With this slogan we have to defeat the hatred, sectarian violence and stop the sectarian gangs from messing with our safety and security.

Iraqi people…
Be aware of being drown into a sectarian war. By burning mosques and churches these mobs intend to push the society into a war in which your families and children will be its victims. These mobs who are the outcome of the occupation have decided to take away the happiness in your lives.
Remember the tragedy of Lebanon… the horror of Kosovo… the genocides of Rwanda. The ethnic and sectarian gangs in those wars divided the power and wealth among themselves while the people got nothing but bullets and destruction.

Iraqi people…
The leaders of the sectarian parties and groups are poisoning the climate and inflaming the passion to increase the tension. During the last three years you did not see any improvement of your lives however these parties intend to drive you into a horrible sectarian war.
Together for decades and centuries you lived shoulder to shoulder, shared the happiness and sadness, helping each other and your children were playing together… remember those days when we were one big family with one aspiration and prevent this family from sliding down into a civil war because of some narrow minded groups and individuals. For years you never worried about the sectarian identity, so do not let them take away your humanity and impose those false identities on you.

Iraqi people…
Unite yourselves and join Iraq Freedom Congress, protect yourselves, do not let these gangs get to you. Open IFC offices in your neighborhoods and announce that everyone can live among us safely and secured without discrimination.
Bear the IFC flag and let’s chant together No Shiite …No Sunni we believe in human identity.

Resolution

1. Iraq is still under occupation, after being invaded by Coalition of the Willing led by the United States in March, 2003. This is obviously a war crime in clear violation of the United Nations Charter.

Warmongers, including Bush, Blair, Koizumi and others, are trying to prolong the military occupation, maintain puppet governments successively, and steal the wealth of the petroleum resources from Iraq and make profits from the reconstruction contracts. The "National Assembly election" was held in December, 2005 under the violent military control of occupation forces with increased air strikes. The U.S. forces, Islamist sects and ethnic parties are trying to set up a pseudo "legitimate government" through the secret deliberations among them. Yet, a "government" set up under invasion and occupation can never be justified, and should not be accepted by the international community.

All the occupation forces should be withdrawn and all the foreign military bases including those of the U.S. should be dismantled so that the right of the Iraqi people be guaranteed to make an informed and free decision on the future of political system.

2. Daily life and the security of Iraqi people have been devastated by the chain of violence of the occupation forces as well as the armed political Islam. Brutal killings of Iraqi civilians and successive puppet governments in Iraq orchestrated by the occupation forces have resulted in the intensified confrontations and divisions in Iraq by religious and ethnic differences. The number of civilian victims continues to increase in Iraq as suicide bombers of the political Islam involve more and more civilians in their attacks.

Military actions that sacrifice noncombatant civilians are absolutely unforgivable, whether it is done by the occupation forces or by the political Islam. When a military force sets military target on civilian population, it is violating the Geneva Conventions. All the military actions involving Iraqi civilians should be stopped immediately.

3. Iraq Freedom Congress demands the withdrawal of occupation forces, opposes the violence of political Islam so that the people of Iraq may enjoy the political freedom as well as the security and human rights.

We support IFC's commitments to building a secular, free and democratic society in Iraq by establishing women's shelters, Children Protection Center, the autonomous neighborhood of Al-Tadhamun (Solidarity) which offers adequate social service for residents who live together in peace and safety by self-governance across the ethnic and religious boundaries, as well as promoting workers' rights in trade union activities. The progress of Iraq Freedom Congress is the hope of all the people of the world who are against wars and want to create lasting peace.

4. International solidarity is the power that could end the occupation, severing the vicious cycle of violence in Iraq. The peace power prevails on the global scale making continuous efforts to end the occupation of Iraq. In every corner of the world, people are struggling to eliminate military bases and military forces of any kind from their own countries and areas, as well as to practice non-cooperation with a war. The international solidarity of the people can undermine the foundation of the war mechanism.

5. We call for the peace power of the world to get united and join the actions as specified below:

(1) On March 18th and 19th, 2006, the 3rd anniversary of the Iraq war, and on September 24, have internationally coordinated actions to demand the end of occupation of Iraq.

(2) On March 8th, the International Women's Day, have internationally coordinated actions in solidarity with the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq.

(3) Participate in the first IFC annual general conference this year and make it successful by international solidarity.

(4) Inform the world about the activities of IFC and call on people to form IFC branches, or IFC solidarity committees all over the world, according to specific situations in each country.

(5) By grading up IFC international web site, distribute the information widely about the activities of organizations associated with IFC including the autonomous neighborhood of Al-Tadhamun, Children Protection Center in Iraq, the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq, Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq, etc., and explore the possible ways of substantial support for them on the grass-roots level.

(6) Support movements of IFC to establish secular, democratic, egalitarian, non-religious, non-ethnic government in Iraq.

(7) Launch a campaign to support those soldiers and defectors who refuse to be deployed in Iraq at the international level.

(8) Spread internationally coordinated anti-war cultural movements in Iraq and around the globe to promote peace in the local communities.

Iraq Freedom Congress (IFC)
Samir Adil Iraq Freedom Congress (IFC) - Iraq
Azad Ahmed Children Protection Center- Iraq
Nada Muaid Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) - Iraq
Ali Abas Federation of Worker Council and Unions in Iraq (FWCUI) - Iraq
Joseph Gainza United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) - US
Bill Pelz Professor of History at Elgin College, Director of the Institute of Working Class History and International Secretary of the Chicago Socialist Party- US
Bill Weinberg War Resisters International League (WRL) - US
Nicolas Dessaux Solidaritè Irak - France
Oh Seichul Socialist Political Alliance (Preparing Group) - Korea
Woo Changsoo East Asia Antiwar Conference / Korea Committee - Korea
Lee Iljae Socialist Political Alliance (Preparing Group) - Korea
Paul Galang MAPALADKA KA (Parents and Children against War and Violence) -Philippines
Yeni Rosa Damayanti, Ms (SOLIDAMOR [Solidarity without Border]) - Indonesia
ITO Narihiko Professor Emeritus of Chuo University - Japan
OKAMOTO Mitsuo Professor Emeritus of Hiroshima Shudo University - Japan
Committee for Solidarity with Iraqi Civil Resistance - Japan
Movement for Democratic Socialism (MDS) - Japan
National Assembly for Peace and Democracy (ZENKO) - Japan

Transforming the IFC into a huge mass organization of millions of membership to end the occupation and terrorism, rebuild civility of the Iraqi society, and constitute a democratic non-religious non-ethnic government based on the humane identity of the Iraqi people, we should confront all the ideas and concepts that justify the occupation and ethnic and religious discrimination, and wide-spread superstitions and desperation.

Tens of satellite TV’s poison the Iraqi society on a daily basis… educate children on how to hate whoever does not embrace their ancestor beliefs…instruct people on how to treat woman as a second class citizen… coach people on how to be a fuel of the terrorist war… inciting hatred.

In order to enhance the IFC struggle, we need to establish a satellite TV to bring up hope for the Iraqis and educate people the humane identity and how to live together peacefully and fight all the ideas that promote terrorism.

The International Solidarity Conference with IFC approves establishing IFC Satellite TV in a certain period of time through finding means of funding and providing all the financial resources.

Participants in the International Conference positively support establishing IFC satellite TV, and launch an international campaign to raise 400000 $ necessary to establish and run the TV station.

participants in the International Conference Aiming at Complete Withdrawal of All the Occupation Forces and Reconstructing Democratic Iraq in Solidarity with Iraq Freedom Congress (IFC)

The Committee for Solidarity with Iraqi Civil Resistance, Japan, has launched the Pictures and Photos Exhibition of Iraqi children. They were provided by Mr Azad Ahmed, a staff member of  the Children's  Protection Center of Iraq and IFC.

Comments from participants of Iraq Photo Exhibition

◆- There are so many wars and conflicts in many parts of the world . I think it best that we should be able to live happily and joyfully without fear. So, I think that a war is bad.
(a hihger grader at an elementary school )

◆- When I saw paintings of people being killed in the war drawn by children, I felt sorry for them. Then I am appalled when I learned that children suffer violence not just in the war but at home by parents and some even suffer sexual abuse in Iraq. (skip)
I cannot contribute much to the resolution of their plight as an individual but I do hope that the countries of the world must cooperate and solve the problem.
(A high school student)

◆- It was shocking to see wrecked buildings, fire of explosions, blood, etc.
in the paintings drawn by elementary school children and secondary school students because I have never seen anything like them as long as I have lived in Japan.
I certainly see great difference between the conditions of war-torn Iraq and peaceful Japan and realize that that there is a problem that all　the world should cooperate to resolve.
(A young man who dropped by to see the exhibition )

◆- I am glad to know the existence of the Center for Protection of Children's Rights and Iraq Freedom Conference in Iraq. I think that it is great that they are active in today's Iraq. I do hope that more Japanese people know the present conditions of Iraq and its people including children. I am planning to hold the exhibition of children's paintings and phtos on January 15 in Joto-ku.
(Ms. O)

◆- It is most important to have the Japanese Self-Defense Forces withdraw from Iraq. I would like to continue my personal efforts daily to the people around me so that SDF will be brought back home soon and that Iraqi people will regain the peaceful Iraq to themselves.
(an Educational worker from Osaka-shi)

◆- In whatever situation, children remain innocent and pure. I feel the powerful creativity in the untactful paintings drawn by children , especially among those by four-to-five-year-olds. I believe that the protection of children is a way to the better future of Iraq.
(an Extract of the comment by an artist).

◆- I like the picture of people dancing. I imagined that children must be remembering the days of everybody laughing and dancing with hand in hand.

◆- Children's paintings are full of hopes and energy coming from their pure heart.
However, there are some paintings of damages caused by the war and I wondered what must the state of mind when they decided to draw the painful reality of their life.
If it is the message that the children try to convey to Japan, we must take it seriously.
I had vague perception of the Iraq Freedom Congress and the Sharia law.
The picuteres and photos help make them real.

◆- I am shocked to see the pictures of people being killed or dead. I feel sad when I realize that children must be seeing all these scenes daily.
But whenever I see a picture of many bight colors, I feel my heart is lighted.
The paintings show a lot of the reality of their daily life.

◆- Many children drew the pictures of "peaceful life" despite the fact that they are living in the midst of the war. It is touching to see the children think so much about peace. I would like to support IFC so that children can get back to their normal and peaceful life as soon as possible.

◆- I was shocked to see the paintings of people being killed or burned as well as the word "security (safety?)" in so many titles.
It is amazing that the paintings are such powerful instrument to get their messsage across about the present condition of Iraq.

◆- I am a fourth grader. I came to see the photos and paintings of Iraqi children. I hear that Iraqi children of the same age are having hard time to find something to eat for a day. I think I am a very happy person because I play with my friends and I can go to places where I like to go every day. I was frightened when I saw a picture of people being killed by guns. I thought that the child who drew that picture must have actually seen his father, families or other people being killed. In comparison, Toyonaka, my hometown, is a nice place. I think I am very lucky to live in a house with my family when I know that many children have to live on the street in Iraq. Also I realize that life and things are very important for people.

Written by a fourth grader who came to see the exhibition together with her mother.

◆- I knew the event by a flier about the photo exhibition. I am glad that I have an opportunity to think about Iraq again by knowing the recent situation of Iraq, which I have lost contact for some time. Now I realize that it is very important to make people know the reality of Iraq. More people should have access to this kind of information. As a matter of fact, until now I did not know that there are violent internal conflicts in Iraq and that children and women have been suffering miserably after Iraq became independent.

In Japan, no commercial media report this kind of things. I would like to participate in an event whenever I come across a similar event. Thank you.
(A 24 year-old woman)

◆- I am glad that I visit this photo exhibition since there was little opportunity that I can get to know Iraq. I am amazed at the happy smiling faces of Iraqi children in many photos because I thought that they may still be sad with the memory of the Iraq war and its destruction, which is not long ago.

By looking at towns and buildings in the background of people in the pictures, I saw the destruction and piles of garbage scattered around on the streets. Then I realize that the wounds of war and its destruction are fresh and tormenting people. My heart ached when I saw children working, a sick baby, homeless people, small children wounded by their own parents.

But I and my friends were impressed that all of them have strength in their eyes. I really wish that there should be activities to help people of Iraq so that they will be able to live more comfortably and peacefully. And I am willing to do whatever I can do to help those activities.
　(A junior high school girl student)

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