ELECTRONIC PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Michael McCarron iraqpetition@yahoo.com Vigil for Peace and Justice http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/3372/intro.html May 6th-16th, Lafayette Park, Washington, D.C. ------------------------------------------------------- "They died in silence, for the world had closed their ears to their cries" --Khalil Gibran ------------------------------------------------------- The Vigil is a lobbying, civil-disobedience and public action campaign by a coalition of persons concerned with the continuing needless suffering of innocent people in the country of Iraq. We shall be meeting from May 6th to May 16th outside the White House in Washington, D.C. Our demands are simple: "Lift the punitive sanctions against the civilian populace of Iraq, a country where it's citizens do not control government policy. Where according to UNICEF over 900,000 persons suffer from malnutrition due to the sanctions regime. And over 500,000 children have perished from one cause-- the sanctions against their families by the Security Council of the United Nations." As the United Nations Human Rights Commission observes: "The most alarming situation is the food situation affecting children. Indeed on 26 November 1997, UNICEF revealed in a communiqué that 32 per cent of children under the age of five, some 960.000 children, are chronically malnourished and 23 per cent are underweight. According to Philipge Heffinck (the UNICEF representative in Baghdad who issued the communiqué), no sign of any improvement in the food situation of children has been noticed to date since Security Council resolution 986 (1995) came into force. On the contrary, badly hit areas such as the Governorate of Missan showed chronic malnutrition in almost 50 per cent of the children. Mr. Heffinck concluded in the communiqué that it was clear that children were bearing the brunt of the current economic hardship and that they must be protected from the impact of sanctions, otherwise they would continue to suffer, which would be unacceptable." Thus, we call on all concerned citizens to: 1) Sign the Petition. 2) Join the Vigil. 3) Donate to relief organizations. 4) Write/Call/E-Mail the Congress for a Hearing on on grievances related to the sanctions on Iraq. 5) Fast from Dawn to Dusk May 6th-16th. Additionally, we shall be lobbying congress to lift the sanctions on the civilian population of Iraq. Visit our lobbying center at-- http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/3372/lobby.html The power of consciousness lies with you. Will you witness to Truth or let innocents die in silence? Daily Program of Campaign '98 Each day starting May 6th we will be convening at Lafayette Park at 8:00 A.M. This daily program will be standard for the entire 10 day event, check at beginning of each day for updates or changes. Any questions contact iraqpetition@yahoo.com. 8:00 A.M. Convene at Proposition Vigil area adjacent to the visitor gate inLafayette Park. Look for the White Flag. 9:00 A.M. Morning Tasks-- Various individuals shall begin: A) Leafletting/General PR, visiting other organizations B) Lobbying of Congress 12:00 P.M. Picket/Vigil in front of White House Visitors Gate 01:00 P.M. Continue Vigil with PR & Lobbying teams returning to the Campaign 4:00 P.M. Picket/Vigil in front of White House Visitors Gate 6:00 P.M. Evening Programs: Teach-Ins, Community Activities, etc. Remember it is important for people to participate on May 16th, which is ACTION DAY. ------------------------------------------------------- "They died in silence, for the world had closed their ears to their cries" --Khalil Gibran ------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com