agreements for the verifiable, enforceable, and timebound elimination of global nuclear arsenals. ACT NOW! Write to your U.S. House Representative and ask them to take the first step and co-sponsor H. Res 77 and ask your organization to sign onto this organizational sign-on letter by March 3.
End Women's Poverty; Invest in Caring Not Killing -- International Women's Day Event, Wednesday, March 8
The California Poor People's Campaign (PPC) is taking the lead in organizing a nationwide online event for International Women's Day, Wednesday, March 8: 12:30 -- 2:30 pm PT/3:30 -- 5:30 pm EST. Its theme, End Women's Poverty; Invest in Caring Not Killing, reflects the struggles and contributions of women in our communities and our movement. The event will focus on women's poverty and its impact on our families and wider communities, as well as the impact on women and children of all the PPC pillars. Confirmed speakers include national PPC leaders Rev. Liz Theoharis and Shailly Gupta Barnes, as well as Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore. In the bottom-up tradition of PPC, the program will feature testimony from those impacted and music. UFPJ, a national partner with the PPC, is proud to be a co-sponsor of this event. Register here.
Join Us this International Women's Day!
This March 8th marks International Women's Day (IWD), an historically socialist holiday established in 1909. In 2003, IWD was observed by 10,000 women who marched from MLK Jr. Park to the White House to protest the invasion of Iraq. 20 years later, we are grappling with the cost of 20 years of the "war on terror", including 1.5 million people killed and $21 trillion of taxpayer dollars stolen from our communities. To mark 20 years since this historic IWD mobilization, CODEPINK is rising with activists around the world in a call for diplomacy and an end to war. We are seeking global partners and individual endorsers for this day of action - please join us and key partners (including United for Peace and Justice!) in becoming a global IWD partner and saying no more to extraction, destruction, and oppression.
Watchdog Workshop: Tracing State and Local Subsidies to Your Hometown Military Contractors -- Recording and Tools You Can Use
Decisions about the war industry are not just made at the national level but also at the local level. State and local governments hand out taxpayer money in subsidies to military contractors that can increase contractors' profits to the detriment of taxpayers and the loss of other opportunities for local investment. In a Feb. 22 workshop hosted by the War Industry Resisters Network, Taylor Barnes, Inkstick Media's field reporter for the military-industrial complex, and Pat Garafolo, director of state and local policy at the American Economic Liberties Project and Fight Corporate Monopolies explained how to dig into subsidies your local or state governments are handing out to military contractors and learn what kind of information can be gleaned from those contracts. Recording. Taylor's slides. Taylor's spreadsheet. Pat's book and tools.
Labors Of Our Past Heroes: Rights and Peace are Inseparable
As Black History Month comes to a close, please take a moment to recall how fundamental African Americans have been to U.S. mass movements for change. That's certainly true in the area of ending war and the use of nuclear weapons. Vincent Intondi wrote African Americans Against the Bomb which linked nuclear weapons, colonialism, and the movement for freedom for Black folk. It gives an overview of the role of black people in efforts to stand up against nuclear weapons beginning with challenging the racist bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A review of the book here written by a graduate student at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro puts the book into current context and connects this work to the ongoing legacy among African Americans of working against war and for peace.
Brooklyn for Peace: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict
On January 26th, CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin joined Brooklyn for Peace to discuss War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict, her recent book coauthored with Nicolas J.S. Davies. In this United for Peace and Justice-sponsored event, Medea discussed the historical and current context of the war in Ukraine, different parties involved in the war, the risks of escalation, and possible pathways to peace. You can watch a recording of this accessible and highly informative presentation here. You can view Medea's upcoming book tour events here, and read more about Brooklyn for Peace's current work here.
D.C. Demonstrates for Peace in Ukraine, and Everywhere
As the one-year mark of Russia's invasion of Ukraine approaches, peace activists in Washington, DC are taking action to demand diplomacy and peace in Ukraine. On February 17, activists visited Capitol Hill to urge their representatives to support a mutual ceasefire and negotiations -- you can read more about the visit here. A few days later, following the reintroduction of the People Over Pentagon Act by Representatives Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), CODEPINK and other allies dropped a banner inside the House of Representatives Cannon Building rotunda that read "FUND COMMUNITIES, NOT WAR". On March 18th, the 20th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, CODEPINK, ANSWER Coalition, the People's Forum and other partners will join together in DC to protest the harms of militarism at home and abroad. RSVP to join the D.C. demonstration here!
Honoring the Victims of Peru and Calling for Accountability
In past months, the unelected government in Peru has killed 70+ people and injured thousands, and many have disappeared -- all with U.S. support. In response, CODEPINK, PEX no al golpe, PEX al lado del Corazon, PSL, and ANSWER Coalition held a press conference and protest outside of the Peruvian embassy earlier this month to denounce the egregious human rights violations committed by Dina Boluarte's government. This action followed Boluarte's Foreign Minister's visit to Washington DC, where she held meetings with U.S. lawmakers and businesspeople to clear up the image of her government. Read about the event here, and sign onto CODEPINK's letter calling on the Biden administration to take a strong stand against the Peruvian government's violent repression of the Peruvian people and halt military assistance to Peru.
Disrupting Cold War-mongering
It was only early this month that the U.S. was sent into a frenzy over a Chinese weather balloon. While China's Foreign Ministry immediately issued a statement of regret over their "unmanned civilian aircraft" flying off-course, the Pentagon insisted it was instead a spy balloon and struck it down with a $400,000 missile. CODEPINK'S response statement argues that this balloon is being used as an excuse for the Pentagon to ramp up military aggression towards China, building off a series of similarly calculated moves. Later in the month, Olivia DiNucci disrupted this exact warmongering narrative at a Heritage Foundation event where Senator Josh Hawley made the case for funding a war with China. DiNucci got on the stage to remind him that half of his state lives in poverty, and that our real enemy is the climate crisis - not China.
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