Call for a Drug War
Truce
With Peace Negotiations
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Preamble:
No civilized nation makes war on
its own citizens.
We, the People, did not declare war on our government, nor
do we wish to fight its Drug War. Hence, we now petition for
redress of grievances, as follows:
Whereas any just government
derives its authority from a respect of the People's
rights and powers; and
Whereas the government has resorted to unilateral
military force in the Drug War without making any good faith
effort to negotiate a peace settlement;
Therefore, We hereby call for a Drug War Truce
during which to engage our communities and governments in
peace negotiations, under the following terms:
Article 1: The United States shall withdraw from,
repudiate, or amend any and all international Treaties or
agreements limiting its ability to alter domestic drug
policy.
Article 2: No patient shall be prosecuted nor any
health care professional penalized for possession or use of
any mutually agreed upon medications.
Article 3: Drug policy shall henceforth protect
all fundamental rights, as described below:
1. Each person retains all their inalienable,
Constitutional, and Human Rights, without exception. No
drug regulation shall violate these Rights.
2. The benefit of the doubt shall always be given to
the accused and to any property or assets at risk. Courts
shall allow the accused to present directly to the jury
any defense based on these Rights, any explanation of
motive, or any mitigating circumstances, such as
religion, culture, or necessity.
3. No victim: no crime. The burden of proof and
corroboration in all proceedings shall lie with the
government. No secret witness nor paid testimony shall be
permitted in court, including that of any government
agent or informant who stands to materially gain through
the disposition of a drug case or forfeited property. No
civil asset forfeiture shall be levied against a family
home or legitimate means of commercial livelihood.
4. Issues of entrapment, government motive, and
official misconduct shall all be heard by the jury in any
drug case, civil or criminal. Government agents who
violate the law are fully accountable and shall be
prosecuted accordingly.
5. Mandatory minimum sentences undermine our system of
justice. The jury shall be informed of all penalties
attached to any offense before deliberating a verdict.
Courts shall have discretion to reduce penalties in the
interest of justice.
Article 4: We propose a Drug War Truce and call
for the immediate release of all non-violent and, aside from
drug charges involving adults only, law-abiding
citizens.
Article 5: No non-violent drug charges involving
adults only shall be enforced or prosecuted until all
parties have agreed to, and implemented, a drug policy based
on full respect for fundamental Rights and personal
responsibility.
Epilogue: We proclaim, "Give Drug Peace a
Chance."
Join Us!
Sign the Call for a Drug War Truce
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I ____________________________________
(Signature)
endorse the Drug War Truce with peace
negotiations:
Name:
Address:
City/State/Postal Code:
Phone/fax:
E-mail:
Print out, sign, fill in & mail to:
FCDA, PO Box 1716, El Cerrito, CA 94530. USA
Human Rights and the Drug
War
Background on The Drug
War Truce:
The Call for a Drug War Truce was
initiated by the Family Council on Drug Awareness in
June, 1995 as a petition for redress of grievances. It was
first read at the program "Give Drug Peace A Chance",
commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the
United Nations, which in its charter recognizes that
governments of the world must both respect and protect the
fundamental human rights of all people.
The Drug Peace Campaign has
pledged its support in gathering signatures and implementing
a negotiated end to the Drug War.
Structure of the The
Drug War Truce:
The Call for a Drug War Truce was
drafted by Chris Conrad with the input of many
people. It's specific terms are based on the UN Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
The General Assembly of the United
Nations proclaimed the UDHR on December l0, l948 as a global
response to the Nazi Holocaust. This document enumerates
certain rights for all people, encompassing a broad spectrum
of economic, social, cultural, political and civil
rights.
Its Preamble states that "The General
Assembly proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human
Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples
and all nations, to the end that every individual and every
organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in
mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote
respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive
measures, national and international, to secure their
universal and effective recognition and
observance."
While the UDHR is not directly
enforceable, many of its principles are included into
legally binding treaties, such as: International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment, and Convention on the Prevention
and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
A stated goal of international human
rights law is to achieve mutual tolerance. American drug
policy is designated as "zero
tolerance." This is an ominous
sign. Begun as a moralistic crusade against a segment of the
population who fall on the 'wrong side' of a somewhat
arbitrary delineation between illegal and legal drugs, the
Drug War has evolved into a huge, profit-driven industry
that thrives on the doctrine of zero tolerance.
UN Universal
Declaration of Human Rights
Preamble: Whereas recognition of the
inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of
all members of the human family is the foundation of the
freedom, justice and peace in the world. … Now,
therefore The General Assembly proclaims this Universal
Declaration of Human Rights
Article 29.2: In the exercise of his
rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such
limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose
of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and
freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of
morality, public order and the general welfare in a
democratic society.
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