WASHINGTON - February 5 -

WHAT: Social justice advocates will launch the Occupation Project, an eight week long campaign of nonviolent civil disobedience to end funding for the Iraq war. Concerned citizens all over the country will begin occupying their representatives office, pressuring them to end funding for the Iraq war.

Featured speakers at the Washington, D.C. launch include: Kathy Kelly (Executive Director of Voices for Creative Nonviolence and just returned from two months living and working with Iraqi refugees in Amman, Jordan); Gael Murphy (Co-founder of CODEPINK: Women for Peace, Steering Committee of United for Peace and Justice); Gordon Clark (Communications Director of Peace Action and Convener of National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance), Garett Reppenhagen (Chairman of the Board of Iraq Veterans Against the War) and Ellen Barfield (Board Member of Veterans for Peace).

Following the press event, campaign participants will commence the first Congressional office occupation of the national campaign at Senator McCain's office. Gael Murphy of CODEPINK states, "We are starting this campaign of 'extralegal lobbying'--nonviolent civil disobedience--at the offices of our Representatives and Senators who refuse to publicly pledge their vote against Bush’s request for an additional $100 billion for the war in Iraq."

"The U.S. war in Iraq has created a humanitarian catastrophe, with Iraqis forced to flee for safety to Jordan--only to be rejected and forgotten by the international community. We owe an obligation to Iraqis: to stop funding the war and to fully fund war reparations to Iraq so they might be able to rebuild their country after these past16 years of economic and military warfare," says Kathy Kelly, Co-Coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence and recently returned from Iraq.

WHERE: Press Conference Launch at the United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave NE, Washington, D.C. followed by additional press availability at the first Congressional office occupation of the national campaign at Senator McCain's office, SR 241.

WHEN: 1:00 p.m., Monday, February 5. Additional Press availability at 1:30pm at Sen. McCain's office Russell 241.

WHO: The Occupation Project is being organized by Voices for Creative Non-violence, CODEPINK, United for Peace & Justice, National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Peace Action affiliates, Gold Star Families for Peace and many local peace and justice groups. Local campaigns are being organized in 20+ states: New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Maine, Oregon, Alabama, Arizona, California, Washington and Alaska.

FURTHER INFORMATION: May be found in the Occupation Project section on the websites of Voices for Creative Nonviolence (www.vcnv.org) and of CODEPINK (www.codepinkalert.org)

###