For Evil to prevail, it is only necessary for good people to do nothing.
(Edmund Burke)

In 2006 and 2007, the Marrickville Peace Group organised demonstrations outside the office of the US Consul General in Martin Place (Sydney).

These were demonstrations for peace, that focused on the war in Iraq. Their target was the US Government - the party ultimately responsible for the ongoing upheaval and suffering in Iraq.

20th March 2008 marks the fifth anniversary of the invasion. This is a milestone that needs to be marked. As the occupation drags on, so we feel the need to repeat the demonstration.

It will take place during working hours on working days. It will go on for several weeks leading up to the anniversary of the invasion on the 20th of March. Successive community groups and religious and political organisations will maintain a presence in Martin Place during this period. Each successive group will be demonstrating its opposition to war on its designated day.

Participants will gather signatures on an open letter addressed to President George Bush. The aim is to collect more signatures than ever before, to show that five years is enough and that opposition to the war is growing in Australia as well as elsewhere.

As the event's climax, the signed originals will be presented to US Government representatives, for conveyance to the White House on the actual anniversary of the invasion.

In 2006 around 1,000 signatures were collected and 2,800 in 2007. The signed originals were presented to the Consul General. President Bush has never had the politeness to let us know that he has received our letter, so this year it is our intention to take the signed originals to the Ambassador in Canberra. We want to make sure that we are heard.

We intend to involve as many thoughtful and compassionate members of the general public, and as many community groups interested in promoting peace, as possible. We want to show the great breadth and depth of community support for the cause of peace.

When it began, the event drew its inspiration from Cindy Sheehan, who courageously set up 'Camp Casey' outside President Bush's Texas ranch in 2005, after her son was killed in the fighting. Her question about her son's death ('For what noble cause?') has never received an answer.

In the Marrickville Peace Group, we decided that if Cindy could spend months waiting outside Mr Bush's ranch, we could spend a day outside the US Consul Generals office. And if we could spend a day, we thought it likely that other groups and individuals could do the same so we invited them to join us.

The event takes its name from the date of the invasion, because this is a date that should never be forgotten. By good luck, it is also very easy to remember:- We all know that Iraq was invaded in 2003. Say "Twenty-O-Three" twice and you have the exact date on which the invasion took place. Remember the year and it gives you the actual day.

If your group was involved in 2006 or 2007, join in again in 2008. If you are new to the idea and would like to find out more, click on 'making contact and getting involved' at the top of this page.