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.

[Main archive index/search] [List information] [Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[casi] complaint against general Tommy Franks




[ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ]

COMPLAINT AGAINST GENERAL FRANKS

You were many to sign the complaint, deposited in Brussels. 17 Iraqi en 2 Jordanians accused 
general Franks, head of the American army in Iraq, of war crimes . This newsletter wants to inform 
you about the trial, the initiatives of the complainers and of the coordination STOP USA that is 
supporting them.

This action has been warmly welcomed in a lot of countries. Lots of personalities have signed the 
appeal to prevent Belgian government from sending the complaint to the US, in other words 
destroying it. You can find the list of signers on the site www.stopusa.be

THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT IS LYING: THE COMPLAINT IS STILL IN BELGIUM!

As you have heard, Bush is furious. Washington has threatened to withdraw the seat of NATO from 
Brussels. The negotiators for the new government have capitulated for this blackmail and have 
decided to adjust the Belgian law about the universal competence, the so-called 'Genocide law'.

But this doesn't mean the complaint against Franks has been classified. The judicial procedure has 
started and is still going on. The former minister of justice has recently signed the transmission 
to the US. This allows lawyer Jan Fermon to initiate a complaint before the Council of State. It 
will be very difficult, even impossible for the future government to get their selves rid off the 
current procedure, especially because the Council of State already openly has criticised the 
actions of the government in the judicial procedures.

Anyway the following months the case will stay in Brussels. Your wide and international support is 
necessary to put pressure on the Belgian government and to demand the right for the victims to a 
fair trial. We will explain how.

WE NEED YOU ALL TO EXERT PRESSURE

How can we prevent Belgian government from capitulating definitively for Washington and destroying 
the complaint? By organising the international protest!

Dozens of millions of people have been demonstrating against this war. Current action is a way of 
continuing that struggle, to fight against impunity, and to prepare a broader movement, which is 
better capable of resisting against future wars.

Let us all together refuse the dictate of impunity and let us demand justice for the victims of the 
United States! 19 complainers have initiated the complaint in Brussels, but there are 7000 victims 
in Iraq. We want to achieve that 7000 people sign the appeal and pay 1 euro for the costs of the 
process: give a voice to each of the 7000 victims.

What can you do to help us achieve this goal ?

  a.. Spread information about the court case against Franks and to counter the lies.
  b.. Ask people to sign the appeal.
  c.. Try to put the appeal on other internet sites (of to give us a sign)
  d.. Like in Belgium, work with the appeal to sign during music festivals and other summer events. 
Ask artists to sign.


WHO TO ADRESS?

We work in two ways: we address common citizens and personalities.

  a.. Common citizens: It's out ambition against the growing threat of war to develop in the near 
future a permanent, broad and dynamic peace movement; base committees STOP USA have been founded in 
various regions and countries. But we need more of those committees. They can inform people and 
mobilise in schools, enterprises, neighbourhoods and organisations.
  a.. Personalities : In every fase of history important intellectuals, artists and other 
personalities took a stand against the war: Picasso, Sartre, Mohammed Ali. Recently, even in the 
United States, very famous actors and directors have openly criticised Bush. These positions give 
lots of people courage.
We ask you to let as many people as possible sign and to give their e-mailadres only to our 
secretariat info@stopusa.be . By doing so we can keep them up to date. We also ask you to think 
very seriously about possibilities to ask a personality of your country to sign: a Nobel price 
winner literature, an international well known artist or a sportsman or -woman,. Maybe you know 
someone yourself or you can ask someone who knows a personality. Don't forget to give us the e-mail 
and/or posting address of these persons so we can inform them. Thank you.



WHAT CAN WE OFFER?

  a.. A videoclip (2'30"): to present our action in a short and convincing way. Available in 
French, English, Spanish and soon Arab.
Very useful

-to put on internet sites

-to send as a mail (light version)

-to show as publicity at the beginning of a debate or concert

-to draw the attention at a stand: project it on a laptop, a TV or a multimedia projector

  a.. The original videotapes from Bagdad: Witnesses of the crimes, accusations, proves . You can 
watch them on .
  b.. The legal file: available on our site
  c.. Speakers: two medical doctors who have collected the complaints in Bagdad, .


STOP USA INTERNATIONAL

STOP USA Belgium was founded in September 2002 to prepare the mobilisation against the war in Iraq. 
But STOP USA aims at global war politics of the US, so of course STOP USA doesn't want to end its 
activities. First of all there's the resistance in Irak against American occupation. We support the 
appeal launched by ANSWER to organise on September 27 an international day of support to the 
resistance of the people. Moreover the US are launching threats against possible future targets: 
Iran, Syria, North-Korea, Cuba. More than ever it will be necessary to coordinate all opposition 
against the global war of the Bush-administration.

In Belgium the coordination STOP USA unites dozens of organisations on an anti-imperialist 
platform: against all interference in internal affairs of sovereign countries and for support to 
resistance. If this example works inspiring for you, you can always found a STOP USA committee in 
your region our country. We are ready to help you and to give you advice.

EUROPEAN COORDINATION

Also it seems necessary to us to organise on a European level a coordination of all powers, groups, 
committees and fronts of anti-imperialist inspiration within the peace movement. In that sense a 
European convention is prepared for the beginning of October in Brussels; STOP USA Belgium will do 
the practical preparation. If you are willing to take part in this convention, please let us know.

Current action against Franks is a good starting point and an instrument which can be used by 
committees and groups with various inspiration. It can be of a great use for the development of a 
such movement, together and on an international scale.

NEWSLETTER N° 2

Thanks in advance to spread this letter widely (there's also a version in French, Dutch and 
Spanish). You can download this letter from the website www.stopusa.be . You will receive 
Newsletter 2 in a few weeks, or sooner if necessary. Until that date all your questions and 
suggestions are very welcome.

No to impunity! Justice for the victims! No to war!



For STOP USA INTERNATIONAL

Jo Cottenier, Michel Collon



_______________________________________________
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


[Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]