Further protest planned against US warship

Media Release

Further protest planned against US warships
Anti-war group reaches out to sailors

The Stop the War Coalition will tomorrow hold further protests against the presence of US warships in Sydney Harbour. Under the banner  "No More Blood for Oil", they will be demanding an end to the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and the cutting of US military ties. They will be encouraging US sailors to resist the war within the armed forces,or go AWOL.

"This week the ministers for Defence and Foreign Affairs have
confirmed what the anti-war movement has argued since 2002 – the invasion and occupation of Iraq is about securing oil supplies for western interests", said Jean Parker from the Stop the War Coalition.

"Over 4000 US armed forces personnel have been killed for this
purpose, and dissent is growing in their ranks. At our protest last
Thursday at the docks, we met numerous sailors and their visiting spouses who expressed a deep opposition to the war and support for our movement."

"On Sunday we will extend this contact, encouraging sailors to support an Appeal to Congress to end the war, which has been signed by over 1,600 active duty personnel, join Iraq Veterans Against the War, who have hundreds of members in over 43 US states, or join the more than 8000 soldiers who have gone AWOL since the invasion".

"The current detention of immigrant doctors, not accused of any
specific crime, is a gross attack on civil liberties designed to mask the real source of terrorism in our world – the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan", said Edwina Donald from the Stop the War Coalition

"According to the US air-force website, over 40 bombing missions a day are flown in both Iraq and Afghanistan, with an estimated cost of 100 civilian lives per day. The presence of the Kittyhawk aircraft carrier in Sydney Harbour represents the Howard Government's complicity with this terrorism. It is time to end the occupations and cut US military ties".

"We are building support for an upcoming speaking tour of Iraq Veteran Thomas Cassidy, who will address a huge demonstration on Septermber 8 when George Bush comes to Sydney as part of APEC".

The demonstration will take place Sunday July 8 10am, corner of Wylde St and Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo Bay.

For more information contact:
Edwina Donald 0431858366
Jean Parker 0410772110