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Sharon Grimes, W A M M
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Peaceful Path Forged by Women
A nine-year-old Colombian women’s peace coalition, Ruta Pacifica (Peaceful Path), which unites women across barriers of race, class, and background, has been holding marches to highlight the impact of the war, to speak out against the use of rape as a weapon, and to give women a voice. In July 2002, 50,000 women marched to say no to war and to demand the inclusion of women in peace negotiations. In November 2003, they organized a peace caravan of more than 3,000 women to Putumayo to protest the impact of aerial fumigation of coca, drug trafficking, and warfare on women, their families, and the local economy (The Nonviolent Activist, Spring 2004).
WAMM Members Attend Powwow
Six WAMM members were among 28 guests who were privileged to attend the powwow May 8 at the Federal Medical Facility in Rochester. According the Laura French, the men in the facility expressed appreciation for the guests’ attendance (only four guests attended last year) and showed great hospitality through gifts, good food, and invitations to dance.
Revitalizing Ojibwe and Dakota
The Minnesota Legislature passed a resolution supporting revitalization of the Ojibwe and Dakota languages this spring. The Dakota Ojibwe Language Revitalization Alliance will work with elders and communities throughout the summer. Fewer than 30 fully fluent Dakota speakers remain in Minnesota, and even fewer fully fluent Ojibwe speakers remain on each of the seven reservations. Language revitalization is seen by many as “an important step in reclaiming cultures, educational achievement, and a positive image of oneself.”
Alliant Action
An antiwar rally at Alliant Techsystems, a war contractor headquartered in Edina, drew 300 protesters on May 31, 2004.
Dayton Supports Quick Exit
Sen. Mark Dayton (Dem., MN) became one of the first senators to spell out a specific withdrawal plan from Iraq. In a May 21, 2004, speech to the Senate, he said we need to get out of Iraq in months, not years.
Pope and Protesters Confront Bush
When President Bush met with Pope John Paul June 4, 2004, in Italy, the pope expressed “great concern for the . . . grave unrest in the Middle East, both in Iraq and in the Holy Land” and complained about other recent “deplorable events,” thought to be a reference to the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners. During Bush’s visit, tens of thousands of people protested the war.
Israeli Justice Minister for Justice
On May 23, 2004, Israel’s justice minister criticized the military’s razing of Palestinian homes in the southern Gaza Strip. He said that the image of an elderly woman searching for her medicine in the rubble of her home reminded him of his grandmother, who was killed by the Nazis. He was, in turn, criticized for comparing the military’s actions with those of the Nazis during World War II.
Peace by Roads, Rails, and Rice
North and South Korea recently agreed to open their borders through joint highway and railway links by October, and South Korea said it would extend a 400,000-ton rice “loan” to North Korea. In a military agreement, the nations will dismantle propaganda billboards and loudspeakers in the demilitarized zone, and the two countries’ navies will also set up communications systems to avoid clashes over crab-fishing grounds.
Local Governments Support Civil Liberties
The ACLU reports that more than two-thirds of the states participating in the MATRIX, “the latest data mining program to emerge from the government,” have withdrawn from it. In addition, more than 279 communities in 39 states have passed resolutions (including four statewide) opposing the most infamous provisions of the Patriot Act.
Federal Committee Advocates for Privacy
More must be done to protect civil liberties, according to a federal advisory committee that is scheduled to report soon to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. “Our nation should use information technology and the power to search digital data to fight terrorism, but should protect privacy while doing so,” says the report. They recommend action by Congress, the president, and the courts to protect privacy. |
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© 2004 Women Against Military Madness. All rights reserved.
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Complete July/August 2004 Index - click here
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