San Francisco, CA – On Saturday, March 20, the Uhuru Solidarity Movement led a contingent at the San Francisco anti-war mobilization with chants putting forward victory to Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and to African people and expressing solidarity with reparations to African people.
At the rally in the Civic Center before the march, Omali Yeshitela, Chairman of the African Socialist International electrified the crowd of a few thousand. The rally marked the seventh anniversary of the recent U.S. military assault on the people of Iraq.
http://uhurunews.com/style-images/video-icon.jpg style=”float: left; margin-right: 3px; width: 20px;” /> Watch video of Omali Yeshitela speaking at the A.N.S.W.E.R. rally in San Francisco March 20 2010
Speaking for the Black is Back Coalition, Chairman Yeshitela’s presentation was highlighted with cheers, applause and yells of “yes” from the crowd.
While most of the speakers at the rally called for peace and for the funds used for current U.S. aggression to be used for education and health care, Chairman Omali Yeshitela exposed imperialism as being parasitic, having as its foundation slavery and the oppression of the peoples of the world. He said that there could be no peace as long as imperialism continues to exist.
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The Chairman called for a stand of solidarity with the people’s resistance against imperialism, stating, “We have to move beyond tailing imperialism calling for an end to this war, and an end to that war and an end to the next war. We have to stand on the side of the oppressed. It is not enough to say ‘peace.’ We have to say ‘solidarity with the resisting peoples of the world.’
“It is not enough to say, ‘U.S. out of Iraq.’ We have to say, ‘solidarity with the resistance of the Iraqi people. Solidarity with the resistance of the people of Afghanistan. Solidarity with the people of Palestine. Solidarity with Hugo Chavez, and the people of Venezuela and the people throughout South America. Solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe. Solidarity with the people of Mexico and with the all of the oppressed and colonized people right here inside the United States, as well.’”
Other speakers at the rally included Jess Ghannam, Al Awda Palestine Right of Return Coalition; Cristina Gutierrez, Colombian Front for Peace and Socialism and Barrio Unido; Henry Clark, West County Toxics Coalition; representatives of the American Indian Movement-West and of the FMLN of El Salvador; and representatives from the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, various labor unions and other organizations.
The rally after the march through downtown San Francisco also included a statement from Mumia Abu-Jamal, former Black Panther Party member, author and political prisoner on death row.
