Invest in caring not killing-No war on Iraq!

Because women and children are the majority of victims of armed conflict (UNICEF), because women are often the ones left to nurture children and soldiers sick, terrorized and orphaned, and because one tenth of the $800 billion currently spent each year on military budgets worldwide could provide the basic necessities for all, the demand of this year’s International Women’s Day is for governments to invest in caring, not killing.

The women of Iraq face a particularly desperate situation, due to a decade of sanctions and the threat of massive violence to come. In response, the Committee for Peace in Iraq is organising an Ottawa march on International Women’s Day to oppose a war on Iraq.

The march will start at the Women’s Monument in Minto Park (Elgin and Gilmour) at 11:30 am. From there, we will march to the US embassy and surround it in symbolism of the US government’s isolation from world opinion in their policy towards Iraq. Following the march, an International Women’s Day Fair – “Visions of Peace”- will happen at City Hall from 1 pm to 5pm.

People interested in contributing ideas and organising for the march are invited to a brief organisational meeting on February 27, following a talk by Mary Foster and Mick Panesar who have recently returned from Iraq where they participated in the Iraq Peace Team. The talk starts at 7pm, at St. John’s Church, 154 Somerset W (at Elgin).

For more information, contactottawairaqaction@hotmail.com or phone number 742-0999.

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EMERGENCY PLANS in case of an Invasion of Iraq: on the day that the bombs begin falling, please meet at 5:30 pm at the eternal flame on Parliament Hill for a rally. People may be proceeding from there to the U.S. embassy.

On the first Saturday following the start of the bombing, there will also be an anti-war rally beginning at 12:00 at the eternal flame on Parliament Hill