People from all around New Zealand will be converging on Blenheim and the super-secret Waihopai satellite interception spybase, in Marlborough, on the weekend of January 16-18. America attacked and occupied Iraq in 2003 and now hasn’t got a clue what to do about the chaos and tragedy that it has created.

The Anti-Bases Campaign (ABC) points out that Waihopai is New Zealand’s most important contribution to the American war machine. Our demand hasn’t changed since the base was first announced, in the late 1980s - Waihopai is not in the public interest and it must be closed. (For details on Waihopai and what it does, go to our Website http://www.converge.org.nz/abc)

The theme of our activities, both at the spybase itself and in Blenheim, will be anti-war. The Bush Administration has pronounced Intelligence to be the key component of all the wars that it is fighting, or planning to fight, throughout the world. Thus, much more so than any token military commitment, the Waihopai spybase is NZ’s key contribution to all these US wars. In Afghanistan, the total dependence on electronic intelligence has led to "errors" and the deaths of numerous children. Waihopai is part of that spying system, which means that NZ has their blood on our hands.

A public meeting will be held on Friday evening (16th) at 7.30 p.m. in the Nativity Centre Lounge, Blenheim (corner of Alfred and Henry Streets). The topic: "New Zealand’s Role In The ‘War On Terror’". Speakers will be: John Craighead, Marlborough District Councillor; Keith Locke, Green MP; and Murray Horton of ABC.

Anti-war activity will commence in Blenheim at SEYMOUR SQUARE, 11 a.m, Saturday, January 17. Activities in the Square will be followed by a visit to the Waihopai spybase itself at 2 p.m. Information will be provided on the function of the base and there will be a peaceful protest, calling for its closure.

Waihopai does not operate in the national interests of New Zealand or our neighbours. Basically it is a foreign spybase on NZ soil, paid for with our tax dollars, and directly involves us in America’s wars. Waihopai must be closed.

Murray Horton for ABC

ABC can be contacted on ph/fax (03) 3663988 (Murray Horton) until 9 a.m. on Friday 16. After that he can be contacted on 025 307742. Back up mobiles: 021 2647646 (Bob Leonard) and/or 021 2621893 (Yani Johanson).

© Scoop Media