Global Peace and Justice Auckland – Newsletter

Dear friends,

Special thanks to all those who turned out on a Labour Weekend Saturday to protest against a new war on Iraq. It was larger than September 28 (estimates from 1-2000) and the mood was determined and loud as we chanted ³No more Blood for Oil² up Queen St. Musicians entertained the crowd before we set off and the final rally was addressed by a range of speakers including: Rev Richard Randerson - Anglican Bishop of Auckland; Mary Woodward, peace activist for many decades; Rev Dick Weston-Jones - an American recently arrived and representing the Auckland Unitarian Church; Keith Locke, Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesperson and Mike Treen, International Secretary of the Alliance. A series of resolutions were adopted at the end that have been forwarded to Helen Clark and we await her response. (See letter below). October 26 was a day of international action that included mass protests in Washington and San Fransisco. (See web links to news reports below).

Further actions will be called as it becomes clearer what the implications of the wrangling at the UN will have on the US determination for war. Bush¹s comments a few days ago should indicate that we cannot be optimistic: "We won't accept a resolution which prevents us from doing exactly what I have told the American people is going to happen, and that is if the UN won't act, and if Saddam won't disarm, we will lead a coalition to disarm him," he told reporters after talks with Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

The Bali Bombing has brought the reality of international terrorism (in one of its forms) closer to New Zealand. As our hearts go out to those killed and maimed we also need to resist those who seek to use our grief to fan the flames of war. This newsletter includes links to some useful commentaries by John Pilger on the bombings and their roots in NZ/Australian/US support for military dictatorship over many decades.

GPJA¹s forum this Monday November 4 turns its attention to a very topical subject ­ Privatisation, Public Private Partnerships (PPP¹s) and the agenda of the WTO to help transnational corporates take over vital areas of our lives such as education, health, roading and water. Speakers will include Jane Kelsey and Penny Bright. (See What¹s On In Auckland below for details). Some links for people to read further on the subject (including a recent article by Jane are listed below. A couple of international newsletters are recommended for those who want regular updates on the issue of corporate globalisation and are available from the following websites:

http://www.focusweb.org/ (Focus on Trade, monthly)

http://www.attac.org/indexen/index.htm (Sand in the Wheels, weekly)

GPJA MESSAGE FOR HELEN CLARK

Following Saturday's Anti-war march GPJA has sent a letter to the Prime Minister which requests urgent responses on three issues.

Firstly we want the Prime Minister to publicly oppose war against Iraq "with or without" UN Security Council endorsement". In our view the government is talking itself into a corner over the war against Iraq. The United Nations Security Council must never be the final arbiter of our foreign policy and yet that is a recurring theme of statements from our Foreign Minister Phil Goff.

Secondly we want New Zealand troops withdrawn from Afghanistan. New Zealand has no place in a war fighting to help the US extend its influence over the oil reserves in the region no matter how many brownie points we get.

Thirdly there is a clear role for New Zealand in promoting a UN General Assembly resolution calling for urgent international efforts to support the struggle of the Palestinian people for an independent state free from the brutal oppression of the Israeli army.

Helen Clark's comments about the Palestine/Israeli conflict being one of the root causes of terrorism must be followed by action. Already this government accepts that New Zealand was silent for many years at the atrocities conducted against the people of East Timor. It is utterly unacceptable to us that we also remain silent witnesses to the brutal, inhuman treatment of the Palestinian people. Our committee is meeting next weekend and we have asked for a response before then.

John Minto, GPJA Spokesperson

PRIVATISATION AND PPP¹S

Big Business not the answer, by Jane Kelsey

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/businessstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3000688& thesection=business&thesubsection=dialogue&thesecondsubsection < http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/businessstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3000688 &thesection=business&thesubsection=dialogue&thesecondsubsection > =

Arena¹s resource page on Gats and its implications for NZ

http://www.arena.org.nz/gatsres.htm

Arena has a lot of material that is regularly updated on this and related issues. It is well worth bookmarking for regular visits.

THE BALI BOMBING

³What passing bells for these who die as cattle²

http://pilger.carlton.com/print/120352

For 40 years Australian governments have colluded with state terrorism

http://pilger.carlton.com/print/119612

No surprise military C4e used in Bali bombing

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0210/S00122.htm

Bali to Balibo ­ 27 years of lies

http://www.asiapac.org.fj/cafepacific/resources/aspac/et3803.html

IRAQ WAR PLANS

US/British Strategy on Iraq close to collapse

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-460985,00.html

Spies role debated in UN inspections of Ira

q http://www.latimes.com/la-fg-usiraq23oct23,0,4477844.story

THE WAR WITHOUT END

The notion that the US 'war on terror' will defeat terrorism is a sick joke, writes Tariq Ali

http://www.ahram.org.eg/weekly/2002/603/sc71.htm

Afghanistan¹s opium production leaps

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2361453.stm

45 Questions and answers on intervention, Afghanistan and Ira

q http://www.zmag.org/45qairaq.htm

As the debate over North Korea¹s nuclear programme is debated this article by Top Clinton advisers explain how close we came to war eight years ago.

Nuclear over North Korea: Back to the brink

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50658-2002Oct19.html

NEW ANTIWAR MOVEMENT IN THE US

Thousands protest Iraq war in DC

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20021026-042837-7157r

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24432-2002Oct26.html

I¹m an American tired of American lies, by Woody Harrelson

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,813189,00.html

US antiwar groups flex their muscles

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,816531,00.html

Only the American people can stop the war

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,810488,00.html

September 11 families continue antiwar fight

http://peacefultomorrows.org/

FROM THE ARCHIVES ­ ANTIWAR IN WWI

The speech that earned ten years in prison

http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/debs-speech.htm

THE HUMAN IMPACT OF THE IRAQ WAR(S)

Parents of dying children vent fury at Bush

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/3275570

Iraq attack likely to turn into humanitarian disaster

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/20/1034561391565.html

Clean lies, dirty wars ­ eyewitness report on effect of Gulf War I

http://www.newsreview.com/issues/reno/2002-10-10/news.asp# < http://www.newsreview.com/issues/reno/2002-10-10/news.asp >

Iraqi¹s bracing for wars aftermath

http://www.csmonitor.com/search_content/1018/p06s01-wogi.html

The medical consequences of attacking Iraq, Helen Caldicott

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/10/10/ED44718.DTL

PALESTINE

It may be too late for two states

http://www.forward.com/issues/2002/02.10.25/news1.html

US CONDUCTS BIOWAR ŒON ITS OWN PEOPLE¹

US admits germ warfare tests in Britain

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=1556672 < http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=1556672 >

US secretly tested bioweapons

http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2002/10/09/bioweapons/index.html

BRAZIL ELECTS LABOUR LEADER AND OPPONENT OF FREE TRADE DEAL

Brazil on the threshold of a new era with Lula victory, writes Walden Bello

http://www.focusweb.org/publications/2002/brazil-treshold-of-a-new-era.htm

Znet Brazil Watch

http://www.zmag.org/brazilwatch/brazilwatch.htm

WHAT¹S ON IN AUCKLAND

Until 31 October - Roger Award for the Worst Transnational Corporation Operating in Aotearoa/New Zealand in 2002 - nominations for the 2002 Award close on 31 October. Roger Award nomination form and criteria are available on-line at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/rog2002n.htm

Saturday, November 2, 4pm, Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Rd

Aceh and West Papua ­ On the brink of war. Video and discussion. Guest speaker Kit Howden from Amnesty International. Refreshments to follow soup and bread. Contact: mailto:maire@clear.net.nz

Saturday, November 2, 2pm-3pm, Aotea Square, Queen St

Palestine/Israel Rally for Peace, supporting peace and justice based on Removal of Israeli Occupation, Right of Return for Refugees, Sharing Jerusalem and Cessation of Jewish only Settlements in occupied Palestine. Contact David Wakim tel (09) 520 0201.

Sunday, November 3, 7-30pm, St Columba's Anglican Community Church, 92 Surrey Crescent, Grey Lynn. - 'Who's left on the left?' a post-election discussion about whether there is any place for social justice in NZ politics today, with speakers including Terry Dibble, Sue Bradford, Marnie Ainsworth. Discussion on the implications of the Labour government's association with United Future for issues of social justice; for more info contact tel

(09) 376 4229 or email mailto:office@saintcolumbas.org

Monday, November 4, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn

GPJA Forum: ³The WTO, GATT¹s and Privatisation². Hear Jane Kelsey (ARENA), Penny Bright (Water Pressure Group) and others. A WTO ministerial meeting is planned for November in Australia and pressure is building for extending privatisation (in the form of so-called public-private partnerships) into roading, water, health and education services. What¹s wrong with these plans and what can be done to stop it?

Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9, All Saints Church, Ponsonby

ŒThen and now - the theology of armed violence¹, Anglican Pacifist Fellowship National Conference and Open Day, speakers include Revd Geoff Haworth, Dr Margaret Bedggood, and Dr Chris Marshall; there is a session on ' Seeking Peace in Israel-Palestine' with Boris Lubetzky of the Auckland Jewish Community and Tuma Hazou, a Christian Arab and former Middle East correspondent for BBC, NBC and ABC. From midday Friday to evening Saturday. $25 including lunch, please RSVP by 2 November if you¹re planning on going.

For more info or to book please contact Chris Barfoot, tel (09) 575 6142, fax (09) 575 4836 or e-mail mailto:barfoots@xtra.co.nz

Saturday, November 9, 11am, Entrance Viaduct Basin.

Anti aerial spray protest. For further info email mailto:wasp@xtra.co.nz or phone 8272516

Thursday, November 14, 7.30pm, Maidment Theatre, University of Auckland

PEACE FOUNDATION¹S 2002 MEDIA PEACE AWARDS.

Nga Tohu Rongomau Papaho. In association with the 'Like Minds' Awards Special Guest Speaker: Tom Scott - Journalist, Cartoonist. MC¹s Carol Hirschfeld and John Campbell. Tickets: $25.00 waged, $15.00 unwaged Tickets at Maidment Theatre, Phone: 09 308 2383. http://www.peace.net.nz/

Other Events:
Saturday, November 16, 12 noon, Aotea Sq, Queen St, City GE-FREE MARCH Demand a GE-Free Aotearoa, in food and environment. The government is ignoring majority public opinion. Show them that the GE-Free movement is more powerful than ever. This march has been endorsed by GE-Free coalitions and groups nation-wide, there will be people converging on Auckland from all over NZ. Contact the Auckland GE-Free Coalition (Karyn 09 3584105 mailto:amoorenz@yahoo.com) or MAdGE (Mothers Against GE) ph 09 3093838 if you can help with distributing leaflets, posters, stalls, marshalling, fundraising, and the multitude of other tasks vital before and on the day. http://www.madge.net.nz < http://www.madge.net.nz/> Monday, November 18, 8am-11am, Sheraton Hotel, Symonds St, Auckland Protest at 3rd International Pacific Rim Biotechnology Conference. Take the morning off work to boost numbers at this important protest. Demand our food and environment remain free of GE, and free from the corporate agenda of the biotech industry to own the food supply, and our bodies. The last frontier of colonisation! Friday, November 22, 7-30pm, at the The Religious Society of Friends / Te Haahi Tuuhauwiri meeting house, 113 Mt Eden Road. Tony Maturin speaks about his experiences as Quaker Peace and Service NZ delegate on the Belgium/Iraq Friendship Society peace

delegation to Iraq in April 2002. Friday, November 22, 6pm - Sunday November 24, 3pm, Kotare Education Centre - 510 Wayby Station Rd, Wellsford.

Coalition Building Skills for Social Change Activists: A workshop for key networkers in different activist groups such as peace and justice, Te Tiriti, women's liberation, anti corporate globalisation or GE FREE Aotearoa. We invite groups to send a person who is a good networker, plays a facilitator role and understands both coalitions and the central values of your group. A fundamentalist view of struggle or methods is not relevant. Enrol early, as numbers are limited to 15. Facilitators Catherine Delahunty and Tim Howard will lead the process. Email mailto:cdelahunty@clear.net.nz

Sunday, November 24, 1pm, Waipapa Marae, Auckland University (behind St Andrews Church. Symposium on the Palestinian struggle with speakers, documentary films, and action workshops, concludes with Palestinian dinner, followed by Palestinian traditional dance performance (Dabkah). There will be a focus on four main issues: the NZ government's trade and commercial links to Israel; NZ companies that trade with Israel; NZ universities links with Israel; and ways to highlight NZ wide the struggles of the Palestinian people - any advance research on these topics would be appreciated. Starts at 1pm, will end around 8pm. free entry, a small koha (donation) would be appreciated. Hosted by Auckland University Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), supported by Palestine Human Rights Campaign (PHRC), Auckland, for more info contact Zaeem email mailto:zeebee001@hotmail.com or Suzy

tel (09) 520 0201.

Monday November 25 to Sunday December 1 (in Auckland)

'Courageous Women in Dangerous Times: Women Working for Peace', the Gertrud Baer Seminar 2002, ³from banners, blockades and bolt cutters to interventions at the United Nations, women working for peace use a variety of ways and means to get the message

across²; an opportunity for young women to be part of the first International WILPF meeting to be held in Aotearoa/NZ. The seminar weaves in and out of the WILPF meeting - a chance to learn from each other and from peace women from around the world; includes a two-day seminar ŒThe Impact of Colonisation on Indigenous Women and the Environment¹, with

workshops with indigenous women from Aotearoa/New Zealand and other parts of the Pacific. $250 / $100 (subsidised), cost includes seminars, workshops, meals and accommodation. Restricted to 25 young women, registration deadline is 25 October. For more information or a registration form, contact < mailto:pma@xtra.co.nz > (please put GB Seminar in subject line) or Gertrud Baer Seminar, c/o PMA, PO Box 9314, Wellington.

Tuesday, November 26 and Wednesday, November 27 (in Auckland)

ŒThe Effects of Colonisation on Indigenous Women and the Environment¹, a two day seminar with indigenous women from Aotearoa/New Zealand and other parts of the Pacific, begins at 9am on the Tuesday with a pöwhiri, closes with a poroporoakï at 4-30pm on the Wednesday, includes a bus tour showing the effects of colonisation on the environment in the Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland area, hangi, workshops and discussion groups; $112 all inclusive cost, overnight accommodation available at $10 or $59 - all women welcome. Part of the International WILPF 2002 meeting; for more information or a registration form, contact mailto:pma@xtra.co.nz (please put Colonisation Seminar in subject line) or WILPF Aotearoa, PO Box 47-189, Ponsonby, Auckland.

OTHER NEWS

IRAQ PEACE DELEGATION. Dharmacharini Navachitta has asked to circulate a proposal for a delegation of Zealanders to join an international effort to send ³human shields² to Iraq to deter a US/British attack. Although GPJA hasn¹t endorsed the project we are happy to pass on her contact email for people who may be interested. mailto:navachitta@compuserve.com

OCEANIA SOCIAL FORUM - Bringing together the peoples of Oceania to renew the vision of the world we share, Nelson, Aotearoa/New Zealand, 21st ­24th April 2003. A social forum inspired by the 2001 and 2002 World Social Forums that have been held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, is to be held in Nelson, from Monday 21st to Thursday 24th April 2003. For further information:

- Re the Oceania Social Forum: mailto:info@oceaniasocialforum.org.nz < mailto:bdyer@prout.org > ph 0064 (0)3 548 7284.

- Re the World Social Forum: www.forumsocialmundial.org.br < http://www.forumsocialmundial.org/>

- To subscribe to the WSF¹s weekly bulletin: www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/cadastro.asp < http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/cadastro.asp >

TRUSTEES SOUGHT FOR PONSONBY TRADE AID STORE. Trade Aid has recently opened a new store in Ponsonby Road, dedicated to selling handcrafts, tea and coffee produced by partners in developing countries. Through regular orders, fair trading terms, and services such as product development, Trade Aid supports the efforts of producer groups to attain self-reliance, and to strengthen community enterprises. The store also carries material promoting fair trade, and examining the causes of the poverty suffered by handcraft producers. A group of trustees is needed to make policy decisions, act in support of staff, and liase with Trade Aid Importers in Christchurch, and support education initiatives. We are looking for a mix of business, human resource, marketing and development skills, or just a belief in Fair Trade and a desire to help. The time commitment is usually two hours a month plus any extra projects. If you are interested, or can nominate someone else, please call Vi Cottrell on 0508 872332, or email mailto:vic@tradeaid.co.nz

FRI, 8 TO SUN, 10 NOVEMBER (IN WELLINGTON) - AOTEAROA PEOPLE'S GLOBAL ACTION CONVERGENCE! Peoples Global Action is a worldwide network that works towards a durable, peaceful, social, borderless and directly democratic alternative to capitalism and all systems of oppression. The Convergence is for everyone who has an affinity with the PGA hallmarks and the PGA Organisational Principles, for more info check out http://aotearoa.wellington.net.nz/mayday/converge.htm Hosted by Te Mana Akonga and Ngai Tauira, Wellington collectives and groups including Aotearoa Educators, Windymedia, Anti-Bypass Action, Committee for the Establishment of Civilisation (CEC) ... the PGA Convergence will be in the Student Union Building, Victoria University, Kelburn Parade.

NZ is one of George Bush¹s most enthusiastic allies in his apparently endless and borderless 'war on terror' - the public face of that is the involvement of the SAS in the war in Afghanistan; but New Zealand¹s most significant contribution to that war, and any other wars waged by our Western allies, is the Waihopai spybase. Even though the Government is not so keen on following the US in its plans to wage war on Iraq, Waihopai will play a key role in that too, because it is controlled by the US, with NZ (including Parliament) having little or no idea what goes on there (let alone any control). Waihopai does not operate in the national interests of New Zealand or our neighbours. Basically it is a foreign spybase on NZ soil and directly involves us in America¹s 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. For more info contact the Anti-Bases Campaign, Box 2258, Christchurch; email mailto:cafca@chch.planet.org.nz or check out http://www.converge.org.nz/abc

MAKING IT HAPPEN" - NGOS LOBBY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S AGENDA FOR CHILDREN

Fourteen non-governmental organisations have produced "Making it Happen" about what the Government needs to do to implement its June 2002 strategy document, "Agenda for Children". The key message is that the Government must act now.

"Making it Happen" focuses on the seven "action areas" in the Agenda for Children and makes practical recommendations such as: * ending child poverty with a balanced set of tax and benefit provisions to be introduced in the short and medium term * making changes to government structures and processes to accommodate children's interests, including representation at the Cabinet table, child impact reporting, and an all party select committee * addressing violence in children's lives by promoting whole community initiatives, developing early intervention programmes and putting resources into evaluating what works

The organisations behind "Making It Happen" are ACYA, the AUT Institute of Public Policy, Barnardos, Child Poverty Action Group, Children's Agenda, Children Issues Centre, Children's Television Foundation, National Collective of Independent Women's Refuges, National Council of Women, the Paediatric Society, Plunket, Public Health Association, Save the Children, and UNICEF.

You can get the report and further information, and join the Making It Happen mailing list, by going to www.makingithappen.info < http://www.makingithappen.info/> Or you can contact Beth Wood at UNICEF New Zealand, PO Box 10 978, Wellington, ph 04 473 0879; or Emma Davies at the Institute of Public Policy, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1020, ph (09) 917 9999 ext. 8408.

THE STEVEN WALLACE TRUST FUND FOR JUSTICE 0900 JUSTICE (0900 58784) number is working again. You can ring the number to make an automatic donation of $20 to the Fund. Donations would be particularly appreciated at this time because of the high costs of bringing the private prosecution against Constable Keith Abbott who shot and killed Steven in Waitara on 30 April 2000. The private prosecution began in September 2001, more than sixteen months after Steven's death, because no progress had been made towards justice by the official bodies whose duty it is to investigate the actions of police officers which result in harm or death.

TV One News revealed on 15 June that Cabinet had decided to pay around $130,000 to the Police Association for the cost of Constable Abbott¹s defence to date. The Wallace family are not receiving any legal aid for the court case. Helen Clark was reported as explaining this with: ³This is a private prosecution and there is no legal aid for private prosecutions.² ³If there was, you would lift the lid off and you would never get the lid back on. It would be fair game for anyone to lodge a private prosecution.² (ŒClark hears of Taranaki issues¹, Lyn Humphreys, INL News, 20 June 2002).

As we commented at the time ³Given that this is the first private prosecution brought against a serving police officer, it is hardly a question of lifting the lid off. There is a disturbing implication in these comments that a private prosecution is something, which is determined by the ability to pay for it - surely a private prosecution should proceed on the merits of the case, rather than whether or not a complainant has the financial resources to fund it. One law for the rich and another for the poor?² (ŒA step towards justice? The Chief Justice¹s judgment on the shooting of Steven Wallace¹, PMA, 25 June 2002). The trial will begin in the Wellington High Court on 18 November 2002. Where you can get more information:

http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/steven.htm

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