Current Affairs Prague joins global protests against war in Iraq
On Saturday, demonstrations took place around the globe to mark the first anniversary of the start of the US-led war in Iraq. Thousands of people gathered in Sydney, Tokyo and New York. In Europe, perhaps the biggest protest was in Rome, where up to 300,000 protesters took to the streets. Anti-war protests took place in Prague, too, only the numbers were much more humble.
Demonstration in New York, photo: CTK
Around three hundred people gathered on Prague's Wenceslas Square to
protest against the US-led operations in Iraq. The gathering was called by
the International Peace Movement of the Czech Republic and supported by
the US expatriate community, the Iraqi Forum, the Palestinian Club of the
Czech Republic and other organisations.
Demonstration in Prague, photo: CTK
"Whether we are citizens of the US or Czech citizens or citizens of
any other country we have the right and the duty to protest these
undemocratic and dangerous practices. No more war and occupation, free and
fair elections in Iraq and free and fair elections in the USA. Send UN
election monitors to the United States. Stop the cycle of violence, we
have had enough!"
Arianna Meadowlark of the International Peace Movement. Ahmad Al-Gari is a member of the Iraqi community in the Czech Republic.
"We, the Iraqi Forum of the Czech Republic, support the plan of handing over power to the Iraqis. We condemn all terrorist and criminal activities going on in Iraq, the bombing and killing innocent people. We think these only lead to postponement of the handing over power to the Iraqis. The people of Sumerian and Babylon want to govern themselves. They don't need any foreign ruler. The Iraqis can do it!"
Although public opinion polls last year suggested over seventy percent of Czechs opposed the US-led military action in Iraq and many disapproved of the deployment of the Czech anti-chemical unit in the region, anti-war protests then just like this year were attended by hundreds, rather than thousands, of people.