Stand In Solidarity! Global Day Of Action - Saturday 27th Oct, 12 Noon

Everywhere: Any letters emailed to lettersforprisoners[at]riseup[dot]net will printed out and distributed to arrestees. Obviously don't write anything that could negatively impact on you or anyone else! If you can help with processing these letters, please email the crew on the same address. For more information, see [http://www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz].

Auckland: Demonstration Saturday Oct 27th at 12 noon meeting in Aotea Square. "Waha Nui" fundraiser for whanau of prisoners, Sunday 28 Oct at 6pm @ Te Karanga Gallery, 208 Karangahape Rd; films, music, korero, koha entry.

Hamilton: Protest Oct Sat 27th, meet 12 noon @ Garden Place.

Whanganui: Rally and march Saturday October 27th at 12 noon. Meet at the River Traders Market on Moutoa Quay (behind Taupo Quay).

Palmerston North: Protest Saturday Oct 27, 1pm @ Corner of the Square and Church st.

Wellington: Protest Sat 27th, meet 12 noon @ Midland Park. Bring noisemakers and rage Fundraising gig, Sat 27 Oct, 9pm, Happy, Tory St, featuring Upper Hutt Posse, Mr Sterile Assembly and more. A range of solidarity events are happening over the coming days. [ Upcoming events ].

Christchurch: A solidarity rally and march will be held in Cathedral Square at 12noon on Saturday Oct 27th, followed by a picnic with live music A benefit gig has been organised for Thursday 1st November at the Wunder Bar in Lyttelton.

Dunedin: Picnic on Sunday Oct 28th to discuss the Terrorism Supression Act, Tuhoe history and Parihaka. 12 noon - 2:30pm, Otago Museum Reserve.

Melbourne, Australia: A solidarity demonstration will be held Saturday 27th in Federation Square, 12noon.

Newcastle, Australia: Sat Oct 27th, 12 noon, Civic Park, Newcastle - write letters to the prisoners, find out more and organise for the future.

London, England: Solidarity protest Saturday 27th, 12 noon @ NZ High Comission, 80 Haymarket, SW1Y, Westminster.

San Francisco, AZ, USA: The Black Mesa Water Coalition and Native Movement Collective have organised a solidarity protest/fundraiser on Oct 27th, 7pm-12pm at 113 S. San Francisco Flagst

NATIONAL EVENTS CALENDER [http://www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz/event]

AUCKLAND

Saturday, October 27, 12 noon, Aotea Square, March to Prison DEFEND CIVIL RIGHTS – NO USE OF TERROR LAWS

Sunday, October 28, 6pm, Te Karanga Art Gallery 208 Karangahape Rd SPEAKER BOX - WAHA NUI - Mixed Media-Film-Acoustic Music-Spoken Word-Guest Speakers On the 28th of October 2007 to commemorate the "Declaration of Independence" 1835 6pm @ Te Karanga Art Gallery 208 Karangahape Rd. Raise the Consciousness: Current state Violations on Human Rights Nau Mai haere mai!! Fundraiser for the whanau affected by the Police Raids KOHA ENTRY

Next meeting of the Auckland Civil Rights Defence Committee, 6pm, Tuesday, October 30, Unite House, Level 12, 300 Queen St

SPECIAL GPJA FORUM - MONDAY NOVEMBER 5, 7.30PM, METHODIST CHAPEL, QUEEN ST, OPPOSITE TOWN HALL - DEFENDING CIVIL RIGHTS - NO USE OF TERROR LAWS

POSTERS FOR AUCKLAND ACTIVITIES CAN BE PICKED UP FROM Simon, NDU Office, 20 Church St, Onehunga Mike, Unite House, Level 12, 300 Queen St, Auckland City

Or download national posters from [http://www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz/resources]

MAKE A DONATION TO A DEFENCE FUND ONLINE 38-9000-0099726-00 GLOBAL PEACE & JUSTICE AKLD Indentify donation as being for the defence fund. Initial patrons of the fund are Jane Kelsey, John Minto, Simon Oosterman and Mike Treen Or Use your credit card through Paypal [http://www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz/donate]

SEND A MESSAGE OF SUPPORT TO BE FORWARDED TO PEOPLE IN PRISON [http://www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz/node/add/support]

REPEAL TERRORISM ACT ADD FOR DOMINION POST Following an initial e-mail sent to our networks seeking support for action to express our opposition to the police raids under the guise of the suppression of terrorism,we have been very encouraged by the response. After further discusion and having regard to your many comments we have decided to place a half page add in the Dominion Post, this being we believe the paper most read by the politicians. We are also constrained by the very high costs of newspaper adds so at this point we don't plan to dupicate the ad in other papers. Also we see this as an initial action which may encourage further activities on our part or in support of other groups. The following is the text of the add

"REPEAL THE ANTI -TERRORISM LEGISLATION" We have spent our lives …………… Organising, educating, debating, protesting, singing, writing, leafleting, picketing, marching, publishing, speaking in public, persuading, dissenting. We support everyone’s right to improve our world through non-violent protest. It’s part of being a New Zealander. It’s not terrorism, its democratic dissent. And we remember…………………. Parihaka……….The Women’s Suffrage Marches……….The miner’s strikes……….The waterfront lockout……….The Manapouri Campaign……….Bastion Point……….Anti Nuclear Protests……….The Springbok Tour Land Hikoi……….GE Free Campaigns……….The Foreshore and Seabed Hikoi. This is our history, and as New Zealanders it makes us proud! SIGNED BY We call on government to repeal the anti terrorism legislation!

As Parliament is not sitting next week we hope to place the add during the week commencing Nov. 5th. The cost of a 1/2 page add is $8,000. This requires a contribution of about $90.00 per person based on the responses so far. However we of course would be extremely pleased to receive any amount you can afford. We ask that people complete the little form attached indicating the precise name or names you wish to include in the add and the amount you can contribute. Please make payment to Mana Leftovers c/o Pat Hanley 76 Rawhiti Rd. Pukerua Bay Porirua. n.b. The Mana Leftovers are a group of seasoned activitists in the Porirua/Kapiti area who are supporting this initiative. Please circulate to your networks and anyone you think may wish to express their support in this way. Pat Hanley, Moira Lawler 04 239 9727

MEDIA REPORTS Keith Locke’s speech on the 2nd reading of the Terrorism Suppression Amendment Bill [http://www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/speech11334.html] Mass raid stuns veteran unionist http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501470&objectid=104722... [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501470&objectid=10472202] Brian Rudman: Maybe the latest police raids will find those elusive rocket launchers http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501470&objectid=104721... [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501470&objectid=10472144] Hundreds march before Tame Iti court hearing http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501470&objectid=104720... [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501470&objectid=10472054]

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HIDDEN VOICES A Filipino Muslim Woman On The US “War On Terror” And Its Impact On Her People. TOURING NZ 23 OCTOBER- 1 NOVEMBER 2007 Amirah Ali Lidasan is the National Vice-Chairperson of the Suara Bangsamoro Party List Organisation, which aims to get representation in Congress for the Philippines’ several million Muslims (known as Moros and heavily concentrated in the southernmost islands). Amirah is a young progressive Muslim woman, with a history of senior leadership in the student movement in Manila, and is a leader in groups such as the Moro Christian People’s Alliance. She has an international profile. In March 2007 she was part of a Philippine human rights delegation which toured North America and Europe, drawing international attention to the human rights crisis at home. The Philippine military has been waging a full blown conventional war in the southern Philippines since the 1970s (simultaneous to the better known and equally long war against the Communist guerrillas throughout the whole country). Right now that war is seeing some of its heaviest fighting in decades, with direct involvement from the US Special Forces who have been stationed in the southern Philippines since 2002. It has had hugely negative consequences for the whole Muslim population in the South (including Amirah and her family) and it has now become part and parcel of Bush’s global “War on Terror” against “Islamic terrorists”. Indeed, he has proclaimed the Philippines to be “The Second Front” in that war. Amirah Ali Lidasan’s tour presents a unique opportunity to hear firsthand about a war in our own backyard that is almost totally unknown to New Zealanders. She is the first Filipino Muslim speaker that we have hosted, and a Muslim woman at that. She is also be our youngest ever speaker (she is in her early 30s) and the first we’ve had from Mindanao. An NZ speaking tour by a progressive Muslim woman leader is very timely, because Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark are co-sponsors of a series of high profile international Interfaith Religious Dialogues which have been held in both countries in 2006 and 07. This is a chance for New Zealanders to actually hear from one of the voiceless, namely a Filipino Muslim, who have suffered centuries of repression and neglect. Donations are welcome, to help with our costs. Please make cheques to PSNA, Box 2450, Christchurch with a note saying that it is for the Lidasan tour. We thanks the many organisations and individuals whose generosity has made this tour possible. Our budget is $5,000 and money is still needed. ITINERARY FRIDAY 26 – WELLINGTON Public Meeting - 5.00 pm, St Johns in the City, Willis Street Contact: Mary Ellen O’Connor, (04) 9707147, 0274 810770. email: [oconstance@gmail.com] MONDAY 29 – PALMERSTON NORTH Public Meeting - 7.00 pm, 1st Floor, PSA House, 43 King Street (opposite rear entrance of Farmers). Contact: Dion Martin, ph (06) 3569658 (w); fax (06) 3591333 (w); 021 776029; e-mail: [dion.martin@ndu.org.nz] TUESDAY 30 & WEDNESDAY 31 – AUCKLAND Public Meeting - Wednesday 31st, 7.30 pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn. Contact: Helen Te Hira, ph (09) 3039018; 021 0554969 e-mail: [helent@nzctu.org.nz] THURSDAY NOVEMBER 1 – WHANGAREI Public Meeting - 7.00 pm, Manaia PHO rooms, 17 Norfolk St, Whangarei (corner Grey & Norfolk Sts, behind KFC on Kamo Road). Contact: Tim Howard, ph (09) 4346633 (h); (09) 4307464 (w) e-mail: [the-farm@ihug.co.nz]

WAIHOPAI SPYBASE PROTEST JANUARY 25-27, 2008 The public face of New Zealand’s role as an American ally is the NZ military presence in Afghanistan. But New Zealand’s most significant contribution to that, and other American wars, including the one in Iraq, is the Waihopai spybase. Waihopai is controlled by the US, with New Zealand (including Parliament and the Prime Minister) having little or no idea what goes on there (let alone any control). The Waihopai electronic intelligence gathering base is located in the Waihopai Valley, near Blenheim. First announced in 1987, it is operated by New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) in the interests of the foreign Powers grouped together in the super-secret UKUSA Agreement (which shares global electronic and signals intelligence among the intelligence agencies of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and NZ). Its two satellite interception dishes (shielded from public view by giant domes) intercept a huge volume of telephone calls, telexes, faxes, e-mail and computer data communications. It spies on our Asia/Pacific neighbours, and forwards the material on to the major partners in the UKUSA Agreement, specifically the US National Security Agency (NSA). Its targets are international communications involving New Zealanders, including the interception of international phone calls. The codename for this – Echelon – has become notorious worldwide as the vast scope of its spying has become public. New Zealand is an integral, albeit junior, part of a global spying network, a network that is ultimately accountable only to its own constituent agencies, not governments, and certainly not to citizens. Waihopai does not operate in the interests of New Zealanders or our neighbours. Basically it is a foreign spybase on NZ soil and directly involves us America’s wars. Waihopai must be closed. We invite people from around the country to join us for the weekend of anti-war protest at this spybase. Come prepared for roughing it and camping out. We provide the food (note: we cater for vegetarians but vegans will have to bring their own). Bring sleeping bag, groundsheet, a tent, torch, water bottle, eating utensils, clothing for all weather, and $40 (or $20 unwaged) to cover costs. Absolutely no open fires. How to find our camp at Whites Bay: turn off SH1 at Tuamarina (9km north of Blenheim or 20 km south of Picton) and drive to Rarangi on the coast. Continue on the steep Port Underwood Road which climbs over the hilltop before descending to the Whites Bay turnoff. There is a Department of Conservation public camp at the bay with basic facilities. ABC has to pay a fixed charge per person. To register send $40 ($20 unwaged) to the Anti-Bases Campaign, P.O. Box 2258, Christchurch. Make all cheques to ABC. E-mail [cafca@chch.planet.org.nz] www.converge.org.nz/abc [http://www.converge.org.nz/abc]

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).

WHAT’S ON IN AUCKLAND

Tuesday, October 30, 6.30pm, Engineering Lec Theatre 401, 20 Symonds S PROFESSOR STEPHEN CHAN, Professor of International Relations, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London University The Succession battles in South Africa: after Mbecki, what?

Saturday, October 27, 12 noon, Aotea Square MARCH TO DEFEND CIVIL LIBERTIES - SAY NO TO TERRORISM CHARGES

Saturday, October 27, 9.30am-3pm, Otago University Centre, 385 Queen Street, Auckland City You are warmly invited to attend our PEACE SYMPOSIUM – Organised by Aotearoa New Zealand Peace and Conflict Studies Centre Trust. Opening by Sir Paul Reeves. Session One. Living Peace Covenants: How can the indigenous peace movements of the Moriori and Parihaka contribute to conflict resolution in the world today? Presentations by Maui Solomon of Hokotehi Moriori Trust “The Moriori Peace Covenant” and Ruakere Hond from Parihaka “Parihaka: in search of peace”. Session Two. Challenges Posed by Military Aggression: Presentations and panel with Arthur Palmer, George Armstrong, Maire Leadbeater and Edwina Hughes. Session Three. Potential for Peace Teaching: Presentations and panel with Shareen Shah. Yvonne Duncan and the students of Mt Roskill Grammar School will present on “The Contribution of New Zealand Youth to the Greatest Challenge of the 21st Century – Conflict Resolution“. Session Four. Growing a Field of Peace – Interfaith Peacebuilding: How can the different faiths work together in practical peace building? Presentation and panel with Ali Jiang, Tipene Daniels and Greg Hughson. The purpose of this Symposium is to develop the relationship between existing peace groups and the new National Peace and Conflict Studies Centre and to explore how the Centre’s research may assist with peaceful resolution of conflicts in the world today. Registration. As space is limited please register early. Email Registration by October 26 to [anzpcsc@ihug.co.nz] Phone Enquiries to 09 815 0228 Admission by Koha. A simple lunch will be provided. Peace Past – Peace Future

Wednesday, October 31, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn HIDDEN VOICES - A Filipino Muslim Woman On The US “War On Terror” And Its Impact On Her People. Amirah Ali Lidasan is the National Vice-Chairperson of the Suara Bangsamoro Party List Organisation, which aims to get representation in Congress for the Philippines’ several million Muslims (known as Moros and heavily concentrated in the southernmost islands). Amirah is a young progressive Muslim woman, with a history of senior leadership in the student movement in Manila, and is a leader in groups such as the Moro Christian People’s Alliance. She has an international profile. In March 2007 she was part of a Philippine human rights delegation which toured North America and Europe, drawing international attention to the human rights crisis at home. Contact: Helen Te Hira, ph (09) 3039018; 021 0554969; e-mail: [helent@nzctu.org.nz]

Thursday, November 8, 7.30pm, Maidment Theatre, Auckland University 2007 MEDIA PEACE AWARDS - Special Guest Bill Ralston interviewed by John Campbell. MC’s Michele A’Court and Jeremy Elwood. Tickets $30 waged $15 unwaged. Ph 09 3082383 www.maidment.auckland.ac.nz [http://www.maidment.auckland.ac.nz] Friday, November 9, 6.30pm (5.30pm bar), Maidment Theatre, Auckland University 2007 BRUCE JESSON LECTURE: Laila Harre, National Secretary National Distribution Union: “Union relevance in Aotearoa in the 21st Century”. For 20 years unions have been engaged in a struggle for relevance - relevance to both workers and the wider social and economic environment in which we organise. This lecture will look at possible futures for the union movement and the potential and need for workers to organise industrially and politically. More than ever we are dependent on what happens at work and what we get from doing it. The question is not whether we need unions, but what sort of unions we need. A collection for donations to the Bruce Jesson Trust will be taken. Sponsored by the Faculty of Arts and The Bruce Jesson Foundation

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