Irish Australian Peace Activist Calls for Anti-War Reception for Prime Minister Howard

by Jenna Wed May 17, 2006 15:01

More background info

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76071

by CommentDo Wed May 17, 2006 15:34

HOWARD MEETS BUSH IN WASHINGTON:

From http://abcasiapacific.com/news/stories/asiapacific_stor...8.htm

Mr Howard praised the US president's leadership of the so-called war on terror.

"You have presented a firm leadership to the free world against terrorism," he said.

The US president says Australia and the US are now closer than ever.

"He has strengthened our alliance," he said.

"I value his counsel, I admire his courage."

by anon Thu May 18, 2006 02:13

http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/Press_Releases/20060517/20...8.htm

Media Notification:Official Visit of the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. John Howard

20th – 23rd May 2006

The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. John Howard, will visit Ireland from 20th to 23rd May. During his visit the Prime Minister will meet President McAleese, An Taoiseach, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Lord Mayor of Dublin. He will also address Dáil Éireann and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. The following media opportunities will arise:

Monday 22nd May:

09.25 Wreath Laying Ceremony at Courtyard of Royal Hospital Kilmainham

11.30 Civic Reception with Lord Mayor Catherine Byrne at Mansion House

12.45 Business Lunch with Dublin Chamber of Commerce at Four Seasons Hotel
Prime Minister Howard addresses Dublin Chamber of Commerce

15.00 Meeting with An Taoiseach at Government Buildings

17.00 Meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs at Iveagh House

Tuesday 23rd May:

11.00 Meeting with President McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin

11.35 Leinster House

17.00 Leinster House
Greeted by Reception Committee including An Taoiseach, An Tánaiste, An Ceann Comhairle, An Cathaoirleach, the Leaders of Fine Gael, Labour, the Green Party and Sinn Féin, and an Independent T.D.

by B Thu May 18, 2006 22:56

What time will he be arriving in Dublin airport on saturday?

by Pine Gap 4 Solidairity Fri May 19, 2006 03:41

The Australian Government has decided to charge 4 peace activists with an offence dawn up in the 1950's but never used before. The four calling themselves "ChristiansAgainst All Terrorism" carried out a civilian inspeaction of the secretive National Security Agency Pine Gap Base, near Alice Springs. They were able to access one of the most secure military sites in Australia in the early hours last Dcember. (see link for photos taken inside the base(.

Longtime Catholic Worker & father of 7 Jim Dowling, peace activist Adele Goldie both of Brisbane, longtime peace & environmental activist Brian Law of Cairns and former human shield and hostage in Iraq Donna Mulhearn form Sydney face trial later this year. Maximum sentences in relation to the Defence Act legislation are 7 years imprisonment. The four will be notified in early June of their forthcoming trial date in Alice Springs.

Pine Gap carries out global surveillance and spying for the U.S. National Security Agency based in Maryland. It is their biggest base outisde of North America. Information form Pine Gap is used by the U.S. military in targetting for bombings in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Check the link below for furhter background information & photography on Pine Gap, last December's peace action and the forthcoming trial of the PIne Gap 4.................

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/101603.php

by Peace Convergence Fri May 19, 2006 04:49 info at peaceconvergence dot com

30,000+ US military participants will arrive in Australia May/June next year as part of the biggest war games to take place on Australian soil.

The joint military exercises, Talisman Sabre, will also be the first exercise to practice high-tech warfare using three new US-Australian training facilities: Shoalwater Bay in Queensland and Bradshaw and Delamere Range in the Northern Territory.

Australians will be converging on Shoalwater Bay as part of the resistance to these war games on Australian soil, resistance to the unjust war on Iraq, the use of depleted uranium both in Iraq and possibly in these war games, and the presence of nuclear vessels in our region.

stop the exercises | close the bases | end the wars!

by OZ Fri May 19, 2006 05:08 Down Under

Reports of protests in Canada by trade unionists during Howard's visit today are coming across mainstream media in Australia. This indicates any anti-war protests you are able to pull off in Dublin will be carried across Australia. Given the role Howard's governent & military continues to play in Iraq & Afghanistan this should be considered as significant task for the anti-war movement in Ireland.

Australian soldier was suspiciously killed in his barracks in Iraq a couple of weeks ago. Howard's Defence Minister gave 3 different reasons for the cause of death in 3 days. The wrong body was sent back from Iraq. The Bosnian body that has since been returned to Kuwait has still not made it back to his family in Bosnia. The latest screw up was that a computer disc containing the government internal investigation to the wrong body screw up was left a t Melbourne Airport two days ago and was habded to a radio shock jock

by Viola Wilkins - Industrial Workers of the World Fri May 19, 2006 06:59 violawil at bigpond dot net melbourne Australia

Yes we are sick and tired of the Howard regime you may recall the General Goods & Services Tax we were not goona have before the election but got after wards anyway - one of many broken promises which Politicians of all Parties can do when you give them a blank cheque for 4 years !
Then there is the War on Iraq and the adoration of al things Prez Bush and Prime Minister Blair do as if we are either still a british Colony or another US State.
Let's not forget the war on civil liberties with the new ASIO/POLICE POWERS and the attack on freedom of association ie collective agreements by workers aka UNIONS!
As well as the abuse and neglect of aboriginal-indiegnous communities who are the longest living Australian society the newest arrivals like the Papuans and so many others fleeing war and misery are locked up in mandatory detention centres in the desert and now off shore on islands like Nauru and Chrismas island (nice name but lousy jail for just seeking a better life).

So for whatever reason you decide to heckle Howard while he is in Dublin etc cuddled up with those who would also assault the powerless then do so with our encouragement.

yours in sedition
Viola Wilkins

Finally
some thoughts fromanother unhappy citizen:
1. the government would love this fight to be simply co-opted into parliament where they have complete power. It is capitulation - a timid backward step which the government and bosses will smile at. They will see it as a sign of weakness and let out a sigh of relief. We should not delude ourselves. Immediately a 'worker' puts on a suit and walks through the doors of Parliament their position becomes compromised. It doesn't matter whether they're green, labour, socialist, whatever. They are no longer one of us. Let the politicians look after themselves - their interests are not the same as ours.

2. relying on a representative body only emasculates and depoliticises the potential power of the general mass of the people. i.e. it does them a disservice. From my observation, many people would love to see a massive blow landed against this criminal government. Will such a blow be struck by relying on politicians? I think not.

3. It is Howard, not the workers, who has foolishly re-ignited the class war. I support returning to a position of open CLASS WARFARE and non-co-operation, a return to the original militant traditions of the IWA (1st International) before it was hijacked by the sham of representative democracy and party hacks. Our demands should be nothing but the complete retraction of Howards IR policies (among other things). We will win more gains from this than through parliament.

#
November 11 Group says NO TO PARLIAMENT, YES TO MASS ACTION

DIRECT DEMOCRACY - DIRECT ACTION - SOLIDARITY

In the tradition of the Ballarat Reform League, the following resolution* was put forward and voted on unanimously on November 11 2005 outside Old Melbourne Gaol.

1. Howard the bully (and his 'Labor' collaborators) to desist from attacking workers and the most vulnerable in our community.

2. complete withdrawal of the IR laws, and of the "anti-terrorist" laws which will only create a closed society and do nothing to stop terrorism.

3. automatic and immediate recall of all parliamentarians who break their promises.

4. an inclusion of a Bill of Rights into the Australian constitution.

5. an end to militarism and imperialist aggression.

6. a treaty with the indigenous people as set out in their black GST campaign. It is a national and international disgrace to be the only country which doesn't have such a treaty.

These radical reforms would shift the Australian political landscape in a libertarian/egalitarian direction. They will only become a reality with a sustained push from below on the streets, the community and in the workplace.

We are inviting all concerned citizens, unions, workers, to consider supporting these resolutions. We will keep pushing for them regardless of who is in parliament.

by OZ Fri May 19, 2006 11:29

The sad news of the death of Robin Taudevin in East Timor has just reached us. I met Robin on the vigil line in London as we maintained a month long presence outside the Indonesian Embassy in the lead up to the 1999 ballot. Both Robin and his surviviing father Lansell did much to express solidairty with the people of East Timor. Robin was recently working as an aid worker in East Timor. He was also a gifted photographer.
Robin's website contains lots of his wonderful photos:
www.robintaudevin.com

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1638897.htm

ABC NEWS ONLINE
Australian man drowns in E Timor
Search and rescue authorities in East Timor have found the body of a 29-year-old Australian man who drowned off a beach near Dili.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) says the man disappeared yesterday while swimming at the Cristo Rei Beach outside Dili.

United Nations and civilian helicopters and boats were also involved in the search.

DFAT says Robin Taudevin was an aid worker.

The Department says the man's body was found this morning by divers.

Robin's website with lots of wonderful photos:
www.robintaudevin.com

Robin Taudevin was the only son of former Ausaid Head in East Timor Lansell Taudevin (who turned 'whistle-blower' with his book "East Timor: Too Little, Too Late" , Duffy & Snellgrove). Robin spent most of the past decade as an indefatigable aid worker in East Timor , but also went to places like Acech to help out. Some of his photos were published in the book "East Timor Making Amends?", Otford Press, Australia. Lansell, set up Otford Press after being dismissed by the Australian government for his truthtelling in occupied East Timor. Otford published many books on East Timor including Helen Hill's "Stirrings of Nationalism in East Timor", Ciaron O'Reilly's "Rememebring Forgetting", Lansell Taudevin & Jefferson Lee's (ed) "East Timor "Making Amends" and the Tereas Ward's (ed) "Tetun English Dictionary"

Robin was widely respected by all in East Timor, deeply loved by his friends and will be sadly missed as an aid worker not afraid of getting his hands dirty on the ground amongst the people. East Timor has lost another of its unsung heroes.

by Damian le Goullon Sun May 21, 2006 08:18

John Howard's recent comments that Australia has always recognized West Papua as part of Indonesia's sovereignty has traded Australia's past support for the U.N. principle of self determination by developing nations for short sighted appeasement.
The same Prime Minister who rejected a proper reconciliation with Indigenous and colonial versions of Australian history has extended this process into living memory. His comment ignores objections by Australian, Dutch and Papuan diplomats when the Indonesian government made claim to West New Guinea (1949-1961) http://www.abc.net.au/rn/rearvision/stories/2006/164079...0.htm In 1961 Dutch Foreign Minister Luns proposed that the UN should supervise the transition of Papua to independence.The dispute came to a head in 1962 when President Sukarno ordered his troops to infiltrate Dutch New Guinea.(http://au.geocities.com/awpab/history.htm)
American intervention in support of Indonesia led to a charade plebiscite called the "Act of Free Choice" (1969) to disguise Papuan resistance to Indonesian occupation .
Howards comments also attempt to distance Australians from their previous commitments to International Law
"We rededicate ourselves to support all efforts to uphold the sovereign equality of all States, respect for their territorial integrity and political independence, resolution of disputes by peaceful means and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, the right to self-determination of peoples which remain under colonial domination and foreign occupation" Charter of the United Nations.
The conflict in West Papua continues today due to the denial of Papuan rights to self determination under the Indonesian administration of the territory. Howards duty is to redress the political problem in Papua in a manner that supports the principle of "self determination " for the Papuan people.

by Sharan Burrow - ACTU Sun May 21, 2006 09:11 z y

The world is watching as workers fall behind

May 21, 2006

Canberra is flouting global standards of fair play, writes Sharan Burrow.

Globalisation may be a relatively new word but what it describes is not. The pace of this process has dramatically increased with improvements in technology and the freer movement of people and capital in recent years. As the world economy becomes more integrated, the key question we all must confront is what will be the standards that underpin this process?

For the international community, workers' rights are so important that the UN set up the International Labour Organisation. Created in 1919, it gives governments, employers and workers a voice in seeking to improve the standards of labour law and practice through negotiation and agreement. Next week, I will travel to the annual conference of the ILO in Geneva, where I will take the Australian case to the supervisory body that oversees international labour law. The Australian Government and employer groups will also be represented.

Australia is the only democratic developed country where an employer can refuse collective bargaining, even when a majority of employees want the union to represent them in such negotiations. Even in the US, George Bush accepts that where the majority of employees want to be represented by a union and bargain collectively, the employer must respect that choice.

Since 1997, the Howard Government has shown flagrant disregard for ILO standards, especially the rights of unions under international law to collectively bargain. Legislative changes to the industrial relations system under this Government have been continually criticised by the ILO and the disdain shown by the Government towards this eminent body has been to the dismay of most world governments.

Australia is also the only country where it is prohibited to negotiate on a multi-employer or industry-wide basis. The Work Choices prohibition of pattern bargaining goes well beyond US or UK labour law, let alone the systems in Western Europe.

The ILO has criticised Australia's failure to comply with fundamental labour standards as set out in Convention 87 (Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise) and Convention 98 (Right to Organise and Collectively Bargain). These conventions are seen by the ILO as fundamental, and are held to be binding on all member countries, whether or not they have ratified the particular instrument. Australia has ratified both conventions and so, in a sense, is doubly bound.

The Government's response to each criticism has been openly contemptuous. Rather than addressing the issues of concern raised by the ILO, it has consistently sought to shift further away from compliance with its international obligations.

The ILO's focus on freedom of association, the right to join and be represented by a union, as a worker or employer organisation, is fundamental to a democratic society and a basic right underlying international labour law.

At the ILO conference in June last year, the Government was condemned for the operation of its 1996 legislation. The ILO demanded to know how the Government would improve its labour laws. What was the response? Work Choices. Far from being shamed by its record, the Government undermined workers' basic rights even more.

Australia will be the focus of the ILO again next month. The Work Choices legislation does not meet the fundamental tests of international standards. It throws the balance of power over to employers.

The world is watching Australia closely. Respect for core labour standards is taken very seriously in other countries. Rights at work are treated as a joint responsibility and are integral to the realisation of human rights and dignity. Rights at work are not seen as some marginal issue for narrow interest groups to be summarily dismissed but rather the responsibility of society as a whole. At the ILO, Australia is called to account, along with countries such as Zimbabwe, Colombia and Burma. Not proud company. Laws that undermine fundamental international standards have no place in a vibrant and respectful democracy. There is much to defend and to defeat.

Sharan Burrow is president of the ACTU, and one of 14 worker representatives on the ILO's governing body

by Alli Taudevin Mon Jun 12, 2006 17:18

This is a follow-up to the recent post remembering Robin Taudevin, aid worker, human rights activist and exceptional photographer, who drowned in East Timor last month while free diving. An exhibition of his work photographing Glasgow Asylum Seekers and his most recent work right in the thick of things in East Timor opens at the Tron Theatre, 63 Tron Gate, Glasgow, G1 5HB on the 19th of June running until the 24th June. Entry is free.
There will also be a memorial in Glasgow for Robin on the 15th of July.
Please see www.robintaudevin.blogspot.com for more info.
Thanks,
Alli Taudevin (Robin's sister)