ASJA in anti-war march — hands in signed petitions to US and British embassies

A small group of muslim men, women and children marched from Woodford Square to the American and British Diplomatic Commissions yesterday, to present  signed petitions, pleading for an end to the US-led war on Iraq.

The contingent gathered in Woodford Square around 12 noon, where they proceeded to pray before marching up Pembroke Street, along Frederick Street and across the Savannah, to the US Embassy. The march was led by Imam of the Calcutta mosque Wajid Ali-Langton, Dr Musa Mohammed Senior member of the Anjuman Sunnat-Ul Jamaat Association (ASJA), General Secretary of ASJA Mohammed Hussein, and PRO of ASJA Nazam Shah.

Chanting and calling for an end to the attacks on Iraq, and armed with placards reading “Give Peace A Chance,” “Dialogue, Not Blood” and “Why Suffer An Entire Nation For One Man,” the small contingent marched across the Savannah under the watchful eyes of armed security. While curious passersby slowed their vehicles to look on at the proceedings,  American Consul Richard Sherman emerged to speak briefly with the contingent, and to accept the signed petition.

In accepting the petition, Sherman explained the Embassy had certain rules and regulations to follow, but that he would convey the objections raised, not only   by ASJA, but by the entire country to US Ambassador Dr Roy Austin. At the British High Commission on Elizabeth Street, St Clair, the contingent had to wait for approximately ten minutes before Ali-Langton, Mohammed and Hussein were allowed in to speak with the Head of the British High Commission in TT, Ryan Scarborough.

Speaking with reporters following the exchange of the petition with Scarborough, Dr Musa Mohammed said he (Scarborough) had been happy to receive them, and that he would also be passing the petition to the authorities. Imam Wajid Ali-Langton described the march as “a demonstration against the war in Iraq.” Ali-Langton said ASJA was of the view that the “UN’s Security Council was marginalised in the whole situation,” and explained that the UN had been formed so that “the weak would be protected from the strong.” PRO of ASJA Nazam Shah, commended the government for the stance adopted in which Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift and Prime Minister Patrick Manning described the war on Iraq as “unjustified.”