Occupation anywhere, resistance everywhere

[The following is the text of the flyer passed out to by-standers as part of the Block the Empire Anti-Imperialist Contingent on October 28, 2006 in Montreal; for the original pdf, please contact bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca]

Occupation anywhere, resistance everywhere.
BLOCK THE EMPIRE!

October 28, 2006 -- We march today as part of demonstrations across Canada, in opposition to the continuing military occupation of Afghanistan. As the Block the Empire Anti-Imperialist Contingent, we also march together to assert our resistance to imperialism and colonialism, abroad and at home.

Canadian troops are currently in Afghanistan to allow more US troops to occupy and kill in Iraq. From Iraq to Palestine, from Lebanon to Afghanistan, Canada is complicit with US-led efforts to militarily and economically control the Middle East, while supporting repressive regimes and undermining grassroots movements for social justice.

Canada's complicity with repressive regimes in the Middle East was proven this summer with Prime Minister Steven Harper's unconditional support for Israel's war crimes against the people of Lebanon, and the continued brutal occupation of Palestine. We stand in solidarity with the resistance of Lebanese and Palestinians against attacks on their homelands.

Canada's complicity in imperialism is also manifested through corporations that profit from war and misery, like Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney and SNC Lavalin. Both the Quebec and Canadian governments and all major political parties actively support these war profiteers. We march against these tangible corporate manifestations of war at home, right here in the office towers of downtown Montreal.

Canada justifies its bloody interventions in Afghanistan and Haiti under a doctrine called "the responsibility to protect". Western powers create conditions of impoverishment, and then declare countries in need of the charity of our governments, corporations and NGOs. We denounce this racist doctrine that is nothing more than the 21st century's version of the "white man's burden". We denounce all so-called NGOs complicit with this form of neo-colonialism, whether in Afghanistan, in Haiti or elsewhere.

Canada's active support for imperialism abroad is rooted in colonialism at home. There were as many Canadian troops deployed around the communities of Kanehsatake and Kahnawake in 1990 as are currently stationed in Afghanistan. Canada continues to criminalize and repress indigenous sovereignty movements, whether at Six Nations or Burnt Church, at Grassy Narrows or at Sun Peaks.

We march in clear support for indigenous sovereignty and self-determination; there can be no justice on stolen land. We don't support bringing "our" troops home; we want all colonial Canadian troops demobilized, and the army abolished.

We march today inspired by current movements of resistance and democracy worldwide: by the Mapuches in the deep south of the Americas; by the indigenous movements of Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador; by the radical democratic movements of Oaxaca and Chiapas; by poor peoples' movements in Haiti; by continued anti-imperialist resistance all over Latin America, Africa and Asia.

We take the streets today in active and direct solidarity with all who fight and struggle for a liberated world. We oppose Canada's military presence in Afghanistan, as part of a larger struggle against imperialism and colonialism. We reject the false choice between either the Taliban, or fundamentalists like Bush, Cheney and Rice. Instead we march together to support our collective movements for justice, dignity and self-determination. Join us!

The BLOCK THE EMPIRE anti-imperialist contingent is supported by the following groups:
- L'Association étudiante du cégep de Saint-Laurent (AÉCSL)
- L'Association générale des étudiants du Cégep du Vieux-Montréal (AGÉCVM)
- L'Association facultaire des étudiants en sciences humaines de
l'UQÀM (AFESH-UQÀM)
- L'Association des Jeunes Libanais Musulman-Montréal
- Center for Philippine Concerns (CPC)
- Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees (CADPR)
- Le Collectif opposé à la brutalité policière (COBP)
- Le Comité d'action politique-UQÀM
- Le Comité des sans-emploi (Montréal-Centre)
- Documentation Information Ressources Alternatives (DIRA)
- GrassRoots Association for Student Power (GRASPÉ-McGill)
- Haiti Action Montreal
- Immigrant Workers Center (IWC)
- International Solidarity Movement (ISM)-Montreal
- L'Observatoire de l'Asie Centrale et du Moyen-Orient
- La Otra Campaña de Montréal
- Libertad (Cégep du Vieux-Montréal)
- Liberterre
- No One Is Illegal-Montreal/Personne n'est illégal-Montréal
- La Pointe Libertaire
- Projet Accompagnement Solidarité Colombie (PASC)
- La RueBrique
- Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG-McGill)
- Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG-Concordia)
- Réseau anarchiste en milieu étudiant (RAMÉ)
- Résistance haïtienne au Québec
- Solidarité sans frontières/Solidarity Across Borders
- Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR)
- Students Taking Action in Chiapas (STAC)
- South Asia Center/Centre d'asie de Sud (CERAS)
- Tadamon! Montréal
- Unité des socialistes iraniens à Montréal

INFO: bloquezlempiremontreal at resist.ca -- 514-848-7583