The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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[ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ] Somebody mentioned in an earlier post the idea of letters to lobby MPs. Whilst I have only recently become involved with the anti-sanctions movement (I am ashamed to say) and I am reluctant to be seen to be teaching grandmothers to suck eggs, I am enclosing a letter that I have just finished writing to my MP. Should anyone wish to copy the same letter to their MPs, I hope they will feel free to do so. Dear Tom I am writing to you to ask you to lobby the government to abandon all efforts to uphold any kind of sanctions against the people of the Republic of Iraq. As you will no doubt be aware, UNICEF has declared that since the imposition of sanctions, child mortality in Iraq has increased by tenfold and there over half a million child deaths that appear to have been brought about by sanctions. You will also be aware of the USA’s attempt to guarantee that sanctions are more publicity-friendly with the revised ‘smart sanctions’ programme. You may well share the view of thousands of people that this programme is nothing more than an attempt to make sure that sanctions are kept in place and that the Iraqi people continue to suffer for the crimes of their political leaders. You may also share the view of experts in International law who are of the opinion that sanctions constitute a ‘crime against humanity’. You may concur with ex-Assistant Secretary General of the UN, Dennis Halliday, who labelled sanctions as ‘genocide’ after resigning his position in protest. You may further share the opinion of those international jurists who believe that the UK is complicit in the crime of extermination, a recognised crime against humanity. Should you be of these opinions, you will presumably not hesitate to ask the government to fulfil the requirements of the Draft Articles on State Responsibility and to work to bring about the ending of the sanctions regime; to refuse to recognise the sanctions imposed as lawful; and to work to once more re-establish the norms of jus cogens. I look forward to receiving your reply. With best wishes _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk