LL:DDV: Coburg speakout against war
NO TO WAR NO TO RACISM The tragic events in the US have encouraged the warmongers and racists to raise their heads. Sadly, that has included incidents of harassment against Muslims and people of Middle Eastern background in Wills. Such incidents have included two Muslim high school students being forced from a 19 tram because they were wearing scarves. A racist painted an offensive slogan on the wall of Moreland Centrelink. That is why all of us who want peace and respect among people of all religions and none should make a stand. Come to this rally, bring family and friends, encourage your group to endorse it. Speakout Saturday, September 29, 10am Victoria St Mall, Coburg Speakers include: Ezzedine Rafhi, vice-president Moreland Ethnic Communities Council Sheikh Fehmi el-Imam, Preston Mosque and Islamic Society of Victoria Cr Robert Larocca, Moreland City Council mayor David Glanz, Socialist Alliance candidate for Wills A Refugee Action Collective representative Alison Thorne, lead Socialist Alliance senate candidate for Victoria This rally is endorsed by Moreland Ethnic Communities Council, Salah Salman (Director of the King Khalid Islamic College), the Refugee Action Collective, the Wills branch of the Socialist Alliance and Radical Women. For more information, or to add your group's or your own endorsement, ring 9386 4815 or 9388 0062 or email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please forward to appropriate lists and addresses. -- 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: Hunger strikers attacked
press release 22/09/01 Refugee rights hunger strikers attacked A three day hunger strike against racism and in defence of refugee rights was attacked today and forced to postpone for fear of supporters facing further violent attacks through the evening. Socialist Alliance candidate for the seat of Gellibrand, Jorge Joquera, planned the hunger strike with supporters to highlight the conditions of asylum seekers inside Maribynong detention centre in Melbourne's west. The protest had proceeded well with many supporters visiting through Friday and Saturday morning until a man driving a car used his vehicle as a weapon to threaten the protesters. A 27 year old woman supporting the hunger strike and her six month old baby son were verbally threatened by the man who shouted, I will kill you. He then reversed his car at high speed towards them stopping within only one metre of the pram. When the woman yelled out that he almost hit the pram (with the baby sleeping inside it), the man yelled I=92ll kill your baby. The man also made comments indicating that his attack was directly linked to opposition to the political aims of the protest. The man continued to drive in circles around the hunger strike site and several times threatened to smash his car into the hunger strikers. It was only the presence of some passers-by waved-down by the protesters, which prevented a violent attack. The attacker finally drove his car into the Maribyrnong Detention Centre. The police established that according to the Detention Centre administration he was a visitor and had been told by the administration to pull his head in once notified by the police of the attack. Protesters identified the attacker's car and will be pressing charges. For more information contact Jorge Jorquera on 0417 537 388 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Jorges' statement read out at the rally on Saturday Last week thousands of people were slaughtered in New York and Washington State. Likewise, next week one million people will die, just like every week, not at the hand of natural disaster, but by human hands. Next week there will not be 15 terrorists but G8 or so. They too will not take responsibility. They too will hide, not in mountains, but in boardrooms and parliaments worldwide. They don't need planes and knives, because they have armies and dollars. Those of us at this hunger strike outside the Maribyrnong Detention Centre are here because we shed tears for all those who die, every week. We do not reserve our minutes of silence for some. We do not think that God just blessed America. Whatever our colour or country of origin, people deserve the same right to peace and wellbeing. But the everyday terrorism of the rich nations and corporations is well marketed by their TVs and newspapers, so billions of people are forgotten. There's no black armbands or ecumenical services for them. Then a few of the forgotten knock on our door and ask for help. Do not believe these are the lucky ones. There is nothing fortunate about having to abandon your family and friends, and the streets and mountains that define you. These are the unlucky ones. The people who have to live the rest of their lives feeling guilty about leaving loved ones and abandoning their war torn countries. When they arrive, the Howard-Beazley coalition government puts them in jail. The lucky ones that is, the others are thrown to the ocean. Those of us at this hunger strike are here because we think this terrorism of the Australian government can be stopped. We think that with resolute action we can break the consensus that Liberal, Labor and One Nation have woven. Everyday it is more obvious. There is nothing foreign about those who take our jobs or destroy our livelihoods. They spoke English at Ansett, HIH and OneTel. We on hunger strike would like to urge all campaigners for refugee rights, against corporate tyranny, and unionists for wage justice to unite, and to take whatever actions are necessary to break the consensus and mobilise the majority. We congratulate those on the trip to Woomera and at the refugee rights rally on your actions! We invite anyone not on the bus trip to visit the hunger strike this weekend. Thanks. Jorge Jorquera Socialist Alliance Candidate for seat of Gellibrand -- 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:DDS: Adelaide meeting against war and racism.
Building a broad network in Adelaide against war and racism. Meeting thursday September 27th at 6pm Trades Hall 11 South Tce. When the bombing starts, gather that night 5pm steps of Parliament House. -- 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: Sydney Anti-War Rally -29 Sept
ANTI-WAR COALITION FORMED - ANTI-WAR RALLY CALLED FOR Sat, 29 SEPT On Thurs, 20 Sept over 200 people attended an anti-war meeting in Surrey Hills, Sydney and formed a new anti-war coalition - Network Opposing War and Racism (NO WaR) (details of next meeting, elist, phone contacts at bottom of email) The new Network agreed to call a DAY OF ACTION on 29 September at 11 am,Town Hall Square, Sydney to demand: No to US War No Australian troops or support No to racist scapegoating Defend democratic rights NO WaR also endorsed call for a rally at 5.30pm at the US consulate on the day bombing starts or war is declared. NO WaR also agreed to organise regular Friday pickets to protest against racist scapegoating and possible war and to liaise with the Muslim community to organise a possible upcoming solidarity rally in Auburn. The meeting also agreed that the Network would be open to all individuals and organisations who supported the four demands. NEXT MEETING: 7pm, Wed 26 SEPTEMBER - Uni of Technology Sydney(UTS) ALL WELCOME!! NO WaR e-list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contacts: Sam 0412 751 508, Brian 0407 592 018 -- 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:DDV: No to war, no to racism
The Wills branch of the Socialist Alliance has initiated a speakout and rally against war and racism. It will be held in the Victoria St Mall, Coburg, on September 29 at 10am. The Refugee Action Collective has endorsed the event. Moreland Ethnic Communities Council was discussing it tonight (Thursday) and was expected to also endorse it. Speakers will include Ezzedine Rafhi, vice-president of the MECC, a RAC representative, David Glanz, Socialist Alliance candidate for Wills, and Alison Thorne, lead Socialist Alliance candidate for the senate. The following message was received from Mr Salah Salman, director of the King Khalid Islamic College: Thank you for your kind message inviting me to join the speakout against war and racism. Your cause is a great one and everyone should join and show solidarity. Unfortunately, I shall be interstate for one week during this time. Students and staff from the College will be participating in this event at Victoria St Mall -Coburg. I wish you all the success in your endeavour. For more information, or to add your or your group's endorsement and arrange a speaker, ring 9386 4815 or 9388 0062 or email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please forward as appropriate. -- 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:DDV: Anti-war public meeting
Public meeting: Time to stand up to Bush's war drive Oppose racist scapegoating Socialist Alternative is organising a special public meeting this coming Thursday night at which Sandra Bloodworth will look at the issues behind George Bush's drive to war. There will be plenty of time for discussion of what we can do to stop the war and the rise of racism against Arabs and Moslems. We will also have a special phone hook up with one of the leaders of the anti-war protest movement in the USA. 7.30pm Thursday 27 September Trades Hall, cnr Lygon Victoria Sts, Carlton -- 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:DDV: Rod Quantock and friends
The Socialist Alliance presents an anti-corporate festival of music, dance, comedy and theatre: Rod Quantock and Friends on Saturday, October 20, at 7.30pm at the Daniher Hall, Orr St, Carlton. This is a fundraiser for the federal election campaign and tickets cost $25 and $15 concession. You are also welcome to pay a $40 solidarity price. As well as Rod and friends, there will be a meal included and a licensed bar. For information or tickets, ring 0418 316 310 or 9639 8622 or contact your local SA branch via www.socialist-alliance.org. Please forward as appropriate. -- 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:DDV: not in my backyard: australian indigenous struggles on film
Hello, For those of you in Melbourne this film festival is worth checking out over October. Film details and speakers are listed below. thanks. crystal not in my backyard: australian indigenous struggles on film Not in My Backyard is the fourth annual Indigenous film festival presented by Students for Land Justice and Reconciliation. Running every Thursday night in October at the Nova cinemas in Carlton, each night of the festival features a selection of films and speakers focusing on contemporary Indigenous issues: Week 1. Thursday 4th October: International Indigenous Struggles: Patu Speakers: Joy Murphy, Tony Birch, Merata Mita (tbc) The festival opens with a welcome from Wurundjeri elder Joy Murphy, followed by Patu, a rare and evocative documentary originally banned in Australia. Graphically recounting the anti-apartheid protests against the 1981 Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand, this controversial film is followed by a discussion about current Indigenous solidarity struggles led by prominent historian Tony Birch. Week 2. Thursday 11th October: Land Rights and Contemporary Struggle: Freedom Rides Ningla A-Na Speakers: Rachel Maza, Monica Morgan (tbc) Two classic films documenting the resurgence of contemporary Aboriginal activism. Freedom Rides chronicles Charlie Perkins' historic protest tour through Australia's unofficial apartheid in the late 1960s. Harnessing this growing momentum for change, Ningla A-Na reveals graphic footage of the defiant establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy outside Canberra's Parliament House in 1972. Actor Rachel Maza (Radiance) will lead a discussion on land rights and struggle from a women's perspective. Week 3. Thursday 18th October: Not in My Backyard: Dust Whiteys Like Us Speakers: Gary Foley, live excerpts from the musical 'Terra Ignoramus' Tonight's films highlight issues of whiteness and the disparity between the popular 'reconciliation' movement and injustices that Aboriginal people continue to face. The cinematically stunning shrot film Dust by director Ivan Sen subtly grapples with black and white relations in QLD. In stark contrast, Whiteys Like Us offers an uncomfortable insight into a white study circle about reconciliation in Sydney's North Shore. Activist and historian Gary Foley will share his perspectives and lead a discussion about the concept of 'reconciliation'. Week 4. Thursday 25th October: Richard Frankland Showcase: Harry's War Who Killed Malcolm Smith? The multi-talented Richard Frankland, acclaimed writer/director, musician and Indignenous activist will entertain audiences with a personal selection of his films and music. Harry's War, a moving story of friendship transcending race and cultural difference diring World War Two will be shown alongside the story of Aboriginal artist Malcolm Smith and the events that led to his death in custody. Student for Land Justice and Reconciliation are a diverse group of students based at Melbourne University who aim to support Indigenous struggle. As a young and growing group they have primarily tried to inform themselves and other non-Indigenous people about Indigenous experiences and history since invasion and, importantly, formulate how they can play a role in reconciliation and in the fight for justice. The Film Festival forms an important part of this educational process. For more information on SLJR see www.sljr.org -- [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 Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:URL: Vote for war? No way!
Vote for war? No way! Channel Nine's Sunday program is doing a survey on whether Australians support sending retaliatory troops with the USA military. John Howard has pledged Australian troops - your sons and daughters, husbands and wifes, sisters and brothers - without seeking public approval...without even referring to the Australian people - how do you feel about that? Please register your vote. Yesterday it stood at No: 35%; Yes: 65%. To vote, go to: www.ninemsn.com.au/sunday At the right hand side of the page you will see the poll. Click the box to register your vote and you will then see the current figures. -- 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:ART: Sam Watson: a life-long figher against racism
Dear all, below is an article on the life of Murri activist Sam Watson. Sam has campaigned for Indigenous rights since the 60's and is currently involved in helping co-ordinate the People's March at CHOGM (9am Roma St, Sat Oct 6), which will be lead by the Murri community. Sam has recently been pre-selected as a Socialist Alliance senate candidate for QUEENSLAND. He joins two other well-known Indigenous activists - Yaluritja (Clarrie)Issacs, who has just returned from the Durban UN Anti-racism conference who will stand as a Socialist Alliance senate candidate in WESTERN AUSTRALIA Larrikiah elder June Mills who will stand as a Socialist Alliance senate candidate in the NORTHERN TERRITORY. in solidarity, Kim B *** Sam Watson: a life-long fighter against racism BY KAREN FLETCHER -www.greenleft.org.au BRISBANE - Anti-racist activist Sam Watson is running for the Senate in Queensland as a Socialist Alliance candidate. He is a life-long campaigner for the rights of indigenous people. Green Left Weekly caught up with him to find out his story. Watson grew up with tales of indigenous resistance that never made it into the history books. Grandfather [the first Sam Watson] was a senior man of the Birigubba tribe, in Bowen Basin country. Right back to his generation, our family have been the sort of people who wouldn't accept the sort of bullshit that Aboriginal people have been expected to live with. When he was five, grandfather Watson was sold into bondage to a white station owner in central Queensland. After his day's work, he was chained up like a dog under the station house and fed on a tin plate. Fleeing this treatment, he worked in ring-barking camps until he had enough money to hire a lawyer who had him freed from the Aboriginal Protection Act, one of the first Aboriginal people to do so. Many of Sam Watson's relatives worked on Palm Island. Palm Island was called `Punishment Island'. Any Aboriginal dissident in Queensland who questioned the white managers on the reserves or missions, or who played up in the white towns, was shunted off [to Palm Island] in chains. In 1957, Aborigines on the island went on strike for equal wages and conditions. Two of Watson's uncles were involved: The police naturally put them in chains and took them off in the government boat to other reserves. During the 1960s, the indigenous rights movement gained wider support than ever before. It is a time Watson remembers with affection. In 1965, when Uncle Charlie Perkins lead the `Freedom Rides' with his non-indigenous comrades from Sydney University, it was a huge morale boost for all of us. We were battling against the dying stages of the White Australia Policy because we saw that as something that had to be confronted and exposed for what it was. We fought for the referendum that was eventually held in 1967. On referendum day, Watson, who was still in high school and a member of the underground Students for Democratic Action, spent the day on a polling booth campaigning for a yes vote. That was my first experience of electioneering. Everyone that came past thanked me for the how-to-vote card and spoke kindly to me - these were white people that I didn't even know! The next morning the Sunday Truth had this huge banner headline saying that 92.5% of the Australian population had voted yes. That was just an incredible experience for us all and it showed what could be achieved through a political campaign. The Vietnam War radicalised Watson further. He told Green Left Weekly that he would go out in the car with his father to pick up African-American soldiers who trying to hitchhike from Brisbane to the Gold Coast. White drivers would stop for the white soldiers but they wouldn't take the black troops. The [black soldiers] told us about the great leaders of the US civil rights movement, about the big marches they had been on and about being forced out of the ghettos in New York into fighting a war they really didn't want to fight. Encouraged by his family to become a lawyer, Watson enrolled at the University of Queensland in 1971, the only indigenous student amongst thousands of whites. I was called into a big meeting with the state director of Native Affairs and his staff. There must have been about a dozen senior white public servants there. He gave me a pep talk on how I had to stay away from the radicals and ratbags of the anti-war movement because they would `lead me astray'. It only took me about six months to link up with the radicals, Watson admitted. The next time I saw [Native Affairs officials] we were all marching on them. In 1971, the tour of apartheid South Africa's Springbok rugby team provided a focus for anti-racist activism. Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Peterson declared a state of emergency for the Brisbane match. We declared the university a peoples' university and
LL:INFO: Anti-war flyer text and petition
FLYER Although there's no explicit provision of the UN Charter providing a direct obligation on a State Party to protect civilians during war, throughout the Charter there's a consistent abhorrence of armed force as anything but a solution of last resort in self-defence or in the common interest. Equally important, a primary aim of the Charter is to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained (preamble). The Geneva Conventions, which do explicitly provide for the protection of civilians, are a cornerstone of customary international law (notwithstanding very regrettable inconsistencies in their application). Accordingly the application of the Geneva Conventions is incumbent by force of the UN Charter on member nations. Moreover, under the International Criminal Court Statute (Rome), not yet in force, the Sept 11 crimes certainly fit the legal definition of crime against humanity. In any event it's preposterous that anyone, including a State Party, could credibly argue that civilian casualties would be consistent with the spirit and aims of the UN Charter. Therefore, please sign the petition asking the Australian Government to ensure the US conducts a just, but peaceful, international response to the Sept 11 crimes against humanity, by warning the US Australia will withdraw ANZUS support for any US, were it to conduct unlawful retaliatory action outside the UN Charter. To sign this petition is to support the aim of a multilateral legal approach to resolving this crisis being advocated in the US by a companion petition at: http://home.uchicago.edu/~dhpicker/information.html. This is your Australian chance to reject the militarist action of war on terrorism unilaterally declared by the US, in which coalition support is being treated almost as incidental. To sign the petition: go to the main URL at: http://www4.PetitionOnline.com/ANZUS6/petition.html . THE PETITION: To: Government of the Commonwealth of Australia We the undersigned, citizens and residents of Australia, and of countries around the world, urge the Australian Government to call on the United States Government to use moderation and restraint in responding to the recent terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and, thereby, to avoid war as a response to the terrorist attacks against the USA, and to respect and uphold the responsibilty of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security. We implore all powers to use, wherever possible, international judicial institutions and international human rights law to bring to justice those responsible for the attacks, rather than the instruments of war, violence or destruction. Furthermore, we assert that the government of a nation must be presumed separate and distinct from any terrorist group that may operate within its borders, and therefore cannot be held unduly accountable for the latter's crimes. It follows that the government of a particular nation should not be condemned for the recent attack without compelling evidence of its cooperation and complicity with those individuals who actually committed the crimes in question. Innocent civilians living within any nation that may be found responsible, in part or in full, for the crimes recently perpetrated against the United States, must not bear any responsibility for the actions of their government, and must therefore be guaranteed safety and immunity from any military or judicial action taken against the state in which they reside. Such a course, which both the Australian and United States Governments should fully support, is compatible with Article 6 of the ANZUS Treaty which states: This Treaty does not affect and shall not be interpreted as affecting in any way the rights and obligations of the Parties under the Charter of the United Nations or the responsibility of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security. (ANZUS Treaty, Article 6). Thus, the treaty clearly asserts the primacy of United Nations Charter rights and obligations over the provisions of the treaty, including Article 5, which Australia has invoked to support the USA. Subscription by a State Party to the UN Charter asserts thereby certain inalienable human rights subscribed for all peoples by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The USA and Australia are founding State Parties to the UN Charter. Obligations incumbent on State Parties under the UN Charter include the obligation to protect civilian populations in the conduct of armed conflict, which includes protection from the use of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, or weapons of indiscriminate destruction or mass terror. These obligations incumbent on State Parties under the Charter of the United Nations, and the norms of International Law, are inconsistent
