5-27-08, 9:12 am
Original source: Campaign for Peace and Democracy
CZECH ACTIVISTS AGAINST U.S. RADAR ON HUNGER STRIKE
On May 13th, Jan Tamas and Jan Bednar began a hunger strike in Prague. They are asking for respect for the expressed will of 70% of the people of the Czech Republic against installing a U.S. military radar base on Czech territory, and that a democratic referendum be held on the issue. 'We have tried almost everything, but our government has failed to listen to us,' says Tamas.
Word came from the Czech Republic over the weekend that striker Jan Bednar is suffering from liver failure. His health conditions are worsening day by day, and the medical team, as well as his friends and family, have urged him to interrupt the hunger strike. He has decided, however, to continue. 'I have seen no sign that the Czech government is willing to open the dialogue on this issue and the European Parliament is silent,' he stated.
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD ON UNLIMITED HUNGER STRIKE AGAINST THE RADAR
Jan Tamas and Jan Bednar in Prague since May 13, Dino Mancarella in Trieste since May 14, Federica Fratini, Isabel Torres, Eduardo Calizza in Rome since May 19, Josa Alvarez in Spain since May 22. They have been joined on May 24 by Bruce Gagnon from Maine, the Korean Sung-Hee Choi in New York, Gareth Smith in Australia and Joaquin Valenzuela in Italy.
'MISSILE DEFENSE' IS A DANGEROUS ESCALATION
Although the proposed U.S. radar in the Czech Republic and the companion interceptor missiles planned for Poland are presented as a defense system against possible attacks from Iranian missiles, the 'Missile Defense' system is, in fact, a first strike weapon and a tool for global dominance. The National Intelligence Estimate released in December 2007 stated that Iran had discontinued its nuclear weapons program in the fall of 2003. And U.S. nuclear militarism helps make nuclear weapons the accepted currency of international relations, providing both an incentive and a rationale for Iran to develop its own nuclear weapons in the future, and a spur to the Russian government to engage in a new arms race with the United States. In response to the proposed bases, the Russians have threatened to aim their own weapons at Poland and the Czech Republic, endangering countless innocent civilians.
For over two years, citizens in the Czech Republic have repeatedly expressed their opposition to the proposed U.S. base -- through mass demonstrations, opinion polls, and petitions. Time is now running out, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to travel to the Czech Republic in June to sign the agreement between the two countries; if the agreement is signed, it will have to be ratified by the Czech parliament, which is at the moment divided right down the middle. The cancellation of Rice’s May 4 trip to Prague was one indication that the agreement is facing serious hurdles; another was the May 14 vote by a U.S. House of Representatives committee to withhold more than 50 percent of the funds sought by the Bush administration to start building missile-defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic.
The fate of the 'Missile Defense' project hangs in the balance, both here and in the Czech republic.
Here's what you can do to support the hunger strikers:
1) Add your name to the more than 98,000 people who've already signed the online petition - and then encourage others to sign on as well: http://www.nonviolence.cz You can also read messages of support that have come in from around the world at http://www.nenasili.cz/en/723_messages-of-support Messages of support from the U.S. are available on request from
2) Send a message of solidarity to the hunger strikers (if you email it to us at
3) Throughout Europe groups have been demonstrating their support for the hunger strikers - as well as their opposition to the U.S. Missile Defense initiative. Find out more about these activities: http://nenasili.cz/en/1081_campaign-in-europe
4) Make sure your member of Congress and all the presidential candidates know about your opposition to the radar base in the Czech Republic, and to the whole Missile Defense initiative. You can find the contact information for your representatives at the League of Women Voters website: http://takeaction.lwv.org/lwv/dbq/officials/
5) Forward this message to others in your networks!
From the Campaign for Peace and Democracy
