Dear Friends,
You are invited to become involved in the Anti-Olympic Alliance. The
Anti-Olympics Alliance is a newly formed activist group made of community,
student and progressive forces, such as Rentwatchers, the Indigenous
Student Network, Justice Action and many others.
The Alliance works in conjunction and solidarity with Indigenous groups and
organisations, such as the Metropolitan Land Council and is active in
organising protests (for more details see below) and events to highlight the
negative impact of the Olympic Games, as well as racism and social injustice
in Sydney and Australia.
Some of the issues the Alliance is seeking to highlight are:
· For the Redfern Koori Community, the Olympics means forced relocation.
· Indigenous Australians are still the most socially and economically
disadvantaged section of the Australian community, with Indigenous adults
dying 20 years younger than other Australians, and a child mortality rate 3
times higher than non-Indigenous children.
· While the NSW government has spent over $2 and half billion on the
Olympics, there has been massive cuts to public hospital, public education,
childcare and social welfare spending. Government priorities are for
increasing profits to big business, increasing the divide between rich and
poor.
· There are 30,000 homeless people in the greater Sydney area per night, a
number that will be exacerbated by the Olympics. Sydney has a 9-year waiting
list for public housing.
· It is estimated that there will be in excess of 50,000 police and security
forces used at the Olympics, including over 30,000 security guards, 4000
Australian military (the same size of the Australian force sent to East
Timor), as well as American and Israeli intelligence and security forces.
· The NSW government has passed laws making Sydney and NSW an "Olympic
police state" with these laws designed to curtail and stop legitimate
protest and dissent. Under these new laws, "authorised officers" with
little security training can use force to remove you, without giving a
reason or producing identification (unless requested), can issue a $200 on
the spot fine and search your property and bags without reason.
OPENING CEREMONY PROTEST IN SUPPORT OF INDIGENOUS RIGHTS
The primary focus of the Alliance is to organise for the demonstration which
will take place on the opening day of the 2000 Olympics - Friday,
September 15, 2000, in support of Indigenous rights and social justice
issues effecting all Australians.
The Alliance invites all interested parties - community groups, unions,
social justice and progressive organisations, churches and student
organisations - to get involved, by either attending our meeting and helping
to organise the demonstration, commit a contingent to participate in the
demonstration, and/or to make a donation of resources or financial
assistance to the Alliance.
The September 15 demonstration is being organised separately, but in
consultation and solidarity with Indigenous groups - with the logistics of
the action being decided in conjunction with Indigenous groups.
A second focus of the Alliance is to build other anti-Olympic related events
in the lead up to September 15. This will provide an opportunity to
coordinate with other groups and to publicise the September 15 actions, as
well as highlight other social justice issues related to the Olympics.
These include violation of civil liberties as a result of increased police
and Olympic security powers which restrict freedom of movement and the right
to protest, the prioritisation of Olympic spending over on public housing,
health and education.
For more information on how to become involved with the Alliance and/or to
register your interest in attending the September 15 rally and march please
reply by email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
NEXT MEETING:
The next meeting of the Anti-Olympic Alliance is:
Wednesday, 12 July, 2000 at 6pm
Newtown Neighbourhood Centre.
ANTI-OLYMPIC ALLIANCE LAUNCH
The Alliance will be hosting a public forum to highlight its activities on
Friday, July 21 (venue to confirmed). ALL WELCOME.
EMAIL DISCUSSION LIST:
Through the 'olympic-link e group'. To get on this group join by sending an
email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Please note: the 'olympic-link egroup' is an information network for people
who want to be informed of Olympic related events and as such is used by a
wide variety of groups and individuals, including the Anti-Olympic Alliance.
Yours sincerely,
Kim Bullimore
On behalf of the Anti-Olympic Alliance Networking Committee.
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