On January 30th, 2018, U.S. President Trump signed an executive order to keep Guantanamo Bay prison open. The notorious prison, where the U.S. arbitrarily detains and tortures people, denying them of legal and human rights, has held close to 800 people under the guise of the U.S. so-called “war on terror”. The executive order signed by Trump is in line with statements that he made as a presidential candidate regarding Guantanamo Bay prison, that he would “load it up with some bad dudes”.
Not only is the U.S. continuing to keep this horrific prison open, they are also continuing to occupy the Cuban territory of Guantanamo Bay. February 23 marked the 115th anniversary of the U.S. seizure of Guantanamo Bay from the Cuban people. The Cuban government and people have been demanding the return of Guantanamo for decades, a demand that the U.S. government has refused to meet.
Marking the anniversary of the U.S. seizure of Guantanamo Bay, on February 23 a Global Day of Action was called by the Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases. This day of action demanded the U.S. return Guantanamo to Cuba, and that the U.S. close all foreign military bases. The U.S. has over 800 foreign military bases around the world, headquarters for the brutal and destructive new era of war and occupation.
In Vancouver, Canada, Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) held their monthly antiwar rally and petition campaign as part of this Global Day of Action. On a very snowy February 23, activists and peace-loving people gathered in downtown Vancouver, holding up picket signs and a banner demanding “Return Guantanamo to Cuba Now!” and “Close All U.S. Foreign Military Bases!” Alongside these slogans, protesters also held a banner demanding “U.S./Saudi Arabia Hands Off Yemen!” calling attention to the almost three year of the U.S.-backed Saudi-led war and bombing of Yemen. In addition to the destruction caused by the war, Saudi Arabia has also imposed a land, sea and air blockade of Yemen, causing an extreme humanitarian crisis as well as the worst cholera outbreak on record.
Despite the heavy snow, people walking by visited the information table and stopped to find out about the protest, sign antiwar petitions and get antiwar literature. Alison Bodine, the chair of MAWO, also spoke to the crowd and passersby about the demands of the rally and read the statement from the Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases. The statement, and the listing of other cities also part of this Global Day of Action can be found at noforeignbases.org
Mobilization Against War and Occupation has been holding monthly antiwar rallies and petition drives in Vancouver for the past 14 years. MAWO will continue to do so demanding an end to this new era of war and occupation. To find out more about MAWO’s events and actions visit www.mawovancouver.org or find MAWO on Facebook and Twitter @MAWOVan
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