LL:PR: After WTO, where?
Media Release 13 November 2002 After WTO, where? Back to the Earth, it seems. Back to the wisdom of the ancestors and back to acting locally to resist the resource piracy of the global super rich and their courtier governments. A convoy will leave Sydney on 16 November after the WTO protests to go to Lake Cowal in central west NSW to conduct a sacred fire gathering under the leadership of Wiradjuri elder, Neville Williams. Lake Cowal is an ephemeral lake which when filled becomes NSWs largest inland lake and a source of sustenance for some 400,000 birds, including 172 different breeding species and migratory waders from as far away as China and Japan. Lake Cowal is also the site of a Carr government approved, cyanide gold mine by the worlds biggest gold producer, the Toronto based multi national, Barrick Gold. Neville Williams through his actions in the NSW Land and Environment Court during this year has successfully delayed Barricks test drilling. Mr Williams told the Court that the Lake was the sacred heartland of his people and that it must not be mined. Barrick is presently pressing the NSW government for consent to destroy Aboriginal artefacts on its leases. Mr Williams will be taking the Sacred Fire from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra to conduct the ceremony at Lake Cowal on ground that is scheduled to become a pit 1 km long, 800 metres wide and 325 metres deep, reaching out into the high water mark of the Lake. Nearby 76 million tonnes of powdered rock will be processed with cyanide. Barrick plans to ship 1,090 tonnes of sodium cyanide per year to the Lake per year over 13 years process and burn up 1.5 million litres of diesel per year to dig the pit and process the ore. When Barrick Gold departs it plans to leave 50 million tonnes of arsenic rich tailings, two dams of toxic wastewater each 1.5 km square and the pit as a salt water sink filling from the salty aquifers it will have cut. The Coalition to Protect Lake Cowal is saying that clean water is more precious than gold. "Taking the Sacred Fire to Lake Cowal will seem an inconsequential to some," said Southern Cross University student and convoy organiser, Eloise Corlett. "But it weighs heavy with symbolism and spells doom for the corporate eco-piracy planned at Lake Cowal in the same way that Ghandis salt march announced the end of British colonial rule in India." Further Information Protect Lake Cowal Coalition www.rainforestinfo.org.au/gold/lakec.html Peacebus Mission to Lake Cowal, Easter 2002 www.peacebus.com/Lake Cowal/ Eloise Corlett 0410 436 030 -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:leftlink@;vicnet.net.au Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:majordomo@;vicnet.net.au?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:majordomo@;vicnet.net.au?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: Sniffer Dog Resistance New National Sport
MEDIA RELEASE 3 JULY 2001 Sniffer Dog Resistance set to become New National Sport The HEMP Party candidate for Aston, Graeme Dunstan, has warned the Duty Officer of the Tweed-Byron police command that sniffer dog resistance is set to become a new national sport. In a letter to Inspector Stan Single, the Duty Officer responsible for police during at next Wednesday's Sniffer Dog Protest action outside the Byron courthouse, Mr Dunstan said the sniffer dog operations were a no win situation for the police. "It is only a matter of time before the dogs, their handlers and their armed guards are laughed out of town forever,' he wrote Inspector Single. "The more citizens your police officers stop and search without warrants and the more kids your officers strip and humiliate in our streets, the more opposition you create to this kind of policing and the more friends we cannabis law reformers gain." As a last Sunday at the Byron markets, 70 new members signed up as members for the HEMP Party. Mr Dunstan estimates this number to be more than the combined membership on the National Party branches in Ballina, Byron and Tweed Heads. At an art auction in Nimbin last Saturday $1500 was raised for the Aston campaign. "According to the answers given by the Police Minister to questions asked in the Parliament, Area Commanders had to request the dogs. Presumably they can request that they go away too", Mr Dunstan said. Mr Dunstan promised Wednesday's sniffer dog protest would be a peaceful and celebratory. "We will be there to bear witness for justice, to make an Independence Day call for independence from the US drug prohibition madness, to support sniffer dog resistance hero, Rusty Harris", he wrote. "Please be assured that no attempt will be made to obstruct the courthouse or the proceedings within. Nor will there be any attempt to take the protest to the Byron police station." After burning a US flag, Peacebus.com and crew will be departing for Melbourne and the HEMP Party's contest of the Aston federal by election of 14 July. Further Information Graeme Dunstan, HEMP Party candidate for Aston, 0412 609 373 or 02 6689 7525 Michael Balderstone HEMP Party president, 02 6689 1842 website for Peacebus.com background authorised by Graeme Dunstan Station Road Deep Lead via Stawell 3380 -- 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: HEMP Party to contest Aston By-election
RELEASE 15 JUNE 2001 HEMP Party to contest Aston By-election The Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party has thrown its hat into the ring of the by-election circus for the federal seat of Aston. Nigel Freemarijuana, the controversial HEMP candidate who polled 1700 (2.3%) of the primary votes in the recent Ryan by-election, offered to fund a candidate in Aston or run again himself. The offer has been taken up by long time cannabis law reform activist and s11 veteran, Graeme Dunstan. Graeme Dunstan (59) who describes his occupation as an itinerant "change agent" was born and schooled in Essendon. He is a Duntroon drop out who became a leader of the anti-war and counter culture student movement on the University of NSW campus, and co-organiser of the Australian Union of Students' 1973 Nimbin Aquarius Festival. He has served as a community arts officer in local government and as a festival consultant to the Victorian Tourism Commission when Don Dunstan was its chairman. As such he was one of the founders of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In recent years Graeme has served as operations manager for the Nimbin HEMP Embassy, a producer of the annual Nimbin "Let it Grow" Mardi Grass and captain of the crusading Peacebus.com. Last time he was in Melbourne with Peacebus.com, he was one of those on the receiving end of the police baton charge at the s11/World Economic Forum. "HEMP will be waging a guerilla theatre campaign in Aston to put cannabis law reform on the Federal political agenda", Mr Dunstan said. "If everyone in Aston who has ever smoked pot voted for us, we'd win hands down." Before the HEMP Party decides its preferences, it will be surveying all the other parties on their attitudes to cannabis and law reform. "The ALP is notorious for its broken promises on cannabis law reform", Mr Dunstan said. "HEMP preferences recently helped win the former blue ribbon Liberal seat of Ryan for the ALP, but they snubbed us by placing us last on their ticket." "This time we want to talk to the Liberal Party, the traditional scaremongers of prohibition, to see if there are any "small l" liberals as concerned as we are about John Howard's dangerous ignorance and inexperience on drug issues", The HEMPsters will be a roadshow rolling around the streets and parks of the suburbs of Aston in their colourful bus, shadowing the candidates of the major parties and dogging them to make their attitudes to cannabis public. The HEMP campaign for Aston will begin on 4 July outside the court house in Byron Bay Northern NSW. There, Peacebus.com will bear witness to the trials of Rusty Harris, a local folk hero and resistance fighter who was busted in the cannabis sniffer dog operation in Byron Bay on 9 March. Further information Graeme Dunstan, HEMP candidate 0412 609 373 CV www.nrg.com/~graeme Nigel Freemarijuana 07 3369 8701 Michael Balderstone President HEMP 02 6689 0326 a/h 02 6689 7525 Web site: www.peacebus.com -- 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: Peacebus.com goes to Byron Bay
Media Release 9 April 2001 Peacebus.com goes to Byron Bay Peacebus.com, the colourful, campaigning, myth-making, s11 hippy bus, will be bearing witness in Byron Bay this Good Friday, when a rainbow region citizens gather to protest the sniffer dog operations against cannabis users inByron last month. The action assembles: noon Good Friday 13 April 2001 Apex Park (opp.Beach hotel) Byron Bay On 9 March, without warning or consultation, Byron police, using a cannabis-only detecting Labrador named Thor,stopped and searched in the street scores of Byron citizens and visitors. Fifty five people were found to be carrying cannabis, about 30 cautioned and the rest charged. The Drug War suddenly got hot in the Rainbow Region of NSW. "NSW already has 4,000 more full time prisoners than Victoria because of past law and order campaigns of the Carr government", said Peacebus.com captain, Graeme Dunstan "Now Bob Carr is now making it clear (page 1 SMH 28/3/01) that he will build as many jails as it takes to enforce drug prohibition." "The man loses all respect. It is simply un-Australian to build jails. Carr is in total betrayal of the underclass and social justice roots of the Labor movement that gave birth to his ALP," said Mr Dunstan. Peacebus.com will be in Byron to say: No more Drug War jails! End the Drug War and release the prisoners. End this war by police against their communities. End this war against our youth! Let's make peace on cannabis and recover its God given benefits and blessings as a medicine, fibre, food, oil and fuel. No more sniffer dogs, no more street searches, no more undercover bully-boys packing Glocks and sneaking about to intimidate citizens and visitors who are strolling or sitting in cafes at ease and at peace - until the blue meanies intrude. Local solutions to local problems. The responsibility of police is first to make safe community. The Byron Bay police forgot that when they brought the Drug War into the streets of Byron last month. No warning. No consultation. Tossed aside were the lessons learned in the community safety consultations that pulled the police out of the troubles they had created in Byron around NYE five years ago. Knuckleheads rule once again! Come Good Friday, Peacebus.com will be outside the Byron Police station with drums and horns to remind Byron police of their duty and ultimate accountability. Come Good Friday, we who believe in freedom - for our times and the times ahead of our children and our children's children - will be there to remind every police officer in NSW that we are Australians and that we will never let this land become a penal colony again. For Justice! For Freedom! For the Earth! Viva Timbarra! Graeme Dunstan Peacebus.com 0412 609 373 9 April 2001 --761F8F30F76608450299C08F Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Media Release 9 April 2001 Peacebus.com goes to Byron Bay Peacebus.com, the colourful, campaigning, myth-making, s11 hippy bus, will be bearing witness in Byron Bay this Good Friday, when a rainbow region citizens gather to protest the sniffer dog operations against cannabis users inByron last month. The action assembles: noon Good Friday 13 April 2001 Apex Park (opp.Beach hotel) Byron Bay On 9 March, without warning or consultation, Byron police, using a cannabis-only detecting Labrador named Thor,stopped and searched in the street scores of Byron citizens and visitors. Fifty five people were found to be carrying cannabis, about 30 cautioned and the rest charged. The Drug War suddenly got hot in the Rainbow Region of NSW. "NSW already has 4,000 more full time prisoners than Victoria because of past law and order campaigns of the Carr government", said Peacebus.com captain, Graeme Dunstan "Now Bob Carr is now making it clear (page 1 SMH 28/3/01) that he will build as many jails as it takes to enforce drug prohibition." "The man loses all respect. It is simply un-Australian to build jails. Carr is in total betrayal of the underclass and social justice roots of the Labor movement that gave birth to his ALP," said Mr Dunstan. Peacebus.com will be in Byron to say: No more Drug War jails! End the Drug War and release the prisoners. End this war by police against their communities. End this war against our youth! Let's make peace on cannabis and recover its God given benefits and blessings as a medicine, fibre, food, oil and fuel. No more sniffer dogs, no more street searches, no more undercover bully-boys packing Glocks and sneaking about to intimidate citizens and visitors who are strolling or sitting in cafes at ease and at peace - until the blue meanies intrude. Local solutions to local problems. The responsibility of police is first to make safe community. The Byron Bay police
LL:URL: FREEDOM RIDE Journal Links
Dear Freedom Ride Friends, The first Drug War Freedom Ride is over and the crew gone to rest. It has taken me a while to write the story of the Sydney adventures. Old news now I appreciate, but if you are interested in social action, our story may be instructive. The story of the Big Joint in Sydney, the Drug War Prison actions at Silverwater, NSW Parliament House and Long Bay are at: www.peacebus.com/sydney/index.html The story of the Freedom Ride and its participation in the s11-13/World Economic Forum protests are at: www.peacebus.com/s11/index.html The full index of Freedom Ride journal entries is at: www.peacebus.com/freedomride/index.html We never know the full consequences of our actions. I have faith that the witness we Freedom Riders brought to the injustice and suffering created by the global Drug War and the consequent growth and globalisation of the incarceration industry will inspire many more people to action and bring on many changes. Many people helped the Freedom Ride and encouraged us in our mission. I thank you all. GRAEME -- 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: Big Joint at s11
Media Release 11 September 2000 BIG JOINT TO PUT THE DRUG WAR ON WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM AGENDA The Big Joint will put the Drug War on the agenda of the World Economic Forum: 11 are ? noon Tuesday 12 September 2000 Crown Casino Melbourne The Big Joint is a 42 foot bamboo and hemp structure that is the central icon of the Nimbin's world famous annual hemp harvest festival, the Nimbin "Let It Grow" Mardi Grass. The Big Joint needs about 20 fit people to carry it. Like a giant battering ram it will be attempting to burst through the doors of the besieged WEF tomorrow. The Nimbin HEMP Embassy has sent the Big Joint to s11-13 to bear witness to the social cost of the global Drug War and the failure of drug prohibition policies across the world. "The global black market in illicit drugs is second only to weapons as the biggest trade cash earner of them all", said Michael Balderstone spokesperson for the HEMP Embassy. "The WEF would be remiss if they didn't take into account the harm done to world trade by the slosh of black money and the billions spent around the world laundering it." The Big Joint was carried to Melbourne by the Freedom Riders, a group who recently undertook a 12-week journey for justice to the jail towns of counting the NSW prisoners of the Drug War. "The Drug War is the pointy end of globalisation," said Freedom Rider, Graeme Dunstan. "Drug prohibition laws have been foisted on us by the USA and locked in by the treaties of bureaucrats similar to those promoted by the World Economic Forum." "In every country where the US drug prohibition madness has become law, drug abuse has escalated, civil liberties have been stripped away and prisoner populations have gone off the clock", he said. "The Australian prisoner population is increasing at about 8% per year; and 80% are incarcerated for drug related crimes." "The global Drug War has provided the fodder that has made incarceration a global growth industry," said Mr Dunstan. "The newest jails in NSW, Victoria and Queensland were built and are managed by Wackenhutt, a Florida based, Wall Street listed multinational that has, since 1990, secured incarceration rights to at total of 40,000 prisoners, about 2,000 of whom are Australians." "Private prisons spell the return of slavery", said Mr Dunstan. "We are at s11 to say we are determined that we will NOT let these bad laws make Australia a convict colony again". "At this time Australian governments are building prisons at a faster rate than they are building universities or hospitals", he said. "It is considered economically rational to spend $60,000 per head per year to send the children of the poor to prisons rather than find money for scholarships to send them to universities". End the Drug War and release the prisoners. No more Drug War prisons. No more Drug War prisoners! Further information. Check the web site www.peacebus.com Michael Balderstone, spokesperson, Nimbin HEMP Embassy 02 6689 1842 www.nrg.com.au/~hemp Graeme Dunstan, director Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement 0412 609 373 www.nrg.com.au/~graeme -- 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: JUNEE JAIL A DRUG WAR PRISON
Media Release 11 August 2000 JUNEE JAIL A DRUG WAR PRISON "Junee Correctional Centre is NSW's largest jail and it has been created for and filled up by the US driven Drug War in NSW," said Freedom Rider Graeme Dunstan today. "It also happens to be wholly owned by a US corporation", The Freedom Riders will be conducting a picnic for Families of Drug War prisoners (and burning a cardboard replica of the jail) outside the Junee Correctional Centre: 10.00 ? 4.00 pm Saturday 12 August 2000 Park Lane, Junee (cardboard jail to burn at noon) The Freedom Riders, who are on a journey for justice to all the jail towns of NSW, want to bring attention to the failure and social cost of the Drug War and the inexorable rise of prisoner populations in nations where US drug prohibition policies have become law. "The USA has foisted drug prohibition upon us and now US corporations are profiting by providing the prison facilities to lock up Australian offenders of these unworkable laws", said Mr Dunstan. Last year the number of prisoners in NSW jails rose by 8% to 7,300. An estimated 80% of these inmates are incarcerated for drug related offences. "At this time Australian governments are building prisons at a faster rate than they are building universities or hospitals", said Brett Collins of Justice Action. "Our governments cannot find money for scholarships to send the children of the poor to universities but they have no trouble finding $60,000 per head per year to send them to privatised prisons." "Drug prohibition policies have escalated drug abuse, made dangerous drugs more dangerous, corrupted our police and stripped us of our civil liberties", said Freedom Ride Graeme Dunstan. "The more our governments spend on the Drug War, the more drug deaths we have and the more prisoners, prisons and profits to the wholly US owned jailer, Australian Correctional Management." So far the Freedom Ride has visited jails at Grafton, Glen Innes, Tamworth, Cessnock and Bathurst. On International Prisoner Justice Day (10 August) the Freedom Riders burnt a cardboard replica of a jail which looked very much like the White House outside the US Embassy in Canberra. "We wanted to let the new US Ambassador to Australia, Mr Edward Gnehm, that the Australian people want no more of the US drug prohibition madness", said Mr Dunstan. "We are determined that we will NOT let these bad laws make Australia a convict colony again." Of the jails the Freedom Riders have already visited, they estimate that they hold 900 prisoners of the Drug War. That is 900 Australian men (95% of NSW prisoners are men) who they say would be home with their families and friends if it were not for the Drug War in NSW The Freedom Ride plans to arrive in Sydney before the opening of the Olympic Games, present a huge Picnic for Families of the Drug War Prisoners outside Long Bay jail on Sunday 3 September, and the Sydney 2000 HEMP Olympix on Saturday 9 September (venue to be announced). The Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement and Justice Action are sponsoring the Freedom Ride. Further information. Check the web site www.peacebus.com Graeme Dunstan, director Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement 0412 609 373 www.nrg.com.au/~graeme Brett Collins, Justice Action, 0414 705 003 www.justiceaction.org.au -- 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: JAIL TO BURN AT US EMBASSY
Media Release 9 August 2000 JAIL TO BURN AT US EMBASSY The Freedom Ride will celebrate International Prisoners Justice Day (Thursday 10 August) in Canberra with actions outside Canberra jails and the burning of a cardboard jail outside the US Embassy: The Freedom Ride will be speaking to prisoners at: o 11.30 am Thursday 10 August 2000 outside the Belconnen Remand Centre o 12.30 pm to outside the Youth Justice Centre and the Periodic Detention Centre in Hindmarsh Drive near the corner of Mugga Lane, Symonston, adjacent to the site of Canberra's proposed new jail. A cardboard jail looking very much like the White House with bars will burn outside the US Embassy gates: 1 ? 1.30 pm Thursday 10 August 2000 Moonah Place, Yarralumla The Freedom Riders, who are on a journey for justice to all the jail towns of NSW, want to bring attention to the failure and social cost of the Drug War and the inexorable rise of prisoner populations in nations where US drug prohibition policies have become law. Last year the number of prisoners in NSW jails rose by 8% to 7,300. An estimated 80% of these inmates are incarcerated for drug related offences. "At this time Australian governments are building prisons at a faster rate than they are building universities or hospitals", said Brett Collins of Justice Action. "Our governments cannot find money for scholarships to send the children of the poor to universities but they have no trouble finding $60,000 per head per year to send them to privatised prisons." "Drug prohibition policies have escalated drug abuse, made dangerous drugs more dangerous, corrupted our police and stripped us of our civil liberties", said Freedom Ride Graeme Dunstan. "The more our governments spend on the Drug War, the more drug deaths we have and the more prisoners and prisons." So far the Freedom Ride has visited jails at Grafton, Glen Innes, Tamworth, Cessnock and Bathurst. "Of the jails we have already visited, we estimate that they hold 900 prisoners of the Drug War", said Mr Dunstan. "That is 900 Australian men (95% of NSW prisoners are men) who would be home with their families and friends if it were not for the US-driven Drug War in NSW." "We want to let the new US Ambassador to Australia, Mr Edward Gnehm, that the Australian people want no more of the US drug prohibition madness", said Mr Dunstan. "We are determined that we will NOT let these bad laws make Australia a convict colony again." "With 2 million of its citizens incarcerated, the US is the jailer of the world," said Mr Collins. "Never before has a nation imprisoned so many, or such a high proportion, of its citizens." The Freedom Ride plans to arrive in Sydney before the opening of the Olympic Games, present a huge Picnic for Families of the Drug War Prisoners outside Long Bay jail on Sunday 3 September, and the Sydney 2000 HEMP Olympix on Saturday 9 September (venue to be announced). The Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement and Justice Action are sponsoring the Freedom Ride. Further information. Check the web site www.peacebus.com Graeme Dunstan, director Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement 0412 609 373 www.nrg.com.au/~graeme Brett Collins, Justice Action, 0414 705 003 www.justiceaction.org.au -- 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: JAIL TO BURN IN BATHURST AGAIN
Media Release 3 August 2000 Students from Charles Sturt University will join Freedom Riders when they burn a cardboard replica of a jail outside the Bathurst Court House: 12.30 ? 1 pm Friday 4 August 2000 Russell Street, Bathurst The Freedom Riders, who are on a journey for justice to all the jail towns of NSW, want to bring attention to the failure and social cost of drug prohibition policies and the inexorable rise in the prisoner population of NSW. Last year the number of prisoners in NSW jails rose by 8% to 7,300. An estimated 80% of these inmates are incarcerated for drug related offences. "At this time the NSW government is building prisons at a faster rate than it is building universities or hospitals", said Freedom Rider, Graeme Dunstan. "Our governments cannot find money for scholarships to send the children of the poor to universities but they have no trouble finding $60,000 per head per year to send them to privatised prisons." "Drug prohibition policies have escalated drug abuse, made dangerous drugs more dangerous, corrupted our police and stripped us of our civil liberties", said Mr Dunstan. "The more our governments spend on the Drug War, the more drug deaths we have and the more prisoners and prisons." The Freedom Ride will be conducting a picnic for the families of the prisoners of the Drug War outside Bathurst Jail 11 am to 4 pm Saturday 5 August. So far the Freedom Ride has visited jails at Grafton, Glen Innes, Tamworth and Cessnock. "Of the jails we have already visited, we estimate that they hold 500 prisoners of the Drug War", said Mr Dunstan. "That is 500 men (95% of NSW prisoners are men) who would be home with their families and friends if it were not for the US-driven Drug War in NSW." "We want to say a big "NO!" to the US drug prohibition madness", said Mr Dunstan. "We are determined that we will NOT let these bad laws make Australia a convict colony again." The Freedom Ride plans to arrive in Sydney before the opening of the Olympic Games, present a huge Picnic for Families of the Drug War Prisoners outside Long Bay jail on Sunday 3 September, and the Sydney 2000 HEMP Olympix on Saturday 9 September (venue to be announced). The Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement and Justice Action are sponsoring the Freedom Ride. Further information. Check the web site http://www.peacebus.com Graeme Dunstan, director Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement 0412 609 373 www.nrg.com.au/~graeme Kilty O'Gorman, Justice Action, 02 9281 5100 -- 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: Rapping and Rolling Around Grafton Jail
ory of the Shambala warrior prophecy and then the story of the Eureka Stockade. I had promised to tell the Eureka story as we travelled, and standing under the Southern Cross together, my crew were demanding it. That day I had sported a Eureka T-shirt. Unlike the diggers at the Ballarat Goldfields, our camp had excellent relations with the police. As promised by Inspector Arthur Graham in response to our "maximum exposure, minimum confrontation" policy, we saw nary a police officer that day. Big changes are afoot when local police make it clear that they no longer want to be party to the War on Drugs. Something had shifted, some oppression broken by our Grafton Jail action. It manifested for me in "Saint" John, the gentle, former prison counsellor, who I asked to accompany me when I went to meet Governor Stanton earlier in the day about getting visiting rights. (We didn't get any.) John began to tremble and cry as we approached the jail gate. Terrible memories from working inside jails had come back to haunt him. Self doubt and fear immobilised him. He settled into the awareness of it and came and stood calmly beside me in the negotiations with the Governor. Later by the camp fire he talked of the healing our Grafton Jail visit had brought him. May Peacebus.com heal many other jail damaged souls. Graeme Dunstan 9 July 2000 -- 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: FREEDOM RIDE TO VISIT NSW JAILS
Media Release 28 June 2000 A colourful convoy of vans and buses will leave Nimbin next Friday and Called the Freedom Ride, it will depart with the blessings of Nimbin elders (including Dr Winifred Mitchell, member of the Nimbin Older Women's Forum and former teacher of Premier Carr) at 11.30 am Friday 30 June 2000 from outside the Nimbin HEMP Embassy. The aim of the Freedom Ride is to bring witness to the increasing prisoner population and to the failure and the social cost of drug prohibition policies. "The NSW prisoner population rose by 8% last year to in excess of 7,300 fulltime prisoners," said Mr Graeme Dunstan, spokesperson for the Freedom Ride. "An estimated 80% of these inmates have been incarcerated for drug related crimes." "Drug prohibition policies have been a costly failure and one of the costs is that the NSW Government is now building jails at a faster rate than it is building hospitals or universities," said Kilty O'Gorman of Justice Action. "The more our governments spend on drug prohibition, the more drug deaths and prisoners we get and the more our liberties are eroded" "Following the US in drug prohibition is steadily making NSW a convict colony again," Graeme said. The Freedom Ride plans to take drug law reform advocacy to NSW regional centres. It will be a rolling,, TOTALLY web-connected, road show visiting jails, organising picnics for families of Drug War prisoners, flying kites, talking up hemp to farmers and medicinal cannabis to people in pain, remembering the suffering of the victims, casualties and prisoners of the Drug War and burning cardboard jails. The first stop for the Freedom Ride will be a Cannabis Law Reform Rally in Railway Park, Byron Bay 11 am Saturday 1 July and advocacy at the Byron Market Sunday 2 July. The first jail date will be Grafton jail 2 pm Saturday 8 July. The Freedom Ride intends to arrive in Sydney prior to the opening of the Olympic Games, present a huge Picnic for Families of the Drug War Prisoners outside Long Bay jail on Sunday 3 September and contribute to the Sydney 2000 HEMP Olympix on Saturday 9 September (venue to be announced). The Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement and Justice Action are sponsoring the Freedom Ride. Further information. Check the webs site www.peacebus.com Graeme Dunstan 0412 609 373 or the land line 02 6689 0413 daily between 9.00 ? 11.00 am and 4.20 ? 8.30 pm Kilty O'Gorman 02 9281 5100 Dr Winifred -- 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:DDN: The First Cannabis International
Dear Fellow Cannabis Law Reformers, I am pleased to announce the gathering of the First Cannabis International Monday & Tuesday 8 & 9 May 2000 at Barkers Vale, near Nimbin Australia The gathering will follow directly after the Nimbin "Good Medicine" Mardi Grass 6-7 May and will confer on global and national strategies for ending the War on Drugs. More information coming. Please direct enquiries and bookings to: Graeme Dunstan http://nrg.com.au/~graeme Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement http://www.gasgroup.com/rebelart/aclrm When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. Box 386 BROADWAY 2007 AUSTRALIA tel 0412 609 373 fax 02 9281 5303 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] LL.NE -- 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: Pre-Olympic & Jubilee Amnesty for NSW Prisoners of the Drug War
Introduction Drug prohibition policies are escalating crime, eroding our civil liberties, fostering fear and division in our communities and incarcerating an ever increasing number of poor. It was recently estimated that between 71% and 83% of the 7,500 full time NSW prisoners are incarcerated for drug related crimes. Mandatory sentencing was introduced in the US as a tough-on-drugs measure. Getting tough on drugs was a cover for getting tough on the poor. By following the US on its drug prohibition path, the NSW government is steadily reverting NSW to penal colony status again. Amnesty for Drug War Prisoners Justice Action (JA), the Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement (ACLRM) and other organisations are collaborating in a pre-Olympic campaign to reduce the NSW prisoner population. We are calling for the NSW Government to: * grant an amnesty to all prisoners incarcerated because of drug related offences * shorten sentences by reinstating remissions for good behaviour The US driven War on Drugs is global and the global media that will be focused on Sydney by the Olympic Games makes this time opportune for the people of NSW and their government to take leadership to end the Drug War and release its prisoners. Freedom Ride to Release the Prisoners of the Drug War To create popular movement in support of this amnesty demand, a Freedom Ride will be promoted during July and August. The Freedom Ride, will be a fleet of buses, vans and other vehicles fitted out with a satellite phone link, web cam and internet access to give it instant global media effectiveness. The drug law reform road show will visit regional centres of NSW. In particular the Freedom Ride will visit all NSW jails. In collaboration with the prisoners, their families and friends, we will count the prisoners of the Drug War and bear witness to the injustice and the suffering created by bad laws. The Freedom Ride will promote, as it goes, public meetings which bring forth local dialogue on the issues of: * drug war human rights erosions (the burgeoning incarceration industry in particular) * medicinal cannabis (the formation of local "compassion clubs" will be promoted) * industrial hemp (practical farmer information sessions on hemp production). The Freedom Ride visits will nurture local and strengthen local drug law reform advocacy by making visible the local networks of support and by bringing forth local voices. Graeme Dunstan, master lantern maker and long time peace activist, will lead the Freedom Ride and the aim will be to create beautiful gatherings in public places, light lanterns and burn cardboard replica jails in each regional centre which through the Freedom Ride passes. A rolling law reform road show bearing light and fire, the Freedom Ride will generate media savvy, eye-catching images and global witness for prison and drug law reform in NSW. Become a Friend of theFreedom Ride The Freedom Ride will make many friends and it needs friends to help it on the road. It needs your support and help to amplify its advocacy for an end to the Drug War and a release of its prisoners. Register yourself or your organisation as a Friend of the Freedom Ride. Make a donation (cheques payable to Justice Action) More Information: Box 386 BROADWAY 2007 tel 0412 609 373 fax 02 9281 5303 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- 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
