British Actors Urge World Leaders to Call Off War

from Ananova.com
September 20, 2001

A group of British actors has urged the world's leaders to call a halt to a campaign against countries which harbour terrorists.

The nine-strong group, which includes playwright Harold Pinter and Corin Redgrave, appeal to stop the "madness" of a new world war following last week's attacks.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, they say a war against Afghanistan, Iraq and the world's poorest countries "will not rescue any victims of September 11, or make the cities of America and Europe safer".

The actors stress the war must be prevented for the sake of all who were killed in New York and Washington and their families, friends and loved ones.

The letter says: "Terrorism cannot be defeated by bombs, bullets or secret intelligence. Terrorism is the language of hatred and despair. Out of the carnage and rubble of a new crusade will come new terrorists, even more desperate and ruthless than before.

"In Afghanistan, four million people are homeless and scores of thousands are starving or dying of cholera because of sanctions, imposed by the West in their attempt to force the Taliban government to hand over Osama bin Laden.

"A million children in Iraq are dead or dying because of waterborne diseases and malnutrition caused by sanctions.

"Human rights and civil liberties are being trampled on around the world as politicians call for tolerance while fanning the flames of intolerance with their preparations for war."

The actors :
Maggi Hambling
Lynn Farleigh
Merlin Holland
Bryony Lavery
Jehane Markham
Kika Markham
Roger Lloyd Pack
Harold Pinter
Corin Redgrave

They add: "We must make war, but on poverty."

Story filed: 01:39 Thursday 20th September 2001

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