Resolution of State University of New York - Oswego Student Association

10th April 2001

[CASI Internet version prepared 15th April 2001]

Senate
36th Legislative Session
29th Meeting
10 April 2001

Student Association Resolution [SLE.36.23]
Condemnation of Iraqi Sanctions

WHEREAS, the United Nations, particularly the United States, has enforced the most extensive embargo in history on the people of Iraq for ten years which have had the reverse effect of harming the people it was supposed to help.

WHEREAS, the sanctions have caused the death of over 1.4 million Iraqi citizens and are killing children under the age of five at the rate of 5000 a month according to the United Nations.

WHEREAS, the Iraqi people have suffered more than enough for the crimes of an unelected dictator and do not deserve to be "living from hand to mouth." (The Economist 12-12-98)

WHEREAS, the sanctions clearly violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (established December 10, 1948 by the U.N. General Assembly) Specifically, these articles of the Preamble: Article 5, "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." Article 25 declares, "(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care…".

WHEREAS, this resolution DOES NOT condemn the brave American and Allied servicemen and women who diligently answered their nation's call nor condone the despicable rule of Saddam Hussein.

WHEREAS, this issue directly concerns us as the sanctions are turning Iraqis or our generation against the United States and it Allies which sows the seeds of more conflict in the region in our lifetimes even after Hussein is out of power.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Student Association Senate of Oswego State University that the we commit ourselves to the attached conditions.

SUBMITTED BY:
Chrystina Hubbell, Funnelle Hall.
Larry Provost, Off Campus.

  1. We publicly support the lifting of the economic sanctions on Iraq with special conditions for military technology and machinery, and expanded humanitarian efforts to help the Iraqi people recover from the crushing defeat of the sanctions.
  2. We commit ourselves, COPE, and other interested campus groups to an educational project informing students about the effects of the sanctions.
  3. We call on local religious, political, and civic groups to respond to the needs of the Iraqi community in bringing an end to this unnatural disaster.
  4. We call upon the administration of SUNY Oswego to provide financial and academic resources in conjunction with the Student Association in bringing an end to this unnatural disaster.
  5. We will submit press releases concerning this resolution to the Palladium Times, the Herald Journal, The New York Times, and USA Today.
  6. We authorize the End the Sanctions Against Iraq Signature Ad Campaign to include the name of the SUNY Oswego Student Association Senate in the list of signatories to appear in advertisements to be taken out by the party mentioned above in newspapers and other forms of media.
  7. We will give copies of this resolution to the Bishop of Syracuse, Mayor John J Gosek, the Oswego and National Headquarters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, Congressman John McHugh, Congressman Jim Walsh, Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State Hon. Colin L. Powell and President George Bush asking their support.
  8. We also need to express our heartfelt gratitude to our American and Allied brethren who sacrificed to do a job that Allied governments chose not to finish whether it be because of media images or "balance of power" diplomacy.

Passed by 10 votes to 4, with 5 abstentions.