FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Brian Terrell, 515-255-8114, or Frank Cordaro, 515-490-2490
September 25, 2006
Local Groups to Engage in Nonviolent Action to Support New Course on Iraq
Protests Today at Des Moines Offices of Senator Grassley and Representative Boswell Protestors will refuse to leave offices until Grassley and Boswell endorse plan to end war in Iraq
12:30 today at Nollen Plaza
National Coalition Taking Action as Congress Refuses to Make Comprehensive Iraq Withdrawal Plan
In a coordinated campaign called the Declaration of Peace, with more than 300 demonstrations across the United States that began on September 22 with 34 arrests at the White House in Washington, DC, there will be a rally today in downtown Des Moines at Nollen Plaza today beginning at 12:30 pm.
The rally will feature speakers representing local peace groups and music lead by State Representative Ed Fallon, Betsy Keenan and the Raging Grannies. A statement from Senator Tom Harkin and an International Day of Peace Proclamation by Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie encouraging citizens to act for peace will be read.
At 1:00 pm, the group will march to Senator Grassley’s office in the Federal Building at 210 Walnut Street and to Representative Boswell’s office, 300 East Locust. Some participants will attempt to remain in these offices until our representatives agree to support the Declaration’s plan for peace, including the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq by the end of this year.
In the weeks leading up to September 21, the day recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of Peace, people across America called on their Senators and Representatives to publicly support a comprehensive plan and to co-sign current legislation, including a resolution introduced by Iowa Senator Tom Harkin calling for U.S. troops to leave Iraq by the end of this year. In Des Moines, visits and phone calls were made to offices of Representative Leonard Boswell and Senator Chuck Grassley, urging them to publicly support the Declaration’s goals for a comprehensive plan for peace by September 21.
The Declaration of Peace is a coalition of over 330 national, regional and local religious, peace, veterans and student groups. Local coalition members include Iowa Peace Network, Physicians for Social Responsibility, American Friends Service Committee, Catholic Peace Ministry, Iowa Veterans for Peace, Catholic Worker, Des Moines Valley Friends Meeting, Methodist Federation for Social Action, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
Goals of the Declaration of Peace
The Declaration of Peace is a commitment to take nonviolent steps for a comprehensive, concrete and rapid end to the US war and occupation in Iraq, including:
Withdrawal of US troops and all coalition forces
No permanent US military bases and installations
Support for an Iraqi-led peace process, including a peace conference to shape a post-occupation transition and an international peacekeeping presence if mandated by this peace process
Return of Iraqi control over its oil resources and the political and economic life of the nation
Reparations and reconstruction to address the destruction caused by the US war and thirteen years of sanctions
Increased support for US veterans of the Iraq war, and
No so-called “preventive” war against Iran or any other nation
Establish a “peace dividend” for job creation, health care, education, housing, and other vital social needs
www.declarationofpeace.org