Church groups to join national peace rally

Pax Christi and Christian CND, together many more church groups of all denomiations will be joining a major rally in London tomorrow, calling for an end to the military occupation of Iraq and a just solution for Israel and Palestine. Groups are assembling in Hyde Park at 12 noon for a march to Trafalgar Square. A Pax Christi spokesperson said: "Three months after the war in Iraq ended, American and allied soldiers are becoming embroiled in a guerrilla war. More soldiers are losing their lives now than were killed in the war. "Meanwhile the Iraqi people are being subjected to a colonial military occupation. Despite the billions being spent on the war and occupation, the Iraqis are suffering shortages of water and electricity, and face total disruption to their everyday rights. After years of dictatorship, they are denied any democratic voice or say in the running of their country. "Everything that the anti-war movement said about this war has proved to be true. We were told that the war was to disarm Saddam Hussein, but no weapons of mass destruction have been found. Evidence that Iraq bought uranium from the African state of Niger has been shown to be forged. "We will be speaking up in a peaceful way, and praying for ordinary people, men, women and children, soldiers and civilians on all sides of this conflict who are suffering." There will also be more demonstrations this weekend around the UK and in: Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, UAE, and USA.