Peace Rally in Christchurch
The march and rally organised by Peace Action Network on Saturday went well. Around 300 people turned up, which is pretty good for a rally in Christchurch. I wrote the press release that was sent out to the media after the march, and it was quoted in the Christchurch Press (p2) and Wellington papers this morning. C was the MC for the march so we made her the spokesperson for PAN.
Best quote of the rally was from Ghazala Anwar, a lecturer in Islamic Studies who said 'The greatest weapon of mass destruction is the international media", and that alternatives needed to be developed.
After the rally we all headed for the pub in the square. It was a hot day so one beer was good, and made plans to meet up again later at Rapuki beach in the Lyttleton harbour. I got a ride with C. We stopped off at her new flat which they call the cottage. It is colonial style wooden house with all the wood treated instead of painted. It looks a bit like a tree hut on the ground. Very cool. We then collected some more beer from my place, headed through the Lyttleton road tunnel and met the others at the beach. Fish and chips and beer on the beach on a hot day is good.
After it cooled down a bit K, J and I then went to Darren's place where we watched a John Pilger documentary on the 'War on Terrorism'. Highlight was the televised quotes of a Mr C. Powell and a Ms C. Rice in 2001 who said in 2001 that Saddam Hussein probably did not have any weapons of mass destruction and he did not really pose any threat to the US.
-----------
Media Release
20 March 2004
For immediate release
PAN: Turn Te Mana Around: No NZ Support For Bush’s Wars
Around 300 citizens marched in central Christchurch today to show their opposition to the continued involvement of New Zealand in US
imperial wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. They joined thousands of people marching around the world in a Global Day of Action to highlight the disastrous consequences of the Iraq war that started one year ago.
"Our own government has played a role in supporting the occupation. Peace Action Network demand the return of New Zealand’s troops and
frigates as well as a commitment that New Zealand will no longer support US wars of aggression."
"The recent deployment of 50 SAS troops and the frigate Te Mana to the Gulf only encourages the US to try it all again" says Peace Action
Network spokesperson Claire Dann.
The march also called for an end to the US occupation and self determination for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The march started at Christchurch Museum, weaving its way through City Mall to the Square where the crowd listened to speeches from Peter
Beck, the Dean of Christchurch Cathedral, Ghazala Anwar, lecturer in Islamic Studies and Bob Leonard of the Anti Bases Campaign. Hassam
Razzaq, President of the Christchurch/Iraq Friendship Society and 15 year old Huzan Al Jabawe provided an Iraqi perspective.
Participants chanted ‘anti-Bush, anti-Blair, anti-war everywhere!’ and held up slogans such as ‘stop mad cowboy disease’.
Protestors pointed to the actions of Paul Bremer, the US viceroy in Iraq who has imposed a free market economy, ordered mass privatisation of Iraqi state assets and signed contracts with American corporate interests, all before the Iraqi people could have their say in an election. As such privatisation and foreign ownership is outlawed under Iraq’s Constitution, this is a breach of the Hague Regulations of 1907 that state that an occupying power must respect “unless absolutely prevented, the laws in force in the country”. This international convention is ratified by the United States.
Peace Action Network call this a profound insult to the principles of democracy and self determination.
Other anti-war rallies were held across the country and around the world, including Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin.
"Bush and Blair claimed that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were necessary in order to combat terrorism. The tragic events in Madrid show these invasions led to greater terrorist threats."
"We call on Helen Clark to turn Te Mana around" said Claire Dann.
ENDS
Best quote of the rally was from Ghazala Anwar, a lecturer in Islamic Studies who said 'The greatest weapon of mass destruction is the international media", and that alternatives needed to be developed.
After the rally we all headed for the pub in the square. It was a hot day so one beer was good, and made plans to meet up again later at Rapuki beach in the Lyttleton harbour. I got a ride with C. We stopped off at her new flat which they call the cottage. It is colonial style wooden house with all the wood treated instead of painted. It looks a bit like a tree hut on the ground. Very cool. We then collected some more beer from my place, headed through the Lyttleton road tunnel and met the others at the beach. Fish and chips and beer on the beach on a hot day is good.
After it cooled down a bit K, J and I then went to Darren's place where we watched a John Pilger documentary on the 'War on Terrorism'. Highlight was the televised quotes of a Mr C. Powell and a Ms C. Rice in 2001 who said in 2001 that Saddam Hussein probably did not have any weapons of mass destruction and he did not really pose any threat to the US.
-----------
Media Release
20 March 2004
For immediate release
PAN: Turn Te Mana Around: No NZ Support For Bush’s Wars
Around 300 citizens marched in central Christchurch today to show their opposition to the continued involvement of New Zealand in US
imperial wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. They joined thousands of people marching around the world in a Global Day of Action to highlight the disastrous consequences of the Iraq war that started one year ago.
"Our own government has played a role in supporting the occupation. Peace Action Network demand the return of New Zealand’s troops and
frigates as well as a commitment that New Zealand will no longer support US wars of aggression."
"The recent deployment of 50 SAS troops and the frigate Te Mana to the Gulf only encourages the US to try it all again" says Peace Action
Network spokesperson Claire Dann.
The march also called for an end to the US occupation and self determination for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The march started at Christchurch Museum, weaving its way through City Mall to the Square where the crowd listened to speeches from Peter
Beck, the Dean of Christchurch Cathedral, Ghazala Anwar, lecturer in Islamic Studies and Bob Leonard of the Anti Bases Campaign. Hassam
Razzaq, President of the Christchurch/Iraq Friendship Society and 15 year old Huzan Al Jabawe provided an Iraqi perspective.
Participants chanted ‘anti-Bush, anti-Blair, anti-war everywhere!’ and held up slogans such as ‘stop mad cowboy disease’.
Protestors pointed to the actions of Paul Bremer, the US viceroy in Iraq who has imposed a free market economy, ordered mass privatisation of Iraqi state assets and signed contracts with American corporate interests, all before the Iraqi people could have their say in an election. As such privatisation and foreign ownership is outlawed under Iraq’s Constitution, this is a breach of the Hague Regulations of 1907 that state that an occupying power must respect “unless absolutely prevented, the laws in force in the country”. This international convention is ratified by the United States.
Peace Action Network call this a profound insult to the principles of democracy and self determination.
Other anti-war rallies were held across the country and around the world, including Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin.
"Bush and Blair claimed that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were necessary in order to combat terrorism. The tragic events in Madrid show these invasions led to greater terrorist threats."
"We call on Helen Clark to turn Te Mana around" said Claire Dann.
ENDS