Hong Kong says no to war

Today we are gathering with millions of people across the world to speak out against a possible war against Iraq, a country whose people have experienced unimaginable human suffering over the past 12 years.

More than 500,000 children under five have died as a result of sanctions imposed after the Gulf War. It is estimated by UNICEF that sanctions claim the lives of 5,000 children in Iraq every month. Can anyone among us even imagine the tragedy that each of these deaths brings to the people it touches? The scale of violence and suffering already faced by the people of Iraq is indescribable. As human beings in a position to change this situation, we must call for their anguish to end.

We gather to lift our voices together, across the globe in solidarity with the suffering people of Iraq as they await the frightening prospect of yet another attack. They have already known death on a daily basis for the past twelve years.

The main argument for war that the US and UK have made is that Iraq harbours weapons of mass destruction. However, no evidence has been provided to back this claim. Moreover, the US itself holds the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. It has also withdrawn from or severely hindered international agreements against the use of ballistic missiles, landmines, biological weapons, torture, and nuclear weapons testing, as well as having dented global measures against environmental destruction.

What is the real threat to world peace?

We say that any attack on Iraq will be another part of an increasing US-led militarisation of our planet. A new era of corporate and military globalisation is taking shape, at the expense of thousands of human beings, in Iraq, across Asia, and around the world.

We firstly call upon the governments of the US and UK to cease all actions leading to war against Iraq. We also call for an end to militarism and the eradication of weapons of mass destruction throughout the world.

Sanctions are weapons of mass destruction in themselves. Since the most recent weapons inspectors have entered the country, roughly 10,000 more children have died. Sanctions must be lifted, and the people of Iraq must be guaranteed their rights to life and livelihood, empowered to determine their own future.

Thousands of people are out on the streets today in cities across the globe, including in the US and UK, in support of peace and justice. We stand together for these two simple principles, for the people of Iraq, the people of Hong Kong, and the people of the world.