Global Peace And Justice Auckland Newsletter - 190 July 16, 2007

Website http://www.gpja.org.nz/ Contact details: Forums - John Minto, Work: (09) 845 2132, Home 09 846 3176 jbminto@xtra.co.nz; Newsletter Editor - Mike Treen 029 525 4744 / 09 845 4027 mike@unite.org.nz; Web page - media@nduunion.org.nz Donations can be sent to GPJA, P O Box 7175, Welesley St, Auckland. To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter visit http://www.gpja.org/ or click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this email.

Dear friends,

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR LOCKED OUT WORKERS

Union calling for donations to hotline - 0900 LOCKOUT: The Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota has launched an national 0900 line for public donations to locked-out cleaners, kitchen workers and orderlies in our public hospitals. Over 800 workers are facing lockouts that could last up to two weeks after a failed mediation this morning saw no change in position from their employer Spotless Services Ltd. To donate $10 and support locked out hospital workers call 0900 LOCKOUT (0900 562 5688) - please make sure you are the bill payer. Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota www.sfwu.org

The next GPJA FORUM is on July 23 with the Secretary general of the Saharawi Union of Journalists and Writers (UPES) Malainin Lakhala speaking on his peoples struggle for self-determination. To see a report of his visit to Australia go to: "Morocco committing 'all kinds of atrocities' in Western Sahara" http://www.greenleft.org.au/2007/716/37167

"VOICES OF PEACE" MEETINGS WITH RESPECT MP GEORGE GALLOWAY in Auckland at the end of July. Expelled from the UK Labour Party for his opposition to the Iraq war Galloway fought and won election to parliament as an antiwar candidate. Galloway became world famous when he appeared before a US senate inquiry trying to smear him and turned the tables on the whole US war policy.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essense of inhumanity": George Bernard Shaw

ANNOUNCEMENTS

JUST PEACE IT! GREEN ON-LINE PEACE NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE
Every few weeks Auckland based Green Party MP Keith Locke publishes his on-line newsletter Just Peace - go to this webpage to see a sample issue: http://www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/other10869.html If you would like to go on the e-mail list to receive updates such as this regarding on what's happening in Parliament, around the country or internationally in the areas of human rights, disarmament and peace issues (from the Pacific Islands to the taser campaign and beyond), email your details to: greenmps.auckland@greens.org.nz

FREE COMPUTER COURSES
Unite Union is running FREE computer courses for anyone who wants to upskill themselves on computers. The course is a great way to increase your confidence and ability with computers and catch up with the technology that is becoming increasingly important in our everyday lives. Students attend one three-hour class a week at our classes at 300 Queen St, and study at home with a computer provided by Unite's education partner Te Wananga O Aotearoa. At the end of the course you graduate with an NZQA qualification. The next intake is in August so enrol now. For more information call Unite on 845 2132.

VISIT CUBA THIS SUMMER
Cuba consistently makes the news: whether it is it's health care system (see Salud or Sicko), its response to its oil crisis, its environmental programmes, or by remaining a political opponent of US imperialism for forty years. It is also the home of salsa and its music is world renowned.
Registrations are open for the 25th Southern Cross Brigade to Cuba. Members of the Brigade, which is made up of Australians and New Zealanders, spend approximately four weeks in Cuba, leaving 27th December and returning 24th January. The all up cost is $5500, including airfare, spending money and all accommodation and meals. Members of the Brigade often stay longer in Cuba as private travelers or move onto other countries in the region. For further enquiries and registration e- mail Ina at inashina@clear.net.nz or Paul at wkcultur@ihug.co.nz (03 732 4010).

LATIN AMERICAN AND ASIA PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY FORUM - OCT 11-14, 2007 - MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Dear Friend, We are writing to invite you to participate in the Latin American and Asia Pacific International Solidarity Forum - Fighting and organising globally against neoliberalism! (October 11-14th 2007). To read the conference call go to: http://venezuelasolidarity.org/?q=node/100 The forum has been initiated by the organisers of several successful conferences and gatherings in solidarity with Latin America and the Asia Pacific, the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network (AVSN), Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference (APISC) and the Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET). We anticipate that this forum will be a unique and historic convergence of progressive and anti-imperialist groups from Latin America, the Asia Pacific and beyond. In order to ensure the conference is as successful as possible we are seeking the involvement and input of all interested individuals, institutions and

CHE GUEVARA INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE TO CUBA - OCT 1-15
The Cuban Institute of Friendship with thePeoples summons you to participate in the International Brigade of Voluntary Work "40 Anniversary of the Death of the Heroic Guerillero, Ernesto Che Guevara" that will take place from October 1-15 of the present year 2007. You can contact us through: Asia Pacific Division. ICAP, Phone: (537) 838-24-30, e-mail: dasia@icap.cu

WHAT'S ON IN AUCKLAND

Sunday, July 22, 3-5pm, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont St, Ponsonby
An open invitation from the Human Rights Network to join in an Auckland Forum On
OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF WATER Looking at local and global, health and ethical issues. How should water be managed? Should water be a tradeable commodity? Should access to water be a human right? What about indigenous rights? A panel of notable speakers will discuss these issues, including Dr Maria Bargh (TeArawa and Ngati Awa) Lecturer in Maori Studies at Victoria University;
Dr Nikki Turner-GP and Senior Lecturer in Population Health University of Auckland; Alison Greenaway from Christian World Service; Penny Bright from the Water Pressure Group; chaired by John Minto. Afternoon tea will be provided, a gold coin koha would be appreciated. Enquiries: Joan Macdonald, ph: 360 8001 joanmac@pl.net

Monday 23rd July, 7.30pm at Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
GPJA SPECIAL FORUM ON WESTERN SAHARA: Journalist Malainan Lakhal from Western Sahara will speak as part of an Australasian tour to talk about the struggle for self-determination in the Western Sahara and how New Zealand can support the struggle. Hear a speaker from Western Sahara

Africa's last colony An inspiring example of resistance and survival. After forcing the Spanish colonisers to recognise their right to self-determination in 1974, the people of Western Sahara faced invasion from neighbouring countries Morocco and Mauritania. In the war that followed Mauritania withdrew, but Morocco to this day continues to claim Western Sahara as its territory.
So determined isthe Moroccan government to deny the Western Sahara people their right to determine their own future that it refuses to implement United Nations processes to allow them to do this. As a result of the war hundreds of thousands of Saharawi fled the fighting and established camps in the south-west of Algeria.

A large proportion of the people of Western Sahara still live in the camps, where for the past thirty years they have established communities which not only provide food and shelter, but educate and organise the people to return to their land. Malainan Lakhal, a journalist, was forced to flee Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara in 2000 after being targeted by the regime for his activities as a leader of Saharawi resistance. He now works in the camps for the Saharawi Press Service, bringing news of his peoples' struggle to the world. He will speak of the struggle in the Moroccan-occupied territories today and the life of Saharawis in the camps.

Tour organised with support from: Auckland Catholic Justice and Peace office, Corso, Communist League, Global Peace and Justice, New Internationalist, Pax Christi Aotearoa New Zealand, Quaker Peace Service, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. For More information: www.awsa.org.au Contact: Annalucia Vermunt 09 5257407, NZ Western Sahara Group Patrick Rooney

ENDS

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