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Forum - Opinion in the CNJ
 
Please join march for peace

Peace activist Bruce Kent urges everyone to make their voices heard to stop the occupation of Iraq

ON Saturday, the Stop the War Coalition, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the Muslim Association of Britain, will rally once more. This time the march starts at noon on College Green, Westminster, just opposite Parliament, and will wind its way through the West End to Trafalgar Square. There, at about 2pm, Ken Livingstone, Bianca Jagger, Baroness Jenny Tonge, Billy Hayes of the Communication Workers Union, and many others, will take to the platform.
Another Iraq demonstration? This one marks the third anniversary of the beginning of an illegal, immoral and disastrous war, the consequences of which are not over yet. Democratic public opinion made the anti-war voice clearly heard on February 15 2003, when well over a million people marched through London. But Tony Blair, as we now know, had already promised George Bush full military co-operation in advance. Parliament was deceived into believing that we could be under threat of weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes if Saddam Hussein so decided.
Three years later, with over 1,000 US soldiers, over 100 UK soldiers, and uncounted thousands of Iraqis dead, the situation grows worse.
Our coalition has no magic wand to wave which will produce justice and human rights, and an end to kidnapping. What we do call for is the withdrawal of troops, British and American, now seen as foreign invaders, not liberators.
If the Iraqis want outside forces to help them to maintain order it would be much better if they came by invitation from another Muslim country. Malaysia? Indo-nesia? Bangladesh?
We have also to return to Iraqi ownership all the industries and commercial ventures now held on contract by foreigners.
The march on Saturday is not only about Iraq. Already there are those in the United States – the American Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, for one – who are making threats to Iran. Iran’s President is making it easier for him by his bellicose remarks about Israel. The clock will not go back to 1948. Israel exists and will continue to do so within borders to be agreed. That agreement must be on the basis of justice for its neighbour, the Palestinian people, not on subjugation and daily humiliation.
US threats to Iran are based on much more than its attitude to Israel. Iran is said to be in violation of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. This is a false claim. That treaty even calls nuclear energy in all its aspects an “inalienable right of all the parties to the treaty”.
Much as I oppose nuclear energy in anyone’s hands, that is not what the treaty says.
In fact, the real violators are the existing five major nuclear weapon powers (US, Russia, UK, France and China). Never have they even started to fulfil their obligations under article VI: “to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament…”
All are updating their nuclear arsenals. Britain is on the edge of a decision to spend upwards of £25 billion to make sure that we have nuclear weapons through to the middle of this century. We could find much better ways of spending such enormous amounts of money.
Sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. While we go on telling the world that we think nuclear weapons are essential for our security, other countries will think the same.
At least Tony Blair has said that this country will not co-operate in a military attack on Iran. United States hawks will not take much notice of him. But no to war is not enough. We have also to press for steps towards a comprehensive United Nations settlement of all the problems of the Middle East. The elimination of Israeli nuclear weapons must be part of that agreement.
I appeal to my neighbours in Camden and Islington to come out on Saturday. I spent many years at the University Chaplaincy in Gower Street, at St Aloysius Church on Phoenix Road, Euston, and at St John’s Church, Duncan Terrace, near the Angel.
I cut my radical teeth in Camden and Islington. Back in 1969 we toured London in a (hired) military armoured car during the Nigerian civil war, with a great sign which read “Bread not Bombs”. Some police, confused by our military appearance, even saluted.
At St Aloysius a group of young Chileans held a three-week fast in the church porch in support of those suffering under the Pinochet regime. In the safe haven of St John’s I survived during the great CND political battles of the Cold War. Now, at my church of St Mellitus near Finsbury Park, we give active support to Amnesty International, pressure Tesco’s on fair trade, and even sent the parish banner out in support of the Campaign Against the Arms Trade.
The Chinese say that those who have to be absolutely certain of every step before they move will spend all their lives standing on one foot. Please put both feet well on the ground and join us on Saturday.

• Bruce Kent is a leading campaigner in the CND and peace movement
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