Montreal is not a haven for war criminals! Put Henry Kissinger on trial!
The Collectif Échec à la guerre calls on everyone who is available to join us in a picket against the presence of Henry Kissinger in Montreal on Wednesday June 11th from 12-1pm in front of the Hilton Bonaventure Hotel.
The former Secretary of State to the Nixon and Ford administrations has reinvented himself as a private consultant and will be speaking in Montreal as part of the International Economic Forum of the Americas. The forum itself been denounced by social justice groups in Quebec for its neo-liberal, anti-environmental, pro-military orientation.
Kissinger has been condemned by human rights organizations the world over for the total contempt he showed for human life that characterized his foreign policy decisions. Our action aims to both draw attention to his numerous crimes and denounce the invitation extended to him by the International Economic Forum of the Americas.
A chronology of criminality:
1970: as the US was increasingly humiliated in Vietnam, Kissinger pushed for the expansion of the war into Cambodia, authorizing secret bombing campaign to expand the war region
1971: gave tacit approval to the Pakistani military to commit massacres against the Bangladeshi population in the east of the country, leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians dead.
1973: directed US involvement in Operation Condor in Chile, giving orders supporting a coup by General Augusto Pinochet against the democratically elected government of Salvadore Allende that led to the persecution, disappearance, torture and murder of thousands.
1975: approved and supported the invasion of East Timor by General Suharto of Indonesia, which led to an estimated 200,000 deaths.
Because he is wanted for questioning by judges in Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, France and Spain, Kissinger has a hard time traveling and speaking in public. Canada should not be an exception.
Henry Kissinger should not be given a red carpet welcome in Montreal and a seat at a prestigious conference. He should be tried in front of an international tribunal for war crimes.
The Collectif Échec à la guerre is organizing a picket during Kissinger’s speech. Join us in asking for justice for this man’s crimes around the world.
NO RED CARPET FOR WAR CRIMINALS!
Wednesday June 11th, from 1-2pm
Hilton Bonaventure Hotel, 900 de la Gauchetière west (corner Mansfield)
www.echecalaguerre.org