Response to the attacks in the US
We are stunned and appalled at the enormity of the tragedy which has occurred in New York and Washington. Our thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones, we are deeply saddened by their grief and suffering. We totally condemn all violence and oppression, however and wherever it occurs.

We are equally horrified at the thought of the tragedy which will soon engulf the citizens of whichever countries the US government selects as targets for retaliation.

The attacks in the US were not random acts of terror. They occurred in the context of a world in which terrorist acts by state and non-state organisations are commonplace; where children die from lack of access to food, clean water and basic health care while millions of dollars are spent every minute on armed forces and weapons; where the majority of the world’s peoples suffer daily the violence of a global economic system which dispossesses and oppresses the many for the benefit of a rich privileged few ...

We are further appalled by the mass media coverage of the attacks in the US and by the responses from most politicans all around the world - history is being rewritten as though human tragedies on a larger scale do not occur everyday; words such as ‘justice’ and ‘peace’ are redefined to justify further barbarity; existing racism and xenophobia are being intensified. The cycle of hatred and violence is being encouraged.

The articles and statements listed on this index page are selected to provide a range of alternative viewpoints and visions.

We are currently being inundated with messages from peace, human rights and social justice groups overseas and here; and we are responding with messages of sympathy and support to as many as we can.

There has been a huge increase in the volume of email traffic sent to us since 11 September. We will endeavour to upload as many articles and statements as we can - please do not be offended if your statement or forwarded article is not listed. Please also be aware that we are working with extremely limited resources - if you are able to provide practical or financial help to us at this time we would be most appreciative of your generosity.

We would particularly like to draw your attention to this statement of how things could be - ‘What Bush should have said’. We apologise to the unknown author for the lack of credit, it was forwarded to us without source details. If you know where it originated from, please let us know so we can credit it.

"Together we must resist the urge to intensify a spiral of retribution and violence, and work instead toward a world in which no one feels so powerless or oppressed that he or she must resort to violence."

Links

Also see the links on the Stop killing the people of Iraq index page

• 'War on terrorism' index page
• September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows - an advocacy organization founded by family members of September Eleventh victims; with the objective of seeking effective nonviolent responses to terrorism, and identifying a commonality with all people similarly affected by violence throughout the world.
• United for Peace and Justice - the US coalition formed initially from more than 70 peace and justice organisations; bringing together a broad range of groups throughout the US to help coordinate against a US war on Iraq.
• Stop the War Coalition (Britain) - their three objectives are : to stop the war currently declared by the United States and its allies against 'terrorism'; no to a racist backlash; and to defend civil liberties.
• Act Now to Stop War and End Racism - US anti war coalition
• Medialens - excellent source of analyses of mass media
• http://nyc.indymedia.org/
• http://www.zmag.org/
• Cry of Afghanistan: a movie dedicated to the innocent children and women of Afghanistan - we have been unable to review this ourselves as we do not have the necessary software, but it has been recommended to us as accurately portraying the plight of the Afghan people in war.
• Catholic Church's response to attacks on the USA
• Statement from Religious Society of Friends