February 18th 2009: Open letter to Mayors and organizations.

The U.S. government and the Czech government have agreed to place the military radar base of the US National Missile Defense (NMD) system on Czech territory.
Despite the fact that it is called “Space Shield”, this is not a defense weapon but an attack one, and it represents a real danger for all: this plan in fact is already increasing tensions between USA, Russia and the European Union and is leading to a new expansion of the arms race and establishing another “cold war” atmosphere. This issue involves not only Czech Republic and Poland (where a base for interceptor missiles would be installed) but all Europe, because it will influence the security in the entire continent. We are concerned that due to this advanced system, Europe will become the main battlefield in a potential international conflict.

It is not by pure chance that European politicians who usually support militaristic policies have declared their opposition to the Space Shield.

Two thirds of the Czech citizenry do not agree with the arrangement. Despite their opposition, the Czech government has signed agreements with the United States that are due to be ratified shortly by the Parliament. Unfortunately our Constitution does not offer the mechanism of a referendum, but in the dozens of self-conducted consultations we have organized in the villages and towns of the area where the radar base would be installed, more than 95% of the population on average voted against this project. We have also organized demonstrations, international conferences and a hunger strike that involved activists (not only Czech, but all over the world) and Czech personalities in the academic, sports, artistic, trade-union and political fields, united in their request to suspend this dangerous project.

In the beginning of 2009 the Czech Republic has assumed for 6 months the presidency of the European Union; for this reason we thought it was important to bring our protest inside the European Parliament, that so far has not taken a position on this fundamental issue. On February 18th we are organizing a meeting of 40 members of the League of Mayors against the Radar with members of the European Parliament in Brussels. In view of this important gathering, we address this appeal to you and ask you to show your support for our protest with a solidarity letter that will be brought to this meeting. To present, discuss and approve in your City Council a position against the Space Shield would be another important help.

We hope that our common commitment can contribute to the construction of a world without wars and violence, and that the tendency towards the escalation of arms and military aggression will be replaced instead by investment into areas that contribute to real human development.

Best regards

Jan Neoral, spokesperson of the League of Mayors against the radar base
Jan Tamáš, spokesperson of Non-violence Movement against the bases
Dana Feminová, Czech spokesperson of Europe for Peace

Information:
video about “Star Wars” http://www.nenasili.cz/en/945_about-the-star-wars-shield

Video – interview to N. Chomsky (excellent because it explains the link between the US project and nuclear danger) http://www.europeforpeace.eu/video-detail.php?id=1027&country=

World March dor Peace and Non-violence:
http://www.worldmarch.info/