Open letter

No to political censorship in the anti-war movement!

Click here to download this letter in PDF and RTF format

If you support this open letter (which we are hoping to publish in a range of leftwing newspapers and websites), reply to office@hopoi.info, stating your name, place of residence and any political positions you might hold. Please pass this on as widely as possible.

• Click here for our full political statement and a list of our supporters, amongst them Diane Abbott MP, John McDonnell MP, Harry Cohen MP, Naomi Klein, John Pilger, Ken Loach, Caroline Lucas MEP and Mark Steel.

"We, the undersigned, urge the officers of the Stop the War Coalition to reconsider their decision to reject the affiliation of Hands Off the People of Iran and Communists Students (one of Hopi’s affiliated organisations). Failing this, the decision of this sub-committee should be overturned by the next meeting of the Steering Group or at the next AGM on October 27.

Both organisations were told in identical emails by StWC chair Andrew Murray that their aims and campaigning priorities are "entirely hostile to the Coalition" (October 12). We believe this is very wrong. 

Hopi’s founding statement has two core elements. First, total and unconditional opposition to any imperialist military attack on Iran or sanctions.

Second, Hopi insists that at the same time we must be critical of the reactionary Ahmadinejad regime. It actively supports the struggles of the women’s, democratic and workers’ movements against their regime, is in daily contact with Iranian activists and organises fundraising events for workers in Iran, many of whom go without wages for many weeks.

Hopi is totally opposed to Bush-style regime change - and positively campaigns for democracy from below. If this makes us a ‘hostile’ organisation in the eyes of some StWC officials, then the Stop the War Coalition must re-assess its campaigning priorities."