Draft "Who Are We" Document

The following is a draft of a "who are we" statement by the Sudbury anti-war/anti-occupation group so far known as the March 17th Committee, though that will be changed to a less painful name shortly. All participants in the group are invited to read over the draft so that comments on this document, on a new name, and on other matters related to the focus of the group can be brought to our next meeting:

The March 17th Committee

Who are you?
We are a group of Sudbury residents that are opposed to war and occupation.

What have you done?
The group formed in early 2007 to plan an event for the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq on March 17th. We wanted to create an opportunity for people in Sudbury to voice our ongoing opposition to the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly the involvement of the Canadian military and Canadian corporations. As our focus has evolved, we have come to place increasing emphasis on talking about the fact that Canada itself exists as an occupation of the lands of indigenous peoples and on supporting indigenous struggles for self-determination.

Our actions so far have included:

* tabling at the Earth Day fair and the Northern Lights Festival
* screening the film 500 Miles to Babylon about life in occupied Iraq, including a Q&A period with the director
* screening the film Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance to show support for the National Day of Aboriginal Action in June
* supporting the local War Resisters Support Committee in their work to help U.S. soldiers who seek shelter in Canada
* supporting the defense of indigenous activist John Graham through the documentary on his situation by Native Youth Movement activist Billy Pierre

Who can join?
Anyone who is opposed to war and occupation is welcome. People in the group come from different political perspectives and different backgrounds, and our activities at any particular moment depend on who is involved. We are always looking for new members and are open to branching off in new directions related to our focus on war and occupation, so please check out our web site at http://aws.roadnetwork.org, email us at sudburyawo@gmail.com, or come to a meeting!

If you have any questions or comments that you want to share online, please email me at scott.neigh(at)movement-history.ca. Thanks!