Plan massive civil disobedience nationwide Sept. 21-28 to end Iraq war and occupation

“Every major movement for peace and justice in our history was able to turn a corner finally when its members nonviolently and illegally disrupted the big business of war and injustice.” John Dear, S.J., who will address the 2006 CTA conference Nov. 3-5.

In the early 1980s, peace activist Ken Butigan launched the Pledge of Resistance in opposition to Reagan’s contra war on Nicaragua. Tens of thousands agreed to commit nonviolent civil disobedience if the war did not end. We know now that that campaign became a major obstacle to the Pentagon, and helped end that war.

Early this year Ken— now a CTA national board member— drafted the manifesto for a similar campaign: “The Declaration of Peace” to end the war and occupation of Iraq. Since the Bush administration ignores marches and vigils, Butigan felt it was time to up the nonviolent ante. He and a few colleagues picked a target date: Sept. 21, 2006, International Day of Peace.

The plan is simple. CTA was one of the first national organizations to endose it. The Declaration of Peace is a nationwide campaign to establish by Sept. 21 a concrete and rapid plan for peace in Iraq, including:
• a prompt timetable for withdrawal of troops and closure of bases;
• a peace process for security, reconstruction, and reconciliation;
• and the shift of funding for war to meeting human needs.

If this plan for peace is not created and activated by Congress by Sept. 21, Declaration signers will engage in nonviolent action in Washington, D.C. and in communities throughout the nation. Hundreds of peace groups and thousands of citizens will organize nonviolent civil disobedience at their local congressional representative’s office during the week of Sept. 21-28, just days before Congress adjourns for the fall elections. We will hold our banners, demand that the troops come home, and sit in with steadfast nonviolence demanding an end to this mad war. And we will keep up the public pressure through the fall until a breakthrough for peace.

Sign the Pledge

You are urged to visit the website, www.declarationofpeace.org, and sign the Declaration of Peace Pledge. It reads in part: I solemnly pledge to
1. call on the Bush administration and Congress to immediately withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq, with no future redeployments;
2. urge my congressional representatives to adopt a ‘bring the troops home now’ position, and to establish a concrete, comprehensive withdrawal plan no later than Sept. 21;
3. participate in marches, rallies, demonstrations and other peaceful strategies to establish this plan; and
4. engage in nonviolent civil disobedience, as conscience leads me, if this plan for a comprehensive withdrawal is not established and activated no later than Sept. 21, 2006.

Also on the website you can connect with the Declaration of Peace in your area; find local events listed, and add your own; register to participate in nonviolent civil disobedience; and arrange to take nonviolent action training.

Campaign will continue

The Declaration of Peace campaign will continue after the September actions if no comprehensive plan to end the war is in place. Nationally coordinated nonviolent activities will continue until the U.S. withdraws from Iraq and supports a comprehensive peace process.The next important milestone will be the Congressional and Senatorial elections Nov. 7.

Endorsing organizations

Some 200 antiwar, peace, and justice organizations have endorsed the movement. United for Peace and Justice, the largest peace/justice coalition in U.S. history with over 1,400 local units, decided to sign on after Ken Butigan and John Dear traveled to New York in May and met with its coordinator, Leslie Cagan. Call To Action also finds other familiar allies and past CTA conference presenters on the endorsement list, including:

American Friends Service Committee
School of the Americas Watch
Global Exchange
Code Pink (Medea Benjamin)
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Pax Christi USA
Erie Benedictines for Peace
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence (Arun Gandhi)
Shalom Center (Rabbi Arthur Waskow)
Voices for Creative Nonviolence (Kathy Kelly)
Lutheran Peace Fellowship
Gold Star Families for Peace (Cindy Sheehan)
www.DeclarationOfPeace.org