April Days of Action Against Drones in PHILADELPHIA

Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m.
A Free Public Forum on Drone Warfare...
and Why We Must Oppose It Tabernacle Church, 3700 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (located near University of Pennsylvania at the corner of 37th & Chestnut Street, enter on 37th Street; easily accessible by SEPTA bus #23, and Market Street subway.  See www.septa.org )


U.S. unmanned drones, remotely controlled from command centers throughout the U.S. and through space  by satellites built by Lockheed Martin, firing Lockheed Martin produced Hellfire missiles, have killed thousands of civilians in Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen.This month, demonstrations have taken place around the nation in protest of this imperialistic killing and the industry that makes it possible.

Demonstration in front of the White House on Saturday, 4/13 as
 part of the April Days of Action Against Drones.

 More killing awaits in this new era of robotic warfare, and the Philadelphia region is poised to be complicit in this.There are now plans to open a new command center at the Horsham Air Guard Station (formerly the Willow Grove Naval Air Station), outside of Philadelphia, from which to conduct drone warfare from the continental U.S. to targets on the other side of the world.  Meanwhile, drone research and technology application continues at UPenn and Drexel.

Forum will include:
• Hamzah Saif, Pakistan-Afghanistan Editor at Ajam Media Collective; authors the Pakistan column at the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs; frequent contributor to political commentary journals.
• Peter Lems, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
• Marjorie Van Cleef, Womens’ International League for Peace and Freedom

Sponsored by Philly Against War.  Endorsers: Brandywine Peace Community, Philadelphia International Action Center, Philadelphia Green Party, Socialist Action, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
For more information: (610) 544-1818 or (856) 220-7188

Upcoming Anti-Drone War Action:
Thursday - Saturday, April 25 - 27, UPenn drone research protest display and leafleting during the Penn Relays at University of Pennsylvania. Noon - 2p.m., each day( 34th & Walnut Streets in University City/West Phila., PA 19104.) 
Thousands of people from around the country and the world each year come to the celebrated Penn Relays.  Let them know about about the drone side of UPenn.

April Days of Action Against Drones continue! Learn more about events going on around the country!

Call for "No Drones" in Pennsylvania Colleges, Universities, and Research Institutions

Friends,

A national call has been made for “April Days of Action” to focus on three key components of U.S. drone work: Drone Manufacturers, Drone Bases in the U.S., and Drone Research. (See the list about nationwide actions and post your own planned actions for April.)

Given the fact that drones are now the primary weapons of warfare used by the US, and for surveillance both domestic and abroad, the research and development of this warfare is growing rapidly at academic institutions, in our towns and neighborhoods. Drones are the perfect instrument for endless war that kills civilians, even as they target “militants” in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and Afghanistan.

Academic institutions often receive large grants from the U.S. Department of Defense, enabling them to build labs within schools of engineering, for instance. We are well aware that without this research in robotics, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), and the accompanying accessories, these drone warfare projects would probably not take place. So there is an interdependent relationship between the universities and the U.S. government and or its Department of Defense and CIA. (CIA drones are used in countries with which the U.S. is not “at war”, ie Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan, Mali, and others.)

While universities tend to publicize some information on their respective websites regarding the drone work, it is most often said to be for non-military purposes. And there are students working in the labs who are convinced that all the research is for humanitarian purposes. However, history has told us that non-military can quickly and easily become military. Moreover research has shown drones make mistakes on recognizing their targets.

We are therefore asking organizations and individuals, nationwide, to explore any drone research that might be going on at their local university. We are calling for local actions between April 16 and 18, 2013 (Suggested actions are listed below) Our limited research into University and Academic UAV programs indicates that research centers are operating in Pennsylvania:

Carnegia Mellon Institute of Robotics - Pittsburgh
Drexel University - Philadelphia
Lehigh University - Bethlehem
University of Pennsylvania – GRASP Lab, Philadelphia

Before those dates in April we will need to know what information you have acquired about the research and what actions and events your group is planning.This will be shared among groups in the Network. You can send this information to us at notodrone@gmail.com.

We will have a press committee that will receive your press release and any articles you are able to publish before or after the event.

This project will complement other outreach, education and action projects that will be launched in April, focusing on drone bases, April 27-28 and drone manufacturers , April 4-6.

Suggested actions:

1. Learn what research is being done by searching on a university website. Look especially at the Engineering Dept. 
2. Organize a forum, preferably on campus, with speakers and discussion. Be sure to publicize in campus newspapers, and possibly include a professor as one of the speakers. Also include local activists.
3. Plan a small meeting with the appropriate persons in the department working on drone research, both professors and students.
4. Hold vigils and leaflet on or close to the campus, as well as in town.
5. Let us know if you need further tools for your research.

Thanks in advance for your reply to notodrone@gmail.com.

With all good wishes,

Marge Van Cleef, WILPF, Philadelphia
Leila Zand, For USA
Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator, Voices for Creative Nonviolence