From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #339 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 Wednesday, July 12 2000 Volume 01 : Number 339 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 11:41:03 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: WTO Seattle -Lawyers Guild Draft Report on loss of democratic rt >Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 01:58:10 -0400 >Subject: WTO Seattle -Lawyers Guild Draft Report on loss of democratic rt >To: aslater@gracelinks.org >From: wto-activist@iatp.org (wto-activist@iatp.org) > >WTO Activist (wto-activist@iatp.org) Posted: 07/09/2000 By >jeaton@fox.nstn.ca >============================================================ > >This report "Draft Report on the Level of Paramilitary Response and >Loss of Democratic Rights During the Seattle Round of the World Trade >Organization Ministerial" pays particular attention to the thinning >lines between law enforcement and the military and the adverse >effects this loss of delineation is having on civil liberties..... It >provides concrete examples of the way the WTO has subverted >democratic institutions, and had detrimental effects on human rights, >the environment, safety and labor laws....... It notes that the U.S. >economy, is a wartime economy. Since the collapse of the Soviet >Union, much of those resources that were devoted to the military have >been devoted to law enforcement, with major military contractors >building prisons and designing "less lethal weapon systems." ...... >This dynamic has created an enlarged and militarized law >enforcement system. The report.. examines the way military tactics, >training and weaponry have come to dominate law enforcement. .....The >report then looks at the aftermath that is taking place now in >Seattle and issues recommendations !! > See following news release on the report and find the full text of >the lengthy 60 page report with 7 chapters at: http://www.nlg.org . > > FYI- janet > >============================================== > >SEATTLE NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD RELEASES DRAFT REPORT ON WTO >MINISTERIAL > >CONTACT: Paul Richmond, wtolegal@yahoo.com, >PO Box 95242, Seattle WA, 98145-2242 > >TEXT OF REPORT ONLINE AT: >www.students.washington.edu/uwnlg/ >www.nlg.org > >The Seattle Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild has just released its >report on the World Trade Organization Ministerial. The report examines >what took place in Seattle as an example of larger trends brought about by >destructive economic policies. The report pays particular attention to >the thinning lines between law enforcement and the military and the >adverse effects this loss of delineation is having on civil liberties. > > The report begins with an overview of the WTO. It provides the >historical framework of the WTO as an institution born of the think tanks >which were themselves created by the illicit fortunes of the robber >barons. It provides concrete examples of the way the WTO has subverted >democratic institutions, and had detrimental effects on human rights, the >environment, safety and labor laws. > >Following this, the report traces the way the WTO was brought to >Seattle. It examines the lack of process that took place - most members >of the Seattle City Council seem not to have been consulted until after >the event was a done deal. Moreover, Seattle and King County are areas >with a history of resistance to WTO and GATT. King County was declared an >MAI free zone months before the WTO's arrival had been announced. Seattle >was declared an MAI free zone weeks after the WTO's selection of Seattle >as it's Ministerial site was announced. > >Next comes a report of what took place on the streets of Seattle in the >weeks leading up to the Ministerial and during the Ministerial >itself. The report utilizes information from its 200 legal observers, >and hundreds of witness declarations. It also utilizes information >gained from public disclosure and from email chatlines utilized by >participating members of law enforcement, including commanders and line >members of the Seattle Police Department. A picture is painted of >confused, inexperienced law enforcement officers armed with frighteningly >powerful, potentially lethal weaponry and little idea of what to do with >it. Random forays seem to be launched against random groups of >demonstrators. Thousands of people, including bystanders, are exposed to >potentially lethal chemical agents hours before the first window is >broken. Masked unmarked police invade the most densely populated area on >the West Coast North of San Francisco, attacking residents and >shoppers. Those arrested are often subjected to conditions resembling >torture. Weapons are repeatedly deployed in ways that may be potentially >lethal. Police themselves, are often injured by their own weapons. > >The official reports that have been released by law enforcement >consultants all paint pictures of a police force that should have used >more force and should have utilized it earlier. The NLG draft report >looks at the economic and political reasons these law enforcement >administrators have adopted this perspective. > > It notes that the U.S. economy, is a wartime economy. Since the collapse >of the Soviet Union, much of those resources that were devoted to the >military have been devoted to law enforcement, with major military >contractors building prisons and designing "less lethal weapon >systems." It looks at the moves to classify political dissent as a type >of warfare, and to utilize recent demonstrations such as the WTO >Ministerial as examples of why more force should be used. > > It notes the way the factors that have created a shrinking middle class, >have further divided the "haves" and the "have-nots." The picture is one >of a global village where the majority of the world's population lives in >slums and prisons and a wealthy few ride around in armored limousines from >fortified enclave to fortified enclave. This dynamic has created an >enlarged and militarized law enforcement system. > >The report then examines the thinning lines between the military, who are >trained to kill, and law enforcement who are trained to preserve >lives. It examines the way military tactics, training and weaponry have >come to dominate law enforcement. Citing testimony of law enforcement >professionals, the report then traces the disastrous effect this blending >of the two has had on the fabric of democracy and members of law >enforcement themselves. It examines the disastrous way this dynamic has >played out in the past and the disastrous way this dynamic played out >during the WTO Ministerial. Citing past work in the field, the report >shows how such trends can endanger both the fabric of democratic society >and the law enforcement officers themselves. > >Particular attention is paid to the use of "less lethal" weaponry. The >origins of rubber bullets, flying truncheons, CS and CN are examined. All >began as weapons designed to put down rebellions and fight wars. All were >gradually exported into the areas of law enforcement. Looking at the >training materials provided by the manufacturers themselves, the lethality >of these substances is examined in detail. > > If the projectiles strike from too close a distance or strike something >other than the buttocks or thighs, it's usually a potentially trauma >inducing or lethal use of force. > > If CS, or CN is used there are to be adequate ways for those present to >escape, or it's potentially lethal especially, for the young, the elderly >and those with diseases like AIDs. > > Anytime these substances are used, reports are to be administered on each >person on whom the weapon was used, making it far less efficient to use >these weapons than to simply arrest offenders. > >Yet, repeatedly, all of these weapons were used in ways that could have >easily been lethal. Part of the reason for this is that given the >specific parameters of these weapons use, it is impossible to use them in >situations where there a dozen people moving around, let alone hundreds or >thousands. > >The report concludes by looking at the melt down that occurred inside the >ministerial itself. There are quotes by NGO's and delegates who found the >process undemocratic, and heavilly slanted in favor of a few multinational >corporations. > >The report then looks at the aftermath that is taking place now in Seattle >and issues recommendations. Among these recommendations are: > > Limiting the use of "less lethal" weapons to only those situations where >lethal force is being threatened. In line with this, we recommend >following the example of the European parliament and declaring all such >weapons inappropriate for dealing with political protest. > > > Examining the long terms effects of all those exposed to chemical agents, >including members of law enforcement. > > Examining the effect that the militarization, including SWAT training, >waves of inexperienced new hires, and more lethal weaponry is having on >the function of the police. > > Investigating the role of all federal agencies, especially military, in >the decision making processes. > >============================================== > > >============================================================ >How to Use this Mailing List >============================================================ > >You received this e-mail as a result of your registration on the >wto-activist mailing list. > >To unsubscribe, please send an email to listserv@iatp.org. In the body of >the message type: >unsubscribe wto-activist > >For a list of other commands and list options, please send email to >listserv@iatp.org. >In the body of the message type: >help > >Please direct content questions about this list to: mritchie@iatp.org > >Please direct technical questions about this service to: support@iatp.org > - - 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: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 11:14:07 -0700 (PDT) From: Brian McDermott Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Re: Washington, D.C. Gathering to Free Vanunu - --0-846930886-963339247=:24354 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Go get them. - --------------------------------- Do You Yahoo!? Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere! - --0-846930886-963339247=:24354 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii

Go get them.


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Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere! - --0-846930886-963339247=:24354-- - - 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: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 12:00:20 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) FAXING DEFENCE SECY COHEN, DOWNER, IN SYDNEY AUSTRALIA RE BMD US DEFENCE SECRETARY COHEN IN SYDNEY AUSTRALIA FROM 15TH TO 17TH JULY FAX COHEN IN AUSTRALIA ABOUT BMD/NMD ON 'C/O DON Q WASHINGTON +61-2-9221-0551' FAX FOREIGN MINISTER DOWNER ABOUT BMD/NMD ON 61-2-6273-4112 Dear Australian NGOs, US Defence Secretary William Cohen will be in Sydney talking to Foreign Minister Downer and Defence minister John Moore on the 15th and 16th. He will have just come from Beijing, where no doubt he'll be getting an earful on BMD/NMD from the Chinese. A vigil will be held outside where he is staying (possibly the intercontinental Hotel in Sydney - to be confirmed) from 12 noon to 2pm Sunday. (organised by Dennis Doherty and myself) Talks will be held on Monday with Australian Foreign Minister Downer and Defence Minister Moore in HMAS Kuttubul in Potts Point. I am urging people who are in any way concerned over what NMD might do to the global disarmament agenda to: Fax our foreign minister Alexander Downer on 61-2-6273-4112 (or on 08-8370-8166 if you are in SA) Fax Cohen himself on 1-703-695-1149, in the US and on +61-2-9221-0551 in Australia (Put C/O Don Q.Washington - Re BMD on it). The letters below have been sent to Cohen and Downer by Australian NGOs and parliamentarians. You are encouraged not only to customise and send these letters yourself, but, if you are an organisation, to sign on to the ones below being sent by NGOs. There is a short letter to Cohen, a short letter to Downer re Cohen, and the same sample letter that I have been circulating round the whole planet for people to send to Clinton, Cohen, Bush, and Gore. Happy faxing! After faxing Downer and Cohen, You may want to use the two websites below to fax Clinton as well.(this is for free) Greenpeace now has a website from which you can send a fax about BMD to Clinton. it is: http://www.stopstarwars.org/ You should also visit the 'Dont Blow it' website at http://DontBlowit.org. from which you can send the president a free e-postcard. 1) SHORT SAMPLE LETTER FOR PEOPLE AND NGOS TO SEND TO COHEN (PLEASE ALSO SIGN IT IF YOU ARE AN NGO) FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE SA, AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE SYDNEY AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE S. COAST PAX CHRISTI NSW SYDNEY ANTI-BASES COALITION PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT W.A., RE: NMD WILLIAM S. COHEN, DEFENCE SECRETARY, UNITED STATES, +1-703-695-1149 cc Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer 02-6273-4112, 08-8370-8166, 6261-2151. US EMBASSY CANBERRA, 02-6214-5970,6214-5930 US CONSULATE SYDNEY 9373-9125 Dear Defence Secretary Cohen, I am writing in view of your trip to Australia. No doubt the subject of NMD formed part of your discussions in Beijing. The organizations named above, and signed below, wish to point out that the Australian Senate on 29th June, passed a motion in which it called on your country: 1)Not to deploy a national missile defence system. 2)Called on the US and Russia to proceed with the early implementation and entry into force of START-II and negotiation of START-III as soon as possible, 3)Called on you to outline how you will implement the final document of the NPT Review Conference requirement that nuclear weapons play a diminishing role in security policies, 4)Urged the US and Russia to maintain the integrity of the ABM treaty. The failure last Saturday of the NMD test, indicates that an NMD system cannot make a positive contribution to the security of the US or its allies including Australia. Concern over the possible deployment of NMD has been expressed by the UN Secretary General, Russia, China, the European Union, France, Germany, Sweden, and Non-Aligned Movement and the New Agenda Coalition. 50 US Nobel prizewinners including some of the most respected names in Physics, have urged you not to proceed with NMD. Accordingly we too, urge you to take note of the Australian Senate resolution and not to proceed with NMD. Signed: John Hallam, Friends of the Earth Australia Irene Gale AM, Australian Peace Committee SA., Adelaide Babs Fuller- Quinn, Coordinator, Australian Peace Committee Sydney, Doreen Borrow, Australian Peace Committee South Coast, Jack Forward, Central Coast Peace Forum, Dennis Doherty, Pax Christi New South Wales, Hannah Middleton, Sydney Anti-Bases Coalition, Jo Vallentine, People for Nuclear Disarmament Western Australia, Pauline Mitchell, Secy., Campaign for International Cooperation and Disarmament,(CICD) Melbourne, 2)LETTER FOR AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE AND NGOS TO SEND TO FOREIGN MINISTER DOWNER (PLEASE ALSO SIGN IT IF YOU ARE AN NGO) FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE S.A., AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE SYDNEY SOUTH COAST PEACE COMMITTEE CENTRAL COAST PEACE FORUM PAX CHRISTI NSW SYDNEY ANTI-BASES COALITION PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT W.A., ATTN ALEXANDER DOWNER 02-6273-4112, 08-8370-8166 CC DFAT, 02-6261-2151 SENATOR LYN ALLISON, 02-6277-3087 SENATOR MEG LEES, 02-8295-8911 LAURIE BRERETON 9349-8089 RE: VISIT OF US DEFENCE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN Dear Alexander Downer, The organizations named above and signed below are writing with respect to the imminent visit of US Secretary for Defence, William S. Cohen, to urge you to make the strongest possible expressions of concern with respect to US proposals to deploy a National Missile Defence (NMD) system, which when tested over last weekend, failed completely. National Missile Defence has been criticized as being at the same time, both ineffective, probably physically impossible, and at the same time destabilizing. Expressions of strong concern over it have been made at the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York, by UN secretary General Kofi Annan, by the European Union, France, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, by the Non-Aligned Movement, by the New Agenda Coalition, and others. Russia has threatened that if the US violates the ABM treaty, as deployment of NMD would, it will 'tear up' arms control agreements to date. China will almost certainly greatly increase the size of its currently minimal nuclear deterrent force if NMD is deployed. Both these developments will lead the world back to nuclear arms- racing. Within the US, 50 US Nobel prizewinners (Half the Nobel prizewinners in the US) have written to President Clinton to ask that NMD not proceed. The American Physical Society, the top physics body in the US, has expressed the almost unanimous opinion that NMD as proposed is physically impossible. The Australian Senate on 29th June, passed a motion calling on the US not to proceed with NMD. It called for: 1)The US Not to deploy a National Missile Defence (NMD) system. 2)Called on the US and Russia to proceed with the early implementation and entry into force of START-II and negotiation of START-III as soon as possible, 3)Called on nuclear weapons states to outline how they will implement the final document of the NPT Review Conference requirement that nuclear weapons play a diminishing role in security policies, 4)Urged the US and Russia to maintain the integrity of the ABM treaty. In view of both the clearly destabilizing effects of the deployment of NMD and of its highly problematic technical aspects which mean that it will make no contribution (or a negative one) to the security of either the US or US allies including Australia, we urge you to make the very strongest representations to defence Secretary Cohen when he visits this coming weekend. Signed John Hallam, Friends of the Earth Australia, Irene Gale AM, Australian Peace Committee SA, Babs Fuller-Quinn, Coordinator, Australian Peace Committee Sydney, Doreen Borrow, Coordinator, South Coast Peace Committee, George Gotsis, Coordinator, Greek Peace Committee, Sydney, Jack Forward, Central Coast Peace Forum, Dennis Doherty, Pax Christi New South Wales, Hannah Middleton, Sydney Anti-Bases Coalition, Jo Vallentine, People for Nuclear Disarmament Western Australia, Pauline Mitchell, Secy., Campaign for International Cooperation and Disarmament, Melbourne, 3)SAMPLE LETTER FOR WHOLE PLANET TO SEND TO BILL CLINTON, WILLIAM S. COHEN, MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, BUSH, GORE, AND RELEVANT CONGRESSIONAL SUBCOMMITTEES. (Do not sign this. It is to give you more ideas as to what to write to Cohen and to Clkinton if you would like to write to Clinton) PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, 1-202-456-2461, SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT 1-202-647-6047 SECRETARY FOR DEFENCE, WILLIAM S. COHEN 1-703-695-1149 cc George Bush Al Gore Dear President Clinton, William Cohen, Madeleine Albright, and Presidential candidates, I am writing to urge you not to proceed with proposals for a national ballistic missile defence system. Missile defence schemes respond to a nonexistent or exaggerated threat, are not the solution to real threats, make the rest of the US's security environment less safe, sabotage nuclear disarmament efforts to which the US is legally committed along with the rest of the world, and show contempt for the opinions of US allies and the rest of the world. At the recent NPT Review Conference, the US together with 187 other countries, signed a final declaration that commits it to an unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of its nuclear arsenal. Plans to deploy a missile defence system threaten that vital goal, to which the US is legally committed. At the very same conference, the UN Secretary General, and representatives of Russia, China, the UK, France, Sweden, the European community, the New Agenda Coalition and the Non- aligned movement have all expressed strongly that they believe the ABM treaty is the cornerstone of global strategic stability. They do not think it should be modified to allow a missile defence system, still less abrogated unilaterally. On your recent European trip, leaders of Europe and Russia have made the same point. America simply cannot ignore the strongly repeated opinion of the whole world, that the ABM treaty should not be modified to permit BMD. Furthermore: 1)The threat that the national missile defence system is supposed to address, namely that of missile - equipped so- called 'rogue states' is in all likelihood, nonexistent. 2) A state that really wished to inflict serious damage on the US would probaby rather smuggle a nuclear explosive device into a US city by means that are more reliable and more difficult to trace than missiles. 3)There are serious doubts as to whether this system can work at all, or as to whether any missile defence system can ever work. The problems posed even by relatively simple decoys are probably technically insoluble. 4)National (and theatre) missile defence schemes are unsustainably costly, and cost estimates are likely to rise without limit. Instead of pursuing missile defence, it is vital that the US focus on real solutions to global strategic security. The highest priorities have to be the elimination of as many warheads as possible under any START-III agreement with Russia, and the removal of strategic missile forces from high alert status as advocated by the Canberra Commission, subsequent UN resolutions and the final NPT declaration. In this respect, the commitment of Candidate Bush to deep cuts in warhead numbers and to reductions in alert status are worthy of support. Commitments to costly and dangerous missile defence schemes are worthy only of opposition. Yours Sincerely, Signed .... John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042 Fax (61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 nonukes@foesyd.org.au http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd - - 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: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 22:00:11 +0100 From: Sally light Subject: (abolition-usa) HIROSHIMA DAY 2000 AT LIVERMORE LAB, CALIFORNIA HIROSHIMA DAY 2000 AT LIVERMORE LAB. ALL ARE WELCOME! Sponsored by the Livermore Conversion Project, and hosted by Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment), there will be a major rally and demonstration at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to commemorate the WWII atomic bombing of Hiroshima. We invite everyone to join us for the following event: WHEN =96 Sunday, August 6, 2000, at 8 am. WHAT =96 MILLENNIUM OF PEACE: Program and Demonstration at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. WHERE - Corner of East Avenue and Vasco Road, Livermore, California. WHY =96 Anniversary of the WWII atomic bombing of Hiroshima; 10th Anniversary of US sanctions against Iraq. GUEST SPEAKERS CONFIRMED SO FAR: Master of Ceremonies =96 Wilson Riles, Executive Director, American Friends Service Committee Keynote speaker: Bruce Gagnon, Coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, who will speak on the US plans to weaponize and nuclearize space by the year 2020. Other speakers: Fusako DeAngelis of Plutonium Free Future Marylia Kelley, Executive Director of Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment) Barbara Lubin, Executive Director of the Middle East Children=92s Allianc= e Peter Ferenbach, Executive Director of California Peace Action Father Bill O=92Donnell, St. Joseph the Worker Church, Berkeley WITH A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE OF =93DIRECT ACTION WORLD ROCK REBEL MUSIC=94B= Y CLAN DYKEN! CALIFORNIA PEACE ACTION WILL PROVIDE A 50-FOOT MOCK TRIDENT MISSILE! After the program, we will march to the gates of Livermore Lab for a voluntary, nonviolent, risk arrest action. At noon, there will be an open quarterly meeting of Northern California Abolition 2000, part of the Abolition 2000 Global Network for Nuclear Abolition, hosted by Tri-Valley CAREs at its office in Livermore. Directions: Going east from Oakland, take 580 to the Vasco Road exit in Livermore. Go south (right) on Vasco about 2 miles to East Avenue. Come join us! Bring banners, costumes, posters and other colorful paraphernalia! For further information about both the event and the meeting following it, please call Tri-Valley CAREs at (925) 443-7148. - - 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: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 22:05:37 +0100 From: Sally light Subject: (abolition-usa) AUGUST 8, 2000 EVENT WITH BRUCE GAGNON. ALL ARE WELCOME. AUGUST 8, 2000 SPEAKING EVENT WITH BRUCE GAGNON, COORDINATOR OF THE GLOBAL NETWORK AGAINST WEAPONS AND NUCLEAR POWER IN SPACE There will be a cordial, potluck-style evening with Bruce on Tuesday, August 8, 2000, at 7 pm at the Friends Church in Berkeley, California. The Church is located at the corner of Sacramento and Cedar streets near the North Berkeley BART station. A well-respected, longtime organizer and activist, Bruce will speak on =93The Return of Star Wars: the Weaponization and Nuclearization of Space.=94 This is your opportunity to learn in detail about the plans of the US military-industrial complex to dominate the planet from space by the year 2020, using nuclear weapons and laser technology. There will plenty of time for questions and answers, as well as for a strategy session. COME JOIN US WITH, OR WITHOUT, FOOD. If possible, please RSVP by calling Tri-Valley CAREs at (925) 443-7148. Co-sponsoring organizations (partial listing): Livermore Conversion Project, Tri-Valley CAREs, Western States Legal Foundation, Friends Church Peace &Social Concerns Committee, Mt. Diablo Peace Center, Nevada Desert Experience, Middle East Children=92s Alliance, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Peace Links, West County Toxics Coalition, Citizens Opposing a Polluted Environment. For further information, please contact Tri-Valley CAREs at (925) 443-7148. - - 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: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 16:09:58 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) Ten Days to G8 Meeting - Help Stop BMD and a new arms race. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- G8 MEETING IN OKINAWA 21-23 JULY - HELP PREVENT A NEW ARMS RACE. (Please pass this message on to everyone you know who might be interested, and might act on it) Dear Friends and all concerned people, (Both within and outside the US) Now That The NMD Test has actually failed, this is more relevant than ever! Last Saturday, the US Spent $100m on a test of the National Missile defence System. The test was of course an embarrasing failure. In ten days, the G8 countries will be meeting in Okinawa. NMD is likely to be a topic for discussion there. For some time I have been trying to persuade as many people as possible around the world to send letters (fax or snail mail) to their governments, asking that they make representations to the US government not to proceed with NMD. (Relevant fax numbers are below) This is particularly important if you are in one of the G8 countries (Russia, US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada), whose heads of state will be meeting in Okinawa from 21-23 July. THE US GOVERNMENT AND US PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU THAT YOU WANT FEWER NUCLEAR WARHEADS UNDER START-III AND NO NMD. THE US GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO HEAR AGAIN FROM ITS EUROPEAN AND OTHER ALLIES, THAT THEY WANT THE US TO STOP ITS NMD PLANS AND TO ACCEPT LOWER START-III WARHEAD NUMBERS. THE NON-US MEMBERS OF THE G8 (RUSSIA, FRANCE, GERMANY, CANADA, ITALY, JAPAN, UK,) NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU THAT THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE US NO TO PROCEED WITH NMD. A good time for this to happen is at the coming G8 Summit in Okinawa, Japan, on July 21-23. If you are in the US, you could send the letter below to Clinton, Bush, Gore, Albright, and Cohen below. You should also visit the 'Dont Blow it' website at http://DontBlowit.org. from which you can send the president a free e-postcard. These sample letters are on: Http://www.abolition2000.org If you are in France, please use the letter below to the President, Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister of France (which are are getting translated into French) If you are in the UK, please write to Prime Minister Tony Blair something like the letter below to Blair. If you are in Germany, please write a letter something like the one below to German Foreign Minister Fischer, and Chancellor Schroeder, asking them to make strong represenatatoins to the US at the coming G8 summit. (We will have German translation for this soon also) If you are in Japan, please write something like the sample letter to Japan which is below. If you are in any other country, please base your letter on those below. You may also prefer to fax direct to President Clinton. (But if you live in a G8 country its important to let your own government know that you want them to tell the US no to go with BMD) Please customise these letters and change or improve them as you see fit. Please spread them through your own networks, altered and improved as you see fit. Please translate them into your own language, and circulate them via your national networks. The fax numbers of Clinton, Blair, and Schroder are on the letters themselves. These numbers have been tried and they work. Other fax numbers are at the very end. If you prefer to use ordinary post, remember that it takes longer so your letter must be sent sooner. Happy writing and faxing! SAMPLE LETTERS AND FAX NUMBERS BELOW (These letters are also on Http://www.abolition2000.org and a global list of fax numbers of foreign ministers can be found there also) 1)Letter to Clinton, Cohen, Albright, Gore, Bush 2)Letter to French Government 3)Letter to German Government 4)Letter to British Government 5)Letter to Japanese Government (Fax Nos right at the end or use the numbers on the letters) 1)SAMPLE LETTER FOR ESP US FOLKS, TO SEND TO BILL CLINTON, WILLIAM S. COHEN, MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, BUSH, GORE, AND RELEVANT CONGRESSIONAL SUBCOMMITTEES. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, 1-202-456-2461, SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT 1-202-647-6047 SECRETARY FOR DEFENCE, WILLIAM S. COHEN 1-703-695-1149 cc George Bush Al Gore Dear President Clinton, William Cohen, Madeleine Albright, and Presidential candidates, I am writing to urge you not to proceed with proposals for a national ballistic missile defence system. Missile defence schemes respond to a nonexistent or exaggerated threat, are not the solution to real threats, make the rest of the US's security environment less safe, sabotage nuclear disarmament efforts to which the US is legally committed along with the rest of the world, and show contempt for the opinions of US allies and the rest of the world. At the recent NPT Review Conference, the US together with 187 other countries, signed a final declaration that commits it to an unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of its nuclear arsenal. Plans to deploy a missile defence system threaten that vital goal, to which the US is legally committed. At the very same conference, the UN Secretary General, and representatives of Russia, China, the UK, France, Sweden, the European community, the New Agenda Coalition and the Non- aligned movement have all expressed strongly that they believe the ABM treaty is the cornerstone of global strategic stability. They do not think it should be modified to allow a missile defence system, still less abrogated unilaterally. On your recent European trip, leaders of Europe and Russia have made the same point. America simply cannot ignore the strongly repeated opinion of the whole world, that the ABM treaty should not be modified to permit BMD. Furthermore: 1)The threat that the national missile defence system is supposed to address, namely that of missile - equipped so- called 'rogue states' is in all likelihood, nonexistent. 2) A state that really wished to inflict serious damage on the US would probaby rather smuggle a nuclear explosive device into a US city by means that are more reliable and more difficult to trace than missiles. 3)There are serious doubts as to whether this system can work at all, or as to whether any missile defence system can ever work. The problems posed even by relatively simple decoys are probably technically insoluble. 4)National (and theatre) missile defence schemes are unsustainably costly, and cost estimates are likely to rise without limit. Instead of pursuing missile defence, it is vital that the US focus on real solutions to global strategic security. The highest priorities have to be the elimination of as many warheads as possible under any START-III agreement with Russia, and the removal of strategic missile forces from high alert status as advocated by the Canberra Commission, subsequent UN resolutions and the final NPT declaration. In this respect, the commitment of Candidate Bush to deep cuts in warhead numbers and to reductions in alert status are worthy of support. Commitments to costly and dangerous missile defence schemes are worthy only of opposition. Yours Sincerely, Signed .... 2)LETTER TO FRENCH GOVERNMENT PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC +33-147-42-2465 PRIME MINISTER LIONEL JOSPIN +33-142-34-2677 MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS +33-1-4317-5203 33-1-45-51-60-12 Dear President Chirac, Prime Minister Jospin, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Hubert Vedrine, I am writing to you to urge you at the coming G8 meeting in Okinawa, to express strongly your support for the 1972 ABM treaty, and your opposition to the US proposal to deploy a ballistic missile defence scheme. I am happy to see that at the recent nuclear nonproliferation treaty review conference, France expressed strongly its support for the ABM treaty and opposition to ballistic missile defence, and that France has continued to forcefully express its opposition to this ill-considered scheme since that time. I urge you to continue doing this. A ballistic missile defence scheme would: (a)Attempt to defend the US (but not Europe) against a threat that either does not exist or that if it did exist, would strike in ways that missile defence cannot prevent. (ie using means of delivery other than missiles) (b) Is likely not to work at all because of the problem posed by relatively simple decoys that can easily be deployed even by a relatively unsophisticated attacker. (c) Will be seen as potentially threatening by Russia and China, and will therefore prompt those countries to expand their nuclear arsenals, threatening to re-commence the nuclear arms race, just after the US has together with France, the UK, Russia and China, signed a final declaration at the recent NPT Review, committing them to the total and unequivocal elimination of their nuclear arsenals. (d) Missile defence as proposed by the US administration, in no way helps the position of US allies or Europe. I urge you at the coming G8 summit to make the most vigorous representations to the US not to decrease global security by proceeding with plans for missile defence, or weakening the ABM treaty. I ask you to instead urge the US to increase global security by accepting the lowest of the warhead totals on offer by Russia in START-III negotiations, and by standing down nuclear missiles from 'launch on warning' status. (Signed) 3)SAMPLE LETTER TO GERHARDT SCHROEDER, JOSCHKA FISCHER, ATTN GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARDT SCHROEDER +49-228-56-2357, +49-30-4000-2357. GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSCHKA FISCHER, +49-228-168-6662, +49-1888-171-928, +49-228-173-402, +49-30-201-861-924, RE: BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCE AND THE ABM TREATY Dear Chancellor Schroeder and Foreign Minister Fischer, I am writing to express my support of the position you have taken with respect to US plans to deploy a ballistic missile defence system and to modify, or possibly to abrogate, the ABM treaty in order to allow the deployment of this system. I note that you have already made clear to US President Clinton your strong disapproval of any such moves. I urge you to continue in your opposition to this highly destabilizing scheme. I am urging you to put this position strongly to the US at the coming G8 summit in Okinawa. Ballistic missile defence in the form in which the US now seeks to deploy it, (either national missile defence or theater missile defence), a) Seeks to defend against a threat that either does not exist or which if it exists, will strike in ways that missile defence systems cannot affect. b)Is likely to be wholly ineffective because of the problem posed by relatively simple decoys, and at the same time will be seen as threatening by those with whom the US is legally obliged to negotiate for the elimination of nuclear arsenals. Missile defence therefore acts to sabotage vital arms control efforts. c) National missile defence as currently proposed by the US administration, in no way helps the security position of US allies, who are thus likely to be exposed to whatever threat NMD seeks to counter - if that threat is real. (d) These proposals make more difficult, and may reverse, nuclear disarmament efforts, decreasing the security of the whole world while violating US obligations under the NPT. I urge you to make the most vigorous representations to the US government, particularly at the G8 summit, not to decrease global security by proceeding with plans for NMD/BMD or TMD,or weakening the ABM treaty, but rather to increase global security by accepting the lowest of the warhead totals on offer by Russia in START-III negotiations, and by standing down nuclear missiles from 'launch on warning' status. (Signed) etc 4)DRAFT SAMPLE LETTER TO TONY BLAIR, ROBIN COOK TO: PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR +44-171-925-0918 FOREIGN MINISTER ROBIN COOK +44-171-829-2417 +44-171-270-2833 Dear Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Minister Robin Cook, I am writing to you to urge your government to take a strong stand against US plans to build a ballistic missile defence system, and to urge it to maintain and strengthen the ABM treaty. I urge you to put this very strongly to the US at the coming G8 summit in Okinawa. At the recent Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York, the UN secretary general, the governments of Russia, China, France, and the UK, the Non-Aligned movement, the New Agenda Coalition, and the European Union all expressed strong support for the maintenance and strengthening of the ABM treaty. This cannot be interpreted to mean modifying it to allow a ballistic missile defence system. The missile defence systems currently under discussion in the US seek to protect the US (but not Europe) against a threat that either does not exist at all, or for which missile defence is a completely inappropriate response. In addition the options proposed in the US may in fact not work at all, while causing those countries with whom the US is legally obliged under the final declaration of the NPT Review Conference to seek to negotiate the elimination of its nuclear arsenal, to abandon arms control measures altogether. The very discussion by the US of missile defence options is itself destabilizing and puts progress toward the global goals of elimination of nuclear arsenals in doubt. We/I urge you to put to the US government in the very strongest terms that it should no longer contemplate missile defence options, and to make it clear that the UK will not in any way cooperate with such options. Your government has said it wants to maintain and strengthen the ABM treaty. It must follow on from this good beginning by making it clear that it is absolutely opposed to BMD. The US government should instead be strongly urged to accept the very lowest warhead numbers on offer from Russia and to stand down its nuclear weapons systems from 'launch on warning' status. Signed.....etc. 5)LETTER TO JAPANESE GOVERNMENT THE PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF JAPAN, 81-3-3581-9675, 81-3-3591-3613 Dear Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Japan, I am writing to you to urge you at the coming G8 summit in Okinawa on July 21-23, to make strong representations to the United States concerning the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty and its plans for a ballistic missile defence system. At the recent Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference, the UN Secretary General, the New Agenda Coalition, the Non-Aligned Movement, France, Russia, China, and the European Community all expressed opposition to the deployment of a missile defence system and support for the ABM treaty as the cornerstone of strategic stability. A number of European nations have subsequently expressed strong opposition to Ballistic missile defence. Ballistic missile defence (a) Seeks to guard against a problem that does not exist, or which if it does exist, is not best answered by costly and high tech systems such as BMD. (b)Is likely to be ineffective against missile attack because of the problem posed by relatively simple decoys. (c) is likely to be seen as threatening by those with whom the US is legally obliged to negotiate toward the unequivocal and total elimination of its nuclear arsenals, thereby sabotaging a process to which the US has only recently reaffirmed its commitment. (d) In no way helps, and may harm, the security position of US allies such as Japan and Europe who are likely to be exposed to whatever threat is sought to be countered by missile defence - if that threat is real. (e) By encouraging arms- racing again, is likely to degrade the security position of the world as a whole. Accordingly I urge your government to make the most vigorous representations to the US at the coming G8 summit, and to urge the US instead, to consider the lowest START-III warhead numbers offered by Russia and to take strategic warheads off launch-on-warning status. Yours Sincerely, (signed) etc. FAX NUMBERS BELOW (OR USE THE ONES ON THE TOPS OF THE LETTERS) FAX NUMBERS OF SOME FOREIGN MINISTERS A URL where the fax numbers of every head of state and foreign minister in the world is listed plus lots of information is this: Http://www.abolition2000.org. (Another URL that has the fax numbers of heads of state, foreign ministers and UN missions and also has lots of information on the NPT Review is: Http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org ) Some of the relevant fax numbers are listed below. If your country is not on this list, you can find your foreign minister or head of state on one of the two URLs above. (The + in front stands for whatever your countrys ISD access code may be. You only really need it if you are faxing some other country. I hope however, that people may like not only to fax their own foreign minister but also those of Russia and the US.) Some of these numbers may have changed. If any of them don't work, let me know at and check the number on the URL or with your own telephone system. If you are in the US, Secy of State Madeleine Allbrights fax number is: +1 202 647 6047 President Clintons fax number is +1-202-456-2461 If you are in Russia, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov's fax number is +7-095-244-3276 or +7-095-244-2203. (You need to be persistent with these numbers) The general Kremlin fax number is +7-095-205-4330. (This is the slowest fax in the universe) If you are in France, your foreign ministers fax number is +33-1-45-51-60-12, Jacques Chirac's fax number is +33-1-47-42-24-65. If you are in the UK, Tony Blairs fax number is +44-171-925-0918. The Foreign Minister, Robin Cook's fax number is: +44-171-270-2144 The United Nations mission is on Fax. +1 212 745 9316 If you are in Germany, the Chancellors fax number is: +49-228-56-2357, or +49-30-4000-2357 Foreign Minister Joschka Fischers number is any of these: +49-228-168-6662, +49-30-20186-252, +49-228-1734-02, +49-30-201-8619-24 Here are the fax numbers of some foreign ministers and UN missions: If you are in Canada, your foreign ministers fax number is: +1-613-996-3546. If you are in Japan, you need to fax +81-3-3581-9675 If you are in Italy please fax +39-6-628-6210, or +39-6-3222-850 or +39-6-3222-734 If you are in Hungary, please fax your foreign minister on +36-1-356-3801 If you are in Korea, try your minister of foreign affairs on +82-2-724-8291, +82-2-739-5370 If you are in Brazil, your foreign ministers fax should be +55-61-226-1762 If you are in Mexico, try +52-6-782-4109 If you are in Greece try +30-1-645-0094 (or 0095) If you are in Thailand, try +66-2-225-6155, or +66-2-226-1374 John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042 Fax (61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 nonukes@foesyd.org.au http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd - - 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 #339 *********************************** - 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.