In what participants described as one of the biggest, demonstrations there´s been in Sheffield for years, over 1,500 people took to the streets to protest against the US and UK governments´ war on Afghanistan.
Organised by Sheffield Stop the War Coalition, the demonstration was remarkable for its diversity. Groups represented included: CND, Socialist Alliance, Green Party, Peace Forum, Socialist Worker Party, Sheffield Trades Council, South Yorkshire Teachers, Health Workers against the war, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Coalition to lift Sanctions against Iraq, and many other organisations and local trade union branches.
Local community Stop the War groups sporting colourful banners and playing percussion instruments marched in ‘feeder marches´ from Pitsmoor, Heeley, Darnall and Nether Edge to meet the pre-demonstration rally at Barker´s Pool.
Meanwhile a ‘bikes not bombs´ group, trailing a solar powered generator and mobile DJ, circled the city centre, protesting the role played by oil in middle east politics, in particular the strategic importance of Afghanistan for US multinationals trying to transport oil from the Caspian sea. Their point: if more people rode bikes and relied on renewable fuel sources the underlying motivations for this sort of deadly overseas intervention would be dramatically reduced.
And while demonstrators assembled in the city centre the well-respected Sheffield Socialist Choir regaled the gathering with anti-war songs.
Heading the demonstration as it wound its way around the city centre was a group of schoolchildren; a symbolic reference to the 40% of the Afghan population aged 15 or under, who are the victims of the present allied bombing campaign.
When the demonstration reached Devonshire Green people stood or sat in the sunshine listening to speeches and sampling free food from the “Food Not Bombs Collective.” The point being made by this action was clear – that the US and UK should be sending food not bombs to the people of Afghanistan.
The Rally was chaired by Rachel Cohen of the Sheffield Socialist Alliance. Speakers included: Mark Seddon, member of the Labour Party´s NEC and the editor of Tribune; Helen John, Vice-Chair of CND; Hilary Wainwright, editor of Red Pepper; Musheir El Farrah, from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign; Mohammed Nazir, the Labour Councillor for Sharrow; Jillian Creasy, speaking on behalf of the Green Party; Abdul Shaif, from Sheffield´s Yemeni community; Yunus Baksh, a member of Unison NEC, and of the SWP; and Zabihullah Burdabar, a member of Sheffield´s Afghan community.
Mark Seddon: “Instead of dropping cluster bombs on the poorest country of the earth, Britain and America could best honour the dead of Manhattan by convening an International Court of Justice designed to put those charged with crimes against humanity on trial. Justice, not retribution is what is required to stop the slide towards a Third World War."
Musheir El Farrah: “As I speak to you now, my family and other friends´ families are under siege by Israel´s tanks, which are American made. If the American government is serious about bringing terrorists to justice they should bring Sharon to justice. It is documented that Sharon committed massacres in 1982. He is now committing other massacres; 52 Palestinians were killed last week at the hands of the Israeli army.”
Jillian Creasey: “The war won´t achieve the aim of stopping terrorism. Bombing a country will not encourage its people to respect or co-operate with the country attacking them (even if they also drop food parcels)… I´d like you to shout a message for Tony Blair and Jack Straw to hear, and maybe Bush, although he´s further away: WAKE UP!! GET REAL!! MAKE PEACE!!”
The speeches were followed by music played by DJs from the Beatz not Bombz collective.
Photos from the demonstration and rally are available (for any purpose) from:
http://www.sheffieldagainstwar.org.uk/news/photos-from-sheffield-demo/
Contact: Rachel Cohen ~ 07932 646 163 ~ rachel@lara-cohen.fsnet.co.uk