CONVOCATION 27 FEBRUARY 2011: SUPPORT FOR THE ARAB PEOPLE

The European Union and all the rulers of the Spanish democracy knew that the main problem in those countries, and the entire area, was the systematic violation of human rights and the corruption of their leaders. But they pictured it to us that these were regions in conflict that favored resistance to change, tradition and terrorism to justify the growing militarization of the world and control of the populace.

We have observed with pain and indignation the repression and violence that their
leaders have exercised (including the great ally of the government of Egypt) towards the mobilizations of its unarmed populace and that our governors have not raised their voices to protect them.

We do not resign ourselves to stand by and see how the government of Libya massacres its people and we roundly condemn bombing of their own people. We ask the European Union and the government of Spain to intervene politically to stop Mr. Qaddafi.

Women in Black of Madrid reject any regime that impedes the development of civil rights and the rights of women.

Women have taken on a great role in the revolution that is changing the very foundations of its societies. They are present at the public places and are breaking away from the secondary role to which they have been relegated for centuries. We have the hope that these conflicts will serve to build solidarity networks among women without regard to borders, ethnicity or religion.

WE ASK our government and the European Union:
-To condemn these regimes, their violations of human rights and corruption.
-To condemn all violence against the people.
-To support citizen mobilizations for their right to a life with dignity.
-To condition relations with other governments based on their applying policies that
implement the rights of the citizenry and human rights, with one of the main indicators being the development of the rights of women.
-That they not manipulate, but spread the reality of the countries and regions in conflict.
-To make the voices of women heard, their feelings, their needs…
-To cease the exportation of armaments used, on many occasions, to repress the people.
-To take measures to promote an education that will help us to demilitarize our ways of feeling, thinking and acting.

WE SUPPORT
• Nonviolence as a way to struggle for these demands.
• Visibility of women and their assuming a role in the renovation of their societies.
• Separation of church/religion and state.

We declare our conviction that our security and development will be greater if democracy and human rights are universally applied.