BY KYLIE MOON
Support for the March 5 national student strike against the war on Iraq is quickly gathering momentum. Federal Labor MP for Fremantle Carmen Lawrence has endorsed the strike.
Lawrence declared her support for the March 5 strike at an anti-war public meeting in Melbourne, attended by 800 people. She stated that it was important that young people take action against the war.
Other recent endorsees include the National Union of Students (NUS) national education committee, NUS national president, NUS national education officer Liz Thompson, representatives from the Greens and a host of office bearers from student organisations throughout Australia.
The student strike was inspired by the call by US students for a national strike on March 5. The US call was initiated by the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition, which groups 15 national youth and campus organisations.
"An international student strike is about young people taking serious action against the vicious war against the Iraqi people being planned by US president George Bush, British Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair and Australian PM John Howard", Marcus Pabian, Resistance Melbourne organiser and Melbourne University Anti-War Collective activist, told Green Left Weekly. "Students will discuss, debate and make a decision on how far they will go in taking action against the war."
With Washington ready to invade Iraq from mid-February, the March 5 student strike will come at a crucial time. "The emergency anti-war demonstrations that are being planned for when the US begins its attack will be important", Pabian explained. "However, the student strike can build significant opposition to the war among young people. This international student strike could have a massive impact."
Anti-war collectives on Melbourne University, University of Queensland, and Sydney University have begun discussions on how to organise for March 5. The Griffith University National Education Tertiary and Industry Union branch president is emailing all NTEU members on that campus to urge them not to penalise students who strike on March 5.
High school students across the country are already building the strike. Students are being asked to sign a pledge sheet to commit to the March 5 strike. High school activist Lauren Caroll Harris told GLW that the "March 5 student strike will be a huge demonstration of the opposition among young people to the US war on Iraq. It will continue to grow and resist Bush's permanent war agenda."
To get involved in organising the March 5 strike, email <ysc_against_war@yahoo.com.au> or drop in at your nearest Resistance Centre (see page 2).
From Green Left Weekly, February 5, 2003.
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