Hopi constitution
as agreed at our launch conference on December 8 2007
1. Aims
1:1 Hands Off the People of Iran (Hopi) is an anti-war campaign in solidarity with the Iranian people. It fights against the threat of military attacks, economic sanctions or any other imperialist intervention in Iran. Hopi is in active, practical solidarity with the grass-roots progressive and democratic forces in Iran that are struggling against the Islamic regime – the militant women’s, workers and students movements.
2. Affiliates and members
2:1 Hopi invites all organisations who accept our aims to join us in this fight and affiliate to the campaign:
- local organisation £25
- small national/regional organisation £50
- large national/regional organisation £100
2:2 Hopi also encourages individuals to become members of the campaign:
- £10 waged, £5 unwaged
2:3 Hopi aspires to build a national network of autonomous, self-activated branches that can respond quickly to international political developments.
3. Conferences and meetings
3:1 The steering committee must call an annual HOPI conference with a minimum of one month’s notice; emergency conferences require one week’s notice. Alternatively a conference can be called at the request of a minimum of 25% of the membership.
3:2 All properly convened HOPI conferences can decide by a simple majority to:
- amend the constitution
- amend the ‘founding statement’
- adopt new policies or motions
- support other campaigns
- elect or recall the steering committee as a whole
- elect individual members onto the steering committee or recall individuals from it
3:3 All individual Hopi members and affiliated organisations have one vote at all Hopi conferences and membership meetings.
4. Steering committee
4:1 The Hopi founding conference shall directly elect a recallable steering committee.
4:2 All affiliated organisations have the right to send a representative with full speaking rights to steering committee meetings.
4:3 The steering committee has the right to co-opt individuals and representatives of affiliates as full voting members. These voting additions to the steering committee must be subsequently ratified by the Hopi conference.
4:4 This committee (made of up the directly elected persons, voting and non-voting affiliates) shall decide amongst itself how to divide up the work of the campaign, though as a minimum the following posts should be considered: secretary, chair, press officer, treasurer.
4:5 Meetings of the steering committee shall be advertised in advance, are open to observers (who are members of Hopi) and its minutes shall be circulated to all affiliates and supporters, as well as published on the website. The committee should aim to meet every six weeks as a minimum.
4:6 Subject to security considerations, Hopi will publish its annual accounts and make these publicly available via its website.
4:7 Amongst the responsibilities of the SC are: steering HOPI, taking political decisions on behalf of HOPI in consultation with the members whenever possible, devising a timed workplan for HOPI’s campaigns and activities, broadening the support base of HOPI, organising gatherings, rallies, demonstrations, seminars and conferences, preparing leaflets and other publicity material for the Campaign, planning and organising the AGMs, organisation and collection of affiliation fees and financial supports.