Global Peace And Justice Auckland Newsletter #123, February 9, 2006

Website http://www.gpja.pl.net/ Contact details: Forums - John Minto, (09) 846 3173, jbminto@xtra.co.nz; Newsletter Editor - Mike Treen 027 525 4744 / 09 845 4027 mike@unite.org.nz; Web page - bobo@enzyme.org.nz. Donations can be sent to GPJA, 6a Western Springs Rd, Morningside, Auckland. To subscribe to this newsletter send an email to news-subscribe@gpja.org.nz or to unsubscribe send an email to news-unsubscribe@gpja.org.nz

Dear friends,

COMMUNITY RALLY IN SUPPORT OF LOW PAID WORKERS: Auckland Town Hall, this Sunday - 12 Feb - from 2pm to 3.30pm. This is a critical meeting for low paid workers in the campaign for a better deal. The young workers in the fast food sector have done incredibly well to get this far, but now they need your support. We ask all GPJA supporters to be there! Visible - real bodies on the seats in the Town Hall - community support is critical in this campaign which has been spearheaded by Unite Union and supported by the Council of Trade Unions. Music (Imon Star, Geneva, NZ Idol Rosita Vai), Comedians (Michelle A’Court and Jeremy Elwood) will be part of the event and the speakers include MP’s Sue Bradford and Hone Harawira, the CTU, NDU and other unions. It’s an hour and half of family entertainment and positive politics – bring family and friends but most importantly – bring yourself!

PLEASE REGISTER YOUR INTENTION TO COME BY GOING HERE AND CLICKING THE REGISTER BUTTON! http://supersizemypay.com/register

Zimbabwe: A meeting is being held this weekend for Ms Sekai Holland of Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) This meeting is being held at Joce Jesson’s house on Sunday 12th Feb at 11.30am. It’s at 39 Boyd Ave, Mangere Bridge, Mangere. One of the aims of the visit is to establish links with people concerned for human rights in Zimbabwe and to set up an MDC support/liaison group in New Zealand. Please pass the word to anyone who may be interested. Ms Holland is an Executive Committee member of the MDC and Chairperson for the MDC Congress 2006 Committee on Policy and Ideology.

The first GPJA forum this year will be on the second Monday in February (they are usually on the first Monday) - February 13. We will discussing the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the attacks on civil liberties and the protests planned for March 18 to mark the third anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq. Guest speakers are Paul Buchanan, former United States security advisor and current Auckland University senior lecturer in politics and GPJA spokesperson Mike Treen. The usual time & venue: 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn

The second forum on March 6 is being moved to The Classic, 321 Queen St for the annual presentation of The Rodger Award for worst transnational company operating in NZ.

WHAT’S ON IN AUCKLAND

Friday, February 10, 7pm, Unite Office, 6a Western Springs Rd, Morningside CELEBRATE PUBLICATION OF FIRST ISSUE OF WORKERS CHARTER NEWSPAPER.

Sunday, February 12, 11.30am, 39 Boyd Ave, mangere Bridge MEETING WITH MDC LEADER FROM ZINBABWE

Sunday, February 12, 2pm, Town Hall, Queen St, City RALLY TO STOP LOW PAY

Monday, February 13, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn GPJA FORUM: THE CONTINUING WARS OF EMPIRE AND ATTACKS ON CIVIL RIGHTS – WHICH WAY FOR THE ANTIWAR MOVEMENT. Paul Buchanan, former United States security advisor and current Auckland University senior lecturer in politics and GPJA spokesperson Mike Treen

Tuesday, February 14, Unite Office, 6a Western Springs Rd, Morningside “Australian workers defend their unions”. Australian film makers' video showing. Right now the Australian government is attacking workers with anti-union laws as harsh as we saw in New Zealand during the 1990s.There’s a massive groundswell of resistance. Jill Hickson and John Reynolds, Sydney film makers with Art Resistance, screen their doco on the fightback from below. Ph Unite office 845

Sunday, February 19, 2pm, Socialist Centre, 86 Princes St, Onehunga Workshop on "Workers & Socialism in the 21st Century". KARL MARX died in 1887, yet his socialist ideas shape today’s the revolution; CHE GUEVARA failed to spread the revolution but he remains a symbol of grass roots resistance; HUGO CHAVEZ declares “socialism or death”, putting Venezuela on the front line of the fight for freedom. Joe Carolan, Socialist worker member and Unite organizer discusses their ideas and their relevance today. Hosted by Socialist Worker. Contact Grant 021 2544 515; gcm@actrix.co.nz

Monday, February 20, 7.30pm, Unite Office, 6a Western Springs Rd, Morningside GPJA COMMITTEE MEETING - All volunteer helpers welcome. Focus will be on planning the March 18 antiwar actions to mark the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

Wednesday, February 22, 3.15pm, Carpark, Edmonton Rd, Te Atatu South There will be a march and motorcade to protest the proposed clousure of Te Atatu South library. It will arrive at Waitakere council offices at 4.45pm.It’s also a motorcade so decorate your cars. Kids dress as your favourite book characters , there will be prizes for the best costumes . Together we can keep our library open. For more info phone Mered on 098366389. Organised by Citizens against Privatisation.

Monday, March 6, 7.30pm, The Classic, 321 Queen St GPJA FORUM: ANNUAL PRESENTATION OF THE RODGER AWARD FOR WORST TRANSNATIONAL COMPANY OPERATING IN NZ.

BEST ON THE WEB

AUSTRALIA JOHN PILGER: Australia: a first-rate country run by second-rate people http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2006/655/655p28.htm

BOLIVIA What Brought Evo Morales to Power? The Role of the International Indigenous Movement and What the Left Is Missing http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/dunbarortiz060206.html

VENEZUELA Chavez aims to repel US 'invasion': "The imperialist, mass-murdering, fascist attitude of the president of the US doesn't have limits," Chavez said. "I think Hitler could be a nursery baby next to George W. Bush." http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=184612006 In case you missed it: Venezuela coup linked to Bush team: Specialists in the 'dirty wars' of the Eighties encouraged the plotters who tried to topple President Chavez http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,688071,00.html Let Rumsfeld bark, says Chavez: The president of Venezuela has hit back at the US defence secretary for comparing him to Adolf Hitler, calling him a "dog of the empire" who is right to be concerned by Latin America's tilt to the left which is threatening the "weakening" US "empire". http://tinyurl.com/c4k4v

CUBA Cuba’s war against terrorism: The UN General Assembly has condemned the United States embargo on Cuba 14 times. The US also supports various illicit acts committed against Cuba in contravention of international law. This has been made explicit by the trial of five Cubans in Florida. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11795.htm Posada’s presence epitomizes the U.S. double standard: In 1976, already the Hemisphere’s leading terrorist, Posada with Orlando Bosch plotted the bombing of a Cuban airliner over Barbados. They both claimed that this act represented war against the Castro regime. Seventy-three civilian passengers and crew members died. http://www.rprogreso.com/index.php?progreso=Landau&otherweek=

PALESTINE PALESTINE: The end of a political fiction? Hamas’ landslide victory in the January 25 elections for the 132-seat Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) is an unprecedented turning point for politics in both Palestine and the broader Middle East. For the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, an official administrative power in the West Bank and Gaza Strip has strong popular support and is not directly beholden to Israeli or Western interests. http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2006/655/655p21.htm Worlds apart - Israelis have always been horrified at the idea of parallels between their country, a democracy risen from the ashes of genocide, and the racist system that ruled the old South Africa. Yet even within Israel itself, accusations persist that the web of controls affecting every aspect of Palestinian life bears a disturbing resemblance to apartheid. After four years reporting from Jerusalem and more than a decade from Johannesburg before that, the Guardian's award-winning Middle East correspondent Chris McGreal is exceptionally well placed to assess this explosive comparison. Here we publish the first part of his two-day special report http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1703245,00.html Brothers in arms - Israel's secret pact with Pretoria - During the second world war the future South African prime minister John Vorster was interned as a Nazi sympathiser. Three decades later he was being feted in Jerusalem. In the second part of his remarkable special report, Chris McGreal investigates the clandestine alliance between Israel and the apartheid regime, cemented with the ultimate gift of friendship - A-bomb technology http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1704037,00.html Church votes to sell off shares in Caterpillar http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1704045,00.html

SCIENCE GEORGE MONBIOT: Exposed: the secret corporate funding behind health research - Academics and the media have failed dismally to ask the crucial question of scientists' claims: who is paying you? http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1703909,00.html

© Scoop Media