MAWO starts off 2018 demanding an end to the new era of war and occupation!

By:Janine Solanki
In only the first few weeks, 2018 has already proven to be one of increasing war and occupation. The US government and its allies are leading an aggressive campaign of threats and genocidal sanctions against North Korea. Yemen continues to face the world’s worst humanitarian crisis with daily bombing from US-backed Saudi Arabia. Iran is also once again a primary target of US government war-mongering.
Yemen today is in the grip of a devastating humanitarian crisis. The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled the cholera epidemic in Yemen as the worst in the world, which is now at over one million cases. On top of this, Yemen is facing famine, which UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock warns will be “the largest famine the world has seen for many decades, with millions of victims.” All of this is not by chance, but as a direct consequence of the US-backed Saudi Arabian war against Yemen, which has seen routine bombings hitting homes and critical infrastructure including hospitals and sanitation systems. Saudi Arabia has also imposed a land, sea and air blockade on Yemen, creating shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies and limiting desperately needed humanitarian aid from entering the country.
On January 27, Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) gathered activists and peace-loving people together for an antiwar rally and petition drive. MAWO has been organizing these demonstrations every month for over 14 years, campaigning for an end to the new era of war and occupation, which features the United States and its allies organizing for war, occupation, sanctions, and threats against oppressed nations. Since the beginning of the so-called “war on terror” in September 2001, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Palestine, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Iran, and many others have all been targets of American led campaigns for more war and destruction.
During the January 27 action in downtown Vancouver, activists approached passers-by, inviting them to add their signatures to a petition demanding that Canada end its $15 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. The deal is for so-called “light” armored vehicles which in reality are heavily armed military vehicles, similar to ones which Saudi Arabia has used to crush protests in Bahrain and against its own people. MAWO’s information table was busy with people stopping to find out more and to open discussions with organizers, attracted by banners setup demanding “US/Saudi Arabia Hands off Yemen!” and “US and Canada Hands off North Korea!” To wrap up the rally MAWO chair Alison Bodine spoke, bringing in more people at the busy downtown plaza, against the increasing wars and occupations and encouraging people to get involved to organize against these wars and for the self-determination of all oppressed nations!
MAWO encourages all peace-loving people join events and actions against this new era of war and occupation. To find out more visit www.mawovancouver.org of follow MAWO on Facebook and Twitter @MAWOVan.