NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY FOR THE IRAPI PEOPLE

TUESDAY, April 3, 2001 - Help Organize in your Area.

As the debate continues between those moderates in the Bush administration calling for "easing
sanctions" and those hardliners demanding "regime change" and tighter sanctions, WE
CANNOT REMAIN SILENT.  The blockade has already claimed over one million lives in Iraq.
Help mark the 10-year anniversary of the post-war sanctions against Iraq (imposed following
the"cease-fire" on April 3, 1991) by flooding Washington with phone calls.

Sanctions were originally imposed on August 6, 1990 to force Iraq out of Kuwait.  Subsequently,
the military portion of the war deliberately destroyed Iraq’s civilian infrastructure to “intensify
the effects of sanctions” as one Pentagon planning officer put it.  Then, on April 3, 1991, the UN
Security Council (UNSC) passed Resolution 687 which reinstated sanctions against Iraq. At the
very time the Iraqi people needed international support to rebuild their country, they were hit
with international isolation.

Resolution 687 also established the infamous 661 Sanctions Committee, which decides what
goods are allowed or not allowed into Iraq.  Composed of representatives of the UN Security
Council in New York City, this committee is currently holding up over 1,600 contracts,
including $2.9 billion of humanitarian supplies.  The US is responsible for holds on the vast
majority of this contracts.  Mark the 10-year anniversary of Resolution 687 by demanding an end
to the 661Committee.  An economy of over 23 million people should not be controlled by
bureaucrats in New York City.

For more information on the sanctions against Iraq, visit www.nonviolence.org/vitw

ACTION
On Tuesday, April 3rd, call the following persons to demand an end to the 661 Committee.

When you call your Representatives, also urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 742, the Humanitarian
Exports Leading to Peace Act of 2001 which would change U.S. law to allow farmers,
companies and relief groups to directly export food, medicine and agricultural goods to Iraq
(bypassing the UN's sanctions bureaucracy). By reopening U.S.-Iraq trade relations, this
important legislation would hasten an end to the economic embargo.

If you want to find out the name of your congressperson, or you want to call them directly, visit
http://www.congress.org/ and scroll down to "Elected Officials". Punch in your zip code and
follow the links to get the Phone number for your Representative in Washington.

Call-In Day Sponsors
Education for Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC), Free Iraq Foundation (FIF), Muslim Student
Association of USA & Canada (MSA), Student Peace Action Network (SPAN), Union of Arab
Student Associations (UASA), the National Network to End the war Against Iraq (NNEWAI)
and Voices in the Wilderness (VitW)