On Sat 6 March, a Women’s Court in Trafalgar Square put Blair and Master George W on trial for crimes against women, children and men. Sponsored by the All African Women’s Group and Iraqi Women’s League, it was part of the 5^th Global Women Strike, actions in over 60 countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, India, Kenya, Nepal, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago and Uganda.

Against a dramatic backdrop of twelve angry women – a glorious array of women puppets from different backgrounds and countries and Blair and Bush puppets in the dock,flanked by the lions underneath Nelson’s Column, Selma James, widow of CLR James, presided as judge.

Elsa T, from the All African Women’s Group, a homeless Eritrean rape survivor fighting for asylum, eight months pregnant , testified first. She described the suffering of Africans whose lives are destroyed by wars and famine; in Congo alone 6 million people have died. She accused the British and US governments of "causing wars to steal resources, and demanded housing, benefits and other resources to survive, the same as everyone else, in every country". She called for food not bombs, asylum not torture, homes not hostels, and protection from rape and violence.

The Iraqi Women’s League witness spoke about women "who paid a high price when they lost sons, husbands or their entire families": Jocelyn Hurndall, mother of Tom murdered by the Israeli army while protecting Palestinian children; Ms N from Zimbabwe whose son was killed in a British prison; a Native American from Women of Colour in the Global Women’s Strike accused Bush and all previous US presidents of genocide and theft of Indigenous people’s lands and resources. Women seeking asylum who had won their claims spoke of helping others. Brian Haw from the 24/7 Anti-war picket in Parliament Square; Legal Action Against War, and Payday a network of men all contributed. Many spectators remained to the end, delivering a unanimous guilty verdict.

Saturday 13 March 12 – 6pm All African Women’s Group – an afternoon of food and music. Crossroads Women’s Centre, 230a Kentish Town Rd (entrance Caversham Rd), London NW5 www.globalwomenstrike.net.
Phone 0207482 2496