On June 14th, 2005
8th Day Center for Justice
staff and friends took to the
streets to make public our statement, "A CATHOLIC VOICE ON THE INVASION
AND OCCUPATION OF IRAQ".
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The action started with a procession
to the Federal Building where we held vigil and announced our call for
the Catholic Community to put an end the the occupation of Iraq.
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In the Statement the 8th Day Center
for Justice
proclaims
and promotes the fundamental Gospel values of nonviolence, the
dignity of each person, the common good
and the integrity of creation.
In this spirit, we denounce the unprovoked US-led invasion of Iraq in
March 2003, the ongoing occupation -- including torture and all other
human rights violations, and all US efforts to control Iraq’s economy,
security and political life.
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The Statement goes on to say:
-the number of deaths and injuries of
combatants and civilians are incomprehensible6
-the US is training local death squads (Salvadoran Option) akin to the
dirty wars it conducted in
-Central America in the 1980s7prisoners are designated
“enemy combatants”, without recourse to international standards or due
process8
-torture has become a normal part of the
occupation9
-the US employs the policy of “Rendition”, that
is, sending prisoners to other countries for the purpose of torture.
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Iraq's infrastructure has been devastated10
-Iraq’s antiquities, treasures of the human community, and culture have
been destroyed11
-the use of Depleted Uranium munitions has turned Iraq into a
radioactive “hot zone”12
-the US plans to maintain indefinite military, economic and
administrative authority over Iraq13
-Iraqis voted for "a timetable for the withdrawal of the multinational
forces from Iraq"14
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US military personnel have been placed in
the untenable moral position of killing or being killed15
-the US “back door” draft -- a unilateral extension of military
enlistments -- prolongs this untenable moral position16
-resistance fighters target everyone aligned with the occupation forces17
-vast numbers of civilian and military personnel are suffering Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)18
-many nations now seek nuclear weapons as a deterrence to a
“preventive” attack and occupation by the US19
-astronomical military spending steals from people who are made poor
through cuts in social programs.20
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The Statement concludes with actions to be taken by to stop the
occupation of Iraq and also a call for the Catholic Community.
June 14th was chosen by the staff of 8th Day because it was flag day
and the USCCB was in town for their spring meeting.
to see the statement in full click the following link Catholic Voice
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