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INTERNATIONAL
DAY OF ACTION
Feb. 5th, 2007 – Lt. Ehren Watada
the 1st commissioned officer
of the US Army to refuse to go to Iraq faces
Military Court Martial
The
Global Women's Strike
invites you to see:
A remarkable 15 minute
speech by Ehren Watada at the Veterans for Peace Convention
…………..
&
Film
Showing
of
Refusing to Kill
in which refuseniks around the world speak out
by
Payday
(International men's network working with the Global Women’s
Strike)
at
7:00pm, Monday
5th February
Science Building
Room:
University College Dublin
Hosted by UCD
Students’ Union
For more information on Dublin events contact: 086 8617427
……………….
Events in Galway:
Refusing to Kill
& Ehren Watada Speech
Global Women’s
Strike film showing hosted by
The Huston
Film School & Women’s Studies Centre
at
National
University of Ireland, Galway
6:00pm, Monday 5th February
For more information on this and other events in Galway contact:
087 7838688
For updates on his case & how you can support, see Family and
Friends of Lt. Watada website:
www.thankyoult.org
For Ireland events contact the Global Women’s Strike in Ireland
at
Ireland@allwomencount.net
See also
www.globalwomenstrike.net
& visit Payday
website:
www.refusingtokill.net
An appeal for International Support for Lt Ehren Watada,
the first commissioned officer
of the US Army to refuse to go to Iraq, by his mother
Carolyn Ho
Dear Friends,
As the first
commissioned officer in the US Army to refuse deployment to
Iraq, Lt. Watada speaks for all men and women in uniform who
oppose this illegal and immoral War. His courage and will to
defend the US Constitution, uphold the rule of law, and stop the
wanton loss of life poses a threat to the powers that be. They
are intent on putting him behind prison walls hoping that people
will forget his message and that the so-called “surge” in troops
will continue unabated.
His court
martial scheduled for Feb. 5, 2007 promises to be a mockery of
justice. In disallowing the Nuremberg defence and declaring the
movement order to deploy to Iraq legal, the judge has in effect
found Lt. Watada guilty. In addition the judge’s refusal to
dismiss the “conduct unbecoming…” charge signals the military’s
intent to prosecute him despite his constitutional right to free
speech. It is ironic that higher ranking officers, both retired
and active duty, have spoken out but have not been charged. Yet,
Lt. Watada, a junior officer farthest from the top, is being
made an example to suppress dissent among other officers and the
rank and file
Lt. Watada faces
a maximum of six years in a military prison. Although officials
claim that they do not care what the public thinks, they are
certainly tuned in to the pulse of the national and
international community. Public opinion is a critical part of
the defence and the prosecution must know that the world is
watching.
You can help to
build international support for Lt. Watada by contacting people
in your personal, professional, and religious networks.
Please forward the attached email alert with a brief
explanation. Ask people to go to:
www.thankyoult.org to learn more about Lt. Watada's case.
Under “Take Action”, supporters can click on SIGN THE PETITION &
GET ACTION ALERTS by email. There are suggestions that can
galvanize support and perhaps change the course of the court
martial. Write, demonstrate, demand justice and no punishment
for Lt. Watada. His voice of resistance to this heinous war
cannot be silenced!
In Solidarity,
Carolyn Ho (Lt.
Watada’s Mother)
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