Press+Statement+re+Peace+Pickets+of+March+18th

Peace Pickets of US Consulates and Embassy will be held on Saturday, 18th March 2006.
=For Peace – Against Imperialism!=

The South African Communist Party, in concert with its Alliance partners the African National Congress, the Congress of South African Trade Unions and SANCO, has taken the initiative to organise pickets of the US consulates in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the US Embassy in Pretoria. All sympathetic organisations and individuals are urged to attend, whether faith-based, class-based, civil-society, business or unaffiliated.

Peace is everybody’s concern.

The occasion is the third Anniversary of the invasion and continuing occupation of Iraq by the USA, Britain, Denmark and other countries. Hundreds of demonstations are scheduled to take place around the world on that day, (and more on Sunday the 19th).

The **Johannesburg** picket will take place from 10h00 outside the US Consulate at 1 River Street, Killarney, adjacent to the Main entrance of the Killarney Mall.

The **Cape Town** picket will take place from 10h00 outside the US Consulate, 2 Reddam Ave, Tokai.

The **Pretoria** picket will take place outside the US Embassy. 877 Pretorius Street, at 10h00.

All those interested in taking part in these action for world peace are invited to a **consultative meeting** at 10h00 on Thursday, March 16th in the SACP Boardroom, 3rd Floor, COSATU House, 1 Leyds Street, (corner Biccard) Braamfontein.

A consultative meeting will also be held in Cape Town on Thursday, March 16th in the SACP Boardroom, 4th Floor, Fountain Place Building, No.5, Heeringracht Street, Cape Town

A further consultative meeting will be held after the picket to consolidate and carry forward the campaign for peace.

__Declaration__
A declaration issued simultaneously with the pickets will reaffirm the fundamental United Nations position that military aggression, such as that practised by the USA, Britain, Denmark and other countries in Iraq, is a war crime. It will reaffirm the principle of one person one vote in a unitary state as the basis for independence and inviolate national sovereignty. It will cite the foundation of South African democracy in this regard. It will call for disarmament and the end to Imperialism and colonialism of all kinds. The full text of this declaration will be published for Saturday, March 18th.

For further information:

CONTACT Johannesburg: Kaizer Mohau 011 339 3621 Email **kaizer@sacp.org.za**

Cape Town: Khaya Megaxa, SACP Provincial Secretary, Western Cape, 083 721 0221 or 021 448 7908 Email **branic@polka.co.za**