Stop+the+War+Coalition+Newsletter+re+5th+Annual+Conference



=STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER=

No 2006/7: March 30

 * Email office@stopwar.org.uk**


 * Telephone 020 7278 6694**

The past year has been very eventful for Stop the War Coalition. We have held two national demonstrations -- making 14 in total -- the latest on 18 March being the largest since 2003, the year of the Iraq invasion. Our international peace conference in December 2005 was hugely successful, attracting over 1500 delegates, including for the first time delegates from Iraq. We have developed further links with the global anti-war movement, particularly in the United States, and we have now established significant links with prominent opposition figures in Iraq, such as Sheik Zagani from the Al-Sadr movement.
 * 5TH ANNUAL STOP THE WAR CONFERENCE**

An important development has been the increasing number of military families who have contacted us, following the loss of loved ones in Iraq, because they want to be active in opposing a war which has brought them such suffering. We have been able to put them in contact with Military Families Against the War, an organisation whose dignity and resolve to get justice for their relatives is an inspiration to all of us in the anti-war movement.

We also have an increasing number of families of serving soldiers in Iraq contacting us because they too want to be actively involved in the campaign to end the occupation and bring the troops home before any more soldiers are killed or injured for a war based on lies.

The warmongers are under ever increasing pressure, with close to two thirds of Americans now saying they oppose the war, polls in Britain showing consistently high levels for withdrawing British troops and over 70 per cent of US soldiers in Iraq saying they think they should leave the country.

The endless series of revelations about torture, prisoner abuse, illegal kidnapping and the random killing of Iraqi civilians has derailed all attempts by Bush and Blair to present themselves as the upholders of "freedom" and "democracy".

The more Bush and Blair suffer politically for their war crimes and the catastrophes they have produced in Iraq and Afghanistan, the greater the likelihood that they will try and deflect attention by attacking Iran, making it as important as ever that the anti-war movement not only continues to mobilise for an immediate end to the occupation in Iraq but builds the widest opposition to any future war plans.

This is the context in which Stop the War Coalition's fifth annual conference will be held on Saturday 10 June at Friends House, Euston Road, London. The conference is open to delegates from our local and affiliated groups and to individual Stop the War members (see below). As before, the conference will debate resolutions and elect Stop the War's national Steering Committee, but in addition we will be holding a number of workshops, lead by keynote speakers and covering a wide range of topics, including:


 * Iraq Today: Towards Democracy of Civil War?
 * Why Iran is Under Threat
 * Where Now for Palestine?
 * Latin America _ the Next Target?
 * The Forgotten Wars in Africa
 * Civil Liberties and Guantanamo
 * Islamophobia and the Anti-War Movement
 * Military Families Against the War

All of Stop the War's local and affiliated groups will be circulated shortly with re-affiliation details and the basis for delegations to the conference. Only groups which have re-affiliated will be able to send delegates. All names of delegates must be registered with the national office by 2 June. The cost for delegates is 10 pounds.
 * BASIS OF DELEGATIONS**

Individual Stop the War members who wish to attend the conference as observers must register with the office not later than 2 June but are advised to submit their names as early as possible as there will be limited space. The cost for observers is #10.
 * CONFERENCE OBSERVERS**

Any local or affiliated group is entitled to enter resolutions for discussion and voting on. The Steering Committee may also submit resolutions. Nominations for the Steering Committee elections can be made by local and affiliated groups and names should be submitted to the national office no later than Friday 26 May.
 * RESOLUTIONS AND ELECTIONS**


 * See http://www.stopwar.org.uk/**