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HUMAN SHIELDS STATEMENT

Live K. Aleo's Message:

BecomeTheChange is coordinating a massive, international human shield to prevent the loss of life and spread of war and terrorism around the world and to motivate nonviolent resolutions to the conflict we face with Iraq at this time. We and the UK Society have made a strong alliance.  Approximately 20 other organizations around the world are forming shields in Iraq.  Among us all, we probably have at least 1,000 individuals from around the world who are - right now - in Iraq or actively preparing to go shortly to join the shield. And counting!! Thousands more are very interested and likely to join. There might eventually be tens of thousands of us. It's a spontaneous global phenomenon.

But we are of course afraid, and many potential shield members who are so excited by the idea are also very worried for their safety, and this fear might prevent them from helping us to stop this war and save the hundreds of thousands of people who depend on such efforts as the  human shield for their lives.If enough people answer to our call to join or support the shield, we will achieve our purpose of peace, and in a lasting way. The world is ready for this. I'm sure you have followed this crisis, and maybe recently the development of the human shield in response; maybe by now it's clear to you that we almost certainly will form a massive human shield, and it is already a force to be reckoned with. The question in my mind is not so much whether it will work, but how many of us will come back alive. 100%? 99%? 50%?...10%? The answer is as much up to you as it is, to each of us.

We are asking the world community to step up to protect us as we step up to protect Iraq. Please help by spearheading (a big word, but not much time or effort is actually required) an initiative to make a global declaration (by various groups, like professional and academic associations, the Nobel Laureates that just signed the declaration against the war, itself, etc.)that neither the innocents of Iraq, nor their shield, are to be harmed.

Please consider using your very interesting and expansive contact list to begin this initiative, and spread this message to every association, society, journal, and national and local government you can. It will then cultivate itself being emailed around through other concerned organizations. Once someone the declaration is written, it can be signed by thousands and delivered to the United States and British governments in a matter of days.

Such a simple action - such a powerful way to save lives.  One of the best things about nonviolence is the creative ingenuity that it motivates.  This is one example of the kind of nonviolent but *very effective* action that we need on the part of the world to stay the hands of those who would harm innocent people, including ourselves.  Such reassurances as the international declaration/s that you can (so easily!) arrange will inspire many, many more to join the shield, feeling shielded, ourselves. I know you are aware that you are in a strong position to do so much, through so little effort, to make our shield work, ultimately preventing the war and saving the people of Iraq and their shield. I don't want to die in Iraq in the effort of saving lives. I especially don't want the shield to scatter because we start to suffer losses (though we must all remember that even the winning side loses people in any war) and then for our government to continue, unimpeded, in its violence. The situation might get out of hand, in any case, of course.

There are a lot of uncertainties involved. But we need to act now while we still have the power to act at all, and the scarier things get, the more we must rally, stand together, and find a way to slow down and contain the dangerous runaway powers of our government at this time.

For more information, please visit http://www.becomethechange.org
- or -
http://www.humanshields.org

and email 

Please help get the shield back alive and help to assure that we achieve our purpose of peace. 

Thank you very much for your help.

Sincerely, Liev K. Aleo

Founder & Director, BecomeTheChange

"We must become the change we want to see in the world."  - Mahatma Gandhi