by Bill F.
Several events and actions
took place around September 21, to mark the International Day of Peace.
A
new national coordinating organisation, the Independent and Peaceful Australia
Network (IPAN), was launched in major cities with the main launch in Brisbane,
bringing together various groups and affiliates from Queensland, South
Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern
Territory.
At
the same time, a number of public meetings and rallies were organised in the
main cities, to promote IPAN and its objectives:
•
Promote an independent Australian foreign policy that builds peace and non-violent
resolutions of conflict in our region;
•
Oppose foreign military bases and the deployment of foreign troops and military
in Australia and the Asia-Pacific;
•
Provide information, analysis and opportunities for NGOs, unions, churches and
community groups to participate in decision-making on Australia’s peace and
security options
•
Build links with peoples and organisations in the Asia-Pacific campaigning for peace
and against military bases and troops in the region.
Melbourne rally
In
Melbourne, IPAN members and supporters held a rally outside the city library,
where leaflets were distributed against Australia’s involvement in the
Afghanistan war and the expansion of US military bases and forces within
Australia.
The
rally was jointly supported by several organisations of Filipino-Australians
since the occasion also marked 40 years since the US puppet Marcos regime declared
martial law in the Philippines.
Under
conditions of great repression and state violence, the Communist Party of the
Philippines was at the centre of the resistance movement which eventually
forced the expulsion of US forces from that country. Now, with the compliance
of the Aquino government, the US military is worming its way back.
Nevertheless, the lessons of that history and the struggles of the people
against US imperialism are still sharp and relevant to the situation today.
The
Australian government has tried in vain to dampen the anti-war sentiments of
the people by claiming that a) the war in being won – nobody believes that; b)
the troops will be coming home soon – but not as soon as New Zealand who are
getting out this year, and not the elite SAS troops the US wants to keep; c)
the training of the puppet Afghan army is nearly completed – but don’t trust
them; d) we have to win otherwise our soldiers will have died in vain – victims
of imperialist war, along with countless thousands of Afghans and Pakistanis;
e) we are bringing democracy and education for girls – propping up a corrupt,
feudal, drug-running clique of serial misogynists.
Swan Island SAS base
Another
anti-war action (below) took place at the Swan Island military base, south of Geelong.
It is a training area for the shadowy SAS and commando forces deployed in
Afghanistan.
The
bridge giving access to the Island was blocked for several days by dozens of
anti-war activists. Reverend Simon Moyle, who was one of the organisers, said “We
spent Monday doing non-violence training to ensure the protest was disciplined.
We practised various blocking skills so that people were comfortable and safe.
“The
military installation on this island is a base for the SAS and ASIS. We are not
targeting individual soldiers, but rather the government that sent them there
(Afghanistan).”
Rev.
Moyle said the majority of Australians were against the war. “Thirty-eight of
our soldiers have been killed, as have countless Afghans
and other international personnel.”
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