International: Conference: Security Without Empire: National Organizing Conference on Foreign Military Bases
Source:
WiB "Security Without Empire: National Organizing Conference on Foreign Military Bases"; American University, Washington, DC; Feb. 27-Mar. 2, 2009
"Although there is a sense of relief that many in the U.S. feel after the presidential election, we understand this is a time to step up our organizing for peace and economic justice - including the growing movement to close and withdraw the nearly 1,000 U.S. military bases located in other nations.
From Okinawa and Guam to Honduras, Germany, Iraq, and beyond many people who have suffered from the abuses inherent to foreign military bases have been calling for their withdrawal. People in the U.S. have joined this call, outraged by the damage done by U.S. operations and bases abroad and by their expense, which diverts at least $138 billion a year from addressing human needs and revitalizing our economy. Representatives of 13 organizations (listed below) have come together to organize a national conference on the closing and withdrawal of military bases. The conference will feature base opponents from many "host" nations and will include leading activists as keynote speakers, panelists and workshop facilitators.
The goals of the conference are to:
* Share information about U.S. foreign military bases and resistance;
* Develop new strategies and expand the U.S. anti-bases movement;
* Integrate anti-bases organizing into a more coherent movement;
* Raise the visibility of the U.S. and international anti-bases movements;
* Apply pressure on Congress;
* Close and reduce the number of foreign bases.
Invited speakers include
Walden Bello - Philippines
Jana Glivicka - Czech Republic
Raed Jarrar - Iraq
Wafula Okumi - South Africa
Suzuyo Takazato - Okinawa
Wilbert van der Zeijden - Netherlands
Cynthia Enloe (Clark University)
Bruce Gagnon (Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space)
John Lindsay-Poland (Fellowship of Reconciliation, Latin America Project)
Zia Mian (Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University)
Ann Wright (Retired Army Reserve Colonel and Diplomat)
For more information or to register, contact:
Genevie Gold
GGold@afsc.org
(617) 661-6130
www.projectonmilitarybases.org
National Project on U.S. Military Bases consists of organizers from American Friends Service Committee, American University Department of Anthropology, Code Pink, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, Granny Peace Brigade/No Bases, Institute for Policy Studies, International Women's Network Against Militarism, Southwest Workers Union, United for Peace & Justice, U.S. Peace Council, Pacific School of Religion/Institute for Leadership Development and Study of Pacific and Asian North American Religion, Veterans For Peace.
