Global Peace And Justice Auckland Newsletter #30, April 3, 2003

Website http://www.gpja.pl.net/ Contact details: Forums – John Minto, (09) 8463173 mailto:jbminto@xtra.co.nz; Newsletter Editor – Mike Treen 0212547440 / 3616989 mailto:miket@pl.net Web page – Geraldine Peters (09) 3570655 mailto:bern@ihug.co.nz Donations can be sent to GPJA, Private Bag 68905, Newton, Auckland. All communication regarding the GPJA mailing list (email or snail) should be addressed to mailto:gpjamailinglist@xtra.co.nz

REMINDER FOR GPJA FORUM THIS MONDAY, NEW VENUE FOR GPJA COMMITTEE SUNDAY, SOME NEW EVENTS

The next GPJA forum 7.30pm this Monday, April 7, Trades Hall 147, Great North Rd, Grey Lynn. It will discuss the campaign against the war and organising for the international day of action on Saturday, April 12. We also have a special guest speaker, Sue Rhodes, who has worked with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The GPJA committee will meet Sunday 10am April 6 at the same venue.

PEACE VIGIL - A 120 HOUR CAMP OUTSIDE US CONSULATE MON-SAT Simon, a young musician, is making a strong personal antiwar statement by maintaining a 24-hour a day vigil outside the US consulate from Monday to Saturday. He is inviting people to support him by coming to the Consulate at 23 Customs St. He wants people to bring music, dance, art and creativity "or just yourself". Refreshments welcomed (no meat or dairy products). Email mailto:aucklandpeacevigil@yahoo.co.nz www.geocities.com/aucklandpeacevigil

OTHER EVENTS THIS WEEKEND

Saturday, April 5, 9.30am, Kim Hill show on Radio NZ Former British naval Commander Robert Green will be interviewed by Kim Hill on Radio NZ this Saturday morning at 9.30am for 25 mins. He will speak about new nuclear dangers, depleted uranium weapons and his conversion to a peace and anti-nuclear campaigner.

Saturday, April 5, 2-3pm, Aotea Square, Queen St, Auckland City 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, April 6, 3pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn "Behind the war on Iraq - Palestine, oil, empire, globalisation". Speakers: 3pm Munjid Umara from Iraq. 4pm Rana Sobh from Palestine. 5pm Mike Treen Alliance International spokesperson. 6pm Video "Not in my name". A powerful new documentary which tells the story of the US wars you DIDN'T see on TV. Features John Pilger, Tony Benn, Tariq Ali. Contact: mailto:alliance@pl.net Ph 376-3780

Sunday, April 6, 7.30pm, The Crypt, St Benedicts Catholic Church "40 minutes for Peace", a time to light candles and pray for peace in the world. Contextual liturgies: Creative and contemporary feminist liturgies for women and men in response to specific events in our context of Aotearoa New Zealand. All welcome. Presented by the Working Women's Resource Centre ph 5719158 or email mailto:info@womanspirit.org.nz

AN EVENING OF MUSICE FOR PEACE THURSDAY APRIL 17 Jeremy Elwood and Daniel Loughnan Present "WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?" AN AURAL HISTORY OF PROTEST MUSIC When the going gets tough, the tough start singing. These are the songs that shaped our world, and the stories behind them. From Vietnam to the World Wars, from the poppy fields of France to the cotton fields of the USA, protest music has always acted as a release and a record of the hardships and triumphs of ordinary people. In our current climate, it pays to remember that differences have been made, and will continue to be made as long as we don't forget the lessons of the past.

"Which Side Are You On" is a mix of music, storytelling, humour and good old fashioned rock and roll. Performed by Daniel Loughnan (The Unusuals) and Jeremy Elwood (Pulp Comedy), and featuring appearances by Michele A'Court and guest musicians.

One night only, with a percentage of the proceeds going to Global Peace and Justice Auckland, the driving force behind the enormous anti war movement in this city.

Thursday April 17th, The Classic, 321 Queen St., Auckland. Bar open from 7pm, Show starts 8pm $10 / $8 concession, Door Sales only.

For further information contact email mailto:jmelwood@hotmail.com

POWERFUL VOICES AGAINST THE WAR

Jemima Khan: I am ashamed to be British http://argument.independent.co.uk/commentators/story.jsp?story=393075

Arundhati Roy: Mesopotamia. Babylon. The Tigris and Euphrates, How many children, in how many classrooms, over how many centuries, have hang-glided through the past, transported on the wings of these words? And now the bombs are falling, incinerating and humiliating that ancient civilisation http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,927849,00.html

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE WAR

"The Iraqis are sick people and we are the chemotherapy," said Corporal Ryan Dupre. "I am starting to hate this country. Wait till I get hold of a friggin' Iraqi. No, I won't get hold of one. I'll just kill him." From The Times, London http://www.sf-frontlines.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=127&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

Depleted uranium a poisonous legacy http://www.latimes.com/la-oe-hecht30mar30,0,6100057.story

The proof: marketplace deaths were caused by a US missile http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=393066

US Troops accused of excess force http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,926998,00.html

Children killed and maimed in bomb attack on town http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=393127

Children of Iraq are suffering horrors - Photographic images http://www.aztlan.net/iraqichildrenhorror.htm

ANTIWAR NEWS

US tries to block UN peace bid http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0304/S00039.htm

Kiwis hit streets to protest against war http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2368100a11,00.html

SOME WORDS OF ADVICE TO BUSH JUNIOR

"We should not march into Baghdad. To occupy Iraq would instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab world against us and make a broken tyrant into a latter- day Arab hero...assigning young soldiers to a fruitless hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning them to fight in what would be an unwinnable urban guerrilla war. "It could only plunge that part of the world into even greater instability." - President Bush's father, George Bush Senior wrote this in his 1998 book, A World Transformed

WHERE YOU CAN SEED AID

Christian World Service is accepting donations for relief work and for longer-term actions to help Iraqi people rebuild their lives, once the dust has settled. There is no doubt there are and will be great needs. This appeal is supported by the heads of the Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, the Associated Churches of Christ, Religious Society of Friends and the Antiochian, Coptic and Syrian Orthodox Churches. Donations may be sent to PO Box 22 652, Christchurch or by phoning 0800 74 73 72 for credit card donations. See also our website www.forpeople.org.nz where there is a secure donation facility.

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