Czech Government Falls

From: Jan Tamas

March 25, 2009

Dear friends,

I am very happy to announce that the Czech government has fallen. The Parliament voted the no-confidence. For us it is a great victory: we knew that the only way to stop the installation of the US radar base was the fall of the government and we worked for more than 2 years in this direction with permanence and coherence.
 
A government that represented the interests of the US military industry has fallen.

Our work has been fundamental in encouraging the members of the Parliament who already were against the radar and to spread doubts in the ones who were in favor. And it was just the change of mind of some deputies that made the fall of the government possible.

On the other hand, pressed by the hunger strike, the Social-Democratic Party had to take a clear position supporting us and this will make it more difficult for them in the future to change their opinion about the radar. The collaboration with the Communist Party, that has always supported our initiatives, has been decisive as well.

Thanks to all of you for the support you gave us in many activities, support that was critical.

Thanks to all the pacifist organizations, thanks to the members of the European Parliament who believed in our fight, thanks to the mayors of different countries, thanks to the Humanist Movement, that allowed this protest to expand to many European countries and to reach other continents.

A great space should be given to this news. Now the US must rearrange their plans because of the protest of a people who don't want foreign troops on this territory.

And the invading armies should withdraw from all the occupied territories of the world.

Now it is necessary to develop a strong opposition to the "Star Wars" and in favor of the nuclear disarmament also in other countries.

Now in the Czech Republic a new chapter of our struggle begins.

A strong hug

Jan Tamas
Prague, Czech Republic

March 24, 2009
CZECH GOVERNMENT FALLS OVER STAR WARS RADAR
by Bruce K. Gagnon


The people are no longer invisible.

The Associated Press reports, "The lower house of Parliament voted 101-96 to declare no confidence in the three-party coalition government, after four lawmakers broke rank with their parties and voted with the opposition.

"The government has struggled to resolve deep divisions within Parliament over whether to allow components of a U.S. missile defense shield on Czech territory, and whether to adopt the EU reform treaty to streamline decision-making in the bloc."

In an email from Prague activist Jan Tamas he says, "For us it is a great victory: we knew that the only way to stop the installation of the US radar base was the fall of the government and we worked for more than 2 years in this direction with permanence and coherence. A government that represented the interests of the US military industry has fallen.

"Our work has been fundamental in encouraging the members of the Parliament who already were against the radar and to spread doubts in the ones who were in favor. And it was just the change of mind of some deputies that made the fall of the government possible. On the other hand, pressed by the hunger strike, the Social-Democratic Party had to take a clear position supporting us and this will make it more difficult for them in the future to change their opinion about the radar. The collaboration with the Communist Party, that has always supported our initiatives, has been decisive as well. Thanks to all of you for the support you gave us in many activities, support that was critical."

This is indeed a wonderful moment for the folks in the Czech Republic who have worked so hard to defeat the deployment of the US Star Wars radar. They should feel proud and it should be an example to all of us that determined activism, seemingly against all odds, can bear fruit.

Our best regards to our friends in the Czech Republic.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/CZECH-GOVERNMENT-FALLS-OVE-by-Bruce-K-Gagnon-090324-192.html



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