Declaration «Peace yes! NATO no!»
Campanha on November 24th, 2010, under Yes to Peace!

The organisations of the Campaign «Peace yes! NATO no!» and the men and women taking part in the Demonstration « Peace yes! NATO no!» declare:
- NATO is an aggressive military alliance which presently represents the greatest threat to international peace and security,
- NATO, bent on crushing the rights of the people, violating national sovereignties and undermining international law, holds the world hostage to the arms race, the threat of a nuclear war and terror,
- NATO is responsible for heinous crimes, for ending innumerable human lives, for the destruction of countries and resources,
- While thousands of human beings die of hunger and preventable diseases and with the excuse of the crisis and combat against the deficit attack the living conditions and rights of the workers, military spending keeps on growing – the military budgets of the NATO member countries together represent around 70% of the world’s military spending,
- Those mainly responsible for the worsening of the economic and social situation at the national and international level are the same who promote the arms race, the militarization of international relations and war,
- Portugal, a founding member of NATO through the hands of the fascist regime, has for more than 60 years bowed before this bellicist alliance and the interests of the US and great powers of the European Union,
- The commitment of the Portuguese authorities clashes with the fundamental principles of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and the United Nations Charter, of which Portugal is a signatory, such as: sovereignty, independence, non-interference, non-aggression, peaceful resolution of conflicts, equality among States; abolition of imperialism, of colonialism and other forms of aggression, domination and exploitation; disarmament, dissolution of political and military blocs;
- Following the line of the previous ones, the present Portuguese government imposes new and increasing sacrifices on the workers and spends millions of Euros to adapt the Portuguese armed forces to NATO’s demands and sends Portuguese soldiers to serve their aggressions,
- The defence of peace and the struggle against war is an integral part and necessary condition to ensure the progress and social justice of the peoples,
- It was with the April Revolution that the workers and the Portuguese people conquered fundamental rights, such as the end of the colonial war and the beginning and establishment of relations of peace, cooperation and friendship with all the peoples of the world,
- The Constitution that established peace and defends, for example, that «All have the right to work» that «All have the right to social security», that «All have the right to healthcare», that «All have the right to housing», that «All have the right to education and culture», is the Constitution that could not leave out that all people are sovereign and have the right to decide their present and future,
- The conquest of peace by the Portuguese people is linked to the struggle for better living conditions for the Portuguese workers,
- It is because of this awareness that we salute the great General Strike called by CGTP-IN for November 24 and invite all Portuguese men and women workers to follow it,
- Valuing the several initiatives, the wide participation and the great experience of unity represented by the Campaign in defence of peace and against the NATO Summit in Portugal – the Campaign «Peace yes” NATO no!», assume the commitment to continue to strengthen the peace and anti-imperialist movement, persisting in an active intervention for:
- Opposition to NATO and its bellicist goals;
- Withdrawal of Portuguese forces involved in NATO’s military missions;
- An end to foreign military bases and NATO’s installations on national soil;
- Dissolution of NATO;
- Disarmament and the end of nuclear and mass destruction weapons;
- Demand respect and compliance of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and the dispositions of the United Nations Charter, of international law and the sovereignty and equality of the peoples.
Lisbon, November 20, 2010.
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