Halifax: No Harbour for War!

More than 200 people rallied and marched against the unleashing of criminal aggression by the United States, Britain and the other NATO allies, including Canada, against Afghanistan on October 6 and October 8, in Halifax, a NATO port,. The rally, held the day before the U.S. and Britain made their first bombing raid, took place outdoors in Victoria Park, in the heart of the downtown core, through the busiest part of the Saturday lunch-hour. It was witnessed by hundreds in addition to those attending.
Among the many who spoke, was Dr. Ismail Zayid, a longtime activist for Palestinian rights and against Israeli military occupation, who received generous applause when he denounced the "selective" definition which the Bush administration has given of terrorism so as to exclude state terrorism. He and a spokesperson for CANESI, a group opposing the continuation of UN sanctions against Iraq, furnished many examples of the crimes of the U.S. such as the destruction of civil infrastructure in Iraq during the Gulf War, where thousands of children are dying as a result.

Rev. Jack List, an Anglican priest, told the rally that, desperate as their current economic and political plight might be, impoverished peoples of the developing countries could no longer accept "U.S.-led corporate capitalism" as an alternative, and he condemned this and terrorism as "equally right-wing." Prof. Isaac Saney of Dalhousie University denounced previous and current violations of international law, particularly the "self-defence" provisions of Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, by the United States. Putting forward the idea of establishing an anti-war government for Canada, he denounced the unilateral dictate being imposed by the U.S. and NATO and their use of force as a means of sorting out problems between countries and peoples. He recalled that Haligonians had for the past 20 years have opposed the militarization of the city as part of the imperialist war preparations and raised the just stand, No Harbour for War. The government has announced that a total of 1,200 military personnel from Halifax alone are being sent to participate in the U.S.-led aggression.

At the end of the program, the call was given to be ready to come out and demonstrate at noon on the day following open aggression by the U.S.

On October 8, the day after the bombs and speeches from Bush and Blair and pledges of support from Prime Minister Jean Chretien, a march assembled as announced in front of the Purdy's Wharf complex which now houses the U.S. consulate in Halifax. CBC Television, CTV and the Halifax Daily News were all on hand. Placards were held high and slogans for peace and against war were shouted as the march wound its way through a waterfront area with many tourists, many from the United States. Moments later, as it proceeded onto Barrington Street, the demands "U.S. Out of Afghanistan!" and "Canada Get Out Of NATO and NORAD!" echoed down the canyon of banks and other business office buildings.

Marches and rallies against this war are continuing daily in Halifax. Interest has also been expressed in a proposal to set up and operate a daily "teach-in" process, daily on campus radio and weekly events throughout the community, with the aim of seeking truth from facts of the events that are unfolding so as to serve the people. The youth and students are especially determined to sharpen their just stand against this war and make the struggle for lasting peace increasingly effective.