Stop the War Coalition 2012 National Conference
More than 250 delegates and activists from across the country came together in London on Saturday 3 March 2012 for the Stop the War Coalition annual conference.
The conference opened with a discussion about the current state of the war on terror, introduced by the Stop the War president, Tony Benn. Other speakers included Stop the War Coalition national convenor Lindsey German, Afghan writer Mitra Qayoom and Abbas Edalat from the Campaign against Sanctions and intervention on Iran (CASMII).
A session on Western interventions in the Middle East, Asia and North Africa included discussion of Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria and particularly Iran.
The afternoon focused on the campaigning priorities of the Coalition and building local groups. There was agreement that there is widespread anxiety about an attack on Iran which is bringing new activists in to the movement and that we need to escalate our campaign urgently.
A call was agreed for a national day of action against an attack on Iran on March 24th.
The conference passed 13 resolutions and elected a new national steering committee. The conference was brought to a close by Vice President of the Coalition George Galloway.
Other guest speakers included Hugh Lanning, deputy general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, Alex Kenny form the National Executive of the National Union of Teachers, Shamiul Joarder from the friends of Al Aqsa and Mouna Hassan from Hands off Somalia.
Resolutions passed by Stop the War members and delegates from affiliated organisations at Stop the War Coalition's Annual National Conference on 3 March 2012, University of London Union, Malet Street London WC1:
Stop the War Coalition Officers Group: The continued threat of war
Conference notes:- The continuation of the war on terror, and its extension from the original wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- The disastrous NATO intervention in Libya last year, which effected regime change and was used to try to rehabilitate the doctrine of ‘humanitarian intervention’ discredited after the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
- The renewed threat of Western military intervention in Syria and Iran.
- That airs attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities will open a new and even more dangerous period of warfare and instability.
- That any military intervention in Syria will not be for humanitarian reasons but to prepare an attack on Iran by weakening one of its regional allies and cause greater suffering than Syrians are currently enduring.
- To mount a major campaign around the slogan Don’t Attack Iran.
- To campaign to halt any attempted military intervention in Syria.
- To oppose all Western intervention in the Middle East, and to defend the right of all the people of the Middle East to determine their own future.
Bristol Stop the War Coalition: Lobby MPs and Politicians for No War or Sanctions against Iran
Conference notes:- The decision to invade Iraq was put to a vote in the House of Commons and was passed despite the majority of British people strongly opposing such an invasion. Most politicians who supported the invasion of Iraq later claimed they had been 'misled'.
- To remove sanctions and avert military attack on Iran, it is essential to lobby individual MPs and national politicians in a systematic and orchestrated way and to hold them publicly accountable.
- Write to and meet their constituency MPs questioning their positions, asking them to sign the Early Day Motion 2640 opposing sanctions, covert operations and military strike on Iran, and demanding that they speak out. (See appended model letter sent by Bristol STW to five constituency MPs).
- Ask those MPs and national politicians in support of sanctions, covert operations, and military strike to explain the evidence upon which their decisions are based.
- Publicize MPs responses and mobilize constituency members to lobby.
- Actively arm themselves with the knowledge of the issues of West’s standoff with Iran and to win MPs over.
- Call for negotiations with Iran without pre-conditions.
Labour CND, Iraqi Democrats against the Occupation: Campaigning against the British government's role in Syria
Conference notes:- This AGM welcomes STW’s statement on Syria of December 2011, which supported the right of the peoples of the Middle East to determine their own future and assert democratic rights, and opposed external intervention in Syria.
- Congratulate STW on its early recognition of the role of the US, Britain and other NATO allies, namely:
- Using sanctions as a prelude to war by weakening Syria and acclimatising public opinion to war; and
- Trying to replace the Assad regime by one with a pro-western orientation.
- Publishing material which helps clarify that overt and covert external intervention is taking place;
- Organising meetings as appropriate which draw attention to the role of external intervention including by the British government; and
- Organising protest actions as appropriate, to bring pressure to bear to end British interference in Syria.
South Tyneside Stop the War Coalition: No Sanctions. No to War Preparations. Hands off Syria and Iran.
Conference notes:- That the sanctions imposed by US, Israel, the UK and EU powers on Syria have the aim of supporting the armed opposition and not the right to self-determination of the Syrian people.
- That the same powers are imposing sanctions on Iran that are in fact an economic blockade of Iran's trade and banking. At the same time surrounding Iran with military hardware and trying to force other nations to isolate Iran.
- That these measures have nothing to do with support for the people in Syria and Iran. But like the sanctions against Iraq they are aimed at preparing for an attack on these sovereign countries. These measures are not an alternative to war but are war preparations.
- That these powers are also openly doing propaganda for war against Iran with their statements that all options are available to them.
- To call on the stop the war coalition to call for hands off Syria and hands off Iran.
- To condemn the sanctions against Syria and Iran as preparations for regime change and war. That such a warmongering economic and military blockade is being pursued and that such hostile misinformation and militarist propaganda is being broadcast by the US, Israel, the UK and EU powers against Iran is an act of war and is a crime against peace.
- To call on the Stop the War Coalition to bring the British government to account for its part in these crimes against humanity.
CASMII: Western neo-colonial intervention and the right of self-determination of Iranian people
Conference notes:- Western wars of aggression and occupation for regime change in Islamic countries are driven by the neo-colonial interest for world domination and control of natural resources, in gross violation of the right of self-determination of people in these countries.
- The UK, US, Israel and their Western allies camouflage their criminal interventions by their duplicitous calls for democracy, but with their records of crimes against peace, war crimes and serious abuses of human rights, they are in no position to level charges of human rights violations by other governments.
- Their criticisms of other countries are hypocritically selective. Rarely do they mention the serious absence of democracy and abuses of human rights by their client states, whilst countries like Iran, because of their refusal to accept Western hegemony, are targeted for demonization to exploit any internal divisions for regime change.
- That the responsibility of Western anti-war movements and progressives lies in mobilising the western public to remove the state of siege, sanctions, foreign intervention and covert war, so as to uphold the right of self-determination of Iranian people, who are then perfectly capable of resolving any internal problems themselves.
Lewisham Stop the War Coalition: Syria
Conference notes:- The governments of the US, UK and France attempted to secure a UN Security Council resolution which would have imposed regime change upon Syria. The resolution was entirely in line with the tactics used to create the conditions for the imperialist intervention against Libya in 2011.
- There is a growing body of evidence of covert military action against Syria by both NATO and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. These reports include the deployment of Special Forces and secret services inside Syria, Turkey and Lebanon from Britain, France, US and Qatar.
- The aim of such covert action is to guarantee the regime change which the US, UK, and French governments are all demanding. This AGM affirms that the governance of Syria is a matter for the Syrian people alone free from external intervention.
- The integration of our opposition to war upon Syria into our campaigning against war upon Iran, and the general threat of a new war in the region
- Regular and updated material being published on developments concerning Syria
- Appropriate meetings and protests against this intervention.
Socialist Workers' Party: Syria
Conference notes:- The US and other Western governments have established a coalition, Friends of Syria, to coordinate an intervention in Syria. Plans to intervene are being described as "humanitarian".
- Those Western governments are not motivated by the interests of the Syrian people or those suffering in Homs but by their own interests in the region.
- That the experience of past wars shows that humanitarian aims cannot be delivered by western military intervention.
- Military intervention by the US and Britain threatens to make the situation worse.
- Conference recognises that many activists in the anti war movement have different views on the nature of the struggle in Syria, but believes it is vital that the Stop the War Coalition maintains its unity and unites around the demand on which we all agree - no Western military intervention.
- To campaign against Western intervention in Syria and for the right of the Syrian people to determine their own future.
Stop the War Coalition Officers Group: Resolution on Stop the War Groups
Conference notes:- The widespread anxiety and opposition to an attack on Iran.
- To influence decisions about an attack on Iran or Syria the movement will have to up the tempo, scale and imagination of our campaigning, rebuilding or setting up new groups.
- That each Stop the War group should now be involved in the most imaginative and effective campaign possible involving street protests, getting local media coverage, using Facebook and Twitter, and organising public rallies and activist meetings.
- To encourage our supporters to set up Stop the War groups in every area where none exist, including in colleges.
- To approach a wide range of potential supporting organisations in each locality in order to ensure that a sufficiently broad, representative and diverse campaign is established.
- To contact local trade unions, campaigning and protest groups to get involved in the campaign.
- To organise the lobbying of local MPs to sign up to the EDM backing dialogue rather than war with Iran.
- To encourage new members and supporters to help organise and lead the local campaigns.
- To have a membership drive in each group to help fund the campaign.
- Those groups should be working towards a national day of action on March 24th.
Edinburgh Stop the War Coalition: Disabled Veterans Against the War
Conference notes:- The high numbers of serious injuries to troops incurred in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
- The Con/Dem government’s attacks on the disabled and the growing resistance to these attacks
- To encourage disabled Veterans to take part in the STW campaign as a distinctive group e.g. Disabled Veterans against War.
- To link the treatment of disabled veterans to the treatment of all disabled people by the Con/Dem government, making the human and economic connection between warfare and welfare.
Wandsworth Stop the War Coalition: Welfare Not Warfare: Cost of War
Conference notes:- TUC Congress 2011 passed a motion stating the “war on terror” had failed to bring promised peace and stability, stressing it was time Britain disengaged from the conflict.
- The Con/Dem government spends huge sums on unjust wars, simultaneously it is cutting billions from public expenditure. Cuts in public expenditure are unnecessary, so too are US-led resource wars and renewal of Trident
- It is vital that STWC wins over the Trade Union movement to take effective collective action to end Britain’s support for US/NATO-led imperialist wars.
- Conference therefore instructs the incoming officers to build on the progress made at TUC Congress 2011 by;
- Organising a major ‘cost of the war’ Conference– highlighting the full cost: human and economic.
- Producing resource materials explaining links between war, cuts, and poverty.
- Ensuring STWC groups work systematically raising the full cost of war at TU/ anti-cuts forums.
- Organising a significant STWC presence at TU meetings/ political conferences/TUC Congress.
- Drafting a model ‘cost of war’ resolution for TU Branches.
- Providing appropriate support for workers refusing to assist in weapons manufacture to fight unjust and illegal wars.
Stop the War Coalition Officers Group: Afghanistan
Conference notes:- The war in Afghanistan has worsened; casualties have exceeded previous years as increasingly desperate measures are taken prior to the supposed withdrawal date. Solid opposition to the war is maintained and opinion polls show large majorities to bring the troops home. Meanwhile the Coalition government continues to support US foreign policy in the war on terror.
- The US intends to withdraw all combat troops by the end of 2013. The French contingent will leave this year. Pressure must mount on the British government to fast-track their withdrawal.
- The Pakistan situation is more acute since the Special Forces’ operation against Bin Laden and its dramatic infringement of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
- Use of US drones increased until November, when 26 Pakistani soldiers were killed, creating a major political crisis between Pakistan and the US.
- The successful motion calling for withdrawal of troops at the TUC in September 2011.
- There is no possible justification for the continued war in Afghanistan. The established mood of opposition amongst the public recognizes the war is being lost, and that it will eventually have to end in negotiations with the Taliban.
- To maintain the Time to Go campaign.
- To work with others to highlight issues related to the war on terror.
- To work inside the trade unions and campaigns making the links between war and military expenditure and cuts or unemployment.
- To build the anti war movement among young people, especially school students and students and the Occupy movement.
- To support and build the Military Families against the War campaign.
- To maintain our campaigning in parliament.
- To organise protests and vigils as soon as possible in every locality in the event of the 400th soldier being killed in Afghanistan.
Kingston Peace Council: Promotion of the Arms Trade
Conference believes:- Stop the War Coalition deplores the government’s support and promotion of the arms trade and calls on the government to cease all such activities and to close the Government's arms promotion agency UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation and calls for resources currently supporting the arms industry to go instead to supporting the renewal energy sector.
Campaign Against Criminalizing Communities (CAMPACC), Kurdish Federation UK: The Kurds
Conference believes:- The Kurdish people stand in full solidarity with all those resisting the reckless march towards war in the Middle East and struggling for peace.
- The Kurds, denied their own nationhood, have little to gain from a new war in the region.
- The United States-led NATO coalition including Turkey is hijacking the demands for freedom and democracy expressed during the Arab Spring in order to reshape the region in their own interests.
- In Turkey today thousands of Kurds are being arrested simply for demanding basic rights, such as the right to elect their own representatives and for education in their mother tongue.
- Mr Abdullah Ocalan, the victim of an international conspiracy in 1999, has been held a political prisoner in isolation on Imrali Island ever since his unlawful arrest.
- We call on you to support Abdullah Ocalan’s freedom and his calls for peace talks and a political negotiated resolution which will help in achieving peace in the region;
- We call for an investigation into alleged war crimes by the Turkish military in its war against the Kurds;
- We call for a halt to arms sales to Turkey;
- We call for the removal of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from the US-EU’s list of proscribed organisations.
Appendix 1: Proposed letter to MPs, attached to Bristol Stop the War motion
Dear ...,
Although millions of people opposed it, in March 2003 Britain invaded Iraq. Nine years later it is difficult to find anyone who still thinks that this decision on the part of the British government was based on an accurate portrayal of the facts or that Britain should have joined the invasion. Most of those politicians who supported the invasion now claim they were 'misled' and had they known the facts would have acted differently.
Now, when our education, health and social services are being ruthlessly cut and poverty and unemployment are blighting the fabric of our society, British tax payers are being asked to fund another war of aggression. We are being dragged into an illegal, immoral and unjustified war with Iran on the same flimsy pretexts of WMD, charges of terrorism and demonization of the Iranian government that led to the bloodbath in Iraq.
The US, Israel and their European allies including the UK threaten Iran with a military attack on a daily basis. Such an attack would be illegal under the UN charter. The massive military build-up by the US and its allies in the Persian Gulf has created a situation where any miscalculation, misconception or manufacture of a casus belli could lead to military confrontation with catastrophic global and regional consequences.
The draconian EU sanctions on Iran’s export of oil and the Iranian Central Bank, spearheaded by the UK, are presented as a ‘diplomatic’ means to force the Iranian government to stop enriching uranium. In reality, far from diplomatic, these sanctions are an act of war, which will lead to military confrontation. The sanctions inflict pain and suffering on the Iranian population and will destroy Iran’s infrastructure and civil society.
The sharp fall in the value of the Iranian currency has inflated the cost of imported goods including food products and life-saving drugs. They have caused the closure of many businesses and soaring unemployment. According to a BBC report, European banks have stopped issuing export credit guarantees for grain and other agricultural produce destined for Iran. Ships carrying grain and other food items are waiting in Iranian ports unable to unload. The EU sanctions on Iranian oil would increase the price of oil with devastating impact on the already ailing European economy pushing it deeper into recession.
A covert war is also being waged by the US, the UK and Israel - murdering Iranian scientists and large numbers of military personnel and civilians; sabotaging and destroying military and industrial infrastructure; stoking civil and ethnic violence – all with the intention of forcing regime change in Iran. The atmosphere of war this has created intensifies the security climate in Iran and inflicts the greatest injury to the cause of democratic and human rights that the UK purports to be defending!
Enrichment of uranium is Iran’s right under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. All the IAEA reports, including its latest report of November 2011, have confirmed the non-diversion of all nuclear material in Iran. Both the US and Israel’s intelligence agencies and the defence ministers of both countries have confirmed that there is no indication of a military dimension, nor a decision to develop a nuclear ‘weaponisation’ programme in Iran. The IAEA Director, Yukiya Amano, admitted to German parliamentarians in January that there was not any credible evidence that Iran’s civilian programme has a military dimension. Despite these admissions, the war drums are beating to the chorus of hawks and our media meekly joins in.
At this eleventh hour, Bristol Stop the War Coalition asks that you sign Early Day Motion 2640 opposing the threats to Iran. We are determined that our politicians should not take us into another illegal and criminal adventure and then later claim they did not know the facts or were misinformed. We believe there is plenty of information available, which undermines the arguments for war, and ask you to explain where you stand regarding sanctions, covert operations and war on Iran. If you support sanctions and the threats of war we would like you to tell us the evidence on which you base that support.
Yours sincerely
(On behalf of… Stop the War Coalition)
Appendix 2: Stop the War statement on Syria, December 2011, attached to Labour CND motion. Relevant to other motions.
There is a clear danger of yet another war in the Middle East. The United States and Britain are turning their attention to Syria, with the intention of engineering regime change in their favour.
Stop the War Coalition fully supports the right of the peoples in all the countries of the Middle East to determine their own future and assert democratic rights. We are therefore implacably opposed to any external intervention, especially military intervention, in Syria.
In relation to Syria, any military intervention will most likely be even more destructive and costly than it was in Libya. It will increase Arab and Muslim alienation from the western powers. Most Syrian people, while demanding democratic rights, would oppose any such interference.
Public opinion in Britain would not support any further military adventures of the type seen in Iraq, Afghanistan or Libya, especially at a time when government austerity policies pose a growing threat to living standards.
NATO is already manoeuvring to weaken Syria through sanctions, which have never been an alternative to war as much as a prelude to it, acclimatising public opinion to the “inevitability” of war. It is also interfering politically, trying to ensure that the Assad regime is replaced by one with a pro-western orientation, rather than one based on those forces that have struggled for years to create a democratic and anti-imperialist alternative.
Stop the War Coalition believes the Syrian people should assert their own democratic rights and determine their own system of government without the kind of external interference which has proved so disastrous in Iraq and Afghanistan, and looks like working no better in Libya.
We therefore oppose any foreign attempts to create an unrepresentative “government-in-exile”, which would have no purpose beyond further legitimising the case for military intervention.
World opinion, as expressed at the United Nations, is also clearly against any interference in Syria, with China, Russia, India and Brazil among those opposed.
The US and Britain are therefore looking once more to the Arab League, and in this case Turkey, to provide a cover for their war policy. However, the world will not get fooled again after the experience of Libya, where a supposed intervention “to save civilians” developed into a regime change war, which cost at least 30,000 lives.
Stop the War Coalition therefore opposes all foreign military intervention in Syria