Global Peace And Justice Auckland Newsletter #49, November 12, 2003

Website http://www.gpja.pl.net/ Contact details: Forums - John Minto, (09) 846 3173, jbminto@xtra.co.nz; Newsletter Editor - Mike Treen 0212547440 / 3616989 miket@pl.net Web page - Geraldine Peters (09) 3765994 bern@ihug.co.nz Donations can be sent to GPJA, Private Bag 68905, Newton, Auckland. All communication regarding the GPJA mailing list (email or snail) should be addressed to gpja@xtra.co.nz

Dear friends,

Please send me an email to miket@pl.net if you are planning to attend the Social Forum Aotearoa November 21-23, Wellington. The organisers want to estimate numbers attending. GPJA is also looking at taking a van down. If you are interested in this cheaper way of getting there contact Mike Treen miket@pl.net. Do it now as decisions need to be made this week!

MESSAGES

SUGGESTED LETTER TO US EMBASSY (address: human.resources@actrix.gen.nz) to protest the arrest and charging of GPJA activist Bruce Hubbard for sending an "offensive" email to the US Embassy protesting the US-led war on Iraq. Sir: On his recent visit to the Australian Parliament President George Bush, reacting to an interruption by an Australian Parliamentarian, indicated that he was in favour of free speech. It would be timely for the US Embassy here to withdraw its complaint against peace activist Bruce Hubbard's email in the interests of the right of New Zealanders to speak freely. If it is offensive to American Embassy staff to be reminded of the consequences of the behaviour of succeeding US Administrations it cannot be less than the offence felt by those at the receiving end of it. Just one example may suffice. The State of Israel could not possibly sustain its illegal occupation of its neighbour's territory, breaking UN Resolutions and contravening the Fourth Geneva Convention without being massively underwritten financially and diplomatically by Washington. I am frightened by the erosion of our civil liberties which are being introduced in support of what to many of us seems to be a fraudulent US war on terrorism. If you succeed in silencing Bruce Hubbard and we say nothing, how soon will it be before others who similarly speak their minds become victims of US Government power?

SOCIAL FORUM AOTEAROA Social Forum Aotearoa, Te Wananga o Aotearoa, Porirua, November 21-23, 2003 'Another world is possible'. Social Forum Aotearoa "aims to gather together people who share the desire for a world with more respect - for ourselves, each other and the environment. It is inspired by the World Social Forum (WSF), which since its first meeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2001 has helped transform the globalisation debate." Social Forum Aotearoa will be held at the Porirua campus of Te Wananga O Aotearoa (University of New Zealand). Participate in workshops on topics ranging from human rights, the global economy, peace, justice, participatory democracy, the environment, the union movement, local economic development, welfare. "Open space" forums will allow additional workshops to be held. For more info check out http://www.socialforum.org.nz tel 0800 355 553 or email info@socialforum.org.nz Speakers and Presentations: Dr. Jane Kelsey, economist, Maxine Gay, trade unionist, Colin Fox, MP Scotland, Roger Blakely, CEO Porirua City, ARENA, Social & Civic Policy Institute, East Side Cannons Creek Porirua, Paekakariki residents, John Roughan, Solomon Islands Civil Society network, Tian Chua, Malaysian Trade Unionist, Socialist Workers, Human Rights network, representative of Ahmed Zaoui, Paul Bruce, Latin American Committee, Housing Action Porirua, Universal Income Trust, Peace Activitists Groups, and more. Powhiri will begin at 1:00 pm on Fri. November 21 with closing at 4:00pm Sunday November 23.

'WHERE TO NOW ON THE FORESHORE', the latest commentary by Moana Jackson is available on-line at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/fsoct.htm or we can send it to you as text, just email pma@xtra.co.nz It is crucial that you act now to oppose the government's plans - the call to action 'No raupatu in our time' (circulated on 28 October) which includes some suggestions for things you can do is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/fs281003.htm And you could wear the 'No raupatu in our time' badge to show what you think about the government's foreshore and seabed plans, you can print off an order form at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/fsbadge.htm

PEOPLES MORATORIUM The People's Moratorium is the continuing campaign to keep New Zealand's food and environment GE Free. Because the Government has failed to respond to public demand for a continuing moratorium on GE release, it now falls to the people to keep New Zealand GE Free. http://www.gefreepeople.net/

MERCHANTS OF DEATH Peace Action Wellington will be holding a picket outside of Te Papa from 8:00AM-9:30AM on Tuesday the 11th of November to mark their opposition to the New Zealand Defence Industry conference. 'It is sickening that the Labour government is spending our money on developing an industry of death, while our hospitals and social services are chronically under funded,' said Peace Action Wellington spokesperson John Anderson. 'Not many New Zealanders know that the government is encouraging the growth of a weapons industry in New Zealand.' The government funded Trade NZ 'is active in providing assistance in the export of Defence products' according to the NZDIA's website. The products developed by this industry so far have included grenades, weapons firing control systems, shoot-to-kill training equipment, 'special purpose' munitions, and aerial bombing score systems. Peace Action Wellington demands an immediate end to this state sponsored death industry. For more information relating to New Zealand's weapons and related industries visit the Peace Movement Aotearoa website - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nowarp.htm

PLAN A SPECIAL SUMMER BREAK NOW - JOIN THE WAIHOPAI SPYBASE PROTEST, JANUARY 16-18, 2004. The Anti-Bases Campaign (ABC) is organising its annual summer camp to protest the Waihopai e-spy base (near Blenheim). For details about the base and the camp, and to reserve a place, write to Anti-Bases Campaign, Box 2258, Christchurch or e-mail cafca@chch.planet.org.nz or go to http://www.converge.org.nz/abc Aucklanders can contact John Minto (See above) to coordinate participation/travel

'EXPAND' MAGAZINE, a collection of work from Christchurch activists and writers, including Anna Kirtlan, Torrance Hodgson, Lois Griffiths, Nate Cull, and Leith McLean. Mail-order by sending $5 postage and packaging to Expand mail-order, PO Box 1913, Christchurch. Copies also available from Unite Office, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn.

'THE NEW AMERICAN CENTURY - WHAT LIES AHEAD? PART 1: LESSONS FROM IRAQ'. Working Paper No 12, another excellent working paper from the Centre for Peace Studies. Copies are available for $10 each, from Centre for Peace Studies, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland. For more info contact Dr Robert White, email r.white@auckland.ac.nz

A WONDERFUL POLITICAL POEM Don Franks, a socialist, unionist and artist in Wellington, has just penned a wonderful poem against ruling class nationalism, hypocrisy and oppression. It strikes a powerful blow for international workers' solidarity. The poem is published below. Don makes this accompanying comment: "Nationalism is a cloying current being heavily imposed on us right now, and makes me feel conscription is not too far away." Grant Morgan ---------------- Foreign Hands

They say six per cent of New Zealand land Is held today in foreign hands I don¹t know where they got that figure I know that the foreign holding's bigger Coast to coast and tree to tree most of the land that I can see Is firmly in hands that are foreign to me.

The hands that tick National, United or ACT The finger that points out the man to be sacked The hand putting up the No Trespassing sign They¹re just some of the hands that are foreign to mine

The hand that can write any size of a cheque For a car or boat or extension or deck That same hand that won't pass across union pay That's as foreign a hand as I¹ve seen any day

The glittering finger that crooks for champagne The hand grabbing hard out for capital gain The hand on the wheel driving scabs through the line They're hands that will always be foreign to mine

The finger the magistrate wags at the dock >From a hand less unbending than on the court clock The thumbs that we¹re under, the palms that they grease I can't think of hands much more foreign than these

Then there's hands that are warm, that give out their last cent To a mate who's been sacked or behind with the rent Some of those hands are not kiwi designed But all are the hands I want joined on to mine.

Don Franks

WHAT'S ON IN AUCKLAND

Saturday, November 15, 5-7pm, St Mathew's Cathedral, Wellesley Street, Auckland Courage Day. Don't take your freedom of speech for granted. Join the New Zealand Society of Authors for an international day of remembrance & celebration. Come to remember & acknowledge: writers and thinkers imprisoned for expressing their opinions. Writers who have died in prisons. Writers and thinkers exiled from their countries. Come, to celebrate: the right to free speech. The diversity of our views. Join with other cultures in an affirmation of the unity of the human spirit. Support a common cause for freedom of speech and cultural expression. Join famous authors; Witi Ihimaera, Kapka Kassabova, and Stephanie Johnson. Together with a line-up of stimulating speakers, who will further challenge your thinking. Hear some of the best international music to be found in NZ. Children Welcome. Contact Stephen Dalley 629-0244 or 021-783-743

Monday, November 17, 6.30pm, Maidment Theatre, Auckland University Bruce Jesson Foundation Public Lecture by Prof. Jane Kelsey. Bar open 5:30 pm. The Jesson Foundation exists to promote through various means, the vigorous political, social and economic investigation, debate, analysis and reporting which Bruce was so adept at. This activity is organised by the Foundation's Trustees. The trustees are a somewhat eclectic collection of persons but have two characteristics which in my recollection of Bruce, he would applaud - they have genuinely open minds which sincerely welcome and enjoy new ideas or debate none of which would shift them from their fundamental viewpoint. Speaking this year is Professor Jane Kelsey who will attack the question of "De-colonisation or Re-colonisation - which is our future." Outside her academic duties in the Law School, Jane has spent a good deal of time recently at events and in places of immediate relevance to this issue. For more information contact Dr. Joce Jesson, Director Research Development, Auckland College of Education, Wk 623-8859, Mob. 0274-610-796, Hm 64-9-6222-142

Tuesday, November 25, 7-30pm, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont St, Ponsonby (parking at rear). INSIDE INDONESIA'S HIDDEN WAR ON ACEH. Hear William Nessen, free lance journalist give a talk plus data show and video footage on his 6 weeks behind the lines with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and 40 days in an Indonesian jail. William Nessen barely escaped with his life from covering a conflict that is officially barred to all but Government approved and 'embedded' journalists'. Hundreds have died since the May 19 imposition of martial law and thousands have been displaced - but world is blind to the ongoing suffering. See an article http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/11/02/CM280194.DTL He has a unique story - it is a once only opportunity to hear a first hand account of the war in Aceh. Get in touch if you want more details contact Maire Leadbetter: Ph 09-815-9000 or 025-436-957 maire@clear.net.nz

Wednesday, November 26, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn SCOTTISH SOCIALIST MP TOURS NZ: Colin Fox, Member of the Scottish Parliament, is touring New Zealand prior to attending the Alliance Party's national conference at the end of November. Colin Fox is one of six members of the Scottish Socialist Party elected to Scottish Parliament in 2003, and will be talking about the growing mood of activism amongst ordinary people in Scotland and the UK that has the status quo parties worried. The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) is Scotland's fastest growing and most active political party. The SSP has exciting and radical policies such as free, nutritious school meals for all school children, a fair alternative to council taxes that will make the rich pay their share, opposing council housing sell-offs and public service privatisation, fighting racism, supporting asylum seekers, and opposing the Bush/Blair war in the Middle East. For further information contact Mike Treen, Alliance International Spokesperson, Mobile 021 2547440. Phone 09 3616989, Fax 09 3616991, Email mike.treen@alliance.org.nz

Saturday, December 6, 8:00am, 308 Great North Rd. GREEN FUNDRASISER GARAGE SALE. We need Your Stuff for Our GREEN GARAGE SALE Set aside your old books, clothes and bric-a-brac for us! Bring your donation items to the office. Queries: contact Kim 376-4143.

Sunday, December 7, 7pm til late, The Classic Comedy Bar, 321 Queen St. CBD Antidote #5. Auckland Indymedia Doco Screening and Anti-Xmas Party. A FUNdraising evening of alternative political documentaries possibly including clips from: Adbuster anti-ads , Guerrilla News Network, Yes Men, GE docos, locally made "Dear Baghdad" Iraq documentary, Auckland Indymedia retrospective, subversive cartoons and more (tba) - followed by an after party !!! Cost: only $3/$5 - all welcome. This is the fifth and final screening presented By Auckland Indy media for 2003. The Antidote aims to be a regular forum for the exposure of alternative political filmmaking and media art. For more information, contact auckland@indymedia.org.nz. Auckland Indymedia is part of a nationwide network that runs the independent news website, www.indymedia.org.nz

Monday, December 8, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn GPJA FORUM: Auckland - Run for the community or private profit (details later)

Wednesday, December 10, 8.45am, North Shore Magistrates Court, Cnr of Corinthian Drive and Don McKinnon Rd Albany. Please support GPJA supporter Bruce Hubbard. He has been charged with 'Misuse of telephone' Telecommunications Act 1991 because of an email sent to the US Embassy protesting the US war on Iraq..

Wednesday, December 10, 11.30am - 2.30pm, Aotea Square UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS DAY. Laurie Ross has offered to co-ordinate this working under umbrella of Pax Christi as part of the Human Rights Network Trust and the Human Rights Commission. The Human Rights Day Committee is seeking funding or donations and welcomes help to cover costs for the event. This is an ideal opportunity for Schools or Human Rights Community Groups to offer multicultural performances eg. music, dance, artwork, banners, education stalls and speakers. We are eager to have some ethnic food stalls if you wish to fund raise for a particular cause. We also require assistance with promotion and distribution of flyers and would welcome other offers of help. PLEASE CONTACT Laurie Ross on 811 8696 email: laurie-ross@xtra.co.nz

Friday, December 12, 7:00pm till late, 308 Great North Rd., Grey Lynn. GPJA'ers are invited to the Green's End of Year Party to help us thank volunteers in the green social justice and political movements. Book it in your diary! Music, food, drinks, friends. See you there.

BEST ON THE WEB

PACIFIC Gagging free press no answer to Tonga's problems http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2003/October/10-07-comm3.htm Pacific Journalism Review available http://www.aut.ac.nz/depts/commstud/journ/pjrindex_9_03.shtml

TORTURE AS TERRORISM An extraordinary series on articles exposing the kidnapping and torture of a Canadian citizen with the complicity of Canadian authorities

Inquiry needed following revelations of torture by proxy http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1068336305802 We used to feel protected by the law http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1068206464264 Graham to investigate torture reports - Imprisoned Canadian says he told consular staff he was being beaten http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1068246608033 Critics condemn U.S. torture by proxy - Rights group alarmed by deportations http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1068246608055

RESISTING THE EMPIRE New Michael Moore book sells 1 million copies in 3 weeks http://www.michaelmoore.com/ Australian Lawyer Alleges U.S. Military Has Tortured Guantanamo Bay Detainees http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20031008_216.html John Pilger: The silence of writers http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=21&ItemID=4472 US Labor Against War http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/news/news.php?news_id=2004

PALESTINE/ISRAEL Dr Hanan Ashrawi's Sydney Peace Prize address - Peace not a question of legitimacy, but of humanity: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/05/1067989611611.html Silence in the face of Israeli apartheid http://www.counterpunch.org/gordon11062003.html The cancer cells: “The application of the verb "murder" to combat soldiers who fall in action is a semantic novelty of the present intifada in the Sharon era. It was very conspicuous last week, in the wake of two military incidents.” http://www.gush-shalom.org/archives/article274.html Israel ignores road-map over illegal outposts http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=457995 Israel carrying out policy of ethnic cleansing by inducing poverty, starvation, and cases of forceful expulsion http://www.palestinemonitor.org/updates/Policy_of_ethnic_cleansing.htm The apartheid wall www.stopthewall.org

OCCUPATION OF IRA q'Continuing Collateral Damage: The Health and Environmental Costs of War on Iraq 2003' is available at http://www.medact.org/tbx/pages/sub.cfm?id=775 The war in Iraq is not over nor are the lies: Analysing GW Bush's speech http://www.fpif.org/papers/lies2003.html Americans sow seeds of hatred http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1080989,00.html Naomi Klein: Iraq is not the US’s to sell - International law is unequivocal - Paul Bremer's economic reforms are illegal http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1079575,00.html Resistance is the first step towards Iraqi independence. This is the classic initial stage of guerrilla warfare against a colonial occupation, by Tari qAli http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1076532,00.html The bombing of the Red Cross headquarters in Baghdad raises a number of serious questions about the role of the international humanitarian organization in modern conflicts. http://www.americanfreepress.net/11_01_03/Red_Cross/red_cross.html

LESSONS FROM HISTORY Iraq already looks ominously like Vietnam http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/09/1068329418505.html "Tiger Force" and the Costs of Forgetting US Crimes in Vietnam Joseph Nevins, Dissident Voice A platoon of 45 highly trained soldiers deliberately killed hundreds of unarmed men, women and children in a seven-month period. They tortured and executed prisoners, kicked out the teeth of the dead for gold fillings, and cut off their victims' ears and scalps, keeping them as souvenirs. This story is not from Saddam Hussein's Iraq, or Russia's war in Chechnya. It is an American one, revealed in late October by The Toledo Blade newspaper in an extraordinary four-day series about an elite U.S. paratrooper group in Vietnam in 1967 called Tiger Force. http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Articles9/Nevins_Tiger-Force-Vietnam.htm

AFGHANISTAN: REPACING ONE TERRORIST STATE WITH ANOTHER http://www.fpif.org/commentary/2003/0310afghan.html

BOLIVIA Bolivia's revolution a blow to corporate globalisation http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0310/S00225.htm Eduardo Galeano: Bolivia - A country that wants to exist http://www.progressive.org/dec03/gal1203.html The natives are restless: 'Clash between civilizations': Global trade is stirring a cauldron of militancy among native peoples in the Americas. Bolivia is just the latest place where that resentment is boiling over http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/story.asp?id=E5287AD4-2EA8-4F29-A508-CC5ECBB24994 How militant civil disobedience brought down the Bolivian government http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=52&ItemID=4480

EMVIRONMENT/FOOD The road to ruin: America produces a quarter of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, the population has risen by 100 million since 1970 and when an area three times the size of Britain was recently opened up for mining, drilling, logging and road building, no one took much notice. What does the Bush administration do? It ignores all attempts to curb environmental damage. In a major investigation that took him from the Salton Sea in California to Crooked Creek in Florida, Matthew Engel reports on how America is ravaging the planet http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4781425-110878,00.html High tech crops will not save the poor With plenty of food available to feed the hungry of the world, claiming that bio-technology or free trade is needed to solve the problem is a deliberate distortion, a distinguished Indian expert told the World Conference on Food and Farming in London http://www.guardian.co.uk/gmdebate/Story/0,2763,846939,00.html

THE NEW GREAT GAME: The 'war on terror' is being used as an excuse to further US energy interests in the Caspian http://www.guardian.co.uk/oil/story/0,11319,1066600,00.html

CHOMSKY ON CUBA Chomsky: "The thing with the Cuban Five is such a scandal, its hard to talk about it" http://www.antiterroristas.cu/index.php?tpl=noticia/anew¬iciaid=1274¬iciafecha=2003-10-31

NUCLEAR WAR House repeals mini-nuke ban http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/7210241.htm

THE STRUGGLE FOR RUSSIA http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20031124&s=cohen

SELF DETERMINATION STRUGGLE IN WESTERN SAHARA http://www.fpif.org/papers/sahara2003.html

GUARDINA SPECIAL ON USA Long queue at drive-in soup kitchen http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1076591,00.html Land where calling an ambulance is first step to bankruptcy http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1077230,00.html Why America's plutocrats gobble up $1,500 hot dogs http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1077949,00.html

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