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Despite the opposition of the worldนs majority, the United States and its allies went o­n to invade Iraq in an illegal war that has so far killed up to 10,000 civilians and soldiers. But while the weapons of mass destruction have not been found, the Iraqisน resources have been put o­n sale as part of a wholesale imposition of neo-liberal economic policies. State-owned corporations will be privatized and trade will be liberalized through massive reductions in tariffs. With all the official reasons now proven to be lies, it is clear that this was a war for oil, for market, and for empire.

Meanwhile, the endless global ณwar o­n terrorฒ rages o­n in various countries,giving the US a pretext for its military interventions across the globe and providing repressive governments an excuse for clamping down o­n legitimate dissent.

In the face of these distressing developments, we call o­n the anti-war movement to come together and act.

We invite everyone to a general assembly of the global anti-war movement during the World Social Forum (WSF) 2004 this coming January 16 to 21 in Mumbai, India.

Recognizing that confronting a global warmonger requires an internationally coordinated strategy, the assembly is envisioned to be the biggest and most representative meeting of the anti-war movement yet since the invasion of Iraq. It is intended to be an occasion for discussing and debating the global situation as well as for planning and strategizing o­n the movementนs plans and priorities.

It will have five component events:

–       the Strategy Sessions: open discussions and debates o­n the movementsน strategies, plans, and priorities
–       Self-Organized Events: organizations are encouraged to independently organize conferences, workshops, seminars, testimonials, debates, and panels o­n more specific anti-war issues such as US bases, nuclear weapons, anti-terrorist bills, regional conflicts, Palestine, etc.
–       Activistsน Meetings: open meetings among anti-war activists, social movements, NGOs, etc. in attempt to deepen the links among them and coordinate their actions
–       Closing Conference: for announcing and affirming the movementsน
decisions o­n its plans and priorities
–       Solidarity March: general march to close the WSF with a specifically
anti-war section
 
This anti-war general assembly is among the many events during the WSF, the biggest annual gathering of a growing global peace and justice movement thatนs united against corporate-led globalization and militarization and united behind the belief that ณAnother World is Possible!ฒ

The historic February 15 mobilizations that drew millions of people around the world, which was first conceived during the European Social Forum 2002 and adopted as a common plan of action during the WSF last January, showed the potential of the global anti-war movement. This general assembly hopes to further translate that potential to action, to sustain the movementนs momentum, and to chart its future direction.

We hope to see you there.

In solidarity,

(Endorsers as of 20 November 2003)

All Together – Korea
Anti-War Coalition ญ South Africa
Asia Pacific Movement o­n Debt Development
Asian Peace Alliance
Asian Peace Alliance – Japan
ATTAC – Japan
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (UK)
Campa๑a por la Desmilitarizaci๓n de las Am้ricas (CADA)
Center for Economic Research and Social Change
Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (India)
Condi – Iraqi National Democratic Coalition
Continental Campaign Against FTAA
Corp Watch (USA)
Central Unica de los Trabajadores (CUT) (Brazil)
El Foro Social de Madrid
Focus o­n the Global South
Freedom from Debt Coalition
Gathering for Peace – Philippines
GENSUIKIN (Japan Congress Against A- & H-Bombs)
GENSUIKYO (Japan Council Against A and H Bombs)
Global Exchange
Globalize from Below – Korea
Hemispheric Social Alliance
Iniciativa Mexicana Contra la Guerra. No en Nuestro Nombre
International Association of Peace Messenger Cities
International Civilian Campaign for the Protection of the Palestinian People
Italian Movements of the European Social Forum
Jubilee South
KALAYAAN! (Katipunan para sa Pagpapalaya ng Sambayanan) Philippines
Korean Federation of Medical Groups for Health Rights (KFHR)
National Youth and Student Peace Coalition (USA)
Nuclear Free Philippines Coalition
People's Plan Study Group (Japan)
People's Task Force for Bases Clean Up – Philippines
Peace Boat (Japan)
Red Mexicana de Accion frente al Libre Comercio
Social Movements Network
Solidarity (USA)
Stop the War Coalition ญ UK
Stop the War Coalition ญ Greece
The All India Peace & Solidarity Organisation (AIPSO)
The ASR Resource Centre
The Muslim Youth Movement of South Africa
The No War o­n Iraq Coordination – Turkey
The People's Peace Alliance (Pakistan)
The South Asian Women for Peace
United for Peace and Justice ญ US
World Peace Council
Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) (India)

 
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– For more information o­n the World Social Forum, including background,
program, logistics, accommodation and other details, go to www.wsfindia.org
  and www.forumsocialmundial.org.br