Anti War Page

War is peripheral to what SOS and PubSoft is about but the recent developments in Iraq is an opportunity for some of us to declare our opposition to war and our full support to peaceful means for conflict resolution especially through the United Nations.

We include below a copy of an open letter sent by long time PubSoft member Stefan Probst. The letter is also available online.

Hanoi, 19.03.2003

An Open Letter to

H.E. Mr. Gonzolo Ortiz
Ambassador of the Republic of Spain

copy to the UN Resident Co-ordinator

His Excellency,

Your Embassy has been one of our esteemed customers during the last years. We developed with some of your present and former Spanish and Vietnamese staff a very cordial relation. We would like to sincerely thank you for that.

We are however appalled, that the Spanish Government, which you represent, has taken sides with other governments which are about to take the law in their own hands, breaking international law, and overstepping the world's highest legal authority, the United Nations and its Security Council. By co-operating with others on violating the UN Charter, which gives the Security Council alone the right to declare war, your Government becomes an accomplice. And it is not only international law which is ignored, but also the will of the majority the of people on this planet. That such unlikely "partners" as France, Germany, Russia, China, and the Vatican support the same view, speaks for itself and refutes any "moral legitimacy" which those governments which are preparing for war now claim.

Our conscience does not allow us to do business and co-operate with entities which put themselves above International Law, against the will of the majority of people of this world, and risk the lives of thousands of innocent people, let alone create a dangerous precedent for the future role of the Security Council. We don't want to become accomplices ourselves.

On the other hand, over the past years your Embassy has done formidable work in fostering multifaceted ties between Spain and Vietnam. We do not want to hamper your efforts in this, rather we support your endeavours as much as we can. We also assume that like the people in Spain, a majority of your employees are opposed to this war at this time. We do not want to make your work difficult. And, unlike other countries, your Government will obviously not send troops, and thus not become "main culprit" in the case.

We therefore decided, as form of our protest and our refusal to do business with your Government, for the time being, not to take any money for services which we may render to your Embassy. Instead we would request you to donate an equivalent amount to victims of similarly unjustified wars inside Vietnam. We kindly ask you also, to forward our protest to your Foreign Minister.

We are ready to backup our words with deeds. So, please do feel free to call us whenever there is a need for our services. We shall be glad and honored to serve you as loyal as always.

Sincerely,

(sealed and signed)

Stefan Probst
Director,
Opticom Technologies Ltd.

Resources

Iraq Body Count
An attempt to document and count casualties in the invasion of Iraq.

FAIR STUDY: In Iraq Crisis, Networks Are Megaphones for Official Views
A very interesting report on the kind of TV news that prepared the war effort. Prepared by Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR), a New York based non profit group, the report provides strong evidence of how the major US media "constructed" a media reality in the interests and in support of US Government aims.

Dyke slates 'gung-ho' war reports
"BBC director general Greg Dyke has warned of the risks of crossing the line between patriotism and objective journalism." April 24, 2003.

Statement by Ralph Nader regarding Letters from Civics Groups to Pres. Bush
An open letter by Ralph Nader, March 10, 2003.

French and americans, let's talk together. Forum franco-américain
Interesting online forum idea.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Internet Society and Globewide Network Academy.

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