March 24, 2003

WALHI's Political Statement on Military Agression to Iraq

National Executive of WALHI[1]
(Indonesian Forum for Environment/ Friends of the Earth Indonesia)
Jakarta, 24 March 2003

The commencement of the military aggression to Iraq, signs the bare war crimes to humanity conducted by the administrations of George W. Bush (USA), Tonny Blair (United Kingdom) and John Howard (Australia) to the peoples, the women and the children of Iraq. The ignorance to the authority of the United Nations and the violations of international conventions, show that there are no arguments to justify the military aggression of the United States and its Allies.

The military aggression of the coalition spearheaded by the US to the nation of Iraq is a crime against humanity and violation of the values and principles of human rights that are clearly stated on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Besides, the US and its allies unilaterally violates the Resolution No.1441 of the UN Security Council to which the international community has given mandate to find resolution of US-Iraq conflict.

Therefore, we believe that the crime conducted by the US and its allies, which has ruined the livelihood of the innocent peoples of Iraq, shows nothing but an ambition to win the interests, the conquest of the political sovereignty, and the colonization of Iraq, as part of the domination and hegemony of the US, in specific in order to win the economic and political authority of the oil.

Demonstrations and protests by the international community against the military aggression to Iraq is the proof of the illegitimacy of such conduct showed by those who desire a peaceful world. Huge mass protests by the peoples in the US, England, and Australia show the fact that the decision of military aggression is not based on the peoples' will; instead it is fully the responsibility of the government of the US and the government of its allies.

Therefore we fully support any kind of peaceful actions by peoples and communities around the world to urge the US government and its allies to stop the war; and at the same time to condemn any kind of threats and violence to the US, England, and Australian citizens in any parts of the world.

In the above context, the Statute and the Basic Values of WALHI, that have been the basic principles and basis for WALHI's advocacy and activities, are clearly stated that WALHI is an organization that is established based on the principles of humanity and respect to living creatures, democracy, human rights and, the justice and sovereignty of the sources of livelihood.

WALHI also takes position as part of peoples and social movements to fight against any kind of domination of global forces that are responsible for grabbing the rights to live, and the rights of political, economy and cultural of the peoples around the world. We firmly object and condemn the military aggression of the US government and its allies that has been a real terror to the rights to live, to the rights of political, economic, and socio-cultural of the peoples of Iraq, and the peoples all over the world.

Based on the above principles, the National Executive of the Indonesian Forum for Environment takes a political stance as follow:
1. Call on the international world to demand an urgent action for stopping the war and the withdrawal of all military troops of the US and its allies from Iraq, either through diplomatic, political and economic pressures.

2. Urge the United Nations to immediately give sanction to the government of the US and its allies, and take George Bush, Tonny Blair, and John Howard to the International Court for war crimes and crime against humanity.

3. Urge the Indonesian government to stop diplomatic relationship with the governments of the US, UK, and Australia, and firmly prohibit the use of Indonesian territorial for the mobilization of military forces and equipments.

As part of this political position and for the supremacy of human rights and democracy, the National Executive of the Indonesian Forum for Environment (WALHI) decides to stop any cooperations with the development agencies of the governments of the US, UK, and Australia. We decide to take steps as follow:

1. Stop the cooperation relationship with USAID (the United States Agency for International Development) and as soon as possible clear the outstanding administrative matters of the previous cooperation.

2. Stop the negotiation process for cooperation with DFID (the Department for International Development of the UK), and AusAID (Australian Agency for International Development).

The National Executive of WALHI also calls on to all pro-democracy society and social movement in Indonesia and around the world to:

1. Unite in fighting any kind of aggression and imperialism of the US and its allies, and stop any cooperation with the US, UK and Australia government.

2. Take firm stance to fight against any kind of penetration, hegemony, and domination of global neo-liberalism in political, economic, and socio-cultural lives, and any kind of neo-colonialism and neo-imperialism that has and will grab the rights to live and the rights of political, economic, socio-cultural of the peoples around the world

Let us move together for a just and peaceful world, without any kind of domination and violence.

For Justice and Peace,
Jakarta, 24 March 2003

Longgena Ginting
Executive Director
WALHI

WALHI is a nationwide network of 510 NGOs, students, and community organizations in 25 provinces (out of 33 provinces) in Indonesia.