PRESS RELEASE

For immediate distribution
Date: 20 February 2011

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?Nothing will prevent the collapse of US geostrategic goals in the Arab region

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

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!Stand in support of the Iraqi people in their uprising!

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.

Bob Buzzanco, professor of history, University of Houston – USA
Dr Osama Al-Zand, university professor (retired) – Canada
Dr Edward Horgan, human rights activist – Ireland
Elizabeth Aaronsohn, Ed.D, Central CT State University
Dhr. E. Vergers, Haarlem – Netherlands
Higinio Polo, professor and writer. Barcelona – Spain
Basem Khader
Cristina Gay – Belgium
Francois Hien, film director – France
Julie Brenta, movie editor – Belgium
Annette Jacobson
Insaf Kalaji, writer
Izumi Tanaka – Japan
Lamees Ibrahim
John Cooper
Kick Leijnse – Sweden
Juliane Spitta – Germany
Peter Mundhenk
Nancy L Singham – USA
Barrie Zwicker – Canada
Göran Forsberg – Sweden
Prof. Dr. Sefik Alp Bahadir, director, Center for Iraq Studies, University of Erlangen, Nuremberg – Germany
Luke Wilcox, development and communications director, Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project
B. Ross Ashley, executive member, St Paul’s NDP – Canada
Brad Butler, artist, The Museum of non-Participation – UK
Karen Mirza, artist, The Museum of non-Participation – UK
Laura Westra, Ph.D., Ph.D.(Law) Professor Emerita (Philosophy), University of Windsor sessional instructor, Faculty of Law, University of Milano (Bicocca)
Allen L. Jasson, www.warcrimes.org.uk – UK
John Bart Gerald, poet, writer – USA / Canada
Einar Schlereth, journalist Tlaxcala
Sinfo Fernández, translator, Rebelion.org
Fernando Sancho, member of Biladi Palestinian Asociation – Bilbao / Spain
Koen Claerhout, cultural producer – Germany / Belgium
Mike Springmann
Hugh Esco
Nancy Matthews
Pippa Bartolotti
Pierre Plougonven
Aminah Hanum
Tsilli Goldenberg
Rohini Hensman, writer – India
Hazel Fuller – UK
Sinfo Fernández
Mujeeb Ebrahim
Deborah Veneziale
Zainuddin Mohamed Ismail – Singapore
Nadia Ferro
Vini Pereira
Laura Borst
José Wadih Maluf
Ronald Strand
Hiyam Noir
Kerstin Johassan
Salah Salim Ali – Norway
Muna El Shorbagi, researcher, Cairo – Egypt
Professor Hazim Awbi – UK
Michael Culver, actor, peace protester
René Broens, artist, researcher Antwerp – Belgium
Mieke de Loof, writer Antwerp – Belgium
Ramez Philippe Maalouf, master’s in human geography, University of São Paulo – Brazil
Marianne Birkby, on behalf of Radiation Free Lakeland, Cumbria – UK
Radiation Free Lakeland
Julie Maas, artist – Canada
Ángel Alonso, teacher – Spain
Terry O’Connor – Canada
Mohammad Askari
Marie Noel Lombart
Ilona Sztana – The Netherlands
KS Gupta – UK
Adriana Auderset – Switzerland
Manzur Khan

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).