Christchurch march against war on Iraq

Supporters of peace will be gathering outside the Canterbury Museum at 1:30 PM this Saturday (January 18).

They will march through the central city to protest against the planned war on Iraq.

The protest will end with a rally in Cathedral Square, at 2:30 PM. Speakers at the rally include:

Garry Moore, Mayor of Christchurch; Keith Locke, Green Party MP; Peter Beck, Dean of Christchurch Cathedral; Ibrahim Abdel Halim, Councilor for the Muslim Association of Canterbury.

The march is organised by Christchurch¹s Peace Action Network, as part of an international day of action against the war.

"This day of action was called by the peace movement in the United States," David Colyer a spokesperson for the group said.

"The anti-war movement is already larger than the protests against the Vietnam War were at the same stage. The Vietnam War was stopped; this one will be too.

"More than one million Iraqi civilians have died as a result of sanctions and bombing since 1991. They should not have to suffer any more.

"This war is not about peace or human rights. This war is about oil and US power," Mr Colyer said.

Demonstrators will call on the New Zealand government to take a stand against war and sever links with the United States war machine:

* Recall the SAS soldiers, navy frigate and other military personnel that are helping the US wage war.

* Pull out of the Echelon spy ring, close the Waihopai spy base, de-militarise Harewood (Christchurch airport).

* Stay out of the invasion of Iraq.

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