Posted on 14-2-2003

A Must March

Dear friends,

The US administration continues its relentless drive to war against Iraq.
The ridiculous attempts to link the Iraqi dictatorship with the Al Qaeda
terrorists just shows how desperate they have become. Given that the US
supported the Iraqi regime against Iran and Osama bin Laden against the
Russians in Afghanistan maybe they are looking at themselves as the missing
link.

This weekend will be one of the most important antiwar mobilisations in
history with 10 million people expected to protest in dozens of countries
and hundreds of cities around the world. People from all walks of life will
be saying NO to war. “A world united against
war”www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00092.htm
10 million join world protest rallies From Africa to Antarctica, people
prepare to march for peace
www.guardian.co.uk/antiwar/story/0,12809,894460,00.html

On example is BBC presenter Anita McNaught (formerly from NZ television)
who has been banned from joining the London protest by the BBC. She sent
the following message to GPJA (before the ban). “I wish you all the best.
I'll be marching on 15th Feb here in London in solidarity, and perhaps
sooner, if Blair doesn't show some signs of stopping his own ludicrous
participation in this insane business.”
media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,893306,00.html

In New Zealand there will be protests in 15 cities and towns from Great
Barrier Island to Dunedin. (See: www.converge.org.nz/pma/wkac0203.htm)

The NZ Indymedia (Independent Media) group are making a halfhour TV
programme of the nationwide protest which will be screening on PlaNet TV's
slot on Triangle TV (Mondays 8.30pm) in Auckland, BigTV (Thursday 7pm) in
Hamilton, Channel 9 Dunedin and CTV Christchurch.

In Auckland the police have agreed to close off the bottom of Queen St on
Saturday to allow the march to assemble since the advertised rallying point
(QEII Square) is now a construction site. We will be marching up Queen
Street for a rally in Myers Park.

Some new acts (including the Topp Twins) have been added to the line-up for
the concert at Potters. The updated programme runs from 1pm to 7.45pm as
follows with MC's Michele A'Court and Caitlin Smith:

Salon Kingsadore
Tamil Cultural Group
Selwyn College Band
Brenda Lydiard and Mark Laurent
African drummers
One Voice Choir
Taos
Phil Toms
Topp Twins
Hilt
The Weather
Belly dancer
Caitlin Smith
Street Theatre Group
Golden Horse
Shona Laing and Karen Hunter
Don McGlashen

See you there!