Jan Tamáš

The Nonviolence Movement Wants To Talk To Obama

Newly elected US President Barak Obama’s visit to Prague is scheduled on April 5, 2009. Activists of the Nonviolence Movement, Czech public organization formed in December 2007 as an initiative of nonviolent opposing the US anti-missile military base installation in the Czech Republic, have their own schedule for the day of high visit.

The Movement has an intention to organize a number of public events dedicated to Mr. Obama’s visit. Besides, its activists have made an official request for a meeting with the US President or his representative in order to voice them their opinion. As Jan Bednar, one of the movement’s founder put it: „We want Mr. Obama to know… that foreign troops are not welcome here.“

The Movement’s leader Jan Tamáš said to the press: “We want Mr. Obama to know that even though our government may tell him that they welcome the Missile Defense project, 70% of Czechs disagree with them: we do not want any foreign military bases on our territory… We have collected more than 140,000 signatures of people who say NO to the planned Star Wars base in the Czech Republic.“

Initially the Nonviolence Movement existed as a group of Czech humanists supporting nuclear disarmament and diplomatic rather than military ways of solving international problems. Since its formation in 2007 it strongly opposes the government plans to place US missile radars into Czech territory. In May 2008 Jan Tamáš and Jan Bednar, the Movement’s founders, went on a hunger strike, which gained wider recognition to the Movement. The organization also has been holding international conferences dedicated to disarmament and the US Missile Defense.

Photo: Jan Tamáš, by Dezidor (wikimedia.org)

Date: 17/03/2009