Environment and Conservation Organisations of NZ Inc
Terrorism Suppresion Bill Undermines Vital Civil Liberties
The Terrorism Suppresion Bill remains far too wide in scope and should be withdrawn for re-drafting says the Enviornment
and Conservation Organisations of NZ, ECO.
"The essensce of terrorism is violence or threats of violence or harm to human health or the environment, says Cath
Wallace, co-chair of ECO. "This Bill goes much further and includes those who may harm the economy or property and
"unduly compel or force a government or an international organisation to do or abstain from doing any act".
"This is an unacceptable definition and it will lead to those engaged in protecting communities and environments from
large dams for instance, or those engaged in labour protests to come within the definitions of terrorists.
"Intenationally the essential issue is the use or threat of violence. The Bill is out of step with that tradition in
that it widens the definition to include economic matters.
"We find ourselves in agreement with both Keith Locke of the Greens and Ken Shirley of ACT in their concerns that the
Bill is too wide in its scope.
We can see that those who try to help communities such as those at the Narmada dam in India would be caught in this
anti-civil liberty definition. At Namarda, communities and environments are being flooded on a vast scale in the name of
economic gain and with the help of certain international banks and other organisations. Clearly those helping the
non-violent protests aimed at preventing the state government and the international agenices involved achieving the
flooding of thousands of homes would be considered terrorists.
ECO is increasingly dismayed at the erosian of civil liberties in the name of anti-terrorism. Parliament should defend
not erode civil liberties - or terrorism really will have won.