Global Peace And Justice Auckland Newsletter #87, APRIL 7, 2005

Website http://www.gpja.pl.net/ Contact details: Forums - John Minto, (09) 846 3173, jbminto@xtra.co.nz; Newsletter Editor - Mike Treen 027 525 47440 / 09 845 4027 miket@pl.net Web page - bobo@enzyme.org.nz Donations can be sent to GPJA, 6a Western Springs Rd, Auckland. All communication regarding the GPJA mailing list (email or snail) should be addressed to gpja@xtra.co.nz

There are been a number of events happening over the next week or so that I have just been informed about so this newsletter comes out a bit earlier than usual.

GPJA has been supporting the campaign to free Thomas Yadegary, and Iranian refugee being held in Mt Eden prison awaiting deportation. Another picket is being held this Saturday at 2pm at Mt Eden Remand Prison. He has a small but determined group of supporters who need help. Come along if you can.

GPJA is supporting the rally and March this May Day (see details below). GPJA will be highlighting the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and call for all foreign troops (incldind NZ foces in Afghanistan) to be withdrawn immediately. We will also be asserting our democratic right to protest in this country after police attacked the March 19 protest in Auckland and arrested some of our supporters there and at the later court appearance. Pasteups to help publicise the May Day march will be organised for Sundays April 17 and 24. Teams will go out from the Trades Hall at 3pm.

We would also like to hear from any sympathetic lawyers who can assist the legal defence of those arrested.

The GPJA organising committee this Monday will be organising support for this march and the GPJA campaign against loan sharks and pokies in Auckland’s working class communities. This meeting will be at 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd.

Don’t forget the party this Saturday – See below.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Not as tyrants have we come, but as liberators” – “An evil exists that threatens every man, woman, and child of this great nation. We must take steps to ensure our domestic security and protect our homeland.” Not George Bush but Adolf Hitler

WHAT’S ON IN AUCKLAND

Thursday, April 7, 8.30pm, TV3 An Inside NZ documentary about loan sharks and finance companies called "Easy Money".

Saturday, April 9, 2pm – 3.30pm, Mt Eden Remand Prison, Mt Eden FREE THOMAS HOSSEIN YADEGARY - Thank you very much for those people who participated for the protest on 26 February 2005front of the Mt. Eden Remand Prison and 11 March 2005 front of Immigration at 450 Queen Street. It was a successful days. Thomas was really grateful and it meant the world for him. It is five months since he was arrested and put in prison to be deported back to Iran. All his wanted in this country to be free and live in peace. He came to this country in 1993 and asked our government protection. Now after 12 years of working hard and contributing to society, he was put in prison from 1 November 2004 to be deported. Thomas’s situation is the most serious because he became a Christian in 1997. This is a big crime under the Islamic law and if he is ever sent back to Iran he will be executed because he committed apostasy. It is time to free Thomas. Thomas is not a criminal. All he ever wanted to do was to live in peace and freedom. He was never been a danger to society. He has the right to live freely as a human being. Deportation will bring dire consequences for him. Your support is vital. If you have any questions or would like any more information please contact one of these numbers: Homeira: 832 4531 or 021 533899

Saturday, April 9, 7pm, Unite Office, 6a western Springs Rd, Mornigside PARTY AND UNITE OFFICE OPENING. An invite to GPSA supporters to attend this event which combines the GPJA newsletter editor’s 50th and the office opening of the union he works for.

Sunday, April 10, 2pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn HEAR FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS OF THE BIG CHANGES IN NEPAL. Babu Maharjan - will speak of the liberation movement, the coup and the threat of outside intervention. Jared Phillips - one of the few Westerners to ever travel through the liberated Red Zones of Nepal talks about how the revolution is transforming Nepal. Organised by the Anti-Capitalist Alliance ph 0211867450

Monday, April 11, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn GPJA ORGANISING COMMITTEE – ALL WELCOME

Monday, April 11, 2-3 pm Functions Room, Auckland University Students Association (above cafeteria)7-30pm, Room 3.407, Auckland University Engineering School.. DEPLETED URANIUM - 'Poisoning Eden: Nuclear Weapons, Energy and Depleted Uranium' - Dr Chris Busby is a British expert on low-level radiation and DU. His mission is to raise awareness among political leaders, their advisers, opinion-formers and the general public about the health effects of low-level radiation with specific reference to DU and other radioactive waste from nuclear electricity generation. He will be the first expert to speak publicly on this issue in New Zealand. DU has the potential to become the Agent Orange of the 21st century, with wider health implications for not just New Zealand defence personnel but all New Zealanders working in Iraq and Afghanistan. The tour has been organised in response to reported health effects following use of Depleted Uranium (DU) weapons by US and UK forces in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq by a group of concerned Christchurch citizens called the DU Education Team (DUET), who are concerned about the short and long term impacts of DU on civilians in the countries where it has been used, and on New Zealand personnel deployed in those countries. Organised by DU Education Team (DUET); for more information about the Auckland meeting contact Marion Hancock tel (09) 373 2379

Monday, April 11, 7pm, St. Columbia Centre, 40 Vermont St Ponsonby The Aotearoa White Band campaign - If not us, then who? If not now, then when? This is an invitation to take a moment away from your own vital areas of focus and reflect on the fact that the world has never been richer. Yet there are still 8 million people a year dying of poverty. In 2005, people around the world are uniting to demand an end to this outrage. Get involved! The campaign is uniting under the symbol of a simple White Band, and has the support of some of the most respected figures in the world, including Nelson Mandela, who came out of retirement from public life to help launch the campaign in the UK, saying: ”Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.” Coalitions are active in many countries already, with more forming all the time. Some campaigns are already in full swing: for example, check out the UK website: http://www.makepovertyhistory.org. This invitation is to one of the initial meetings to form a New Zealand campaign. The Demands - The international campaign is calling for an end to extreme poverty. Its focus is on three major causes of poverty in developing countries: crippling debt, unfair trade rules and bad or insufficient aid. The Millennium Development Goals agreed at the United Nations in 2000 give us the ammunition to make 3 major demands: Trade justice, Debt cancellation , More and better aid. Each national coalition is choosing the precise scope of its own campaign. One of the major tasks for the national platform meetings will be to decide the goals of the New Zealand coalition, including whether to include any New Zealand poverty issues. The other major task is to form an interim Steering Committee to initiate the campaign. Please let me know if you would like to volunteer or nominate someone else for participation on the committee. The national platforms will confirm the committee membership. Contact: Barry Coates, Executive Director, Oxfam New Zealand, PO Box 68 357, 62 Aitken Terrace, Kingsland, Auckland Tel: +64 9 355 6500 FAX: +64 9 355 6505. See Oxfam NZ website at http://www.oxfam.org.nz for latest information on the tsunami response, Oxfam development programmes and campaigns.

Thursday, April 14, 8.30pm, Rialto Cinema, Broadway, Newmarket MOVIE - “THE YES MEN” See this funny and revealing documentary in which corporate audiences all over the world are taken for a ride. Learn more about the ‘other’ WTO. And see Oxfam New Zealand’s Director, Barry Coates on the big screen hoodwinked by the Yes Men impersonating the WTO … After full houses at the International Film Festival, “The Yes Men” have arrived. See the film and hear Barry Coates talk about the WTO ... and what it was like to be conned by the Yes Men. Also showing Wellington, Rialto, 28th April, 6pm. Cost is only $15 …. with proceeds going to Oxfam’s work."The Yes Men" is a comic, biting, and revelatory documentary directed by Chris Smith, Dan Ollman, and Sarah Price. The film follows The Yes Men, a small group of prankster-activists, as they gain worldwide notoriety for impersonating the World Trade Organization on television and at business conferences around the world. The film begins when two members of The Yes Men (Andy and Mike) set up a website that mimics the World Trade Organization's. When their satire website is mistaken for the real thing, Mike and Andy play along with the ruse and soon find themselves invited to important functions as WTO representatives. Delighted to appear on behalf of the organization they politically oppose, Andy and Mike don thrift-store suits and set out to shock unwitting audiences with darkly comic satire that highlights the worst aspects of global free trade. Barry Coates was, at the time of this movie, Director of the World Development Movement, based in London. He was on the other side of a TV interview with the Yes Men and set them off in an even more subversive direction. Rating: PG, 82 mins. To find more information about the Yes Men look up their website http://www.theyesmen.org. Remember seats are extremely limited. So book your ticket by credit card: Oxfam 0800 400 666 or contact Trien: 09 3556855 or trien@oxfam.org.nz

Sunday, April 17, 3pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn PASTEUP TO BUILD MAY DAY MARCH, PROTEST WAR, DEFEND THE RIGHT TO PROTEST

Sunday, April 17, 3pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn PASTEUP TO BUILD MAY DAY MARCH, PROTEST WAR, DEFEND THE RIGHT TO PROTEST

Sunday, April 17, 7.30pm, The Classic, 123 Queen St Antidote #12. A Screening of …..The ENDof SUBURBIA Oil Depletion and the Collapse of The American Dream. Suburbia, and all it promises, has become the American Dream. But as we enter the 21st century, serious questions are beginning to emerge about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and a touch of irony, The End of Suburbia explores the American Way of Life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. World Oil Peak and the inevitable decline of fossil fuels are upon us now, some scientists and policy makers argue in this documentary. The consequences of inaction in the face of this global crisis are enormous. AND MAY DAY COLUMBIA (short) The targeted killing of educators and trade unionists in Columbia. To coincide with the "Peasant and Small Farmer global day of action",17th of April.

Sunday, May 1, 12 noon, Downtown, Queen St, City MAY DAY RALLY AND MARCH. GPJA is supporting the rally and march this May Day. GPJA will be highlighting the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and call for all foreign troops (incldind NZ foces in Afghanistan) to be withdrawn immediately. We will also be asserting our democratic right to protest in this country after police attacked the March 19 protest in Auckland and arrested some of our supporters there and at the later court appearance.

Saturday, May 7, University of Auckland, Engineering School, Lecture theatre 1.401 on Symonds Street Attention teachers and high school students. The Auckland branch of the United Nations Youth Association of New Zealand (UNYANZ) will be running a model United Nations Assembly for high school students on the 7th of May. The Model UN provides young people an opportunity to research, relate to, and represent a member country of the United Nations General Assembly. It will also encourage students to engage in active negotiation and alliance-formation. Mostly, the MUN is an enjoyable and fun event which allows young people to become familiar with issues of international concern. The fee for the day (which includes lunch and afternoon tea) is $17.50 for UNYANZ members and $27.50 for non-members (includes year long membership to UNYANZ). For more information and registration forms see the MUN page on the UNYANZ website or email aucklandmun@unyanz.co.nz http://www.unyanz.co.nz/ Thursday, May 12-19, Academy Cinema, City HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL: Our exciting programme includes the 2005 Academy Award winning documentary, Born into Brothels, the radical, entertaining Resistencia - Hip Hop in Colombia, and some of the finest documentaries currently touring the globe. Further highlights include high profile British director Ken Loach's dramatic feature, Bread and Roses starring Adrien Brody (currently in New Zealand filming King Kong); and the controversial study of the September 11 hijackers, Hamburg Cell, produced by New Zealander Finola Dwyer. The full programme for each centre will be released soon. If you register on our website, we'll email you an electronic version of the programme as soon as it's available. Go to http://www.humanrightsfilmfest.net.nz and click on keep me in the loop. Tickets will go on sale in a few weeks time.

ANNOUNCENMENTS

CAMPAIGN ASSISTANT - GREENPEACE is seeking a Campaign Assistant to join its national campaign team in Auckland. The position is responsible for providing administration, research and campaign support for the organisation, to deliver successful Greenpeace campaigns. You are confident, flexible, computer literate and have strong administration and research skills. Enthusiasm for the work of Greenpeace is essential. Please go to http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/getinvolved/jobs.asp to see a copy of the job description. Email your CV to rhayden@nz.greenpeace.org or mail to Campaign Assistant, Private Bag 92507, Wellesley St, Auckland, by no later than 11thApril.

NO US INTERVENTION IN VENEZUELA! The US is preparing for a military intervention in Iraq. This is becasue a key goal of the Chavez government has been ensuring full government control over Venezuela's oil industry, so it can use its earnings to eradicate poverty. This has put Venezuela at odds with US corporations, and therefore at odds with the US government. Now is the time to build solidarity with the people of Venezuela. Check out this great slide show presentation and make sure to pass it on to friends, workmates and others. Venezuela needs your solidarity NOW! Find out more about actions happening on the international week of action April 11-17, on the two year anniversary of the defeat of the US backed coup against Chavez by a popular peoples uprising The slide show is available at http://www.venezuelasolidarity.org/ Check it out today and pass it on to as many people as possible to let them know what is going on

STAND UP FOR GLOBAL JUSTICE, NO TO WAR - NO TO POVERTY: On 30 August 2005 one of the world's richest men Steve Forbes and NSW Premier Bob Carr will host the fifth annual Forbes Global CEO Conference at the Sydney Opera House. Like the World Trade Organisation and the World Economic Forum the Global CEO Conference is a means of promoting economic and social policies that will benefit the rich and the powerful at the expense of the majority of the world's people and the environment. John Howard fresh from attacking workers and students rights will open the conference where "senior figures from the world's leading companies and institutions will discuss the best ways to nurture and capitalise on innovation and reveal the latest global trends." A $5000 a head event restricted to top executives means that you're not invited. But you can come anyway by joining the protests at the Sydney Opera House. STAND UP FOR GLOBAL JUSTICE, NO TO WAR - NO TO POVERTY - MEET: 5:00pm, 30 August, Circular Quay, Sydney http://www.30a.org/ Dear friends of FAIR WORLD LINKS: We have received a message today about the workers' victory at the MSP Sportswear factory making Nike brand clothing in North East Thailand. Fair World Links took action on this issue by asking those on our e-list to write, and also by organising a demonstration outside Rebel Sports retail shop in central Wellington on February 10. We hand delivered a letter protesting about the sacking of the workers organising a factory union a MSP Sportswear, and called on Rebel Sportswear to investigate the use of sweatshops by Nike subcontract companies. Rebel Sports sells Nike brand sportswear, and the managing director had been adamant that Nike did not source its products from sweatshops in Thailand. You can see pix of the protest and read the leaflet at http://www.greens.org.nz/campaigns/trade We will let you know of any further developments. John Maynard and Christine Dann, Fair World Links

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AUSTRALIA Unity in the face of permanent war: More than 500 people participated in the biggest gathering of social justice and international solidarity activists in Australia since 2002, when they attended the Third Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference (APISC 2005), in Sydney on March 24-28. http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/621/621p12.htm Australia: Death in custody autopsy finds signs of torture: A second autopsy conducted on Mr Scott's body at the weekend found lesions that were consistent with torture procedures, like being kicked in the genital region, and with a facial blow and strangulation. http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200504/s1338617.htm Protesters vow to close Baxter detention centre http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/621/621p5.htm Geneva v Canberra - The UN has again attacked the Howard Government's record on race. But this time the politicians are shutting up and news of the verdict isn't getting out. David Marr reports. http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Geneva-v-Canberra/2005/03/27/11118622531 10.html

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FOOD Jose Bove Describes Fight for Food Sovereignty - French Farmer and Global Social Justice Activist Jose Bove Describes Fight for Food Sovereignty Around the World http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00020.htm Mike

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