September / October 2001
A Brief Glimpse at Afghanistan from
1978 (back to top)
Jim Mitsos, now living in Greece, was an active member of the APC. He was
quite renowned for the number of signatures he collected for world peace.
Jim was passionate about the peace and environmental movement and he collected
6,000 signatures for the Mandate for Life on Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro
in June 1992.
The aim of the mandate was to collect 100 million signatures to declare
support for the rule of law over the global environment and for people to
protect their human rights against all who damage the environment.
Jim took his 6,000 signatures to Rio, where he tried to present them to the UN
Conference on Environment and Development [UNCED] however UNCED squashed the
idea of the signed mandates. It was clearly too radical a concept for
them.
Jim's story
But that is not all that Jim has done. Travelling at his own expense
Jim visited Afghanistan in September 1985. Jim wrote of his visit in which
he says:
I arrived in the capital Kabul and was able to move around freely, take
photos and use video film. I visited many factories and industries,
schools and villages around Kabul.
Kabul has a population of one million people. In all the time I was
there I saw no military formations or troop movements, no army vehicles of any
kind. The only armed soldiers I saw were in ones or twos standing guard in
public in front of important buildings.
A building construction factory, which I visited, gives a good picture of the
new Afghanistan. This new factory was for the construction of
prefabricated concrete buildings, hospitals, schools and residential flats for
workers.
It employs 4,000 people, men and women who receive the same pay for the same
work. The majority belong to their Trade Union including the women.
Many women are also members of the Democratic Women's Party of
Afghanistan. Six hundred workers from the same factory are members of the
Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan, a fact that shows the political
awareness of the Afghan people.
I was told that this party, which had 18,000 members at the beginning of the
revolution in 1978, now numbers nearly 150,000 members, men and women.
April revolution
The national and democratic April revolution in 1978 was a great historical
turning point in the political history of Afghanistan. The revolution
introduced fundamental changes in the material foundations of Afghan society,
and also opened a new phase in the foreign policy and international relations of
the country. This revolution broke the age-old feudal fundamentalist
Islamic domination.
The United States however consistently refused to accept local changes for
national liberation, social development and a new economic order.
The people of Afghanistan had endured before the April revolution, an oppressive
regime and the injustice, the economic and social exploitation inherent in a
moribund monarchy. During that period no effective steps to improve the
lot of the working masses of the country were taken by the corrupt governments
of the despotic monarchic regime. In such circumstances social economic
and political conditions in the country were determined by the nature of the
prevailing feudal relations. As a result the whole economy was plunged
into chaos and diverted to serving the interest of a small privileged exploiting
ruling minority at the expense of the great majority who were deprived of their
rudimentary democratic rights and freedom. This is contrary to the
established rules of law and the basic tenets of Islam.
Inequalities
Because of this exploitation and the intolerable inequalities, Afghanistan
remained one of the world's most backward countries. Feudal lords owned
most of the land. Forty per cent of the land was owned by four per cent of
the population.
The lot of the Afghanis was hard work, fatal diseases, hunger, misery and
illiteracy.
Deprived of elementary rights they were not only economically exploited but also
subjected to ethnic and other kinds of discrimination. In some provinces a
nomadic way of life was predominant and nomad chiefs held almost all the
power. More than 90 per cent of the population was illiterate and the
figure for women was 95 per cent.
Only 29 per cent of children received any education and only 9 per cent for
girls. Only 7 per cent of young people had the chance to receive a higher
education.
The government spent only 2 per cent of the GNP on education. In public
health Afghanistan ranked 119th. Fifty per cent of children died in their
fifth year. There was one doctor for every 13,000 people and one hospital
bed for every 5,000 patients.
Drinking water was available for only 5 per cent of the population, and
diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, smallpox and other epidemic diseases were
widespread.
Prince Daoud came to power on July 17, 1973, with promises of land reform and
basic political rights. But in reality Prince Daoud deprived these people
of their political rights on the pretext they were not mature enough.
This deprivation forced the will and determination of the Afghanis, which was
translated into action by the Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan [PDPA].
This Party was then victorious in the April 1978 revolution and for the first
time in the history of the country political power was transferred from the
ruling classes to the working classes.
The PDPA was born in 1965, as were other democratic organisations. In
1967, the party split on political but mainly tactical and strategic
grounds. It took ten years before they were re-united in 1977, and then
not so much because of the differences between the two wings of the party, but
primarily because of the Daoud regime, which threatened to destroy the PDPA and
its anti-government opposition.
After the victory of the April revolution the once ruling class lost their
means of exploitation and privileges. Deprived of any hope of a reversal
of the revolution, the former feudal lords found safe havens under other
reactionary regimes in the region and the world in particular Pakistan.
Provided with money, arms equipment and other assistance these lords were
soon dressed in new robes of religion and were proclaimed religious leaders
waging a Jihad.
Pakistan has allowed its territory to be used for an undeclared war against
Afghanistan. At the 130 military camps that exist there for that purpose
US, Pakistani, Egyptian, Chinese and Saudi Arabian military officers have and
are still training counter revolutionaries [read Mujahideen] and mercenaries
supplying them with modern weapons and paying them to conduct their undeclared
war against the people Afghanistan.
The US playing the biggest role in this regard having spent half a billion
dollars on this venture. The counter revolutionaries, mis-called Freedom
Fighters by the CIA, have destroyed much of what the people of Afghanistan have
built. Of the 4000 schools that were built, since 1978, they have
destroyed 1800; they have blown up a hydro electrical station, dams,
bridges and buildings
Beginning of armed struggle
The CIA agent Loui Depre, who was expelled from Afghanistan in November 1978,
was able to make contact with the reactionaries in Afghanistan. He played
a big role in organising the first counter- revolutionaries circles. In
Merrylands USA in June 1978 NATO organised a symposium to discuss the events in
Afghanistan. At this symposium the need was underlined to give full
support to the counter- revolutionary forces and at the same time it established
the first base for the training of the counter-revolutionaries, on 13th January
1979.
A special action group of the CIA was set up in the US Embassy in Pakistan
under the direction of R. Lessar with orders to organise actions in Iran and
Afghanistan. This group was responsible for the first
counter-revolutionary actions on Pakistani borders.
US sends arms
On 11-3-81 Mr Bowen, Deputy Opposition leader [in the Australian parliament]
warned that the fighting in Afghanistan could intensify if the United States
sent arms to the rebels opposing the Soviet occupation.
"Like the situation in El Salvador, the position in Afghanistan can only
be made worse by military escalation," he said.
On Monday, President Reagan said in a television news interview that he would
consider sending arms to the Afghan rebels - whom he preferred to call freedom
fighters - if they asked for them.
Mr Bowen, who is the opposition spokesman on foreign affairs, said the
situation in El Salvador and Afghanistan required mediation and diplomatic
negotiations.
"That may be a slow and unspectacular approach, but it is the only one that
can succeed in the long term," he said.
"The history of guerrilla wars shows that they become worse, become more
bloody, when additional arms are poured into the conflict."
Source; Sydney Morning Herald.
The US has stepped up the quantity and quality of covert military support for
Afghan rebels, according to Administration officials. Beginning in December '82
the officials said, the CIA was ordered to provide Afghan insurgents for the
first time with bazookas, mortars, grenades, launchers, mines and recoilless
rifles.
US officials said that most of the arms came from old Egyptian stockpiles of
Soviet weapons and that the Saudis and the US were paying the bills estimated to
total between $US 30 million and $US 50 million a year for the past three years.
Source; Leslie Gelb, New York Times and reprinted in the Sydney Morning Herald
6-5-83
Russia versus USA
The proxy war in Afghanistan between the Soviets and the USA lasted until
nine years ago. Soviet troops actually withdrew in February 1989, but each
side went on supplying arms to their surrogates. That ended, by agreement,
on January 1, 1992. Three months later, in April, the last string of
Moscow-backed governments over the years fell, finally to the Mujahideen.
By 1995 the Taliban, one of the hardline fundamentalist Islamic factions, had
wrested nominal power among the often violent coalition of Mujahideen
groups. They have held it ever since. Osama bin Laden remains one of
the Taliban's wealthiest backers, as well as head of radical Al-Qaeda ["the
Base"] group.
And who financed the growth of these various groups?
Of course - the Americans. The Carter Administration, using CIA, began
channelling tens of millions of dollars to various Mujahideen factions in 1979,
and the Reagan and Bush governments went on doing so right through the
1980s. To Reagan's administration they weren't "terrorist"
groups, but "freedom fighters". And among the seven parties
operating out of Pakistan in opposition to the Afghan regime and its Soviet army
supporters by the end of 1982 was the radical fundamentalist Islamic Union for
the Liberation of Afghanistan, whose financial backers at the time included bin
Laden.
There is no evidence US funds over the years went to this group, though
according to public record five of the other six Mujahideen groups of the period
were financed by US, Saudi, Pakistan and Iranian funds dispersed by the Pakistan
Army's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorage, the official distributor
of American "aid" based on Pakistani political preferences. It
is Pakistan more than any Islamic other country Washington must deal with in its
hunt for those behind this week's cataclysmic violence, whoever they are.
Source: Alan Ramsey, Sydney Morning Herald 15-9-01
Don't ask whom, what, where or when but why.
A motion introduced on 27 August 2001 by Democrat Senators Bourne and
Bartlett, and amended by the ALP [Australian Labor Party] has been welcomed by
peace and environmental groups.
The Senate has twice previously expressed opposition to the controversial US
missile defence proposal. The current resolution expressed concern that
the US intention to abandon the ABM [Anti-Ballistic Missile] treaty and deploy a
missile defence system could push the world to a renewed global nuclear arms
race. It reaffirms that Australia should not be involved in missile
defence-related research, development or trials.
The right wing US Heritage Foundation has previously suggested asking the
Prime Minister for Australian Federal government involvement in missile defence.
The motion moved by Senators Bourne and Bartlett is -
that the Senate:
[a] notes the proposed meeting of the Australian Prime Minister, Mr Howard, and
United States President, Mr Bush, on 10 September 2001:
[b] recalls its resolution of 29 June 2000 and 1March 2001 in regard to missile
defence issues:
[c] notes the substantial international efforts made by successive Australian
governments to promote the ratification and entry into force of the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty [CTBT]:
[d] considers the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic
missile delivery systems to be a most serious international security issue:
[e] notes the desire of the United States [US] Government to deploy a National
Missile Defence [NMD] system and as a consequence to fundamentally amend or
otherwise walk away from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty [ABMT]:
[f] expresses concern that abandonment of the ABMT and deployment of a NMD
system is likely to damage international cooperation to combat the proliferation
of nuclear weapons and may fuel a new nuclear arms race in the Asia Pacific
region:
[g] calls on the Prime Minister to urge President Bush to reconsider both his
opposition to US ratification of the CTBT and his intention to deploy a NMD
system: and
[h] reaffirms its view that Australia should not support, or be involved in, NMD
research, development or trials.
National fax day
On 5 September dozens of peace and environment groups sent faxes to Mr Howard
appealing to him to withdraw his support for the US NMD.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Remembered (back to top)
Fifty-six years after the US dropped their atomic bombs on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki the people of Hiroshima again carried out their Peace Memorial Ceremony
at the Peace Memorial Park. People came from around the world to
participate in solidarity with the Japanese.
The Mayor of Hiroshima, Tadatoshi Akiba, sent greetings to the many peace
groups around the world, saying that: "We, the citizens of Hiroshima,
living witnesses to the 'century of war', hereby declare that we will do
everything in our power to make the twenty-first century one of peace and
humanity, and free from nuclear weapons. . . ."
Hiroshima was also remembered in Adelaide with a march and rally. South
Australia has a particular reason to remember because it was here at Maralinga
and Emu Plains that the British atomic bomb tests were held in the 1950's.
The peace movement in Adelaide has called for an apology from the Federal
Government to those who were affected by the tests at these sites as well as
sites at Monte Bello Islands and Christmas Island.
They have also asked for compensation by the Federal Government of workers,
indigenous people and others affected by these tests.
The Sydney rally targeted George "Dubya" Bush's Nuclear Missile
Defence Program [NMD] and Australia's involvement through the use of Pine Gap.
The use of the Pine Gap facility at Alice Springs for NMD will involve
Australia and make us a nuclear target. The Australian Government's
support for NMD makes us complicit in a program that will significantly
destabilise global security. The Howard Federal Government is ignoring
public sentiment and the resolution of the Australian Senate which calls on the
US not to deploy NMD.
Both the Adelaide, South Coast and Sydney rallies opposed the US NMD program,
the dumping of nuclear waste in South Australia, and the construction of a
nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights, NSW.
South Coast (NSW)
A small group of South Coast Peace activists braved the winter cold and
gathered at Peace Park to also mark the 56th anniversary of the bombing of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The Illawarra choir sang songs of peace and flowers were placed on the plaque
in the Wollongong mall.
Fred Moore, a well-known member of the South Coast community, spoke of the
horrors of the dropping of the first atomic bomb and the devastation wrought
upon the people of those cities who were the recipients of that awful act.
Fred also said that we should never allow the world to forget that event.
Doreen Borrow, secretary of the Wollongong branch of the APC, also spoke and
reminded those present that the threat of nuclear war is still with us.
The proposed implementation of the Stars Wars program by the Bush
administration not only meant an increased threat was being imposed on the
people of the planet earth, it also meant billions of dollars of taxpayers money
would be wasted, money that could be spent improving the living conditions of
millions throughout the world.
At 8.15 am a minute's silence was observed to honour the 140,000 people who
died at Hiroshima and the 70,000 who died at Nagasaki. Also included were all
those who died through acts of war.
New Zealand
The Peace Council Aotearoa organised a rally and commemoration at the Peace
Flame in the Rose Garden in Wellington.
Speakers at the Wellington rally also condemned all nuclear weapons and urged
people to continue to work for a world free of these terrible weapons.
Jack Beetson is an Aboriginal philosopher, teacher and executive director of
Tranby Aboriginal College in Glebe, NSW.
Jack is also one of only 12 United Nations 'unsung heroes' in the
world. He has worked with various indigenous delegations at the United
Nations in New York and Geneva in Switzerland with the Working Group on
Indigenous Populations [WGIP], and also led a group from the South Pacific to a
UN meeting in New York looking at populations and development.
However, it is for his considerable work in Australia on reconciliation that
Jack has been recognised. His views on reconciliation in Australia are
wide-ranging.
With 2001 named by the UN as the International Year of Dialogue Among
Civilisation, Mr. Beetson wonders whether 'civilised dialogue' in Australia is
being ambushed by the Federal government. "Its refusal to say sorry, its
refusal to sit down and listen to the hopes and aspirations and concerns of
Indigenous peoples in this country all makes me think the reconciliation process
has been railroaded.
"Unfortunately, many people thought that when the reconciliation march
walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, it was like a closing ceremony for
reconciliation, which in a way frightens me.
"Now that the Federal government funding to support the reconciliation
process has been taken away, it is now going to require all Australians,
Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to bend their backs and really work hard to
maintain the momentum that we've built up over that 10 year period.
"If true reconciliation does take place in this country, all those other
issues we are constantly fighting for - land rights, health, education housing -
all of those things can be taken care of simultaneously," he said.
The "heroes" are part of the UN's International Year of Dialogue
Among Civilisations.
Staff at the UN Information Centre in Sydney nominated Jack because of his
ability to "promote Aboriginal culture without discounting the viewpoints
of others."
Juan Carlos Brandt, Director of the UN Information Centre, presented Jack
with his award.
Jack was most generous in accepting his award saying "I could name 2,000
people off the top off my head that deserve this more than me."
He thinks the thousands of others he has worked with should share his honour,
from his wife Shani and their three children, to those who phoned him during his
nine years of regular spots on ABC radio.
Greenpeace Activists Plead Not Guilty to Felony
Charges
(back to top)
Los Angeles, CA - August 13 - Fifteen individuals from around the world and
two independent journalists pleaded not guilty today to felony charges stemming
from a peaceful protest against a missile defense test at Vandenberg Air Force
Base on July 14, 2001. The trial date has been set for September 25, 2001.
Today's arraignment marks the first time in the history of peaceful protests at
Vandenberg Air Force Base that activists have been charged with felonies.
"The true felon here is President Bush and the conspiracy is Star
Wars, a program that only benefits defense contractors and puts all of us at
great risk of a nuclear arms race", said Matt Stembridge, Greenpeace
Nuclear Disarmament Campaigner. "This trial will expose the ugly
truth about the inherent risks of Bush's dangerous program."
As the fifteen defendants arrived at the federal court building, supporters
greeted them with banners reading "Star Wars on Trial, Not Peaceful
Protestors." In addition, Greenpeace offices from around the world
took part in a global day of action. In New Zealand, the UK, Germany,
Australia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Sweden and India, 17 people
representing the defendants demonstrated at each of the US embassies and
consulates.
"Star Wars" is a threat to us all, it is not just an American
problem", said Jon Aguilar, one of the defendants. "As a former
marine I find it disheartening that President Bush would dishonor this country
and the entire world by unleashing this program and threatening anybody who
dares to stand up to it."
The 15 activists are from the United States, UK, Germany, Sweden, Australia
and India. One of the journalists is from the UK and the other is a
Spanish national residing in the United States. If convicted all 17 could
face up to six years in prison for non-violent opposition to the National
Missile Defence program.
Two of the activists are Australians. APC branches have written to the
US Attorney General. As a matter of urgency we ask our branch members to
do the same. Their parents are most concerned about the possible outcome
of the felony charges.
Write Fax Email
Mr. Ashcroft
Attorney General
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
Fax: 202-307-6777
AskDOJ@usdoj.gov
Sample letter to copy
I am deeply opposed to President Bush's "Star Wars" missile defense
system. In addition to handling billions of taxpayer dollars over to
greedy military corporations, it will undoubtedly start a new nuclear arms race,
and is therefore the single greatest threat to world peace today.
I am now additionally shocked and outraged that the US government is going to
such extremes to silence legitimate dissent and protest against the
system. Fifteen Greenpeace activists were arrested after a peaceful
protest of the July 14, 2001 missile defense test at Vandenberg AFB in
California. Two independent journalists observing the action were also
arrested.
Despite the peaceful nature of their protest they are being charged with
crimes that could lead to 6 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
Star Wars jeopardises our chance for a world free of nuclear weapons.
It undermines sincere efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons, alienates allies and
will encourage some countries to build more nuclear weapons.
Star Wars will also be a theft of billions of dollars needed for human and
environmental needs.
I strongly urge you to dismiss the case against the 17 individuals charged
after this peaceful protest opposing President Bush's Star Wars program in order
to protect peace, and create a nuclear free world. The activists speak for
millions of concerned citizens around the world.
Please make the right decision and drop the charges.
If any member wishes to write or email President Bush his address is:
Mr Bush,
President,
United States of
America,
1600 Pennsylvania
Avenue,
Washington DC
20500, USA
President@whitehouse.gov
There
are better ways than economic rationalism
Adopted by acclamation at the final plenary, 'Now We The People
Conference', Newtown, Sydney, July l 5, 2001:
- The economic rationalist agenda for Australia, driven by global
corporations for the last 15 years, benefits the few at the cost of growing
insecurity and poverty for the many and sharpens divisions in our society;
- Australia and the world urgently need a new direction based on values of
cooperation, inclusiveness, ecological sustainability, equality, social
justice, and fairness to future generations;
- we need new policies, a new philosophy and new vision based on these
values which will create a viable future for us all and for the planet.
In our broad diversity, we are determined to act together
- to assert a new direction based on values of cooperation, inclusiveness,
ecological sustainability and equality, and to oppose economic rationalism,
global free trade, deregulation, privatisation and outsourcing, racism and
ecological destruction;
- to raise these issues in the coming Federal Election to make them a
priority in the election debate, and subsequently;
- to support and vote for candidates and parties that uphold these values,
and to oppose those who advocate economic rationalism and corporate
globalisation.
A NEW DIRECTION FOR AUSTRALIA
Our discussions show that priorities for confronting global corporate power
include:
- achievement of a just and genuine settlement between Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples and other Australians, through an open negotiation
process;
- full employment, by creating quality jobs and quality public services in
public health, public education, aged care, child care, housing, transport,
welfare services, and the arts, and encouraging investment in ecologically
sustainable manufacturing and agriculture; and by negotiated measures to
share work more fairly, and to retrain the unemployed;
- ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on Reductions in Greenhouse Gas
Emissions, meeting and surpassing its inadequate target for Australia, and
energetically supporting higher targets;
- achieving women's right to equal opportunity and active participation in
democratic processes, leadership and decision making in all aspects of
public and private life;
- restoration of the rights of workers to organise into trade unions, to
bargain collectively with employers on an industry basis, with recourse to
the Industrial Relations Commission, and to protect the right to strike; and
support for greater democracy in trade unions;
- promoting a just working environment by reasserting the use of industrial
awards to advance employment equity, through community wage increases,
equitable valuation of work, protection and portability of workers
entitlements, a 35hour week, paid parental leave, regulation of casual work,
family friendly work practices and fair rostering / shift work practices;
- replacing the GST with a fair tax system where business and the wealthy
pay their share, to raise adequate revenue for national social and
environmental goals, including provision of an adequate income for all
through job creation, quality public services, and higher welfare payments;
- vigorous support for an international tax on foreign currency transactions
- the Tobin Tax - to restrain financial speculation;
- insistence on a new set of global trade and investment rules aimed at fair
trade, which give priority to human rights, the environment and diversity of
culture, and opposition to any new World Trade Organisation negotiations or
"free trade agreements" until this is achieved;
- cancellation of the debt owed to Australia by poor countries;
- a legislated Charter of Community Obligation for the banking system, and
creation of a publicly owned bank to ensure fair banking services for all
Australians; explore the use of the Reserve Bank and superannuation
funds to finance ecologically sustainable public infrastructure;
- creating a major industrial capacity in renewable energy systems
(excluding use of old growth forests) and sustainable transport
systems; closing the uranium mining and export industry, and the Lucas
Heights Nuclear Reactor; and banning port visits by nuclear armed and
powered ships; banning imports of any nuclear waste and creating
a final repository of existing Australian domestic nuclear waste in
Australia;
- promoting a higher quality standard of living through reduced material
consumption and improved patterns of life;
- forging an independent, non-nuclear foreign policy promoting democracy,
genuine development and peace in the Asia Pacific region and globally;
opposition to the US National Missile Defence Program, and all programs for
weapons of mass destruction;
- investing in a massive program to bioremediate the natural environment,
including the Murray Darling Basin, to halt salination and desertification,
especially by reafforestation and sustainable water use, and taxing
environmental damage;
- reinstating full welfare support to migrants, respecting the human right
to family reunion for migrants, abolishing mandatory detention and treating
all asylum seekers with full human dignity, and reaffirming the
multicultural character of Australian society;
- a strong, free and secular public education system whose funding and
support is the primary responsibility of both State and Federal
governments; public schools, public universities and publicly provided
vocational education and training including TAFE must be funded at a level
where they can provide excellence and equity to all Australians;
public education is integral to democracy and social justice and should
emphasise inclusive values, environmental sustainability, equity, creative
thinking, and the capacity to assess information and make considered
decisions;
- restoring and sustaining a high quality public health system and ending
subsidies to private health insurance;
- adequately funding a technically advanced ABC and SBS, fully staffed with
secure jobs, with the ABC's independence secured by Parliament appointing
its Board; a program of funds for community based and independent
electronic and print media, to reduce concentration of private ownership of
media in Australia; and greater regulation of advertising directed at
children;
- ensuring fair access to justice through adequate legal aid funding and
community legal centres, rejection of mandatory sentencing, and the
operation of prisons for profit;
- initiating an open, inclusive Constitutional Review to consider a Bill of
Rights and an Australian Republic, on which the people will ultimately vote
in a constitutional referendum;
- celebrating the contribution made to our society by children, young
people, the elderly, people with disabilities, and people of alternate
sexual orientations, and supporting their struggles for equal access to
resources to ensure that participation in the social, political and economic
life of our community is open to all;
- recognition and remuneration for the unpaid work now performed in carer
relationships;
- promotion of local and small community autonomy and self-reliance, and
greater participation by people in decision-making at local, state and
national levels;
- developing the parliamentary system to ensure parliaments oversee the
Executive, that all votes are equal, and that election results reflect
voters' intentions;
- the Australian government meeting its current human rights and
international treaty obligations, and ensuring maximum access to human
rights structures and processes, including the International Labour
Organisation.
We participants at the 2001 Now We The People conference, in all our
diversity, agree on the need to:
- reinvigorate democracy and public debate, to work to all levels of society
to change thinking, and to map out practical programs for Australian society
for the first decade of the new century, to turn from the destructive path
we are now on.
We commit ourselves to:
- the building of networks of discussion and action across urban, rural and
regional Australia, among individuals, organisations, communities and
ethical businesses who share this vision;
- cooperation in the campaigns needed to apply the values of cooperation,
inclusiveness, ecological sustainability, equality, and fairness to future
generations, in political, economic and social life;
- support for alliances of the labour and other social movements to campaign
at the local and international level against economic rationalism and
corporate globalisation;
- research, discussions and publications to address this challenge;
- encourage contributions to these tasks from people in every strata of
society;
- organise seminars and meetings in towns and cities across Australia,
auspiced and supported where possible by Local Councils, leading up to our
next national conference in 2003.
Vanunu Awarded Honorary Doctorate from Norwegian
University
(back to top)
By Nicholas & Mary Eoloff
The entire experience of Tromso was memorable; from the beautiful snow
capped mountains surrounding the island city, the midnight sun, the beautiful
campus and all of the May 15 events leading up to and culminating with the
formal ceremony entitled: "Conferral of an Honorary Doctorate on
Mordechai Vanunu" in the Hall of the Medicine and Health Studies on the
campus of the University of Tromso, Norway.
The day began with a happy reunion with Mordechai's brother, Meir, and the
introduction and meetings with various academics and professionals scheduled to
be presenters at The Vanunu Seminar. These activities were followed by a
gathering with members of the Tromso University History Faculty, who were
instrumental in the groundbreaking decision to award Mordechai the honorary
doctorate. In the course of conversation with these talented faculty
members, we immediately sensed their deep and abiding commitment to the
abolition of nuclear weapons, and their hope that Mordechai's long suffering
will awaken people to the threat that nuclear weapons pose to humankind.
It was a richly nurturing experience for both of us.
At the seminar, attended mainly by graduate students, Fredrik Heffermehl,
President of the Norwegian Peace Alliance, began with the question,
"Is Mordechai Vanunu a traitor or a model world citizen?" He
argued that with small groups of insiders able to pursue dangerous ideas behind
closed doors, whistleblowers become an indispensable element of a functioning
democracy. Our world needs loyalty, it needs people who speak up, who blow
the whistle, who say like Mordechai Vanunu, "If I don't tell the truth, who
will?" He concluded by saying that the true test of the health of a
democracy is its attitude toward dissent.
Stale Eskeland, Professor in the Department of Public Law at the University
of Oslo, noted the International Court of Justice's replies to the question (in
1996) "Is the threat or use of nuclear weapons in any circumstance
permitted under international law?" The court's 14 judges gave
unanimous statements on a number of crucial points and the president of the
Court, Mr Bedjaoui, declared that "Nuclear weapons, the ultimate
evil, destabilize humanitarian law. The very existence of nuclear weapons
is a great challenge to humanitarian law itself. One would lack the most
elementary prudence if one placed the survival of the State above all other
considerations, especially above the survival of humanity itself."
Jon Hellesnes, Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of
Tromso, spoke of the case of Mordechai Vanunu as a case of free speech and civil
disobedience. He argued that Mordechai's act was "a protest against
nuclear armaments as well as against the secrecy of Israel; that his
principles appealed to non-controversial examples of transnational political
morality; that the normative barrier against the spreading of weapons of
mass destruction has a high degree of legitimacy" and concluded that
Mordechai acted within the definition of civil disobedience. However, the Court
did not treat him as a civilly disobedient political dissident but as a
traitor. Therefore, "the behavior of the judicial authority in Israel
does not qualify as an example of civilized legal practice."
Sir Joseph Rotblat, President Emeritus of Pugwash, London, and 1995 recipient
of the Nobel Peace Prize, summarized his talk by saying that "the
feasibility of a nuclear-weapon-free world depends to a large extent on the
existence of an effective verification regime, but the technological system of
verification cannot convincingly provide such a degree of effectiveness.
For this reason a system of societal verification will be needed in which all
members of the community would have an active role. All citizens would be
given the right and the duty to provide information to an international
authority about attempts to violate the terms of the treaty on the elimination
of nuclear weapons. Legislation should be enacted to safeguard this right
and duty."
The climax of the day was the formal conferral celebration with its
pageantry, academic procession and beautiful music by the Chamber Choir of the
Regional College and the University of Tromso. The program began with a
speech in which Professor Randi Ronning, Balsvik Faculty of Social Sciences,
detailed the complete history of Mordechai's life from his family's emigration
from Morocco to Israel, his service in the Israeli army, his education,
employment at and departure from Dimona, his conversion to the Anglican faith,
his encounters with Peter Hounam of the London Sunday Times, his abduction,
trial and his continuing unjust imprisonment. Her delivery was full of
conviction and emotion that ended with an inspiring reading of Mordechai's poem,
"I am Your Spy".
Professor Ronning's speech was followed by poignant remarks from the
University's Rector, Tove Bull. She emphasized that universities the world
over, in addition to their work in scientific research and academic excellence,
must be actively involved in the struggle for human rights and justice, and that
the University's action in awarding Mordechai the honorary degree was a step in
that direction.
Mordechai's brother, Meir, upon acceptance of the honorary degree for
Mordechai, laid the background for Mordechai's involvement and said that
"if Norway had not sold heavy water to Israel twenty years ago, my brother
would not be in prison."
The final speaker was Sir Joseph Rotblat who ended with the endearing,
energizing statement that "We must preserve the earth because it is so
precious."
Nicholas and Mary Eoloff are the adoptive parents of Mordechai Vanunu. They
live in St Paul, Minnesota.
Prison Authorities Continue to Harass Vanunu (back
to top)
At the end of June - and for the first time since February - supporters of
Mordechai Vanunu received letters from the imprisoned nuclear
whistleblower. As in the past, large batches of his outgoing mail were
held for months by prison authorities before being released to the postal system
- this time for an even longer period than usual. The letters recently
received were dated between September, 2000, and February, 2001. Some of
them were heavily censored.
This 6 - 10 month delay of Mordechai's outgoing mail makes communication
between Mordechai and the outside world extremely difficult, a problem
compounded by the fact that he also has no telephone access and very limited
visiting privileges.
Although Mordechai is supposed to be allowed visits from clergy, as well as
immediate family and his lawyer, recent attempts by the Anglican Bishop of
Jerusalem to visit Mordechai at Easter time were unsuccessful. Since his
appointment to the post, Bishop Riah has repeatedly been denied permission for a
visit.
Despite these attempts to undermine Mordechai's morale, his recent letters
reveal that he remains strong in the belief that what he did
was right and necessary.
In light of this continued harassment, it is very important to take a few
moments and write to Mordechai. He seems to be receiving mail in a timely
manner, the delay affecting only his outgoing letters. Your cards and
letters not only serve to lift Mordechai's spirits, but also to remind the
authorities that people from around the world support this prisoner of
conscience and are calling for his immediate release.
From 'I am Your Spy' Newsletter.
Jack Forward is certainly doing all the lobbying he can for the safety of
humanity. He has sent off the following letter to the Minister for Foreign
Affairs, a couple of other MPs and newspapers. Keep up the good work Jack.
The proposed US Missile Defence System is absurd. It threatens the NNPT
and hopes that weapons of mass destruction can be scrapped everywhere.
Realistically there is no possibility that any State or rogue group will develop
the ability to launch missiles at the US; it's a fantasy that probably
owed its birth to the military/arms industry partnership in the US.
You should urge the US to scrap the idea. Australia will then not be seen
as an accomplice in nuclear anarchy. This country's best course should be
to initiate a conference under United Nations auspices between the US and the
nations and groups that are perceived by the US to be a threat to it. A
meeting where the accused can meet their accuser face to face and where the
evidence can be objectively evaluated.
To spend billions of dollars on an imagined threat before all other options
have been considered is extremely dangerous and completely irrational, and that is a view that seems to be shared by most other
countries. Why is it that we have failed to learn that as a new weapon is
devised, a counter to it will be produced by those who feel threatened by the new device? How long before an interceptor to the
defensive missile is ready for use?
"For fools rush in where angels fear to tread." (Alexander Pope
1688-1744)
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