GPJA #62: All Out June 30 To Demand "Troops Out Now" - Assemble US consulate 5pm

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER #61, June 16, 2004

Website http://www.gpja.pl.net/ Contact details: Forums - John Minto, (09) 846 3173, jbminto@xtra.co.nz; Newsletter Editor - Mike Treen 0212547440 / 3616989 miket@pl.net Web page – Bruce Hubbard (09) 6232667 or 027 256 3933 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 gpja@xtra.co.nz

Dear friends,

ALL OUT JUNE 30 TO DEMAND "TROOPS OUT NOW" - ASSEMBLE 5PM WED JUNE 30 US CONSULATE, CUSTOMS ST Please help advertise/join the international protest on June 30 to demand all foreign troops OUT NOW. June 30 is the date when the fake Iraqi authority is being created to camouflage the occupation.

Helen Clark has said the NZ troops in Iraq will remain until the end of the year and other troops may be sent to support the occupation.

Posters to advertise June 30 available from the website in PDF or Word format. http://www.gpja.pl.net/sub/Education/IraqPublicity/2004/June30.pdf http://www.gpja.pl.net/sub/Education/IraqPublicity/2004/OutNow300604.doc

LEFT BOOK CLUB I am establishing a "left alternatives" book club. I already have a range of Ocean Press titles I have brought back from Australia which I will be selling at a discount for email orders (the NZ$ price to be the same as the Aus$ price). Check out the books at http://www.oceanbooks.com.au/ Titles from Monthly Review Press will also be available. See: http://www.monthlyreview.org/mrpress.htm This week I'd like to highlight "Wars of the 21st Century New Threats, New Fears" a new book by Ignacio Ramonet. Available for $33 from miket@pl.net "A characteristically wise and thoughtful review of the state of the world." Noam Chomsky. Ignacio Ramonet is an internationally recognized and respected journalist and editor of the prestigious Le Monde Diplomatique and spokesperson for the anti-globalisation movement.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK "RESISTANCE means saying no. No to contempt, arrogance and economic bullying. No to the new masters of the world: high finance, the countries of the G8, the Washington consensus, the dictatorship of the market and unchecked free trade. No to the quartet of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. No to hyper-production. To genetically modified crops. To permanent privatisations. To the relentless spread of the private sector. No to exclusion. No to sexism. No to social regression, poverty, inequality and the dismantling of the welfare state.

No to the abandonment of the South. No to the daily deaths of 30,000 poor children. No to the destruction of the environment. No to the military hegemony of a sole superpower. No to "preventive" war, to invasion, to terrorism and to attacks on civilians. No to racism, anti-semitism and islamophobia. No to draconian security measures. No to a police state mentality. No to dumbing-down. To censorship. To media lies. To manipulative media.

Resistance also means saying yes. Yes to solidarity between the six billion inhabitants of this planet. Yes to the rights of women. Yes to a renewed United Nations. Yes to a new Marshall plan to help Africa. Yes to the total elimination of illiteracy. Yes to an international campaign against a technology gap. Yes to an international moratorium that will preserve drinking water.

Yes also to generic medicines for all. To decisive action against Aids. To the preservation of minority cultures. And to the rights of indigenous peoples.

Yes to social and economic justice. And a less market-dominated Europe. Yes to the Porto Alegre Consensus. Yes to a Tobin tax that will benefit citizens. Yes to taxing arms sales. Yes to writing off the debt of the poor nations. Yes to banning tax havens.

"To resist is to dream that another world is possible. And to help build it."

- By Ignacio Ramonet in La Monde Diplomatique.

WHAT'S ON

Monday, June 21, 7pm, 308 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn First Inaugural 'Green Forum' - All welcome. "CHALLENGES TO CIVIL LIBERTIES IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM". Speakers: KEITH LOCKE, Green Human Rights Spokesperson, speaking about how legislative changes have given police and intelligence agencies greater powers, to do such things as intercept our communications or clamp down on protesters in the name of counter-terrorism; RODNEY HARRISON QC, lead barrister in current Ahmed Zaoui and Tongan media rights case, who will give an overview of the current difficulties; and TIM MCBRIDE, editor of the New Zealand Civil Rights handbook and chair of the Auckland Council for Civil Liberties, who recently helped organise the "Big Brother" awards to those threatening our privacy. He will concentrate mainly on privacy issues. More info: Phone 09-361-5925 or email: auckland-mps@greens.org.nz

Monday, June 21, Academy Cinema, 64 Lorne St City Vision Drinks and nibbles and the NZ premiere of Man on Fire. $15 per ticket Be there because we need your money! Tickets available from: Dr Cathy Casey, PO Box 78 324, Grey Lynn. Email: cmcasey@xtra.co.nz Tel: 09 849 6662 (h) or 021 1766633 (cell) (Make cheques payable to "City Vision")

Saturday 26 June,10.30am - 12pm, Room 018, Clock Tower Bldg,22 Princes Street, Bldg No. 105 TOGETHER AGAINST TORTURE: In recognition of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Centre for Continuing Education is holding a free seminar to raise awareness on this issue. To register ph: 3737599 ext 87831/87832 . Many thanks Jo Davies, Programme Manager, Community Education, Centre for Continuing Education, The University of Auckland Ph: 3737599 ext 88693 je.davies@auckland.ac.nz

December 2-5, Massey University, Albany An International Interdisciplinary Conference on Restorative Justice to be held at Centre for Justice and Peace Development Massey University Albany Auckland. "NEW FRONTIERS IN RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: ADVANCING THEORY AND PRACTICE" To express interest in attending and/or to offer a presentation email newfrontiers@massey.ac.nz or write to Dr. Warwick Tie, Centre for Justice and Peace Development, School of Social and Cultural Studies, Massey University, Private Bag 102 904, North Shore MSC, Auckland. Closing date for the submission of abstracts is the 31st May 2004. Conference URL: http://justpeace.massey.ac.nz/

CUBA TOUR Charismatic Cuba is the place to go! It enchanted me with its proud blend of peoples, whose solidarity extends though their music and arts, their education and health systems and their unique history of freedom and self-determination. I was one of three New Zealanders and seventeen Australians, (aged 17 - 79), who made up the twenty-first Southern Cross Brigade. We had the opportunity to live work and travel along side Cuban's for an intense month, from 28 December to 23 January. I anticipate accompanying many more New Zealanders eager to experience the passion of Cuba on the next Southern Cross Brigade. It you would like to know more contact Ina Lawrence at inashina@clear.net.nz

PALESTINE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN Check out the NZ website http://www.palestine.org.nz/

MIDDLE EAST FILMS The Date Palm Film Festival will be held in September in Wellington, Auckland & Christchurch. The Date Palm Film Festival has grown out of the Middle Eastern Film Festival which deputed in Wellington in 2003 at the Paramount Theatre. The organisers felt the need to change the name to help create a positive vibrant feeling to the Middle East. The film selection committee comprises of Steve Lahood, Bob Maysmor and Jeremy Rose, all with passion and commitment to film and the Middle East. Selection of films for the September festival is near completion. Acquiring films has been a lengthy and difficult process, due in part to a lack of Middle Eastern Embassies in New Zealand. Sponsors are recognising the opportunities that exist to align themselves with this festival, and in particular we are grateful for the support we have received to date from Wellington Institute of Technology, Innovative Travel, Montana Wines, Sky City Trust, Creative Communities of Auckland City and Christchurch City. As well many of the film-going public has shown great interest in the festival to date. NZ PREMIERE AWARD-WINNING FILM 1PM, SUNDAY 27 JUNE "FORD TRANSIT". You are invited to the New Zealand premiere of "Ford Transit" film screening at the Paramount in Wellington to raise funds for the Date Palm Film Festival and the launch of the "Friends of the Date Palm Film Festival". Cost: normal Paramount ticket prices apply, except for "Friends" who get in for free! You will have the opportunity to become a Friend on Sunday 27 June, check website for benefits of being a Friend. For further information please contact: Nadra Zarifeh Festival Director, Date Palm Film Festival, PO Box 11-494, Wellington. Tel 025 285 1194. www.meff.org.nz

NEW ZEALAND Manufacturing Closures: A Race to the Bottom, By John Anderson http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0406/S00079.htm

PACIFIC Colonialism well and alive in the Pacific: Kelsey http://www.usp.ac.fj/journ/wansolnews/2004/june/wansol1106041.html Australia Casts a Shadow over East Timor's Future (June 3) - Canberra helped liberate its tiny neighbour but now claims ownership of vast oil riches beneath its sea. East Timor risks becoming "another Haiti" because of an attempt by Australia to exploit offshore oil and gas reserves between the two countries, according to its president, Xanana Gusmao. More: http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/natres/oil/2004/0603cast.htm

WORLD ECONOMY UN: trade rise is hurting poorest (May 28) - An increase in international trade for the world's poorest countries has not led to any real reduction in poverty in those countries, the United Nations said yesterday. The key reason why there was little direct link between trade and poverty was that trade rarely increased the incomes of the people in the world's 50 least developed countries - many of whom are surviving on less than $1 a day. More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/globalisation/story/0,7369,1226636,00.html Neo-liberals fail to plan so plan to fail (April 26) - It is neo-liberal policy reform that is often seen as a principal cause of the growing inequality and poverty evident in many parts of the world. More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/globalisation/story/0,7369,1203155,00.html Latin America's Stunted Growth: The region is suffering the effects of a quarter century of bad advice from economic-policy mavens. Time to change course http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/jun2004/nf20040615_8558_db046.htm

TORTURE APPROVED Memo on Torture Draws Focus to Bush http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A26401-2004Jun8?language=printer Rumsfeld approved 24 ways to interrogate detainees http://straitstimes.asia1.com/world/story/0,4386,255414,00.html Bush policies led to abuse in Iraq – Human Rights Watch report http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/06/09/iraq8785.htm Pentagon Memo Legitimising Torture March 6, 2003: The Wall Street Journal has released the text of the now-infamous March 6, 2003 Defence Department memo regarding legal liability for torture. The conclusions reached advised President Bush and Pentagon officials that prohibitions against torture do not apply to the "war on terrorism." The file is available here in .pdf format. http://antiwar.com/rep/military_0604.pdf

IRAQ'S MONEY TRAIL Controversial Commando Wins Iraq Contract http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=11350 Cheney's Multi-Million Dollar Revolving Door: As Bush Sr.'s secretary of defence, Dick Cheney steered millions of dollars in government business to a private military contractor -- whose parent company just happened to give him a high-paying job after he left the government. http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2000/08/cheney.html Halliburton 'mismanaged $8bn in Iraq' : The findings have been bolstered by graphic accounts from former employees who have told a US congressman that the company's subcontractors charged $100 (€83, £55) to launder a 15-pound bag of clothing and abandoned $85,000 trucks when they suffered flat tyres. http://tinyurl.com/yw82g

MILITARY SPENDING Global military spending hits $956B in 2003: Worldwide military spending surged during 2003, reaching $956 billion (U.S.), nearly half of it by the United States as it pays for missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and the war on terror http://tinyurl.com/ysry2 War on Terrors' Cost: $3550 Per Family of Four: In just 3 short years Bush has increased the national debt $1,506,750,024,695.01 a 26.5% increase. To bring it home, Bush has added $5125 per person to the national debt, and for our happy little family of four? That is $20,500. http://tinyurl.com/3cs79

A WAR FOR DEMOCRACY? Our kind of dictators : Twenty-six million people live in beleaguered Uzbekistan, almost exactly the same number of people who live in Iraq. President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan is a dictator who has perfected many of the techniques of repression developed by Saddam. There are at least 5,000 people unjustly imprisoned in Uzbekistan, many of them for their political or religious views http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,1234507,00.html 3,000 held in America's global gulag: The United States government, in conjunction with key allies, is running an "invisible" network of prisons and detention centres into which thousands of suspects have disappeared without trace since the "war on terror" began. http://www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/story/0,12469,1237650,00.html End this lawlessness: Without legal sanction, British troops will continue to torture and kill Iraqi civilians with impunity http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1235232,00.html Report Documents Extensive U.S. War Crimes In Iraq: The Bush Administration is committing war crimes and other serious violations of international law in Iraq as a matter of routine policy, according to a report released today by the Centre for Economic and Social Rights. http://www.cesr.org/beyondtorture.htm

GE There are hints that the 'zero tolerance' policy on GE contamination may be reassessed. Accepting a low level of contamination would let GE in the backdoor, just what the industry wants. Keep an eye on this one. Also this week, the Government is wavering on ratifying an international agreement which gives countries some authority to reject GE shipments. Reading between the lines, they're not keen on signing up. Minister Marian Hobbs has called for public submissions, so let her know what you think (you'll find background and submission help here: http://www.90degrees.co.nz/june10submission.doc Company backs off GE sweet corn We won't put it on the shelves in Europe, says Syngenta. http://www.90degrees.net.nz/view.aspx?id=yDDxwyed*U-rzj8XGmhSdQ GE food labelling praised and pilloried Chance to match tougher EU standards turned down http://www.90degrees.net.nz/view.aspx?id=15EO7JGuU0KVuEs3lPoi1w Zero tolerance' re-examined MAF hints at accepting low levels of GE contamination http://www.90degrees.net.nz/view.aspx?id=oIBXSTff4kqx36Tm27OuOQ

REAGAN Reagan: Media Myth and Reality: By Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting http://www.fair.org/press-releases/reagan-myth-reality.html He lied and cheated in the name of anti-communism: From Iraq, Reagan didn't look so freedom-loving. Although Saddam was still a junior figure, it is a matter of record that the CIA station in Baghdad aided the coup which first brought the Ba'athists to power in 1963. But it was Reagan who, two decades later, turned US-Iraqi relations into a decisive wartime alliance. http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1236211,00.html

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT?:

When Donald Met Saddam: Video Clip: "Shaking Hands with the enemy," Iraqi President Saddam Hussein greets Donald Rumsfeld, then special envoy of President Ronald Reagan, in Baghdad on December 20, 1983. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article2038.htm

Mike

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