Failure to Conform

Tim Keough was arrested by the Federal Protective Service in Springfield, Il for “failure to conform”

Springfield, IL - Several "Walk for Justice" members entered Senator Durbin’s Springfield office at 2:00 p.m. Thursday to relay their concerns and to ask that he denounce any U.S. military preparations and plans to attack the Iraqi city of Ramadi.

The siege on Ramadi mirrors past offensive tactics performed by the U.S. Military and Iraqi forces on other towns and cities such as the last assault on Fallujah in November 2004. A recent report from Ramadi submitted by the 1st Marine Division noted, "Marines live in houses, which have no electricity or running water" (Darkhorse Marines secure road to Ramadi). Running water, electricity and phone networks have been cut in many areas of Ramadi. Food and medical supplies are running low, and "municipal services have ground to a stop." (Megan K. Stack and Louise Roug, "Fear of Big Battle Panics Iraqi City", Los Angeles Times, 11 June)

The Walk members began their occupation of Durbin’s office by reciting the words of President Lincoln during the war against Mexico, which he denounced as unnecessary and unconstitutional:

"God of heaven has forgotten to defend the weak and innocent, and permitted the strong band of murderers and demons from hell to kill men, women, and children, and lay waste and pillage the land of the just."

Walk for Justice Members were told that they could quietly recite the names of the Iraqi and US Military dead until 4:45 p.m. Durbin called his office and talked to Diane Hughes of Springfield, a member of Pax Christi and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and was told that he would contact the Department of Defense and inquire about the offensive. Hughes urged the Senator to read recent reports and articles about the siege so that he might have more than one point of view regarding the offensive. Durbin replied that he would "gather as much information as possible" and "if it seemed appropriate" he would bring attention about the current situation in Ramadi to the Senate floor. Hughes reiterated that "innocent Iraqis are caught in the gun fire" and the humanitarian crisis due to a lack of basic services in Ramadi is growing.

Air strikes on several residential areas have picked up in the last week and an estimated 70% of residents have fled the city. (Yasin al-Dulaimi in Haditha and Daud Salman in Baghdad, "Ramadi: Mass Exodus Amid Rising Tensions", IWPR, 11 June)

Milan Rai, in a summary to a recent article on the situation in Ramadi, wrote:

"The impending US assault on Ramadi cannot begin to be justified until and unless it can be demonstrated that there are no other (less destructive) options. In the case of Fallujah, before the November 2004 onslaught, there were serious negotiating offers from insurgents and from political groups with connections to the insurgents - which were dismissed by the US. It has yet to be established that a US withdrawal from Ramadi, and negotiations with local figures, could not achieve the stated objectives of the assault."

Durbin’s staff eventually asked the Walk members to leave so that they could return to their normal work. Kathy Kelly and Tim Keough refused to leave and continued to recite and sing the names of the dead, and added that the situation amassing in Ramadi didn’t call for returning to normal, and that the list of names of the dead they read would only grow if we return to our normal work. Kelly then asked Durbin’s staff to join them.

Kathy Kelly is removed from Dick Durbin’s office in Springfield, IL and arrested by the Federal Protective Service after refusing to leave.

At approximately 4:00 p.m. the Federal Protective Service arrested Kelly and Keough. They were charged with "failure to conform."

After release, Keough remarked: "If arrest is all they can do to silence the voices of the deceased, which have perpetuated and continued because of our occupation in Iraq, then they should be prepared to hear the roar of peace many times from an infinite number of citizens within the coming days, weeks, and years to come, all in the name of peace."

Kelly added, "Senator Durbin has an unusual opportunity to insist that the United States must not use conventional weapons against a civilian population trapped inside of Ramadi, Iraq. He can help prevent the U.S. military from committing a war crime. His staff and he have a grave responsibility to raise their voices. They can’t say they had no idea. We’re glad they listened to us today. We hope they’ll read the articles available on www.vcnv.org and www.electroniciraq.net."