GLOBAL ACTION DAY

  Join the first Global Action Day Against the Use of Drones for Surveillance & Killing – October 4, 2014

As global citizens who believe in justice and the rule of law, we oppose weaponized and surveillance drones because their deployment:

• violates democratic rights of freedom of speech and assembly and the right not to be unreasonably searched,
• is used for extrajudicial “targeted” killings based merely on suspicion — murders — even of children inside and outside of war zones,
• terrorizes populations in targeted territories, thereby fueling hatred and increasing the cycle of violence,
• lowers the threshold to war and initiates a new round in the arms race,
• leads to the development of autonomous killer robots, thereby making even more horrifying wars likely.

We demand that all governments cease the production and acquisition of armed drones, as well as their research and development, and work towards a worldwide ban of these weapons.

We further demand that our governments prohibit the use of drones for surveillance and prohibit using space satellites, ground stations, and military bases to enable drone surveillance and to trigger drone killings.

We call on people all over the world to join us in the Global Day of Action on October 4th.

http://globaldayofaction.nationbuilder.com

GLOBAL ACTION DAY is an opportunity for us to take action TOGETHER AROUND THE WORLD against the use of drones, satellites, and ground stations for surveillance and killing.

A CONCERTED INTERNATIONAL EFFORT will be needed to stop drone warfare and invasive drone surveillance. Global Action Day seeks to deepen and broaden the international discussion about drones and to further the international networking and coordination needed to stop this dangerous development that threatens freedom and peace everywhere.

DECIDE LOCALLY what action you will take on Global Action Day. Whether you live in a country that has already produced or deployed drones for surveillance and killing or is considering doing so — or in a community that is already targeted by drones or could be in the future: you know best what actions would be most effective to alert, educate and mobilize people in your community. Actions will range in size from large demonstrations to a single person holding a sign. They will include civil disobedience and demanding hearings from those in power. Some are planning to introduce resolutions or referendums to ban drones from their communities; others are planning to fly kites under the Afghan motto: “Fly Kites Not Drones.” And there will also be initiatives to hold film showings or discussions, visit government officials or parliamentary representatives, or write letters to newspapers.

COMMUNICATE GLOBALLYby sending a brief description of your action or event to post on the international website: http://globaldayofaction.nationbuilder.com.* You will also be able to learn on this website about what people in other parts of the world are doing — let them inspire you!

An ad hoc committee of anti-drone activists from several countries drafted the call for this Global Action Day. Plans for this Global Action Day were first discussed in a meeting in Berlin in December 2013, attended by anti-drone activists from seven European countries, Pakistan, and the US (http://truth-out.org/speakout/item/20740-ban-weaponized-drones-anti-drone-movement-spreads-in-europe) Many who attended the meeting in Berlin were inspired by the historic conference “Drones Around the Globe: Proliferation and Resistance” in Washington, DC, in November 2013.

OUR HOPE is that activists from many more countries will join with us — and if you do not yet have an anti-drone campaign in your community, we hope you’ll consider launching one on Global Action Day.

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*To post your action or event for October 4 on http://globaldayofaction.nationbuilder.com please send a brief description to Anastasia of CODEPINK at .

The description may be in any language, but it is best to also include an English translation so that people around the world can read it. You may also send for posting a URL link or a PDF or JPEG attachment such as a photo, flyer, press release, or news coverage of your event. Please include the address of your event, with the postal code, so that it will show up on the map.

Here’s how people can contact you about your local Global Action Day event:

Provide an email address and/or a URL link to your website with your event description;

or ask us to link your event description to your Facebook page;

or ask us to set up the RSVP function for your event, and only you (not we) will receive the RSVPs for your event.