Interview with IPS Director John Cavanagh [ mp3 ]

On September 11th a crime against humanity was committed, and almost 3,000 people were killed by terror bombing.

On September 12, another crime against humanity was committed, and more than 36,000 children around the world were killed by terror hunger, and terror disease. We didn't hear our officials mourn those children as they appropriately mourned those who died the day before.

Since that time, our government, even more than before, has rejected international law. It has become an empire, acting as a huge colossus astride the world, imposing international law for some, with a special "law of empire" for Bush and company at the imperial center. Our government is leading a world in which the worth of the three wealthiest individuals tops the GNP of the 48 poorest countries in the world.

The time since September 11th has been a time of horrific violence, and too many deaths. In Afghanistan, where international justice was denied and war was the only response offered- and the US is responsible. In Iraq, where sanctions continue killing thousands of people and they tell us it's not our fault - but the US is responsible. In Palestine, where today Jenin has joined the lexicon of war crimes, and Ariel Sharon is again the war criminal - and our government provides the economic and military aid to maintain Israel's occupation and continues its UN veto to protect the occupation, and President Bush calls Sharon "a man of peace." The US is responsible.

But in the past seven months, we have also heard new voices, new calls for justice - for justice, not war. We protest here against those injustices around the world because our government is responsible for so much of the global injustice, the global despair.

We are joined here today by thousands of global justice activists, from as far away as the Philippines, whose steadfast protests have created a crisis of legitimacy for the World Bank, the IMF, the WTO, and the corporations that they serve. In this era of Enronitis, when corporations merge, workers are fired, economies are destroyed, and CEO salaries rise to the stars, we must recall the simple word of the Zapatistas: "Enough." Enough of injustice. Enough of environmental devastation. It is enough.

The time has come for a new era of internationalism and international justice.

In Afghanistan, it is time to stop the war and rebuild that devastated land.

In Iraq, it is time to end economic sanctions and say no to expanded war.

In Colombia, it is time to end militarization and the war that our government is supporting.

Here at home, it is time to stop the attacks on Arabs and Muslims, stop the violations of our civil liberties and the shredding of our Constitution.

And in Palestine, it is time to end the occupation, to end US support for occupation.

It is time to bring war criminals to justice.

Bishop Tutu told us occupation is wrong, that we can't be afraid to call it what it is. In 1982 we called Sharon a war criminal after Sabra-Shatila, but there was no redress, no international instrument for justice.
But now we live in a new era of international justice - General Pinochet spent a year under house arrest; Henry Kissinger is afraid to travel to France or to Brazil, for fear of being arrested as a war criminal. The international community must recognize Sharon as a war criminal; he must be investigated, today, not only for his past crimes but for his new crimes in Jenin as well. We say again, now, today, that Sharon is a war
criminal, and he will be held accountable.

Occupation will end.

It is Enough. Enough of injustice. Enough of occupation. Enough of the law of empire.

The time for peace and justice has come.

We still believe another world is possible. But it's going to take a huge amount of work to get there.

Thank you.