GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER #145, August 10, 2006

Website http://www.gpja.org.nz/

Dear friends,

Weekly protests to stop Israel's war on Lebanon and Palestine will continue each Saturday from 1pm in Aotea Square. This Saturday we want people to pick up leaflets and posters to advertise a MASS PROTEST, SATURDAY SEPT 2, 1PM AOTEA SQUARE sponsored by Global Peace and Justice Auckland and Students for Justice in Palestine

WHAT'S ON IN AUCKLAND

Friday, August 11, 5pm - 6.30pm, McDonalds Pt Chevalier, Great North Rd, Pt Chevalier

EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT! - MCDONALD'S CAMPAIGN CONTINUES WITH ANOTHER "MCFIGHT NIGHT" from 5pm to 6.30pm at Point Chevalier McDonald's. Let's make it a big crowd! Unite Union's SuperSizeMyPay.Com campaign has been relaunched with the focus now on McDonald's. This icon of fast-food is refusing to negotiate a collective employment agreement to provide improvements which Unite Union has successfully negotiated for KFC, Pizza Hutt and Starbucks employees. McDonald's wants to continue to exploit young vulnerable workers. Public support for this campaign will be critical working alongside the young workers themselves. Please spread the word through your networks about this protest

Monday, August 14, 7pm, Drama Studio, Room 322, Arts Building, University of Auckland, 14A Symonds St.

There will be a performance evening to mark the 70th anniversary of the murder of the Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca. The evening is being supported by the Spanish and Drama Departments at the University of Auckland. There will be poems and songs and a brief talk about the life and death of Lorca, who was murdered in 1936, at the beginning of the Spanish Civil war. Free -- All Welcome. The programme will include: Poems by Lorca: read by Murray Edmond (in English) and Celeste Delgado-Librero (in Spanish); Songs: settings of Lorca poems; Spanish folk songs set by Lorca; the NZ premiere of "Murio al Almanacer" set for voice and guitar by the American composer, Steven Gates. Yuko Takahashi (mezzo-soprano), Bruce Paine (classical guitar) and Setsuko Strang (piano). Guitar solo by Bruce Paine. A short talk on the background to Lorca's murder (Farrell Cleary).

Thursday, August 17, 6.30pm-8.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn

THE SPARK FILM FESTIVAL - THE PHILIPPINES, ARGENTINA HACIENDA LUISITA (2005)

On November 16, 2004, Philippines army and police personnel killed 12 picketers and 2 children at the Hacienda Luisita sugar mill. Six thousand sugar plantation workers, living in poverty, had been defending their strike-picket, and raising demands for union rights and land rights. A courageous group of Filipino filmmakers captured the events and interviewed striking workers. Despite the massacre, workers resumed their struggle. They have now won some land rights in the Tarlac region. This is one of many struggles being carried out by workers and peasants in the Philippines.

THE TAKE (2005)

In suburban Buenos Aires, thirty unemployed auto-parts workers walk into their idle factory, roll out sleeping mats, and refuse to leave (http://www.thetake.org/ [5]). Directed and written by Avi Lewis and Naomi Klein, this film examines the struggle of auto-parts and tile-manufacture workers in Argentina. The film has practical relevance in relation to New Zealand's declining manufacturing sector. It shows that workers' control, coupled with workers' ownership, is the best strategy to use against factory closures.

August 18-19, AUT University

WEST PAPUA - THE HIDDEN PACIFIC CONFLICT - A seminar at AUT University. Organised by the Indonesian Human Rights Committee (IHRC). West Papua, New Zealand's Pacific neighbour, has been under Indonesian rule since 1963. At least 100,000 people have died in the ongoing resistance struggle. In Australia, West Papua is on the agenda because 43 West Papuan Asylum seekers became the focus of a diplomatic row between Jakarta and Canberra but the issues remain largely unknown in New Zealand. Keynote speaker: West Papuan Baptist Leader Socratez Sofyan Yoman. Also: Workshops, documentary film and politicians' forum. Topics will include the historical background, human rights situation, mining and logging impacts, the role of the international community and the prospects for peace. All welcome. For further information go to the contact page. http://artsweb.aut.ac.nz/Journalism/westpapua/

Student journalists from the School of Communication Studies, AUT will be covering news stories for this website. The website has been produced for a journalism course project for 147795 News Production and 147796 Specialist Writing (Asia-Pacific reporting) papers. Any queries can be directed to the supervising lecturer - Dr David Robie.

Saturday, August 19, 12 noon, assemble bottom of Queen St

CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE TASER - March from the bottom of Queen Street, Auckland to the Police Station.This campaign aims to stop the New Zealand Police from introducing the taser stun gun into policing in New Zealand in September. The taser fires two steel barbs at a victim and then gives a 50,000Volt electric shock which incapacitates the victim. Police in North America have been using the taser stun gun to lethal effect. More than 180 people have died following being tasered in the US. You can get more details at campaignagainstthetaser.com

Monday, August 21, 7.30pm, St Marks Parish Centre, 334 Pakuranga Road, Pakuranga

YOUTH RATES AND THE PROBATIONARY EMPLOYMENT BILL: Mary Betz from CARITAS will speak on youth rates and proposals to impose a 3 month probationary period on new workers during which they could be sacked with minimal employment protection. These will be considered in the light of the teachings of the Popes and our Catholic Bishops on the rights of workers and the biblical teachings on justice for wage earners. Catholic Justice and Peace Group in Pakuranga/Howick cr_sullivan@hotmail.com [7]

Thursday, August 24, 6.30pm-8.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn

THE SPARK FILM FESTIVAL - NEW DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION IN INDIA IT WILL NOT BE LONG (C.1998)

Propagandised as the world's largest democracy, India is home of the world's most brutal forms of oppression, including gender, feudal, and caste oppressions. Landlords wield private armies against malnourished workers. This film presents interviews with underground revolutionary leaders. It also contains footage of peasants taking action against tyrannical landlords. After laying out the facts, the film ends with a peasant woman singing 'It will not be long'.

A BLAZING TRAIL (2005)

This film documents the emergence of India's ongoing revolution. Beginning with village uprisings in the 1960s, the film takes its audience through to the modern politically developed armed struggle for land reform and real democracy in India. A Blazing Trail also includes spliced footage from other struggles against imperialism, including footage of the Vietnamese people's defeat of US imperialism.

Friday, August 25, 5:45 -9:00pm at Ceramco Park Function Centre, 112 Glendale Road Glen Eden.

SURVIVING PEAK OIL FILM EVENING WITH GUESTSPEAKER JEANETTE FITZSIMONS of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Programme: 5:45-6:30 Your opportunity to talk to Jeanette Fitzsimons; drinks and delicious vegetarian food will be on sale. 6:30-7:00 Jeanette will outline some of the practical things we can do to reduce our oil dependancy. 7:00-8:00 Film:"The Power of Community - How Cuba Survived Peak Oil" 8:00-9:00 Tea/Coffee and a chance to discuss the issues with our experts. Tickets: $10 waged, $8 unwaged (inc students, senior citizens). Booking is recommended as tickets are limited. To reserve your tickets call Tony on (09)812-8406 or email pihatony[at]paradise.net.nz For information on this brand new (May 2006) film, go to http://www.communitysolution.org

Saturday, September 2, 1pm, Aotea Square

MASS PROTEST TO STOP ISRAEL'S WAR ON PALESTINE AND LEBANON

ANNOUNCEMENTS

AOTEAROA JEWS FOR JUSTICE ANTIWAR GROUP FORMED

Aotearoa Jews For Justice stands in solidarity with the Lebanese and Palestinian people suffering at the hands of the Israeli army. We also stand with those Israelis who are challenging the illegal and war-mongering actions of the Israeli state in Palestine and now in Lebanon. We are part of a growing global movement of Jews who feel that it is our duty to oppose the atrocities being committed by the Israeli government in our name. Israel has never and will never represent us. We draw from a long tradition of Jews who have campaigned for social justice and against racism and colonialism regardless of where it has occurred. To find out more or to join us, contact jewsforjustice[at]gmail.com

For more information:
Israel Indymedia: http://israel.indymedia.org
International Middle East Media Centre - http://www.imemc.org
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - http://www.icahd.org/eng/
Gush Shalom - http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en
Refuser Solidarity Network - http://www.refusersolidarity.net
B'Tselem - http://www.btselem.org/English/index.asp
Ibdaa - http://www.dheisheh-ibdaa.net
Andrew Benjamin: Israel does not act or speak for every Jew
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/
israel-does-not-act-or-speak-for-every-jew/2006/08/03/1154198265594.html

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF CUBA MUST BE RESPECTED

As a result of the communication of Fidel Castro on his state of health and the provisional delegation of his responsibilities, high ranking U.S officials have formulated more explicit statements about the immediate future of Cuba. (To read full statement and sign up in support go to the link below)

http://www.porcuba.org/index.php?lang=2

SIGN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE TASER PETITION

"I support the Campaign Against The Taser petition to stop the introduction of the deadly 50,000 volt taser stun-gun into Aotearoa New Zealand" - to sign the on-line petition, go to

http://www.campaignagainstthetaser.com/petition

DEAR FRIENDS OF WESTERN SAHARA

A new petition has been created to express solidarity with the Saharawi human rights defenders in the occupied territories of Western Sahara: http://asvdh.net/english/new-petition/

It is launched by the Association of Saharawi Victims of Grave Human Rights Violations by the Moroccan State, (ASVDH) whose secretary, Brahim Sabbar was recently arrested on his return to El Ayoun from the coastal town of Boujdour, where he'd been setting up a branch of the organisation. His brother and a colleague, El Kainen, a former political prisoner, who were accompanying him were both arrested as well. His brother was given a suspended sentence, but El Kainen is again behind bars with Brahim Sabbar.

BEST ON THE WEB

NEW ZEALAND

Protest Against Israel's Actions In The Mid-East
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0608/S00054.htm
Workers Protest Wgtn and Sth Auck Supermarkets
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0608/S00053.htm
Hone Harawira - Viva Cuba!!
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0608/S00051.htm [14]

ISRAEL/PALESTINE/LEBANON
War crimes and Lebanon - Staement by Tariq Ali, Noam Chomsky, Eduardo
Galeano
Howard Zinn, Ken Loach, John Berger, Arundhati Roy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1835915,00.html
JOHN PILGER: Bloodshed and hope - After years of terrorising an
occupied people, the rogue regimes of Washington and Tel Aviv may
finally have met their match.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/john_pilger/2006/07/the_heroes_of_hizbullah.html
5,000 rally in Tel Aviv against Lebanon conflict; protest held in
London
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/746637.html
Articles by Tanya Reinhart, Israeli opponent of Israel's wars
http://www.tau.ac.il/~reinhart/political/politicalE.html
Jihad against Hezbollah
http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/3412
The Case for Boycotting Israel
http://www.counterpunch.org/tilley08052006.html
The Junkies Of War By Uri Avnery
http://www.countercurrents.org/leb-avnery080806.htm
George Galloway vs Sky News on Lebanon crisis
http://news.sky.com/skynews/video/videoplayer/0,,31200-galloway_060806,00.html#
Apocalypse Near - Interview With Noam Chomsky: Following intellectuals'
letter, Prof. Noam Chomsky explains his doctrine, discusses danger of
Israel's nukes compared to 'Iranian threat,' global media's role in
escalating Mideast conflict and US's place in picture.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14462.htm
Dr. Abbas Bakhtiar: The Great Deception Bush and Blair
which have acted time and again on the flimsiest of evidence to reshape
Middle East into what they desire it to be: a neo-colonial possession to
supply oil while at the same time helping their rich to get richer. You
may disagree with this ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0608/S00082.htm
GEORGE MONBIOT: Israel responded to an unprovoked attack by Hizbullah,
right? Wrong. The assault on Lebanon was premeditated - the soldiers'
capture simply provided the excuse. It was also unnecessary.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14416.htm
Aid agencies ask the world to remember Gaza
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/
3d675379f3ed0a1145f520600cfd5573.htm
[15]

CUBA
The Fidel Castro whom I know by Gabrien Garcia Marquez
http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2006/agosto/lun7/33gabo.html
638 ways to kill Castro - The CIA's outlandish plots to bump off the
Cuban dictator would put 007 to shame ... poison pills, toxic cigars
and exploding molluscs. Once he even offered to shoot himself,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/cuba/story/0,,1835930,00.html
My Dinners With Fidel
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060806/14havana.htm
Hands Off Cuba: Bush Hears It from 400 Leaders
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4101072.html
Cuban Five: Heroes of their time
http://www.guardian.co.uk/cuba/story/0,,1837499,00.html [16]

COLUMBIA
Colombia's Integration Into Plan Puebla Panama From July onwards,
Colombia will form part of the one-sided geopolitical mega-project that
seeks to consolidate the neoliberal model in the western Latin America
with the aim of privatizing highway infrastructure, public services and
natural resources.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0607/S00341.htm [17]

SWEDEN
Near-meltdown incident at Swedish nuclear reactor
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0608/S00059.htm [18]

MEXICO
This is what 2 million-strong demonstration looks like
http://ratbaggy.blogspot.com/
Mexico election protesters dig in: Mexico City has suffered a second
day of traffic chaos as supporters of the left-wing candidate in the
country's disputed election block a key street.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5236884.stm [19]

BOLIVIA
Morales seeks radical land reform - Bolivia's President Evo Morales has
urged Congress to back his plan for an "agrarian revolution" to correct
a "historical injustice".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5241032.stm
Let Them Have Tractors: New Steps in Bolivia's Agrarian Reform
http://www.narconews.com/Issue42/article1997.html [20]

VENEZUELA
Venezuela Recuperates Largest Landed Estate in Country
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2033 [21]

ENDS

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