From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #51 Reply-To: abolition-usa-digest Sender: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk abolition-usa-digest Friday, December 18 1998 Volume 01 : Number 051 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 01:36:29 EST From: DavidMcR@aol.com Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: Minnesota Protests This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - --part0_913876590_boundary Content-ID: <0_913876590@inet_out.mail.aol.com.1> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII - --part0_913876590_boundary Content-ID: <0_913876590@inet_out.mail.hotmail.com.2> Content-type: message/rfc822 Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Content-disposition: inline Return-Path: Received: from relay31.mx.aol.com (relay31.mail.aol.com [172.31.109.31]) by air09.mail.aol.com (v53.27) with SMTP; Thu, 17 Dec 1998 00:31:25 -0500 Received: from lefty.techsi.com (lefty.techsi.com [204.89.207.112]) by relay31.mx.aol.com (8.8.8/8.8.5/AOL-4.0.0) with ESMTP id AAA06151; Thu, 17 Dec 1998 00:31:17 -0500 (EST) Received: (from slist@localhost) by lefty.techsi.com (8.8.8/8.7.3) id UAA02320; Wed, 16 Dec 1998 20:36:52 -0600 Resent-Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 20:36:52 -0600 Message-ID: <19981217052716.4467.qmail@hotmail.com> X-Originating-IP: [206.150.219.139] From: "Dwight Welch" To: SocialistsUnmoderated@lefty.techsi.com Subject: Minnesota Protests Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 21:27:16 PST Resent-Message-ID: <"eEBspC.A.Ck.44Ge2"@lefty> Resent-From: SocialistsUnmoderated@lefty.techsi.com X-Mailing-List: archive/latest/2734 X-Loop: SocialistsUnmoderated@lefty.techsi.com Precedence: list Resent-Sender: SocialistsUnmoderated-request@lefty.techsi.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit 4:30 pm at the Federal Court House, downtown Minneapolis Thursday, Decemember 17th there will be a protest against the military strikes against Iraq for those that can make it here :) Dwight ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - -- The lefty.techsi.com server is not operated by the owners of the techsi.com domain. Views expressed in this email do not reflect the opinions of TSI, its officers, customers, or minions. To unsubscribe, send email to SocialistsUnmoderated-request@lefty.techsi.com with "unsubscribe" in the Subject line. Send complaints that can't be resolved by unsubscribing to doumakes@novia.net. - --part0_913876590_boundary-- - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 14:13:30 -0500 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) New Agenda UN vote: op-ed Dear Friends, Below is an article I wrote on the UN vote in which all of our NATO allies, with the exception of Turkey, UK and France resisted US pressure and voted for speedier steps to disarmament. While this unprecedented breach in the NATO wall (thanks in large part to grassroots lobbying by our global Network) has received extensive coverage internationally, there has been no word of it in the US. Please consider writing your own, or using this one, as well as letters to the editor, etc. about US lawless behavior. In light of the awful events in Iraq, it's becomes ever more urgent that the American public know how out of step our own country is, even with our allies. TIME FOR A NEW NUCLEAR POLICY AGENDA by Alice Slater Calling on the nuclear weapons states “to demonstrate an unequivocal commitment to the speedy and total elimination” of their nuclear arsenals, the New Agenda Coalition of eight nations-- Ireland, Sweden, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Egypt and Slovenia-- won an extraordinary victory in the UN this December on their resolution for a new nuclear policy agenda. Despite intense lobbying by United States envoys in capitols all over the world, urging governments to vote against the resolution, it passed by a vote of 114 in favor, 18 against and 38 abstentions. Slovenia, a NATO-wannabe, had to withdraw its sponsorship and voted to abstain after some arm-twisting by Uncle Sam. Overturning long-standing precedent, all of the non-nuclear NATO nations with the exception of Turkey withstood heavy-handed pressure from the US, aided by France and the UK, breaking ranks to abstain on the resolution. Canada, emulating its leadership role in pushing through the landmines treaty and International Criminal Court agreement over US objections, sent representatives to NATO capitols urging those nations to resist US pressure. Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Greece, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Iceland, Portugal, and Denmark, as well as non-NATO allies Japan and Australia all rejected the rusty cold war position of the US. The New Agenda Coalition has issued a clarion call to the nuclear weapons states and the nuclear capable states which are not members of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (India, Pakistan, Israel), to take more immediate and practical steps towards nuclear disarmament, urging that we not enter the next millenium without a clear and rapid path towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. The US strenuously objected in the UN debate to the New Agenda’s call to review existing nuclear strategic doctrines and to dealert all nuclear weapons, stating that such measures would undermine its policy of nuclear deterrence. The new German Foreign Minister recently issued a call that NATO adopt a no first use policy, although Germany’s Defense Minister, on a subsequent visit to Washington avoided a clear statement on no first use, responding to US pressure and expressions of alarm that NATO Cold War doctrine might actually be changed to conform to new realities. Canada’s Foreign Affairs Committee recently issued a parliamentary report urging that Canada and NATO allies should work with the New Agenda Coalition and encourage the nuclear weapons states to conclude negotiations leading to the elimination of nuclear weapons. It also endorsed the de-alerting of all nuclear weapons, and called upon the government to “argue forcefully” for a re-examination of NATO’s nuclear policy. Now is the time for the US to heed its allies and begin taking the practical steps recommended by the New Agenda Coalition. With the Y2K problem threatening uncertain possibilities for tragic nuclear accidents due to faulty computer programming, taking our weapons off hair-trigger alert is particularly appealing. Reports from Russia that the Duma is likely to pass START II, reducing arsenals to about 3500 deployed strategic warheads in each country, and then to move for cuts much deeper than the 2500 warheads contemplated under START III, is an added further incentive for the US to support the lead of its partners in NATO and friends in the New Agenda Coalition by moving towards meaningful nuclear disarmament. The continued reliance on nuclear weapons as instruments of national security is a provocative invitation to other nations to acquire themwitness events in India and Pakistan. It’s time to put the cold war behind us and negotiate a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. By clinging so obdurately to its useless and dangerous nuclear capability, the US is perceived by other nations as having joined the league of so-called “rogue” states which use the terror of weapons of mass destruction as an instrument of policy. The US should join with its allies in working rapidly to eliminate the nuclear scourge. It must not repeat the tragic and shameful conduct that led to its pariah status on the landmines and International Criminal Court treaties. Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 14:13:30 -0500 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) New Agenda UN vote: op-ed Dear Friends, Below is an article I wrote on the UN vote in which all of our NATO allies, with the exception of Turkey, UK and France resisted US pressure and voted for speedier steps to disarmament. While this unprecedented breach in the NATO wall (thanks in large part to grassroots lobbying by our global Network) has received extensive coverage internationally, there has been no word of it in the US. Please consider writing your own, or using this one, as well as letters to the editor, etc. about US lawless behavior. In light of the awful events in Iraq, it's becomes ever more urgent that the American public know how out of step our own country is, even with our allies. TIME FOR A NEW NUCLEAR POLICY AGENDA by Alice Slater Calling on the nuclear weapons states “to demonstrate an unequivocal commitment to the speedy and total elimination” of their nuclear arsenals, the New Agenda Coalition of eight nations-- Ireland, Sweden, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Egypt and Slovenia-- won an extraordinary victory in the UN this December on their resolution for a new nuclear policy agenda. Despite intense lobbying by United States envoys in capitols all over the world, urging governments to vote against the resolution, it passed by a vote of 114 in favor, 18 against and 38 abstentions. Slovenia, a NATO-wannabe, had to withdraw its sponsorship and voted to abstain after some arm-twisting by Uncle Sam. Overturning long-standing precedent, all of the non-nuclear NATO nations with the exception of Turkey withstood heavy-handed pressure from the US, aided by France and the UK, breaking ranks to abstain on the resolution. Canada, emulating its leadership role in pushing through the landmines treaty and International Criminal Court agreement over US objections, sent representatives to NATO capitols urging those nations to resist US pressure. Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Greece, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Iceland, Portugal, and Denmark, as well as non-NATO allies Japan and Australia all rejected the rusty cold war position of the US. The New Agenda Coalition has issued a clarion call to the nuclear weapons states and the nuclear capable states which are not members of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (India, Pakistan, Israel), to take more immediate and practical steps towards nuclear disarmament, urging that we not enter the next millenium without a clear and rapid path towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. The US strenuously objected in the UN debate to the New Agenda’s call to review existing nuclear strategic doctrines and to dealert all nuclear weapons, stating that such measures would undermine its policy of nuclear deterrence. The new German Foreign Minister recently issued a call that NATO adopt a no first use policy, although Germany’s Defense Minister, on a subsequent visit to Washington avoided a clear statement on no first use, responding to US pressure and expressions of alarm that NATO Cold War doctrine might actually be changed to conform to new realities. Canada’s Foreign Affairs Committee recently issued a parliamentary report urging that Canada and NATO allies should work with the New Agenda Coalition and encourage the nuclear weapons states to conclude negotiations leading to the elimination of nuclear weapons. It also endorsed the de-alerting of all nuclear weapons, and called upon the government to “argue forcefully” for a re-examination of NATO’s nuclear policy. Now is the time for the US to heed its allies and begin taking the practical steps recommended by the New Agenda Coalition. With the Y2K problem threatening uncertain possibilities for tragic nuclear accidents due to faulty computer programming, taking our weapons off hair-trigger alert is particularly appealing. Reports from Russia that the Duma is likely to pass START II, reducing arsenals to about 3500 deployed strategic warheads in each country, and then to move for cuts much deeper than the 2500 warheads contemplated under START III, is an added further incentive for the US to support the lead of its partners in NATO and friends in the New Agenda Coalition by moving towards meaningful nuclear disarmament. The continued reliance on nuclear weapons as instruments of national security is a provocative invitation to other nations to acquire themwitness events in India and Pakistan. It’s time to put the cold war behind us and negotiate a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. By clinging so obdurately to its useless and dangerous nuclear capability, the US is perceived by other nations as having joined the league of so-called “rogue” states which use the terror of weapons of mass destruction as an instrument of policy. The US should join with its allies in working rapidly to eliminate the nuclear scourge. It must not repeat the tragic and shameful conduct that led to its pariah status on the landmines and International Criminal Court treaties. Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 14:13:30 -0500 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) New Agenda UN vote: op-ed Dear Friends, Below is an article I wrote on the UN vote in which all of our NATO allies, with the exception of Turkey, UK and France resisted US pressure and voted for speedier steps to disarmament. While this unprecedented breach in the NATO wall (thanks in large part to grassroots lobbying by our global Network) has received extensive coverage internationally, there has been no word of it in the US. Please consider writing your own, or using this one, as well as letters to the editor, etc. about US lawless behavior. In light of the awful events in Iraq, it's becomes ever more urgent that the American public know how out of step our own country is, even with our allies. TIME FOR A NEW NUCLEAR POLICY AGENDA by Alice Slater Calling on the nuclear weapons states “to demonstrate an unequivocal commitment to the speedy and total elimination” of their nuclear arsenals, the New Agenda Coalition of eight nations-- Ireland, Sweden, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Egypt and Slovenia-- won an extraordinary victory in the UN this December on their resolution for a new nuclear policy agenda. Despite intense lobbying by United States envoys in capitols all over the world, urging governments to vote against the resolution, it passed by a vote of 114 in favor, 18 against and 38 abstentions. Slovenia, a NATO-wannabe, had to withdraw its sponsorship and voted to abstain after some arm-twisting by Uncle Sam. Overturning long-standing precedent, all of the non-nuclear NATO nations with the exception of Turkey withstood heavy-handed pressure from the US, aided by France and the UK, breaking ranks to abstain on the resolution. Canada, emulating its leadership role in pushing through the landmines treaty and International Criminal Court agreement over US objections, sent representatives to NATO capitols urging those nations to resist US pressure. Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Greece, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Iceland, Portugal, and Denmark, as well as non-NATO allies Japan and Australia all rejected the rusty cold war position of the US. The New Agenda Coalition has issued a clarion call to the nuclear weapons states and the nuclear capable states which are not members of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (India, Pakistan, Israel), to take more immediate and practical steps towards nuclear disarmament, urging that we not enter the next millenium without a clear and rapid path towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. The US strenuously objected in the UN debate to the New Agenda’s call to review existing nuclear strategic doctrines and to dealert all nuclear weapons, stating that such measures would undermine its policy of nuclear deterrence. The new German Foreign Minister recently issued a call that NATO adopt a no first use policy, although Germany’s Defense Minister, on a subsequent visit to Washington avoided a clear statement on no first use, responding to US pressure and expressions of alarm that NATO Cold War doctrine might actually be changed to conform to new realities. Canada’s Foreign Affairs Committee recently issued a parliamentary report urging that Canada and NATO allies should work with the New Agenda Coalition and encourage the nuclear weapons states to conclude negotiations leading to the elimination of nuclear weapons. It also endorsed the de-alerting of all nuclear weapons, and called upon the government to “argue forcefully” for a re-examination of NATO’s nuclear policy. Now is the time for the US to heed its allies and begin taking the practical steps recommended by the New Agenda Coalition. With the Y2K problem threatening uncertain possibilities for tragic nuclear accidents due to faulty computer programming, taking our weapons off hair-trigger alert is particularly appealing. Reports from Russia that the Duma is likely to pass START II, reducing arsenals to about 3500 deployed strategic warheads in each country, and then to move for cuts much deeper than the 2500 warheads contemplated under START III, is an added further incentive for the US to support the lead of its partners in NATO and friends in the New Agenda Coalition by moving towards meaningful nuclear disarmament. The continued reliance on nuclear weapons as instruments of national security is a provocative invitation to other nations to acquire themwitness events in India and Pakistan. It’s time to put the cold war behind us and negotiate a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. By clinging so obdurately to its useless and dangerous nuclear capability, the US is perceived by other nations as having joined the league of so-called “rogue” states which use the terror of weapons of mass destruction as an instrument of policy. The US should join with its allies in working rapidly to eliminate the nuclear scourge. It must not repeat the tragic and shameful conduct that led to its pariah status on the landmines and International Criminal Court treaties. Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 19:20:44 -0500 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: ACTION ALERT-Stockpile Stewardship Resolution Dear Friends, I am forwarding this action alert prepared by the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability. If your Congressperson is not on the list below, please make every effort to follow up. >STOCKPILE STEWARDSHIP RESOLUTION ACTION ALERT > >Please contact your US Representatives and ask them to cosponsor the Markey >Resolution in 1999. With enough cosponsors, we could get a floor vote on >the resolution or a similar amendment this year. > >Brad > >THE UNITED STATES SHOULD START THE NEW YEAR AND THE NEW 106TH CONGRESS >LEADING THE WAY INTO A SAFER WORLD > >COSPONSOR THE MARKEY RESOLUTION > >The Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) is the new name for nuclear weapons >research, development, testing, and production activities at the Department >of Energy's many labs and nuclear weapons facilities. At a price tag of >$4.5 billion annually, the SSP involves dozens of upgraded and new research >facilities and supercomputers, enhanced weapons production capabilities, >and >explosive tests using nuclear weapons material including uranium and >plutonium. The nuclear weapons establishment claims that this program is >needed to ensure the safety and reliability of existing nuclear weapons. >But the SSP has little to do with ensuring safety of the arsenal >(preventing >accidental detonations) or verifying reliability (assuring the bombs >explode >as predicted). The SSP is intended to maintain the capability to design >and >develop new weapons and to train a new generation of nuclear weapons >designers. >This is provocative to other countries, and runs counter to our Nuclear >Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations to negotiate in good faith the >cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament. The >provocative >nature of the SSP was realized this spring when India cited this program as >they detonated several underground nuclear tests. >What are the alternatives? Under the START II arms control agreement, >potential START III negotiations, and proposed unilateral cuts, the US >stockpile is growing ever smaller. As nuclear weapons stockpiles shrink, >the existing stockpile can be maintained with a more responsible >custodianship program that is far smaller that the SSP, which is less >expensive and requires fewer facilities. A number of more appropriate >alternatives can fulfill US stockpile maintenance requirements while >complying with the obligations of the NPT and the Comprehensive Test Ban >Treaty, signed by the President and currently held hostage by the Senate >for >advice and consent. > >PLEASE ASK YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO JOIN REPRESENTATIVE MARKEY AND OTHERS BY >COSPONSORING THE MARKEY RESOLUTION, AND REDIRECT CUSTODIANSHIP OF THE >NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARSENAL TOWARD LESS COSTLY, LESS PROVOCATIVE ALTERNATIVES. > > >Alliance for Nuclear Accountability > >ACTION ALERT! > >CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY! > >In 1998, Representative Ed Markey (D-7-MA) and 14 other members of the US >House of Representatives had the courage and foresight to call for a less >provocative, less wasteful, and more responsible custodianship program to >save billions of dollars and ensure the real safety of the US nuclear >weapons stockpile. If your member of the US House is listed below, please >thank them and encourage them again to cosponsor the Markey Resolution in >1999. If your member of the House is not listed below, please ask them to >join the others and cosponsor the Markey Resolution before they return in >January. > >Cosponsors of the Markey Resolution in 1998: >Rep. Ed Markey (D-7-MA) >Rep. Barbara Lee (D-9-CA) >Rep. John Tierney (D-6-MA) >Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-6-CA) >Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-14-NY) >Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-8-NY) >Rep. Nita Lowey (D-18-NY) >Rep. Bob Filner (D-50-CA) >Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6-NJ) >Rep. Jim McGovern (D-3-MA) >Rep. Major Owens (D-11-NY) >Rep. George Miller (D-7-MA) >Rep. Lois Capps (D-22-CA) >Rep. Elizabeth Furse (D-1-OR-Retired) >Sen.-elect Charles Schumer (D-9-NY) > >URGE YOUR REPRSENTATIVE TO COSPONSOR THE MARKEY RESOLUTION > >For more information, a copy of the original legislation, contact the >Alliance for Nuclear Accountability DC Office at 202-833-4668, or to reach >your member of Congress ccall the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. >Your Representative can contact Representative Markey's office and >Legislative Director Jeff Duncan at >202-225-2836. > ******************************** > Brad Morse > Program Assistant > Alliance for Nuclear Accountability > 1801 18th St., NW > Suite 9-2 > Washington, DC 20009 > www.ananuclear.org > ph:(202) 833-4668 fax:(202) 234-9536 > > Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 19:53:38 EST From: DavidMcR@aol.com Subject: (abolition-usa) Re: Gensuikyo's Letters to Clinton & UN Dear Akamatsu-san, Please accept the good wishes of War Resisters League and, I am sure, many others. I am delighted to have the text of your letter. Clinton's actions are a crime and international protests are imperative. Thank you for coming to the aid of the American peace movement at this most difficult moment. Peace, David McReynolds War Resisters League, NYC << Subj: Gensuikyo's Letters to Clinton & UN Date: 12/17/98 5:41:32 AM Eastern Standard Time From: antiatom@twics.com (antiatom) Sender: owner-abolition-caucus@igc.org To: abolition-caucus@igc.org Dear friends of peace, We are sending you for your reference our letter of protest sent to President Clinton on US attack against Iraq, and also a letter of request to the United Nations to stop this outrage. We staged a protest action in front of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo this evening. In solidarity, Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Gensuikyo) ------------------------------------------------ December 17, 1998 Mr. Bill Clinton President of the United States of America White House Washington, D.C., U.S.A. LETTER OF PROTEST Mr. President, On the early morning of December 17(Japanese time), the U.S. government launched a massive military attack against Iraq, on the ground of non-compliance of Iraqi government on the problem of inspection on its weapons of mass destruction. This action by the U.S. was taken unilaterally even while the U.N. Security Council was in session to discuss the inspection problem. This is totally unlawful in the light of both the U.N. Charter and international law. We Japan Gensuikyo strongly denounce this outrageous action. The development of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, by whatever country, should resolutely be opposed. Since the Iraqi Government has agreed on the U.N. inspection, it should naturally cooperate to the inspection activities. Nevertheless, this does not justify the unilateral military action of the U.S. Far from it, such action itself constitutes the violation of the Security Council resolution adopted in March this year, which prohibited any military action not approved by the U.N.O. At the same time, we must point out as the fundamental problem that a total ban on nuclear weapons has not yet been achieved even now, and that this fact keeps generating a danger of nuclear weapon development. The U.S. government should be held heavily responsible for this, too, as it constantly opposes a convention totally banning and eliminating nuclear weapons, while holding on to the enormous stockpile of its own nuclear weapons. Japan Gensuikyo strongly urges the U.S. government to immediately stop all military actions now taken, and to work for a peaceful solution of the problems. Sincerely, Koichi Akamatsu Secretary General ---------------------------- Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations Mr. Didier Opertti, Chairman of the General Assembly Mr. Jassim Mohammed Buallay, Chairman of the Security Council United Nations New York, NY 10017 U.S.A. December 17, 1998 Dear Sirs, We, the Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo) have strongly denounced the U.S. military attack against Iraq and urged the U.S. government to immediately stop all military actions. Iraq must naturally submit to the UN inspection. However, this problem would by no means justify the U.S. military actions under whatever international law. On the contrary, the U.S. action in itself is a violation of the U.N. Charter and the Security Council resolution that prohibits military action not authorized by the U.N.O. We herewith send you a copy of our letter of protest addressed to U.S. President Clinton, and request that the United Nations takes immediate action necessary to stop such action. Sincerely, Koichi Akamatsu Secretary General >> - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 01:58:59 EST From: DavidMcR@aol.com Subject: (abolition-usa) Not yet ready: Menno response to bombing In a message dated 12/17/98 10:52:36 PM Eastern Standard Time, mcpjc@mail.sssnet.com writes: << Subj: Not yet ready: Menno response to bombing Date: 12/17/98 10:52:36 PM Eastern Standard Time From: mcpjc@mail.sssnet.com (Mennonite Church Peace and Justice Committee, Orrville Ohio) Sender: err.processor@MennoLink.org Reply-to: mcpjc@mail.sssnet.com (Mennonite Church Peace and Justice Committee, Orrville Ohio), menno.org.peace@MennoLink.org, menno.talk.congregations@MennoLink.org To: menno.org.peace@MennoLink.org, menno.talk.congregations@MennoLink.org Friends, I apologize. I was really hoping to get this finished up tonight, but that isn't going to happen. PJC and GCMC are working with MCC to suggest that, on Sunday, congregations pray for repentance and dedicate gauze to be sent to President Clinton. By tomorrow, I hope to post here and on the PJC web site: --Prayer of repentance --Action idea explanation: collecting, dedicating and mailing gauze to the White House --Litany of dedication (of ourselves to peace and the gauze to the Iraqis) --Sample note to send to President Clinton with the gauze We suggest gauze because -it resembles swaddling clothes and reminds us of what our focus should be, especially this time of year --is used to bind up wounds (Luke 4). Wounds caused by the sanctions and wounds caused by the current and past military actions. (conservative projections by the Clinton administration run at 10,000 Iraqi civilian casualties) The gauze is a wonderful idea that reminds us of wounded relationships that need healing. --is less available in Iraq because of the sanctions and symbolic of the kind of things we should be sending to Iraq rather than missiles. --it might be used in various ways as altar decorations to symbolize a congregation's feelings about the Iraqi situation -- (on a practical note) it is light weight and thus cheaper to mail and handle You might want to purchase enough packages of gauze for each household or member of your congregation and leave time in your service for this activity. Thanks for your patience and interest! Peace, Susan Susan Mark Landis Minister of peace and Justice for the Mennonite Church PO Box 173, Orrville OH 44667-0173 phone/fax 330-683-6844 mcpjc@sssnet.com http://www.MennoLink.org/peace/ >> - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 01:59:05 EST From: DavidMcR@aol.com Subject: (abolition-usa) Re: Just in case In a message dated 12/17/98 8:57:15 PM Eastern Standard Time, mcpjc@mail.sssnet.com writes: << Subj: Re: Just in case Date: 12/17/98 8:57:15 PM Eastern Standard Time From: mcpjc@mail.sssnet.com To: menno.org.peace@MennoLink.org, menno.talk.congregations@MennoLink.org, davidmcr@aol.com (David McReynolds, New York City), menno.org.peace@MennoLink.org, menno.talk.congregations@MennoLink.org For some great ideas about prayer and action, please see: http://www.MennoLink.org/peace/may13.html The PJC site also has a few new things up on the Iraqi page. And, David, if you forward to this list the web sites where FOR, etc, are calling for a day of mourning on Saturday, I'd appreciate it. While I'm working hard to get some prayers and litanies together with other ideas, this one is also entirely appropriate. I guess I haven't had the time to search other sites since earlier this morning. Friends, keep buying the gauze! Susan Susan Mark Landis Minister of peace and Justice for the Mennonite Church PO Box 173, Orrville OH 44667-0173 phone/fax 330-683-6844 mcpjc@sssnet.com http://www.MennoLink.org/peace/ >> - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 01:59:17 EST From: DavidMcR@aol.com Subject: (abolition-usa) Brief note - Iraq Others have said very wise things. I sent along Edward Said's piece and hope you got it. Most of you getting this are either in international groups or have contact with them. All possible, immediate pressure is needed on the US and British governments. Labour back benchers might get reported on the BBC TV and would have some impact here (where at least in NYC we get BBC TV). Russia's withdrawal of her ambassador underlines the seriousness of the situation. For those of you in the US, you may want to send a fax directly to the Iraqis Mission - not to offer political support but to say that you are ashamed of and oppose the US action, and do not accept that the people of Iraq are an enemy of the people of this country. In any case, at a human level, I suspect the folks at the Iraqi Mission are nervous and worried about what is happening at home. In this situation that Mission is one of the few places we can address notes of condolence (with the added and certain comfort that NSA will monitor this traffic - and so we get double duty - it is filed for those doing analysis of opposition to the bombing, and it is a human gesture of Iraq). Fax: 212 / 737.7770. I deeply appreciate the notes that have come in on Abolition 2000 from those in Canada, Japan, England, etc. Please - we need those. Also as many of you may know, Peace Action, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, War Resisters League, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, and the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee have called for THIS Saturday, the 19th being a national day of mourning in the US with vigils and demontrations where possible. I would add a personal note of quiet fury at watching the host of political figures trotted out to assure us (as Tony Blair did - SHAME!) that there is no connection to the impeachment. And a terrible sense of shame that we excuse the bombing by saying we had to start it before Ramadan lest we give offense to the Muslims. What about the Christians? Isn't this already the season of the Prince of Peace? Peace, David McReynolds War Resisters League staff NYC - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 20:07:35 -0600 (CST) From: smirnowb@ix.netcom.com (Robert Smirnow) Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: YUCCA MOUNTAIN VIABILITY RELEASE - --- Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 16:53:35 -0500 From: Michael Mariotte Reply-To: nirsnet@nirs.org Organization: NIRS To: nirsnet@igc.org Subject: Yucca Mt viability release Sender: owner-nukenet@envirolink.org News Release from 100 Environmental and Consumer Organizations For Immediate Release: Contact: Auke Piersma, 202-546-4996, ext. 318 Dec. 18, 1998 Mary Olson, 202-338-0002 DOE's Viability Assessment: Showstoppers Abound WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Environmental and consumer organizations called today for Energy Secretary Bill Richardson to disqualify Yucca Mountain as the proposed site of a nuclear waste repository. The data within the Department of Energy's Viability Assessment (VA), released today, confirm that the site must be disqualified. Furthermore, the VA snubs necessary public involvement. In the Viability Assessment, the scientific data supports the Petition to Disqualify Yucca Mountain, which 219 environmental organizations submitted on Nov. 18. The rapid water travel times from the proposed dump to the nearest wells supplying drinking water require the energy secretary to disqualify Yucca Mountain as a site to dump high-level nuclear waste. Several other concerns are likely showstoppers, including seismic activity, volcanic activity and geothermal upwelling. "We object to the content of the report for its optimistic conclusions." the groups said. "Our petition has highlighted clear evidence of showstoppers. It is time for the DOE to stop the show and disqualify Yucca Mountain." DOE models, despite their large uncertainties, predict massive radionuclide contamination, peaking up to 20 times above current radiation protection standards for other geologic waste dumps. "It is outrageous that DOE will continue to study this site when their own data predicts excessive radiation exposure to citizens of our nation," said Wenonah Hauter, the director of Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy Project. Earlier this month, representatives of environmental and consumer groups met with Richardson to urge that the VA be written with an open democratic process that fosters public participation. However, the DOE has failed to solicit the views of citizens. "We are frustrated with the DOE's lack of effort in upholding the integrity of the process to characterize Yucca Mountain," said Michael Mariotte, the executive director of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service. "The VA should be accompanied by several public hearings across the country in the many states that would be affected by this program." The DOE says the VA is intended to present an assessment of Yucca Mountain at this time, but the agency has failed to allow for an outside independent peer review that is representative of the full range of concerns. The DOE should establish a convening body to select a representative group of peers across the full spectrum of issues and expertise, the groups said. "The environmental community stands ready to nominate members of a convening body in an open process," said Hauter. "We also look forward to the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board's review, but we encourage them to not stop short of the obvious conclusions of Yucca Mountain that need to be drawn." Recent independent cost estimates for the Yucca Mountain program suggest a shortfall of $25 billion. "It would be outrageous for DOE to make the decision to go forward with more work at Yucca Mountain when the evidence in their own study - - a leaky mountain, leaky containers, and earthquakes - - - disqualify the site. It is time to move on and stop wasting billions of dollars," said Ann Mesnikoff of Sierra Club's Global Warming and Energy Program. # # # Action for a Clean Environment * Alliance for Nuclear Accountability * Alliance to Close Indian Point * Alliance for Survival * American's for a Safe Future * Appalachia - Science in the Public Interest * Arizona Safe Energy Coalition * Atlanta Food Not Bombs * Baltimore's Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Cmte * Bay Area Nuclear Waste Coalition * Bison Land Resource Center * Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League * California Communities Against Toxins * Californians for Radioactive Safeguards * Center for Energy Research * Central Pennsylvania Citizens for Survival * Chenango North Energy Awareness Group * Chernobyl Children's Project * Chicago Media Watch * Citizen Alert * Citizen's Resistance at Fermi Two (CRAFT) * Citizens Awareness Network * Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana * Citizens For a Healthy Planet * Citizens League for Environmental Action & Recovery (CLEAR) * Citizens Protecting Ohio * Clean Environment * Coalition for Peace and Justice * Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes (CNFGL) * Connecticut Green Party * Desert Citizens Against Pollution * Don't Waste Oregon * Don't Waste Michigan (DWM) * E.D.E.N. Calendar of Southeast Michigan * Earth Day Coalition * Earth Care * Earth Concerns of Oklahoma * El Paso Chapter National Lawyers Guild * Environmental Advocates * Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power * F.A.C.T.S. (For A Clean Tonawanda Site), Inc. * Flagstaff Opposed to Nuclear Transportation * Florida Coalition for Peace & Justice * Forces of Nature * FRIENDS of the COAST - Opposing Nuclear Pollution * GE Stockholders' Alliance * Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) * Grandmothers for Peace International * Grass Roots Environmental Organization of New Jersey * Green Party of New Jersey * Hanford Watch * Heads Up Media * Institute for Local Self Reliance * Kalamazoo Area Coalition for Peace and Justice * Long Island SHAD (Sound & Hudson against Atomic Development) * Maryland Safe Energy Coalition * Massachusetts Citizens For Safe Energy * Native Forest Network - Eastern North American Resource Center * NC WARN * New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution * Non- Violent Student Organization- Kalamazoo College * Nuclear Information and Resource Service * Nuclear Waste Citizen's Coalition * Nuclear Energy Information Service * Nukewatch * Orange County Greens * Peace Action Maine * Pennsylvania Environmental Network (PEN) * Pennsylvania Consumer Action Network * Philadelphia Solar Energy Association * Physicians for Social Responsibility/Maine * Physicians for Social Responsibility, Los Angeles * Prairie Island Coalition * Public Citizen * RACE, Regional Association of Concerned Environmentalists * Redwood Alliance * Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center * Safe Energy Communication Council * Save Ward Valley * Sierra Blanca Legal defense/ El Paso * Sierra Club * Snake River Alliance * Solar Energy International * Southwest Research and Information Center * Southwest Toxic Watch * STAR (Standing for Truth About Radiation) * Stop Mobile Chernobyl!/People Against Unsafe Nuclear Transportation * Student Environmental Organization - Kalamazoo College * Students for a Sustainable Earth - Western Michigan U * SUN DAY Campaign * Swords into Plowshares Peace Center - Western Michigan University * The Radiation and Public Health Project * Three Mile Island Alert * Tippecanoe Environmental Council * Vermont Public Interest Research Group * Women Legislators' Lobby * Women's Action for New Directions * Women's International League for Peace & Freedom * World Tree Center for Peace, Justice and Mother Earth * Yggdrasil Institute * - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ End of abolition-usa-digest V1 #51 ********************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.