[MAPC-policy] ALERT: support Madison Council pro-peace

[MAPC-policy] ALERT: support Madison Council pro-peace

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2001-11-14

                    ~~~ please forward this widely ~~~

*** CONTACT YOUR ALDER & THE MAYOR TODAY - THE VOTE IS NEXT TUES NOV 20! ***

A resolution calling on the U.S. federal government to place humanitarian
and human rights concerns foremost in its policies and actions in
Afghanistan and surrounding regions was introduced this morning to the
Madison Common Council (text below).  We have _less than one week_ before
the vote on Tuesday, Nov 20 to let the Mayor and alders know we want our
city to go on record in support of peace - ACT TODAY!

** Call or e-mail your alder and the Mayor and ask them to support the
resolution (title: Humanitarian Priorities in Afghanistan) TODAY!

Mayor Bauman: e-mail sbauman@ci.madison.wi.us  or call 608-266-4611
Alder district and contact info at http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/council
Alder e-mails and phone #s also listed at end of this e-mail.

** Attend the Tues, Nov 20 council meeting to register and/or speak in
support of the resolution!

The Council meeting starts 6:30 pm, Tues Nov 20, in room 201 of the
City-County bldg, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd (just off Capitol Square),
but register EARLY (6 pm) to make sure your input is recorded!


Title:    Humanitarian Priorities in Afghanistan

A RESOLUTION regarding the urgent need to provide emergency humanitarian
assistance and development assistance to civilians in Afghanistan, including
Afghan refugees in surrounding countries.

WHEREAS, a disastrous humanitarian crisis is underway, with an estimated 7.5
million people in Afghanistan facing critical food shortage or outright
starvation this winter; and

WHEREAS, 70 percent of these people are women and children, and the UN
estimates 400,000 children under five will likely die this year, an increase
of 100,000 over last year; and

WHEREAS, food aid shipments have been disrupted because of U.S. bombing in
Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, the aid agencies active in the region, including the Nobel laureate
Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Oxfam International and the World Food
Program have stated that the U.S. food drops can not meet the increasing and
urgent need for assistance; and

WHEREAS, Madison now participates directly and indirectly in U.S. military
efforts through many channels, including the federal taxes its citizens pay,
and through its citizens' participation in the armed forces; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Madison Common Council are appalled at the mass
starvation that will result from these actions to which they are a party if
the situation is not speedily addressed; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Madison Common Council deplore the dishonor such an
outcome would be for the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11th;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Mayor and Madison Common Council
support a resolution to the situation that minimizes loss of life; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT humanitarian concerns must now be a top priority
for U.S. policy toward Afghanistan, especially as there exists a narrow
window of opportunity for supplying food to the region's population before
winter makes this difficult or impossible.  The Mayor and Madison Common
Council call on the federal government to defer to the judgement of
international aid agencies that a cessation in bombing is necessary to avoid
humanitarian disaster; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Mayor and Madison Common Council call on
Afghanistan's neighbors to immediately reopen their borders to allow for the
safe passage of refugees, and call on the U.S. federal government and other
members of the international community to prepare to contribute to the
economic costs incurred by the flight of desperate Afghan civilians; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Mayor and Madison Common Council call on the
U.S. federal government to actively support the work of various agencies to
deliver assistance in Afghanistan, particularly through overland truck
convoys, and to support safe humanitarian access to affected populations, in
partnership with humanitarian agencies, in quantities sufficient to
alleviate a large scale humanitarian catastrophe; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Mayor and Madison Common Council call on the
U.S. federal government to contribute to efforts by the international
community to provide long-term, sustainable reconstruction and development
assistance for the people of Afghanistan, including efforts to protect the
basic human rights of women and children; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Mayor and Madison Common Council call on the
international community to support democratic processes in Afghanistan
leading to a government which represents all its people, including women.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Mayor and Madison Common Council, on behalf
of the people of Madison, in solidarity with the international community and
in their capacity as citizens of the United States, urge the U.S. federal
government to put humanitarian concerns first in its policies and actions
overseas.  Furthermore, the Mayor and Madison Common Council will consider
the U.S. federal government responsible for both the direct consequences of
its military actions in Afghanistan and for unintended, indirect results of
its actions leading to humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and the
surrounding region.

CITY OF MADISON      COMMON COUNCIL MEMBERS        2001 - 2003

1    Linda Bellman    274-0589    district1@council.ci.madison.wi.us

2    Brenda Konkel    251-2412    district2@council.ci.madison.wi.us

3    Warren Onken     244-7480    district3@council.ci.madison.wi.us

4    Michael Verveer  255-6498    district4@council.ci.madison.wi.us

5    Thomas Powell    347-9300    district5@council.ci.madison.wi.us

6    Judy Olson       245-0557    district6@council.ci.madison.wi.us

7    Cindy Thomas     271-5201    district7@council.ci.madison.wi.us

8    Todd Jarrell     259-1976    district8@council.ci.madison.wi.us

9    Paul Skidmore    829-1921    district9@council.ci.madison.wi.us

10   Ken Golden       238-4370    district10@council.ci.madison.wi.us

11   Jean MacCubbin   238-4863    district11@council.ci.madison.wi.us

12   Dorothy Borchardt  249-7202  district12@council.ci.madison.wi.us

13   Matt Sloan       250-6664    district13@council.ci.madison.wi.us

14   Tim Bruer        298-0060    district14@council.ci.madison.wi.us

15   Kent Palmer      244-7462    district15@council.ci.madison.wi.us

16   Judy Compton     221-2567    district16@council.ci.madison.wi.us

17   Santiago Rosas   244-9197    district17@council.ci.madison.wi.us

18   Paul Van Rooy    663-9500    district18@council.ci.madison.wi.us

19   Steve Holtzman   233-6056    district19@council.ci.madison.wi.us

20   Gary L. Poulson  233-1469    district20@council.ci.madison.wi.us

Common Council Office Phone Number:    266-4071

Office E-Mail (goes to all alders):  council@ci.madison.wi.us

____________________________________________
X

Check out these internet sites!
the East Timor Action Network/US http://www.etan.org
Madison, WI - East Timor projects http://www.aideasttimor.org
Madison's Social Justice Center http://www.socialjusticecenter.org

"There must be no hiding place for political monsters such as unleashed the
destruction of East Timor in 1999. These are crimes which are far greater
than their immediate victims... They strike at the future as well as the
present. They make the world more dangerous for everyone."

-Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, Bishop of Dili, East Timor and 1996 Nobel
laureate


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Wednesday, November 14, 2001 1:29 PM

[MAPC-policy] ALERT: support Madison Council pro-peace