No to War! No to US troops in Antwerp Harbour! 10,000 demonstrate in Brussels

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday January 24, 2003 16:51 by LSP/MAS - Committee for a Workers' International (Belgium)

This is a report from the Belgian demonstration against the war on January 19th were 10,000 people participated

On 19 January 10,000 people demonstrated in a national anti-war demonstration in Brussels. The collaboration of
the Belgian government, by allowing US troops and military transports to use the Antwerp harbour, and the
international aspect of the demonstrations (the huge international demonstrations of the 18 January were all over
the news), helped to create such a good turnout of protesters.

The demonstrators opposed the war for oil. There were slogans against Bush and Blair, but also against Sharon, who used the
excuse of the US so called, 'war against terrorism', to launch an attack on the Palestinian territories. The demonstrators also
opposed the hypocrisy of the Belgian government, which claims to be opposed to war, but also says it might support a war if
the UN supports it.

Trade unionists against the war

LSP/MAS (the Belgian CWI section), and International Socialist Resistance, were present at the demo with a lively and very
young contingent, including dozens of school students from all over the country. We launched our appeal to build anti-war
committees to prepare actions for 'Day X' (the day the war starts). This idea received a good response. Some 80 youth gave
their names and addresses to help build! Besides our contingent, members of our party also took part in the activity of 'Trade
unionists Against the War', an appeal launched by the Movement for Trade union Renewal in Brussels (a campaign started by
workers of Forges de Clabecq, where in 1996-1997 an important fight against the closure of the factory took place). We also
had members in the demo selling our newspaper. Despite the rain we sold about 100 copies.

The demo was organised by a coalition called 'Stop USA' which already organised a demo on the 10 November 2002 in
competition with the demo on the 17 November organised by a broader coalition of NGO's, political groups etc. On 15
February there will fortunately be a joint action of both coalitions. The Belgian CWI section is mobilising for that demo and in
the meantime we are continuing to build our anti-war committees in different cities, schools and universities. In Gent alone,
there are committees in 7 schools. In one school, 25 students attended our committee last week. Some of those attending were
13-14 years old. Once again the international aspect of the activities in preparation for Day X is very attractive to youth