COUNTDOWN TO 1st JUNE! 

PROTEST TO DEFEND INTERNATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWER

Each week we highlight different aspects of what Bradley Manning has done for the movement.
Thank You Bradley Manning!

“If the public, particularly the American public, had access to this information, it could spark a debate on the military and our foreign policy in general as it applied to Iraq and Afghanistan, it might cause society to reconsider the need to engage in counter-terrorism while ignoring the human situation of the people we engaged with every day … I felt I accomplished something that would allow me to have a clear conscience.”

In Supporting Bradley
We Support Venezuela

As millions of us mourn the passing of Hugo Chávez, the extraordinary leader of the Bolivarian Revolution which changed Latin America and the world, Wikileaks highlighted a 2006 cable detailing how the US uses NGOs to attempt to destabilize the Venezuelan government. This cable is from the “Cablegate” documents that Bradley Manning released in 2010, one of almost 6,000 that mention President Chávez.

 

In the cable, the US Ambassador details a five-point program for USAID and the “Office of Transition Initiatives” to fund “human rights” NGOs, in order to “penetrate Chávez’ political base”, “divide Chavismo”, “protect vital US business”, and “isolate Chávez internationally”. He lists specific NGOs that they were funding, over 300 in total.
A man of exceptional courage and principle

In a statement he read in court on 28 February 2013, gay US Army PFC Bradley Manning proudly admitted having leaked information to Wikileaks in order to inform the public of US war crimes and government skulduggery that was being kept from us.

He faces charges up to life in prison. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the third time in a row.

We owe a debt to Bradley Manning for leaking this information. In 2002, the US-backed opposition and media in Venezuela attempted a coup against President Chávez which was defeated by a huge popular mobilization, spearheaded by women and supported by soldiers loyal to Chávez. Since that time, the US has funnelled $100m to opposition NGOs, $40-$50m last year alone. Since Chávez’ death, the attempts to roll back the gains against poverty, for free health care, education and other services the revolution enabled, have increased.

Write the US government to demand it recognize the elected President Nicolas Maduro, halt its destabilization efforts, and stop funding violent opposition groups in Venezuela.  We know what they have been doing.  Bradley let us know.  See Action Alert here

         

1st June: International Actions to Free Bradley Manning

Bradley Manning’s court-martial begins 3 June

The Bradley Manning Support Network is calling for actions across the US and around the world from Saturday 1 June to Saturday 8 June.

 

On 23 February, an unprecedented groundswell of international support for Bradley emerged when 70 communities in 19 countries took action.

US East Coast: 1 June Rally at Fort Meade, Maryland, where the court-martial will take place.

UK: 1 June, 2-4pm Demonstrate outside the US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, London W1A 2LQ

Germany: 31 May, Meeting at Clear Barrell GI Café, Kaiserslautern. 1 June Solidarity Rally in Berlin, Brandenburg Gate.

Information on latest actions here.

Join your nearest protest or organize a solidarity event in your area, register it on the BMSN website, and let us know about it so we can help publicise

Other ways to support Bradley

·         Write your local press why you support Bradley’s courageous whistleblowing.

·         Translate this message and/or send to your networks.

·         Demand media access to the trial, and that court records be released. See BMSN Action Alert.

·         Show the Collateral Murder video at meetings / put on websites / local TV programs.

·         Send messages of support to BMSN. (cc payday@paydaynet.org  and we’ll publish on our website.)

·         Sign Daniel Ellsberg’s petition (Pentagon Papers whistle-blower).

·         Write to Bradley

"Let us follow the example of Bradley, let’s battle for peace, let’s battle against wars, without fear of reprisals, let’s learn from Bradley to be truly human."

 

Hugo Blanco, Director of Lucha IndigenaPerú

“This material [passed to Wikileaks] has contributed to ending dictatorships in the Middle East, it has exposed torture and wrongdoing in all the corners of the world”.

 

Julian Assange Wikileaks founder, who remains in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, protected from extradition to Sweden and to the US


Payday men’s network  payday@paydaynet.org

US: PO Box 11795 Philadelphia, PA 19101 / 215 848 1120
UK: PO Box 287 London NW6 2QU 020 7267 86988
Queer Strike  queerstrike@queerstrike.net   PO Box 287 London NW6 2QU 020 7482 2496