United for Peace and Justice condemns "State of Emergency" in Georgia, US

Please Post Widely:

United for Peace and Justice condemns
"State of Emergency" declared by Georgia Governor;
demands right to protest at upcoming G-8 summit.

Join UFPJ in Marching Against the War in Iraq and War at Home
At the G8 Summit!

United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) condemns an executive order issued by Georgia
Governor Sonny Perdue declaring a "state of emergency" throughout six coastal
counties in Georgia. Perdue issued the highly unusual declaration to spread fear
and interfere with fundamental constitutional rights to protest at an upcoming
summit of international leaders.

A private island of the coast of Georgia, Sea Island, will be the site for a Group
of Eight (G-8) meeting June 8-10. The island is off-limits to the public and
protesters; UFPJ and other groups are planning demonstrations in nearby Savannah and
Brunswick. While there has been lots of discussion and negotiation, few permits
have been issued.

The "state of emergency" takes effect May 24, 2004 and runs through June 20, 2004;
the executive order is online at:
http://www.gov.state.ga.us/ExOrders/05_07_04_01.pdf

The State of Emergency could preemptively create the situation where the majority of
assemblies and events are declared unlawful and subject to use of force and arrest.
Also, City of Brunswick has passed specific language that all demonstrations and
events can be shut down if a "state of emergency" is declared.

UFPJ is demanding that the Georgia governor: (see email below)

1. Reverse his executive order calling for the State of Emergency
2. Immediately grant all permits for protests and public assemblies during the G8
Summit.

UFPJ is also calling for:

3. Congressional Observer Teams to monitor the spending of federal funds used for
security during the G-8 meeting, and to monitor law enforcement agencies for any
violation of protesters' constitutional rights.

Perdue's extraordinary action comes at a time of other crackdowns on dissent: New
York City's mayor is working to derail a major protest planned for the Republican
National convention; in Boston public assembly and movement will be restricted by
closure of up to 40 miles of roads including interstate highways during the
Democratic National Convention.

To support our right to protest, please make a donation now at:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=160

This State of Emergency is a direct attack on democratic rights and could allow for:
a.. martial rule to be declared
b.. curfews to be imposed
c.. military units to "guard" the streets
d.. detention and arrest of demonstrators until the "emergency" is over
e.. denial of all protest permits and assemblies
f.. escalation of use of force with limited accountability


TAKE ACTION NOW!

1. Contact Governor Perdue and let him know that this State of Emergency is a clear
effort to suppress the Constitutional rights of those opposed to U.S. government
policies and the G8. Tell him to rescind the State of Emergency and grant permit
applications for protests and other public assemblies.

Govenor Sonny Perdue
203 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
(404) 656-1776
Fax: 404-651-7714
Email: georgia.governor [at] gov.state.ga.us

2. Contact these Congressional representatives and ask them to A) Launch an
immediate Congressional Investigation into why a State of Emergency was declared
when no pre-existing conditions are present for such a declaration, and B) To send
independent Congressional observor teams to monitor civil liberties violations in
Coastal Georgia including monitoring of human rights abuses from use of force and
for those arrested and/or detained in detention facilities.

Hon. John Conyers (D-MI)
Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee
2142 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5126, Fax: (202) 225-0072
Email: John.Conyers [at] mail.house.gov

Hon. John Lewis (D-GA)
343 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-3801, Fax: 202-225-0351
Email: john.lewis [at] mail.house.gov


3. Mobilize to Brunswick, Georgia: MARCH FOR PEACE & JUSTICE at the G8 Summit in
GA, June 8-10

March Against the War in Iraq and the War At Home!
End the Occupation - Fire Rumsfeld - Respect Human Rights and Civil Liberties Now!

Tues. June 8, 9:00am. Old Court House, G St & Union, Brunswick, GA

It is time for the US to end this illegal and immoral war and bring the troops home
now! Sovereignty cannot be achieved with foreign troops occupying your soil or
corporations controlling your resources! We must respect the self-determination of
all people and end these racist policies that violate human rights at home and
abroad!


March for Environmental Justice!
Stop Polluting Our Communities - Stop Killing Our Planet!

Wed. June 9, 3:30 pm meet at the Goodyear Elementary School, Glynn Ave and Wildwood
St., Brunswick, GA

Brunswick, the home of 22 super fund clean up sites has its air, water and soil
contaminated with the wastes from pesticide manufacturing, creosote extraction,
paper mills and mercury dumping. In Iraq, there is no clean water, the air is
polluted and depleted uranium is poisoning all. The story is the same where ever US
corporations and military rule!



March for a Free Palestine!
End the Israeli Occupation - Stop the Killing - Tear Down the Wall!

Thurs. June 10, 10 am. Meet in Overlook Park, Glynn Ave and Glouchester, march to
the causeway to symbolically tear down the wall!

From Rafah to Jenin, Palestinians struggle for self-determination, respect and land.
Yet their homes are destroyed, nonviolent protests are shot with rockets and their
land stolen. Now Israel has been building a fence through Palestinian communities
in some cases cutting them off from their jobs, families and access to water!
Enough is enough. Stop US funding for Israeli Occupation!


For more information: http://www.unitedforpeace.org

For information about the violations of our rights go to:
http://www.saveourcivilliberties.org





United for Peace and Justice Statement Against State Repression

United for Peace and Justice condemns Georgia Governor Perdue's executive order
declaring a State of Emergency from May 24 through June 20 in the six coastal
counties of Georgia. The governor's action is a direct assault on the right to
protest while the G-8 Summit is being held on Sea Island from June 8th to 11th. We
call on Gov. Perdue to immediately lift his executive order.

The news from Georgia comes in the context of continued attacks on our democratic
rights. These attacks must end now.

In just the last week we have witnessed:
-Permits denied or not granted in New York City for public assembly at the time of
the Republican National Convention;
-Restriction of public assembly and movement by the closure of up to 40 miles of
roads in and around Boston during the Democratic National Convention;
-Georgia Governor Purdue's declaration of a State of Emergency, effectively
legalizing all efforts used to suppress protests against the G8 Summit!

Governor Perdue's declaration is the latest alarm. The Governor cites "potential
danger to the persons and property of this state from unlawful assemblages, threats
of violence and otherwise"; the executive order creates a unified, public safety
command for the Group of Eight Summit."

This declaration, at a time when no permits for marches have been granted, creates
the perilous situation where no protest can occur without becoming an "unlawful
assembly, providing police and military units the justification for violence free
from the burden of accountability.

During the tenure of the Bush Administration, the creation of the Department of
Homeland Security, the enactment of the Patriot Act and the closing down of spaces
for public dissent have created an unprecedented assault on constitutional rights
and civil liberties across the United States. These assaults include:

- Violations of the 4th, 5th and 6th Amendments through sneak and peak searches;
prolonged detentions without access to council; political profiling; round-ups of
Muslims and people of Arab descent; and the use of secret military tribunals and
deportations.

- A return to the shameful days of COINTELPRO and federally directed infiltration,
surveillance and disruption of community groups, non profit organizations, and hip
hop artists; data mining; no-fly lists of anti-war activists; infiltration and
recording of meetings of peace and other non-violent activists; and visits by the
FBI, local law enforcement, and military intelligence to university campuses, high
schools and even an elementary school student.

- The deployment of tens of thousands of poor and working people, with
disproportionately high numbers of people of color, to fight the illegal wars of
empire abroad; the militarization of domestic police forces including the expanded
use of "less-lethal" weaponry to violently disperse public assembly and protest.

- The denial of permits for marches, rallies, assemblies; the expanded use of
misnamed First Amendment Zones, protest pits, barricades, and the corralling of
people like cattle; the use of police armies to block public spaces and control the
free flow of pedestrian movement in order to suppress political dissent; the use of
"indestructible" metal fences, security zones, and no-protest zones.

Despite these egregious violations of our rights, people still gather to speak their
truth, all to often facing rubber bullets, clubbings, tear gas and pepper spray.
When elderly retirees and war veterans are thrown to the ground with guns pointed at
their heads, as they were in Miami during the FTAA meetings last November, we know
there is something deeply wrong in this country.