http://www.easf.org.uk

COLCHESTER PEACE CAMPAIGN - .
Press Release - 11/09/04.


In what was Colchester’s biggest anti-war protest since George Bush
declared the end of the war in Iraq exactly 500 days ago to the day,
around 70 townspeople marked the third anniversary of ‘9/11’ with a vigil
at the town’s War Memorial today (Saturday).

To symbolise the spiral of violence six tombstones were placed at the
steps of the memorial. These were to remember the 3000 civilians killed
in New York and over 5000 Afghan civilians in the ensuing war. In addition
12,500 Iraqi civilians have lost their lives along with 1007 US and 65
British soldiers in the current conflict; and thousands of unknown victims
from Indonesia to Palestine, from Chechnya to events in Russia and many
other countries.

“The recent collection of hundreds of petition signatures in Colchester
town centre and today’s vigil show opposition to what is an ongoing war in
Iraq is as strong as ever in our garrison town,” said a CPC spokesperson.
“We must realise that injustice only creates more injustice and that
violence only brings more violence. Where were the weapons of mass
destruction? Where were the Iraqi links to ‘9/11’? The world is now a
much more dangerous place and this cycle of violence now threatens to
spiral so out of control it could eventually overwhelm every community on
this planet.”

The war is not over.

Last night the death toll of US service personnel killed in Iraq topped
1000. August has been the bloodiest month so far, as the violence gets
worse.

An estimated 37,000 Iraqi civilians have now been killed since the March
2003 invasion.

Britain spends £4.2 million a day on the war, while the USA
has spent over $131 BILLION on this war.  http://costofwar.com.

George Bush has admitted that the 'war on terror' is unwinnable.

Yet he will continue down this tragic path. But we know that peace and security can only come through a more just and equal world - not through more violence, poverty
and global injustice.

The fighting in Iraq is now about marginalising anti-western forces to pave the way for a pro-western government. Hundreds of people are being killed every week.

We all know that no WMD could be found in Iraq.

But neither can peace and democracy be found there.

The Alawi puppet government is run by a Baathist thug.

The torture in Iraq's prisons continues. As does the shooting of demonstrators, the mass raids and arrests and the banning of independant journalism and free speech.

Before this was done by Saddam's brutal regime (although supported by Margaret Thatcher and Bush Senior). Now this is done directly by our occupation.

Get the Troops Out!

There is now a growing movement amongst British and American Service personnel who think the war is unjust, and who no longer wish to fight in it. Enough blood has been spilt for oil.

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End the Cycle of Violence.
End the War of Occupation.
Bring the Troops Home.

SAT SEPT 11th

1pm-2pm

COLCHESTER WAR MEMORIAL
(High St, Outside Castle Park Gates).
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