INDEPENDENT NEWS

Momentum Builds for New UN Peace Resolution

Published: Tue 25 Mar 2003 02:39 PM
Momentum Builds for New UN Peace Resolution
Demands for a UN emergency session are on the rise! 32,015 of you have written to UN Ambassadors around the world. You've sent 29,700 E-cards to friends, colleagues, fellow students, and family members. This is an extraordinary response in a very short time, and what do we want??? MORE!
Why? This is a crucial week. No nation has yet stepped forth to get the ball rolling, though many have expressed their support for the Uniting for Peace resolution, which would bring all nations of the General Assembly together to demand an end to the war. You can read more in the following story about how the Uniting for Peace resolution has stopped wars in progress in the past:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/news/details?item_id=179491
But the resolution needs even more support NOW, because the US has begun an active lobbying campaign against it.
According to Reuters, "The United States has launched a worldwide diplomatic drive to head off the calling of an emergency session..." The US has circulated angry letters to many countries stating that "Given the current highly charged atmosphere, the United States would regard a General Assembly session on Iraq as unhelpful and as directed against the United States."
If they're worried about this, it's a good sign.
Over the last week, the Russian Duma, the President of Indonesia, several European countries and the vast majority of African, Asian, and Latin American countries have expressed support for an emergency session.
UN General Assembly President Jan Kavan of the Czech Republic said he thought it "very likely" that a special session would be called.
But we can't just leave this to "likely."
It's important that a Uniting for Peace resolution passes to show the overwhelming opposition of the world's countries to this war. and to make abundantly clear its illegality.
We're part of what the New York Times has called the "new second superpower": world opinion, and it is time our voices were listened to.
Urge your UN Ambassador to support an emergency session under the Uniting for Peace resolution:
http://act.greenpeace.org/aas/e?a=ufp=amb_s
Send an E-card to your friends, colleagues, fellow students, and family asking them to take action too:
http://act.greenpeace.org/ecs/s2?i=730=std
Greenpeace
Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice.
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.

Next in World

View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media