Support Iraqi protests!

While millions across the world watched live 18 days of dramatic revolution that ousted the US-allied torture-friendly regime of Hosni Mubarak, no one is offered live feed from Iraq of its people’s uprising against an enemy much worse.

And while President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton are being lauded for their supposed support for Egyptian democracy, no one is asking the key question Washington can’t answer: When will members of this US administration and the three previous face trial for crimes against humanity in Iraq?

Despite US hypocrisy, nothing will prevent the collapse of US geostrategic goals in the Arab region. It is not by direct confrontation that this is happening, nor by ideology. The interests of the people are opposed to the model of underdevelopment Washington and allies propose and police.

The year of revolutions

Across the Arab world, 2011 appears set to be remembered as the “year of revolutions”. In Iraq, ravaged by eight years of US occupation, plunder, destruction and death, protests have burst forth in Baghdad, Kut, Basra, Kirkuk, Ramadi, Sulaymaniyah and tens of other locations. As usual, the people face live fire.

We declare our solidarity with the people of Iraq in protest. We declare our solidarity with the martyrs of the Egyptian and Tunisian revolutions, and all martyrs of Arab uprisings. We put Washington on notice that it is your policies that are being defeated, and it is your alliances that are falling apart.

The region is witness to a rolling tide of Arab renaissance, led by the aspirations of the Arab youth. No injustice will be spared criticism. No lie will remain unexposed.

Support Iraqi protests!

Stand in support of the Iraqi people in their struggle against state terrorism and repression, generalised corruption, a falsified political process and its state apparatus, generalised lack and collapse of public services, poverty and unemployment, systematic abuse of human rights by the government and its militias, illegal contracts, treaties and a constitution imposed under occupation, and foreign plans to destroy Iraqi culture, economy and unity.

Stand in support of the Iraqi people’s struggle for freedom, democracy, dignity, unity and social justice.

Stand in support of the Iraqi people in their uprising, and in solidarity with all Arabs at this dawn of a new era!

The game is over! We demand that Maliki’s government leave without shedding the blood of innocent Iraqis on 25 February, Iraq’s “Day of Peaceful Anger”.

We demand that other states withdraw support from Maliki and not provide cover for a government bloodbath.

We are certain the people of Iraq will achieve victory, like their Tunisian and Egyptian brothers and sisters.



Dr Ian Douglas, member of the BRussells Tribunal Executive Committee and coordinator of the International Initiative to Prosecute US genocide in Iraq – UK/Egypt

Abdul Ilah Albayaty, political analyst and activist, member of the BRussells Tribunal Executive Committee and the International Initiative to Prosecute US genocide in Iraq – France/Iraq

Hana Al Bayaty, political analyst and activist, member of the BRussells Tribunal Executive Committee and the International Initiative to Prosecute US genocide in Iraq, – France/Iraq

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, President Perdana Global Peace Foundation – Malaysia

Denis Halliday, former UN Assistant Secretary General & United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq 1997-98 – Ireland

Prof Dr Lieven De Cauter, philosopher, K.U. Leuven / Rits, initiator of the BRussells Tribunal – Belgium

Dr Curtis F J Doebbler, international human rights lawyer – USA/Palestine

Felicity Arbuthnot, journalist – UK 

Paola Manduca, professor of genetics DIBIO, University of Genoa – Italy

Lamis Andoni, journalist – Palestine

Serene Assir, writer/journalist – Lebanon/Spain

Dirk Adriaensens, member of the BRussells Tribunal Executive Committee, coordinator SOS Iraq – Belgium

Matthias Chang, law specialist, Perdana Global Peace Foundation and the Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War – Malaysia

Cynthia McKinney, Green Party US Presidential Candidate – USA

Dr Zulaiha Ismail, Perdana Global Peace Foundation – Malaysia

Sigyn Meder, member of the Iraqi Solidarity Association in Stockholm – Sweden

Mike Powers, member of the Iraqi Solidarity Association in Stockholm – Sweden

Perdana Global Peace Foundation

Ad-Hoc Committee for Justice for Iraq

 

Take action!

1. Endorse this statement by writing here (hanaalbayaty@gmail.com).

2. There is a virtual blackout on the uprising in Iraq in the Western media. Take initiative and demand that news outlets put Iraq back on the agenda where you are.

3. For updated information on the uprising in Iraq follow here (Arabic) and here (English).