#304

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND
NEWSLETTER No. 304, October 16, 2009

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"EXPLOSIVE EXPRESSION"- CREATIVE RESISTANCE TO THE STATE TERROR RAIDS OF OCTOBER ’07. "ART EXHIBITION AND AUCTION."
Art Auction 7pm, Saturday 17 October, Thistle Hall, Wellington – or bid online at www.October15thSolidarity.info/artauction We encourage you to check out the awesome art works. The ‘Operation 8’ raids on houses in Te Urewera and around Aotearoa targeted indigenous rights, environmental, anti-war and union activists. 18 people still face politically motivated charges. Funds raised will support those affected by the raids. If you are in Wellington, we invite you to share in a week of events commemorating the 2007 ‘terror’ raids:
Tuesday 13 Oct, 6pm: Exhibition Opening with Tame Iti at Thistle Hall Gallery
Wednesday 14 Oct, 7.30pm: A celebration of musical resistance featuring the works of Urs Signer, composer, clarinetist and Operation 8 defendant with others at the Adam Concert Rooms, Victoria University Wellington
Thursday 15 Oct, 7pm: Film Screening of ‘Tuhoe: a history of resistance’ and short films about the October 15th raids at the New Zealand Film Archive, 7pm
Friday 16 Oct, 6pm: Meet the artists and hear about their creative resistance at Thistle Hall
Saturday 17 Oct, 12-4pm: Political screen-printing workshop for youth at Aro Valley Community Hall sponsored by a Creative Communities grant
Saturday 17 Oct, 7pm: AUCTION NIGHT with food, drinks, and all of these amazing works for sale
Sunday 18 October, 1-5pm: Documenting our communities workshop with local filmmakers at Aro Valley Community Hall sponsored by a Creative Communities grant
Featuring: James Robinson | Ngahina Hohaia | Fiona Jack | Louise Menzies | Brett Graham | Shane Hammond | Manu Berry | Graham Jury | Tame Iti | Arlo Edwards | Freeman White | Greg Curline | Kate Logan | Marama Mayrick | Chaz Doherty | Sarah Watson | Rouge Merlot | Chris Schmelz | Rua Pick | Jared Davidson | Lilia Letsch | Mihihea Davies | Rayna Fahey | Roger Morris | Kate Vander Drift | Martin Sullivan | Bryce Galloway | Anna-Claire Hunter | Kahu Scott | Iris Tuiono | Vanessa Cameron-Lewis | Clare Havell | Terri TeTai | Isabelle Gauthier | Challen Wilson | Belle Murphy | Chanz Mikaere | Heleyni Pratley | Gil Hanley | Tao Wells | Reuben Moss | Charlotte Graham | Grant McDonagh | Mark Jerkovich
Youtube video for the up coming Explosive Expression Art Exhibition & Auction in support of the the people affected by the 2007 raids. Spread far and wide! Kind regards, Francie, Explosive Expression, October 15th Solidarity.

Friday, October 30, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, Aotea Square, Queen Street, Auckland CBD
Halloween Trick or Treat – Protest March for $15 hr Living Wage – On the night before Halloween join the PROTEST MARCH FOR $15HR LIVING WAGE in Aotea Square at 7pm followed by a Halloween party at a secret location. Wear a Halloween costume and be part of a protest with a difference. On Friday 30 October round up your friends and workmates and head into the city for the world’s biggest Trick or Treat. “John Key, trick or treat? Will the minimum wage in 2010 be a trick or a treat?”

WHAT’S ON IN AUCKLAND

Friday, October 16, 12-2pm, Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn
Choice! Why we need Country of Origin Labelling on fresh foods – Come along to a public discussion with consumers, growers and farmers Free event. Friday 16 October (World Food Day). Speakers •Gareth Morgan – Economist; •Allison Roe – World Champion Athlete; •Sue Chetwin – Chief Executive, Consumer NZ; •Sue Kedgley – Green Party MP; •Tony Ivicevich – HortNZ Board Member and tomato grower; •Mark Fort – Nashi pear grower; •Sam McIvor – Chief Executive, Pork NZ; •Max Purnell – Dry stock farmer.

Saturday, October 17, 12 noon, Auckland Central Remand and Mt Eden Prisons, 1 Lauder Road, Mt Eden
Auckland Central Remand and Mt Eden Prisons Campaign Rally Against Prison Privatisation. WE NEED YOU THERE!!! Stop the Cell off is a campaign organised by the Corrections Association of NZ – a union for staff who work in prisons. Organised by the Stop the Cell off Campaign http://www.stopthecelloff.co.nz/index.htm

Saturday, October 17, 3pm, Mt Albert War Memorial Hall, 775 New North Road, Mt Albert, Auckland
AUCKLAND HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK FORUM – IMPRISONMENT AND IMPUNITY IN SRI LANKA HUMAN RIGHTS IGNORED. There will be a panel of speakers, a film and discussion, and food stalls. For more information contact Joan Macdonald joanmac ph 360 8001 or Nirupa George vyjp.info This function is being held for United Nations Day 24 October and supported by the Human Rights Commission

Monday, October 19, 12:00pm – 2:00pm, Meet at 12pm, Albert Park band rotunda, CBD
Stop Funding Cuts To ACC Sexual Abuse Counseling. WELLINGTON: Meet at 12.30pm, Cenotaph. CHRISTCHURCH: Meet at 12.30pm, Speakers Corner, Cathedral Square (beside Chess Board). DUNEDIN: Meet at 3pm, ACC offices (Corner Maclaggan & Clark Streets)

Tuesday, October 20, 6.30pm, Webbs Auction House, 18 Manukau Rd, Newmarket
"Artists for Tsunami Relief" – "Art Auction" – Fundraiser – To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below: http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=144888007980&mid=1377ac9G227fb72bG2e7182eG7

Saturday, October 24, 10am-4pm, Engineering Building, Room 1.439, University of Auckland
350-MINUTE FILM MARATHON – Featuring – The Greening of Southie; – Sisters on the Planet; – Lessons from a Melting Icecap; – Home; – and more…. On the 350 Day of Action, 350 minutes worth of inspiring, thoughtprovoking digital media, ranging from documentaries and films to short clips will be screened. The film marathon will be free and open to public, hoping to achieve the following goals:
• Increase awareness in public and community about climate change and sustainable living.
• Emphasise on grassroot participation on issues about climate change to shake/force the government/authority to take drastic actions in their roles in combating climate change. – leading up to the Copenhagen meeting in December in Denmark.
• Shake up/educate/inform the public with the consequences of climate change towards the well-being of humanity and the earth. – current policies arenot working, more drastic ACTIONS need to be taken. – leading to COP15.
• Encourage NZ-ers to take action/ play their own part in sustainableliving and fight against climate change with short clips of people all aroundthe world taking action in their own ways.
• Provide a platform for concerned/newly-informed community tonetwork/discuss about ideas and issues regarding the well-being of theearth.
Refreshments will be provided throughout the screening period. To find outmore, go on to http://www.350.org/o24/action/5180

Tuesday, October 27, 7pmVenue: Lecture theatre 404, Engineeringbldg, Symonds Street, Auckland University
Come to a seminar on: New Zealand, the palm industry and rainforest destructionDevastated rainforest and peatlands in Indonesia. Greenpeace / Oka Budhi.Your chance to learn about the campaign to stop imports from palm industry andprotect the old growth forests and people of Indonesia and West Papua. Hear:Simon Boxer – Greenpeace senior climate campaigner; Max Purnell – Independentfarmer who accompanied Greenpeace to Indonesia to assess the impact ofFontera’s palm kernel imports; Catherine Delahunty – Green Party MP,sponsor of the new bill to combat deforestation; Maire Leadbeater – IndonesiaHuman Rights Committee and ‘Don’t buy kwila campaign’.Sponsored by: Greenpeace, 11 Akiraho St, Mt Eden Phone 630-6317 and IndonesiaHuman Rights Committee email: maire@clear.net.nz

Wednesday, October 28, 6.30pm, Maidment Theatre, Alfred St,University of Auckland
Annual Bruce Jesson Lecture to be given by Robert Wade, Professor of PoliticalEconomy, London School of Economics. "How to stop the money men from takingover the world – (or, when will we face another September 2008)?" Taking offfrom Bruce Jesson’s ‘Only Their Purpose is Mad: ‘The moneymen take over NZ’, Robert Wade discusses several reforms of theinternational monetary and financial system aimed at stabilising globalfinancial markets and curbing the power of the financial sector. Afterconsidering the easy part — ‘what should be done’ — he goes on todiscuss ‘what can be done’, nationally, regionally and globally.Professor Robert Wade is one of the world’s most prominent independentthinkers about the contemporary challenges facing the global economy. Asprofessor of political economy at the London School of Economics, Wade espousesa heterdox approach to economics in contrast to the prevailing neoliberal /neoclassical paradigm. As an expatriate New Zealander he has continued tocontribute to discussions on New Zealand’s economic direction, includingin the context of the global economic crisis.The Maidment bar will open at5.30pm. Supported by The University of Auckland Award for DistinguishedVisitors and the Bruce Jesson Foundation

Friday, October 30, 6pm, The Women’s Bookshop, 105 PonsonbyRd, Auckland
Canterbury University Pressand The Women’s Bookshop invite you tocelebrate the publication of Looking for Answers A LIFE OF ELSIE LOCKE byMaureen Birchfield

Friday, October 30, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, Aotea Square, Queen Street,Auckland CBD
Halloween Trick or Treat – Protest March for $15 hr Living Wage – On the nightbefore Halloween join the PROTEST MARCH FOR $15HR LIVING WAGE in Aotea Squareat 7pm followed by a Halloween party at a secret location. Wear a Halloweencostume and be part of a protest with a difference. On Friday 30 October roundup your friends and workmates and head into the city for the world’sbiggest Trick or Treat. “John Key, trick or treat? Will the minimum wagein 2010 be a trick or a treat?”

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SOLIDARITY APPEAL – OPPOSE THE TRESPASS ORDERS AT VICTORIAUNIVERSITY
Workers Party activists Heleyni Pratley and Joel Cosgrove have beentrespassed from Victoria University for two years for participating in astudent protest against University fee rises, some of them being over 90%. Thestudent action was similar to fee-setting protests of the last few years; asmall group in the Hunter building chamber holding signs and interjectingspeakers. At this year’s protest Joel, the 2008 student president, threwa solitary egg which did not hit anyone. Heleyni threw nothing and, instead,stood prominently holding a Workers Party banner calling for “freeeducation from kindergarten to PhD”. They and other activists cleaned upthe eggshells before peacefully leaving the premises.

Joel has been trespassed for throwing an egg, which he cleaned upafterwards. Heleyni has been trespassed for nothing other than speaking hermind. She is being publicly attacked by the university for exercising herdemocratic right to protest and express free speech. She is being punished tomake an example to anybody else, student or otherwise, who is consideringstanding up to an increasingly repressive university administration atVictoria. Joel was initially trespassed over the phone by a man named Darryl,who refused to give his last name or any way of verifying his statement,although he later received trespass notices twice in his mail box.

Heleyni was met at her door by two men sent by the university, who demandedto know where Joel was. When asked to leave, the two attempted to physicallyforce their way into the property, against Heleyni’s repeated requestsfor them to go, causing her to feel so threatened that she felt she had to slamthe door shut and lock it to protect herself from the threat of violence. Whilethis was happening they were yelling through the door in an abusive, aggressivemanner that as she was Joel’s girlfriend she was also trespassed.Escaping in a friend’s car, Heleyni was shadowed for some time by the twomen who followed her in a large, black SUV.

There is a clear pattern emerging of Victoria Universityadministration’s opposition to basic democracy and free speech on campusand also political targeting of particular activists. Earlier this year, forinstance, Workers Party activist Ian Anderson was expelled for filming ananti-war protest on campus. Last trimester, the Greens were banned for atrimester for setting up a petition stall in the university quad without theexpress permission of the university authorities! This extreme intolerance byuniversity authorities of minimal student protest is unreasonable andunhealthy. It needs to be resisted and halted. Please join us in calling forthe immediate lifting of all trespasses by Victoria University and an end toharassment of all activists.

We’re asking for a practical hand of solidarity to be extended. Pleasediscuss this issue in your organization, move a motion of solidarity, make apress statement, write to the Victoria Vice Chancellor and sign your personalagreement to the demand for the lifting of the trespass orders. (PTO.)

Statement: "I/we call on Victoria University to life the trespass notices onHeleyni Pratley and Joel Cosgrove." Send your support to wpnz@clear.net.nz

350 REASONS TO OPPOSED CARBON TRADING–HERE’S HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Dear Friends– 350 Reasons to oppose carbon trading isn’t a singleevent, it’s an ongoing process to find just and equitable solutions to climatechange without compromising on false solutions. Here’s how to get involved:Rising Tide North America is pleased to announce the commencement of a short,marathon effort to create a list of 350 reasons to oppose carbon trading, aspart of the http://www.facebook.com/l/5d047;www.350.orgday of action. The idea is that this project can be used to push the envelopewithin the climate movement to go beyond numerical targets to include a focuson root causes and exposing false solutions, with the central point thatreaching 350ppm will be all but impossible if carbon trading is our strategyfor doing so. We are enthusiastic about this project, but we CAN NOT do itwithout help! The quickest way to help is simply to submit reasons to include -you can do this via our webform at http://www.350reasons.org Also greatwould be forwarding this to any friends and colleagues, reposting it towebsites, etc. (we have more ways to help below.)

How will this be used?
1.In a video for a new websitehttp://www.facebook.com/l/5d047;www.350reasons.org, that we will try to getwidely distributed.
2.Stickers, a pamphlet featuring the top 35 reasons, and possibly a t-shirtdesign and posters (for media stunts and visibility at 350 events).
3.A complete online listing of the 350 reasons.
And we’ll be publicizing all this in mainstream and alternative media outlets,hopefully to an international audience.

"Ahem, isn’t 350 a LOT to come up with in less than 3 weeks?"
Well, yes. But our plan is that there will be some more detailsreasons, but many (say 250 to 300) will be very short. (Think 50 coal plantsthat will be grandfathered in by the US climate legislation, 50 bad offsetprojects, 20 nuclear waste sites that will expand with the nuclear incentivespromoted by carbon trading, 10 problems with agrofuels and biomass promoted bycarbon offsets.) All entries could be tied to a submitting organization /individual who can be credited with the entry, and any group who wants tocollaborate / co-sponsor (help with outreach, web development, media, design)could do so as well. Rising Tide – as a 100% volunteer run organization– is not going to be able to pull this off alone. We need your help withthis! Spread the word, add a reason or 20, or contact falsesolutions@risingtidenorthamerica.orgif you want to get involved with publicity or help us do research, gatherimages, etc. etc.!

SUPPORT THE LOCKED OUT OCC WORKERS
This is what a lockout looks like: http://www.iuf.org/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&ID=6209&view_records=1&ww=1&en=1
Collections of money and or non perishable food items and food vouchers areneeded to enable the 36 workers to succeed in keeping Talley’s "low road" modelout of the dairy industry. -Monetary donations can be banked direct to"Solidarity Fund" Bank of New Zealand – #02 0320 0082084 026 – Supermarketvouchers (Countdown is the closest supermarket). Food iterms can also bedropped at the Hamilton Trade Union Centre 34 Harwood St. – The picket islocated outside the Open Country Cheese plant at Waharoa just north of Matamataon the main Auckland to Rotorua/Tauranga highway (27). Please contact MarkApiata Wade (021 939 634) prior to visiting to ensure timing of visit. OpenCountry Cheese Update http://www.nzdwu.org.nz/
IUF online campaign against Open Country is now live. Go to http://www.iuf.org/ To send a message to Open CountryCheese go to http://www.iuf.org/cgi-bin/campaigns/show_campaign.cgi?c=433

PHILIPPINES DISASTER RELIEF APPEAL
The media is currently full of horrific images of the catastrophic impact onthe Philippines of a fortnight of typhoons and floods. Hundreds have beenkilled; hundreds of thousands are homeless; millions are affected. The firsttyphoon, Ondoy, dropped a month’s rain on Metro Manila in 12 hours– 80% of the huge metropolis was flooded, up to six metres deep inplaces. Immediately afterwards, typhoon Pepeng hammered the Cordillera regionof northern Luzon (the main island, on which Metro Manila is located). Wholecities have been cut off by the resultant floods and killer landslides, leftwithout food or water. Typhoons and floods are part of the normal weatherpattern in the Philippines but these past couple of weeks has been somethingelse again. The impact is exacerbated by a Government that is criminallynegligent when it comes to any kind of preparation for these entirelypredictable disasters. The causes include: corruption, inefficiency, a lack ofplanning and preparedeness, shoddy construction, building on a flood plain,illegal logging removing the forests that would stop the mudslides, a lack ofany maintenance or garbage collection to prevent the stormwater drainage canalsbecoming blocked, and a grossly unequal society that sees the rich condemningthe poor to fend for themselves when disaster strikes time and again (but thishuge flood in Metro Manila got the attention of the rich because some of theirgated communities got flooded as well).

The Philippines Solidarity Network of Aotearoa (PSNA) has no track record indisaster relief or even fundraising for it. That’s not what we were setup to do. But this recent disaster (taking the whole fortnight, and counting,of storms, floods, etc as one continuous event) strikes us as being worse thanany other Philippine disasters – natural or manmade – for manyyears. Accordingly, we have made our first ever donation for Philippinesdisaster relief. We donated $500 to the Philippines appeal set up by ChristianWorld Service (the development, justice and aid agency of New Zealand churches,with its national office in Christchurch). CWS has been a longstanding trustedpartner of PSNA for years in many of our Philippine projects, and internationaldisaster relief and development aid follow up has been part of its core workfor decades. CWS has agreed to our request to earmark our donation, and anysubsequent money that it receives via PSNA, for the urgent appeal fromKarapatan, the Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights, a group with whomboth PSNA and CWS have a working relationship. They need the money to help poorcommunities who are already reeling from the impact of systematic human rightsviolations. We invite our members and supporters to match our donation. Send itto us and we will forward it to CWS in one lump sum, earmarked for Karapatan.

Please make cheques payable to PSNA, Box 2450, Christchurch, with anaccompanying note saying “Disaster Relief”. Upon request, we willsupply our bank account details for direct deposits, please accompany them withthe words “Disaster Relief”. Murray Horton, Secretary, PSNA,Philippines Solidarity Network of Aotearoa, Box 2450, Christchurch, NewZealand. cafcawww.converge.org.nz/psna

100,000 AUCKLANDERS AGAINST CHANGING FREE PARKING FROM 6PM TO10PM
Ok, The Auckland City Council is simply retarded. First they want toremove all the billboards in the City, now they’re going to make taxpayers payfor 4 more hours of parking. There are no other explanations except they havemarshmallows for brains. Join this group and make them realise how retardedthey are! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134009343026Recent news: http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/blog/your-views/2009/9/4/will-new-parking-charges-kill-cbd-night/?c_id=1501154

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE TELECOM WORKERS
How can I help? You can: – Call 0900 STAND TALL to make a $10 donationto the support fund.
– Make a donation at any BNZ branch or by online transfer to this account:02-0568-0177685-00, Reference: Telco
– Start fundraising on your site for more information call 0800 1 UNION.
– Email Telecom CEO Paul Reynolds (the $5 million dollar man) at paul.reynolds@telecom.co.nz totell him to get Visionstream to come to the table.
– Show your support by ringing talkback, talking to your friends and workmatesand writing letters to the editor about this dispute and what it means for Kiwiworkers. For more information you can visit the campaign site here http://www.epmu.org.nz/telecom

HAMMER THE POKIES: MORE HAMMERS NEEDED!
Thanks for the positive responses to the appeal for people to join thecampaign. We won’t be calling for action in the short term as we need to buildnumbers much higher. This campaign aims to enlist a minimum of 200 hammers(with people attached!) and take civil disobedience action to drive pokiemachines out of our neighbourhood communities. 80% of the cases of gamblingaddiction relate to pokie machines in the community (aside from casinos) Theseare parasites on poverty and predominate in low-income areas of the country.They have to go. If you are prepared to join a crowd (min 200) and take civildisobedience action against pokie machines then please email John Minto jbminto@xtra.co.nz or Phone 8463173.

INVITATION TO JOIN MARCH ON GAZA, JA/1/2010. GAZA SHALL NOTDIE
Imagine hundreds of thousands of peaceful international and Palestinianmarchers, led by Noam Chomsky, Ralph Nader, Diana Buttu, Norman Finkelstein,Noami Klein, Arun Gandhi, George Galloway, and other prominent opponents of thesiege. Imagine them, approaching the Erez crossing under the eyes of theinternational media, breaking the siege for once and for all. This is the GazaFreedom March! The Gaza Freedom March Campaign plans to take thousands ofinternational marchers to Gaza on Jan. 1, 2010, and challenge once and for allthe Israeli blockade at the Erez crossing. Go with them, or support someoneelse who’s willing to go. Events to raise money to help enable people to go onthe March in Gaza are planned throughout the Fall. This group has many sistergroups, to enable each group to have a local focus for organizing, and to avoidexceeding Facebook’s limit of 5000 for messaging group members. Please join theappropriate campaign group which is best targeted to your locale. All FB groupswill be updated with the latest information. Please invite all your friends tothis or the appropriate other FaceBook group. This Campaign needs the supportof hundreds of thousands around the world! http://gazafreedommarch.org/article.php?id=5063International Movement to Open Rafah Border intmorb@googlemail.com

CALLING ALL NEW ZEALANDERS: JOIN THE NEXT SOLIDARITY BRIGADE TOVENEZUELA! DECEMBER 1-9, 2009
Organised by the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network.Venezuela’s Bolivarian revolution led by President Hugo Chavez is shakingup global politics and inspiring millions of ordinary people with the evidencethat a better – a peaceful, democratic and socially just – world ispossible. The Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network-organised brigades toVenezuela are a unique opportunity to see an unfolding revolution first-hand.The AVSN warmly welcomes the participation of New Zealanders on the brigades.Participants in the December 1-9, 2009, brigade will visit worker-controlledfactories and cooperatives, free public education and health programs, andcommunity media outlets. They will observe “popular power” at workin communal councils, and speak to a range of grassroots organisations, unionsand government representatives about the radical changes being implemented bythe Venezuelan people. Brigade organisation and costs: The deadline forregistering for the December 2009 brigade to Venezuela is October 31, 2009.Participants will need to book their own international airfares, but thebrigade organisers can help with advice. Accommodation, transport and Englishtranslation within Venezuela will be organised for brigade participants. Youwill need to budget for a total cost of approximately $4000. This includes:international return airfare and taxes; accommodation (twin-share basis);transport and food in Venezuela; and the brigade registration fee ($500 forworkers, $300 for full-time students or pensioners). Reports and photos fromprevious AVSN brigades are posted at http://www.venezuelasolidarity.org.For more information, please email brigades@venezuelasolidarity.org

27TH SOUTHERN CROSS BRIGADE TO CUBA
"A better world is possible": The Cuban people have proven that thereis another way. ICAP (the Cuban Institute for Friendship between Peoples)provides, through its Brigades, the opportunity for people from all over theworld to experience and participate in the Cuban revolution.
What does the Brigade entail? Join the Southern Crosswork/study tour and support Cuba in the most direct manner by working (pickingfruit or pruning fruit trees, etc) and then visiting schools, hospitals, urbanagriculture projects, etc You will experience at first hand the cultural,political and social conditions in revolutionary Cuba. This year we will behaving a closer look at Cuba’s innovative approaches to the environmentand climate change. Children are welcome on this tour as are olderparticipants. Our Cuban hosts take great care of visitors of all ages. The mainfeatures of the Brigade include: * Talks on various aspects of conditions inCuba given by prominent Cuban speakers; * Working with Cubans; * Visits toplaces of interest (eg schools, hospitals, factories); * Opportunities toexplore Havana independently; * Visits to provincial centres;* Homestays andvisit to Las Tunas Province. Unbeatable value – $1000. (Includes: Allmeals, accommodation, excursions and transportation in Cuba during program).Not included: – Air travel to Cuba – get in early to book your flights! (Checkout Aerolineas for cheap flights. There are now also weekly flights withContinental from Los Angeles to Havana.) – Compulsory travel insurance. – Anyadditional nights stay in Cuba prior to commencement of the Brigade orfollowing the conclusion of the program (prior to the flight home). Inexpensiveaccommodation is available – opportunity for independent tourism.Contacts: NZ Paul Maunder (03) 732 4010 email wkcultur@ihug.co.nz; Ina Lawrence (09)303 1755 email inashinaAustralia Robert Cooper – National Coordinator of the 27th Southern CrossBrigade – 0408 624 629, email robert@conceptis.com.au or write toPO Box 6139 Kingston ACT 2604.

WAIHOPAI SPYBASE PROTEST JANUARY 22-24, 2010
The Waihopai spybase was dragged into the public spotlight inApril 2008 when three Ploughshares peace activists penetrated its high securityand deflated one of the two domes concealing its satellite dishes from the NZpublic. The Anti-Bases Campaign was happy to support this non-violent directaction anti-war activity (which is yet to come to trial). The public face ofNew Zealand’s role as an American ally is the NZ military presence inAfghanistan. But New Zealand’s most significant contribution to that, andother American wars, including the one in Iraq, is the Waihopai electronicintelligence gathering base, located in the Waihopai Valley, near Blenheim. Itis controlled by the US, with New Zealand (including Parliament and the PrimeMinister) having little or no idea what goes on there, let alone any control.Join us for the weekend of anti-war protest at this spybase. Come prepared forroughing it and camping out. We provide the food (we cater for vegetarians butvegans will have to bring their own). Bring sleeping bag, groundsheet, a tent,torch, water bottle, eating utensils, clothing for all weather, and $40 (or $20unwaged) to cover costs. No open fires. How to find our camp at Whites Bay:turn off SH1 at Tuamarina (9km north of Blenheim or 20 km south of Picton) anddrive to Rarangi on the coast. Follow the steep Port Underwood Road over thehilltop before descending to the Whites Bay turnoff. There is a DoC public campat the bay with basic facilities. ABC has to pay a fixed charge per head.
This will be the first Waihopai spybase protest since the Domebusters’courageous 2008 citizens’ deflation action. Waihopai does not operate inthe interests of New Zealanders or our neighbours. Basically it is a foreignspybase on NZ soil and directly involves us in America’s wars. Waihopaimust be closed. Register to take part in the protest ($40 waged / $20 unwaged).Writre to: CLOSE THE WAIHOPAI SPYBASE NOW! Organised by the Anti-BasesCampaign, P.O. Box 2258, Christchurch. E-mail cafca@chch.planet.org.nz http://www.converge.org.nz/abcMake all cheques to ABC

NOMINATIONS FOR 2009 ROGER AWARD
Nominations are now open for the 2009 Roger Award for the Worst TransnationalCorporation Operating in Aotearoa/New Zealand, which is organised the CampaignAgainst Foreign Control of Aotearoa and GATT Watchdog. You can download thenomination form (in either Word or PDF) from http://canterbury.cyberplace.co.nz/community/CAFCA/publications/Roger/index.htmlNominations close on October 31, 2009. Send your nomination to: The RogerAward, Box 2258, Christchurch; e-mail cafca@chch.planet.org.nz

JOIN ANTI-BASES CAMPAIGN IN SOLIDARITY WITH WAIHOPAI DOMEBUSTERSTRIAL STARTS MONDAY MARCH 8, WELLINGTON DISTRICT COURT

Monday March 8, 2010 has been set as the opening day for the WellingtonDistrict Court jury trial of the Waihopai Domebusters – Sam Land, AdrianLeason and Peter Murnane, the Ploughshares activists who deflated one of thedomes at the Waihopai spybase in April 2008. The trial has been set down for aweek (and may last several days longer). Anti-Bases Campaign urges all ourmembers and supporters, and everyone who believes that the Waihopai spybaseshould be closed, to come to Wellington to show active solidarity with theDomebusters. It was a Ploughshares action, not an ABC one and we were assurprised by it as the rest of the country, but it was an action that we fullyendorse, the perfect example of non-violent direct action. At this stage wehaven’t worked out the details of what we are going to do in Wellington,but we want to get the word out now, and we will release details as they cometo hand. Activities will, hopefully, include:
•Being spectators at the actual trial, being there in court to support thethree of them
•Holding a picket outside the Wellington District Court for at least partof the trial
•Holding a protest action at the nearby HQ of the NZ GovernmentCommunications Security Bureau (GCSB), the top secret agency which runsWaihopai
•Holding a public meeting in central Wellington one night of the trial todiscuss Waihopai and related issues
These are just some of the ideas that we already have. There are others –we would like to have our excellent Waihopai spybase display in Wellingtonduring the trial, if a venue can be arranged. And there are other worthytargets for pickets, such as the US Embassy. We need help from Wellingtonians.ABC is a Christchurch group and it is difficult to organise a range ofactivities like this from long distance. There are a number of things that canbest be done by locals. And we urge people from all around the country to joinus in Wellington from Monday March 8 to show active solidarity with theDomebusters. What these brave guys did had not only national, butinternational, significance. This trial could, quite literally, be a once in alifetime event. You will have to arrange and finance your own travel andaccommodation. Bring appropriate placards and banners. The trial is, of course,on weekdays and during work hours. And it’s worth noting that courthearings can be subject to delays at short notice. But we are proceeding on thebasis that the trial has been set to start on Monday March 8.
SEE YOU IN WELLINGTON MARCH 8, Murray Horton, Anti-Bases Campaign, Box 2258,Christchurch, New Zealand. cafca@chch.planet.org.nz http://www.converge.org.nz/abc

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always socertain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." BertrandRussell, philosopher, mathematician, author, Nobel laureate(1872-1970)

BEST ONTHE WEB

NEW ZEALAND

Helen Kelly: Private sector and ACC a bad mix http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10602074

Politicians fiddle while climate collapses http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/blogs/frontline/2866347/Politicians-fiddle-while-climate-collapses

Hide backs protester’s call for transparency http://www.nzherald.co.nz/super-auckland/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501110&objectid=10602660&ref=emailfriend

Recession heightening social inequity http://waatea.blogspot.com/2009/10/recession-heightening-social-inequity.html

Message To NZ Bus: Auckland Has Had Enough – Deliver The Services Or Go BackTo Wellington http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/message-nz-bus-auckland-has-had-enough-deliver-services-or-go-back-wellington/5/26927

John Minto on devastation in Samoa and South Africa http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2009/10/john-minto-on-devastation-in-samoa-and-south-africa/

Peace Activist appears in Court. http://indymedia.org.nz/article/77836/peace-activist-appears-court

Get behind the locked-out bus drivers http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/blogs/frontline/2954187/Get-behind-the-locked-out-bus-drivers

Matt McCarten: Bus lockout a cynical move by bosses http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10602479

Michael Laws and the charge of the anti PC brigade http://johnminto.org.nz/michael-laws-and-the-charge-of-the-anti-pc-brigade/

NZ agents join secret war in Afghanistan http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10596090

Duck In Cover: Campbell On ACC Changes (& RWC Bids) Amongst all thevarious changes that will be made to ACC entitlements, Green Party MP SueBradford is right to highlight the change to entitlements or seasonal or casualworkers – who will now receive support based on their annual earnings,and not on their income during the immediate period before they were injured.http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/10/15/gordon-campbell-on-the-rwc-resolution-acc-changes/#acc

World March for Peace Begins in Wellington http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL200910/S00030.htm

Infratil puts the boot into low-paid bus drivers http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0910/S00126.htm

Contaminated Sites: Greens Call For Clean-Up Funds The fact the public isfinally getting information about potentially contaminated sites is welcomed bythe Green Party, however the liability for who will pay for the clean-up needsto be addressed, Green Party Toxics spokesperson Catherine Delahunty saidtoday. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0910/S00125.htm

State Sector: Justice Staff Taking Industrial Action More than 1700 Ministryof Justice staff, who run the country’s courts and tribunals, are takingindustrial action from tomorrow. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0910/S00172.htm

FEATURES

The Levellers and the 1640s English Revolution http://links.org.au/node/1290

Stitching a Decent Wage Across Borders: The Asia Floor Wage Proposal http://www.cleanclothes.org/resources/recommended/stitching-a-decent-wage-across-borders-the-asia-floor-wage-proposal

"The UN Has Failed" D’Escoto: By Real News – Outgoing General Assembly prezsays most powerful are to blame for UN failure to address war and poverty. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23710.htm

Indigenous People Across Latin America Protest Spanish ‘Genocide’ – Tens ofthousands of indigenous people took to the streets across Latin America onMonday to protest the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s 1492 discovery ofthe Americas. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23718.htm

Where Is The Gold? Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress By Howard Zinn- Arawak men and women, naked, tawny, and full of wonder, emerged from theirvillages onto the island’s beaches and swam out to get a closer look at thestrange big boat. When Columbus and his sailors came ashore, carrying swords,speaking oddly, the Arawaks ran to greet them, brought them food, water, gifts.He later wrote of this in his log: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23714.htm

FOOD, FARMING AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Hugo Blanco: Indigenous people are the vanguard of the fight to save theearth http://www.socialistvoice.ca/?p=701

Four Degrees Of Devastation By Stephen Leahy – The prospect of a four-degreeCelsius rise in global average temperatures in 50 years is alarming – but notalarmist, climate scientists now believe http://www.countercurrents.org/leahy101009.htm

Dirty Tricks and Toxic Waste in Ivory Coast – It is the biggest toxicdumping scandal of the 21st century, the type of environmental vandalism thatinternational treaties are supposed to prevent. Now Newsnight can reveal thetruth about the waste that was illegally tipped on Ivory Coast’s biggest city,Abidjan. A giant multinational is being sued in London’s High Court bythousands of Africans who claim they were injured as a result. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23715.htm

Millions Will Starve as Rich Nations Cut Food Aid Funding, Warns UN – Aidagencies fear global disaster. By John Vidal, in Bangkok – Tens of millions ofthe world’s poor will have their food rations cut or cancelled in the next fewweeks because rich countries have slashed aid funding. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23697.htm

AFGHANISTAN

Voices from Afghanistan: Afghan Women’s Activist Zoya Speaks Out on EightYears of Occupation – Zoya is a member of the radical underground organizationRAWA, the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan. She fledAfghanistan following the Soviet invasion but later returned to her country todocument life under Taliban rule. She has been an outspoken critic of the USand NATO invasion of Afghanistan. Listen/Watch/Read http://www.democracynow.org/2009/10/7/voices_from_afghanistan_afghan_womens_activist

"Return of the Warlords": Afghan Elections Marred by Fraud, WarlordDominance – Eight years after US and NATO forces toppled the Taliban,Afghanistan held its second major elections since 2001. But far from being asymbol of democracy, the August 20th elections have been marred by accusationsof fraud and concerns over President Hamid Karzai’s reliance on the support ofwarlords and suspected war criminals. We get a report from independentjournalist Rick Rowley of Big Noise Listen/Watch/Read http://www.democracynow.org/2009/10/7/return_of_the_warlords_afghan_elections

The Real Failure of the Afghan Election http://www.truthout.org/092209R

Return of the Warlords Video – People & Power takes a look at RashidDostum, Afghanistans most notorious warlord. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23689.htm

AUSTRALIA

‘The sun is Australia’s gloss’ – Gladstone: industrialparadise or company town? It’s a pretty port, using local coal andbauxite to produce aluminium for export to China. The sun still shines and thesea is turquoise, but the price of commodities has dropped, Rio is sheddingjobs and pollution is getting hard to ignore http://mondediplo.com/2009/10/12australia

BRAZIL

Workers Party of Brazil: The different strategies of the Latin American leftBy Valter Pomar, secretary of international relations, Workers’ Party(PT) of Brazil http://links.org.au/node/1292

CHINA

Rebiya Kadeer: Uighur Activist Discusses Her Cause After serving nearly sixyears in a Chinese prison for “providing secret information toforeigners” Kadeer was released in 2005 and relocated to the UnitedStates where she has been serving as U.S. leader for the World Uighur Congress.http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0910/S00144.htm

CUBA

Attorney Leonard Weinglass discusses the case of the Cuban Five withMitchell Cohen. Listen at http://links.org.au/node/1294

ECUADOR

Ecuador: Left Turn? http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/2150/1/

GERMANY

A New Germany? by Perry Andersen (NLR) http://www.newleftreview.org/?page=article&view=2778

HONDURAS

Poll: Wide Majority of Hondurans Oppose Coup d’Etat, Want Zelaya Backhttp://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/3511/poll-wide-majority-hondurans-oppose-coup-d%E2%80%99etat-want-zelaya-back

INDIA

Impact Of Peasant Suicides On Women By Ranjana Padhi http://www.countercurrents.org/padhi131009.htm

Caste In The Matrimonial Net By Neerja Dasani http://www.countercurrents.org/dasani131009.htm

More Inhuman Stories From Gujarat By Shabnam Hashmi http://www.countercurrents.org/hashmi101009.htm

PHILIPPINES

Climate Change, Poverty And ‘Natural’ Disasters By Ben Courtice- People in the Philippines are struggling to rebuild after Typhoon Ketsanacaused widespread flooding and landslides http://www.countercurrents.org/courtice131009.htm

SOUTH AFRICA

Democracy’s everyday death — the ANC’s coup in Kennedy Road; Shackdwellers: `Our movement is under attack!’ http://links.org.au/node/1293

THAILAND

Comparing the 1976 and 2006 coups http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=53540

UK

British have covered up hundreds of Iraqi casualties, ex-officer says: TheBritish military’s chain of command has instructed the country’s topinvestigators not to examine hundreds of incidents involving Iraqi deaths andserious injury, a former British military police officer told the BBC Sunday.http://snipurl.com/sh8h6

Blair Snubbed After Memorial for Iraq Dead By AFP – Former British primeminister Tony Blair was told he had "blood on his hands" by the father of adead soldier Friday, after a memorial for the fallen of the Iraq war in London.http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23677.htm

USA

Leonard Peltier and the Indian struggle for freedom http://www.isreview.org/issues/67/feat-peltier.shtml

War And Peace Prizes By Howard Zinn http://www.countercurrents.org/zinn101009.htm

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