MORE than 400 people took part in a mass vigil at Parliament Square on Wednesday night, on hearing the news that the 100th British soldier had died in Iraq.
Military Families Against the War called for demonstrations in 100 towns and cities across the country yesterday, to demand the British troops’ immediate withdrawal from Iraq.
At Wednesday night’s vigil, the names of the 100 dead soldiers and the names of 100 Iraqis killed since the US-UK invasion of their country were read out.
The banners of Military Families Against the War and CND were outside parliament on Wednesday night, as 100 small wooden crosses were planted in Parliament Square.
Among those who took part in the vigil was former MP Tony Benn, Respect MP George Galloway, Labour MP for Birmingham-Yardley, John Hemming, alongside trade unionists, students from colleges across London, and Brian Haw, who is maintaining his non-stop protest outside parliament against the Iraq war, despite efforts by the government to ban him.
Tony Benn told News Line: ‘100 dead soldiers is 100 families bereaved, widows, orphans. And 2,000 American soldiers and over 100,000 Iraqis have been killed.
‘It’s an illegal, unwinnable and immoral war and the troops should be withdrawn – their withdrawal should be announced now by the government.’
Student Sophie Stott, aged 19, who took part in the vigil, told News Line: ‘I think it’s sick that people are dying every day and no one seems to give a damn.
‘The troops should never have gone to Iraq in the first place.
‘I think what’s needed is serious action in the country to remove Blair, by everybody who’s got a sense of morality.’
Leana Pordeszfa, also aged 19, from Germany, said: ‘Bush and Blair are to blame for the deaths of these troops.
‘It is too small, the demonstration. There should be loads more people.
‘I think Blair should step down now.
‘For what they have been doing in Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib, they should be indicted for war crimes.’
Camilla Royle, 19, a student at Imperial College, said: ‘It is Bush and Blair who are to blame for all these deaths.
‘I don’t know much about politics, but I’ve come here with other socialists because we feel our whole lives have been changed and nothing good has happened.
‘A socialist government would be good.’
Brian Haw told News Line: ‘People need to wake up and smell the coffee. Get out into the world, onto the streets and do something!
‘What are we doing about it? People are being tortured and slaughtered and we’re doing nothing to stop it.
‘Brothers, sisters, we are each responsible. Have you noticed it’s predominantly the working people who are being slaughtered.
‘This government should be sacked. Mr Blair is a war criminal. He and Bush should be tried for war crimes: genocide and torture – it’s going on and on.
‘They’re committing the same offence that Hitler and his bunch committed.
‘Do you remember the verdict at Nuremberg? The number one charge was that an aggressor nation had invaded a sovereign state – that’s what they did.’
Salih Ibrahim, from Iraq, said: ‘The people in power in Washington and London are responsible for these deaths.
‘It is no different from the 18th and 19th centuries when the British government sent soldiers all over the world, to dominate the world.
‘And imagine, they have families, they have loved ones.
‘We should stop this violence, put an end to this cycle of violence.
‘If we could save a limb, not only a life, but a limb, it’s worth saving in this world.
‘The people of the Arab world have been terrorised for at least 100 years – for oil, for plunder, for a minority to impoverish the majority.
‘Profit, profit, plunder, loot – and who cares about the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who have lost their lives over the last 15 years, with the sanctions of mass destruction and the bombing and destruction of Iraqi’s infrastructure?
‘There are a quarter of a million Iraqis living in the UK and why? Because there is no peace in their part of the world.
‘There is no justice in the world. For four and a half years Brian has been shouting.’
Brian Haw added: ‘We are each responsible as British citizens for the actions of our leader, Blair, who’s behaving like Mussolini.
‘When are we going to take our responsibilities seriously? I want to see everybody with me on this picket.
‘Britain are a people that cares, they must all join me.’
Salih Ibrahim said: ‘Everybody who doesn’t raise their voice is complicit in this crime. I want to go back to my country, but there is no peace.’
Andrew Ireson and Nick Street, students from London, also spoke to News Line.
Andrew said: ‘I just don’t understand why we’re sending more troops to Afghanistan. I don’t know what the reason is.’
Nick said: ‘Governments always have their own agendas. They never went into Iraq on “humanitarian’’ grounds and now they change their lines.’
Andrew said: ‘I think everybody, in whatever walk of life they live, should do whatever they can to end the occupation.
‘I think everybody should play their role and I support impeachment of Blair for what he’s done.’
Pete Segal said: ‘I am from St Albans Stop The War Coalition and we are organising a vigil tomorrow to demand immediate withdrawal of British troops and Blair’s impeachment.’
Daniel Glass, 19, and Fiona Cook, 20, from Goldsmiths College were at the vigil.
Daniel said: ‘We haven’t gone to war on any other basis, except we want regime change in Iraq but the government has constantly changed its line on why we went to war.
‘Our actions have caused more death and suffering in Iraq, whilst also helping to destabilise the region.’
Daniel added: ‘I blame the government itself and the cowards in parliament for the deaths of the soldiers, for not standing up to say the war was wrong.
‘I think we need to pull out immediately.’
Fiona said: ‘At Goldsmiths we are going to stage a vigil tomorrow.
‘Two million people marched two years ago and I think all schools, universities, workplaces should walk out on strike.’
Daniel said: ‘I think the time has come to get rid of Blair and I think everyone needs to come together and get this government out.’
Nicole Britton, 20, said: ‘I am an American and I’m totally against the war.
‘I come from New York City as well, and I’ve witnessed enough of this nonsense happening.
‘The war is a shame and it’s a horrible war for young men and women of colour, who are abused and treated as second class citizens in America, fighting for a country that doesn’t even give them their rights. And what are they fighting for anyway?’
