Hundreds attend "International Peace Conference"
{{date|December 11, 2005}}

On Saturday 10 December 2005, [[w:Tony Benn|Tony Benn]] spoke to around 1,500 people at the opening rally of a peace conference at the Royal Horticultural Hall in [[w:London|London]] organised by the [[w:Stop the War Coalition|Stop the War Coalition]] in opposition to the occupation of [[w:Iraq|Iraq]]. Tony Benn told the amassed conference delegates that the anti-war movement, which is calling for troops to be withdrawn from Iraq, is the biggest he had seen in his lifetime.

Throughout the long day, from 10am to 8pm, there were 33 speakers in total. Among these was [[w:Cindy Sheehan|Cindy Sheehan]], American anti-war activist whose son, a soldier, died in Iraq.  She spoke in a session along with among others [[w:Reg Keys|Reg Keys]] and Rose Gentle from [[w:Military Families Against the War|Military Families Against the War]]. Several speakers who had travelled from Iraq spoke, including Hassan Juma, president of the Iraqi trade union the Southern Oil Workers' Union. He condemned what he claimed were attempts by America to strip Iraq through privatizing its services. Sheikh Hussein al Zagani, a representative of [[w:Muqtada al-Sadr|Muqtada al-Sadr]], was due to speak at the conference but was reportedly denied a visa.[http://www.stopwar.org.uk/new/news/mediarelease/alzagani.htm]

[[w:George Galloway|George Galloway]], the [[w:RESPECT The Unity Coalition|RESPECT]] MP, closed the conference in a speech in which he urged people to build for a planned international demonstration on the 18th of March next year.

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4517112.stm
|title= Tony Benn opens peace conference
|author=
|pub=BBC news
|date=10 December, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/antiwar/story/0,,1663388,00.html
|title=	'I feel I'm carrying the world on my shoulders' 
|author=Duncan Campbell
|pub=The Guardian 
|date=December 9, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.traprockpeace.org/london_peace_10dec05.html
|title=1400 delegates demand end to war at historic gathering
|author=Charlie Jenks
|pub=Traprock Peace Center
|date=}}
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[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Respect Party]]
[[Category:George Galloway]]
[[Category:Tony Benn]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Cindy Sheehan]]
On Saturday 10 December 2005, Tony Benn spoke to around 1,500 people at the opening rally of a peace conference at the Royal Horticultural Hall in London organised by the Stop the War Coalition in opposition to the occupation of Iraq. Tony Benn told the amassed conference delegates that the anti-war movement, which is calling for troops to be withdrawn from Iraq, is the biggest he had seen in his lifetime.

Throughout the long day, from 10am to 8pm, there were 33 speakers in total. Among these was Cindy Sheehan, American anti-war activist whose son, a soldier, died in Iraq.  She spoke in a session along with among others Reg Keys and Rose Gentle from Military Families Against the War. Several speakers who had travelled from Iraq spoke, including Hassan Juma, president of the Iraqi trade union the Southern Oil Workers' Union. He condemned what he claimed were attempts by America to strip Iraq through privatizing its services. Sheikh Hussein al Zagani, a representative of Muqtada al-Sadr, was due to speak at the conference but was reportedly denied a visa.

George Galloway, the RESPECT MP, closed the conference in a speech in which he urged people to build for a planned international demonstration on the 18th of March next year.
United Kingdom Politics and conflicts Respect Party George Galloway Tony Benn Europe Cindy Sheehan