Kimberly Rivera, mother of three, wife, and soldier of conscience is now living in Canada, but that could all change on July 8th. Join Courage to Resist at a support rally outside of the Canadian Consulate in San Francisco,
July 8, 12 noon - 1pm
580 California Street at Kearny, San Francisco
(4 blocks up Montgomery from Montgomery BART, left on Calif. St, right side of street just before Kearny)
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=580%20California%20Street%2C%2014th%20floor&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl%20)
We will bring signed petitions to the Consulate General, urging the Canadian politicians to respect the will of the Canadian people, the Canadian parliament, whom have twice voted recommendations to allow war resisters to stay and the basic moral imperative that does not separate children from their loving mother.
Kimberly has this to say:
"I want to stay in Canada, with my family, because the Iraq War is immoral, illegal and I couldn't in good conscience go back. The amount of support I’m getting from Canadians is amazing. The parents of my kids' friends, MPs and even strangers on the street keep telling me that they can't believe the votes in Parliament aren't being respected."
Kimberly Rivera is the first outspoken female Iraq War resister to publically and legally seek refuge in Canada. Kimberly, along with her partner Mario, son Christian (7 years old) and daughter Rebecca (4 years old), fled to Canada in January 2007 when Kimberly refused redeployment. In late November 2008 Kimberly gave birth to her Canadian daughter Katie (8 months old). She served in Iraq in 2006 and experienced, firsthand, the reality of this ongoing illegal war and occupation.
On July 8th, Kimberly is going to Canadian federal court, to appeal the decision in her Pre-Removal Risk Assessment. If her appeal fails, she will be asked to leave Canada, or forcibly removed -- and delivered into the custody and jurisdiction of the United States Army where Kimberly will face charges that will carry, at the very least, a 4 year sentence in a military stockade.
Four years or more away from her young children, away from her baby daughter, away from her husband -- she will be kept in an Army prison. She has served in Iraq, she has been to combat; now, because she has decided to exercise her conscience, she faces imprisonment, additional forced separation from her family and eviction from her new home.
Act to help Kimberly on July 8th! Join Courage to Resist in protesting the Canadian governments attempts to violate a loving mother’s human rights!
Sign the letter online & for more info:
http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/726/1/
David Solnit, co-author with Aimee Allison of Army Of None, notes the above. The rally is this Wednesday. Today violence continues in Baghdad . . .
Bomings?
Mohammed Al Dulaimy (McClatchy Newspapers) reports a Baghdad roadside bombing which claimed 1 life and left fifteen wounded, two more Baghdad roadside bombings which wounded five people, a Mosul roadside bombing which left a civilian wounded and a second one which left a police officer wounded.
Shootings?
Mohammed Al Dulaimy (McClatchy Newspapers) reports 1 police officer shot dead in Kirkuk (also drops back to note Bilal and Shihab Ahmed were shot dead in Kirkuk yesterday) and 1 contractor shot dead in Mosul. Reuters notes 1 Peshmerga soldier was shot dead in Kirkuk.
Meanwhile Deborah Haynes (Times of London) offers some reality about this week's 'sovereignty day':
Iraq has celebrated a return to sovereignty three times since the invasion more than six years ago in a carefully choreographed attempt to put an Iraqi face on what has always been an American occupation.
The latest “day of national victory” on Tuesday was the most convincing moment of transition, with the majority of US forces out of Iraqi cities. A token presence remains, however, to train and mentor the Iraqi police and army.
Most Iraqis feel that sovereignty will not be fully restored until all foreign forces leave. At the same time, many fear the exit of American troops because of the ongoing potential for violence. June was the bloodiest month in Iraq in almost a year as a rash of bombings shattered the lives of hundreds of families.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
iraq
aimeee allison
david solnit
mcclatchy newspapers
deborah haynes