EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS

CORDOBA NETWORK FOR PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Invitation to the Networks Meeting,

26/27 June 2003, European Parliament, Brussels

Dear Friend,

At its founding meeting, in February 2002, the European Network set itself three main tasks:

Create an active dialogue with peace and human rights movements in the new war zones of the Middle East
Strengthen our links with the World Social Movement (then meeting in Porto Alegre in Brazil) in its opposition to global militarism and support for human rights, sustainable development and democracy;
Open a dialogue with the many movements in the United States working for peace and human rights and seek exchanges.

Each of these tasks has registered some important progress, but much more remains to be done. Meanwhile, the threat of wars across the Middle East/West Asia region has not abated, as the United States administration continues to follow the strategic policies of "full-spectrum dominance" which have been officially ratified by the American military. Meanwhile, the peace movement has made tremendous progress with world-wide demonstrations and signs of a growing desire to co-ordinate responses.

The dialogue with peace and human rights movements in the Middle East/West Asia region, which began in Cordoba in November 2002, already shows how urgent it is that we should foster closer co-operation between those who support peace and human rights in Europe, the United States and the Middle East. It resulted in the establishment of a continuing Network involving the movements which participated. It seems clear that it is necessary to bring together the European and Cordoba Networks. We propose that this should be done in Brussels in late June. Please inform us of any paper you wish to submit.

War now directly threatens not only the people of Iraq but also the peoples of a far wider region. There is particular danger in Iran. War can resolve none of the advertised problems in these areas. On the contrary, as the Afghan conflict has plainly shown, it leaves behind vast problems of social dislocation and destroyed infrastructure. Huge impoverishment becomes endemic.

The condition of the Palestinian people has been gravely aggravated with the emboldening of the most aggressive forces in Israel. We must take care to ensure that international support is not eroded in the prevailing climate of war hysteria. Human rights, far from being upheld, are undermined not only in and around the war zones, but within the dominant powers themselves, as rational argument becomes more difficult and hysteria rules. Already there are attempts to legitimate the torture of prisoners, and to ignore flagrant violations of the Geneva Conventions.

In the effort to continue the work we have begun, movements in Europe, the United States and the Middle East are cordially invited to come to Brussels to exchange information and co-operate in joint activities against war and for social justice and human rights.

All those interested in participating in the Brussels meeting are invited to send their contact details to the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation (co-ordinates below). A form is provided for your convenience. More information will be sent as soon as it is available.

Yours sincerely,

Ken Coates

_______________________________________________________

European Network for Peace and Human Rights
Cordoba Network for Peace and Human Rights

I wish to participate in the Networks meeting in Brussels on 26/27 June

2003.

I wish to submit a paper on ___________________________________

Name

Organisation

Address

E-mail Phone

Fax

Please return to The Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, Russell House,
Bulwell Lane, Nottingham NG6 0BT, England (www.russfound.org) or by
e-mail to or fax to 00 44 (0)

EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS

EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS

CORDOBA NETWORK FOR PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Invitation to the Networks Meeting,

26/27 June 2003, European Parliament, Brussels

Dear Friend,

At its founding meeting, in February 2002, the European Network set itself three main tasks:

Create an active dialogue with peace and human rights movements in the new

war zones of the Middle East;

Strengthen our links with the World Social Movement (then meeting in Porto

Alegre in Brazil) in its opposition to global militarism and support for

human rights, sustainable development and democracy;

Open a dialogue with the many movements in the United States working for

peace and human rights and seek exchanges.

Each of these tasks has registered some important progress, but much more

remains to be done. Meanwhile, the threat of wars across the Middle

East/West Asia region has not abated, as the United States administration

continues to follow the strategic policies of "full-spectrum dominance"

which have been officially ratified by the American military. Meanwhile,

the peace movement has made tremendous progress with world-wide

demonstrations and signs of a growing desire to co-ordinate responses.

The dialogue with peace and human rights movements in the Middle East/West

Asia region, which began in Cordoba in November 2002, already shows how

urgent it is that we should foster closer co-operation between those who

support peace and human rights in Europe, the United States and the Middle

East. It resulted in the establishment of a continuing Network involving

the movements which participated. It seems clear that it is necessary to

bring together the European and Cordoba Networks. We propose that this

should be done in Brussels in late June. Please inform us of any paper you

wish to submit.

War now directly threatens not only the people of Iraq but also the

peoples of a far wider region. There is particular danger in Iran. War

can resolve none of the advertised problems in these areas. On the

contrary, as the Afghan conflict has plainly shown, it leaves behind vast

problems of social dislocation and destroyed infrastructure. Huge

impoverishment becomes endemic. Continued.

The condition of the Palestinian people has been gravely aggravated with

the emboldening of the most aggressive forces in Israel. We must take care

to ensure that international support is not eroded in the prevailing

climate of war hysteria.

Human rights, far from being upheld, are undermined not only in and around

the war zones, but within the dominant powers themselves, as rational

argument becomes more difficult and hysteria rules. Already there are

attempts to legitimate the torture of prisoners, and to ignore flagrant

violations of the Geneva Conventions.

In the effort to continue the work we have begun, movements in Europe, the

United States and the Middle East are cordially invited to come to

Brussels to exchange information and co-operate in joint activities

against war and for social justice and human rights.

All those interested in participating in the Brussels meeting are invited

to send their contact details to the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation

(co-ordinates below). A form is provided for your convenience. More

information will be sent as soon as it is available.