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GPJA #408: Waihopai Spybase Protest Jan 20-22

December 23, 2011 Leave a comment

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER No. 408, December 23, 2011

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is humanity’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion." — Oscar Wilde, Soul of Man Under Socialism

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

"The ruling class has the schools and press under its thumb. This enables it to sway the emotions of the masses." – — Albert Einstein – (1879-1955)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

WAIHOPAI SPYBASE PROTEST JANUARY 20-22, 2012

The Waihopai spybase was subjected to unprecedented public attention by the March 2010 trial and acquittal of the three Ploughshares peace activists who penetrated its high security in 2008 and deflated one of the two domes concealing its satellite dishes from the NZ public. This legal saga has continued into 2011 with the Government changing the law to prevent their grounds of defence being used again and then suing the three activists personally for the $1.2 million damage to the dome. The Anti-Bases Campaign was happy to support this non-violent direct action anti-war activity, from start to finish. The public face of New Zealand’s role as an American ally is the NZ military presence in Afghanistan. But New Zealand’s most significant contribution to that, and other American wars, including the one in Iraq, is the Waihopai electronic intelligence gathering base, located in the Waihopai Valley, near Blenheim. It is controlled by the US, with New Zealand (including Parliament and the Prime Minister) having little or no idea what goes on there, let alone any control. First announced in 1987, Waihopai is operated by New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) in the interests of the foreign Powers grouped together in the super-secret UKUSA Agreement (which shares global electronic and signals intelligence among the intelligence agencies of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and NZ). Its two satellite interception dishes intercept a huge volume of civilian telephone calls, telexes, faxes, e-mail and computer data communications. It spies on our Asia/Pacific neighbours, and forwards the material on to the major partners in the UKUSA Agreement, specifically the US National Security Agency (NSA). Its targets are international civilian communications involving New Zealanders, including the interception of international phone calls. Post- 9/11 the GCSB and Waihopai now spy further afield, to those regions where the US is waging wars. The codename for this – Echelon – has become notorious worldwide as the vast scope of its spying has become public. New Zealand is an integral, albeit junior part of a global spying network, a network that is ultimately accountable only to its own constituent agencies, not governments, not citizens. Join us for the weekend of anti-war protest at this spybase. Come prepared for roughing it and camping out. We provide the food (we cater for vegetarians but vegans will have to bring their own). Bring sleeping bag, groundsheet, a tent, torch, water bottle, eating utensils, clothing for all weather, and $40 (or $20 unwaged) 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) and drive to Rarangi on the coast. Follow the steep Port Underwood Road over the hilltop before descending to the Whites Bay turnoff. There is a DoC public camp at the bay with basic facilities. ABC has to pay a fixed charge per head. Waihopai does not operate in the interests of New Zealanders or our neighbours. Basically it is a foreign spybase on NZ soil and directly involves us in America’s wars. Waihopai must be closed. Organised by the Anti-Bases Campaign, P.O. Box 2258, Christchurch. E-mail cafca@chch.planet.org.nz www.converge.org.nz/abc $40 Registration ($20 unwaged). Make all cheques to ABC

KEEP THE COAL IN THE HOLE SUMMER FESTIVAL – MATAURA, SOUTHLAND, NZ. 20-23 JANUARY 2012

You are warmly invited……to gather for a Summer Festival and camp. We will share ideas, skills, knowledge, enthusiasm and take action now to oppose lignite mining in the Mataura Valley. This event will be fun, friendly and 100% coal-free! We’ve got the Festival Kaupapa, detailed Festival Information and our Programme. For more information or to get involved in Festival organising please Email Us.

BEST ON THE WEB

NEW ZEALAND

No mandate for charter schools: Ian Leckie, president of education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa, says the biggest question New Zealanders should be asking about charter schools is – why? http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/perspective/6159455/No-mandate-for-charter-schools

New figures reveal work kills 1000 a year http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/6158769/New-figures-reveal-work-kills-1000-a-year

Mr Harawira’s speech

GI Eviction protest album http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150412151331325.364951.534976324&type=1

Matt McCarten: Our most valuable asset is the right to protest http://www.nzherald.co.nz/cultures/news/article.cfm?c_id=105&objectid=10773868&mid=5572205

Kete Kupu #20: Almost a Majority for Reducing Inequality – Post-Election Analysis http://www.nzccss.org.nz/uploads/publications/KeteKupu%2020%20%28print%29.pdf

Fonterra seeks partners for Milk for Schools http://nz.finance.yahoo.com/news/Fonterra-seeks-partners-Milk-irnnewstalk-322307514.html?x=0

From Aotea to Tahrir- Solidarity with the Egyptian Revolution – Egypt Protest – American Consulate in Auckland, New Zealand 20 Dec 2011

New Zealand sea lion slides towards extinction http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1112/S00249/new-zealand-sea-lion-slides-towards-extinction.htm

Health, Safety and Accountability – CTU President Helen Kelly talks about Pike River and the death of security guard Charanpreet Singh Dhaliwal and what these tragedies tell us about employer accountability for health and safety in the workplace. http://thestandard.org.nz/health-safety-and-accountability/

Wrongly sacked teacher won’t get job back http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/12439156/wrongly-sacked-teacher-won-t-get-job-back/

Time for Govt to get back into insurance business – CAFCA http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/12446067/time-for-govt-to-get-back-into-insurance-business-cafca/

Claim school gap in rich and poor areas growing http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/94429/claim-school-gap-in-rich-and-poor-areas-growing

NZEI: No appetite for charter schools in south Auckland http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1112/S00116/no-appetite-for-charter-schools-in-south-auckland.htm

Government rushing full speed ahead on charter schools Government rushing full speed ahead on charter schools

New Blenheim Green MP to Speak at Waihopai Spybase Protest http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1112/S00283/new-blenheim-green-mp-to-speak-at-waihopai-spybase-protest.htm

CTU: Know Your Rights in Holiday Period http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1112/S00277/know-your-rights-in-holiday-period.htm

NDU: Here we go again, say retail workers – As Christmas Day approaches, one of only 3 and ½ days of guaranteed time-off for retail workers, a shop worker says she is gutted that she will again have to fight off attempts to take away family time at Easter for workers in her industry http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1112/S00276/here-we-go-again-say-retail-workers.htm

PSA: Health Minister wants to short-change Cantabrians http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1112/S00272/health-minister-wants-to-short-change-cantabrians.htm

CMP Workers back to work http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1112/S00798/cmp-workers-back-to-work.htm

Update on the iCAN ANZ ‘Call for action to abolish nuclear weapons’ petition to parliament http://www.facebook.com/notes/peace-movement-aotearoa/update-ican-anz-call-for-action-to-abolish-nuclear-weapons-petition-to-parliamen/281369305243779

CTU: Housing Affordability about incomes as well as house prices http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1112/S00209/housing-affordability-about-incomes-as-well-as-house-prices.htm

FEATURES

John Pilger answers Obama’s claim that US military is "finest fighting force in history"

Mike Davis: SPRING CONFRONTS WINTER – In great upheavals, analogies fly like shrapnel. The electrifying protests of 2011—the on-going Arab spring, the ‘hot’ Iberian and Hellenic summers, the ‘occupied’ fall in the United States—inevitably have been compared to the anni mirabiles of 1848, 1905, 1968 and 1989. http://newleftreview.org/?page=article&view=2923

An exchange on Vietnam, China and the meaning of their present territorial tensions http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article23799

End of Iraq War is a Victory for Peace Movement – But What a Heinous Crime Was Committed http://tinyurl.com/c48fvoa

The ‘Arab spring’ and the west: seven lessons from history: Drawing on the British Pathé archive, Seumas Milne picks out the recurrent themes of imperial efforts to control the Middle East http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/19/arab-spring-seven-lessons-from-history

WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS

Contradictions of Finance Capitalism by Richard Peet http://monthlyreview.org/2011/12/01/contradictions-of-finance-capitalism

Reports from the Economic Front by Martin Hart-Landsberg: Tax Dollars And The War – Here is a short (less than 4 minute) video that illustrates the fact that 53% of our tax dollars, conservatively estimated, go to finance our military. http://tinyurl.com/88333no

Crisis as Capitalist Opportunity by Ursula Huws http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/581.php

LAND, LABOUR & THE ENVIRONMENT

Shock as retreat of Arctic sea ice releases deadly greenhouse gas http://tinyurl.com/757yz46

Barry Commoner: Ecology and Social Action http://climateandcapitalism.com/?p=6272

CULTURAL DISSENT

Alfred Hitchcock Presents Class Struggle http://monthlyreview.org/2011/12/01/alfred-hitchcock-presents-class-struggle

You Can’t Always Get What You Want: On Stephen King http://www.thenation.com/article/165310/you-cant-always-get-what-you-want-stephen-king

AUSTRALIA

Rich keep getting richer http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/rich-keep-getting-richer/2392165.aspx?storypage=0

BRAZIL

Brazil faces ‘tyranny of depth and darkness’ in drilling for deep-sea oil http://tinyurl.com/8yh8fwn

CANADA

Québec solidaire struggles to define its space in shifting political landscape http://lifeonleft.blogspot.com/2011/12/quebec-solidaire-struggles-to-define.html

Why Canada’s nuclear cleanup will cost billions of dollars and take decades to complete http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/atomic-wasteland/index.html

Union of BC Indian Chiefs Applauds UN Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women http://www.mail-archive.com/natnews-north@yahoogroups.com/msg10162.html

Ottawa proposes first nations property ownership – Conservative MPs are proposing a fundamental change to Canada’s reserve system, advocating legislation that would allow natives to own private property within the communal land of reserves. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-proposes-first-nations-property-ownership/article2271788/

Novatel occupation http://www.socialistproject.ca/leftstreamed/ls123.php

CARIBBEAN

Commentary: A public relations disaster for the US By Norman Girvan on Cuba-CARICOM Summit in Port of Spain on December 8. http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Commentary%3A-A-public-relations-disaster-for-the-US-9202.html

CHINA

Wukan villagers form own administration: “In the besieged village of Wukan in Southern China, the residents govern themselves completely outside the state’s control in an atmosphere reminiscent of the early days of the Paris Commune.” http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/6f975d8e-2983-11e1-a066-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1gwpP278K

China: ‘Down with corruption, reclaim our land’ — Call for support for Wukan http://links.org.au/node/2664

China Debts Dwarf Official Data With Too-Big-to-Finish Alarm http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-18/china-debts-dwarf-official-data-with-too-big-to-complete-alarms.html

China’s Real Estate Bubble May Have Just Popped http://www.foreignaffairs.com/print/134044

CZECH

Vaclav Havel and the struggle for socialism in Czechoslovakia http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/vaclak-havel-and-the-struggle-for-socialism-in-czechoslovakia/

EGYPT

Protesters battle for control of Egypt’s Tahrir Square http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/19/world/meast/egypt-unrest/index.html?mid=559

Egypt’s labour movement takes a tumble http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article23805

GREECE

THE GREEK CAULDRON: The escalation of the Eurozone crisis in the closing months of 2011 has produced spectacular upheavals in the political landscape. http://newleftreview.org/?page=article&view=2924

Greek woes drive up suicide rate to highest in Europe http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/18/greek-woes-suicide-rate-highest

IRAQ

Iraq on the brink of civil war