The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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[ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ] Dear all, Next week, the US will be convening a donor's conference in Madrid to ask for funds from rich creditor nations' taxpayers, the IMF, and the WB. The US badly needs these funds and to an extent, one could say that the continuation of this occupation depends on getting this money. The Madrid conference, in other words, could be a turning point. With the other day's UN resolution legitimizing the occupation, it is most crucial that we do everything to make this conference fail. Please consider signing a statement prepared by the Occupation Watch Center below by sending me an e-mail containing your complete name and/or your organization and country. Please forward this to as many networks as you can think. We will be posting this in our websites and we will be presenting this during a press conference and public forum in Madrid on October 21. In solidarity, Herbert Docena Focus on the Global South **************************************** NO MONEY FOR THE OCCUPATION! IRAQ IS NOT FOR SALE *A CALL FOR GOVERNMENTS TO REFUSE TO DONATE TO THE OCCUPATION AND CORPORATE INVASION OF IRAQ AT THE MADDRID DONORS¹ CONFERENCE *A CALL FOR THE REJECTION OF THE NEW ³INVESTMENT LAWS² THAT WILL PRIVATIZE IRAQ On October 23-24 in Madrid, the United States will be convening rich creditor countries, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank (WB) in an attempt to raise the $55 billion needed for the reconstruction of Iraq over the next four years. This follows the US-installed Iraqi Governing Council¹s (IGC) recent announcement putting up Iraq¹s assets for sale with the Iraqis¹ oil revenues under the US-controlled UN Development Fund to be used for financing the sell-out. In other words, the Iraqis¹ assets will be sold to US corporations using the Iraqis¹ own money. But this will still not be enough. Oil revenues will be insufficient and the US, facing a record budget deficit and having just granted its richest taxpayers $1.7 trillion in tax cuts, is unwilling to fill the gap. To cover the shortfall, US is turning to potential donors who have already indicated that they will only be donating their taxpayers¹ money if their own corporations are assured of getting business deals in the occupied country. In light of these disturbing developments, we the undersigned, we reaffirm the positions and demands in the Jakarta Peace Consensus as forged by representatives of the global anti-war movement last May. - We demand an immediate end to the illegal occupation of Iraq by the United States and its allies. - The UN-held Iraqi oil escrow account must not be used to foot the bill for the reconstruction of the damage caused by the illegal war and UN sanctions.. - The United Nations and its agencies, other governments and non-governmental organizations should not serve as a cover to legitimize or profit from the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. - According to Geneva Conventions, humanitarian assistance and reconstruction are the legal and moral responsibility of the invading and occupying forces. -The Iraqi people have sovereignty over all natural resources and utilities.. We therefore oppose the grant of any aid, loan, or any other form of reconstruction funds to Iraq for as long as the funds are controlled by the occupying powers. We call on all governments to donate only to urgent humanitarian needs through a separate fund that the occupying forces do not have access to. We reject the new investment laws that would privatize and liberalize the Iraqis¹ economy. We call on the occupation forces to leave Iraq. We call on our governments no to finance the occupation and corporate invasion of Iraq.# SIGNATORIES as of October 18 Occupation Watch Center (Iraq) Bridges to Baghdad (Italy) Civilian Campaign for the Protection of Palestinians (France) Code Pink (US) Focus on the Global South (India, Philippines, Thailand) Global Exchange (US) United for Peace and Justice (US) (To sign-on, please e-mail herbert@focusphilippines.org, with your name, your organization, and your country.) _______________________________________________ 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