JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2008
FOCUS ISSUES:
FEBRUARY CALENDAR
(scroll down for January events still current)
February 1: Support Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution! The monthly newsletter from Geneva WILPF office, urges us to support the Article 9 campaign, and the Global Article 9 Conference to Abolish war to be held in Tokyo, Japan May 4-6. We agree with the supporters that every constitution should have an Article 9, prohibiting participation in war. Unfortunately the U.S. Administration is now pressuring Japan to rescind this article of the constitution.
February 12: Russia introduces treaty banning weapons in outer space. Read the WILPF report on this session of the Committee on Disarmament meeting in Geneva. Also read a news account of the US rejection of negotiating such a treaty here.
February 19- 23: Three DISARM team members will deliver your letters and post cards to Congress. Write on any WILPF issue of most concern to you and we will deliver the letters and report back to you. Our own emphasis will be on the new 2009 budget with a call for a sensible economy of peace rather than an insane war economy. Nuclear, space and bio-weapons treaty issues will also be priorities. Mail individual and Branch letters on any topic of WILPF and Branch concern for hand delivery to Congressional offices and get a report back. Send to WILPF DISARM c/o Ellen Thomas at PO Box 27217, Washington DC 20038.
February 25 - March 7: UN Commission on the Status of Women. The DISARM committee is bringing Mary Beth Sullivan (WILPF member and Global Network Outreach Coordinator) to the UN in New York to represent us on the WILPF panel on War, Women and Budgeting for Peace on March 6. Frida Berrigan and a representative from Costa Rica (one government that has it right) will join her. Watch for details on WILPF Peace Women. Follow the links for details on governmetn and NGO programs, including the WILPF statement on the need for full women's participation in peace and security decision making (as per UNSCRes 1325).
* * * * * * *
JANUARY CALENDAR
January 11: Second stage in the NEPA process for Complex 2030 begins 1/11. Congress voted down funds for this project supporting rebuilding our nuclear weapons stockpile (RRW) in 2007. Nonetheless the Department of Energy and the Pentagon continue with plans under a different name: Complex Transformation. Final deadline for comments is 4/10/08. Find all the information you need on
Alliance for Nuclear Accountability. Last year Mary Day Kent testified for WILPF in Washington D.C. and Branch members submitted significant testimony. We were part of a successful effort to side rail that first attempt. We hope members and Branches will join us in responding to this new NEPA process. It is one of our most effective ways to stop dangerous and costly programs like this one.
January 15: New article in the Wall Street Journal from Kissinger, Schultz, Perry and Nunn, calling for abolition of nuclear weapons. This is even more powerful than the January 2007 letter published a year ago. Two members of the DISARM team delivered last year’s letter, along with WILPF resources and a cover letter from Mary Day Kent to all 100 Senate offices in Washington D. C. Let's get the second letter to our Congress people now and let them know this is the position we want the U.S. to take at the NPT in May and henceforth!
January 15: KS4P week reports to UN World Space Week publication: In January, with the help of Ray Acheson of WILPF Reaching Critical Will and Mary Beth Sullivan (WILPF and Global Network) DISARM submitted 51 reports and photos re Keep Space for Peace Week actions to the UN World Space Week publication. Read about the 2007 Keep Space for Peace Week here. We believe UN World Space Week has been hijacked by aerospace corporations seeking to develop future employees among young space enthusiasts. WILPF emphasizes international space law and the need for Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space. All reports should be accessible from WILPF and GN web sites by mid-February. WILPF sponsored events took place in Australia, Britain, Germany, Norway, Geneva, Switzerland and USA. At least ten US Branches participated at 13 sites. (Join us next year!)
