Posted by Lilly from D006143.N1.Vanderbilt.Edu (129.59.6.143) on Tuesday, December 10, 2002 at 10:18PM :
BREAK THE SANCTIONS:
CHALLENGE TO U.S. GOVERNMENT FINES AND ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
AGAINST IRAQ
On November 6, 2002, the US Treasury office in charge of sanctions
(Office of Foreign Assets Control-OFAC) sent a letter to Voices in the
Wilderness (VitW) and co-founder Kathy Kelly imposing a fine of $20,000
for delivering medicine without a permit to Iraq on two occasions in
1998.
OFAC simultaneously sent a letter to activist Dan Handelman of Portland,
Oregon, imposing a fine of $10,000 for his part in a November, 1997 VitW
delegation to deliver medicine to Iraq. This notice was similar to ones
received in May and June of 2002 by other members of that delegation,
Bert Sacks, a retired engineer, and Rev. Randall Mullins, both of
Seattle, Washington. Both Bert and Randall refused to pay their fines,
and instead raised money for more medicine, which was delivered to Iraq
in September.
Since 1996, VitW members have broken sanctions with over fifty
delegations to Iraq. They stand with hundreds of others who have
traveled on humanitarian, fact-finding and rebuilding missions, and who
refuse to see the people of Iraq as enemies.
Responding to the OFAC notice, members of VitW are reaffirming their
commitment to bring medicine and basic necessities to Iraqi children and
families in need. VitW is committed to ending the U.S./U.N. embargo on
Iraq, an embargo that has contributed to the deaths of hundreds of
thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians. They will be asking people to
join them in again breaking the sanctions.
They will also explain why VitW cannot ask for a government license, why
they will not pay the fines, and why, instead, Voices in the Wilderness
will immediately begin raising $30,000 toward humanitarian and
peacemaking efforts in Iraq as an alternative to paying penalties to the
Office of Foreign Assets Control.
We ask you to join our efforts:
(a) sign on to our response letter to the Treasury Department in
solidarity with Voices in the Wilderness
(b) make a financial donation
(c) send children’s vitamins, medical journals on CD, or iron tablets to
Iraq through Voices in the Wilderness. ***Please contact us directly
for specific requirements for donating medicine. ( 773 784
8065/info@vitw.org)***
Any contribution you can make is significant. Please mark on your
check, money order, or package of medicine, “Break the Sanctions.” Your
donation—unless you ask for it to be anonymous—will add your name to the
growing list of those who have brought or sent medicines to Iraq without
requesting government approval to do so. A full list will be running on
www.vitw.org.
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Sign on to ‘Break the Sanctions’
We stand with Voices in the Wilderness to end sanctions on Iraq by
breaking these unjust and immoral laws. We are taking nonviolent direct
action to protest US policies that endanger the lives of Americans and
Iraqis. We will continue to work and act towards peaceful relations
with our neighbors in Iraq and throughout the world.
Signature ______________________________________________________________
We would appreciate knowing the following:
Your name (please print):
E-mail:
City and state:
The spirit of nonviolence is the spirit of satyagraha, Gandhi's truth
force. It is our shared work to make known the truth of US sanctions
policy on Iraq, the dangers of war, and alternatives to violence. Thank
you for sharing in this work. For information about additional actions
you can take, please contact Voices in the Wilderness for local contacts
and more information.
Voices in the Wilderness
1-773-784-8065
http://www.nonviolence.org/vitw
1460 West Carmen Ave
Chicago IL 60640
Please visit:
-- Lilly
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