ARGENTINA

(translation) Dear compañeros, In Buenos Aires we marched march against the war and for the imperialists to withdraw from Iraq. The demonstration brought together more than 10,000 people. The participation of people independent of organizations added to the columns of the groups who had joined "Autoconvocados against the war” in which they participate in addition different Arab colectivities. We believe it was an important manifestation next to the “obelisque”, symbol of the city. The slogans that represent a consensus document were read during the meeting. They were: Imperialism, out of Iraq! Active Solidarity with the resistance of the Iraqi people! For the right to the self-determination of Iraq! Reject the presence of the genocidist Bush in Mar del Plata in November 2005! Immediate withdrawal of Argentine troops from Haiti! Not to the Irsraeli apartheid wall, no to the occupation of Palestine!

In addition I communicate that immediately we have another mobilization felt deeply in Argentina, on the 24 of March, to repudiate the military coup and genocide of 1976. And from this moment we are going to initiate the campaign against the visit of Bush in November in Mar del Plata. A strong hug,

Fabian

BRAZIL

São Paulo ´- Brasil

about 3000 people in the streets saying imperialist troops out of Iraque and support to Iraqui resistence.

dirceu travesso

didi

 CHILE

Some three thousand people they march in Santiago against the war in Iraq

 More than three thousand Chileans marched on March 19 demanding the end of the war in Iraq. They marched past the embassy of the United States in Santiago, with no incidents recorded.

Called out by the Chilean Social Forum, the march had the goal of protesting against the American military invasion of Iraq, that in two years already has caused around one hundred thousand deaths, a majority civilian Iraqis, but also 1,500 losses of American soldiers.

In the demonstration diverse organizations like ATTAC, Teachers College, the Central Union of Workers (CUT), Urrucas de Emaus, Prodemu, Serpaj, the Diego Ecumenical Center of Medellín and diverse social, ecological and political organizations like the Communist Party and the Humanist Party.

[FROM LE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUE]

MEXICO

Demonstration in the capital demands the withdrawal of United States troops

[from a report by GEORGINA SALDIERNA/translated JC]

To demand U.S. troop leave Iraq, dozens of people marched yesterday del the Chamber to Juárez to the embassy the United States, where they emphasized that around 90 Mexicans have died during the military occupation.

To two years del the beginning del the armed attack against the Iraqia people, activists of social organizations - like the Mexican Initiative against the War, Coordination for Support to the Palestinian People, Movement of Solidarity with Cuba and Revolutionary Popular Front added themselves to the world-wide demonstrations against the war Saturday.

They especially made an appeal to Mexicans living in the United States, to organize and they show their opposition to the military occupation of Iraq.

In the vanguard they showed two enormous effigies that represented Condoleezza Rice and Bush, as well as a hat del is the flag the neighboring country.

Anarchists and lesbians joined the rally of young people outside the U.S. embassy. They had marched to show their opposition to homophobia promoted by extreme rightwing groups.

PUERTO RICO

We received a photograph of a demonstration in Vieques, PR, organized by the Socialist Front (Frente Socialista).

AUSTRALIA

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/620/620p3.htm for a full report from the Australia demonstrations.

BANGLADESH

Photograph sent in by the organizers of a demonstration in Bangladesh.

 INDIA

ALL INDIA ANTI-IMPERIALIST FORUM WEST BENGAL STATE COMMITTEE 19 March 2005 PRESS RELEASE For Publication & Circulation Rally on 19 March 2005 in Protest of US Role in Iraq

Rising to respond to the call of International Action Center, New York, to organize protest march and rallies on March 19, 2005 this year, all over the world, against US-led imperialist occupation of Iraq, and demand pullout imperialist troops from that land, the West Bengal State Committee of the AIAIF, in compliance with the decision of All India Anti-imperialist Forum (AIAIF), held a protest rally in front of the American Centre on J. L. Nehru Road, Kolkata. Men of renown, including Prof. Tarun Sanyal, noted educationist and poet, addressed the rally to expose the US-led imperialist design in Iraq and the danger it poses for people of West, South and Southeast Asia, in particular of India. They highlighted that belying all expectations of the Bush - Blair nexus to conquer the land and people of Iraq with its huge oil reserves and critical geo-political position in West Asia, the freedom struggle of the patriotic people of Iraq is gaining momentum everyday. ... The protesters burnt an effigy of the US President George Bush as a mark of Indian people’s contempt and condemnation of the US-led imperialist machination.

Earlier, a huge and well-organized procession was taken out from Rajah Subodh Mullick Square, noted intellectuals heading it, the marches raising slogans decrying US aggression and occupation of Iraq, passers- by lining up street sides to witness the march. A large contingent of police force stopped the marchers ahead of American Centre. Marchers thereafter rallied for demonstration.

The following day, March 20, a unified demonstration of all the left parties in West Bengal set up a six-mile-long human chain to protest the occupation of Iraq.

IRAN

From: Tudeh Party of Iran, Saturday, March 19, 2005

http://www.tudehpartyiran.org , mailto:mardom@tudehpartyiran.org

Dear comrades Please find attached, for your information and further publication, the text of the statement: "We reject any foreign and military intervention in Iran!" which has been supported by 62 left, communist and workers' parties from across the globe.

The Tudeh Party of Iran declares its support for the International Day of Protest action against U.S. war policies, which is taking place today, 19th March. Tudeh Party of Iran's supporters in every country of the world join this magnificant display of the popular desire for peace and democracy. We salute all those demonstrating today; calling for peace and rejecting war! In solidarity International Department Tudeh Party of Iran

JAPAN

Dear friends!

On March 20, protesting the second anniversary of the opening of the war on Iraq, the executive committee (20 labor unions of transport workers of land, sea, air, and long-shore, etc) staged a rally in Hibiya Outdoor Large Music Hall in solidarity with workers all over the world. 6,000 workers gathered in this rally and they determined to struggle against mobilization of workers into war and the revision of Japanese Constitution. An Iraqi speaker reported cases of massacres, suffering of Depleted Uranium etc., by US armies under occupation of US. After the rally, participants demonstrated downtown in Ginza. They asked for withdrawing troops of U.S. and Self Defense Forces of Japan .

In solidarity, On Mar. 20, 2005, Anti-War Joint Action Committee Secretary Kikuchi Takao

 KOREA (SOUTH) Dear comrades, The March 20th demonstration was a great success in Korea. Over 5,000 people gathered in Seoul to demand the end of the occupation and the withdrawal of korean troops from Iraq. The mood was lively throughout the whole day. We have marched through downtown towards the US embassy and the korean presidential house. There were demonstrations in other cities as well, including Busan, Daejun, Daegu, and Chonan. Attached are pictures from the demonstration. Best wishes, Korean Action Against Sending Troops to Iraq(Pabyeong Bandae Kukmin Hangdong)

CANADA Here is the report from Toronto, also note the now traditional labour peace breakfast at the steelworkers hall attracted over 200 from various unions including a busload of steelworkers form hamilton (who are engaged in a major fight to keep their pensions). Workers heard from various union leaders and activists as well as from a young US war resister- who received several standing ovations.

Ritch

We had about 4000 - 5000 in Toronto for the rally today. Good energy and great chants and music. About a dozen people in Sarnia marched and handed out information to people passing by on a major road downtown. If there are any other reports for the actions in Canada can you please send them in to the CPA at cpa@web.ca

Peace Sid Lacombe Campaign Coordinator Canadian Peace Alliance 416-588- 5555 cpa@web.ca http://www.acp-cpa.ca

USA Demonstrations in over 700 cities and towns, including major protests in Harlem in New York City, in Fayetteville, NC, in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Chicago.

SPAIN

Demonstrations in Spain, Barcelona and other cities. Photographs on the web site for CEOSI, http://www.nodo50.org/iraq/[Someone

AUSTRIA

March, 19th in Austria: Demonstration against war and neoliberalism: 2 500 demand referendum on European Constitution

by Leo Gabriel and Alois Reisenpichler In spite of the chilly and rainy weather more than 2 500 people from all over Austria, mainly Vienna, Styria und Salzburg, marched on Saturday afternoon from the Westbahnhof to Stephansplatz, Vienna´s central place in front of the [St. Stephen's] cathedral. The colorful gathering of many networks integrated in the Austrian Social Forum (ASF) was also supported by dissident fractions of the two main opposition Parties, the Socialdemocrats (SPÖ) and the (Viennese) Greens. Only the Confederation of Austrian trade-unions (ÖGB) opted for sending a high ranking delegation to the demonstration in Brussels, but did not participate in the parallel event in Vienna.

Especially due to the presence of muslim Organisations of Palestinians, Chechens and Turks the different ongoing wars were highlighted as a result of the worldwide domination of neoliberalism. Ayse Topal, an 18 years old student from the Islamic Federation in Vienna disqualified the so called “democratization processes” in Iraq, Palestine and Chechnia by saying: “The politics of occupation is a politics of violence. We call for a reverse: stop the hegemonic interests!” <>

At the end, when a Che Guevara song was intonized by a Latin American group at the rhythm of the bells of Saint Stephans cathedral Boris Lechthaler from the Friedenswerkstatt, one of the promoters of a petition for a referendum on the European constitution, summed it all up: “With this constition we would bury forever the status of neutrality which the Austrian people have cherished throughout the last 50 years. That´s why we have to oppose it as much as the people of France and other parts of the European Union!”

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (2 reports)

There were some 100.000 demonstrators in Brussels, from all over Europe. The trade-unions were very strong. It was a great experience.

About an hour ago I returned home from the demonstration in Brussels. There were quiet a lot of people out there, but!!!. The demonstration wasn't exclusively against the war in Iraq.

Actually, it was a composition of three demonstrations. One of youth demanding jobs, equal chances and free education, a second one of the European unions for better jobs and against the Bolkestein directive, and a third one of the European Social Forum against the war in Iraq and for a social, solidary and peaceful Europe.

Estimates range up from 50.000 to 100.000 demonstrators, but I'm afraid the majority of them wasn't there because of the war against the Iraqi people. If you want to get more information on the Brussels demonstration, I recommend to check www.indymedia.be and www.stopusa.be in the coming days. If I find a good report on the Iraq part of the demonstration, I can forward it to you.

 [Reports from Dirk Andriaensens and Inge Van de Merlen]

CYPRUS Dear Comrades,

More than 300 people of all ages, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, who crossed the border from the northern side of Nicosia, and members of the Syrian and Palestinian community in Cyprus, gathered on Saturday morning 19M at the capital's central square in Nicosia to march on the American Embassy. The combative demonstrators when they arrived outside the fortress-like building ringed with barbed wire, despite the presence of riot police, chanted in Greek and in Turkish "Butcher Bush out of Bagdad," "Gaza-Najaf-Damascus-Fallujah-Vietnam." "Viva-Viva-Viva Palestina," "British bases out of Cyprus" and slogans against all facilities granted to U.S. by the Cyprus Government. Outside the U.S. Embassy we held a music event and Turkish Cypriot activists presented an imaginative anti-war street theatre.

Solidarity messages were sent from the Stop the War Coalition in Britain and Greece and from The Global Peace and Justice Coalition in Turkey.

The anti-war demo, given the size of the island's population and the fact that most mainstream political parties were absent, except for the Communist Party-led Cyprus Peace Council, had a good media coverage. The Stop the War Alliance-Cyprus, an umbrella organisation of Greek and Turkish Cypriot groups/parties, organised the demo in response to the call made for an international day of action on March 19.

Phaedon Vassiliades - Stop the War Alliance - Cyprus

For photos soon to be uploaded, visit: www.workersdemocracy.net

CZECH REPUBLIC

Dear Comrades and Friends, Many warmest militant greetings from the Czech Republic. We would like to inform you about our activites on the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of war on Iraq. Our organization - Communist Youth Union (KSM) - is active part of antiwar movement in our country. This year we mobilized for one united strong national demonstration against war and occupation of Iraq, which took place on March 20 in Prague. This demonstration meant a big success for our organization. KSM showed, that is the largest and most active part of Czech antiwar movement. Red contingent, which was led by KSM and criticised the war from militant anti-imperialistic position, was the biggest part of demonstration. Antiimperialist greetings

Milan Krajca, Ist Vicechairman of KSM

GREECE

In Athens we have had two demonstrations 18 and 19 of March, both marched up to USA empassy in Athens.4500 and 3000 people participated correspondingly in these parades with anti-imperialist slogans, such as, "The imperialists are the terrorists now the people", "people united never defeated", "USA ,EU and NATO war syndicate". Smaller demonstrators were in Salonika and other cities.

Stratis

GERMANY

In Heidelberg 50 people joined the demonstration, so we decided to hold the action in the center of the city rather that at the military headquarters of the U.S. Forces. The information table had many visitors and we were able to distribute lots of informational material to interested passers-by. To focus the protest and discussion, our call was that Heidelberg no longer be the “base for terror, war crimes and torture” (http://www.antikriegsforum-heidelberg.de/irakkrieg2/hd_nicht_terrorbasis.html )

Toward evening there was a vigil of young people directly before the U.S. Military headquarters. All the best, Joachim [A larger demonstration, in the hundreds, was held in Duisburg; many protesters went instead to Brussels with the trade unions, and also on the following Easter weekend were held traditional peace demonstrations. On March 12 a conference of 200 was held in Berlin giving the opportunity for representatives of the Iraqi civilian and military resistance fighting to drive out the occupation troops a chance to explain their position to the German public. ..]

ITALY:

From John Gilbert in Florence

Tens of thousands of demonstrators, up to 100,000 according to organizers, marched in Rome on Saturday 19 March calling for an end to the war and occupation of Iraq, immediate withdrawal of Italian and other occupying troops, recognition of the legitimacy of Iraqi resistance against occupation, and U.S. and NATO military bases out of Italy. A contingent of more than 75 U.S. citizens, mostly from Rome and Florence, marched with some 50 hand-held signs and three banners condemning Bush's war in Iraq, and was applauded by the crowd, including many tourists, along the route of the march. There was tension with the police at the end of the march when demonstrators attempted to force police lines to march on Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government offices in Palazzo Chigi. Demonstrations also took place in Milan, Venice, Cagliari (Sardinia), Rimini, Turin, Pisa and other Italian cities. Organizers of the Rome demonstration were pleased with the tens of thousands marching through the Italian capital, also in consideration of the fact that the major trade unions had not been actively involved in the planning as they had been busy the day before organizing the national general strike of public sector workers, including schools and universities, against the Berlusconi government with a major demonstration of 200,000 workers in Rome on Friday and tens of thousands of school and university workers demonstrating in regional demonstrations all across the country. In addition, the major unions had focused their efforts on organizing the European-wide trade union demonstration in Brussels on Saturday where well-over 50,000 unionists and workers' delegations from across Europe marched for workers' rights and against the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

John Gilbert U.S. Citizens Against War (Florence) Paola M's report is basically the same. ITALY-from the organizers (rough translation) An extraordinary manifestation opens a new phase of the movement against the war.

Official notice of the Committee for the withdrawal of the soldiers from . Iraq, adds, that a true, broad, extraordinary and profoundly determined participation characterized the demonstration on March 19 in Rome during the world-wide day against the war.

Tens of thousands of persons (at least 100,000 according to many daily papers and press agencies) finally brought to life in one popular demonstration on one platform adequate to the task: get the troops out of Iraq immediately; sovereignty for Iraq and acknowledgment of the legitimacy of the resistance to the occupation; get the military bases USA and NATO out of our country. These slogans represented the least common denominator of a coalition of forces that have placed in the center the objective of maintaining the mobilization against the war at a high level .. The immediate withdrawal of the troops from the Iraq, the dismantling of the military bases USA and NATO, the acknowledgment of the resistance irachena like legitimate and similar factor of road of the movements that all over the world are fighting in order to put fine to the war, is now an element of common knowledge and clarity within the movement. Committee for the withdrawal of the soldiers from the Iraq viadalliraqora@libero.it

POLAND

A short report from Poland:

Around 2000 people marched in Warsaw on March 19 demanding immediate withdrawal of Polish troops from Iraq and ending of the occupation. The demonstration was organised by the Stop the War Initiative. Slogans heard and seen on the demo: "100 000 dead - stop the slaughter in Iraq", "No more blood for oil", "Money for the nurses not the war", "No democracy without end of occupation", "Syria, Iran... No to Bush's new wars", "George Bush terrorist no 1".

The demonstrators marched to the American Embassy and the Presidential Palace, with anti-war music playing and a street theatre group performing.

Speakers included Iraqis living in Poland, a senator from the Polish Senate and representatives from different political groupings.

Antiwar greetings Ellisiv Rognlien Stop the War Initiative

PORTUGAL

For a better world! Two years after the invasion of Iraq, the date was designated,this end-of-week, in Portugal with the Portuguese Session of World-wide court on Iraq and with manifestationssimultaneous in Lisbon and Porto.Em On March 19 in Lisbon, close to a thousand people gathered in the Camões Square. “Occupation is a crime, Portugal for one politics of peace ", “free Iraq, Bush prisoner ", “murderous Bush” and “U.S.A. are of Iraq”, werephrases that if could read in dísticos and bands. Organizedfor the Portuguese Advice for the Peace and Cooperação (CPPC),Union of the Unions of Lisbon and the CGTP had marked presence inprotest with bands “Against the occupation of Iraq”,militant of the PCP they exhibited cloths where if it read “For sovereignty of the Iraqi people " and members of the JCP showed placards with the phrase “Not to the Portuguese participation in war ". Curiously some organizations had not participated in this day of fight, for the peace. PS and BE, that in previous shares, for the same cause, had marked presence, of this time they had abstained from protesting. A smaller demonstration took place in Oporto. TMI demands legality However, in the scope of the Portuguese Hearing of the Court World-wide of Iraq (TMI

TURKEY

20,000 anti war activists on the street in Istanbul.

With the call of the workers unions of the Turkey anti war activists were on the demonstrations. At 10:00 people started to gather in Istanbul from all over Turkey. People with buses and trains came to Istanbul.

On the platform head of the workers Union and Chambers of Engineers talked about the occupation of Iraq. They called to USA to withdraw the troops.

One of the Iraqi anti war activist spoke on the platform. Gazwan Al Muhtar thanked the Turkish anti war movement for the first March 2003 demonstration. He spoke about the situation of Iraq getting worse each day and asked the all troops to withdraw from Iraq.

Yildiz Onen

DENMARK (2 reports)

 Several thousand took part in the demonstration in Copenhagen, Denmark, starting at the US-embassy and marching past the Parliament, demanding an end to the occupation of Iraq and the immediate withdrawal of the Danish troops.

The demonstration listened to speakers from the two parties in the parliament, who oppose the war. Also the former intelligence officer Frank Greville spoke, who disclosed the lies surrounding the Danish decision to take part in the war, and who has been sentenced to jail for his whistle blowing. On behalf of the PeaceGuard at Christiansborg (the Parliament) - a gorup of activist who have been demonstrating in front of the Parliament every day for 1248 days now (against Danish participation in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq) the peace actívist Ulla Roeder spoke. Ulla Roeder had smashed a British Tornado fighter plane destined for Iraq in the days up to start of the war of aggression.

There were also demonstrations held in six other cities, including Århus and Odense with 2-300 people each..

There is a report from a mainstream Danish newspaper, Politiken, saying "Thousands of Danes on the streets against Iraq war" at: http://politiken.dk/VisArtikel.iasp?PageID=370183 and there is a report (in Danish), with pictures, from a participant at: http://www.stopterrorkrigen.dk/emner/fred_dk/050319_krigsmodstand_2_aar.htm [reports from Klaus Riis and Jorn Andersen]

FINLAND

Global peace and justice coalition

Greetings from Helsinki, we had a marvelous demonstration against war and occupation today. About 800-1000 people took part demo which was mainly young and noisy. Demo has good cover in the news. Two main channels has put anti-war demo one of the main importants news today and also report antiwar demos in London and Athens.

We are updating pics to our webpage soon.

Scotland G8-demo here we come!

[Juhani Lohikoski Stop the war -network (Pysäyttäkää sota -verkosto) http://www.pysayttakaasota.net ]

NORWAY In Norway close to a thousand people demonstrated in the capital Oslo on the 19th of march. We went in the streets calling for an end to US occupation of iraq and for an end to the norwegian participation in George Bush's coalition of the willing. In the front about fifty people had put on black abu ghraib "torture costumes" with hoods. Among the speakers were Salaam Ismail, ex-doctor in fallujah and documentarist from the U.S. bombing of the city. Also representatives from the main trade union (LO) and from two political parties (center party and socialist leftist party) spoke. All the most important tv-medias and several others covered the demonstration and protests elsewhere internationally. the medias tied this protest to the one on the 15th of february two years ago. the fact that protests went on in at least 7 cities/towns is a symbol of the movement against war rising. The organizing alliance, the Peace Initiative, is in itself a symbol of the same fact. The Peace Initiative a quite new grouping of organisations and local activist groups. We are quite pleased that several large trade union associations have joined and others are on their way. also several local activist groups are being set up. [Vegard Velle, the peace initiative]

SWEDEN

Demonstrations took place in around 20 swedish cities. Biggest marches were held in Gothenburg (Göteborg) and Stockholm, with around 1500 persons each. All major media covered the demonstrations and mentioned it was a world-wide action.

[Anders Svensson, Stop the war network, Gothenburg]