NEWS ITEM

For immediate release           October 9, 2015

"Call Out for Justice: End the Wars" Rally and March Sunday
    to Connect War in Afghanistan to Broader Issues;
    March Route Announced

Climate change, police violence, housing issues, and human rights will be connected to the now 14- year- long war in Afghanistan at a rally and march on Sunday, October 11. The event, titled "Call Out for Justice: End the Wars," will begin at 1:00 PM at Shemanski Park (the South Park Blocks at Salmon St.) with a rally, followed by a permitted march.[*1] It is being planned by over 40 peace, environmental, police accountability, and other social justice groups from the Portland area. After the rally, the march will begin at about 1:30 PM and return to the park blocks at about 3:15 PM for more music and informational tabling.

The need to hold such a rally was reaffirmed by last Sunday's news of US airstrikes killing 19 people in an Afghan hospital, an act which Doctors Without Borders said continued for a half an hour after they pleaded for it to cease, and which the United Nations said could amount to a war crime.[*2]

On October 9, organizers posted the approved march route on line at
<http://www.pjw.info/march_route101115.jpg>.

Speakers who will be appearing at the event had these thoughts:

Sam Kahl, a Syrian American activist:
"The military intervention in Syria also has economic facets, and includes a strategy of creating social chaos. Just look at the neighborhood: Afghanistan, Iraq, Greece and Ukraine, all connected by United States actions in a large staging area stretching into Libya and Pakistan."

Jeri Jiminez, a social and environmental justice advocate:
"I believe the majority of people on earth want peace, shelter, food, and safety for their children and loved ones. Most people forget that to display peace in the midst of violent chaos is a very difficult challenge; we must learn to achieve justice by stopping the hate."

Alyssa Pagan, a junior at Portland State University:
"Black Lives Matter and 15 NOW are the two most galvanizing grassroots movements in the US advancing bottom-up struggle for justice. I am motivated to connect and join the two in all my work, including organizing with the student union to disarm campus security."

Organizers have laid out a clear set of issues related to the event's theme.

Call Out for Justice: Stop the Wars
  * Overseas
  * On the people
  * On Human Rights
  * On the Planet

* FREE Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine-- Stop the Drones
* REDIRECT Money for Human Needs
* SUPPORT Women, Sexual Minorities, Youth, Immigrant and Racial Justice
* RESIST Police Violence and State Surveillance
* STABILIZE the Climate

Cosponsors of the event include Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group, Portland Jobs with Justice, Living Earth, Occupy Portland Elder Caucus, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, Jewish Voice for Peace-Portland, Veterans for Peace Chapter 72, Augustana Lutheran Church, War Resisters League-Portland, Peace Action Group-First Unitarian Church, Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights, 18th Avenue Peace House, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom- Portland, KBOO Community Radio 90.7 FM (media cosponsor), and Center for Intercultural Organizing.

Endorsers include Recruiter Watch, Little Light of Mine Friends Worship Group, Portland Copwatch, Oregon Wildlife Federation, Back 2 the WALL, Black Lives Matter Portland, East Timor Action Network-Portland, Albina Ministerial Alliance Coalition for Justice and Police Reform, Vancouver for Peace, West Hills Friends Peace Committee, Community Alliance of Lane County (CALC), Oregon PeaceWorks, Corvallis Alternatives to War, Portland Alliance (media endorser), Pacific Green Party, International Socialist Organization, Portland Peaceful Response Coalition (www.pprc-news.info), Veterans for Peace Chapter 132 (Corvallis), Oregon Community for War Tax Resistance, Code Pink Portland, Oregon Progressive Party, BARK (forest defenders), Mirador Kitchen & Home, Portland Central America Solidarity Committee, NAACP Portland Branch 1120, Freedom Socialist Party, First Congregational United Church of Christ, and 15 Now.

For more information or to get involved contact Peace and Justice Works at 503-236-3065 or pjw @ pjw.info ; also check the facebook event page.

*1-Note that organizers chose to request a permit for strategic purposes, not necessarily because they believe the First Amendment requires one.
*2-"Afghan bombing: Patients burned to death in their beds, says MSF," News 24, October 4

Media coverage of event

KGW-TV (NBC affiliate):