Waihopai Spybase Protest

No NZ Involvement In Us Wars

Saturday, January 25, 2.30 P.M.

People from all around New Zealand will be converging on the super-secret Waihopai satellite interception spybase, in Marlborough, on the weekend of January 24-26. As the world, including New Zealand, stands on the brink of being sucked into an aggressive American-led war on Iraq, the Anti-Bases Campaign points out that Waihopai is New Zealand’s most important contribution to the American war machine. Our demand hasn’t changed since the base was first announced, in the late 1980s - Waihopai is not in the public interest and it must be closed. (For details on Waihopai and what it does, go to our Website www.converge.org.nz/abc)

The theme of our activities, both at the spybase itself and in Blenheim, will be anti-war. The Bush Administration has pronounced Intelligence to be the key component of all the wars that it is fighting, or planning to fight, throughout the world. Thus, much more so than any token commitment of the SAS or a frigate, the Waihopai spybase is New Zealand’s key contribution to all these American wars.

We’re pleased to announce that, for the first time we will be joined by representatives from the Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition, Denis Doherty and Hannah Middleton, who are coming over especially to take part. In October 2002 the AABCC organised a major protest at the huge US spybase at Pine Gap (near Alice Springs), which is serviced through the US military base at Christchurch Airport. Waihopai is just one small, but vital, part of a global American-dominated network of spybases. The campaign to close it and its sister stations in several other countries is also international.

There will also be anti-war activity in Blenheim. SEYMOUR SQUARE, 11 a.m, Saturday, January 25.

Waihopai does not operate in the national interests of New Zealand or our neighbours. Basically it is a foreign spybase on NZ soil, paid for with our tax dollars, and directly involves us in America’s wars. Waihopai must be closed.

Murray Horton

for ABC

© Scoop Media