Bombing campaign against Iraq would be criminal, say Canadian Peace Alliance and Canadian Network to End Sanctions on Iraq

November 29, 2001- For immediate release

Toronto - The Canadian Peace Alliance and the Canadian Network to End Sanctions, two of Canada’s largest coalitions opposed to the sanctions on Iraq, today urged the Government of Canada not to participate in any expansion of the "campaign against terrorism" that might involve air strikes on Iraq. The plea came after indications from the United States administration that Iraq will become the target of a new bombing campaign.

"It is irrational and cruel to kill the innocent people of Iraq because we condemn Sadam Hussein," argued Amira Elias, a volunteer with the Canadian Peace Alliance who is originally from Iraq.

"Air strikes against Iraq will compound an already-serious human rights situation," said Carolyn Bassett, Coordinator of the Canadian Peace Alliance. "They cannot be justified."

The US-led bombing of Afghanistan in retaliation for the terrorist attacks on the United States was criticized by many peace and human rights organizations for compounding the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

"The people of Iraq have already suffered greatly under more than eleven years of highly punative sanctions," said Dale Hildebrand of the Canadian Network to End Sanctions on Iraq "They should not be made to suffer anymore."

To date there is no evidence linking Iraq to the September 11 attacks or the anthrax cases.

The combined effects of the ‘Gulf War’ and the international embargo have led to the deaths of 1.5 million men, women and children in Iraq over the past 11 years. More than one third of those victims were children younger than five years of age. The horrendous human toll has led to the resignations of three top UN officials: Mr. Denis Halliday and Mr. Hans von Sponeck, successive United Nations humanitarian coordinators in Iraq, and Ms Jutta Burghardt, former head of the World Food Program in Iraq.

The Canadian Network to End Sanctions on Iraq (CANESI) is a cross-Canada network of individuals and organizations that seek to bring the sanctions on Iraq to an end. This fall, a CANESI caravan crossed the country to make Canadians aware of the devastating effects of the sanctions on the Iraqi population. The Canadian Peace Alliance is Canada’s largest umbrella peace organization and a founding member of the September Eleventh Peace Coalition, which was formed in opposition to the bombing of Afghanistan.

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