5th April: activities during Obama’s visit to Czech Republic

The Nonviolence Movement, whose members have been active for nearly three years in the struggle to prevent a US military base from being established in the Czech Republic, announces plans to organize activities during visit of President Obama in Prague early next month. „We want Mr. Obama to know that even though our government may tell him that they welcome the Missile Defense project, 70% of Czechs disagree with them: we do not want any foreign military bases on our territory,“ said Jan Tamas, leader of the movement. „We have collected more than 140,000 signatures of people who say NO to the planned Star Wars base in the Czech Republic.“

The Movement is organizing a series of public activities and its members have officially requested a meeting with the US President or someone from his staff. „We are supportive of his nuclear disarmament actions and the general trend towards diplomatic rather than military solutions," said Jan Bednar, another member of the movement. „We want Mr. Obama to know, however, that foreign troops are not welcome here.“

Both Jans have been active in the movement against the planned US Missile Defense radar since June 2006. In May 2008 they went on a three-week hunger strike to protest the Czech government's refusal to listen to the voice of the majority of its citizens.

The Nonviolence Movement was formed from the activity of a group of Czech humanists in December 2007. It aims to nonviolently oppose the US missile defense base planned to be installed in the Czech Republic. The movement gained wider recognition with the hunger strike of two of its founders Jan Tamas and Jan Bednar in May 2008, the following sequential hunger strike with more than 160 participants, as well as international conferences on the US Missile Defense and disarmament.
Its website is www.nenasili.cz

Prague, Czech Republic, March 13, 2009