Anti-War Protest This Saturday March from QE2 Square at 12 noon

Saturday 26th October is another day of international action to oppose American plans to attack Iraq. Big gatherings are planned in many centres around the world - including Washington - and here in New Zealand marches are planned in several centres. The Auckland event begins from QE2 Square around 12noon and ending with a rally in Aotea Square.

Speakers at the rally include:

· Rev Richard Randerson - Anglican Bishop of Auckland

· Mary Woodward - peace activist for many decades

· Rev Dick Weston-Jones - an American recently arrived and representing the Auckland Unitarian Church

· Geraldene Peters from GPJA

The threat of war is growing greater every day and our government's stance against the war is becoming more equivocal. Foreign Minister Phil Goff is carefully couching New Zealand opposition in such a way that when the United States succeeds in stiff-arming the UN Security Council New Zealand could well "require itself" to join the war.

We will be demanding a much stronger spine for New Zealand policy and for New Zealand troops in Afghanistan to be withdrawn immediately.

The march theme is "No More Blood For Oil". It is clear to us that the US are planning a "resource war" to take over the second largest oil reserves in the world which are in Iraq. Negotiations are already underway between the hand-picked Iraqis who will form the new American appointed government and representatives of the big American oil companies who have been desperate to get control of Iraqi oil for the past 12 years.

The most positive role New Zealand could play would be to sponsor a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly calling for –
· the monosyllabic war mongering from the American leadership to cease
· the UN sanctions against Iraq to be lifted to stop the humanitarian crisis facing the civilian population and
· the Middle East's running sore of Israeli oppression of the Palestinian population to be urgently addressed by the entire international community.

Mike Treen John Minto Geraldene Peters

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