Fw: Lawyers Against the War seek Afghan-Cdns plaintiffs

["Nello Margiotta" <animarg at tin.it>]

Greetings:

I [Amina Sherazee] am a member of the group "Lawyers Against the War" and we
are bringing an action vs. the government for damages suffered by Afghanis
and their families as a result of Canada's combatative role and support for
the War on Afghanistan. But as we are not Afghani-Canadians we have no
"standing" and risk having the action thrown out. So we really really need
Afghanis living in Canada currently to offer to be representative plaintiffs
on behalf of all Afghanis.

IF YOU are interested or if you know ANYONE who would be able to assist then
PLEASE contact me ASAP. THANKS

Amina Sherazee,
Staff Lawyer, Downtown Legal Services
720 Spadina Ave., Suite 418
Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T9
Tel: (416) 934-4561      Fax: (416) 934-4536
mailto:a.sherazee at utoronto.ca

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Background info. on "Lawyers Against the War":

Dear Friends,                                  November 19, 2001

This is to announce the formation of a Canadian group of LAWYERS AGAINST THE
WAR (L.A.W.) to join the movement of jurists of many countries who oppose
the war on Afghanistan and other illegal manifestations of the "war on
terrorism" declared by President Bush.

We are seeking adherents and affiliates from Canada and around the world to
join us in

- demanding an immediate stop to this continuing violation of the
fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations and
international humanitarian law that has already cost so much in innocent
life and limb and that has plunged Afghanistan into chaos; and

- insisting that the responsible organs of the United Nations, namely the
Security Council, the General Assembly and the Secretary General, discharge
their legal and institutional responsibilities to protect the human rights
of the inhabitants of all countries through the promotion of peace and the
use of only lawful measures to respond to events like those of September 11.

To join in our efforts or to have us join in yours, or if you would like
further information, please contact us at law at portal.ca.

Gail Davidson and Michael Mandel, Co-ordinators, Lawyers Against the War

Michael Mandel
Professor,
Osgoode Hall Law School of York University
Toronto, CANADA
M3J 1P3
Telephone: 416-736-5039
Fax: 416-736-5736
mailto:mmandel at yorku.ca

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This War is Illegal and Immoral:
It will not Prevent Terrorism
by Michael Mandel, Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School of York University,
Toronto

Science for Peace Forum & Teach-In, December 9, 2001

I'm a lawyer. I'm with a group called "Lawyers Against the War", lawyers,
professors and students from across Canada and in seven other countries.
We’re affiliated with lawyers’ groups around the world, including Lawyers
Against the War (UK) and Lawyers for Peace (Holland).

As a lawyer, it’s natural that I look at things from the legal point of
view. From the legal point of view, this war is illegal. Of course, it’s
also immoral and it won’t prevent terrorism. But it’s very important that
it’s illegal. The war is illegal because it’s a flagrant violation of the
express words of the Charter of the United Nations. In fact, it’s not only
illegal, it’s criminal. It’s what the Nuremberg tribunal called "the supreme
crime", the crime against peace. The Charter of the United Nations, the most
authoritative document in international law, seeks to ban war as a "scourge"
Its very first words are "We the Peoples of the United Nations, Determined
to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war…." War is permitted
only when it is absolutely and demonstrably necessary. And the Charter does
not leave that question to the individual States, no matter how powerful.
Necessity is entirely a matter for the Security Council, with only one
exception: the very narrow and strictly limited right of self-defence.

For Michael Mandel's complete article on why the war is illegal and immoral,
click here
http://globalresearch.ca/articles/MAN112A.html




For more information, contact Lawyers Against the War

mailto:a.sherazee at utoronto.ca
mailto:mmandel at yorku.ca