American Views Abroad

 
CAMP CASEY AND GERMANY

Cindy Sheehan's comments on Camp Casey and Germany:

'In the frenzy and excitement of my trip to Germany, some well meaning pacifists in the area have scheduled me to set up a Camp Casey outside of Landsthul in front of the military hospital. I won't agree to do that. The Camp Casey movement is pro-peace and pro-soldier. We love our troops so much that we want them to come home alive from the fiasco in the Middle East. .... The Camp Casey in Germany could be moved to a place where people with decision making power can see it. Let's leave our soldiers out of our protests.'

The entire article can be read at www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/8264.

Elsa Rassbach, one of the oranizers of this event, responds to this article:

I am writing in response to Cindy Sheehan's comment today about 'Camp Casey in Germany.' I am one of the organizers of this event, and I also was involved in writing the resolution that will be considered by the European Parliament delegates when Cindy speaks there on March 14th.

First, there is no plan to put a 'camp' in front of or anywhere near the Landstuhl hospital, nor has there ever been such a plan. (I imagine that Cindy's comment was in response to criticism by someone telling her that we are planning such a camp, and that is just not true.) There is also no plan to demonstrate in Landstuhl or to go as a group anywhere near the hospital facilities.

The peace activities planned for Landstuhl will be solely inside a German Protestant church there. The pastor of the church, Detlev Besier, is the leader of the local German peace group in the region, the Friedensinitiative Westpfalz ('Peace Initiative West Pfalz'), which is hosting the events in Landstuhl and in Ramstein with Cindy on March 11th and 12th.

On Saturday, March 11th, there will be a discussion with Cindy and other European Parliament witnesses inside the church in Landstuhl, and then we will walk together from the church three kilometers to the parking lot not far from the entrance of Ramstein air base and hold a vigil, led by spiritual leaders from many different faiths, as was often done in Crawford, Texas.

There is nothing shocking or unusual about this plan. Indeed, on the first Saturday of each month, the Friedensinitiative Westpfalz traditionally holds this same march from Landstuhl to Ramstein air base and holds a vigil there. Because of Cindy's visit, the Landstuhl/Ramstein march has this time been scheduled for the second Saturday of the month.

We also have received special permission from the local German authorities to set up crosses and half moons (representing the Iraqi dead) along the road leading towards Ramstein air base when we go there on Saturday, and this will be somewhat reminiscent of Camp One in Crawford. We also have permission to set up three tents to symbolize Camp Casey, even though no one will actually sleep in them.

We have permission to leave up the crosses, half moons, and tents on the road near Ramstein until the next morning. After church on Sunday, we will ceremoniously gather up the crosses and half-moons. These may be used again if our little 'Camp Casey in Germany' is ever again set up outside Ramstein, for example for the traditional peace demo on Easter weekend, when people will also be gathering at Camp Casey in Crawford.

So our only 'camp' will be outside Ramstein, which is the air base from which soldiers, weapons, and supplies are sent to Iraq. Ramstein also has nuclear weapons. It is most certainly part of the 'war machine.' There have been larger demonstrations there led by Physicians Against Atomic War.

Given the emotions understandably surrounding Landstuhl, we are considering renaming this event as simply 'Camp Casey Ramstein.'

However, if Cindy wants to make other suggestions, we will of course take her lead. She just needs to let us know. There are other 'seats of power' a couple of hours from Ramstein, such as the US high military commands in Heidelberg and in Stuttgart, and if Cindy would prefer that we try to make plans to go there, we will endeavor to get the necessary permits, etc.

We feel the objections to Cindy coming to Landstuhl and Ramstein have solely to do with the fact that her presence will bring public attention to this key logistical hub of the entire US war effort in Iraq, now also threatening Iran. Her presence will also bring attention to the German government's complicity with the US war effort, through allowing the use of the US bases here for an illegal war which is not supported by the German people.

Cindy is apparently is being criticized for coming anywhere near Landstuhl, where her son's remains were brought from Iraq before being sent to the US. Just as the U.S. Military forbade photographing coffins, it is certain that the Bush administration would prefer that there be no publicity whatsoever about Landstuhl, where so many tragically wounded soldiers are being brought every day, as well as those who have died.

In peace,
Elsa Rassbach
Member of American Voices Abroad in Germany
- posted by Gloria @ 11:19 AM