Posted on 14-5-2003
Picket
British Warship - What's On
SUNDAY, 9.30 AM, PRINCES WHARF.
The HMS Marlborough is a British warship that took part in the
invasion of
Iraq. According to a press statement by the NZ Defence Force
the
Marlborough led a force of four ships, including HMAS ANZAC'
that
'provided Naval Gunfire support to UK Commandos securing oil
installations
on the Al Faw peninsula.' The NZ Defence Force press statement
repeats the
lying propaganda that this action was 'to liberate Iraq and
secure Weapons
of mass destruction.' It further quotes the lies of Commanding
Officer,
Mark Anderson, who claims that the naval operation was 'clearing
the way
for vital humanitarian aid to enter the country bringing much
needed relief
to the people of Iraq'! The frigate is on its way to join ships
from the
NZ, Australian, Singaporean and Malaysian navies in a Five Power
Defence
Agreement exercise in Malaysia. The Marlborough is being opened
to the
public from 10am to 3pm.
The true nature of the disaster inflicted on the Iraqi people
continues to
be revealed. Opposition to the occupation has led to massive
protests and
rallies across the country. Attempts to put Ba'athist officials
and corrupt
businessmen in charge of Iraq have also led to protests. The
US has done
irtually nothing to restore basic services and disease is spreading
due to
the lack of clean water. Relief supplies have been disrupted.
Starvation
threatens. The hunt for the mythical weapons of mass destruction’
is being
abandoned. We also learn that stockpiles of nuclear material
under UN
safeguards before the war was left without protection for weeks
and the
premises have been looted. This endangers local people as well
a putting
deadly material into the open market.
The US/UK are seeking some form of UN cover for their occupation
so they
can get their hands on the money in the oil-for-food programme
run by the
UN. This has produced another Cabinet resignation in the UK
and resistance
from France, Germany and Russia who fear being frozen out of
the lucrative
oil and reconstruction contracts. The NZ government has offered
minesweepers and possibly other forces if there 'is some kind
of
international cover.' The cynical willingness to provide post
facto support
to an illegal and immoral occupation must be opposed. A statement
is being
circulated by Focus on the Global South (an NGO based in the
Philippines)
in response to these events and is copied below. The government
has also
sent an Orion aircraft to support US-led operations in the Gulf
but is
keeping its base of operations secret. See:
www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/PR6283.html
WHAT'S ON IN AUCKLAND
Until May 17, North Art Community Arts Centre, Northcote Shopping
Centre,
Northcote 'A Portrait of East Timor' - photographic exhibition
by Gerald
Lopez. It portrays, first hand, stories of the lifestyle of
the East
Timorese and the ways in which the people are rebuilding their
lives
following the devastation of the Indonesian occupation of their
country.
May 3 to 19, The Academy Theatre, "11"09"01 - 11 SHORT FILMS
BY 11
DIRECTORS ON THE IMPACT OF SEPTEMBER 11 The Academy - Thurs
15 May at
8:15pm, Fri 16 May at 1:30pm, Sun 18 May at 8:15pm, Mon 19 May
at 11:15am
IN SHIFTING SANDS - DOCUMENTARY BY SCOTT RITTER ON IRAQ The
Academy,
Thursday May 15 10am, Saturday May 17 4.15pm, Sunday May 18
12.15pm, Monday
May 19 8.15pm
Thursday, May 15, 7.30pm, Supper Room, Trades Hall, 147 Great
North Rd,
Grey Lynn. John Minto speaking on the General Agreement on Trade
and
Services (the latest attempt at a MAI-type agreement) followed
by questions
and discussion. Accompanied by tea, coffee and biscuits. Donations
to
cover costs accepted. Organised by Epsom-Tamaki Alliance branch,
contact
Julie for more info spannergrrl@hotmail.com
phone 09 620 9256
Thursday, May 15, 1pm, Auckland University Clubspace A and 7.30pm,
Auditorium, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn Journey
through
Nepal's Red Zone. Jared Phillips has just returned from a month
in Nepal's
liberated Red Zone. Only a handful of Westerners have entered
the liberated
areas. Much of the countryside is in the hands of a revolutionary
movement
that has transformed the old feudal society. Hear about the
remarkable
communist-led women's movement, the new agriculture, the literacy
campaigns
and much more. Don't miss this fascinating first-hand account
Friday, May 16, 7-30am to 8-45am, Old Government House, Waterloo
Quadrant.
'Crumbs or Commitment: what's on the menu for children?' a post-budget
breakfast - carve up your breakfast while sharp-witted speakers
dissect the
2003 government budget; incisive commentary with Maori perspectives
on
child health, education, family support and housing. Presented
by the Child
Poverty Action Group, in association with the University of
Auckland
Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care and the
Institute of
Public Policy. Tickets $20, please RSVP to email jwakim@xtra.co.nz.
Send
cheques to CPAG, PO Box 56-150, Mt Eden, Auckland - tickets
and receipts
will be available at the breakfast.
Saturday, May 17, 11am-12pm, Regatta Room A, Hyatt Regency Agitating
or
Reporting: Presenting Dilemma. Controversial journalist and
writer Nicky
Hager has tackled subjects such as genetic engineering, most
famously with
the release of his book Seeds of Distrust just before the last
election.
Novelist and political activist Mike Johnson's Lethal Dose portrays
the
disastrous effects of a popular herbicide. Australian David
Leser (Somebody
Save Me) has explored his country's treatment of boat people,
the politics
of heroin, and hot spots Bali and Tibet. In a pervasively right-wing
media
environment, Hager, Johnson and Leser talk about the difficulties
of
telling it how it is. Chaired by Denis Welch. TICKETEK: $12
/ DOOR: $15
www.writersfestival.co.nz/programme/2003even/
Sunday May 18, 12.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey
Lynn GPJA
Committee meeting
Sunday, May 18, 1.30pm, St Mathew-in-the-City Anglican Church
A team of
top-billing Kiwi and international performing artists are joining
forces
with AINZ to stage the first Artists for Amnesty International
human rights
benefit concert. The concert will promote the message that 'no
peace is
possible without human rights' and raise urgently needed funds
for Amnesty
International's worldwide human rights campaigning. Featuring
Jackie
Clarke, Miranda Adams, Jonathan Besser With Ensemble Philharmonia,
Vivo,
Bravura, Tango Tiempo Dancers & more! Tickets: $30 adult;
$20
student/concessions; Children under 12 FREE. Available at Ticketek
(from 20
April) or at the church door from 12.30pm. All proceeds to Amnesty
International. An Artists for Amnesty International event. For
more
information contact: john.shaw@amnesty.org.nz
Monday May 19, 5-45pm to 7pm, Staff room, Centre for Language
and
Languages, 2nd floor, A block,
Auckland College of Education, Epsom Human Rights Network (Auckland)
meeting. For more info or to add items to the agenda, contact
email
manager@nsa.org.nz
(entrance via Gate 3 at 74 Epsom Avenue - car parks are
readily available as staff leave around 5-30pm).
Monday, May 19, 7:30 pm, Lounge Room, St Austells Church, corner
Seabrook
Road and Margan Avenue, New Lynn. 'IRAQ. What next?' with speakers
including Keith Locke MP; Dr Umara, Iraqi member of the Mandaean
Religion;
and Susie Blowers, Chair of Amnesty New Zealand. Organised by
Amnesty
International West Auckland.
Thursday, May 22, 7.30pm, St Columbus Church, 40 Vermont St,
Ponsonby
Public meeting with Fatima Mahfoud, a representative of the
Polisario
Front, which leads the struggle for independence of the people
of the
Western Sahara from Moroccan occupation. She is also a representative
of
the National Union of Sahrawi Women, and has recently been working
representing the Sahrawi independence struggle and National
Union of
Sahrawi Women in Europe. Before that she worked in the refugee
camps where
many Sahrawi people live in western Algeria. She in fluent in
English.
Contact Felicity Coggan, Ph 5795707, email fcoggan@xtra.co.nz
Thursday, May 22nd, 6.30pm, Romford's, Tamaki Drive The Peace
Foundation's
Bid for Peace Celebrity dinner and auction. MCs Craig Parker
and Elizabeth
McRae. Tickets $58 includes pre-dinner drinks and nibbles, dinner,
wine,
door prizes etc.
Tuesday, May 27, 7.30pm, St Columbus Church, 44 Vermont St,
Ponsonby Human
Rights Network Public Forum: World Trade Organisation and General
Agreement
on Trade in Services (WTO and GATS). Who needs them? And why?
A chance to
explore GATS' ramifications for all NZers. Contacts for HRN:
Nola Harvey
n.harvey@ace.ac.nz
Ph: 623 8899 Xt: 8455 or Joan Hardiman
dominicans3@xtra.co.nz
Ph: 377 5541 A koha would be welcome to defray
expenses.
Monday, June 2, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey
Lynn GPJA
FORUM: The war, social justice and the media with David Robie,
senior
lecturer in journalism, AUT, and others
Every Saturday - picket at 12 noon, outside the US Consulate,
Citibank
Building, Customs St East. Because the US is still occupying
Iraq and
killing Iraqis. Organised by Direct Anti War Action, for more
info contact
email euphemiak@yahoo.com
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