seattle indymedia center

Six activists, including a Canadian woman, met with the Canadian Consul, Kim Blanchett.  The delegation delivered a letter to Consul Blanchett asking the Canadian government to give permanent sanctuary to the scores of U.S. war resisters currently in Canada, most of whom have traveled to there in order to resist fighting in the Iraq War.

This event was the first nationally coordinated action in the U.S. in support of war resisters in Canada. In addition to the event in Seattle, actions were organized in Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia. The purpose of the action is to underscore the hope that many Americans have that the Canadian House of Commons will vote immediately on a provision that would allow war resisters to remain in Canada.

Chanan Suarez-Diaz (President of Seattle chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War) and Gerry Condon member of Project Safe Haven

Protesters in front of the Canadian Consulate asked passers by to support US War Resisters in Canada.

Since the illegal U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, many soldiers have been following their consciences – and international law – and going AWOL instead of going to war. GI’s who have publicly refused to deploy – or re-deploy – to Iraq, have been court-martialed and imprisoned. Thousands of service people are AWOL and in hiding in the U.S. and abroad. Hundreds have fled to Canada. The Canadian people have welcomed them with open arms. In addition to this support, however, war resisters need the legal right to remain in Canada. Without it, some war resisters could face deportation and, as a direct consequence, imprisonment in the U.S.

Various anti-war groups participated in organizing this event. Here in Seattle, there were representatives of 10 organizations at the rally.  Their unified voice shows the willingness of the peace movement to defend our war resisters.