Women of the world are uniting to share their loud voice against the war. Eminent women writers, artists, business leaders and social activists are reaching out to women leaders throughout the world to form a global alliance against the US-led war. Their goal is to deliver 100,000 signatures to the White House and US Embassies around the world by March 8, International Women's Day.
"We are unleashing a global chorus of women's voices shouting, 'Enough!" said Medea Benjamin, cofounder of CODEPINK: Women for Peace, a California-based rights advocacy group that has spearheaded the global women's campaign, called "Women Say No to War".
THE MESSAGE: "We, the women of the United States, Iraq, and women worldwide, have had enough of the senseless war in Iraq and cruel attack on civilians worldwide," reads the call. "We have buried too many of our loved ones. We have seen too many lives crippled forever...."
"This is not the world we want for ourselves or for our children," it says. "With fire in our bellies and love in our hearts, we women are rising up -- across borders -- to unite and demand an end to the bloodshed and destruction."
WOMEN OF IRAQ SPEAK TOO!
"Iraqi women are devastated now. It will take us decades of struggle to regain a peaceful and civilised life," said Yanar Mohammed, a signatory to the campaign and president of the Organisation of Women's Freedom in Iraq.
"The U.S. occupation has planted the seeds of ethno-sectarian division, preparing Iraq for a civil war, and has blessed religious supremacy over and against human and women's rights," she added in a statement.
Since the invasion of Iraq by the U.S.-led coalition forces, tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians, including women and children, have lost their lives. Despite criticism from influential human rights groups, such as the Britain-based Amnesty International and U.S.-based Human Rights Watch, the U.S. military continues to shrug off its responsibility to keep a record of civilian casualties, critics note.
However, an independent survey conducted by the British medical journal, the Lancet, last year concluded that the war has claimed at least 100,000 civilian lives in Iraq. Learn more about Civilian Casualties in IRAQ
This is a new year of changing consciousness. There are many signs. CODE PINK is another. We salute your courage to stand up!
"...How many deaths will it take before too many people have died? ---Bob Dylan
Read more about CODE PINK movement...
Add your signature to WOMEN for PEACE
"Coalition" Military Casualties 2423 Total - 2222 US
Civilian Casualties - Iraq Body Count Project
Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
We invite you to visit the Global Dialogue Center
I do believe we need more strong-willed outspoken women in these times when we are ruled by mostly middle-aged white men with no morals or character. A good blog to check out for a women's prospective in Iraq is www.afamilyinbaghdad.blogspot.com/ written by a socialy active mother in Iraq.
Posted by: jmcmaster | February 02, 2006 at 09:17 PM