November 14th national press conference to defend the US Shields and Iraq Humanitarian travelers
November 14th national press conference to defend the US Shields and Iraq
Humanitarian travelers

We issued the following press release today:

"We Will Not Be Silenced"

U.S. Humanitarian Travelers to Iraq to Hold Nationwide Press Conferences
"We Will Not Go Quietly"


On November 14, 2003, 8 press conferences will take place in various cities
throughout the U.S., where individuals who have traveled to Iraq will stand
in solidarity with those who have been targeted by the U.S. government on
charges of breaking the sanctions. They will publicly acknowledge and
reiterate their purpose for going: to assist, through non-violent, direct
action, their brothers and sisters of Iraq and tell the stories of their
lives under sanctions, war time, and occupation.


They will also reaffirm their intentions to ignore any efforts by the U.S.
government to silence them in this endeavor. Dozens of travelers and
supporters are expected to attend. Statement from the participants: The U.S.
Treasury and State Departments insist on pursuing charges against several
individuals and groups that have traveled to Iraq.


We fully acknowledge that we also traveled to Iraq and are standing in
solidarity with these people in affirming the First Amendment rights of U.S.
citizens to speak, to have oversight of governmental policy, and to bring
humanitarian assistance to its victims. The ban on traveling was to prevent
commercial profit to either Iraq or businesses wanting to trade with Iraq.
The purpose of our travel was to communicate the results of U.S. policy in
Iraq to our fellow citizens, not to engage in any commercial ventures. - We
will not yield to the government's intimidation tactics that are designed to
silence us. - We intend to fully exercise our First Amendment Rights, and
all of our treasured rights as American citizens. - We will not cease
relaying the stories of our travels to anyone willing to listen. - We will
continue to pursue paths of peace, understanding, friendship and compassion
with the citizens of the world rather than paths of violence, death, war and
destruction. - We will not go quietly There are currently close to 50
participants. We expect the number of cities and participants to increase
over the coming week.

Contact Barbara Johns (BJohns99 aol.com) regarding the national press
conference.

Contact Rev. Tom Reiber-Martinez (PastorTomReiber aol.com) (718) 941-2640
for more information regarding the New York City press conference.

The "We Will Not Go Quietly" Iraq Humanitarian Travelers Speakout has been
endorsed by September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, the War
Resisters League, New Yorkers Say No to War, Global Exchange and Code Pink.

People who travelled under their auspices, as well as Human Shields who
travelled with the Truth Justice Peace action project, will be represented
at the conferences. Faith Fippinger and Antoinette McCormick are
participating in the New York City speak-out along with eight regional
people.

Judith Karpova


- posted by Karl @ 8:46 AM