Anti-War Movement in Russia is Shameful

A series of anti-war demonstrations is to take place in Moscow

Actions of protest will be organized by the movement ATTAC. Ilya Budraitskis, the leader of the Social Resistance movement, which is a part of ATTAC, said that the things that happen to the anti-war movement in Moscow could be called shameful: “There are small groups of elderly xenophobiacs in front of the American embassy, while Russia’s left parties hardly say or do something. This happens at the time, when the war is on, when it gets more and more obvious that blitzkrieg is not going to happen; when massive demonstrations of protest take place in the whole world, including in the United States.” Budraitskis believes that an anti-war movement of solidarity with the Iraqi nation and millions of people, who stand against imperialism, is the prime goal for his movement.

Ilya Budraitskis says that every day is very important and is not supposed to be missed out. The program of anti-war actions in Moscow was described as follows:

March 27 – a picket to support anti-war actions of protest in Great Britain. The picket is not authorized, so if police officers insist, protesters will have to leave after they hand over their statement to the British embassy. March 31 – the meeting on the Pushkin Square (starts at 4:30 p.m.) April 5 – the meeting on the Pushkin Square (starts at midday).

Below is the text of the statement that protesters are going to hand over to British Ambassador to Moscow, Sir Roderick Lyne.

“Esteemed Mr. Lyne, We send you this petition as a token of our solidarity with the anti-war movement in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. We believe that Great Britain is not supposed to violate international right norms, pushing other countries to similar actions that are taken on a single-handed basis. We strongly object Great Britain’s participation in the unauthorized military operation in Iraq, as we think that there was not direct evidence showed to prove the danger of Saddam Hussein’s regime. We believe that Tony Blair’s government acts contrary to the will of the majority of British people. We do not support the anti-democratic regime in Iraq, but we support citizens of your country, who stand against the war, which was not authorized either by the United Nations or by the international community. We are proud of brave and honest British people, who came out in streets, protesting against illegal actions of the American administration and its allies. We express our solidarity with the British trade unions movement, which stood up against the unfair war that is waged by the British government. We approve the actions that were taken by three British politicians, who decided to quit their official positions in Tony Blair’s government.

“We are certain that Great Britain does not need that war. We do not stand for Saddam Hussein. We stand for democracy in Iraq, in the interests of the Iraqi nation. However, we believe that violence can not be a foundation of democratic reforms.”

Nikolay Ledentsov

PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov