The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 13:35:17 -0000
From: ann
Subject: Kucinich Inspires British Peace Bill

Reprinted from Share International magazine March 2004
http://www.share-international.org/magazine/SI_current.htm

British Ministry for Peace Bill

British Labour Member of Parliament John McDonnell has presented a
Bill to Parliament calling for a "Ministry for Peace". The
Bill is sponsored by a cross-party group of MPs, and was inspired by
Dennis Kucinich, Democratic contender for the US Presidency, who has
called for a Cabinet-level Department of Peace in the United States.
"We came into being to be a voice for the millions who marched
for peace throughout the United Kingdom in 2003," says Diana
Basterfield, chair of the steering committee promoting the Ministry
for Peace. "The British people in all their diversity clearly
showed that we have evolved to a point where violence is morally
unacceptable as a tool of foreign policy."

The Minister for Peace would have a place in the Cabinet and speak up
for non-violent conflict resolution and alternatives to war. The
Ministry would support and promote research into the causes and
impacts of conflict, monitoring potential areas of conflict and
advancing practical techniques to avoid outbreaks of violence before
they arise.

As Christopher Titmuss explains: "The English have engaged in
wars for 56 out of every 100 years during the last thousand years
? more than any other nation. One to 2 million walked on the
streets of London on a Saturday in February 2003, as well as in many other
towns and cities in Britain on that day, demanding an end to the
proposed war on Iraq. People in 600 cities around the world walked
for peace on that day.

"A Ministry for Peace would send out an historic signal to the
country and to the world marking a possibility for a momentous
departure from our history of war making. This country has more
responsibility (along with the USA) for such a Ministry because of
our painful history and global influence.

"There is no better time for change. As John McDonnell said:
`We have to catch the wind.' This would be an historic piece
of legislation ? probably as significant as giving women the vote
in the last century. On matters of peace, the government needs to be
held to greater accountability, both within itself and outside
itself. This initiative addresses both.

"This is a new millennium and requires a vision to go with it.
Wars belong to the past, to uncivilized responses to conflict. Peace,
negotiation, reconciliation and facilitation belong to the
present."
(Source: Positive News, UK; www.ministryforpeace.org.uk)