LL:PR: Huge turn out for anti war meeting expected
Media Alert Stop the War Coalition February 13, 2004 Huge turn out for anti war meeting expected Almost a thousand people will attend a Sydney anti war meeting this Sunday (6pm, February 15, 2004) on the first anniversary of the global stop the war mobilisations. John Pilger and Andrew Wilkie will address the meeting and then answer questions following a screening of Pilger=92s Breaking the Silence : truth and lies in the war on terror. Tickets are sold out with the unprecedented response reflecting a growing public unease at Australia=92s involvement in the continuing tragedy in Iraq. On February 15 last year millions of people joined huge demonstrations in over 600 cities around the world to oppose the US led invasion of Iraq. In Sydney over half million people joined the march against the war. The New York Times described the movement as the second global superpower. The continuing resistance to the occupation in Iraq and the growing scandal over government lies about WMD intelligence is fuelling a reinvigoration of the anti-war movement. WHAT : Breaking the Silence: truth and lies in the war on terror a screening of John Pilger's latest film followed by a discussion with WHO: JOHN PILGER ANDREW WILKIE WHEN : Sunday, February 15, 6 pm WHERE: Clancy Auditorium, University of NSW Gate 9, High St, Kensington For information and comment: Pip Hinman 0412 139 968 Jon Edwards 0428 213 146 Media are asked to call the above numbers to obtain access. Breaking the Silence: truth and lies in the war on terror a screening of John Pilger's latest film followed by a discussion with JOHN PILGER ANDREW WILKIE An astonishing piece of journalism. Pilger's arsenal of facts is awesome. - UK Guardian. John Pilger's latest documentary, Breaking the Silence: Truth and lies in the war on terror was filmed by John Pilger and his team in Afghanistan and the United States and includes previously unseen material from Iraq. The film investigates George W Bush's war on terror. In liberated Afghanistan, America has its military base and pipeline access, while the people have the warlords who are, says one woman, in many ways worse than the Taliban. In Washington, a series of remarkable interviews includes senior Bush officials and former intelligence officers. In the week that the Hutton inquiry into the death of the British scientist Dr David Kelly releases its report, a former senior CIA official tells Pilger that the whole issue of weapons of mass destruction was 95 per cent charade. Andrew Wilkie, who is interviewed in the film, was formerly a senior Australian intelligence officer with the Office of National Assessments. He resigned his position in March in protest at the Howard's government's decision to commit troops to a war on Iraq. Wilkie has argued since his resignation that the war was never about combating terrorism or weapons of mass destruction but rather about US interests in the Middle East. Both John Pilger and Andrew Wilkie will be answering questions at the film screening, organised by the Stop the War Coalition. Pilger and Wilkie will also be addressing the Troops out of Iraq rally in Sydney on March 20, 12 noon at Hyde Park North. -- Visit the proposed Leftlink web site at http://www.leftlink.net/ -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:PR: Anti-war activists' prison sentence hypocritical
Stop the War Coalition MEDIA RELEASE *** MEDIA RELEASE January 30, 2004 Anti-war activists' prison sentence hypocritical Dr Will Saunders and Mr David Burgess, the two anti-war protesters who painted No War on a sail of the Sydney Opera House last year were today sentenced to 9 months' imprisonment to be served in periodic detention. The two activists have also been ordered to pay the Sydney Opera House Trust's full compensation demand of $151,000. The Stop the War Coalition, a broad community-based coalition of anti-war activists and organisations, declared the sentence outrageous and clearly failed to take into account the social and political context in which the protesters acted. The Coalition has organised pickets of hundreds of people in support of Will and Dave at their court hearings. Anna Samson, a spokesperson for the Stop the War Coalition, pointed out the irony of the sentencing judge's position. Judge Blackmore argued that there was no difference between the men's desire to make a political point by painting the Opera House and 'an irresponsible drunken man' graffiting private property. This was consistent with his view that the invasion of Iraq was 'irrelevant' to the question of how Will and Dave should be treated by the legal system. At the same time, the judge believed the severity of the sentence was warranted to act as a 'general deterrent' to all activists who may consider disobeying the law in such a public manner in the future. If the Judge wanted to make an example of Will and Dave to the community then he has succeeded. He has showed us the hypocrisy of a system that jails non-violent protesters for expressing the will of millions of Australians, while our Prime Minister, John Howard, who is responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent Iraqi children, is yet to be indicted for war crimes. Australia was drawn into an illegal and immoral war that the majority of Australians opposed. The Howard government ignored the peaceful demonstrations of a million citizens through the country's streets. Will and Dave are heroes who did their utmost to try and prevent innocent people from being unnecessarily slaughtered and for this they are being sent to prison. The Stop the War Coalition has pledged to continue the campaign to have Will and Dave's sentence overturned. The campaign to end the occupation of Iraq is also far from over. Jailing activists will not deter us in our struggle to bring justice to the Iraqi people and to hold our governments to account, Ms Samson said. For more information, contact Anna Samson (0401 900 690) or Marlene Obeid (0401 758 871). http://www.StopWarCoalition.org/www.StopWarCoalition.org -- Visit the proposed Leftlink web site at http://www.leftlink.net/ -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:PR: Harry Quick MHR/Fr Brian Gore to address Bush protest
media release *** media release October 14, 2003 Stop the War Coalition Harry Quick MHR and Fr Brian Gore to address anti-Bush protest in Sydney Harry Quick, ALP MHR, and Father Brian Gore from the Columban Mission will be among the keynote speakers at a protest in Sydney on October 22 on the eve of US President George Bush's visit to Australia. Mr Quick, an outspoken critic of Australia's decision to join the war on Iraq, had intended to turn his back on the President during his address to a joint sitting of parliament on October 23. He was dissuaded from doing so by ALP parliamentary leader Simon Crean. But Mr Quick is still planning to protest by wearing a white armband, and he is encouraging encouraging others to do the same. Some 85% of the emails coming into his office support his stand. =46ather Brian Gore, an anti-debt and social justice campaigner, has also been outspoken against the war on Iraq. He took part in the London protest in February against the war, organised by Stop the War Coalition in Britain. President Bush is due to address a joint sitting of parliament at 11.15am on October 23. Protesters will converge on Parliament House from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and elsewhere for a protest beginning at 9am. stopdubya.org (Sydney) and actnow.canberra.net.au (Canberra) are the main organising websites for the anti-Bush protests. The Sydney protest will begin at 5pm on October 22 at Town Hall. To get in touch with Father Brian Gore ring the Columban Mission on (02) 9488 8844 or Harry Quick MHR contact 0418 127 670. =46or more information about the protest, ring: Nick Everett 0409 762 081 Brian Webb 0425 347 634 Rihab Charida 0405 760 929 Bashir Sawalha 0413 859 060 STOP BUSH EVENTS: 'BUSHWACKED' 2PM-4PM PRINCE ALFRED PARK 0412 803 457, or email mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED] OCTOBER 22 5PM TOWN HALL STEPS THURSDAY 23 OCTOBER CANBERRA 0425 347 634, 0409 762 081, 0405 760 929, 0413 859 060 [EMAIL PROTECTED], http://www.stopdubya.org (Details below) Stop The War Coalition organising meetings Monday 7pm Spanish Club 13 Oct, 20 Oct We're Being BUSHWACKED George Bush is coming to Australia. Give him the welcome he deserves. Hoedown at 2pm till 4pm Prince Alfred Park (walk south from central station down Chalmers St - yes, it's the one with the pool!), Sunday 19th October It's a Western day of ridicule, filled with comedy, entertainment and performances: World's first protest line dance Best Dressed Western Competition Creative ridicule, $100 reward for best placard display. MCs from C Performances by Paul Catsis, Bertie Blackman, Rap version of Jimmie Hendrix Star Spangled Banner, Andrew Hansen from the C Band, the Radical Cheerleaders, and more =8A. Come and pick up leaflets and posters from the Labor Council of NSW (lvl 10/377 Sussex St Sydney) during business hours. Attached is a leaflet for you to download and circulate. If you live far away from the city, we can organise for some posters and leaflets to be mailed to you. If you want to help out leafleting trainstations, contact Ben Stirling on mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED] or 0417 08 12 77. For more information about the event, contact Hannah Middleton on 0418 668 098 or Bruce Childs on 0412 803 457, or email mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED] -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:DDN: National Convergence on Canberra to stop Bush
National Convergence on Canberra to stop Bush [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.stopdubya.org Thursday 23 October Canberra Sydney Town Hall on Wednesday 22 October at 5pm Meeting Monday 7pm 13 october, Monday 7pm 20 October Spanish Club, 88 Liverpool Street Call to Action George W. Bush is set to address a joint sitting of federal parliament 10am, Thursday 23 October. He will be promoting the values of endless war and a free trade agenda. The invitation by Prime Minister John Howard is an insult to the millions of people who protested in the 14-16 February demonstrations in Australia. Then as now, Howard ignored the democratic voice of ordinary people. The anti-war movement was right in saying that the war was based on lies, that it was a war for oil, not disarmament. Around 1000 Australian military personnel are still in Iraq, providing logistical and communications support to the US military. Bush will be requesting Howard provide more support for the illegal occupation of Iraq. John Howard's support for the invasion and occupation has already cost $745 million - money that should have been spent on education and health. Bush has invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, has designs on North Korea, Iran and Syria and has backed Israel's War of Terror against the Palestinian people Bush's visit to Australia also coincides with negotiations of the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement, which will threaten the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, quarantine laws GM labelling and public assets. Howard hopes this will be his prize for cooperating with Bush. Howard claims to have invited Bush to the federal parliament in our name. However, the presence of thousands of demonstrators outside the parliament will send a clear message that Bush is not welcome. It will show that we do not support the occupation of Iraq or the proposed Free Trade Agreement. a.. The Sydney Stop the War Coalition is organising buses to transport activists from Sydney to Canberra to be part of a national demonstration when Bush addresses parliament. We urge all community groups, unions, students and local peace groups to start preparations to transport as many people as possible to Canberra on 23 October. a.. The Stop the War Coalition has also called a demonstration on the eve of Bush's arrival, at Sydney Town Hall on Wednesday 22 October at 5pm, which will march to the US consulate. a.. To coordinate the largest possible demonstrations against Bush's visit there will be two organising meetings on Monday 13 October and Monday 20 October, 7pm level 3 of the Spanish Club, 88 Liverpool Street (near the corner of George Street) Issued by Stop the War Coalition (Sydney) Tuesday, 7 October 2003 0425 347 634 0409 762 081 0405 760 929 0413 859 060 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.stopdubya.org . -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:PR: GIANT PROTEST PLANNED FOR BUSH AUST VISIT
media release *** media release September 16, 2003 Stop the War Coalition GIANT PROTEST AGAINST BUSH VISIT Anti-war and human rights activists are preparing a giant protest against US President George Bush when he visits Australia in late October. A meeting last night of 60 people representing 17 organisations (including four local peace groups, Sawiyan - Committee in Solidarity for Palestine; the Other September 11 Committee; Friends of the Earth; Illawarra NoWar and Books not Bombs) has called the Stop Bush protest around the themes: Troops out of Iraq; No Free Trade Agreement; Break the Howard-Bush Alliance and Justice for Palestine. Nick Everett, from Stop the War Coalition, said that the protest was expected to be large given the mass opposition to the war on Iraq. We're appealing to the half-million people who marched on February 16 against the war on Iraq to come out again against the occupation, said Everett. Brian Webb added that Stop the War also expected people concerned about the US government's support for global trade regulations which privilege the rich countries over the poor to mobilise. The US government's refusal to sign on to the Kyoto greenhouse protocol and the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; and its support for compliant dictatorships, such as in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will also bring people to the protest. Rihab Charida from the Sawiyan - Committee in Solidarity with Palestine said that the US government's support for Israel's war on Palestine, and its refusal to condemn the expulsion of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from Palestine, would bring many communities concerned about peace in the Arab world to the protest. A demonstration has been called for 5pm at Town Hall the day President Bush arrives in Australia (any time from October 21). Stop the War is also supporting a planned national convergence in Canberra, and will be assisting the ACT Network against War which is planning a lunchtime protest at Parliament House. Contact: Nick Everett 0409 762 081 Brian Webb 0425 347 634 Rihab Charida 0405 760 929 Bashir Sawalha 0413 859 060 GEORGE W. BUSH - ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT: Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 20:04:27 - From: Alan Heymann [EMAIL PROTECTED] (source unknown) I attacked and took over two countries. I spent the US surplus and bankrupted the US Treasury. I shattered the record for the biggest annual deficit in history (not easy!). I set an economic record for the most personal bankruptcies filed in any 12 month period. I set all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the stock market. I am the first president in decades to execute a federal prisoner. I am the first president in US history to enter office with a criminal record. In my first year in office I set the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in US history (tough to beat my dad's, but I did) After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, I presided over the worst security failure in US history. I set the record for most campaign fund raising trips by an president in US history. In my first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their jobs. I cut unemployment benefits for more out-of-work Americans than any other president in US history. I set the all-time record for most real estate foreclosures in a 12-month period. I appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than any president in US history. I set the record for the fewest press conferences of any president since the advent of TV. I signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any other US president in history. I presided over the biggest energy crises in US history and refused to intervene when corruption was revealed. I cut health care benefits for war veterans. I set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for protest against any person in the history of mankind. I dissolved more international treaties than any president in US history. I've made my presidency the most secretive and unaccountable of any in US history. Members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in US history. (The poorest multimillionaire, Condoleeza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her). I am the first president in US history to have all 50 states of the Union simultaneously struggle against bankruptcy. I presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud in any market in any country in the history of the world. I am the first president in US history to order a US attack and military occupation of a sovereign nation, and I did so against the will of the United Nations and the vast majority of the international community. I have created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history of the US. I set the all-time record for biggest annual budget spending increases, more than any other president in US history
LL:DDN: ACTION AGAINST BUSH VISIT - MEETING
Dear friend, Following is a call to action to protest George W Bush's visit to Australia. Please consider endorsing this call and urging your local peace group/union/community organisation to consider endorsing the call also. You can add your endorsement by emailing the Stop the War Coalition at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or by phoning: Brian 0425-347-634; Nick 0409-762-929; Rihab 0405-760-929; Bashir 0413-859-060. A special meeting of all those interested in building the biggest possible mobilisation against Bush will be held this Monday September 15, 7pm, Level 3, Spanish Club, 88 Liverpool Street (near the corner of George Street). _ Call to action against George Bush's visit to Australia Sydney, Australia, 9 September 2003 George Bush is coming to Australia to promote his never-ending war and free trade agenda. The Sydney Stop the War Coalition calls for all organisations and individuals who have stood against the US government's drive to war and to global economic domination to protest Bush's visit. George Bush will be visiting Canberra and Sydney immediately following the APEC summit to be held on 21 October in Bangkok, Thailand. The coalition of the killing - Bush, Blair and Howard - waged an illegal and immoral war on Iraq despite unprecedented global opposition and protests. The lies behind this war are now being exposed. Despite Bush's talk of liberation the invasion of Iraq has become a war of occupation, with US forces bogged down in ongoing battles with the Iraqi people. US corporations have re-entered Iraq to carve up the spoils of war. Bush is not content to stop at Afghanistan and Iraq. He is threatening further nations, such as North Korea, Iran and Syria with military action. In the wake of the war Prime Minister John Howard hopes to secure a Free Trade Agreement with the United States. This will be his trophy for supporting war on Iraq. The FTA will lock in a neo-liberal agenda which gives corporations greater rights. This bilateral deal is modelled on the North American FTA where companies now have the right to sue governments for introducing environmental, labour or other regulations. The FTA threatens the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, quarantine laws, GM labelling and public assets. Bush's visit coincides with a round of trade negotiations planned for 27 October in Canberra. For these reasons and many more we are saying enough! We demand an immediate end to the occupation of Iraq and oppose the proposed FTA. We call for those who mobilised against Howard and Bush in February to do so again. The Sydney Stop the War Coalition invites all concerned organisations to attend an open meeting to coordinate the biggest possible mobilisation on Monday September 15, 7pm, Level 3, Spanish Club, 88 Liverpool Street (near the corner of George Street). We also urge other activists to start planning now to mobilise from their cities and towns to come to Sydney and/or Canberra. Another world is possible. A world without war, where people come before profit. STOP BUSH TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ DERAIL THE FTA ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE Contact: Brian 0425-347-634; Nick 0409-762-929; Rihab 0405-760-929; Bashir 0413-859-060 . -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:INFO: Friends of the Earth Sydney Needs Your Help
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH NEEDS YOUR HELP TO SAVE THE WORLD FROM NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND WAR DONATIONS TO FOE SYDNEY ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE Friends of the Earth Sydney has played a vital part in saving the world from the threat of nuclear weapons and war, the greatest threat to ecosystems worldwide. Over the years we have been the catalyst for resolutions in the European Parliament urging the taking of US and Russian nuclear weapons off alert, for numerous resolutions in the Australian Senate on the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Missile Defence and for motions in the British, Canadian and Brasilian parliaments on the India-Pakistan nuclear standoff. Most recently we were the catalyst for a motion in the Australian Senate urging that there be a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis. FOE has also played a vital part in organising the massive rallies that took place against war with Iraq. FOE Sydney is now working on the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis, coordinating a global sign-on letter to George Bush, and doing media work designed to press for a peaceful non-military solution to a very dangerous situation. To do this, FOE needs your financial help. FOE expended a lot of our limited resources on publicity for the opposition to war with Iraq, and we are just about running on empty. Our main expenditure is on fax and email, and then on phone - all our labour is voluntary and we pay little rent. EVERYTHING you give us goes into campaigning. But we are short of cash for the faxes we need to do if we are to do media and to lobby effectively on North Korea. The sums involved are not large - we need no more than $2,000. That is enough to allow us, in the short term, to work effectively on preventing a nuclear confrontation in Korea. Donations to FOE Sydney are tax-deductible, and can be sent to PO Box A-474, Sydney South, 1235.Inquiries: John Hallam 02-9567-7533 -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:INFO: Friends of the Earth Sydney Needs Your Help
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH NEEDS YOUR HELP TO SAVE THE WORLD FROM NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND WAR DONATIONS TO FOE SYDNEY ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE Friends of the Earth Sydney has played a vital part in saving the world from the threat of nuclear weapons and war, the greatest threat to ecosystems worldwide. Over the years we have been the catalyst for resolutions in the European Parliament urging the taking of US and Russian nuclear weapons off alert, for numerous resolutions in the Australian Senate on the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Missile Defence and for motions in the British, Canadian and Brasilian parliaments on the India-Pakistan nuclear standoff. Most recently we were the catalyst for a motion in the Australian Senate urging that there be a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis. FOE has also played a vital part in organising the massive rallies that took place against war with Iraq. FOE Sydney is now working on the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis, coordinating a global sign-on letter to George Bush, and doing media work designed to press for a peaceful non-military solution to a very dangerous situation. To do this, FOE needs your financial help. FOE expended a lot of our limited resources on publicity for the opposition to war with Iraq, and we are just about running on empty. Our main expenditure is on fax and email, and then on phone - all our labour is voluntary and we pay little rent. EVERYTHING you give us goes into campaigning. But we are short of cash for the faxes we need to do if we are to do media and to lobby effectively on North Korea. The sums involved are not large - we need no more than $2,000. That is enough to allow us, in the short term, to work effectively on preventing a nuclear confrontation in Korea. Donations to FOE Sydney are tax-deductible, and can be sent to PO Box A-474, Sydney South, 1235.Inquiries: John Hallam 02-9567-7533 -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:PR: Support Greens senate Inquiry into WMD Claims
Dear All, The below is an announcement from the office of Senator Bob Brown that the Greens are pushing for a Senate inquiry into the claims that were made about weapons of mass destruction immediately prior to the war with Iraq. It is now clear, if it was not always so, that these claims were a lie. A Senate inquiry would be massively helpful in exposing that lie. In order for such an inquiry to take place it must be supported by both the Greens, the Democrats, and by the ALP. It is the ALP that are going to require pushing from you and me and all of us out there. To make life just a bit more complicated, they are now engaged in a bloody (and irrelevant) leadership stoush. However, presure from their electorates will help them to decide in favour of supporting the inquiry. To help them make up their mind to support this initiative, they need to get emails and faxes from us all. I am including an email list for the entire parliament at the very end of this appeal. You should not only email either your own MP, and/or the entire parliament in support of the inquiry initiative, but should fax: --Your own MP Simon Crean on 6277-8444 or 03-9545-6299 Kim Beazley 6277-8495 or 08-9592-1361 Kevin Rudd 6277-8508 or 07-3899-5755 Senator Evans (08) 9481 4244 The below are sympathetic: Harry Quick 6277-8588 or 03-6263-5050 Carmen Lawrence 6277-8501 08-9336-1059 (see also the adresses below) June 2003 Dear Friends Re: Senate inquiry into WMD claims and the Iraq war The Greens have announced we will be moving for a Senate inquiry into claims about Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the lead up to the Iraq war. As you know the US congress and the British parliament are both conducting such inquiries. Unfortunately the Labor Opposition here in Australia has not yet indicated support for the Greens' plan. You can help in the push to establish a Senate inquiry. Please contact your local ALP member or the Labor leadership in Canberra and ask them to support the Greens' motion for an inquiry when it is moved in the Senate during the week of 16 June 2003. Simon Crean: [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED], fax: (03) 9650 5593 Kim Beazley: [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED], fax: (02) 6277 8423 Kevin Rudd [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED], fax: (02) 6277 8508 Chris Evans: [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED], fax: (08) 9481 4244 Please find below proposed terms of reference for the Senate inquiry. Yours sincerely Ben Oquist Adviser Greens Senator Bob Brown 02 62773170 Proposed Greens Senate inquiry into claims concerning Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) That the following matters be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report by 18 August 2003: The role operation and effectiveness of Australia's security and intelligence agencies in the lead up to the Iraq war, including: a) the discrepancies, if any, between claims made by the Australian Government and its agencies concerning Iraq and Iraq's WMD program and information supplied by Australia's intelligence agencies b) the discrepancies, if any, between information gathered by Australian intelligence agencies concerning Iraq and Iraq's WMD's before the war and the actuality of the WMD program discovered after the conflict. c) the discrepancies, if any, between Australia and other nations (including the United States of America) in intelligence received regarding Iraq and Iraq's WMD program. d) any other matters relating to claims concerning Iraq or Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Ben Oquist Adviser to Greens Senator Bob Brown 02 62773170 ph 02 62773185 fx www.greens.org.au/bobbrown EMAIL ADRESSES FOR THE WHOLE PARLIAMENT (Some of these bounce) [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL
LL:DDN: Palm Sunday Peace Rally 1pm 13 April Belmore Park
NEWSROOMS PLEASE PUT IN YOUR DIARY COMMUNITY ANNOUNCERS PLEASE PLUG TILL 13 APRIL ORGANISATIONS PLEASE DISPLAY PROMINENTLY WALK AGAINST THE WAR COALITION PALM SUNDAY RALLY FOR PEACE ASSEMBLE 1PM BELMORE PARK (OPP CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION) STOP THE WAR BRING THE TROOPS HOME A family-friendly rally and walk for peace preceded by bell-ringing throughout the city starting with celebration of Palm Sunday and prayers for peace in English, Arabic, Hebrew, and Sanskrit. The walk will be led by religious and civic leaders leaving from Elizabeth Street beside Belmore Park and proceeding to the Sydney domain. Speakers at the domain to be announced. Groups, families, and individuals from across the state are invited to participate with banners and flags. The Palm Sunday Rally is sponsored and coordinated by the Walk against the War Coalition and the Palm Sunday Committee. Walk Against War Coalition office 9267-7533 Ray Richmond 0412-915-161 Bruce Childs 0412-803-457 0418-668-098, 0409-762-081, 9567-7533 9810-2598 .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:DDN: Main Peace Actions in Sydney to 16/3
WALK AGAINST THE WAR COALITION MAIN PEACE ACTIONS THURSDAY 13 MARCH PARLT HS MEDIA CENTRE - Press Conference Parliament House Media Centre 11am Stuart Rees, Wendy Lambourne, CPACS, Sydney University (Hosted Ian Cohen MLC) Contact Peter Murphy0418-312-301, John Hallam 9567-7533 FRIDAY 14 MARCH MARTIN PLACE (US CONSULATE) Stop The War in Iraq/Star Wars Demonstration 5pm Martin Place Contact: Denis Doherty 0418-290-663 Luke Deer 0419135-019 FRIDAY 14 MARCH NOWRA - Peace Vigil outside federal MP Joanna Gash's office, Contact Lynne, 4464-1152, Megan 4464-1652 SATURDAY 15 MARCH HORNSBY/PENNANT HILLS Vigil at Phillip Ruddocks office 11am-12noon 20 George St Hornsby SAT 15 MARCH PARAMATTA - Anti-War Rally 3pm Paramatta Mall Western Sydney Peace Group 0401-769-880 SAT 15 MARCH BALMAIN - Peace Parade and Festival leave Balmain TH 2pm, festival at Gladestone Park to 4.30pm Contact Hannah Middleton 0418-668-098 SUNDAY 16 MARCH INNER WEST- Enmore Park Peace Festival 11am-3pm Newtown - Assemble Hollis Park 11.30am Marrickville assemble 11am Marrickville Plaza Marrickvill Peace Group 9557-0115, 0403-181-586, 9558-7051 SUNDAY 16 MARCH NORTHSIDE - Sit Down Rally Kirribilli House 12.30pm Contact 0404-090-710 SUNDAY 16 MARCH MT DRUITT- Rally 11am-1pm Contact0401-769880 SUNDAY 16 MARCH EASTERN SUBURBS - Rally for Peace at Bondi Beach 6.30-9.30pm Contact - 9388-0754 . -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
LL:PR: AUSTRALIAN SENATE MOTION ON IRAQ WELCOMED
IMMEDIATE USE 5/2/2003 SENATE MOTION ON IRAQ WELCOMED The Australian Senate has given the government both barrels on Iraq in a motion now under debate that censures the government for forward-deploying troops without revealing to the people of Australia the commitments on which that deployment has been based. The Walk Against War Coalition, a Sydney-based coalition of more than 60 groups including religious organizations, trade unions, peace groups, and a wide variety of community groups has welcomed the vote, while emphasizing that military action against Iraq would be unacceptable with or without a UN security council resolution. According to Coalition spokesperson Hannah Middleton: We welcome the fact that the Senate has expressed strong opposition to unilateral military action with Iraq, and to the manner in which the current deployment has taken place. In doing so, the Senate has recognized the fact that a mere 6% of Australians support unilateral action, while 80% oppose it. We reiterate that even with a Security Council resolution - a resolution that would inevitably be bought about by undue pressure from the Bush administration - military action should not be contemplated, and we are convinced that most Australians will oppose it. The troops must be bought back. The Coalition said that: We are committing Australian troops to harms way, and participating in what will mean the deaths of thousands or tens of thousands of Iraqis, based on a lie. The lie is that Iraq somehow represents a military threat. The one thing that is clear from the recent Blix Report and the El Baradei report is that Iraq really has very little that constitutes any significant threat to the world. Iraq has little or nothing that threatens either the region or Australia, and nothing that warrants a rush to military action. Iraq has questions to answer about Vx precursor, missiles, and biological agents. That is why we need to keep the inspectors in Iraq. The Senate has sent a signal to the government that our involvement is ill-advised and precipitate. Contact: Bruce Childs 9389-0993 Hannah Middleton 0418-668-098 Nick Everett 0409-762-081 John Hallam 9567-7533 h9810-2598 The following motion is now being debated in the Australian Senate and it is hoped it will pass. I move an amendment to the Government motion in the following terms: That the Senate take note of the statement and: 1. Censures the Government for forward-deploying Australian troops to a potential theatre of war with Iraq in the absence of any United Nations authorisation and without revealing to the Australian people the commitments on which that deployment was based; 2. Declares its opposition to a unilateral military attack on Iraq by the United States; 3. Insists that the disarmament of Iraq proceed under the authority of the United Nations; 4. Expresses its full support and confidence in our servicemen and women, while expressing its opposition to the Government's decision to forward-deploy them; 5. Expresses its total opposition to any use of nuclear arms and that Australian support should not be provided to any operation where such weaponry may be used; and 6. Declares that it has no confidence in the Prime Minister's handling of this grave matter for the nation. .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDN: DISTINGUISHED AUSTRALIANS SPEAK OUT AGAINST WAR ON IRAQ
MEDIA ALERT DISTINGUISHED AUSTRALIANS SPEAK OUT AGAINST WAR ON IRAQ A media conference series on the impending war Presented by the Walk Against The War Coalition The Howard government is sending further Australian troops to prepare to invade Iraq, ignoring public opinion, the vital need for debate, and without support from the Parliament or from the international community. A broad spectrum of leading members of the Australian public are speaking out against this war and on the humanitarian, social, political, economic and international implications and future consequences of such a war. THE SERIES WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE NSW PARLIAMENT MEDIA ROOM FROM FEBRUARY 6 TO FEBRUARY 12, 2003. Thursday February 6, 2003 at 11.30 at President, NSW Council for Civil Liberties: CAMERON MURPHY NSW Medical Association for Prevention of War: DR ROBERT MARR Host: ALP, President of NSW Legislative Council: Dr Meredith Burgmann Friday February 7, 2003, 10.30 am Former Minister for Urban Regional Dev and WW2 Veteran: TOM UREN Former Minister for Veterans Affairs and WW2 Veteran: ARTHUR GIETZELT TO BE ADVISED Host: Australian Democrats MLC: Arthur Chesterfield-Evans Monday February 10, 2003 at 10.30 am President, NSW Teachers Federation: MS MAREE O'HALLORAN Professor of International Law at University of NSW: PROF GEORGE WILLIAMS Host: Greens (NSW) MLC Lee Rhiannon Wednesday February 12, 2003 10.30 am Uniting Church: REV RAY RICHMOND Lakemba Mosque - KEYSAR TRAD NSW / ACT Secretary, Independent Education Union: RICHARD SHEARMAN Host: ALP, President of NSW Legislative Council: Dr Meredith Burgmann *SYDNEY PEACE RALLY ON SUNDAY FEB 16, 12 NOON AT HYDE PARK NORTH. *MASSIVE RALLIES ALL OVER AUSTRALIA ON FEBRUARY 15 AND 16. *EUROPE-WIDE AND US-WIDE PROTEST EVENTS ARE ON FEBRUARY 15 For further info: Michelle Staur 8354 0737; John Hallam 9567 7533; Peter Murphy 0418 312 301 .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDN: PURPLE RIBBONS FOR PEACE LAUNCH - World Square
ATTN CHIEFS OF STAFF, NEWSROOMS 11.30 for 12noon Friday 24/1 Top of World Square Project PURPLE RIBBONS FOR PEACE LAUNCH 20M PURPLE RIBBON TO HANG FROM CRANE AT WORLD SQUARE PROJECT What would bring Parliamentarians, Church leaders, Trade Union leaders, the Arts community, and others to the top of the World Square Project with a 20m purple ribbon hanging from a crane? Community leaders including Democrat Arthur Chesterfield-Evans, the Greens Lee Rhiannon, the Rev. Ray Richmond of the Uniting Church Wayside Chapel, and people from the ALP, CFMEU, and the Arts community will be showing their colours for peace at the top of the World Square Project. Photo Opportunity 20m Purple Ribbon from Crane with vista of entire city. To attend, please assemble at 11.30 (for 12 noon)Friday 24Jan at the corner of George St and Liverpool Street. You will need to be accompanied and given a hard hat. For attendance/hard hats please contact Phil Davey CFMEU 0414-867-188 Other Contacts: Hendrik Gout 0418-842-214 David Mc Elrea 9749-0475 0401-640-960 Robin Kirk 0418-657-217 Bruce Childs 9386-1240 John Hallam 9567-7533, h9810-2598 .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: Anti-war sentiment rises as Howard sends troops off
MEDIA RELEASE *** MEDIA RELEASE *** MEDIA RELEASE January 23, 2003 Anti-war sentiment rises as Howard sends troops off to war Anti-war protesters confronted Prime Minister John Howard as he farewelled HMAS Kanimbla from Sydney today, bound for the Gulf, carrying an unknown number of Australian troops into a potential war with Iraq. We absolutely condemn the dispatch of Australian military forces to the Gulf in the face of massive public opposition, and without any parliamentary debate, said former Senator Bruce Childs, a spokesperson for Sydney's Walk Against The War Coalition. Anti-war sentiment in Australia is rising along with the rest of the world. The recent ACNielson poll published in the Sydney Morning Herald showed that just 6% of Australians supported Australian involvement in a war on Iraq without UN endorsement, and 62% believed that Australia should only be involved in a war backed by the UN. 30% opposed any Australian involvement. Figures in the UK and US also show the rise of anti-war sentiment, as do the huge rallies around the world on January 18. The New York Times editorial on January 20 described the Washington protest - (estimates vary from 200,000 to 500,000) - as the largest since the Vietnam era. Europe-wide and US-wide protests will take place on February 15. In Australia, peace activists are planning mass rallies on the weekend of February 15-16. In Sydney, the Walk Against the War Coalition has called a rally for Sunday, February 16 starting at 12 noon at Hyde Park North. Keynote speakers will include John Pilger, renowned author and filmmaker, and Senator Bob Brown from the Australian Greens. Leaders of the ALP and the Democrats as well as community leaders representing a wide cross section of opposition to the war have been invited to address the protest. The Coalition believes that the weekend of global action will send a strong signal to governments not to attack Iraq. According to Bruce Childs: The main message we want to get across to the Howard government is that a majority of people do not believe a war on Iraq is justified. It would cause untold suffering, as numerous UN reports have shown, and it would ignite something far more dangerous. It is being sold as a 'war against terrorism'. But the evidence is that the oil interests that dominate the Bush Administration want regime change in Iraq to rearrange the oil power balance in their corporate and national interests, said Bruce Childs. The Walk Against the War Coalition organised the successful 25,000-strong rally last November in Sydney. It represents some 58 peace, community, trade union, medical, church and solidarity groups. For more information, contact: Bruce Childs 9386 1240, Nick Everett 0409 762 081 Hannah Middleton 0418 668 098 .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:AA: WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT WAR WITH IRAQ?
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT WAR WITH IRAQ? There are a number of things that you can do to stop war with Iraq. 1)You can use the sample letter below, plus the press releases, rewritten in your own words and HANDWRITTEN NOT TYPED AND NOT PRINTED, to Prime Minister John Howard, Opposition leader Simon Crean, and Shadow Foreign Affairs Spokes Kevin Rudd, to tell them that you utterly oppose war on Iraq. It is as important to ensure that Crean and Rudd get copies of what you send to John Howard, as it is to send the letter to Howard. Do please write! If Howard and more especially Crean and Rudd get hundreds of letters opposing war with Iraq they must take note of it, and Crean and Rudd must stiffen their opposition to war. It's important also, to write to your local federal parliamentarian and to urge them to oppose war with Iraq. Copy the letter to you to Howard, and Crean to them, and ask your local member to reply to you. 2 Do sign the online petition to the Prime Minister put together by WILPF http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/petition-sign.cgi?nowar1 3) If you are in Sydney do please attend the vigils that take place every friday in front of Sydney Town Hall, 5.30-8.30pm. If war breaks out, emergency actions will take place in all capital cities at 5pm that day, or 5pm the following day if the news arrives late. In Sydney the emergency action will be at the Town Hall, in Melbourne at the State Library, and in Adelaide in front of Parliament House. We can still stop this war. Do it now! TO: PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD 6273-4100 02-9251-5454 CC FOREIGN MINISTER ALEXANDER DOWNER 6273-4112 SIMON CREAN 6277-8444, 03-9545-6299 KEVIN RUDD 6277-8508 07-3899-5755 YOUR LOCAL FEDERAL PARLIAMENT MEMBER RE: WAR WITH IRAQ Dear Prime Minister, I am writing to you to make clear my strong opposition to Australian participation in any war with Iraq. The Australian government should not only not be supporting US policy on Iraq, but should be urging the Bush Administration to change its own policy in this area. Your government should actively oppose US policy on Iraq both at a diplomatic level and in your public statements. Australian military involvement in a war of agression to control oil supplies should be absolutely unthinkable. The purported reason for miltary action against Iraq is because of their supposed development of weapons of mass destruction. However, a look at who has the largest arsenals of weapons of mass destruction shows that, while the US has some 12,000 nuclear warheads, Russia 22,000, France 450, China 400, Israel approx400, the UK 250, India 75-150, Pakistan 35-70, and North Korea between 5 and 15, Iraq's most probable estimate is - zero. The UN inspections, as expected, show that Iraq has little or nothing in the way of significant WMD stocks. War with Iraq would be a humanitarian disaster that would not be outweighed by the elimination of the Saddam Hussein regime. War with Iraq has been condemned by the Christian churches both in Australia and worldwide as morally unjustifiable. Mr Howard, I urge you to actively oppose the policy of war with Iraq and to devote Australias diplomatic and other resources to the cause of peace. War will bitterly divide Australian society. I want you to know clearly that if you continue to support US policy on Iraq I will continue to do all I can to change both Australian and US government policy. Australian military personnel would be in Iraq without my support, without my blessing, and not in my name. I am copying this letter to my local federal member in the hope that he will take action on it. In the meantime I would appreciate a detailed and prompt reply. Yours sincerely (Signed) AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA OZPEACE CAMPAIGN FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND DISARMAMENT (CICD) NOT IN OUR NAME:HOW CLOSE TO WAR? With SAS leave canceled and the Prime Minister canceling other engagements to attend a national security conference on war against Iraq, Australian peace groups are urging the government to reverse its policy of support for Bush administration military action on Iraq. Australian government military action will take place without the consent, without the support of, and against the will of, most Australians. According to the groups: All the ominous signs are there for Australian involvement in the Bush administrations push for military action on Iraq. The very denial of the government that the cancellation of SAS leave means anything, combined with todays announcement that the Prime Minister will be attending a special national security meeting suggests an inevitable-seeming drift toward war. Yet at the same time, the United nations inspectors in Iraq have announced that they can find nothing - which is exactly what we expected they would find. It is quite clear that the Bush administration has wanted to go to war with Iraq all along, whether or not
LL:PR: Aust must take tough stance against Iraq War
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE CAMPAIGN FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND DISARMAMENT (CICD) BRERETON IS RIGHT: AUSTRALIA MUST TAKE TOUGH STANCE AGAINST IRAQ WAR Australian peace groups today congratulated Laurie Brereton, former ALP foreign affairs spokesperson and Convenor of the right faction in his call for a stronger and clearer opposition to war with Iraq. According to the groups, It is vital that not only the ALP but all parties and the government as a whole express clear opposition to the Bush Administrations drive to war. The Australian government as a whole should be opposing the war drive in the corridors of the United Nations, should be denying the use of Australian facilities and ports, and the use of the 'Joint Facilities' (ie Pine Gap) for Iraq-related activities, and must take a strong message to our great and powerful ally that they have embarked on a wrong path that however respectfully, we must oppose. The government has adopted the right approach, one based on patient diplomacy, to North Korea, whose weapons of mass destruction are far more advanced and far more deadly than anything that Iraq has ever been rumored to have. Indeed it is increasingly clear that if Iraq ever had anything they no longer do, and that there is no case at all for military action. As far as the utterly critical issue of weapons of mass destruction goes, Australia must demand that the nuclear weapons powers first of all fulfill their clear legal obligations under article VI of the NPT, and should press them continually to do that. Only then can we press Iraq and North Korea without complete hypocrisy. We draw the attention not only of the ALP, but of the government itself, to the recent statements against war with Iraq by General Gration and by the Pope. In the event that war breaks out, protests will take place in Australian cities at 5pm on the day it breaks out or on the following day if the news comes late in the day. (5pm in front of the Town Hall in Sydney, the State library in Melbourne, and Parliament House in Adelaide.) Contact: John Hallam 02-9567-7533 02-9810-2598 Irene Gale AM 08-8364-2291 Pauline Mitchell CICD 03-9555-3076 ALP unity threatened on Iraq By Steve Lewis, Chief political reporter 07jan03 LABOR unity on a war with Iraq was in danger of crumbling last night after Laurie Brereton lashed out at his party leaders for being too timid in taking on the Government. One month after another former minister, Carmen Lawrence, launched a stinging attack against her Labor colleagues, Simon Crean faced further criticism, as Mr Brereton, a senior figure in the party's Right faction, claimed the ALP had failed to make any dent in the Government's policy on Iraq. And the Opposition's former foreign affairs spokes man warned that the Howard Government was placing Australia at great risk of further terrorist attacks because of its overt support for George W. Bush. In a hard-hitting speech delivered in Sydney last night, Mr Brereton called for the ALP to distance itself from the Government's war mongering rhetoric. Risking further rebuke for his remarks, Mr Brereton told a small audience of ALP rank-and-file members he had been urging for some months a clearer and tougher Labor line against Australian involvement in an attack on Iraq. Time is running out for us to take a clear stand. It is essential that we do so without further delay, he said. Mr Brereton, convenor of the NSW Right in the federal parliamentary caucus, last October earned the ire of Mr Crean and Labor's foreign affairs spokesman, Kevin Rudd, after he called for a more robust anti-war position from the ALP. An unapologetic Mr Brereton has reiterated his call. Labor should not support our country's military involvement in a unilateral attack on Iraq, he said. Nor should we support Australian involvement in military action extending beyond the terms of an explicit UN mandate. We should make these positions quite clear and not continue to hedge our bets. He also warned Australia faced severe consequences if it joined the US in its campaign to oust Saddam Hussein. While Australia's military commitment to an attack on Iraq will be very modest, the Government's rhetoric has put us in the front rank of George Bush's cheer squad. Last night, acting Opposition Leader Jenny Macklin strongly rejected her colleague's claims. Laurie Brereton is wrong. Labor's position is very clear and has been made time and again, that we don't want to see war. --- Laurie Brereton: Keep us out of Bush's war on Iraq 07jan03 IT'S often observed that Saddam Hussein and Iraq are unfinished business for the Bush administration. Had it not been for the escalation of violence in Palestine and the commitment of US military resources in Afghanistan, it's likely that Washington would already have attempted to overthrow the Iraqi regime.
LL:DDN: IRAQ PEACE VIGIL SYDNEY EVERY FRIDAY 5.00-8.30PM
IRAQ PEACE VIGIL AT TOWN HALL EVERY FRIDAY IN JANUARY PLUS CHRISTMAS EVE, 5.00-8.30PM If War Breaks out, Please Assemble at Town Hall on the day that bombs start falling or the next day if it happens late in the day NO WAR ON IRAQ! NO AUSTRALIAN INVOLVEMENT! The Walk Against the War Coalition, is a group of over 50 student, trade union, community, religious peace groups committed to stopping the war. To find out more about the coalition or your local anti-war group, phone: Nick Everett 0409 762 081 Hannah Middleton 0418 668 098 Bruce Childs 9386 1240 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To make a donation, send a cheque to: Walk Against the War Coalition PO Box A899 Sydney South 1235 Next National Day of Action: Sunday February 16 (check www.palmsunday.socialchange.net.au or join the announcement list, email [EMAIL PROTECTED]) .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:AA: ACT NOW TO STOP WAR WITH IRAQ THIS CHRISTMAS
ACT NOW TO STOP WAR WITH IRAQ THIS CHRISTMAS Dear Everyone, We are coming to the Christmas season, when most people go on holiday or spend time with their families. Most of us will be trying to take a break from the usual round of frenetic activity. Unfortunately, this means that the holiday break is the very best time for a war on Iraq to be commenced. There is a significant risk that George Bush, knowing that people will be in no position to respond with immediate protests, will choose to commence hostilities on some flimsy pretext. There is a significant risk here in Australia that John Howard may choose this time to make a committment of Australian troops, knowing that activists too, take time off. If hostilities do NOT break out in this period, it is vital - for Australia - to convince the Labor Party that it must take a much stronger position in opposition to war. If hostilities DO break out or if Australian troops are committed, emergency actions will need to be commenced within hours of an announcement or within hours of the bombs falling. Anyone who IS available over the Christmas break is urged to work on either readiness for an emergency response to war, or else on pressing the ALP to more strongly oppose war and to be prepared to act in the Senate to do so. THE ALP Below you will find: --A draft letter to John Howard, copied to Simon Crean. --A letter sent by a number of organisations Austtralia-wide faxed to much of the ALP caucus. --An email list for the entire federal labor party caucus. You are urged to borrow as much as you can from both letters and write either to Simon Crean (02-6277-8444, 03-9545-6299) or Kevin Rudd (02-6277-8508, 07-3899-5755), urging them to take a stronger position in opposition to war. Above all you should urge that the inspection process be allowed to proceed and that it not be white-anted by the Bush administration, and that the real problem of weapons of mass destruction, the massive and deadly arsenals held by the US itself, Russia, the UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, and Israel be highlighted. You should also write to Carmen Lawrence (02-6277-8501, 08-9336-1059) Tanya Plibersek (02-6277-8513, 9550-3820) and Harry Quick (02-6277-8588, 03-6263-5050), congratulating them on having taken a stand and urging them to keep making that stand against war. You may wish to write to Prime Minister Howard (02-6273-4100, 9251-5454), urging him not to consider joining with a US made war with Iraq, and urging him tp press the US to get rid of its own weapons of mass destruction. If you do, cc your letter to Simon Crean and Kevin Rudd. You are urged, if you write to Crean and Rudd, to send an electronic version of your letter to the entire ALP Federal Caucus, whose emails are included at the end of this email. (Some emails will bounce - this is inevitable don't worry) EMERGENCY ACTION If war breaks out or if Australian troops are committed, emergency actions will take place Australia-wide and worldwide. In Sydney, people are being urged to assemble in front of Sydney Town Hall at 5pm the day hostilities commence or troops are committed, unless that happens late in the day in which case it will be 5pm the following day. (Contact 9386-1240, 0409-792-081, 0418-668-098) In Melbourne you are urged to assemble in front of the State Library at 5pm. (Contact 0418-140-387, 03-9659-3582) In Adelaide, please assemble on the steps of of Parliament House at 5pm (0439-401-090, 0414-773-918) Vigils are being held every Friday from 5pm to 8.30pm in front of Sydney Town Hall. If you are in Sydney you are urged to come. Please don't just wait for the emergency action - Do let your federal member know what you think about war with Iraq, and press the Labor Party to take decisive action against war. You are encouraged to use ideas and inspiration from the leters below, but do use your own words as much as possible. Happy wariting, And merry Christmas, John Hallam TO: PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD 9251-5454, 6273-4100 9816-1349 FOREIGN MINISTER ALEXANDER DOWNER 6273-4112, 08-8370-8166 CC SIMON CREAN 6277-8444, 03-9545-6299, KEVIN RUDD, SHADOW MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 6277-8498, 07-3266-4263 Dear Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, I am writing to express my extreme concern over the possibility that Australia might follow the United States into a war against Iraq. Please note that I shall be discussing this issue with all my friends and that I shall be taking the matter up with my local member of Parliament. Plans for war against Iraq have recently been strongly criticised by Arab nations, by Nelson Mandela and French President Chirac, by the government of Germany, by senior fiigures in the United States (including the republican party), and by non-government groups around the world. The main argument used by those who advocate a war with Iraq is that Saddam Hussein may be developing
LL:ART: CIA Warned of attack on Western tourist site
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/16/1034561164432.html CIA warned of attack 14 days before By Mark Riley and Tom Allard October 16 2002 The Central Intelligence Agency issued an intelligence report listing Bali among possible targets of a pending terrorist attack just two weeks before the weekend's devastating Kuta bomb blast, the Washington Post is reporting. The warning was based on intercepted communications picked up in late September, which signalled a strike against a Western tourist site. Bali was mentioned in the US intelligence report, the paper says. All information gathered by United States and Australian intelligence agencies is shared between the countries. But the Prime Minister, John Howard, said yesterday he had no knowledge of the US report. The US embassy in Jakarta issued two travel notices, on September 26 and October 10, warning Americans and other Westerners to avoid large gatherings and locations known to cater primarily to a Western clientele, such as certain bars, restaurants and tourist areas. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs' most recent travel advice before the attacks was on September 20. It urged Australians to maintain high levels of personal security amid a risk of bomb explosions, including in tourist areas, but said tourist services were operating normally in Bali. Mr Howard said the US report hasn't been brought to my attention, no. We had no warning of the specific attack that occurred. There have been general warnings about the deteriorating security position, the deteriorating terrorist position in Indonesia. The official Australian death toll rose to 30 last night. A further 180 people remain missing and 113 Australians have been injured. The Federal Government had airlifted 86 injured people from Bali by last night. Only seven patients remained in Darwin Hospital, with the rest sent on to other capital city hospitals. Ten patients, two of them in a critical condition, were in Sydney hospitals. Fifteen critically injured people have been flown from Darwin to other major centres, two of whom had since died. In Bali, police said yesterday they were intensively questioning two Indonesian men tracked down after one of their identity cards was found near the site of the bomb blasts. The Washington Post report did not specify whether the communications were intercepted in Indonesia, where the Australian Defence Signals Directorate has primary responsibility for eavesdropping, or as part of the CIA's intelligence sweep across Asia and the Middle East. Australian intelligence experts said the existence of the advice would suggest a huge breakdown in the international intelligence community before the Bali attack. It would be an unthinkable and unforgiveable failure of the intelligence network, said Warren Reed, a former head of the Indonesian desk of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. If the Americans had this information, they would have passed it directly to us and others in the intelligence club. The US ambassador to Australia, Tom Schieffer, said yesterday he was not familiar with the reported US intelligence. But a US embassy spokesman in Canberra said there was no closer intelligence-sharing arrangement in the world than that between the US and Australia. It's a hand-in-glove arrangement ... I don't think there's anything that hasn't been sent, he said. Mr Howard defended Australia's consular warning to travellers to Indonesia and Bali as strong and quite strong. Two days before the attack, the US issued a worldwide warning notice again urging tourists to avoid clubs, bars and restaurants where Westerners congregate. The Australian Government did not issue a similar warning. The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, rejected any suggestion the Government could have done more to alert Australians to the threat of a bombing. However, questions over the adequacy of the intelligence system before the bombing may be investigated by the Senate. Greens Senator Bob Brown said he would support an inquiry if there was sufficient evidence of intelligence failings. He said the best time to think about constituting an inquiry was in mid-November, when Parliament next sits. The Australian Democrats and Labor said it was too early to consider an inquiry but did not rule out their support. .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDN: NoWar On Iraq Press Conf and Rally
NO WAR ON IRAQ ATTENTION NEWSROOMS, CHIEFS OF STAFF IRAQ EVENTS IN SYDNEY PRESS CONFERENCE 10.30AM SEPTEMBER 27 PARLIAMENT HOUSE MEDIA CENTRE Chaired by Arthur Chesterfield-Evans Andrew Ferguson Senator Kerry Nettle Rev. Ray Williamson, (National Council of Churches) Keysar Trad PROTEST RALLY - NO WAR ON IRAQ Town Hall 12 Noon September 28 to Belmore Park (Opp Rly Sta) Speakers Senator Kerry Nettle Meredith Burgmann MLC Ray Williamson, (NCC) Keysar Trad Palestinian and Iraqi Speakers Contact: Jenny Long 0407-014-396 Ihab 0404-244-588 Nick 0409-762-081 John Hallam 9567-7533 9810-2598 .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: 'Regime Change' in Washington? Press release on Iraq Dossier
IMMEDIATE USE 25/9/2002 FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE CAMPAIGN FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND DISARMAMENT (CICD) PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT NSW OZPEACE REGIME CHANGE IN WASHINGTON? THE WMD DOUBLE STANDARD Australian groups opposed to nuclear weapons today said that all the Blair dossier on Iraq proved is that there is an outrageous double standard on weapons of mass destruction. According to Friends of the Earth, the Australian Peace Committee, CICD, PND, and Ozpeace, The Blair dossier quite rightly focuses attention on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The potential for such proliferation, and the fact that it is propelled by the massive arsenals held by the major nuclear weapons powers, is something that groups such as ourselves have warned of for decades. By all means let us talk about weapons of mass destruction! But we are utterly mystified as to why there seems to be NO concern over the 12,000 warheads including 2,500 on 24 hour launch on warning status, possessed by the US, the 22,000 warheads including 3,500 on launch on warning status possessed by Russia, the 400 warheads possessed by China, the 450 warheads held by France, the 250 held by the UK, the 200-300 warheads held by Israel, the 35-50 held by Pakistan, and the 75-100 held by India. The only country to have tested a missile in the last week is the US, last Saturday at Vandenberg. The US performed another subcritical nuclear test it seems, only yesterday. Only last may and June, India and Pakistan threatened each other with nuclear obliteration. Still more recently, in the last week, Israel has actually threatened Iraq with nuclear destruction should it use scud missiles on it. The US itself has evolved a 'first strike' nuclear doctrine that makes nonsense of its international obligations. Compared to these things, Saddams pitiful efforts to acquire a tiny fraction of what the big boys have looks ludicrous, and our war preparations look equally so. Why, why, are we not calling for regime change in Washington and Tel Aviv? Contact: John Hallam 02-9567-7533, 02-9810-2598 Irene Gale AM 08-8364-2291 Jacob Grech 0402-246-491 Natalie Stevens 0414-336-800 02-9319-4296 .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDN: Iraq Teach-In and related events in sydney
Teach In Monday Sept 23, 6pm Carslaw Lecture Theatre 273 Sydney University Speakers: Margaret Reynolds President, United Nations Association of Australia The UN Charter, the UN Security Council and US threats to invade Iraq Dr Paul White Researcher, Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Sydney University The Strategic Issues in the Middle East, and Iraqi society Presentations total 50 minutes - plus up to one hour for questions and discussions Make sure you know what the issues are! Organised by: Sydney Palm Sunday Committee; National Union of Students, NSW; Sydney University Students Representative Council Sept 28 12 noon Town Hall square to Belmore park No War on Iraq 9567-7533, 8080-8125, 9690-1977, 0409-762-081 Pine Gap Protest, Oct 5-7 contact Hannah, Anti-Bases Campaign 9212 0800 Australia's Great Community and Parliamentary Debate: President Bush's Threat to invade iraq - How Should Australia Respond? - Sunday Oct 20, 3pm - 5 pm, Science Theatre, UNSW - organised by Sydney Palm Sunday Committee Rally for the Truth about Refugees and War - Sydney Town Hall (to be advised) Oct 26 - contact Amanda 0408 057 779 Sydney Palm Sunday Committee Co-convenors: Bruce Childs (former Senator), Rev Ray Richmond (Wayside Chapel), Alison Lyssa (The Greens NSW). P0 Box 1601, Bondi Junction NSW 1355. Ph: Peter 0418 312 301 ATTN CHIEFS OF STAFF, NEWSROOMS IRAQ RELATED EVENTS IN SYDNEY SEPTEMBER 23 6PM CARSLAW LECTURE THEATRE TEACH-IN (See Flyer) Contact: Peter 0418-312-301 Thurs 26 Sept US Ambassador Schieffer will speak about military action against Iraq at a corporate luncheon All Seasons Hotel, 14 Carrington Street (near Wynyard), Sydney protest starts 11.30 am SEPTEMBER 28 12 NOON TOWN HALL TO BELMORE PARK - NO WAR ON IRAQ Contact Nick Everett 0409-762-081 PHRC-8080-8125 John Hallam 9567-7533 9810-2598 Palm Sunday Committee Peter 0418-312-301 .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:AA: SENATE INQUIRY ON IRAQ MONDAY NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT NOW!
SENATE INQUIRY ON IRAQ MONDAY NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT NOW TELL THE LABOR PARTY: SAY 'NO' TO FIRST STRIKE ON IRAQ Dear Everyone, On Monday, the Democrats will introduce into the Senate a motion calling for the establishment of an inquiry into policy on Iraq (see motion below). A motion urging that Australia take no part in any 'first strike' is also likely to be put to the Senate soon. If you believe that war with Iraq is not the right policy, and especially if you believe that Australia should take no part in any 'first strike', these motions deserve your support. Passage by the Senate, especially of a motion that, while not binding, urges that Australia take no part in a war, and makes it impossible for the government to argue that all Australians or even most Australians, support such a war. IN ORDER FOR THESE VITAL MOTIONS TO PASS, LABOR PARTY SUPPORT FOR THEM IS VITAL.. Please tell the Labor Party that you urge them to support the motions in the Senate for an inquiry and opposing a first strike. YOU NEED TO ACT NOW BECAUSE THIS IS COMING UP MONDAY! You should send a fax, preferably handwritten (or on letterhead if you are an organisation) to the following people, urging them to oppose war in Iraq and to support any initiatives in the Senate that do so: Simon Crean, 03-9545-6299 02-6277-8444 Kevin Rudd (Shadow foreign affairs) 02-6277-8498, 07-4266-4263 Please act now to press the labor party to support these vital steps to prevent Australian involvement in an Iraq war. You may wish to send an email message in support of these resolutions to the entire parliament. An email list of the whole Australian parliament is appended to enable you to do this, but be sure to send it only on blind carbon copy (BCC) only, as otherwise it drives people crazy. Democrats motion for an inquiry that is due to be voted on in the Senate Monday: (1) That the Senate refer the following matter to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report: (a) all matters related to a possible military attack against Iraq by the United States of America, with particular emphasis on Australia's potential role. (2) That the Committee call for public submissions and hold public hearings as promptly as possible, with the aim of ensuring as much information as possible is made available to the Australian public to ensure the most comprehensive and informed public debate on the matter can occur; (3) That the Committee report to the Senate at a time or times and in the form it deems to be appropriate, taking into account any local or international developments, as long as a report has been presented by 13 December 2002 at the latest. EMAIL LIST FOR ENTIRE AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT Please use on blind carbon copy (BCC) only. [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] , [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL
LL:INFO: Bhaktiari letter to Ruddock
Dear Parliamentarian, Trade Union, Church group, Town Council, or Community group, The following letter, based on the case of Ali Bhaktiari, is soon to be faxed to Phillip Ruddock, and members of the government and opposition. It has the signatures of the ACTU, the NSW-Trades and Labor Council, the Victorian Trades and Labor Council, and the SA Trades and Labor council (UTLC-SA), as well as a number of major unions. It also bears the signatures of green and Democrat senators, church groups, and community groups including Chilout, the Edmund Rice Centre, the Coalition for Justice for Refugees, the Lebanese Moslem Association, and the Australian-Arabic Council. Now is the last chance for organisations and parliamentarians to sign this letter. If you support a just and compassionate refugee policy, and are a parliamentarian or the head of a community organisation, church, or trade union, you are urged to sign. To sign, please email [EMAIL PROTECTED], fax 02-9567-7166, or ring 02-9567-7533 John Hallam THE HON. PHILIP RUDDOCK, 6273-4144, 9482-7018 THE HON. JOHN HOWARD, 9251-5454 6273-4100, 9816-1349 CC THE HON. SIMON CREAN 6277-8444, 03-9545-6299 JULIA GILLARD MHR, 6277-8457, 03-9741-6213 TANYA PLIBERSEK MHR 6277-8513, 9550-3820 DARYL MELHAM MHR 6277-4476, 9774-5461, SENATOR BOB BROWN 6277-3185, 03-6234-1577 SENATOR NATASHA STOTT-DESPOJA 6277-3235 SENATOR LYN ALISON 03-9417-1690 RE: ALI BHAKTIARI/MANDATORY DETENTION OF ASYLUM SEEKERS Dear Minister Ruddock and Prime Minister Howard, The undersigned organizations are writing to you to ask that you allow Mr. Ali Bhaktiari and all others who have been recognised as refugees but have been granted only temporary protection visas, to remain in Australia. We urge you to end the system of mandatory detention and temporary protection visas. Mr. Bhaktiari and all others who find themselves in a similar situation to his should be given the right to seek Australian citizenship, as would have been done almost automatically only a few years ago. The organizations signed at the foot of this letter understand that there may be a need for proper processing and assessment of people who arrive on Australia's shores without documentation. However, this is a process that should be undertaken in a non - punitive and efficient manner, and should be completed swiftly. Processing centres should be, as migrant reception centres were some years ago, places in which people find a first home before integration into the wider community. They should not be envisaged as places of punishment, run by a company whose business is to run prisons, and ringed with razor- wire. Those accommodated in such places should be free to come and go as they wish, on the presumption that they may at some time in the future become Australian citizens. Mr. Bhaktiari's situation illustrates the contradictions and injustices in the current punitive policy. His situation as the holder of a temporary protection visa allows him no access to social security, medical care, English lessons, or any other of the facilities that Australian citizens take for granted. Above all he has been denied the possibility to re-unite with his family. The possibility to reunite with one's family must be considered a fundamental human right, and it is of paramount importance that he be able to do so. Life for him and for other TPV holders must verge on the impossible. At best they must be considered second-class citizens. To treat a class of people as second- class citizens, or to arbitarily make their lives impossible contradicts the Australian tradition of a 'fair go' and is morally indefensible. At the least, TPV holders should be accorded medical and social security access on the same basis as other Australian citizens. The TPV system should be abolished and TPV holders given permanent residence and the right to seek citizenship, the right to work, and importantly, the ability to reunite with their families. It is unlikely that Mr Bhaktiari and others like him will ever be able to safely return to their countries of origin. Australia has a broader moral and legal responsibility to afford asylum to those who need it. As TPV-holders, they continue to be in limbo for an indefinite period under current policy. This prevents these people getting on with their lives and making a genuine contribution to Australia. Their situation if they are denied TPVs, is even worse, as they are still unlikely to be able to safely return to their original country. Separation from family as has happened to Mr Bhaktiari, is intolerable and must be remedied immediately. Mr. Bhaktiyari's situation and that of his children illustrates the injustice that is inherent in the current policies of mandatory detention and use of TPVs instead of permanent residence. All those who are in this situation, or in any similar situation in which it is no longer possible for them to return home and
LL:DDN: HIROSHIMA DAY RALLY
Hiroshima Never Again. No Nuclear War. Peace March Rally. Saturday August 10. Assemble 12 noon Town Hall Square March departs 12.30 pm. Rally 1.00pm Belmore Park. No US attacks on Iraq, China, North Korea, Russia, Iran, Libya, Syria Wars Create Refugees Authorised by Hiroshima Day Committee PO Box K257 Haymarket 1240 www.anti-bases.com.au Anti-Bases 9212 0800 PND 9319 4296 -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: Statement on new Sydney nuclear reactor
PLEASE REPLY TO [EMAIL PROTECTED] The following statement concerning the proposed replacement for Lucas Heights nuclear reactor is seeking endorsement by organisations worldwide. To sign the statement please email [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] or fax 61-2-9261-4588 NO SECOND NUCLEAR REACTOR! Australia likes to be seen as a country leading the way in environmental protection, nuclear disarmament and scientific research. However, the proposal to build a second reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney is an example of Australia using outdated and dirty nuclear technology. A second nuclear reactor would lock us into the production of highly toxic nuclear waste for at least another 40 years creating both environmental and proliferation risks. There is no solution to the world's nuclear waste problem, even in storage it remains radioactive for thousands of generations. Operations at Lucas Heights have proceeded without any long-term plan for the waste produced and there is currently no place prepared to accept the waste. The potential dangers of a nuclear reactor in Sydney should be obvious in light of the September 11 terrorist attacks. It is not possible for a nuclear facility to be totally secure. The reactor is the wrong technology, in the wrong place, at the wrong time. The half a billion dollars allocated to building and maintaining another reactor could be better spent on developing existing, cleaner technology for the creation of medical isotopes - a field in which Australia has the chance to become a world leader. In the new millennium, Australia is confronted with a clear choice =96 continue to support the nuclear industry or take an alternative route and promote cleaner, safer technologies over nuclear reactors. We support the Reaction campaign and oppose the construction of a second nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights. Organisation Contact NamePosition Email Phone Fax Mobile To add your endorsement to the Reaction campaign for a nuclear free future, please gain your organisation's approval, and fill in the details above. We intend to use this endorsement publicly to demonstrate the strong support that exists for the growing campaign against the second reactor. Please fax or email your completed form to: Reaction Coordinator reaction@reactnow. org Fax: (02) 9261 4588 Reaction is a coalition of national and local environment organisations (listed below) campaigning to stop the construction of a second nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights. Greenpeace, Australian Conservation Foundation, Friends of The Earth People Against A Nuclear Reactor -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDN: Peace Prayer Vigil Dec 16 7-9pm
PRAYER VIGIL FOR PEACE SUNDAY 16 DECEMBER 7.00 PM-9.OO PM MARTIN PLACE SYDNEY FOR PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL OF ALL FAITHS AND OF NONE BRING PRAYERS, SONGS, POETRY, CANDLES, INCENSE, FLOWERS, PETALS, PRAYER WHEELS AND YOURSELF, AND PERHAPS A BLANKET TO SIT ON AND SHARE A TIME WITHOUT SPONSORS, POLITICS, SPEECHES, TUB-THUMPING, OR ANGST The performance is your own presence. Just prayers and actions for peace. Come and do it for others as you choose. CAN YOU HELP TO BROADEN THE INVITATION? If you are the leader of a congregation or group or association, we would like you to spread the news and bring some of the items suggested above. Contact us for information and coordination: Rev. Ray Richmond, Wayside Chapel, 9358-6577 John Hallam, Friends of the Earth 9567-7533 . -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDN: RALLY FOR PEACE SUNDAY NOV 4 12 NOON
WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER Bombing and invading one of the poorest countries on earth, a country which since the late 70s has known nothing but war, will do nothing to eliminate terrorism. It is more likely to ensure that the appalling events of september 11 happen again. There is a real danger that the world could descend into a spiral of increasing violence. On Sunday 4 November at 12 noon, at the Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park North, a rally for peace will take place. Come and show your support for a peaceful world. Network Opposing War and Racism (NO-WAR) meets wednesday nights, 7pm, level 4 in the University of Technology, Broadway, Sydney. Contact: Friends of the Earth 9267-6222 Australian Anti-Bases Committee, 9212-0800 Tom 0408-619-152 Keara 0408-443-013 -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DDN: NOV 4 SYDNEY NO-WAR RALLY PRESS RELEASE
IMMEDIATE USE 25/10/2001 WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER 'NOT IN OUR NAME' NO-WAR RALLY FOR PEACE 12 NOON SUNDAY NOV.4 At 12 noon, Sunday November 4th, (the last Sunday before the election), commencing at the Archibald Fountain, Hyde Park North,the Sydney-based NO-WAR (Network Opposing War and Racism) coalition will hold a rally against the war in Afghanistan. Rallies are also to be held in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. No-War condemns the atrocities of September 11 in the strongest possible terms. However, we are convinced that bombing a desperately poor nation that has already endured decades of war will do absolutely nothing to make the world a safer place. Mr. Howard's commitment of 1550 troops to Afghanistan is the first commitment of ground troops since Vietnam in a non-peacekeeping role. The Afghan campaign has already been described by defence experts at ANU as having ill-defined goals, and could last for years with no clear exit strategy. Senior Pentagon experts have said that even if Bin Laden and the Taliban are destroyed, thousands more could take their place, and we will be even less safe than before. Australia should have no part in it. War should not be an election strategy. Why should Australians die in Afghanistan when the world will be worse off than before? No-War calls on concerned people in Sydney and around Australia to rally for peace on November 4. CONTACT: John Hallam 9567-7533, h9810-2598 Jamal 0413-467-367 Marina Carmen, 0414-788-852 Tom 0408-619-152 Keara, 0408-443-013 -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: Dalai Lama opposes use of force
1. Dalai Lama opposes use of force (UPI) NEW DELHI, India, Sep 17, 2001 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has urged the United States not to use force in retaliation against the terrorist strikes on New York and Washington. In a letter written to President Bush, the exiled Tibetan leader said the use of force in retaliation against the terrorist strikes on New York and Washington might not be appropriate. Any problem within humanity should be solved in a humanitarian way and Ahimsa (non-violence) is the human way of approaching a target, the letter said. The Dalai Lama wrote: The essence of all major religions, I believe, is forgiveness, brotherhood and sisterhood along with many other things. But there are people who use religion ... but blaming a particular religion will not be appropriate. It is wrong to describe it as an act by Muslim terrorists. Because, I think all religions have the same potential to strengthen human values and to develop general harmony, the Press Trust of India reported, quoting from the letter. --- 2. Dalai Lama urges U.S. to shun violence (Reuters) CALCUTTA, India, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama urged the United States on Monday not to respond militarily to last week's devastating attacks, saying only non-violence could combat international terrorism. While I express my sympathy, I have appealed to the U.S. president not to respond with more violence as violence is not an appropriate answer, the Tibetan Buddhist leader told a news conference in Calcutta. The Dalai Lama fled from his homeland to India with thousands of followers in 1959, nine years after the Chinese army entered Tibet and overthrew the Buddhist theocracy there. The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate's comments came after Pope John Paul appealed on Sunday to the world not to allow the attacks on New York and Washington to lead to more violence, and not to allow a spiral of hate and violence to prevail. The United States has pledged to avenge the attacks by hijacked airliners that slammed into the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon near Washington last Tuesday. NON-VIOLENCE ONLY ANSWER Most cases of violence only cause destruction...these things will have to be prevented the non-violent way. Only non-violent means can counter terrorism in the long-term, the Dalai Lama said. The United States has said Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, harboured by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, was the prime suspect behind the attacks in which some 5,000 people were killed or are missing. Bin Laden, a 44-year-old multi-millionaire, has denied he was responsible, saying Afghanistan would not permit it. The Dalai Lama said he believed there were numerous causes for the attacks. Every event has many causes...you can't just pick up one individual-- Osama bin Laden -- and say he was responsible. That is not realistic, said the Dalai Lama, whose exiled government accuses China of repression in Tibet. The economic gap between the rich and poor nations is one factor (that could have been responsible), he said. But the Dalai Lama said the attacks could not have been sanctified by any religion. The essence of all major religions is compassion, forgiveness, contentment, self-discipline and brotherhood, he said. Some people may only be using the name of religion to justify their actions, he said. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:DD: STOP STAR WARS PROTEST US CONSULATES 4PM JULY 30
STOP STAR WARS PROTEST 4PM JULY 30 UNITED STATES CONSULATE CNR MARTIN PLACE/CASTLEREAGH ST, SYDNEY 4PM JULY 30, US CONSULATE, ST KILDA ROAD MELBOURNE US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld will be in Canberra at Parliament House, trying to persuade the Australian government to support Missile Defence/Star Wars on 29,30, and 31 July. Australian activists from Greenpeace are in jail in the US NOW, for protesting against the last Missile Defence test on 14 July. Actions are planned at US consulates in Sydney and Melbourne at 4pm Monday, July 30. Your support for these actions is urgently needed. Contact: John Hallam 9517-3903 Dennis Doherty 9517-9425, 0418-490-663 Jacob Grech (Melb) 0402-246-491 -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:AA: From Greenpeace - Please Act on Aust activists in Jail
AUSTRALIAN ACTIVISTS AMONGST 1O STILL HELD IN MAXIMUM SECURITY US PRISON FOR STAR WARS PROTEST ON BEHALF OF NIC, STUART AND ALL OTHER JAILED ACTIVISTS WE ASK THAT YOU TAKE A MOMENT TO CONTACT THE US EMBASSY IN YOUR STATE AND TELL THEM THAT YOU OPPOSE STAR WARS, SUPPORT PEACEFUL PROTEST AND DEMAND THAT ALL ACTIVISTS BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY. TAKE ACTION NOW - CONTACT THE US CONSULATE IN YOUR STATE. PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO YOUR NETWORKS PEACEFUL PROTEST BEING HELD IN CANBERRA OUTSIDE US EMBASSY THIS AFTERNOON WATCH WWW.ACTIVE.ORG.AU IN YOUR STATE FOR OTHER ACTIVITIES Activists are still being held in brutal and unnecessary conditions by the US Government for their peaceful attempt to stop the latest Star Wars Missile test. 10 of the 17 protestors involved in the Stop Star Wars court case may be forced to stay in prison until their trial. Two Australians, Stuart Lennox from Tasmania and Nic Clyde from New South Wales are still being held in maximum security federal prison in California after appearing shackled and chained in court yesterday. The charges against all the defendants are : Conspiracy to violate a safety zone, a Class D felony charge and carries a minimum 5 years jail term, and a maximum ten years jail. It could also carry a fine of up to $250,000. Either could be imposed singly or jointly. Failure to adhere to commander's instructions is a Class A misdemeanour and carries a maximum one year jail term and a maximum $5,000 fine. Both sentences can run consecutively. The U.S. government attorney has filed an appeal against Mondays ruling which had allowed all the defendants bail, but with restrictions put on their movements and their passports seized. The prosecution has not made clear the grounds for the appeal, but had previously indicated they believed there was a chance that if they were released they would leave the country. The motion is due to be heard tomorrow (Thursday 19th July) at 10.00am (PDT), and if it is granted then all may be kept in federal jail until their trial. CANBERRA American Embassy, Moonah Place, Yarralumla ACT 2600 General (02) 6214 5600 OR... (02) 6214 5966 Fax: (02) 6214-5970 [EMAIL PROTECTED] MELBOURNE U.S. Consulate General, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004 Switchboard Tel: (03) 9526-5900 Fax: (03) 9525-0769 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] SYDNEY Consulate General of the United States MLC Centre, Level 59 19-29 Martin Place Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Tel. (61-2) 9373-9200 (general inquiries) Tel. 1902-941-641 (visa inquiries - charges apply) Fax (61-2) 9373-9125 PERTH U.S. Consulate General, 16 St. George's Terrace, 13th Floor, Perth, WA 6000 All Other Enquiries - Switchboard Tel: (08) 9202-1224 Friday) Fax: (08) 9231-9444 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] James Courtney Nuclear Campaigner Greenpeace Australia Pacific Office Direct 02 9263 0359 Mobile 0418 927 821 Nuclear Reactors Waste the Planet http://www.greenpeace.org.au/campaigns/nuclear/whatawaste/ -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:AA: Rumsfeld/Powell visit - Tell Downer, Reith, 'NO Star Wars'
John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042 Fax (61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http:www.sydney.foe.org.au http://sydney.foe.org.au/nuclear/index.html Dear Everybody, On 30/31 of this month, Donald Rumsfeld and Colin Powell will visit Canberra. They will be discussing Missile Defence/Star wars with foreign minister Downer and defence minister Reith. Downer claimed at a recent meeting of his advisory body, the NCPD, that there is 'no community concern' over missile defence/star wars. WE NEED TO SHOW HIM THAT HE IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG ABOUT THIS! PLEASE, write to Downer and Reith, expressing your concern over missile defence/Star Wars. Tell Downer and Reith that: --Star wars may lead to another global nuclear arms race. This is a risk that we must not subject the world to. --The government should be urging the US administration to fulfill its campaign promises of deep cuts to nuclear warhead numbers and to take strategic nuclear weapons off 'Launch on Warning' status. --The government must make it clear to the Bush administration that the joint facilities are not available for any purpose that contravenes the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, the CTBT, or the NPT. A letter from Australian environment and peace groups and a few parliamentarians is enclosed below - you may want to use it to make up your own letter. Feel free to borrow from it and to rewrite it in your own words. If you are writing as an individual, its best to sent it handwritten (but legible please!) If doing it as an organisation, do it on letterhead. Do please pass this email on to anyone you think might possibly make good use of it. You can either fax the numbers on the head of this letter, or else send your letter C/O Parliament House, Canberra, ACT, 2600. Happy writing and faxing! FOREIGN MINISTER ALEXANDER DOWNER 6273-4112 08-8370-8166 THE HON. PETER REITH, MINISTER FOR DEFENCE, 6273-4118, 03-5979-3034 CC PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD, 02-6273-4100, 9251-5454 THE HON. KIM BEAZLEY 6277-8495, 08-9592-1361 LAURIE BRERETON 6277-8502, 9349-8089 RE: US/AUSTRALIAN MINISTERIALS JULY 31 2001 Dear Alexander Downer and Peter Reith, The undersigned groups are writing to you with respect to the forthcoming US/Australian ministerial meetings which we understand are sceduled on 30 July in Canberra. We applaud the concern you have expressed to the US government over the CTBT. It is vital that Australia continue to press the US to ratify the CTBT. We are deeply concerned that the Australian government may either at these meetings or during the meeting between President Bush and Prime Minister John Howard, move Australia toward deeper cooperation with the US on the controversial, and in our view unwise and destabilizing, missile defence program. We note that the right-wing US Heritage Foundation has already suggested Australian involvement in missile defence, and our concerns on that matter have already been conveyed in writing to Mr. Howard. We would remind you of the letter from 610 organizations and parliamentarians worldwide (including 19 Australian parliamentarians), which shows clearly that opposition to missile defence is widespread throughout the NGO community and the wider public realm. We would also remind you that the Australian Senate has twice, on June 29 2000 and on March 1 2001, passed resolutions asking that Australia not support missile defence in any way. We believe these resolutions reflect the view of the broader Australian community with respect to missile defence-related issues. The opposition emerging in europe to missile defence, in which major acts of civil disobedience take place at missile defence-related installations, show that these expressions of worldwide and national opposition to missile defence cannot be ignored or set aside. The government has argued that missile defence is innocuous and that 'it is missiles that hurt people'. This completely misses the point, which is that the deployment of missile defence, particularly if that involves a unilateral setting aside of the ABM treaty, will re-ignite the global nuclear arms race and set back efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons by decades. The re-commencement of a global nuclear arms race is simply too dangerous to be allowed to happen. Reductions in nuclear warhead numbers and reductions in alert status, flagged by the Bush administration, are on the other hand welcome and are essential steps toward the total and unequivocal elimination of nuclear weapons. However, the deployment of missile defence may well make those vital steps impossible, and is inconsistent with genuine moves toward the elimination of nuclear weapons. We strongly urge that, when you meet with the US government at the end of July and when Prime Minister Howard meets with George Bush on September 10th, the Australian government make it clear to President
LL:PR: Argentine Reactor for Sydney
John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042 Fax (61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd WILL THE ARGENTINE REACTOR BE A LEMON? An anonymous engineering assessment of the research reactor built by ANSTO's preferred tenderer, argentine firm INVAP, in Egypt, indicates that the Egyptian machine may be a lemon, and casts doubt on whether the INVAP reactor will be able to fulfill the demands of Australia's research community. The asessment was delivered to Sutherland councillor Genivieve Rankin in a brown paper bag. Its data on the Egyptian reactors capabilities are consistent with data published by INVAP on their website. A question was asked today in the Senate by Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja, on costing and project detail of the Lucas heights reactor. The anonymous documents assessments of the ETRR-2 reactor in Egypt, the only large research reactor built by ANSTO's favored tenderer, INVAP of Argentina, are damning. INVAP has built research reactors in Argentina, Peru, Egypt, and Algeria. The ETRR-2 Egyptian reactor dates from 1997. According to the engineering assessment: --The reactor is designed as a 1960s style test reactor, and is not suitable for use as a high- quality source of neutrons for research purposes. --The reactor is not designed to accommodate cold or hot neutron sources, deemed to be essential by the research community and consistently advocated by ANSTO as what was needed for a new reactor. --The reactor has no containment whatsoever, and no other means of accident limitation. --The leaktightness of the reactor pool is suspect. In addition, according to the document, the ETRR-2 seems to have been quite useless to the Egyptian research community. Laboratories and offices have lain vacant and the reactor has reportedly been used for only ten days in three years. According to FOE nuclear campaigner John Hallam, "If the replacement for HIFAR in any way resembles ETRR-2, what we will have is a machine that is neither safe, nor in any way answers the needs of Australia's research community, which ANSTO has always argued is, along with the ability to supply medical isotopes, the entire justification for a new reactor." "During the EIS process, FOE argued that even if we spent $500-600m on a state of the art machine with 8 cold sources, and 4 hot sources, we'd be no more than number 11-13 in the neutron scattering field. With the INVAP machine, (Unless the government can show otherwise) we will have nothing resembling a state of the art neutron scattering source. Unless the government can release the full technical details as we have demanded over and over again, to public scrutiny, there is no reason for anyone to believe that we have anything at Lucas heights but an unsafe device to cause taxpayers money that would be better spent on almost anything else, to disappear." "There is not, and never was, any justification in terms of science from a replacement reactor. Its time the government acknowledged that and canceled this wasteful and unsafe project. We need a full inquiry into the cost, capabilties, and full technical details of this project now." Contact: John Hallam 9517-3903 h9810-2598 -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:ART: AUSTRALIA CHOOSES ARGENTINE RESEARCH REACTOR
John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042 Fax (61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd http://www.abc.net.au/news/newslink/nat/newsnat-6jun2000-47.htm This Bulletin: Tue, 6 Jun 2000 13:09 AEST BREAKING STORIES Argentinian firm to build nuclear research reactor An Argentinian company will build a new nuclear research reactor in Sydney's Lucas Heights. The Federal Government has chosen the company, INVAP, as its preferred tenderer to design and build the reactor. The project will cost about $280 million and the reactor is expected to be commissioned in 2005. Industry, Science and Resources Minister Nick Minchin says INVAP will work with two Australian companies on the project. "The INVAP bid together with its Australian partners did offer the best combination of high performance...and the best building layout," he said. "I'd also point out that the INVAP bid offered the highest value-added local content at 53 per cent." -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: Press Releases on NPT Review
John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042 Fax (61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE/FRIENDS OF THE EARTH A SMALL STEP FORWARD FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT? In an area that's recently been characterized by stagnation and regression, a small step forward may have been made at the United Nations this week, with the adoption of a final statement by the review conference of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty - maybe. According to Irene Gale of the Australian Peace Committee and John Hallam of FOE: "While the statement that has been adopted is much weaker than NGOs worldwide and most governments, especially those of the moderate 'New Agenda Coalition', led by Mexico, Brazil, New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden, South Africa, and Egypt, would have liked, it does for the first time, force the nuclear weapons states to commit to 'an unequivocal undertaking by the nuclear weapons states to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals, leading to nuclear disarmament'." "Earlier on in the conference, the nuclear weapon states had released a statement pledging the 'ultimate' elimination of their nuclear arsenals." "While this commitment represents a considerable concession by the nuclear weapons states which is the result of immense pressure essentially from the entire rest of the world, it lacks a clear time table, and the requirement for the nuclear weapon states to document the steps they are taking over the next review period has been eliminated." "Outside the NPT review conference, the US and Russia are engaged in a wrangle over US plans to deploy a national ballistic missile defence system, which would violate the ABM treaty signed in 1972. Russia has given notice that if the ABM treaty is violated it will withdraw from all arms control agreements, threatening to re-ignite a nuclear arms race. During the NPT review conference, nation after nation termed the ABM treaty 'the cornerstone of strategic stability' and urged that it be maintained." "APC and FOE are highly critical of the role played by the Australian government, which has failed to support the New Agenda Coalition in spite of a resolution in the Australian Senate urging it to do so, and whose own statement to the NPT Review Conference has been termed 'pathetic'. The Australian Government should have supported the New Agenda Coalition publicly and should have taken a much more prominent role and been much more critical of our ally, the US. Australia has wasted the opportunity offered by this crucial international negotiation, to play a truly constructive role, and left that to New Zealand. The Australian Government needs to seriously re-examine its nuclear nonproliferation approach and adopt one more suited to the reality, that the overwhelming majority of the worlds people and governments want the nuclear weapon states to eliminate their nuclear weapons yesterday." CONTACT: John Hallam 02-9517-3903 02-9810-2598 Irene Gale 08-8364-2291 Parliamentarians for a Nuclear Free Future Media Release Sunday 21 May 2000 Australia's anti-nuke voice is too faint says multi-party group Australia has passed up the opportunity to make an effective contribution to the elimination of nuclear weapons, Parliamentarians for a Nuclear Free Future said today. At the conclusion of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference, it was a group of States called the 'New Agenda Coalition' which helped maintain the pressure on the Nuclear Weapons States during the Conference - not Australia, the Labor, Democrats and Greens MPs said. The multi-party group welcomed the news that a final document resulted from the conference. In this document a commitment was made by the Nuclear Weapons States to unequivocally undertake to accomplish the total elimination of nuclear weapons. This is definitely a step in the right direction albeit a small one, they said. They welcomed other reported aspects of the final document including increased transparency by the nuclear powers on reporting information on their nuclear arsenals and moves towards reducing the operational status of nuclear weapons. In the days ahead when the full text of the final document has been thoroughly analysed it will become clearer as to how much further the world is down the path to the a nuclear weapons free world. This is however, no thanks to the efforts of our Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. Australia has refused to adopt the position of the 'New Agenda Coalition' believing that they risk offering false hope in disarmament in areas which are not practical. Yet in the end it was precisely these countries holding significant discussions towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. The New Agenda Coalition states are Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa Sweden. Our nearest neighbour and ally New Zealand is willing to make a concerted stand
LL:PR: START-II, AUSTRALIAN PALM SUNDAY EVENTS
John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042 Fax (61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd PALM SUNDAY 16/4/2000 PRESS RELEASE STATUE OF LIBERTY, NUKE MISSILES, OUTSIDE PMS OFFICE. Activists dressed as Alexander Downer and Bill Clinton together with a statue of liberty and two mock nuclear missiles and green MLC Lee Rhiannon, gathered outside the Prime Ministers office today to demand that the Government take a stronger stance toward the nuclear weapons states as the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review conference looms in the UN, April 24-May19th. Activists have cautiously welcomed the ratification of the START-II agreement by Russia, but warn that much more needs to be done. According to John Hallam of Friends of the Earth, "The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review demands a better policy than mere damage control, which seems to be the only thing that Mr. Downers office has in mind." "If the NPT Review conference is to stay on the rails, what we need is clear and continued movement toward the implementation of the obligations of the nuclear weapons states under articleVI of the single most nearly universal treaty in the world, the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. Under article VI of the NPT, which has been in force since 1970, the nuclear weapons states are obliged to eliminate their nuclear arsenals 'at an early date'. After 30 years this hasn't happened and the whole world wants to know why." "The Start-II ratification by Russia certainly represents some sort of progress, but much more needs to be done if the nuclear weapons states are to fulfill their article VI obligations and set the world free from the threat of global catastrophe.The steps outlined in Australias own Canberra Commission set out a logical and practical way to rid the world of nuclear weapons, and the government should pursue that agenda." Resolutions demanding progress to fulfill the obligations of the nuclear weapons states have now been passed in the parliaments of New Zealand, Canada, and in the Australian Senate. Last week, 374 organizations worldwide sent a letter to all NPT signatories plus India, Pakistan and Israel, asking that the weapons states fulfill their legal obligations under the treaty. Contact: John Hallam 9517-3903 h9810-2598 m0415-202060 AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE/F.O.E., 16/4/2000 ANTINUKE GROUPS WELCOME START II RATIFICATION The Australian Peace Committee and Friends of the Earth on Palm Sunday (today) extended a cautious welcome to the ratification of START-II by the Russian Duma in the leadup to the Review Conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty from April 24-May19th at the UN in New York, but urged the Australian government to do more. The NPT review conference will be attended by representatives from every country on earth except India, Pakistan, Israel, and Cuba. It will help to determine whether the world proceeds toward the elimination of nuclear weapons or to resumed nuclear arms - racing. Alexander Downer will attend. According to Irene Gale AM of the Australian Peace Committee and John Hallam of Friends of the Earth, "While the ratification of START-II by the Duma is undoubtedly welcome, and help to lift a little the pall of gloom that had started to settle on the NPT Review, with the UN secretary general warning that the nuclear arms control agenda has ground to a halt and may go into reverse, Fridays events do not by any means take us out of the woods. The Duma's ratification is highly conditional. Specifically it is conditional on the US agreeing to abide by 1997 agreements on the ABM treaty, and on the US not deploying a national ballistic missile defence system, which the US has so far appeared committed to deploy. This is and continues to be a major sticking point. Even if it were not for this major glitch, the doomsday machines of the US and Russia remain intact. Currently there are some 5,000 warheads total on land- based ICBMs that can be launched at a moments notice. Even after START-II is fully implemented, it will still be possible to destroy civilization in about half an hour given the right sequence of events. Finally there is the danger that this development, welcome as it is, will take the pressure off the US and Russia to do more. The ratification is a welcome move in the right direction but we must keep on moving toward the negotiation and implementation of a START-III agreement and the elimination of all nuclear weapons on an urgent basis. The Australian Government in particular needs to do more to press the weapons states to put aside their differences over BMD and to proceed rapidly to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. To that end it must seek to implement the commonsense recommendations of the Canberra Commission and should stand in solidarity with those nations that have already resolved to do so, Ireland, Sweden, New Zealand, South
LL:PR: Aust should Follow NZ Example on N-Weapons
AUST SHOULD FOLLOW NZ EXAMPLE ON N-WEAPONS In response to remarks by Prime minister Howard yesterday that Australia should recognize there were 'differences' between Australia and NZ over foreign policy, the Australian Peace Committee and Friends of the Earth have called on the Australian government to follow the New Zealand example over nuclear weapons policy, and vigorously pursue the fulfillment of the obligations set out in the nuclear nonproliferation treaty at the upcoming nuclear nonproliferation treaty review conference, April 24-May19th. According to APC's Irene Gale and Friends of the Earth's John Hallam, "The fact is that New Zealand is simply pursuing the policies that the majority of Australians would also prefer to pursue: Policies that align it with the majority of countries in the world that consider that the obligations imposed on the nuclear weapons states since 1970 by Article VI of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty ought to be honored. It is Australia not New Zealand that is the odd one out, and New Zealand that has shown leadership. "The upcoming review conference of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty is going to be difficult. It will be difficult because the nuclear weapon states have for thirty years ignored the clear legal obligations imposed on them by the NPT. The Australian government is now talking about 'damage control' at the upcoming conference, but the only kind of 'damage control' that is ever going to work in the longer term is for the nuclear weapons states to fulfill their article VI obligations. Australia has for a number of years refused to align itself with New Zealand and with the overwhelming majority of the worlds nations, who think that the weapons states need to be pressed very strongly indeed to fulfill their obligations under article VI to eliminate their nuclear arsenals. This failure has been underlined by the secretary General Kofi Annan on his recent visit, when he spoke of the the 'discouraging list of nuclear disarmament measures in suspense, negotiations not initiated and opportunities not taken'." "New Zealand has shown precisely the leadership and commonsense on the nuclear weapons issue that Australia should have shown. Australia should work closely with New Zealand to produce a truly productive outcome at the upcoming NPT Review Conference." John Hallam 02-9517-3903 h02-9810-2598 Irene Gale 08-8364-2291 -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:AA: Sample Letter to Downer, Howard re NPT Review Conference
RE: NPT REVIEW SAMPLE LETTER TO DOWNER. Dear All, This is the sample letter which Claire and I am hoping you will be able to send to our beloved Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, and our Prime Minister re the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference April 24 to May 19th, in the UN. It's just about the biggest diplomatic gabfest possible - The NPT has been signed by every nation on the planet except India Pakistan and Israel, and FOE Sydney has been coordinating a letter to the heads of state of all participants PLUS India Pakistan and Israel, which basically equals the whole planet. Article VI of the NPT legally obliges the nuke weapons states to negotiate their arsenals down to zero. What we are essentially saying is that we'd like to see it really happen, and that we'd like the Oz government to make serious efforts to push that. Please send this as individual, preferably HANDWRITTEN, to the fax numbers at the top. Please customise! (Do not just photocopy and sign it, it will go straight in the bin.) You can also send it suitably customised as an organisation. (If you are an organisation please distribute this sample letter amongst your membership, and get them to send it as individuals.) (There are 2 other letters for organisations, one a global sign on letter to heads of state and the other to Downer and Howard, like this sample letter but more detailed. If you would like to sign them as an organisation please contact me. I will be sending the Downer/Howard letter out to orgnisations to sign very soon.) John Hallam (Sample Letter follows) SAMPLE LETTER TO ALEXANDER DOWNER/JOHN HOWARD ON THE NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION TREATY REVIEW CONFERENCE RE: NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION TREATY REVIEW CONFERENCE APRIL 24-MAY 19 2000 - GETTING RID OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS TO: JOHN HOWARD, PRIME MINISTER 02-6273-4100, 9251-5454 ALEXANDER DOWNER, MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 02-6273-4112 Dear Foreign Minister Downer and Prime Minister Howard, I am writing to urge the Australian government to take a strong position at the upcoming Review Conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in new York April 24 to May 19, 2000. It is vital that the Australian government does its utmost to pressure the nuclear weapons states, especially the US and Russia, to do more to fulfill their obligations under Article VI of the NPT, and negotiate their nuclear weapons stockpiles down to zero sooner rather than later. The International Court of Justice reaffirmed in 1996, in a a unanimous judgment that this is indeed a legal obligation. The nuclear weapons states are currently making very little movement toward fulfilling this obligation. Instead there have been many developments in the opposite direction. The US Senate has failed to ratify the CTBT,(Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty) the US is contemplating the deployment of a highly destabilising Ballistic Missile Defence System in violation of the 1972 ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) treaty, and talks between the US and Russia to make cuts in nuclear weapons are stalled. A successful outcome would explicitly commit parties to the elimination of nuclear weapons at an early date and a global regime banning nuclear weapons, and would outline the process for that to occur. Australia has had a good reputation in the nuclear disarmament field. It is important that Australia use its position to push the nuclear weapon states and particularly our allies in that direction during the coming review conference. Signed...etc. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:URL: Abolish Nuclear Weapons- Join Abolition 2000
Please Reply to Abolition 2000 at: [EMAIL PROTECTED], Http://www.abolition2000.org. Dear Friends and Activists, Please allow me to introduce you to Abolition 2000, a global network comprised of more than 1420 organizations in 90 countries calling for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. At the 1995 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review and Extension Conference where, frustrated by the resolve of the nuclear weapons states to maintain their arsenals, a few activists and concerned individuals had a vision. That vision of a more secure and livable world, free from the threat of nuclear weapons, was the foundation for the international movement that became known as the Abolition 2000 Network. Now, more than ever before, the work of Abolition 2000 is vital to ensure a more secure and livable world for our children, grandchildren and all future generations. We cannot succeed without your help. At our Annual General Meeting held at the Hague Appeal for Peace in May 1999, we agreed that the year 2000 poses a critical challenge for the Network. To preserve the integrity of the Abolition 2000 name and to continue the vital work of the Global network, members have committed to increasing Network membership to at least 2000 organizations by the start of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference in April. We will also make Abolition 2000 attendance and presence known at the NPT conference. Help make the number of supporting groups climb to over 2,000 by joining us in our endeavors! I would like to personally invite you to sign and endorse the Abolition 2000 statement. If you would like to receive more information, please feel free to contact me or visit our website at Http://www.abolition2000.org. I look forward to hearing from you. My best wishes to you in our common endeavor to create a more peaceful and just world. Yours In Peace, Carah Lynn Ong ABOLITION 2000 STATEMENT A secure and livable world for our children and grandchildren and all future generations requires that we achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and redress the environmental degradation and human suffering that is the legacy of fifty years of nuclear weapons testing and production. Further, the inextricable link between the "peaceful" and warlike uses of nuclear technologies and the threat to future generations inherent in creation and use of long-lived radioactive materials must be recognized. We must move toward reliance on clean, safe, renewable forms of energy production that do not provide the materials for weapons of mass destruction and do not poison the environment for thousands of centuries. The true "inalienable" right is not to nuclear energy, but to life, liberty and security of person in a world free of nuclear weapons. We recognize that a nuclear weapons free world must be achieved carefully and in a step by step manner. We are convinced of its technological feasibility. Lack of political will, especially on the part of the nuclear weapons states, is the only true barrier. As chemical and biological weapons are prohibited, so must nuclear weapons be prohibited. We call upon all states particularly the nuclear weapons states, declared and de facto to take the following steps to achieve nuclear weapons abolition. We further urge the states parties to the NPT to demand binding commitments by the declared nuclear weapons states to implement these measures: 1.Initiate immediately and conclude by the year 2000 negotiations on a nuclear weapons abolition convention that requires the phased elimination of all nuclear weapons within a timebound framework, with provisions for effective verification and enforcement.* 2.Immediately make an unconditional pledge not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons. 3.Rapidly complete a truly comprehensive test ban treaty with a zero threshold and with the stated purpose of precluding nuclear weapons development by all states. 4.Cease to produce and deploy new and additional nuclear weapons systems, and commence to withdraw and disable deployed nuclear weapons systems. 5.Prohibit the military and commercial production and reprocessing of all weapons-usable radioactive materials. 6.Subject all weapons-usable radioactive materials and nuclear facilities in all states to international accounting, monitoring, and safeguards, and establish a public international registry of all weapons-usable radioactive materials. 7.Prohibit nuclear weapons research, design, development, and testing through laboratory experiments including but not limited to non-nuclear hydrodynamic explosions and computer simulations, subject all nuclear weapons laboratories to international monitoring, and close all nuclear test sites. 8.Create additional nuclear weapons free zones such as those established by the treaties of Tlatelolco and Raratonga. 9.Recognize and declare the illegality of threat or use of nuclear weapons, publicly and before the World Court. 10.Establish
LL:AA: FAX DOWNER, BRERETON, RE Y2K AND TAKING N-WEAPONS OFF ALERT
PLEASE DO THIS ONE UP TO SEPTEMBER 1, WHEN THE GLOBAL FAX CAMPAIGN KICKS IN ACTION ALERT PLEASE FAX TO EVERYONE FAX HOWARD, DOWNER, BEAZLEY, BRERETON Dear People, The Senate unanimously passed a resolution on nuclear weapons and Y2K, on Thursday 12 Aug. The resolution, as negotiated between the Dems, the ALP, and the Government, represents real progress but it is not as good as we'd ideally like. But it is better passed than not passed, and it is simply fantastic that it is being passed by both parties - ie unanimously. Both the ALP (Breretons office) and the Government did not want to committ themselves to implementing the 1996 reccomendations of the Canberra Commission, that nuclear weapons be taken off hairtrigger alert - in spite of the fact that a number of resolutions in the UN General Assembly (including one the Senate called on the govt to support last year) have called for the same thing. DOWNER, BRERETON, HOWARD AND BEAZLEY NEED TO HEAR A MESSAGE FROM YOU. THEY NEED TO BE ASKED IN THE STRONGEST OF TERMS TO SUPPORT THE CANBERRA COMMISSION RECCOMMENDATIONS THAT NUCLEAR FORCES/WEAPON SYSTEMS BE TAKEN OFF HAIRTRIGGER ALERT, AT LEAST OVER THE Y2K ROLLOVER PERIOD. THEY NEED TO HEAR OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT ACCIDENTAL NUCLEAR WAR IS A REAL IF SMALL POSSIBILITY IF THIS IS NOT DONE. TELL THEM: 1)Congratulate them on having passed the resolution they just passed, and on making it unanimous.. 2)Urge that the government reconsider their current opposition to calling on the weapons states to de- alert, and urge that the 1996 Canberra Comissions strong reccommendation that strategic nuclear weapons be taken off hairtrigger alert be adopted as government policy, and implemented immediately. 3)Tell all of them that the threat of accidental nuclear war is entirely real, that it has been warned of by the Federation of American Scientists, by the British-American Security Information Council (BASIC) and by military insider and analyst, Bruce Blair, who amongst his other distinguished career highlights was for some two years a minuteman nuclear missile launch control officer. The fax numbers you need are: John Howard, 02-6273-4100 Alexander Downer, 02-6273-4112 Laurie Brereton, 02-6277-8502, Kim Beazley, 02-6277-8495. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE WIMPS OUT ON KAKADU
John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, Fax(61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 [EMAIL PROTECTED]http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd Dear people, The World Heritage Committee last night wimped out completely, failing to take any notice whatsoever of the repeated strong advice of its advisory bodies, that Kakadu be listed as 'in Danger'. It's a disaster both for Kakadu, and for the entire World Heritage framework, which will now see that al you need to do to avoid an 'in danger' listing for, say, converting Macha Picchu into a theme park or driving a freeway through the pyramids, or whatever peice of insanity you may have in store for earths most precious areas, is an australian-style lobbying campaign. The committee has completely failed the moral courage and integrity test. If you'd like to register your disgust, I suggest faxing Ambassador Matsuura on +33-1-42-27-50-81. Sorry this took so long to get out, I've been doing media. A very big thank you to all who faxed and phoned and sent letters and lobbied and did all manner of crazy things for this bit of the planet which sadly will not be protected the way it should be protected. I'd hoped to send you all a victory thank you but it is not to be. The Jabiluka campaign however, will continue. And there are some little bits of silver lining, namely that the Bureau is to keep monitoring Kakadu, and that Australia is to submit a report in April 2000. To repeat, a big thank you to all who did things or merely put up with these things appearing in their email. John Hallam. TWO FOE PRESS RELEASES FOLLLOW, THEN PRESS RELEASES FROM TWS. FOE PRESS RELEASE 12/7/1999 POLITICS TRIUMPHS OVER FACTS AS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE WIMPS OUT ON IN DANGER LISTING Science and good sense took a back seat in Paris today as the World Heritage Committee failed to take the advice of its official advisory bodies, IUCN, ICOMOS and ICCROM, and decided against an 'In Danger' listing for Kakadu National Park. The decision is a disaster for the protection of the World Heritage Values of Kakadu . It is also a disaster for the entire World Heritage convention, as the World Heritage Committee and Bureau failed completely to take the strong and twice repeated advice of the advisory bodies into account, and decided instead to vote against an in danger listing. As far as we know, a complete failure of this magnitude, to take the advice of the advisory bodies into account is unprecedented. According to FOE nuclear campaigner John Hallam, "This decision is a disaster not only for Kakadu, but for the entire World Heritage Convention, which this decision has seriously undermined. It is clear that the committee simply has not had the courage to stand up to the bullying and manipulation engaged in by the Australian government." "Hills so called victory is a tainted one that has cost the Australian government enormous international goodwill, and has again put us in the position of an environmental wrecker. Now, what we have wrecked is the World Heritage Convention. People have a right to expect that if a property is listed as World Heritage, and certain things happen to it, that it will be listed as 'in Danger'. Thats the whole point of having a World Heritage Convention." "Now, any bizarre and inappropriate development in any place, no matter how outrageous can be approved, just as long as the country concerned is prepared to strong-arm and manipulate its way through the committee and the Bureau." "Now, not only is Kakadu in danger, but the entire World Heritage Convention is truly in danger." Contact: John Hallam, 9517-3903, 9810-2598. Contact in Australia: Virginia Young 0417-223-280 In Paris:Alec Marr, 0417-229-670. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: AUSTRALIAS KAKADU CANDIDATE FOR UNESCO D/G
John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, Suite 15, 1st Floor, 104 Bathurst Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000. Fax(61)(2)9283-2005 ph(61)(2)9283-2006. [EMAIL PROTECTED]http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd The Australian Government has just nominated ex-Foreign minister, Gareth Evans, for the director-generalship of UNESCO. The environment movement here is unimpressed, and suspcts that it is a way to head off an 'in Danger' listing for Kakadu. The diplomatic dirty-tricks are being deployed! FRIENDS OF THE EARTH PRESS RELEASE 7/6/1999 GARETH EVANS UNESCO NOMINATION A KAKADU SPOILER Friends of the Earth believes that the Governments latest move, to nominate Gareth Evans to the post of Director general of UNESCO is not to be taken seriously. It is designed solely to place pressure over the 'in Danger' listing for Kakadu on the Japanese candidate, Ambassador Koichiro Matsuura, now chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, which will be considering that question in Paris on July12. According to FOE Sydney nuclear campaigner John Hallam, "Gareth Evans nomination is purely a diplomatic ploy designed to head off an 'in danger' listing for Kakadu. It's another piece of sly diplomatic manoeuvring and backstabbing of the kind we have come to expect from this government." "It's as well to examine the real reasons they are doing this. The government is resorting to these tactics because they realise that there is no way they can win the 'in danger' argument on its merits. The UN advisory bodies, IUCN and ICOMOS have reiterated their position, that Kakadu must be placed on the 'in Danger' list. In every previous situation in which mining has taken place within or adjacent to World Heritage listed properties -(The Mt. Nimba Nature Reserve and the Yellowstone National Park) - the World Heritage Committee has placed the property on the 'in Danger' list. Mining for uranium or anything else in the middle of World Heritage properties violates the very strict criteria that makes those sites World Heritage." "If Mr Evans wants to prove that we are wrong about this, there is one way he can do so, namely by giving a cast iron committment that he will abide by the consistent advice of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee advisory bodies, which is to list Kakadu as in Danger." "Failure to place Kakadu National Park on the 'In Danger' list will compromise the credibility of the entire World Heritage regime. It is essential that the World Heritage Committee does not succumb to diplomatic bullying, wheeling and dealing and dirty tricks by the Australian government, and that it endorses the strongly reiterated recommendations of IUCN and ICOMOS, and places Kakadu on the in danger list" Contact: John Hallam, (02)9283-2006 ABC NEWSITEM 7/6/1999 GARETH EVANS GETS GOVT'S NOD AS UNESCO HEAD The Federal Government has confirmed that it is nominating the former labour foreign minister, Gareth Evans as its candidate to head UNESCO. Fifty- eight countries will vote later this year for a new Director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural oreganisation. The foreign minister, Alexander Downer, says only four candidates have so far nominated for the post, but none is particularly strong. Mr Downer says the Government is putting party politics aside to support Me Evans, because he would be a strong candidate for the job. "I think Gareth Evans with his background obviously as foreign minister, as a politician, his background in academia, the portfolios he's held such as in the resources area and so forth, they all give him a breadth of experience as a candidate that nonoe of the other candidates have." Mr Downer said. Gareth Evans says he is looking forward to the challenge of campaigning for the position. He has thanked the Government for supporting him and has rejected suggestions that it is part of a campaign to stop kakadu from being placed on the World heritage list of endangered sites. "When I was in Paris, I talked to representatives of something like 40 countries about possible candidacies, the future of UNESCO and so on" mr Evans said. "Not one single country raised with me Australia's current problems with the World Heritage Committee." "It's seen as part of the UNESCO sort of family, the World Heritage Committee, but its not seen as a mainstream issue for UNESCO itself to be worrying about, and certinly the Director- general couldn't influence decisions of this kind." THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY MEDIA RELEASE 7 JUNE 1999 GARETH EVANS MUST NOT BECOME AUSTRALIA'S KAKADU CANDIDATE The announcement today that former foreign minister Gareth Evans will be Australia's candidate for Director-general of UNESCO is a matter of deep concern, according to The Wilderness Society. National Campaign Director Alec Marr said: "Gareth Evans must ensure that he does not become the coalition's 'Kakadu candidate', that is, a candidate who is only being supported by the Australian Government as a method of
LL:PR: LETTER TO UNESCO D/G, FEDERICO MAJOR, WHC CHAIR MATSUURA
INCLUDES LETTER TO UNESCO D/G FEDERICO MAJOR, LETTER TO US INTERIOR SECRETARY BRUCE BABBITT Dear People, After the events of last week at Jabiluka, which resulted in a number of letters to Unesco Director-General Federico Major and World Heritage Committee Chair His Excellency Ambassador Koichoro Matsuura of Japan, we'd like people to concentrate on faxing Federico Major and Matsuura with something like the below. People in the US should however, keep faxing their interior secretary Bruce Babbitt. If you are in the US and you've already faxed Babbitt, and want to do more, then do this one, but fax Babbitt first. If you are in Japan we'd like you to fax this letter or something a bit like it to Matsuura *IN JAPANESE* with a copy to the Japanese WHC rep, in Paris and Japan. Federico Major's fax number is: + 33 1 45 68 55 54 Matsuura is faxable on +33-1-42-27-50-81 Japan's WHC rep in Paris is on +33-1-47-34-46-70, in Japan 81-3-3591-3228. Bruce Babbitt's number is 202-208-5048. The US WHC rep, John Reynolds is on 202-208-7889. If you've alredy sent other letters that's just fine no problem. If you have not yet sent anything, use the texts below for Major/Matsuura and Babbitt. It is also important if you are in a country that is on the WHC, to fax your Ministers for the environment and/or foreign affairs, to ask them to instruct your WHC rep to not only vote for Kakadu to be put on the 'in Danger' list, but to actively lobby for that. The WHC includes the US, Japan, France, Finland, Italy, Canada, Benin, Brasil, Ecuador, Greece, Morocco and Cuba. MODEL LETTERS FOLLOW MODEL LETTER TO MAJOR (UNESCO) AND WHC CHAIR AMBASSADOR MATSUURA. FEDERICO MAJOR, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNESCO, +33-1-45-68-55-54 HIS EXCELLENCY, AMBASSADOR KOICHIRO MATSUURA, CHAIRMAN, WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE, +33-1-42-27-50-81 cc M. Bouchenaki, Director, World Heritage Centre Paris, +33-1-456-85570. Dear Director-General Fedrico Major and Ambassador Matsuura, I am writing to express our concern over the fate of the World Heritage Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia, and to convey to you the extreme urgency of this matter. Last year in December, the IUCN and ICOMOS strongly recommended that Kakadu National Park be immediately listed as 'in danger' on account of the threat to World Heritage values posed by the construction of a large uranium mine at Jabiluka, in the heart of the National Park. In a joint statement, both bodies said that failure to list Kakadu as 'In Danger' immediately would compromise the integrity and standing of the World Heritage Convention. However, in deference to the extreme opposition to an 'In Danger' listing expressed by the Australian delegation (but emphatically not by Australian NGOs), Australia was allowed a further six months to prepare a case against an 'in Danger' listing. Australia was asked to cease construction operations at Jabiluka. It did not do so. This means that for the past six months, construction, and therefore damage to the World Heritage values of Kakadu has been proceeding on a 24 hour a day basis. IUCN and ICOMOS (as well as the NGO community) have now dismissed the Australian government case as not credible, and IUCN and ICOMOS have re-emphasised the necessity of listing Kakadu as 'In Danger'. The extreme urgency of taking action on this matter is underlined by the fact that as I write, Energy Resources of Australia is resuming construction activities on a tunnel which will desecrate the Boyweg-Almudj sacred site, thereby severely compromising World Heritage values. It is also emphasised by the refusal of the Australian government to listen to any of the warnings on this matter that have been sounded by the European Parliament, by our own Senate, and now by the World Heritage Committee.. Any further delay in placing Kakadu on the list of sites that are in danger, and any ambiguity in its being placed in that list, will lead to further damage to the site and the further destruction of World Heritage values. We call on you to act immediately to ensure positively that Kakadu will be listed as 'in Danger' when the World Heritage Committee meets in Paris on July 12, and to convey to the Australian government the extreme gravity of its actions in failing to cease construction as demanded by the World Heritage Committee last December in Kyoto. Yours respectfully, (SIGNED). LETTER TO US SECRETARY FOR THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT ATTN US SECRETARY FOR THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT +1-202-208-5048 cc John Reynolds, US WHC Delegate, 202-208-7889. Dear Bruce Babbitt, I am writing to you to urge the US delegation to the World Heritage Committee to adopt a clear and unequivocal position in defence of the World Heritage Convention, when it meets in Paris on July 12 1999, to discuss the question of whether to place Kakadu National Park on the list of properties that are 'World Heritage in Danger'. We would like the US delegation not only to vote for
