A Call for Solidarity from the People’s Commission Network and No One Is Illegal Montreal

The People’s Commission Network and No One Is Illegal Montreal call for solidarity with Muslim communities and individuals in Canada and Quebec who are experiencing even more intense Islamophobia and racism as a result of the media coverage of last week’s “Project Samossa” arrests of Hiva Alizadeh, Khurram Sher and Misbahuddin Ahmed. Journalists have actually visited mosques where the people arrested have prayed, thereby greatly intensifying feelings of being vulnerable, under surveillance, marginalized and profiled simply for being Muslim or being perceived as such.

The People’s Commission and No One Is Illegal Montreal are also concerned for the well-being of the three men who have been named by media as part of the alleged plot and are currently overseas. In recent years, we have seen similar RCMP and CSIS suspicions – even without intense media attention – result in the overseas detention and torture of Maher Arar, Abousfian Abdelrazik, Abdullah Almalki and others. None of these individuals were ever charged with any crime and their names were later officially cleared. However, their lives continue to be marred by the immediate consequences of CSIS and RCMP actions, consequences that include tarnished reputations, the loss of freedom of movement, and, in one case, a freeze on all assets.

A few organizations and individuals are speaking out against the storm of racism the arrests have unleashed (see, for example, the statement by No One Is Illegal Vancouver. The People’s Commission and No One is Illegal Montreal support these statements of concern and encourages all organizations and all individuals who are opposed to racism to speak out and vigorously and categorically reject the ways of thinking that lead to an exceptionalization of “terrorist” cases (especially those involving Muslims), to an assumption of guilt, and to profiling that is affecting entire Muslim communities.

To date, no credible evidence has been produced – let alone established in court – that any of the men who have been so very publicly accused are guilty of any wrong-doing or even any crime. In fact, it hasn’t even been established that there was a plot in the first place. Although they were immediately painted as inspired by Al Qaeda, there is nothing to indicate that the men arrested are anything other than Muslim. Although, like the majority of Quebecers, they may well oppose the occupation of Afghanistan and Palestine and be concerned for the well-being of people currently subject to all the violence of war and torture, such attitudes should be celebrated, not criminalized or viewed as suspect.

In the current climate of racism, the People’s Commission and No One Is Illegal Montreal are concerned that the men will not be treated fairly by a criminal justice system that has proven itself far from immune from Islamophobia and that relies on the unjust anti-terrorist law adopted in 2001.

In the public sphere, the men are not being presumed innocent until proven guilty. The sensationalist media coverage has suggested that the police acted on information provided by CSIS and that the RCMP made their arrests when they did because of suspicion that money was going to be transferred overseas for unspecified “terrorist purposes”.

CSIS’s record of incompetence and abuse should inspire immediate scepticism about the cases. In particular, the fact that, according to its own oversight bodies, CSIS continues to use information that comes from torture should lead to questions about the credibility of the allegations and the information that CSIS received from Pakistan and Afghanistan which is supposed to have led to the arrests. (See www.peoplescommission.org/en/csis for more on CSIS and its use of torture-evidence.)

The involvement of the RCMP should also raise red flags for all who are familiar with past operations such as Operation Thread, which were similarly deliberately brought to public attention by RCMP press releases and press conferences. The long-standing RCMP practice of infilitrating organizations and the ambiguous role RCMP under-covers have played in suggesting and facilitating violence in such operations should also be recalled. It is important to ask what political purposes were served by bringing these cases to the attention of media at this particular time.

The statements by the Minister of Security, Vic Toews, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, inciting paranoia and literally encouraging people to spy on their neighbours, friends and family, show how the arrests are being used to further political agendas. Recently, the Conservative government has been cutting off funding for organizations which disagree with its foreign and domestic policies, criminalizing community organizers who challenged the G20 process, and creating scapegoats (such as the Tamil asylum-seekers) to justify its anti-immigrant policies. The comments of Toews and others close to the Conservative party are aimed at silencing Muslim voices and more broadly eroding social solidarity.

Solidarity as well as actively and collectively struggling against injustices are our only safeguards against state repression, exploitive economic policies and destructive environmental practices.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. Write letters to editor objecting to racist framing of media coverage. In particular, write to the Star to object to their reporter’s intrusion into a Montreal-area mosque.

Letters must be short (100 words), include name, mailing address and daytime phone number of the writer; state “Letter to the Editor” in subject; and content should be in the body of the email (i.e. don’t send an attachment).

• Globe and Mail: letters@globeandmail.com
• National Post: letters@nationalpost.com
• Montreal Gazette: letters@thegazette.canwest.com
• Toronto Star: lettertoed@thestar
• Toronto Sun: torsun.editor@sunmedia.ca
• Ottawa Citizen: letters@thecitizen.canwest.com
• Ottawa Sun: ottsun.oped@sunmedia.ca
• Hill Times (Federal Parliament): news@hilltimes.com
• Winnipeg Free Press: www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/send_a_letter/
• London Free Press: www.lfpress.com/comment/letters/write/

2. Ask organizations you are involved in to issue a statement insisting on innocence until proven guilty, rejecting the use of torture-evidence, and denouncing Islamophobia

3. Distribute CSIS Watch materials and encourage people not to collaborate with CSIS:

• If CSIS comes knocking (flyer in English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Turkish)
• CSIS visits videos (in English and French)
• Top Ten Reasons not to Speak to CSIS (French, English, Turkish):

4. In Montreal, join in organizing the People’s Commission’s “Whose Security? Our Security!” popular forum, which will take place in February 2011.

To get involved in organizing the forum, email us at commissionpopulaire@gmail.com

——————————————-
People’s Commission Network
www.peoplescommission.org
commissionpopulaire@gmail.com

AND

No One Is Illegal Montreal
http://nooneisillegal-montreal.blogspot.com/
nooneisillegal@gmail.com

Peace Alliance Winnipeg has endorsed the “Toronto Call” and urges all members to support it as well.

The Toronto Call was written collectively by a few Toronto-based G20 protesters, most of us connected to campuses and all of us having substantial links across various social movements.  As police state tactics were rolled out relentlessly around the summit in Toronto, we quickly pooled our resources to make an urgent response to the police brutality and state violence we witnessed and experienced.

The Call has clearly resonated.  Over 1000 people signed on in the first two days.  We are still compiling the remaining 400-ish signatures, but we felt it important to make an initial response.  The list here includes roughly 1100 signatories (a notable symmetry with the 1090 officially detained over the G20 weekend).  Please see attached PDF.  We aim to post/send out the full list by next week.

For now, we think a few points are worth noting:

• Perhaps most importantly, the list has become an ad hoc public site for connecting with and documenting those who were detained, assaulted, arrested, beaten, jailed and forcibly restrained by the G20 police.  In addition to almost 1100 detentions, many were also beaten and unofficially captured/stopped/held.  As we write, at least 16 activists are in jail with exorbitant bail fees for unsubstantiated charges http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/832173

Others have been released, but with severe bail conditions and are fighting the unjust charges:

http://www.torontosun.com/news/g20/2010/06/26/14528681.html

• Many journalists, particularly independent media reporters/publishers and members of collectives, have signed on.  We are grateful for those who took great risks to document and advance a critical public discussion despite the brutal police treatment received in the process.  Similarly, the list has attracted medical and legal support workers who carried out vital services during the G20, often at great risk.  See Alan Sears’ G20 Protests:  Fighting Back Against the Police State http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/384.php

• A wide range of sectors are reflected in these signatures including labour/trade unionists; anti-poverty activists; cultural workers (artists, musicians, playwrights, poets, filmmakers, authors); health care workers and physicians; legal workers and lawyers; educators/teachers/faculty; students at all levels, particularly those targeted as young activists; social movement organizations and community activists; concerned residents, outraged citizens and more.  We want to acknowledge the importance of solidarity rallies as well from Vancouver to Winnipeg to Montreal to Fredericton to Peterborough (and undoubtedly more).

The Call includes signatures from several cities, towns, rural areas, First Nations and unceded indigenous territory, and a wide range of communities across the country.  We want to acknowledge, in particular, the strong response from Vancouver and from Montreal/Quebec where activists were targeted particularly harshly by police.  www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/832490–activist-surrenders-to-face-g20-charges?bn=1 We also thank supporters and friends around the world including: several U.S. cities, India, Istanbul, Mexico, several cities in England, Japan, Chile, Scotland and Ireland, Italy, Johannesburg, several EU countries, Greece, Bangladesh, the Czech Republic and Columbia.

Finally, we want to draw your attention to some important actions and statements that emerged alongside The Toronto Call and which many may wish to sign onto, support or read:

DONATE:  Call for donations to support G20 legal defense:

For updates and information visit G8/G20 Toronto Community Mobilization at g20.torontomobilize.org

To transfer funds or write a cheque: (with G20 Legal defense on the subject line) send donations to: OPIRG York, transit number 00646, institution number 842, account number 3542240.

Mail the cheques (written to OPIRG York, with G20 legal defense on the subject line) to:

Toronto Community Mobilization Network, 360A Bloor Street W, PO Box 68557, Toronto, ON, M5S 1X0

To use PayPal go to *g20.torontomobilize.org*

ATTEND RALLIES: Two National Days of Action

July 10 http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=133971566625845&ref=mf

July 17 http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=133625160002128&ref=mf

SIGN PETITIONS:  Canadian Educators Condemn the G20 Attack on Civic Education

Given the large number of university, college and public school educators on this list, we are circulating this online petition condemning the G20 policing as an attack on the larger project of civic education.  http://www.petitiononline.com/Educator/petition.html

Amnesty International call for an Independent Review of G20 Security Measures

Given the large numbers who specifically want a fully independent public inquiry, we include: www.amnesty.ca/iwriteforjustice/take_action.php?actionid=449&type=Internal

See also Toronto Police Services response on an “independent civilian review”: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontog20summit/article/832542–g20-security-to-get-long-look-from-independent-civilian-review?bn=1

READ AND SHARE: IMPORTANT STATEMENTS

Vancouver Statement of Support for Toronto G8/G20 Arrestees

An important solidarity statement and analysis of pre-emptive arrests as policing strategy

http://vancouversolidarity.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/vancouversolidarity/

Statement from the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance (ACLA)- Ontario Chapter

Given the highly racialized character of policing in general, and the G20 police state tactics in particular, we encourage all to read and circulate the following recently released statement:

In the wake of one of the most grotesque public expressions of police brutality, intimidation and mass violations of civil liberties, the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance (ACLA) strongly condemns the overzealous actions of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force, the Integrated Security Unit and the countless other police agencies that participated in the suppression of protesters rights during the G20 protests.

The actions exhibited by the police and their supervisors are unconscionable. The police force collectively as well as the individual officers involved, their superiors and elected officials from all levels of Government must be held accountable.

By all accounts the over $1 billion price tag was utilized to bring fear and disorder to our communities.

While we abhor this weekend’s police violence, ACLA reiterates that these actions reflect the realities experienced by low-income, indigenous, and racialized communities across this city on a daily basis.

Illegal searches, entries without warrants, large-scale police and immigration raids, the use of excessive and arbitrary police powers are ongoing experiences of our communities, perpetuated through unjust socio-economic structures and institutions that at the same time exploit the labour of indigenous and racialized communities.  Instead of addressing chronic underfunding, inadequate resources and systemic unemployment that impoverishes our members, the police and elected officials persist in marginalizing and criminalizing our communities.

The resolve of the G20 will deepen this crisis through its focus on deficit and debt reduction and not on economic and environmental justice. Regressive and racist immigration policies, inadequate labour protection and the absence of resources for housing, day care, healthcare and numerous other entitlements further perpetuate a cycle of precarious existence for racialized communities across the city, the province and the country.

We say NO to the neo-liberal agenda of austerity by the G8 and we call on all progressive labour unions, community groups and activists to demand justice and dignity for those detained, arrested and an end to civil rights violations.

We demand that the following steps be taken

1) The immediate release of all political prisoners

2) an end to the criminalization of dissent with compensation for all victims of police violence

3) meaningful economic resources and infrastructure to be invested in marginalized communities

4) an end to the persecution and criminalization of Aboriginal, migrant communities and non- status communities

5) Independent Police Oversight, community control over policing and civilian authority over the police.

6) An independent public inquiry into police actions during the summit, including disclosure on the role of police infiltrators leading up to and during events, and the chain of command for the extraordinary crackdown on legal rights and protests. Firm timelines must be established.

Two activists kiss while protesting in front of a line of riot police during the G20 Summit in Toronto on June 26. (Darren Calabrese/Canadian Press)

By Peace Alliance Winnipeg, July 7, 2010

Over 900 people — including journalists from both mainstream and smaller media — were arrested during the G20 Summit in Ontario. In fact by Sunday June 20 many of the actions taking place in downtown Toronto were directed against the arbitrary actions of the police to detain protestors.

In the aftermath demands immediately surfaced for a full inquiry into the actions of the police and the Ontario and Federal Governments in connection with the arrests, the conditions of the detention centre and the actions of the police to suppress protests which were peaceful.

On Monday, June 21 over 1,000 people gathered outside police headquarters in downtown Toronto as unions, community activists and prominent personalities gathered to demand answers to what had occurred during the Summit. It was already known that the powers the Toronto Chief of Police Bill Blair claimed the police were given to investigate and arrest under the Public Works Protection Act was not the case.

Since then there have been actions in Montreal, Winnipeg and Edmonton to demand an inquiry.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Canadian Federation of Students and the Toronto Call have all issued petitions which can be signed on line.

The Executive of the Peace Alliance Winnipeg has contacted all three groups to indicate its support.

The addresses are as follows:

• Canadian Civil Liberties Association: http://ccla.org/
• Canadian Federation of Students: n.stewart@cfs-fcee.ca
• The Toronto Call: No More Police State: TheTorontoCall@gmail.com

Please show your support.

Al Jazeera English, July 02, 2010

Peace demonstrators who have been camping outside the British parliament since May are facing forced eviction on Friday. A court ruled they are damaging the famous square outside the building, but the activists have no intention of leaving. Nadim Baba reports from London.

Dear Ceasefire.ca supporters -

This is an urgent alert to inform you of new developments in Afghanistan, and to ask for your help to avert more innocent civilian casualties. Your action is required.

This could be our most important campaign since our founding in 2003. We are
asking our 20,000 supporters to support our media and lobbying campaign to stop the attack on Kandahar.

According to reports, a major military offensive is being planned involving 23,000 American, Canadian and Afghan troops on the city of Kandahar and the nearby countryside. Heavy casualties are expected, including civilians.

The attack may be launched in July. A CBC reporter said it will unleash “a summer of bloodshed” (CBC, 10 May 2010).

Article continues . . .

On Friday, June 4, at the call of Peace Alliance Winnipeg, Independent Jewish Voices and the Canada Palestine Support Network (Winnipeg) about 150 people gathered at the corner of Broadway and Osborne at the height of rush hour to join in the worldwide condemnation of Israel’s blockade of Gaza and the killing of 9 peace activists bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Besides placards the demonstrators carried the flags of Palestine as well as those of Ireland, Turkey and Greece countires who are active in supporting the efforts of peace activists to break the sea blockade. Also prominent was a banner which read: “End the Blockade! Enough is Enought! End Israeli Apartheid!”

At the end of the action Howard Davidson, representing Independent Jewish Voices, thanked everyone for making the action a tremendous success. He called on those present to seize this important moment to escalate the efforts to support those who are working to break the blockade of Gaza as the world was now focused as never before on the plight of Gaza.

Glenn Michalchuk, chair of the Peace Alliance Winnipeg, spoke about the shameful role Canada has played in supporting Israel’s suppression of the democratic and human rights of the Palestinian people and nation. He said that the task of supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people has fallen to civil society and its organizations because Canada, the U.S. and other countries have sat silent in the face of Israel’s denial of the Palestinian people’s right to a country and freedom.

Article, video footage and photos: Glenn Michalchuk

AlJazeeraEnglish — May 13, 2010 — Almost 50,000 US military personnel are stationed in Japan, more than half on the island of Okinawa. But their presence has often been controversial. The Okinawa base is vital to the US in protecting its interests in Asia. But protests against the base are increasing. On this edition of 101 East, we look at the future of US military bases in Japan.

Iraqi Children Emergency: A Campaign to Document the Kidnapping and/or Selling of Iraqi Children

By Wafaa’ Al-Natheema, Institute of Near Eastern and African Studies

The trauma of Iraqi children and extreme suffering have not been only due to the killing and bombs, but also due to the deteriorating medical and health services, displacement, imprisonment and interruption of education. The ongoing displacement and/or the absence of one or both parents from children’s life have made them vulnerable and put them in high risk. Orphans from poor families have been facing the most devastating condition than any segment of Iraqi society. They live in grave danger facing diseases, kidnapping and trafficking.

Our Institute is launching a campaign to document eyewitnesses from inside and outside Iraq who observed the kidnapping and/or the selling of Iraqi children or those who are able to locate kidnapped and sold children in their new environment. We are working to create a network of communities within Iraq and neighboring countries (Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran and Kuwait) to monitor, provide alerts, exchange information and report to NGOs, families, the media and authorities to prevent children from being sold and especially from leaving Iraq. We need all the help we can muster to ensure the success of this mission.

Article continues . . .

The “Project Hero” Scolarship Program
Take Action – Sign the Petition – Send a letter of Support

By the Canadian Peace Alliance, April 7, 2010

A group of Professors the University of Regina have drafted a letter to object to the “Project Hero” scholarship program which gives money to the family of Canadian Soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

As they say in the letter: In our view, support for “Project Hero” represents a dangerous cultural turn. It associates “heroism” with the act of military intervention. It erases the space for critical discussion of military policy and practices. In signing on to “Project Hero”, the university is implicated in the disturbing construction of the war in Afghanistan by Western military- and state-elites as the “good war” of our epoch. We insist that our university not be connected with the increasing militarization of Canadian society and politics.

Please take a moment to sign the petition online.

To express solidarity please send letters of support for the Regina 16, and against Project Hero and Canadian imperialism, to University of Regina President Vianne Timmons,  and Vice-President Academic, Gary Boire. Please send a copy of the letters to Jeffery Webber.

by the Canadian Peace Alliance, Mar. 29, 2010

In only a matter of a few weeks, Parliament could be debating and voting on Bill C-440, a bill that would make legally binding two motions that have already passed in the House of Commons in support of U.S. Iraq War resisters. Bill C-440 sends a message to the Harper government that the will of the majority in support of war resisters cannot be ignored.

In addition to the nearly 10,000 Bill C-440 postcards that supporters are gathering across Canada, we are asking you to take a few minutes today and directly contact your M.P. to ask them to support Bill C-440.

Here’s the form on-line; it only takes a few minutes to e-mail your M.P.:
http://letthemstay.ca/action/email-your-mp/

Canadians are proud of the fact that we refused to send our soldiers into an unsanctioned and immoral war. Even a majority of Americans think Canada did the right thing by not participating. Canada has an honourable tradition of offering sanctuary to Americans who object to wars not sanctioned by the United Nations and want to live a life of peace, free from persecution. During the Vietnam War, Canada welcomed tens of thousands of American war resisters who have contributed greatly to our society.

U.S. Iraq War resisters still face deportation and the threat of jail for doing the right thing. Take action today to make sure your M.P. knows you want Bill C-440 passed.

Send an e-mail to your M.P. here:
http://letthemstay.ca/action/email-your-mp/

For more information and updates on Bill C-440:
http://www.letthemstay.ca/

Organized by the War Resisters Support Campaign:
http://www.resisters.ca/