Posted by Break the Silence Help Break Michigan Peaceworks' Silence on Palestine! On Monday, December 19th, supporters of Break the Silence will be on hand to greet attendees of the Ann Arbor Musicians for Peace Benefit for Michigan Peaceworks. The show starts at 7:30 pm; doors open at 7 pm, so we are encouraging friends of the Palestinian people to turn out 20-30 minutes earlier in order to make sure we can get our message out to concert goers as they arrive. There will be signs to hold and leaflets to hand out. What: Ann Arbor Musicians for Peace Benefit for Michigan Peaceworks OUR QUESTIONS FOR MICHIGAN PEACEWORKS LEADERS AND SUPPORTERS: * Why won't Michigan Peaceworks act on its own "Call for Peace in the Middle East" which was duly approved by 78% of voting members? * Why did a majority of AAACP Directors vote against the "Call for Peace in the Middle East"? * Why has Peaceworks--ostensibly a "grassroots" organization--quietly eliminated its membership? Is this "a viable community organizing model"? * Why does Peaceworks--supposedly an organization "dedicated to ... democracy"--have a self-selected Board of Directors? * Why has Peaceworks removed its "Call for Peace in the Middle East" from its web site? * Why did the AAACP permit arch-Zionist Joan Lowenstein to speak at its rally on the first anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq while it banned speakers who would not agree to a gag rule against speaking about the plight of Palestinians? * Why won't Peaceworks endorse or publicize the Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission's "Resolution in Support of Ending U.S. Military Support for Israel"? * Why didn't Peaceworks support a divestment resolution put before the Michigan Student Assembly in March 2005? * Why did Peaceworks President Eric Van De Vort physically assault a peaceful protestor at the group's Sept. 24, 2005, march? * Except for partial confirmation of the above incident by Vice President Nazih Hassan, why have Peaceworks leaders maintained a studied silence regarding the assault? IF YOU WANT ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS THEN PLEASE CONTACT MICHIGAN For more information, see our leaflet (PDF 241kb) at ----------------------------------------- --Elie Wiesel, 1986 Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech Call for Peace in the Middle East Preamble: The Ann Arbor Area Committee for Peace recognizes that the Our organization formed shortly after 9-11-01 to address issues of Statement: Over the past two years, we have witnessed in grief and Fortunately, there are many who work for peaceful resolution of the In solidarity with all those working for peace in the Middle East, we * An immediate end to the Israeli Occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and Adopted by the Ann Arbor Area Committee for Peace on November 11, 2002 Link:
on 12/19/2005, 1:34 am
64.18.236.229
*****PLEASE FORWARD*****
When: 6:30 PM, Monday, December 19, 2005
Where: The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor
PEACEWORKS AT 734-761-5922 OR info(at)michiganpeaceworks.org
or
"We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the
victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes
we must interfere."
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conflict in Palestine/Israel is an issue of great concern in our
community, around which emotions often outweigh objectivity. We do not
wish to contribute to the discord, but rather to unify people around
common goals of nonviolence and fairness.
peace, civil liberties, and civil rights-particularly how these issues
would be affected by the U.S. government military response to the 9-11
attacks. We consider a peaceful resolution to the Israeli/Palestinian
conflict to be an important element in curtailing the cycle of violence
worldwide.
anguish the appalling destruction resulting from the spiral of violence
in the Middle East. Violence will only beget further violence. We
condemn in the strongest terms the practices that bring about the deaths
of innocent people and the destruction of communities.
conflict. These people and organizations give hope that future
generations of Israelis and Palestinians can live normal, secure lives,
in peace with each other. We support the Israeli and Palestinian
peacemakers, including the Bereaved Families for Peace, who call on
their fellow citizens to renounce violence. We support the Israeli
soldiers who refuse to serve in the occupied territories. We support
those from Israel and other countries who work with Palestinians to
rebuild destroyed homes. We support the efforts of those states and
organizations that have made proposals for a just peace, including the
member states of the Arab League, which has called for normalization of
relations with Israel in exchange for creation of a Palestinian state
and a complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories of the
West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.
call for the following:
East Jerusalem;
* An immediate end to the violence on both sides, recognizing violence
as including Occupation, military incursions, and suicide bombings;
* A full evacuation of all settlements with the exception of minor
negotiated border adjustments;
* A just settlement for the refugees who have been forced by war to
leave homes in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza;
* Establishment of the state of Palestine side by side with the state of
Israel with the boundaries established by UN Resolution 242;
* Social and economic justice and full legal rights for all citizens of
both states;
* A major international effort to assist the reconstruction of Palestine;
* An end to U.S. military aid to Israel until the Occupation ends and
the settlements are dismantled;
* Negotiations towards arms control and disarmament of weapons of mass
destruction for the entire region;
* Recognition of and normalization of relations with Israel by all the
countries of the Middle East.
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