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For your information, details of Hugh Stevens' new campaign group. It remains to be decided to what extent CASI will work as an integral part of, rather than alongside, this new group, but we will certainly be working together. (n.b. the similarity between the names CASI and CASWI is 'coincidental') ---- Forwarded message: ----- From: hugh <justice@easynet.co.uk> IRAQ CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN BRITAIN Statement on the inauguration of the Campaign Against Sanctions and War on Iraq (CASWI). 5 March, 1998. The Campaign Against Sanctions and War on Iraq (CASWI) was launched at a meeting at London University last night. Students from 12 universities and colleges of London University participated in its launch, both through delegates present and through written contributions, as well as representatives of trades unions, academics, peace campaigners, youth representatives, and representatives of the Arab, Mauritian , Bangla Deshi and Pakistani communities living in Britain. A number of Arab student societies were represented. The participants and messages came from London, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Lancaster, Glasgow, Manchester, Essex and many other places, and messages of support were received from campaigning groups in the US, Italy, France, Spain and Greece. The aim is to build CASWI as a grass-roots campaigning network. It will invite sponsorship from public figures and well-known personalities, but the organisation will be entirely in the hands of the individuals and groups participating. All those groups and individuals participating in CASWI are entirely autonomous, and participate in it only to the extent that they find it useful. CASWI neither intends to attempt to erect an 'umbrella' over other campaigning groups, nor to attempt to get under any other umbrella and try to influence any other campaign or try to deflect it from what it is doing. During this past month of high tension and hectic campaigning work, many of us have formed new working relationships in building demonstrations and other campaigning activities, and many new people have been drawn into the campaigns against sanctions and war. The campaigners within the established peace organisations, such as the National Peace Council and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament have worked closely with us. Those now grouped together in CASWI have built a good track record of close and constructive joint work with all concerned indeed, our demonstration of Saturday February 21st was the biggest of the series, and held together, and augmented, the mobilisation raised by the NPC the previous week. Having campaigned against sanctions on Iraq since 1990, and having co-ordinated the International Commission of Inquiry on Economic Sanctions headed by former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark and others, we also have a long track record in this field, which has involved thousands of people in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bradford and elsewhere. It is to hold together these valuable working relations among campaigners, and to welcome in the many new student and other new arrivals on the campaigning scene, that CASWI is being built. The following networks are being built within CASWI: students; Arab student societies; media and information; legal; trades unions; religious; demonstration organisation; celebrity sponsorship; parliamentary lobbying; international; video network; web-site. Last night's meeting laid much groundwork for these networks, and all those concerned are invited to participate in them. For further information, contact the Co-ordinator, Hugh Stephens, on the above numbers. ======================================== Campaign Against Sanctions and War on Iraq (CASWI) For further information, contact the Co-ordinator, Hugh Stephens, at: Phone: [44] 171 436 4636 Fax: [44] 171 436 4638 E-Mail: justice@easynet.co.uk Address: BM 2966 London WC1N 3XX Britain Donations: Make cheques out to "ICIES" -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the whole list. Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html