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Canadian Peace Alliance
Sets March 17 Actions
by John Riddell
OTTAWA—Forty-three delegates and about 50 observers at
the Canadian Peace Alliance’s Nov. 10-12 congress in this city set March 17,
2007, as the date of a pan-Canadian action against the occupation of Iraq
and Afghanistan.
Delegates also adopted a far-reaching
resolution on Palestine calling for Israel’s prosecution for war crimes
against civilians, dismantlement of Israel’s “security” wall, withdrawal of
West Bank settlements, and an end to other discriminatory measures against
Palestinians.
Delegates agreed to support UN resolutions
194 and 242, which call for the right of Palestinian refugees to return to
their homeland. After a lively and cordial discussion, delegates voted 21
to 16 to include in the resolution explicit support of the Palestinians’
right of return. Member organizations were urged to attend the fifth Cairo
conference against U.S. aggression, to be held March 25-27, 2007.
Among other convention decisions:
• Canada should withdraw all police and military
personnel from Haiti and convene a parliamentary inquiry into this
country’s involvement in the 2004 coup against Haiti’s democratic
government.
• The B.C. government should halt uranium
exploration and mining in the province.
• The CPA opposes and will mobilize against
any attack or sanctions against Iran.
• The CPA supports full equality and
self-determination for aboriginal nations in Canada, including a speedy and
just resolution of land claims.
Delegates decided not to modify the CPA’s
2004 resolution on Darfur, which supports humanitarian aid but opposes
military intervention in Sudan.
A set of proposed amendments to the CPA’s
bylaws was referred to the incoming steering committee for consideration,
circulation to member organizations for comments and decision. Delegates
decided not to alter the bylaw excluding political parties from membership
in the CPA, while reaffirming that individuals from all political organizations
are welcome in the Alliance.
Perhaps the most memorable of the three
outstanding panel sessions heard moving and compelling presentations by
Canadian war resister Francisco Juarez; Andria Hill-Lehr, mother of a
Canadian soldier; Chris Teske, a U.S. war resister who arrived in Canada
after two deployments to Afghanistan; and his wife Stephanie, an outspoken
opponent of this war. The presentations are being posted to YouTube and are
well worth watching.
Caucus discussions were held on a wide variety
of topics, including student/counter-recruitment, labour, faith
communities, and independent media. The Haiti caucus was, in fact, a
broadly representative national gathering of the Canada Haiti Action
Network.
The convention also included antiwar choral
music by Ottawa’s Just Voices and a peace concert featuring Faith in 11 and
Mohammed Ali. Delegates took a break Saturday at 1 p.m. to participate in
“Close Guantanamo North” at Ottawa’s Human Rights Monument, a protest
against detentions and secret trials.
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