GPJA #378 – OPERATION 8 SHOWINGS AROUND NZ

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER No. 378, June 9, 2011

OPERATION 8 SHOWING
The documentary ‘Operation 8: Deep in the Forest’ is now screening in movie theatres across the country.In October 2007, citing the Terrorism Suppression Act, police arrested 18 people in nationwide raids linked to alleged training camps in the Urewera mountain ranges, near the township of Ruatoki in eastern Bay of Plenty. The documentary Operation 8, by independent filmmakers Errol Wright and Abi King-Jones, premiered last month as part of the World Cinema Showcase and is now opening in cinemas around the country throughout May and June. It investigates how and why the raids took place, featuring interviews with academics and professionals versed in the case. Operation 8 was shot over three years and includes first-hand accounts from some of those arrested."The single most important New Zealand film in decades" – Crop Magazine. "Impassioned, balanced, entertaining and hugely important" Graeme Tuckett, Radio NZ, The Dominion Post. "Compelling, humane, intelligent… A film that every NZer ought to see" – David Larsen, The Listener.
Now Showing at:
Auckland, Rialto Newmarket – Sessiontimes and details here
Auckland, Academy Cinemas – Session times and details here
Waiheke Cinema – Session times and details here
Whakatane, Cinema 5 – Session times and details here
Rotorua, Basement Cinema – Session times and details here
Palmerston North, Te Manawa Gallery – Session times and details here
New Plymouth, The Arthouse Cinema – Session times and details here
Wellington, Paramount Theatre – Session times and details here
Petone, Lighthouse Cinema- Session times and details here
Motueka, The Gecko – Session times and details here
Dundein, Rialto Cinemas – Session times and details here
(links regularly updated with new session times, if the link is not found the session times are just updating). More screenings coming soon, check our website for details: www.cutcutcut.com Like us on Facebook!
WHAT’S ON

Monday, June 13, 7.30pm, The Peace Place, 22 Emily Place, Auckland City
Films at The Peace Place …exploring justice within governments: The Pentagon Papers, written by Jason Horwitch, Director: Rod Holcomb. 
Running Time: 95 minutes. 
Admission: by Koha / donation. (Please pass this notice to your friends, Parish, Mail List, Notice Board etc). The Pentagon Papers (2003): In the 70s, the brilliant, ambitious and hawkish Daniel Ellsberg (James Spader) aims to work in the Defense Department of the USA. His ambition destroys his marriage and he goes to Vietnam to fight. He meets Patricia Marx (Claire Forlani), the daughter of a wealthy manufacturer, and they have a brief affair. Back in the USA, working as analyst for the Rand Corporation he finds top-secret Defense Department documents showing that the American population was deceived about the Vietnam War by four successive governments. Facing a crisis of conscience, Ellsberg decides to expose the secret history of the war. He is supported by Patricia and his close friend Anthony Russo (Paul Giamatti). He hopes that the US public, its eyes opened, will force the government to end the war, but to do this he risks his career, his freedom and perhaps even his life. The Nixon government accuses him of treason. One reviewer: "Pentagon Papers" is a surprisingly good political film about the history of lies of the Vietnam War. The direction is excellent, the true story is very tense and the conclusion, with a statement by the real Daniel Ellsberg is fantastic

Saturday, June 18, 6pm, Mt Vic Crossways Community Center, Level 1/6 Roxburgh Street, Mount Victoria 6011, Wellington
Invitation to Celebrate Ernesto”Che” Guevara Anniversary. Snacks and drinks will be served. Sponsored by: Cuban Embassy to New Zealand, Che Vive Committee, Oye Latino and Cuba Friendship Society Aotearoa – New Zealand.

Sunday, June 19, 10.30am-3.30pm, Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre | 251 Massey Road
World Refugee Day 2011: Learn more about New Zealand’s refugee resettlement programme and refugee communities in New Zealand. Join us at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre to mark World Refugee Day and the 60th anniversary of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The event will feature cultural performances, displays and exhibitions on refugee history and resettlement, ethnic food and much more. or more information contact us on: 09 259 0152 or www.facebook.com/ImmigrationNewZealand

Monday, June 20, 2-5pm, St John’s Centre, Willis/Dixon Street cnr., Wellington
THE $8.95 WELFARE FORUM – ALTERNATIVE WELFARE WORKING GROUP – Mike O’Brien, Paul Dalziel, Sue Bradford, Wendi Wicks, Māmari Stephens, Kay Brereton. Concerned about the government Welfare Working Group recommendations? Can’t afford $895 (discount rate) to attend the Welfare and Social Sector Policy and Reform Conference? Mike O’Brien, Paul Dalziel and Kay Brereton are speaking at the Amora Hotel conference, and will be arriving at 3.30 to share with us what they have presented and heard at the main conference. Wendi Wicks, Māmari Stephens and Sue Bradford will speak at 2.00pm. People are welcome for some or all of the afternoon. Hope you may be able to spare some time to join us.

Tuesday, June 28, 6pm, St. John’s Conference Centre, cnr. Dixon & Willis Streets, Wellington
SELLING ACC: WORSENING WORKPLACE SAFETY – Speakers include: Hazel Armstrong (Spokesperson for the ACC Coalition), and Chris Hipkins [Labour spokesperson on ACC]. Organised by Unions Wellington [Local arm of the NZCTU] and supported by the Labour Regional Council. And on this subject, see the Listener editorial this week – " A bad time to change ACC " – http://www.listener.co.nz/commentary/editorial/acc-versus-private-insurance-worth-the-change/

Thursday, July 28, 7pm, WT1004 (AUT Tower Building, 2 Rutland St, 10th floor seminar room, next door to the new Pacific Media Centre office)
Papua New Guinea’s Tok Pisin language newspaper Wantok, founded in 1969, is one of the publishing icons of the South Pacific. Drawing on interviews with Fr Francis Mihalic and Bishop Leo Arkfeld made in the early 1990s, a manuscript history of the early days of the Wantok, written by Mihalic, and material drawn from the archives in the Society of the Divine Word’s mother house in Mt Hagen, Dr Philip Cass seeks to present a picture of a man who was at once a priest, a publisher, a propagandist, a linguist, a lecturer and often a cause of bewilderment to the very bishops whose work he was supposed to be doing. Dr Cass is head of postgraduate studies in the School of Communication Studies at Unitec. He is also a research associate of the Pacific Media Centre.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

ACTION NEEDED: THAI HUMAN-RIGHTS ACTIVIST ARRESTED AGAIN
We need your support to demand the immediate release of the well-known Thai human-rights activist and journalist Somyot Pruksakasemsuk. He was arrested on April 30 on charges of lèse majesté, or the crime of insulting the king. This charge can lead to a maximum of 15 years in prison and is criticised for being used to silence political opponents and human-rights activists.

Please take action here.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." – Jimi Hendrix

Heal The World

Make It A Better Place

For You And For Me

And The Entire Human Race

There Are People Dying

If You Care Enough

For The Living

Make A Better Place

For You And For Me

– Michael Jackson

So they collected the cripples, the wounded, the maimed

And they shipped us back home to Australia

The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane

Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla

And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay

I looked at the place where my legs used to be

And thank Christ there was nobody waiting for me

To grieve and to mourn and to pity

And the band played Waltzing Matilda

As they carried us down the gangway

But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared

Then turned all their faces away

And the band played Waltzing Mathilda – performed by the Pogues.

"Colorful demonstrations and weekend marches are vital but alone are not powerful enough to stop wars. Wars will be stopped only when soldiers refuse to fight, when workers refuse to load weapons onto ships and aircraft, when people boycott the economic outposts of Empire that are strung across the globe. " – Arundhati Roy (Public Power in the Age of Empire)

"Those who do not move, do not notice their chains." – Rosa Luxemburg

BEST ON THE WEB

NEW ZEALAND
Matt McCarten (NZH): Our troops have no place in this immoral war http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10730270

Tackling The Aussie Banks Column – By John Minto. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1106/S00013/to-the-front-tackling-the-aussie-banks.htm

Stacey Wood (Stuff): Protest highlights terror raid case http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5097471/Protest-highlights-terror-raid-case

Underground Art Auction Raises Over $6000 For Urewera 18 http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1106/S00154/underground-art-auction-raises-over-6000-for-urewera-18.htm

McCully Receives Letter From Harmeet Sooden Seeking Assistance http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1106/S00005/mccully-receives-letter-from-sooden-seeking-assistance.htm

Palestinian & Jewish groups join appeal to Kiri Te Kanawa http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1106/S00021/palestinian-jewish-groups-join-appeal-to-kiri-te-kanawa.htm

Wellington Queer the Night march http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1106/S00101/wellington-queer-the-night-march.htm

Key rejects Green’s complaints about corporate hospitality http://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/163034/key-rejects-greens-complaints-about-corporate-hospitality

Tell New Zealand’s government: Christchurch rebuild must lead the world in sustainability http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-new-zealands-government-christchurch-rebuild-must-lead-the-world-in-sustainability-2

Sue Bradford (Pundit): Greens step to the right http://pundit.co.nz/content/greens-step-to-the-right

Green Party abandoned principles – Bradford http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10730786

Andrea Vance (Stuff): Plan to make mums go back to work ‘anti-women’ http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5106136/Plan-to-make-mums-go-back-to-work-anti-women/

Welfare proposals fighting imaginary enemy http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/opinion/163564/welfare-proposals-fighting-imaginary-enemy

Tapu Misa: Gluckman’s report shows the way http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10730462

A bad time to change ACC http://www.listener.co.nz/commentary/editorial/acc-versus-private-insurance-worth-the-change/

Health Budget: Mind the $127 million gap http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1106/S00041/health-budget-mind-the-127-million-gap.htm

Government can’t ignore its own advice on early childhood investment http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1106/S00019/government-cant-ignore-its-own-advice-on-early-childhood.htm

Market rates will drive down quality education for young http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1106/S00018/market-rates-will-drive-down-quality-education-for-young.htm

Tim Watkin (Pundit): Welfare crisis: The numbers tell their own story http://pundit.co.nz/content/welfare-crisis-the-numbers-tell-their-own-story

MANA PARTY

Rawiri Taonui (TangataWhenua): Byelection Battle for the North – Hone Harawira http://news.tangatawhenua.com/archives/12290

Annette Sykes speaks on Mana, Tino and the Working Class http://socialistaotearoa.blogspot.com/2011/06/annette-sykes-speaks-on-mana-tino-and.html
NZ WORK RIGHTS

PM Signals More Attacks on Work Rights http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1106/S00090/pm-signals-more-attacks-on-work-rights.htm PSA not surprised by “wear and tear” findings in Trans-Tasman’s public service report http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1106/S00079/psa-not-surprised-by-wear-and-tear-findings-in-report.htm

Women public sector workers gift millions of dollars in free labour http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1106/S00077/women-public-sector-workers-gift-millions-in-free-labour.htm

Academics threaten to withhold exam results http://www.nzherald.co.nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=11&objectid=10730842&ref=mobile

Youth rates will not solve youth unemployment: Next idea please! http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1106/S00111/youth-rates-will-not-solve-youth-unemployment.htm

Workplace accidents highlight poor health and safety record http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1106/S00084/workplace-accidents-highlight-poor-health-and-safety-record.htm

NZ ECONOMY

CTU: Concern that Reserve Bank may raise interest rates earlier http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1106/S00102/concern-that-reserve-bank-may-raise-interest-rates-earlier.htm

The Standard: No future in English & Brash’s neoliberal plans http://thestandard.org.nz/no-future-in-english-brashs-neoliberal-plans/

For sale – one set of old Treasury ideas http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10730077

Health organisations oppose any change to Pharmac http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1106/S00011/health-organisations-oppose-any-change-to-pharmac.htm

New Zealand Is Not For Sale! Murray Horton Speech Online http://www.box.net/shared/9miur5c8ak

US trade deal tipped to lift medicine costs http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/5079775/US-trade-deal-tipped-to-lift-medicine-costs

Free trade pact seen as big threat http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/5085037/Free-trade-pact-seen-as-big-threat
CULTURAL DISSENT

Featuring an array of archival documents and illustrations, Remains to be Seen: Tracing Joe Hill’s ashes in New Zealand—an easy-to-read account of censorship and radical labour during the First World War—is now available to purchase from Rebel Press: http://www.rebelpress.org.nz/publications/remains-to-be-seen

Michael Lebowitz’s The Socialist Alternative reviewed by Louis Proyect http://www.swans.com/library/art17/lproy70.html

Is ‘X-Men: First Class’ the Love Story of Professor X and Magneto? http://tinyurl.com/426hqta
FEATURES

Pentagon Using Drug Wars as Excuse to Build Bases in Latin America http://newamericamedia.org/2011/06/drug-wars-helping-us-military-rebuild-its-presence-in-latin-america.php

Ollanta Humala’s win is a promise to Peru’s poor http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jun/06/ollanta-humala-peru-election

Forty years of drug war failure – Helen Redmond tells the history of the never-ending, always-failing war on drugs. http://socialistworker.org/2011/06/08/drug-war-failure

An Unpalatable Truth – The Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism By John Pilger – Julian Assange is an editor, publisher and journalist in the oldest and finest tradition of our craft. He is brave. He is a true agent of people. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28238.htm

Calls to Legalise Cannabis and Ecstasy By Guy Adams – A panel of world leaders called yesterday for the biggest shake-up of drug laws in half a century. "The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world," declared the Global Commission on Drug Policy. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28240.htm

LAND, LABOUR AND THE ENVIROMENT

George Monbiot: Putting a price on nature: a destructive delusion http://climateandcapitalism.com/?p=4640#more-4640

WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS

Replacing Economic Democracy with Financial Oligarchy By Michael Hudson – At issue is whether Greece, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and the rest of Europe will roll back democratic reform and move toward financial oligarchy. The financial objective is to bypass parliament by demanding a "consensus" to put foreign creditors first, above the economy at large. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28245.htm

CUBA

Why Is the United States Waging Perpetual War against the Cuban People’s Health System? by William Blum http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/blum050611.html

HAITI

Wikileaks: How Washington and Big Oil Fought Petrocaribe in Haiti http://www.canadahaitiaction.ca/content/wikileaks-how-washington-and-big-oil-fought-petrocaribe-haiti

The Nation Partners With Haïti Liberté on Release of Secret Haiti Cables http://www.thenation.com/article/161009/wiki-haiti

IRAQ

Occupying Iraq, State Department-Style A Frat House With Guns in Baghdad – Even if the troops do finally leave, the question is: Will that actually bring the U.S. occupation of Iraq to a close? http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28269.htm

Iraq Arrests Seen as Effort to Squelch More Protests: Iraqi security forces arrested more than a dozen activists here over the past week in a sweep that rights groups called a pre-emptive strike to prevent a flickering reform movement from springing back to life.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/03/world/middleeast/03iraq.html?_r=1

LIBYA

Bishop decries bombing of church, warns against partition of Libya: We all ask ourselves a question: why is this happening? We were astonished by the failure of international diplomacy and, perhaps, by its prejudice that makes dialogue impossible with the leadership of Tripoli."

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=10558

MEXICO

The Most Dangerous Country in the World? Mexico’s Failed War on Drugs By Michael McCaughan – Citizen confidence in the country’s authorities is so low and fear of reprisal so great that most relatives don’t even bother registering lost loved ones as missing persons. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28242.htm

PALESTINE

Israel’s murderous violence – Eric Ruder reports on the latest Israeli assault on unarmed protesters as the spirit of the Arab Spring spreads through Palestine and beyond http://socialistworker.org/2011/06/08/israels-murderous-violence

Israel: A Choice To Kill By Chris Floyd – I watched them stream down the green hill toward the heaps of dirt and wire. I saw them, old and young, walk toward the occupied land. I saw them come closer — close enough for the heavily-armed occupying force to have them in range.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28270.htm

SRI LANKA

Review of a history of oppression: The Tamils of Sri Lanka http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article2168

UK

Column: Mark Steel – can any of us afford to get old? There’s one thing that workers can count on for their old age–and that’s debt. http://socialistworker.org/2011/06/08/can-you-afford-to-get-old

USA

Minimum Wage Increase Would Help Sluggish Economy, Say Experts http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/07/minimum-wage-increase-help-economy-experts_n_872617.html

OLDER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SEEKING SUPPORT FOR “FREEDOM FLOTILLA TWO” VOLUNTEER

Dear Friends,

In May 2010, nine aid workers were killed by Israeli commandos when a humanitarian flotilla destined for Gaza was intercepted in international waters by the Israeli Navy. Israel’s naval forces continue to enforce an illegal and inhumane blockade of the Gaza Strip. This coming June, Freedom Flotilla Two (FF2), a coalition of vessels from Canada, France, USA, UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey and other countries, is to set sail in the hope of breaking the blockade. Palestine Human Rights Campaign Aotearoa/New Zealand (PHRC) is raising money to enable a New Zealander, Harmeet Sooden, to join the upcoming flotilla. Harmeet has been offered a place on the boat Tahrir (Liberation in Arabic) alongside delegates from Australia, Belgium and Denmark.

In 2004, Harmeet travelled to the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) to undertake human rights assignments with the International Solidarity Movement. The following year, Harmeet and three colleagues were kidnapped in Iraq while participating in an international Christian Peacemaker Teams delegation and held for four months. One member of the group, Tom Fox, was murdered. In 2008, while attempting to enter the OPT via Israel for the second time, he was denied entry, detained, assaulted and removed by Israeli authorities on the pretext of being a ‘threat to the security of the State of Israel’.

The Free Gaza Movement is one of the coordinators of FF2. Free Gaza was formed to raise public awareness and challenge the Israeli‐Egyptian blockade directly, by sailing ships carrying human rights defenders and humanitarian aid to Gaza. Since August 2008, Free Gaza has made eight solo voyages; most recently, it took part in the fateful May 2010 flotilla as a member of a six‐partner coalition. Free Gaza has several endorsers, including notable individuals such as Desmond Tutu and Noam Chomsky, and groups with which PHRC has had an association such as Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (www.pchrgaza.org), and the Palestine Medical Relief Society (www.pmrs.ps).

The Palestine Human Rights Campaign aims to raise $10,000 ($5,000 for airfare and basic living expenses, and a further $5,000 to contribute towards the cost of purchasing the boat and cargo).

Thank you for your support. Janfrie Wakim on behalf of PHRC. Please make donations by direct deposit to PHRC 06 0145 0045138 00 or by sending a cheque to PHRC, Box 56150, Mt Eden, Auckland. All donations will be receipted (advice on internet deposits must be emailed to jwakim@xtra.co.nz so that receipts can be provided). If you have any questions, please contact Janfrie Wakim at jwakim. For further information, please refer to: Canada Boat to Gaza ‐ www.tahrir.ca Free Gaza ‐ www.freegaza.org

THE 2011 ELECTION: A CRITICAL GUIDE
The 2011 Election: a critical guide is currently being printed. If you click on the link below, you will see the book on our publisher’s website. Also, there is a link to a sample interview, with Professor Jim Flynn on privatisation. We tried to cover a wide range of topics, and here is a summary of who was interviewed: Dr Bryce Edwards (Otago University) The Main Political Parties & MMP; Dr Sean Phelan (Massey University) The Media; Professor Klaus Bosselmann (Auckland University) The Environment; David Do (New Zealand University Students’ Association) Student Loans; Professor Jim Flynn (Otago University) Privatisation; Professor Paul Roth (Otago University) Employment Law; Mike Treen (UNITE union) Unionism; Dr Brian Roper (Otago University) Taxation; Ali Nissenbaum (Wellington Activists) Anarchism; Andrew Tait (Dunedin Activist) Marxism; Sue Bradford (Auckland Activist & former Green MP) Feminism & Unemployment. While it is important to keep in mind that the interviewees have different opinions from each other, three themes emerged: 1) A critique of neo-liberalism; 2) De-politicisation (nearly a quarter of the population did not vote in the 2008 Election); 3) Internationalism (nearly half of the interviewees are originally from overseas: Germany, Ireland, Israel, South Africa and the United States). Please also keep in mind that we are not endorsing any political party. The interviewees disagree with each other on many points. We believe that the interviewees voted in at least five different ways in 2008. We are planning to send all interviewees a free copy of the book, to show our appreciation.

Thank you for your help, R Wright http://aptitute.co.nz/site/products http://aptitute.co.nz/The_2011_Election-a_critical_guide_sample_chapter.pdf

AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS SOCIAL CHANGE TO STOP CLIMATE CHANGE SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 3

The event, which is sponsored by the Office of Environmental Programs at Melbourne University and organised by Green Left Weekly and the Socialist Alliance, will run from Friday, September 30 to Monday, October 3 at Melbourne University. The discussions at this conference will be enriched by the participation of one of the world’s foremost radical ecologists, John Bellamy Foster. A well-known economist from the United States, Foster is also an editor of Monthly Review and the author of The Ecological Rift (with Brett Clark and Richard York) The Ecological Revolution, The Great Financial Crisis (with Fred Magdoff) and Marx’s Ecology. Also leading the conference discussions will be Canadian ecosocialist writer and activist Ian Angus. Angus co-founded the Ecosocialist International Network and is the editor of Climateandcapitalism.com. He is the author of the forthcoming book Too Many People? Population, Immigration, and the Environmental Crisis (with Simon Butler) and has also authored Food Crisis: World Hunger, Agribusiness and the Food Sovereignty Alternative and edited The Global Fight for Climate Justice. http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/47144