Peace by Peace

In my last post I encouraged folk to make submissions to a Parliamentary inquiry, and advocate some Peace Conversion measures – taking money away from arms acquisition, and putting it into disaster planning and relief, using the ADF in that role.

I had thought (briefly) that this inquiry, and some ideas from Rob Oakeshott, might provide an opportunity for some discussion.  Thanks to those who moved on the idea.

Sadly the Parliamentary process was over very quickly (less than a week).  The Committee held one public hearing in Canberra, the day before submissions closed.  The numbers were assembled by the whips and wheeler dealers, and any ideas about peace conversion were quietly killed.

The Greens supported the government’s legislation re the Flood Levy, and this appears to be part of the Greens/government negotiations that led to a Carbon Tax also being introduced into the Parliament this week.  As a person excluded from Green Party politics, I’m not entirely sure this was a good move from the Greens, but I’m happy to watch for future developments.

Meanwhile I’m happy to have written a submission that sets out my thinking on the contrast between arms spending and human safety.  That submission is published here.  I’m including it in my little propaganda stall.

Right now in Canberra the House Standing Committee on Economics is conducting an inquiry into the Flood Levy Bills, from the Prime Minister,  seeking to raise $1.8 Billion towards a $5.6 Billion Commonwealth expense for infrastructure reconstruction.

The independents and Greens have used their numbers in the House, voting with the Liberal National Party, to force the Flood Levy Bills to an inquiry.  The prevailing sentiment among them is that reconstruction can be funded through savings found in the budget.

The independent MP from NSW, Rob Oakeshot specifically raised Defence Spending as an alternative to welfare cuts and a new tax.  He is reported as having said “if we got one less JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) – that’s $110 million right there,”

Several groups within the Australian Peace Movement have responded to this opportunity – to support disarmament and peace conversion – and are thinking about how to do this effectively.  While tying it in to the other initiatives we have under way.

The Australian Anti Bases Campaign Coalition are using the inquiry to call for the cancellation of exercise TS11.

You can read the submission I made at the page to your right.

Arms and/or the Flood Levy

Click on the image to go to the Google Map itself for more detail.

Visit the Peace Convergence Website for some ideas about actions and coordination.

Our plan is to encourage a mixture of autonomous small group action, medium scale support action across the country, and one or two “mass” actions close to Shoalwater Bay.

We also encourage the range of social and cultural activities that work towards a peaceful world.

The Peace Convergence site is one organising tool, and is meant to provide information and the basis for coordination between groups across the spectrum – and to provide leadership for the convergence.

We call for all actions to be nonviolent and respectful.  Every activist and contributer is encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions.

RESTORE TRUE MEANING TO ANZAC DAY

As a people we commemorate the courage and sacrifice of our soldiers in WW1.  Those soldiers who returned spoke movingly about the horror and futility of war.  Against the hopes and dreams of the ANZAC veterans, Australia is now in a state of perpetual war.

The war in Afghanistan is against tribal peoples on the other side of the Earth.  We have never been attacked or hurt by these people, yet we are using all our technology and skills to bomb and kill them.  Why?

We are at war because of our military alliance with the USA.  We hope this alliance will protect us from “enemies” who might emerge and threaten us in future.  No other nation on the planet threatens us now.  Are we cowards?

There can be no military victory over terrorism.  Indeed war inflicts terror, and escalates a political problem into crisis.  Terrorism is criminal behaviour, and the best response is effective policing.  Indonesian and Australian police brought justice to the Bali bombers.  Military action in Afghanistan has only made matters worse.  2011 will see the 10^th anniversary of this futile, brutal war.

Our politicians use occasions like ANZAC Day to hide behind the valour of our soldiers.  Those who speechify from the podium talk about the sacrifice of soldiers without ever explaining why we’re at war, why it’s failing, or how we’re going to end it.  Politicians do not go to war.  They send others.

Jesus commanded us to “love one another”, to love our enemies, and to sacrifice ourselves rather than to kill.  Christ died for us in the most painful and humiliating way so that we might be forgiven our sins and go on to the Kingdom of God.

The RSL (a political organisation) has perverted the message of Christ, and misused John 15:13 to suggest that any soldier who dies in war is following the commandment of Jesus.

Would Jesus bomb the children of Afghanistan or Pakistan?

Would Jesus take up arms against anyone?

Or would Jesus manifest the love of God for all people through a nonviolent struggle for peace and justice?

Waihopai, just outside Blenheim in the South Island of New Zealand, is a US run ground receiving station for space-based electronic intelligence.  In 2008 three Catholic activists entered the base and deflated one of the domes protecting a satellite dish.  In doing so, they brought the activities at Waihopai to a temporary halt, and disclosed useful information about how the base operates.

The activists were acquitted by a jury at the Wellington District Court in March 2010.  You can read my account of that trial here.

There was uproar in NZ after the verdict was announced.  The Attorney General threatened an appeal (no grounds), the statutory destruction of common law rights (completely stupid) and a civil suit to punish the activists and their families financially.

The civil suit is now proceeding, and many are looking forward to the testimony in that suit of the Director General of the top secret Government Communications Security Bureau, and his staff, about the operations of Waihopai.

The Anti Bases Coalition is conducting a protest rally at Waihopai from January 21 to 23 2011.  ALL are welcome.

My mate Graeme Dunstan http://www.peacebus.com/ has been writing to Major-General Steve Gower in his capacity as the Director of the Australian War Memorialhttp://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/ about ANZAC Day 2011.

I’ve culled that correspondence from e-mail, and it’s reproduced on the “AWM Correspondence page“.

I approve very much of the proposed ANZAC Eve Vigil, which is a really timely citizens’ addition to ANZAC Day.  In Cairns, Peace by Peace is organising a vigil for the Cenotaph on the Esplanade, in front of the RSL.  We’ll be using Graeme designed lanterns.  Graeme, Clair and friends will organise the Canberra War Memorial.  Every place in the country has an ANZAC venue.

If you read the correspondence from Major-General Gower, you’ll see where he believes that the War Memorial, and ANZAC Day, belong to him and his management Committee.

General Gower needs reminding that the war-making state is itself a target of scrutiny on ANZAC Day.  How have the Parliament, and the military, discharged the holy trust of minimising war, of guarding the memory and lives of those Australian soldiers killed and maimed in war?  How have Australians behaved in protecting the sanctity of life, and the safety of all?

By conducting a candle/lantern lit vigil in memory of all the victims of war, and by expanding the ANZAC Day liturgy to include three lines of John 15 12-14, the new component of ANZAC Day will help restore the underlying pacific nature as it was intended by the original ANZACs.

You can read the Open Letter from Silver Wattle here.

Actions, Verdicts, Lessons

I first met Sam Land when he came to Alice Springs in October 2006, where he joined in one part of the trial process of the Pine Gap 4.  Here’s a story about the trial from our legal advisor – solicitor and Barrister Russell goldflam.

The “Citizens’ Inspection” of Pine Gap was carried out in December 2005.  It contained elements of property damage that stopped short of “ploughshares” actions.    

The Pine Gap 4 cut through fences to gain entry, allegations were made about the “illegal” activities supported by Pine Gap, and we were pleased to disrupt the normal activities of the base by sending it into “lock=down” – but the focus of the action was disclosure/information for public discourse, not disabling weapons systems.

Giving evidence at the Waihopai ploughshares trial in Wellington in March 2010, Sam described the 2006 Pine Gap experience as a key element in forming his own determination to carry out a ploughshares action (which physically disables a weapons system in active use, in witness to the prophecy of Isaiah). He also met Ciaron O’reilly there, a powerful advocate of ploughshares actions.

Sam’s decision to move further into physically disabling weapons systems led him to deflating the dome at Waihopai Spy Base around ANZAC Day 2008, with his friends and colleagues Adi Leason and Peter Murnane.

It is also the reason that Sam, Adi, and Peter were acquitted of all charges, whereas the Pine Gap 4 were convicted of wilful damage charges under the Commonwealth Crimes Act.  (The Pine Gap 4 had some convictions quashed on appeal and replaced by acquittals, but they were under a different piece of legislation which has been subsequently amended by Parliament).

Continue reading “Waihopai & Pine Gap”

Hey Groovers!

I’ve got a new red tricycle to tool around on in Cairns (on account of how the nasty old Queensland government has suspended my drivers license – because I’m refusing to obey a court order that I should give $400 cash money to the ALP).  I love my new red tricycle!

I’m keen to participate in nonviolent interventions that are nationally significant, so I’ve been thinking about two major actions in planning for 2011.

1/Transform ANZAC Day by adding a new event and liturgy.  A lantern lit vigil at the Cenotaph from sunset on 24 April – in memory of ALL the victims of war.  We pack up and leave when the RSL starts arriving for their dawn service.

2/Frustrate and stop the joint Aus/US wargames talisman sabre 2011 in June (32,000 troops, a nuclear aircraft carrier battle group, a well-resourced team of PR professionals, to practice invading foreign countries.

Here you can find a detailed explanation about several bits of the puzzle, and how they might fit together.

Continue reading “Putting an End to War.”