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PlaNet News & Views

Posted on 29-11-2004

Dear PM Re. SIS

29th November 2004
 
The following letter has been sent to the Prime Minister by David Small
and Leigh Cookson on behalf of 17 organisations calling for a full and
independent judicial review of the operations of the SIS.
 
SIS Inquiry Petitioners, Box 1905, Christchurch
 
Rt Hon Helen Clark, The Prime Minister, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
 
Dear Prime Minister,
 
We are writing on behalf of the undersigned Christchurch and national
organisations to urge you to authorise a full independent judicial review
of the operations of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service.
 
The recent revelations about SIS surveillance of the Maori Party and Maori
organisations are consistent with a long and disturbing list of incidents
involving the SIS that give the distinct impression that the Service is
working to a political agenda that is inconsistent with its statutory
obligations and unacceptable to the vast majority of New Zealanders.
 
These incidents include operations targeting the anti-Apartheid movement
around the time of the 1981 Springbok tour, activities at the time of the
1996 APEC Trade Ministers' meeting in Christchurch which the courts ruled
to be illegal, and a host of actions in relation to Ahmed Zaoui such as
the clandestine recording of interviews, alleged loss of the tapes of
those interviews, the preposterous interpretations of Mr Zaoui's holiday
videos, and the presentation of patently unreliable sources of information
to the Refugee Status Appeals Authority.
 
Given the role and widespread powers of agencies like the SIS, it is
crucial that they are subject to rigorous control and oversight.  This has
become even more pressing in light of the powers and resourcing of the SIS
being increased in the wake of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.
  Submitters to the Select Committees processing this legislation have
consistently expressed concerns about legitimate political activity being
subject to SIS attention, and have been given constant assurances that
this would not happen.  But the evidence available to the public indicates
that the SIS is continuing to monitor legitimate activities of New
Zealanders.
 
We believe that nothing short of a full independent judicial inquiry into
the SIS is acceptable.  To restore public credibility, the inquiry cannot
be conducted by the established oversight mechanisms.
 
It cannot be conducted by the Intelligence and Security Committee because
much of the SIS's apparently unacceptable activity has occurred under the
watch of that committee. And, irrespective of the standing of the current
Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, that office has proved
completely ineffectual in fulfilling its statutory purpose of
providing the New Zealand public with a means of holding the SIS
accountable for its actions.
 
We trust you recognise the gravity of the issues at stake in this matter,
and expect you will see the wisdom in our call for a public inquiry.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
David Small, Leigh Cookson
 
On behalf of the following groups:
ABC - Anti-Bases Campaign
ARENA - Action, Research & Education Network of Aotearoa
The Association of University Staff
CAFCA - Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa
The Canterbury Council for Civil Liberties
CCANZ - Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV)
The Christchurch College of Education Students' Association
Christian World Service
GATT Watchdog
New Zealand Nuclear Free Peacemaking Association
New Zealand University Students' Association
The Peace Foundation
Peace Movement Aotearoa
Quaker Peace and Service
Southern Regional Secretary, Service and Food Workers Union
Student Christian Movement
The Peace Foundation Disarmament and Security Centre