Brighton Peace and Environment Centre
Hands off Iraqi Oil has called for a national day of action against the wholesale sell-off of Iraq's oil reserves to international companies. The national day of action will be held on Saturday 23 February 2008 and Hands Off Iraqi Oil, together with the Stop The War Coalition is urging people to organise events all over the country to highlight the issue.
Iraq's oil deposits are the third-largest in the world and account for 70 percent of the countries economy and 95 percent of the Iraqi governments income. Following the invasion of Iraq immense pressure has been exerted by the USA, UK and the International Monetary fund for Iraq to adopt Neo-liberal policies and sell off all its oil reserves to foreign multinationals at knock-down prices.
As a result of this concerted pressure, new legislation could soon be passed that would see Shell, BP, Exxon and Chevron controlling Iraq's oil for generations to come. All this despite the wishes of the vast majority of the Iraqi people, with a recent poll by the Iraqi Federation of Oil Union's showing that 65 percent of Iraqi's want the oil to be controlled by the Iraqi public sector.
Hands Off Iraqi Oil is encouraging people to protest at their local Shell and BP garages and engage in other actions tyr and overt the sell off of Iraq's oil before it's too late. Resources and ideas for local actions can be found at: (External) www.handsoffiraqioil.org
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