Since our demonstration at CAT headquarters last April, the United Nations, Amnesty International, and now Human Rights Watch have all called on Caterpillar specifically to halt sales to the IDF.
The Presbyterian Church has begun a divestment campaign specifically citing Caterpillar, with a strong possibility that the Anglican church will follow.
Momentum for the campaign has grown, and it's time to get together in Chicago and plan further actions for the campaign, including another "Day of action" against CAT.

The meeting will be held on Saturday, November 20th from 1:00-3:00 at the New World Resource Center, 1300 N. Western Avenue, Chicago.

Please send proposed agenda items to matt (at) stopcat.org by Wednesday, November 17th.

One agenda item that groups need to consider before the meeting is the possible date and location for the national day of action.

Possible types of action are:

1) A national mobilization on CAT headquarters in Peoria, Illinois.

2) A national mobilization on the CAT shareholder meeting in Chicago.

3) Nationally-coordinated local actions at Caterpillar dealerships and CAT board member offices.

Possible dates for actions are:

1) Wednesday, April 6, 2005 or Friday April 8 -- This is one week before Caterpillar's annual shareholder meeting, where three groups, two Catholic and one Jewish, are sponsoring a shareholder resolution to investigate sales of bulldozers to Israel.

2) Wednesday, April 13, 2005 -- This is the date of the Caterpillar shareholder meeting in Chicago, IL.

3) Wednesday, March 16, 2005 -- This is the third anniversary of the death of Rachel Corrie.

4) Tuesday, March 22, 2005 -- This is the 26th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 446, which noted the illegality of Israeli settlements, and may be a good link to Caterpillar.


Hope to see you there.