No Bases! Network Supports 2008 WSF Global Day of Action

From your community to the world! From the world to your community! The International No Foreign Bases Network invites you to join the GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION on 26 January 2008.

We invite ALL organizations, networks, and communities working to abolish foreign military bases to join and organize an action on or around the date of 26 January 2008.

The last Global Day of Action on 15 February 2003, protested the War in Iraq and Afghanistan, with 38 million people participating from every corner of the globe. 26 January 2008 will mark the second attempt at an action of this scale, and will be taking the place of an in-person meeting at a World Social Forum. Instead we will meet on the streets to be part of this international day of action.

As a part of this day of action, the International Organizing Committee of the NO Foreign Bases Network would like to show the people of the world that there is a growing voice and movement against the presence and proliferation of foreign military bases in countries where demands for justice and self-determination are being thwarted by the expansion of foreign bases.

Opposition to foreign military presence has a long and rich history. Wherever there’s a military base, there is usually a movement resisting its encroachment on sovereignty and democracy. Around the world, communities, social movements, women’s organisations, political parties, environmental groups, intellectuals and religious groups have been campaigning in various ways through the years against foreign military presence, militarisation, and military interventions. In some cases, such efforts have taken the form of a specific single-issue campaign. In others, the campaign has been part of broader movements for independence and social justice.

For the many groups who work on campaigns around the issue of foreign military presence in their communities, we hope that the 26 January 2008 Global Day of Action can serve as a rallying and unifying call to further grassroots organising, educational campaigns, and political mobilization. Let us build on the momentum of the first- ever international conference against military bases, because A De- militarized World is Possible and A De-militarized World is Necessary!

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR THE ABOLITION OF FOREIGN MILITARY BASES AND OTHER FORMS OF MILITARY PRESENCE (NO BASES! NETWORK) January 2007

What will your organization/alliance/network/group contribute to this historic day? Register your action at: www.wsf2008.net, and check out the actions that others have posted.

For detailed instructions on how to post, see http:// www.ggjalliance.org/documents.php?id=100.

Here are examples of actions against foreign military bases that are already planned for the 26 January 2008 Global Day of Action:

* January 25-27, 2008: New Zealand, WAIHOPAI SPYBASE PROTEST

The public face of New Zealandfs role as an American ally is the NZ military presence in Afghanistan. But New Zealandfs most significant contribution to that, and other American wars, including the one in Iraq, is the Waihopai spybase. Waihopai is controlled by the US , with New Zealand (including Parliament and the Prime Minister) having little or no idea what goes on there (let alone any control). We invite people from around the country to join us for the weekend of anti-war protest at this spybase. Come prepared for roughing it and camping out. We provide the food (note: we cater for vegetarians but vegans will have to bring their own). Bring sleeping bag, groundsheet, a tent, torch, water bottle, eating utensils, clothing for all weather, and $40 (or $20 unwaged) to cover costs. Absolutely no open fires.

* January 23 - 10:00am: Philippines, PROTEST AT US EMBASSY IN MANILA

The Philippine government has been complicit with the US in its occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan by allowing it to use the Philippines as a staging ground of its troops and as part of the US global military presence. US troops are also present in and intervening in Mindanao, site of a long-running war for self- determination.

Thus, the Stop the War Coalition - Philippines, a broad coalition of social movements and civil society organizations in the Philippines, will hold a protest action at the US embassy in Manila with the following calls: Stop US-led wars of aggression! Philippines out of US war machinery! US troops out of Mindanao!

Apart from this, the Stop the War Coalition will also participate in other events and actions planned by various groups in the Philippines as part of the Global Week of Action and Mobilization. This will include events at a People's Camp to be held on January 24-25 and a mobilization on January 26.

OTHERS LISTED in www.wsf2008.net.

ENDS

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