Resolutions 1997- IEC at London, United Kingdom
Resolution: On Argentine
Resolution: On the Middle East
Resolution: On the Embargo against Cuba
Resolution: On the US Subcritical (Hydro Nuclear ) Test in the Nevada Desert
Resolution: On Colombia
Resolution: On Argentine
The wilpf at its 1997 meeting of the International Executive Committee in London, demands clarification and report on the death of José Luis Cabezas and Teresa Rodríguez. Jose Luis Cabezas, a journalist, was killed and his body burned in January 1997 and Teresa Rodrigues, was killed during a demonstration in the South of Argentine. Both were active human rights defenders. Many people in Argentine are shocked about these murders and are campaigning to end the persecution and deaths of citizens who work in defense of human rights. There have been too many years of tortures, deaths and forced disappearances.
WILPF call’s on your government to take responsibility for the preservation of the life of all your people.
Resolution: On the Middle East
a). We the members of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, meeting in Hoddesdon, England, August 1-8, are distressed that the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority have come to an dangerous halt. This situation can lead the entire region into further disaster.
We call on you and your government to take immediate steps that are necessary to implement the agreements already reached and to resume the peace negotiations. Only when both sides sit together and seriously consider the aspirations of both peoples can we hope for a just peace. Only with peace can we bring a measure of security to all the people in the region and put an end to violence and the loss of life.
b) We are shocked by the Israeli government’s notification to close the offices of Palestinian organizations in Jerusalem including the office of the Palestinian section of WILPF. This act is in violation of international law.
We call on the Israeli government to cancel this action and let the Palestinian organizations work unhampered as it is their right.
c) The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom held its International Executive Meeting in London, 31 July - 8 August 1998.
It is deeply shocked by the Israeli bombardments of South Lebanon and the Bequaa Valley, killing innocent civilians. We urge once again the Israeli government to cease these deadly incursions and implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 424 which is the only way to have peace in the region.
Resolution: On the Embargo against Cuba
As called for the wilpf’s 1995 Congress in Helsinki we reiterate our demand that the US government lift the embargo against Cuba and establish normal trade and diplomatic relations.
We urge our sections to lobby their governments to refuse every attempt by the US. to coerce them to join the US trade embargo.
The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly and repeatedly condemned Washington’s illegal, inhumane policy toward Cuba.
A letter was sent to President Clinton from the International office
Resolution: On the US Subcritical (Hydro Nuclear ) Test in the Nevada Desert
The International Executive Committee Meeting 2-8 August 1997 in London, UK urges the United States to stop at once the hydro nuclear subcritical tests at the Nevada Test Site.
The tests have provoked protests from all around the world. The mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the two cities totally destroyed by the first atomic bombs in the last days of World War II, urged the United States to stop the planned test series immediately. “This might lead to a new nuclear arms race.” Mr. Takashi Hiraoka, mayor of Hiroshima said.
Though the US Department of Energy declares the subcritical tests as not falling under provisions of the 1996 CTBT, it is a clear violation of at least Chapter VI of the NPT demanding the nuclear power states to totally disarm all nuclear weapons.
Resolution: On Colombia
The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, meeting in Executive Committee at Hoddesdon, United Kingdom, 1-8 August 1997, expresses its deep concern over the continued grave violations of human rights in Colombia. These include forced displacement of peasants, disappearing of people. torture and assassinations on a wide scale that are documented information received and have been reported directly to fact-finding missions sent by WILPF to the country. They have not been denied by government officials and elected local authorities met by members of the WILPF missions.
We deplore the arming of civilians in some regions of the country for the purpose of “enforcing peace” to make the areas safe for foreign investment. This will only aggravate the current grave situation Peace cannot be enforced with the point of a gun, but by removing the causes that underlie the distressing human rights situation in the country, thus creating a climate to trust that is conducive to economic and social development.
We call on the Government of Colombia to take the necessary steps in this direction. We further call on the Government to give its full cooperation to the Director of the Office of the United Nations High commissioner for Human Rights in Bogota to enable her to report fully on the human rights situation in Colombia to the 1998 session of the UN Commission on Human Rights.