800 Attend National Peace Conference in Albany

The United National Peace Conference in Albany brought together people from around the country and overseas. Although two people from India were denied visas to come to the conference, 520 pre-registered and 256 additional people registered at the door, for a total of 776 participants. Some who pre-registered did not show and some who showed did not register. Therefore, I believe the 776 is an accurate number. I will soon be able to go through the registration forms and give a better breakdown of where people came from.

The Sanctuary for Independent Media provided live-streaming of major segments of the conference to the Internet, provided a place for people to upload pictures and tweets and posted major presentations on Youtube. The day after the conference, the Youtube videos got over 17,000 hits, making them the most viewed videos from a non-profit organization for that day. This enabled thousands who could not physically make it to the conference to nonetheless experience it.

The core leaders of the anti-war movement were all there, including Media Benjamin, Col. Ann Wright, Kathy Kelly, Dahlia Wasfi, Michael McPherson from UFPJ and VFP, Kevin Martin from Peace Action, Blasé Bonpane, Mark Johnson from Fellowship of Reconciliation, Glen Ford from Black Majority Report and Black is Back, Kevin Zeese, Fahima Vorgetts, Mike Ferner, Michael Eisencher from US Labor Against the War, Larry Holmes from the International Action Center, Nada Khader, Debra Sweet, Leila Zand, and others. Cindy Sheehan also came but had to leave immediately when her daughter went into labor back in California. Additionally, Ethan McCord, a former soldier on the ground in Iraq who was seen on the first leaked Wikileaks video, spoke out publicly for the first time. War resisters, GIs who have refused to deploy, skyped into the conference from Canada, since they could not be there in person.

Leaders of other movements were also at the conference; these include leaders of the Labor movement, such as Donna Dewitt, President of the South Carolina AFL-CIO,. Leaders of SEIU/1199 came to ask the peace movement to support their upcoming October 2nd, 2010 march on Washington. The conference was welcomed by Mike Keenan, president of the Troy Area Labor Council. Present were Margaret Flowers and other leaders of the single payer movement, as well as Lynda Cruz, Teresa Gutierrez, and other leaders of the immigrant’s rights movement. Palestinian rights activists played a big role in the conference, as did leaders of the movement against intervention in Iran, Columbia, Honduras, and Haiti. Leaders of the environmental movement were present as were leaders of the Muslim solidarity movement and student leaders like Blanca Missa, one of the central leaders of the recent student protests on the Berkeley campus against California’s cuts to education. Dr. Margaret Flowers, a central leader of the movement for single payer healthcare led a workshop with other healthcare advocates and spoke at the press conference that preceded the conference at which she made a strong connection between the movement for universal healthcare and peace.

Noam Chomsky spoke Saturday morning via video. Following by another keynote address given by Donna Dewitt, President of the South Carolina AFL-CIO, and leading member or the National Assembly and US Labor Against the War. We listened to Mumia Abu-Jamal’s audio taped message to the conference from death row and to the narration of Imam Aref’s, one of the wrongly prosecuted Muslims from Albany from his prison cell. Ralph Poynter, husband of imprisoned civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart, read her message to those assembled. Lynne was a member of the administrative body of the National Assembly to End US Wars and Occupations, the group that had initiated the conference. She was also a founding member of Project Salam, one of the other 31 co-sponsoring groups.

During panels held on Friday night and Saturday, movement leaders discussed the future direction of the anti-war movement. Throughout the weekend, the backdrop to the stage and podium was a beautiful 40 foot mural painted by Mike Alewitz and Jerry Butler, who teach art at Central Connecticut State University. Mike was an anti-war leader at Kent State University 40 years ago, during the period when National Guardsmen killed four student anti-war protestors. Jerry was at Jackson State when, 10 days later, police shot and killed students on that campus.

The conference presented thirty-three workshops on topics related to war and social justice. Presenters came from a range of perspectives, faith-based peace groups, immigrant’s rights advocates, the Palestinian rights movement, the labor movement, active duty GIs and veteran’s movements, and many more. The workshops and presenters are listed on the conference web site (http://www.nationalpeaceconference.org).

The conference operated democratically, with every person in attendance having a voice and a vote. Out of this process came an Action Proposal and a set of resolutions. All of this material will be posted in the near future on the national peace conference web site (www.nationalpeaceconference.org). Basically, the Action Proposal calls for local actions in the fall and bi-coastal demonstrations in New York City and California in the spring. The spring actions will be accompanied by separate and distinct non-violent civil disobedience actions. The proposal also calls for support of and collaboration in building the mobilizations being called by the labor and civil rights movements in the coming months. These include demonstration planned for Washington and Detroit on August 28 and a large October 2nd demonstration being organized by SEIU/1199, AFL-CIO, the NAACP, and others. The action proposal includes a strong stand in support of Palestinian rights and against the threats directed at Iran. It calls for coordinated teach-ins, lobbying efforts, and campaigns to pass city, town, and village resolutions on the issue of war spending and its impacts on the economy.

One theme running throughout the conference was the connection between the anti-war movement and the Muslim solidarity movement. Both the wars and the attacks on Muslims are the products of Washington’s phony war on terror. The wars have been called preemptive wars, and the prosecutions of Muslims have been labeled preemptive prosecution. These concepts are used by the government as theoretical justifications for the wars going on at home and abroad. The Muslim solidarity issue was highlighted at a poignant and symbolic march from the peace conference to the Masjid-Al Salam mosque on Central Avenue where the imprisoned Albany Muslims used to worship. At the Mosque, a rally was held where family member and supporters of the wrongly prosecuted Muslims spoke along with leaders of the anti-war movement such as Kathy Kelly, Medea Benjamin and Sara Flounders of the International Action Center. Also, on Saturday, a lunch time presentation was given by Shamshad Ahmad, the president of the mosque. A statement was read by Imam Aref, the former Imam of the Mosque, now in prison for 15 years

Why Albany? Some people have asked why the conference took place in Albany. My answer is that it could not have happened any where else. On the national level, the peace movement has been weak and unable to capitalize on the fact that the majority opposes the wars and the fact that trillions is being spent on war as education, healthcare and other human needs are being cut. Consequently, the National Assembly to End US Wars and Occupations decided to forgo its own national conference in favor of building a unity conference of the entire anti-war movement, understanding that the lack of unity in the US anti-war movement has been a major factor in the weakness of our movement. The Albany area has a strong peace movement in which all of the groups work together. In addition, when Muslims were attacked in our community, the peace movement and eventually the media and large sections of the non-Muslim community stood behind them. In many other areas of the country, this didn’t happen, as some peace groups felt that being associated with the unjustly prosecuted Muslims might alienate them from the politicians and others in the non-Muslim community. But what people in Albany realized is that the wars and the pre-emptive prosecutions of Muslims are two of the faces of the same phony war on terror. So as we took up the fight against the attacks on Muslims and the racism these attacks have engendered, we undercut the war on terror justification for the wars of occupation while, at the same time, finding new allies in the struggle for peace. Building bridges between the Muslim and the non-Muslim communities is exactly the opposite of what the government wanted, with its use of agent provocateurs and fabricated terror plots,

The conference was the right thing to do at the right time; it came to a close literally hours before the explosive Afghan War Diaries were published by Wikileaks and right before Congress voted for additional funding for the perpetual U.S. wars and occupations. The conference gave our movement a powerful voice at a very critical time. It also succeeded in bringing together thirty-one peace groups with diverse perspectives. We brought together the peace movement with leaders of other movements that have mobilized millions in their own right. In doing so, we took a step forward not only for peace but also for human rights and justice in general.

We also brought together the Albany community with the broader movement nationally. National leaders like Jerry Gordon of the National Assembly, who played a leading role in organizing the National Peace Action Coalition during the Vietnam War era, was a central figure bringing all of this together. The National Assembly put everything it had into this conference. The International Action Center and the Bail Out the Peoples movement, which have a strong base in New York City, also played a major role in the success of our conference. Veterans for Peace, Peace Action, the Fellowship for Reconciliation, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, US Labor Against the War, Progressive Democrats of America, Kathy Kelly and her Voices for Creative Non-Violence, and Project Salam were also the pillars on which the conference was built. Code Pink, World Can’t Wait, National Lawyers Guild, After Downing Street, Black Agenda Report, the Granny Peace Brigade, Office of the Americas, Military Families Speak Out, and others also played a significant role in building the conference.

The involvement of these groups will be very important as we build actions for next spring in New York City and California.

Locally, a contingent of around 40 people put their all into making the conference run smoothly. The incredibly professional work of the Sanctuary for Independent Media gave us an international presence. The Albany media coverage, with the exception of the attacks on the conference by Carl Strock of the Schenectady Gazette, was excellent. The Times Union published four articles and an op-ed piece on the conference. Despite our competing with the opening day of the Saratoga Race Track, the TV and radio news covered us as well.

There also were some shortcomings. Outside of some alternative media, the conference was not covered by the national media, in stark contrast to the coverage of the Tea Party convention which, despite having fewer in attendance, was given prime time live coverage by CNN and other outlets. Maureen Aumand who, along with Mary Finneran, organized the media in Albany alerted the New York Times to the conference on several occasions. The Times tried to explain to her why they would not cover the conference, but the real reason it wasn’t covered is because the powers running the corporate media in the US want to build a right-wing, not a progressive, left-wing movement.

In addition, our audience was mostly older and white. Although polls show anti-war sentiment being greatest among youth and African Americans, we haven’t seen a lot of participation in the anti-war movement from these groups, and this was reflected at the conference, as well.

Finally, there were some tests of our unity at the conference, the most significant one being around the issue of Palestine. Important leaders of the Palestinian movement were in attendance, and a caucus was formed by Palestinian rights activists to discuss how best to integrate the Palestinian issues with the broader peace issues. They put together a resolution and an amendment to the Action Proposal on Palestine, which passed by a large majority. However, some felt that the wording was too strong and therefore fought to change it. This was a serious disagreement, and my hope is that it will not cause any deterioration in our unity.

Pulling together a unity conference with thirty-one different groups, each with its own perspective on how to bring about peace, was a real achievement. However, our true test will be in how united we remain as we build future actions to end the wars. Towards this end, the conference passed a proposal for a continuations committee that will be chaired by Jerry Gordon. It will meet for the first time on August 16th, with the goal of continuing our work and broadening it to include other forces at the local and regional levels.

The peace conference came together at just the right time and place. It happened at the same time when other progressive forces (like the labor and civil rights movements) also are mobilizing (on August 28 and October 2). The labor and civil rights leaders who have called these actions may see them in the context of the mid-term election but they come at a time that millions are being victimized by the wars at home and abroad and are looking for a way to fight back. The unity we attained with the conference was significant. If we can continue and broaden this unity with our allies within and outside of the peace movement we can change the world.

Peace,
Joe Lombardo

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Pastors for Peace Caravan Comes to Duluth!

On July 6 the annual Pastors for Peace arrived in Duluth to kick off the Midwest arm of their 21st aid caravan and blockade challenge to Cuba.

Washington's cold war with Cuba has been going on for 50 years, causing material shortages in Cuba and an information black out in both of our countries. It's time for a change, and Pastors for Peace are on the forefront of the movement for peace between our countries.

To mark the occasion, the Northland Anti-War Coalition held a rally and press conference at the Duluth Civic Center that evening. Among the speakers were Duluth's mayor Don Ness, a spokesperson from Rep. Jim Oberstar, and Rev. Tom Smith of Pastors for Peace.

Later that evening NAWC hosted a fundraising concert at Carmody's Irish Pub that featured Latin and hip hop music.

All told NAWC was able to collect a substantial amount of building and other supplies for the caravan, as well as over $1000. Thanks to everyone who helped make the day a huge success!
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Action Proposal to Be Discussed at the United National Antiwar Conference

On July 23-25 national & local peace groups from around the nation will be gathering in Albany, New York for the United National Antiwar Conference. The goal of the conference is to plan the next step for peace movement. The Northland Anti-War Coalition is an endorser of this conference, and will be sending a delegation. Below is the draft Action Proposal that will be the starting point for the conference's deliberations. If you are interested in attending the conference or have any questions about it, you can check out http://www.nationalpeaceconference.org
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UNAC Action Proposal Submitted by Conference Co-Sponsors

Part 1: Preface

The prerequisites for ending the U.S. wars and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and re-orienting the nation’s priorities from empire building to solving the pressing needs at home are unity in action, massive mobilizations, inclusion of the broadest popular sectors of society, democratic functioning, and the construction of a mass social movement that operates independently of all political parties while seeking to influence their rank and file.

History has demonstrated time and again that the combination of these qualities coupled with an inclusive, collaborative and representative leadership can change the course of history.

This was the case with the massive social movements that were constructed to end the Vietnam War, win formal civil rights for excluded races and peoples, advance the cause of women’s equality, and challenge the prejudice & discrimination against LGBT people. It was this unity in action that brought into being a massive trade union movement that wrested unprecedented victories in the quality of life and culture for working people

Today we face the challenge of perpetual wars abroad becoming part of our national culture as are unceasing attacks on the quality of life and the standard of living at home. We are witness to multi-trillion dollar bailouts of the same institutions that have brought grief and pain to countless millions and obliterated hard won social and economic gains that were a century and longer in the making.

Our youth are subject to an economic draft that places them in harm’s way around the world where poor people fight for their right to self-determination and resist interventions for profit and plunder. Education budgets are slashed while pensions, health care, wages, union rights and civil liberties are under siege.

Trillions are expended to fund increasingly privatized wars fought in large part with mercenary armies and to maintain 865 military bases around the world. Meanwhile veterans -- first place in the statistics of the homeless and unemployed -- are compelled to fight for denied benefits to treat horrific diseases caused by U.S. biological and now radiation-emitting weapons of war while the people of destroyed nations suffer the same, but magnified, and long-term horrors. Moreover, they are subjected to successive incidents of inhuman torture.

We are confronted with imperial wars over control of the very fossil fuel resources whose continued use threatens our future.
Our love of humanity, opposition to expanding wars and occupations unleashed by the Pentagon, and respect for the right of self-determination for all peoples require that we demand of the U.S. government:

1. The allocation of the trillions spent on wars and corporate bailouts to massive programs for jobs, education, health care, housing and the environment. Compensation to be paid to the peoples whose countries the U.S. attacked and occupied for the loss of lives and massive destruction they suffered.
2. The immediate, total & unconditional withdrawal of all U.S. bases from Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. Bring all the Troops and War Dollars Home Now!

3. Reverse and end all foreclosures. Stop the government attacks on trade unions, civil and democratic rights, and immigrant communities.

Part 2: Proposals for United Actions

1. October 6 to 16, 2010 a period of local and regional protests across the country to mark the ninth year of the U.S. war on Afghanistan. Actions to include demonstrations, marches, vigils, teach-ins, etc.

2. Draft antiwar resolutions for city councils, town and village meetings and voter referendums linking astronomical war spending to denial of essential public services at home. Form broad local coalitions to organize support for such resolutions and referendum campaigns. Model resolutions and ballot questions will be circulated for consideration of local groups.

3. Mid-March, 2011 nationally coordinated teach-ins to mark the eighth year of the Iraq War and to prepare for bi-coastal spring demonstrations the following month.

4. Bi-coastal mass spring mobilizations in New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles on April 9, 2011. These will be accompanied by distinct and separate non-violent direct actions on the same day. A prime component of these mobilizations will be major efforts to include broad new forces from youth to veterans to trade unionists to civil and human rights groups to the Arab, Muslim and other oppressed communities to environmental organizations, social justice and faith-based groups. Veterans and military families will be key to these mobilizations with special efforts to organize this community to be the lead contingent.

5. Select a week prior to or after the April actions for local lobbying of elected officials at a time when Congress is not in session. Lobbying to take multiple forms from meeting with local officials to protests at their offices and homes.

6. National tours. Organize over a series of months nationally-coordinated tours of prominent speakers and local activists that link the demands for immediate withdrawal to the demands for funding social programs, as outlined above.

7. In the event of an imminent U.S. government attack on Iran or such an attack, or a U.S.-backed Israeli attack against Iran, or any other major international crisis triggered by U.S. military action, UNAC will mount a rapid, broad and nationally coordinated protest by antiwar and social justice activists.

8. Support actions aimed at dismantling the Cold War nuclear, biological and chemical delivery systems.

9. Support actions, educational efforts and lobbying campaign to promote a transition to a sustainable peace economy.
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Support the Pastors for Peace Aid Caravan to Cuba

As world attention focuses on the devastating blockade of Gaza, it's a good time to remember another economic war closer to home.

For 50 years, the US government has banned travel, trade and donations to Cuba. The policy has caused massive shortages of medicine and other goods across the island and an information black-out for people of both countries.

This summer, volunteers with the NY-based Pastors for Peace will defy the blockade by openly and nonviolently delivering material aid to Cuba.

First they'll travel across North America to collect donations and educate folks about the human cost of this conflict. Making a gift of material aid is a great way to be part of this historic campaign, even if you can't travel to Cuba. As luck has it, the Midwest arm of the caravan is launching from right here in the Twin Ports on July 6th.

NAWC's Cuba Solidarity Committee has already reserved space for donations from our community -- now we need your help to fill it! We're especially looking for materials to help rebuild some 500,000 Cuban homes damaged by hurricanes in 2008. You can make an individual donation, or consider reaching out to your faith community, co-workers or social club. People like to help, and an aid drive is a great way to grow the movement. Several local people have been to Cuba and would be happy to speak to interested groups.

Donations must be NEW or IN EXCELLENT CONDITION and are due by July 4th (so we have time to properly pack and label the boxes). You can either call Joel (218-340-4356) to arrange a pick up or leave donations at Peace Church (1111 N 11th Ave E, Duluth) or the Duluth Labor Temple (2002 London Rd, avenue entrance). Below is a list of some of the items the caravan needs (a longer list can be found here).

We're also looking for financial contributions to cover shipping costs (about $20 per computer-size box -- NAWC has fronted $200 so far) Make checks out to NAWC with "Cuba" in the memo and mail them to:

Northland Anti-War Coalition
PO Box 16853
Duluth, MN 55816

If everyone pitches in a little, we can make a meaningful gift to the people of Cuba and send a strong message to our members of Congress that it's time to make peace with our neighbor.

We're particularly looking for the following building supplies:

--PLUMBING: nuts, bolts, washers and all thread, plastic pipe fittings, toilets, sinks, faucets, PVC plastic fittings, copper fittings and valves, drains and stoppers, pipes, shower fixtures
--CARPENTRY: nails, hammers, screws, drills, flashing, wall anchors, saws and saw blades, banding tools, door hanging tools, ladders, jacks, plaster, sandpaper
--ELECTRICAL: any electrical wiring, fasteners, electrical boxes and covers, electrician tools, solar panels, energy efficient lighting and bulbs, extension cords and adapters, generators, electric line testers, electrical tape, solar panels and equipment
--MASONRY: grouts, sealants, horizontal reinforcing, masonry admixtures, masonry hand tools (floats, trowels), chisels (wood and masonry)
--PAINTING: brushes, rollers, lead-free paint, brush extenders, paint plates
--PROTECTIVE GEAR: dust masks, work gloves, protective eyeglasses

Who gets the donations?
A non-governmental Ecumenical Distribution Committee made up of Cuban religious leaders will receive and distribute the aid to a variety of Cuban organizations and institutions serving the Cuban people on the basis of need.

Is delivery guaranteed?
No. The US government strictly prohibits trade, travel and donations to Cuba. There is always a chance that US authorities will confiscate the aid before it reaches Cuba. But they seem to realize that Pastors for Peace is on the right side of history, because almost all of the aid from 20 previous caravans has made it through to Cuba!
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Protest Israeli attack on aid convoy

At least 10 international activists were killed and dozens injured yesterday by Israeli commandos who violently intercepted an aid convoy to Gaza in international waters. The Israeli government has detained nearly 700 members of the convoy and cut them off from all outside communication. Both the BBC and al-Jazeera are running live blogs with what little information is getting through.

The attack has been met with outrage from governments and civil society around the world, but at the time of writing, the US White House has only mustered "regrets" for the "tragic loss of life."

TAKE ACTION!

Emergency Protest Against
Israeli Attack on Gaza Freedom Convoy
Tuesday, June 1 -- 5pm
Duluth Federal Building
Called by Twin Ports Break the Bonds and NAWC

Call the White House and your members of Congress!

The US is Israel's best ally and donor, and the greatest obstacle to international efforts to hold Israel to account for its violations of international law. Please call the White House and your members of Congress. Tell them that you are outraged by Israel's unprovoked and illegal attack, and ask them to work for:

1. the unconditional release of Free Gaza participants;
2. an immediate end to the devastating Israeli economic blockade of Gaza, which has created a humanitarian crisis affecting 1.5 million people;
3. a halt to all US military cooperation with and aid to Israel.

WHITE HOUSE
202-456-1111

STATE DEPARTMENT
202-647-4000

MINNESOTA
Representative James Oberstar (CD8)
218-727-7474

Senator Al Franken
218-722-2390

Senator Amy Klobuchar
202-224-3244

WISCONSIN
Representative Dave Obey (CD7)
715-398-4426

Senator Herb Kohl
202-224-5653

Senator Russ Feingold
202-224-5323

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Send off for Witness for Peace -- June 6

Delegates from Witness for Peace -- Upper Midwest will soon travel to Nicaragua on a mission of people-to-people diplomacy and fact-finding. In addition to investigating the effects of US and international economic policies on the Nicaraguan people, the delegation will look into the possibilities and practice of sustainable development and fair trade.

Please come and show your support for Witness for Peace! Proceeds will benefit the WfP scholarship fund, enabling more people to take part in this and future WfP delegations.

Celebration Send Off for Witness for Peace!
Sunday, June 6 -- 5:30 to8:30 pm
Peace Church Fellowship Hall
1111 N 11th Ave E, Duluth

--Beans and Rice Dinner--
--Nicaragua Slide Show--
--Music by the Biochemical Characters--
--Multicultural Silent Auction--

Suggested donation: $10/adult, $5/student. $20/family

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Letter from Kurdistan

by Michele Naar-Obed

(photo: Village destroyed by bombing in Pshdar district, courtesy CPT)

May 21, 2010

Dear friends,

It seems like it's been frantic around here for weeks now. So frantic that I completely mixed up my days and missed my plane. So a few updates:

We've had a spate of kidnappings and killings in the two main cities of Suleimaniya and Erbil in the KRG. One of them, the kidnapping and murder of Sardasht Osman the young Kurdish journalist, made international news. Right around the time of Sardasht's kidnapping, the young son of a Sheik was kidnapped, injured and died on route to the hospital in Suleimaniya. 3 days ago, TNT was found under 4 bridges in a subdistrict of Halubja. The explosives were defused without problem. And finally, the local security officers discovered a terrorist ring inside Suleimaniya who may be responsible for some of these incidents. More investigations are underway and some of the members of the alleged terrorist ring are still at large. As for Sardasht's murder, accusations are still being hurled at certain political party members, but investigations are still pending.

With the current power vacuum throughout Iraq, and with no central government formation, there are stories of various groups intent on taking advantage of the situation to create confusion and chaos. Some of those elements have made very public and hateful statements against the Kurds. Others have gone as far to say that it's too bad that Saddam didn't finish the job of wiping the Kurds out.

Up on the northeastern border in the foothills of the Qandil Mountains, Iran has been heavily shelling the villages inside Iraq's border. The pretext is that Iran is after PJAK, the armed Iranian Kurdish liberation group which is related to the PKK. The Iranian regime recently executed 5 political prisoners, 4 of which were Kurdish and there have been nonviolent demonstrations, sit-ins and strikes by the Iranian Kurds close to the border with Iraq.

The villages inside Iraq that sustained the most damage and destruction during this recent round of shelling are the 9 villages that CPT has been working with to develop a new collective village in a safer area. We had hoped to get the village started before there were any further injuries or deaths, but we failed on that count. One woman was injured by a rocket in the village of Maradu. Family members wrapped her in a blanket and carried her over very rough terrain in the midst of the shelling until they got her close enough to an area where she could be evacuated by ambulance to a hospital in Suleimaniya. She is still awaiting surgery.

During the worst of the shelling which went on continuously for about 4 days, the villagers stayed underground in dugouts. Some of the children from the villages took their final exams under these deadly conditions. Meanwhile, many animals were killed and injured, and much of the new spring planting was destroyed. During lulls in the attacks, the families began to flee with their remaining animals to an old tent camp along the river still in the restricted area but in a safer zone for now. Rumor has it that the shelling will continue over these next days and they are afraid that even this tent camp will be hit.

Yesterday, CPT went to visit them at the camp. All they had to offer was a glass of water from the river. One emergency aid organization came to visit them 2 days ago, wrote down their names and their emergency needs and they haven't heard any more from them yet. We saw about 75 people in all, many of them children and babies. More families are expected to arrive in these next days while others will go back to town to stay with relatives for the time being. Some of the children appeared traumatized but still they greeted us with smiles and handshakes and one of them grabbed my hand to lead me down to the rivers edge for a quick dunk in the river. Another family nabbed a couple of chickens, tied their legs together and offered them to our group as a gift. We graciously thanked them, unbound their legs and returned them to the family. Another time, when things are better, we will all sit down together and share a meal. This I know will happen.

The momentum for building this village hasn't slowed even with this crisis. The Mayors along with a member of their provincial council have formed a team to get the families on the list. In some ways, this process is reminiscent of “Shindler's List”. There are now 2 and possibly 3 choices of land for them on which to build this new village. Habitat for Humanity seems seriously hooked, but the main office in Amman still has to approach the donors for the money to build the houses.

We estimate 150 to 200 houses are needed. The local Habitat staff member says each house will cost about $12.000. They expect that the KRG will contribute 30% of the total construction costs and the Habitat donors will take care of the rest. The calculated cost of 200 houses is $2, 400,000 total. The KRG's contribution would be just over $800,000. This is pocket change when you think that this amount of money could provide safe housing and the basis for a sustainable life for over 1,000 people.

So for now, this is where I leave them. It's up to the villagers, the rest of the CPT team, the local NGOs, local government and most importantly, the guidance of the Spirit to keep this thing moving.

Meanwhile, 3 new villages have been destroyed and now there are another 650 or so people displaced and homeless. Up until this point, their villages have remain untouched by the ongoing attacks by Iran and Turkey. This year, they lost. Maybe next year we will be facilitating the development of yet another village.

Any of you that are so inclined, please pray, meditate, think loving thoughts, visualize or do whatever you feel led to do to keep this little movement alive. We will all be very grateful.

I expect to be home on May 26. I think I finally have my days straight now.

Peace, Michele

Michele Naar-Obed is a member of the Loaves & Fishes Community in Duluth and a volunteer with the Christian Peacemaker Teams. She has served multiple deployments with CPT to Iraq, most recently to the northern Kurdish region to work with communities displaced by Turkish bombing raids.




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May Meeting Notes

May 16, 2010 Northland Anti-War Coalition Meeting Notes

Attendance: Scot, Margie, Ron, Tom, Joel, Steve and Adam

1. Tax Day Protest Report: NAWC's April 15 protest against war spending drew about 120 people. We had a rally at the MN Power Plaza, then marched with our signs through the Tea Party event at Bayfront Park and through Canal Park. It was a very high energy event, and it generated great press coverage. However, we were hoping for more people. About three dozen people also attended out forum that evening at UMD featuring former FBI whistle blower Coleen Rowley.

2. Practicing Justice: Scot reported that CHUM is going to be holding a panel on social justice from a religious perspective on May 20 at 7pm at Duluth's Teatro Zucone.

3. Community & Police: Scot reported that there will be a series of community meetings on the possibility of establishing a community review board over the police in Duluth. The meetings are being organized by the Duluth Task Force for the Improvement of Community Police Accountability. For more info go to www.digiterp.com/DTFICPA.

4. Trainings: There are two activist trainings coming up. One is a 2-day conflict resolution training session that'll take place at the Duluth-Superior Friends Meeting House from June 25-27 (see earlier post). To register, contact Bonnie Ambrosi at 218 728-9942 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              218 728-9942      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              218 728-9942      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              218 728-9942      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or grihastashrami{at}gmail{dot}com. There will also be a Training for Change activist leadership event on the weekend of Oct. 17 led by Celia Kutz. Contact Joel Kilgour at jkilgour{at}riseup{dot}net for more details.

5. Fundraising: NAWC will hold a volleyball tournament/fundraising event this summer. Margie will head up a team to develop a more comprehensive plan and present it at the June NAWC meeting for approval.

6. Campus Outreach: NAWC will strive to put together a fall campus campaign that aims to hold a Young Activist Summit, a series of speaking engagements and that culminates in a campus protest. We will apply for grant money to see if we can provide scholarships to some local student activists to work on the project. Joel & Margie will head up a committee to work on this.

-Meeting Chair & Note Taker: Adam

-Next Meeting: Sunday, June 13 at 2pm at the Duluth Unitarian-Universalist Church at 835 College Street.

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Conflict Resolution workshop June 25-27

Founded in 1975 as a collaboration between inmates at a maximum security prison in New York and members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) sought to reduce the level of violence in prison by teaching Gandhian techniques for non-violent conflict resolution. The original project was wildly successful and quickly spread to other prisons, community groups, schools and war zones. AVP International describes its purpose today as "enabling participants to deal with potentially violent situations in new and creative ways."

This summer, the Duluth-Superior Friends Meeting is sponsoring a Basic Community Workshop in Conflict Resolution facilitated by the Friends for a Non-Violent World. The 21-hour hands-on workshop focuses on "new skills to cope with violence, our own and others’, and build and deepen community. AVP workshops emphasize developing peace-building tools for use in homes, the workplace, and the broader community."

The workshop runs from Friday June 25 through Sunday June 27th at the Friends Meeting House (1802 E 1st St, Duluth). Pre-registration is required. For more information, visit the FNVW website (click on events) or contact Bonnie Ambrosi at 218 728-9942 or grihastashrami{at}gmail{dot}com.

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Fundraiser for Loaves & Fishes May 7/8

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Faces of the Displaced in Colombia

by Witness for Peace--Upper Midwest

A Witness for Peace delegation, "Living with Hope in the Context of Violence," traveled to Colombia in February. We will share what we learned about the impact of the internal conflict on the people. We met with rural people - campesinos, indigenous people and Afro-Colombians - civic leaders and human rights defenders, who told us of their nonviolent resistance to displacement and their efforts to build sustainable communities. They also asked us to be in solidarity with them and to advocate for US economic and military policies that are just and peaceful. Come hear their testimony and join us in actions on their behalf.

1. Sunday, April 25th, 9:30 - 10:30 am, Adult Forum, Peace Church (1111 N 11th Ave E)
2. Thursday, April 29th, noon - 1 pm, UMD, Kirby Student Center, #268.

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Minnesota Peace Project CD8 organizing meeting

Would you like to influence US foreign policy for the better? Are you ready to see your member of Congress listen to the anti-war majority for a change?

The Minnesota Peace Project (MPP) is a statewide network of citizen activists in every Congressional District who are trying to influence US policy through our Congressional Representatives. In its short life, the MPP has had remarkable success at building relationships with the Minnesota delegation to Congress. Among other victories, the MPP has convinced both Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken to co-author a bill to ban cluster munitions -- a ban that is opposed by the Obama Administration.

MPP will be holding a District 8 organizing meeting in Duluth on Wednesday, April 28 from 6-8pm in the basement meeting room of the Chester Creek Cafe. MPP co-organizer Mary Hinz will be on hand to speak about the project and its history, and then we will discuss ways to organize an MPP team here in Representative Oberstar's district. The meeting is open to anyone who wants to learn more about the MPP or is interested in volunteering with peace lobbying efforts in District 8.


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Report on the Tax Day Anti-War Protest

by Adam Ritscher

"Bring our war dollars home!" was the message of more than 120 people who participated in the Northland Anti-War Coalition's April 15 Tax Day protest. The event was held to highlight the fact that hundreds of billions of dollars of our tax dollars are being wasted every year on the unjust wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. At the same time this is going on federal, state and local governments are being forced to cut social programs due to budget shortfalls. The NAWC protest called for our tax dollars to be spent on human needs, rather than war.

The protesters who attended represented a broad swath of people - young and old, Black and white, white collar and blue collar workers. And in addition to the Northland Anti-War Coalition, a number of other local groups endorsed the protest and participated in it, including the Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body.

The event began at 4:30pm with a rally at the MN Power Plaza. There were three powerful speakers at the rally - former Wisconsin State Assemblyman Frank Boyle, community activist Brandon Clokey, and FBI whistle blower Coleen Rowley. Singer and song writer Rachael Kilgour shared several songs, and student activists Margaret Nelson and Steve Wick were the co-chairs.


After the rally, the protesters set off on a long march through downtown over to the Bayfront Park - where a Tea Party rally was being held at the same time. Protesters held a 50 foot banner that illustrated the portion of tax dollars that goes to the military, and handed out fliers to the folks attending the Tea Party event. From the Bayfront Park the march continued on through Canal Park, and then back to the MN Power Plaza.

Other coverage of the rally:

• Dueling Duluth rallies target taxes -- Duluth News-Tribune
• Anti-war rally protests war spending on tax day -- Fox21
• War Protesters: Bring the money home! -- DNT and MichaelMoore.com
• Report on the Tax Day Anti-War Protest -- Perfect Duluth Day
• A common call from a divided nation: we can't afford war -- DNT

Also, following the protest, at 7:30pm, Coleen Rowley gave a presentation up at the University of MN-Duluth about her role as a whistle blower in the FBI who spoke out against torture and the invasion of Iraq. Thirty five people attended this event.

This Tax Day protest was the culmination of a Spring campaign by the Northland Anti-War Coalition to speak out against military spending. Each Wednesday at noon, for the past several weeks, vigils were held in front Congressman Oberstar and Senator Franken's offices, and activists delivered letters and petitions from local activists and organizations on the issue.

Thanks to everyone who participated in these events for helping to keep the issue of the war front and center. Special thanks to all of our speakers, co-chairs and to Rachael. Also, special thanks to Josie Johnson for leading the chants during the march, to Bob Kosuth for leading the collection, to Mike Solon for the sound system, and to Joel Kilgour and Adeline Wright for making the 50 foot banner (and for the 101 other things that Joel did for the protest!). We have a lot of wondering people in this area who have done a lot to keep the local anti-war movement alive and kicking! But the struggle continues, so I hope to see you all at the next NAWC planning meeting, which will be on Sunday, May 9 at 2pm at the Duluth Unitarian-Universalist Congregation. I hope to see you there!
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April NAWC Meeting Notes

Attendance: Steve W., Joel K., Andy A., Ron M., Carl S., Margie N., Scott B., Josie J., Adam R., Bob K., Kathy A., Ellie C.

1. Free Democracy Summit: Carl reported on the Free Democracy Summit, which will be a week long series of events taking place on the last week of April, culminating in a picnic/rally on May 1st at 4:30pm at the Central Hillside Community Center in Duluth. NAWC will have a speaker at this event (Carl) and a table. Email Carl at northlandiguana@gmail.com for more info about the Summit.

2. DFL Convention: Joel reported that the Minnesota Democrats are meeting in Duluth on April 24. To take advantage of this situation there is going to be a healthcare for all rally on April 23 starting at 5:30pm at the MN Power Plaza, and on April 24 there is going to be a noon time press conference calling for a repeal of the Patriot Act. Email Joel at jrkilgour@yahoo.com for more info on these events.

3. March 19 Report: Adam reported that to mark the 7th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq NAWC held three pickets in different neighborhoods of Duluth. The morning picket in West Duluth drew 10 people, the noon time picket by the Coppertop Church drew 10 folks, and the evening picket downtown drew 40. Two TV stations covered our events. We also ran an ad in the Hillsider newspaper before hand.

4. Wednesday Vigils: Joel reported that NAWC has been holding weekly noon time vigils in front of Congressman Oberstar's and Sentator Franken's offices, and delivering letters from local groups and petitions calling on them to vote against the war supplementals. Attendance has been between 6-15 people. The Duluth Central Labor Body has endorsed this project.

5. Tax Day Protest: Joel reported that on Thursday, April 15 NAWC will be holding a protest against war spending starting at 4:30pm at the MN Power Plaza. At the plaza we'll have three speakers - Brandon Clokey, Patrick Doyle and Colleen Rowley. After the speakers we'll be carrying a 50 foot banner down Superior St. to the Bayfront Park, where the Tea Party will be holding a rally. From there we'll march through Canal Park, and then back to the MN Power Plaza. We plan on having drummers, chants, music and leaflets, petitions and collection cans to distribute. The Duluth Central Labor Body has endorsed the protest. That same evening, Colleen Rowley will be giving a presentation titled "Patriotism, Democracy & Common Sense" at 7:30pm at UMD in Room 120 of the Solon Campus Center.

6. Nuclear Disarmament: Kathy reported on the recent news regarding reducing the nation's nuclear weapons stockpiles. She proposed making nuclear weapon abolition a major, ongoing project of NAWC. A committee will be formed to work on this. Contact Kathy at (218) 724-1891 if you are interested.

7. UMD Report: Steve reported that Students for Peace is going to be holding its second annual Young Activist Summit on April 24 in the Garden Room on campus. It will run from 10am to 4pm. The keynote speakers will be from the RNC 8 and will be speaking from 10:30-11:30am. Activist workshops will be held at 10am and at 1:30pm. Students for Peace will also be holding a day long "Expressions of Peace" art exhibit on May 1 from 10am to 4pm at the Lincoln Park facilities of the Duluth Art Institute. Contact Steve for more info about either event at wickx079@d.umn.edu.

8. Strategy/Future Campaigns for NAWC: It was decided to postpone this discussion until a later date.

Announcements:

-The National Assembly is putting together a United National Antiwar Conference in Albany, NY on July 23-24. The website for it is www.nationalpeaceconference.org. NAWC will be sending a delegation. Mark you calendars, and email Adam at wainosunrise@yahoo.com if you are interested in attending.

-The Vagina Monologues will be hosted at UMD in Bohannon 90 on April 16th & 17th at 7pm. $5 for students, $8 for non-students.

-The Duluth City Council will be voting on Monday at 7pm on whether to support a project to get the state of Minnesota to put together a single payer health care system.

-The National Peace Project will be coming to Duluth to recruit local folks to help with their efforts during the last week of April. Email Joel for more info at jrkilgour@yahoo.com

-Jesus Sepulveda, the author of a "transforming" book/essay, The Garden
of Peculiarities, will be at the College of St. Scholastica on April
11-12. Jesus Sepulveda is a Chilean poet, philosopher, and anarchist,
currently a professor at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Email Margie at mnelson4@css.edu for more info.

*meeting notes taken by Adam R.
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Labor says Bring Our War Dollars Home

Knowing that out-of-control military spending bankrupts our communities and kills jobs, delegates to the Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body voted unanimously yesterday to endorse NAWC's tax day march and rally.

DCLB president Dan O'Neill and delegates from across the trades will be marching with us on Thursday. Will you?

BRING OUR WAR DOLLARS HOME
Thursday, April 15, 4:30pm
Gather at the MN Power Plaza
(Lake Ave & Superior St, Duluth)
Featuring FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley; Duluth Fathering Project's Brandon Clokey; singer-songwriter Rachael Kilgour and former WI State Assemblyman Frank Boyle

Join us and help NAWC and the DCLB bring a strong, progressive message to Congress and our neighbors on tax day:

YES to jobs, YES to education, YES to health care, NO to war.

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Franken needs to hear from you!

Yesterday, 50 "Minnesotans for Peace" visited the St Paul offices of Senator Al Franken to ask him to vote NO on the new war supplemental. Franken's staff were courteous, and Franken himself called to speak with the activists. But his answer was disheartening: he supports the escalation of war in Afghanistan and Pakistan and plans to vote YES on the supplemental.

In the end, 6 people were arrested for peacefully refusing to leave his office, including Vicki Andrews of Grand Rapids.



"The common people," reflects Coleen Rowley after the meeting, "seem to be the only ones who remember Vietnam and know the awful truth of being in an 'unwinnable' quagmire."

But we don't have to give up. With a little people power, we can get our representatives on the right track and defeat this war bill. In the coming week, please take a moment to call the offices of your representative and senators. Be polite, and ask the person answering the phone to send a message to their boss to vote NO on the $33 billion war supplemental. Remind them:

--- $708 billion of our tax dollars are already going to the Pentagon in 2011. This is more than enough to keep our nation safe;

--- On the campaign trail, Obama pledged to end the practice of "back-door" war funding. After Congress passed his 2009 back-door war funding package, Obama swore it would be his last. Congress should hold him to it;

--- Our communities and families are suffering the effects of budget cuts and joblessness. We need this money at home, not buried in endless wars.

MINNESOTA
Representative James Oberstar (CD8)
(218) 727-7474

Senator Al Franken
(218) 722-2390

Senator Amy Klobuchar
202-224-3244

WISCONSIN
Representative Dave Obey (CD7)
(715) 398-4426

Senator Herb Kohl
202-224-5653

Senator Russ Feingold
202-224-5323

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TIME Person of the Year headlines tax day rally

NAWC is honored to host FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley as the keynote speaker for our April 15 rally in Duluth.

Coleen Rowley worked with the FBI for more than two decades, assuming the position of Chief Division Counsel for the Minneapolis Division in 1990. In 2002, she blew the whistle on pre-9/11 intelligence lapses, sparking a 2-year Department of Justice investigation of the agency and propelling Rowley to the cover of TIME magazine. You might also remember her as the agent who rankled the Bush Administration in 2003 by repeatedly warning of the dangers of invading Iraq.

Rowley retired from the FBI in 2004, but continues to speak out for transparent and ethical government. On April 15, you'll have two chances to hear her in Duluth. She'll be the keynote speaker at our Bring our War Dollars Home rally, starting at 4:30 pm at the Minnesota Power Plaza in downtown Duluth. Later that evening, she'll give a more in-depth talk on Patriotism, Democracy, and Common Sense: Restoring America's Promise at Home and Abroad at 7:30 pm in room 120 of the UMD Solon Campus Center ("the Wedge"). The talk is sponsored by NAWC, UMD Students for Peace and the UMD Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
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April 15 -- mark your calendars

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$33 billion more for war? Don't let it happen!

On or around tax day, Congress will debate yet another "emergency" supplemental appropriation for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. That's $33 billion in back-door funding on top of a record-breaking $708 billion general budget for the Department of Defense in 2011. If you include non-DoD military programs and interest on war debt, US military spending could hit $1.4 trillion next year -- half of the discretionary budget.

The consequences of endless war are all around us: bankrupt local governments, pared down public services, and decaying infrastructure. In the past decade, our national war addiction has cost more than Bush's tax cuts and corporate bailouts COMBINED.

Last year's war supplemental was nearly defeated in Congress -- that is, until the White House pressured Jim Oberstar and other anti-war Democrats to flip their votes. Let's make sure this doesn't happen again. Please contact your representative TODAY. Remind her that a bloated war budget takes money away from public infrastructure, health care, education and job creation. Ask her to go on record opposing any new war supplemental.

MINNESOTA
Representative James Oberstar (CD8)
(218) 727-7474

Senator Al Franken
(218) 722-2390

Senator Amy Klobuchar
202-224-3244

WISCONSIN
Representative Dave Obey (CD7)
(715) 398-4426

Senator Herb Kohl
202-224-5653

Senator Russ Feingold
202-224-5323

After you've made the call, hit the streets! NAWC will be holding weekly "Jobs not War" pickets at the Duluth Federal Building every Wednesday from now until tax day. Join us on March 24, March 31, April 7, or April 14 from noon to 1pm. Or, if you live in Wisconsin, join Peace North at a "Healthcare not Warfare" vigil in front of Congressman Obey's office (1401 Tower Ave, Superior) on April 21, 12 noon to 1pm.

And mark your calendars now for NAWC's Tax Day march and rally. It starts at 4:30pm on Thursday, April 15 at Lake Ave and Superior St in Duluth. The theme is "Bring Our War Dollars Home," and will feature FBI whistle-blower and 2002 Time magazine Person of the Year Coleen Rowley.



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Power to the People -- Report from Kurdistan

By Michele Naar-Obed

Dear friends,

Today is Nowroze, the traditional Kurdish New Year. The new year was brought in with firework displays which I watched from our kitchen window. To the eye, the sky was ablaze with brilliant colors but to the ear, it was reminiscent of bombs and gunshots that I often heard when CPT worked in Baghdad. The night's events left me feeling torn between joy that the Kurds were celebrating the beginning of a new year filled with hope, and sorrow for all the death that has occurred both here in the north as well as in the south of Iraq.

Freed from a tyrant by default in a war waged by the very country that helped create the tyrant, is enough to wreak havoc on everyones psyche. It's hard to know who to thank, who to blame, who to trust or who to be wary of, as the many facets of these realities have such different meanings and consequences to all the different players in this chapter of history.

Iraq is on the cusp of rebuilding and reshaping its future. With the second national election since 2003 behind them by 2 weeks, Iraqi still waits for the final results which may come in these next days. After that, some speculate it may take months before the new government is formed. It's a precarious time because it leaves the country in somewhat of a power vacuum until the new leaders are seated and the new government takes hold. It's a time of threats and deceit and its a time of coalition building and hope.

Here in the Kurdish north, we have seen some of the worst come out of the two main ruling parties, the PUK and the KDP. Yet, at the same time, its difficult to dismiss these ruling parties since it was those very leaders who kept the Kurds from being totally annihilated by the various occupying tyrants throughout the 20th century. Somewhere along the line, the taste of power for some individuals became more appealing than the taste of freedom and dignity for all.

However, an up and coming new political entity, Gorran, otherwise known as the Change List, has gained momentum in the Kurdish north. A call for democracy, transparency, human rights, and collective growth seems to be pulsing through the veins of many of the Kurdish people following the Gorran platform. Will the leaders of this new political entity nurture that vision or will they, like so many other political leaders become drunk with power and blinded by corruption?

Some members of the PUK/KDP ruling parties have lashed out against this fledgling political entity in tyrannical ways. CPT has been working with some of the victims of this backlash, encouraging them to continue their vow to not fight violence with violence. They insist that they will remain strong, not by the gun but by the power of diplomacy, the power of human decency, and by the support of the people of good will throughout the international community. We will be putting out a video on YouTube soon about this situation.

Iraq is a country seeking to shed its roots of tribal governing in order to embrace the way of democracy. They have a ways to go. And I'm not talking about the acts of terrorism that most people, particularly in the US, think is the dominant method of ruling by the Iraqi people. Iraq is not made up of uncivilized people needing to be “trained” by the West. On the contrary, the people of Iraq, both in the north and the south have shown exemplary humanitarian leadership traits that centuries of occupation, war and devastation have been unable to extinguish. It makes me wonder how we in the US would compare if we were to experience even a few decades of what people here have endured.

Even with all that our country has done and continues to do that flies in the face of humanity, many of the people here look to the West for advice and direction for building a democracy but I wonder what they will find or who they will emulate.

On paper the democracy claimed by the US looks good. But those of us who know our history know our problems. We in the US are lucky to have had great people like Howard Zinn who studied and recorded our history from the peoples perspective. After all, isn't that what our Constitution was supposed to be built on; “We the People...”? From this history, we have an opportunity to learn from our mistakes and hold on to what is good about us for surely there is good in our collective society.

Compared to Kurdish society, maybe the ordinary people in the US feel more empowered to change the course of government when it goes haywire. We see that in our grassroots organizations filled with committed activists who have faced government persecution and loss of a safe and comfortable place in society. Even though we've lived under tyrants, albeit tyrants masked behind a “kinder, gentler” persona, we have taken to the streets or to the jail cells denouncing crimes against humanity whether it be the crime of war or the crime of poverty perpetrated on people by government.

If we can't change it's course, maybe we are more able to separate from government and build our own little communities. Although we have never been able to fully separate from a government that's gone crazy with power, greed and corruption, some of our communities are becoming more adept at providing for each other for the common good as opposed to the good of the individual.

This is the kind of democracy that I hope for the people of Iraq both in the north and the south. Before I can pass that on to another, I need to be damn sure that I practice it myself and I need to thank those that continue to teach me including the people here in Iraq.

I expect these thoughts will bring lots of criticism from people who are threatened by the realization that the US might be less than perfect, so feel free to express your thoughts and send them my way if you'd like. After all, we live in a democracy.

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