Iran to Host International Islamic Conference

From Islamic Republic News Agency


Tehran will host the 20th Conference on 'International Islamic Unity' on April 6-8.

A number of thinkers, scholars and scientific and cultural celebrities from 45 countries will take part the event.

The celebrities from Turkey, Tunisia, Indonesia, the UK, Australia, the US, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Denmark, Tatarstan, France, Canada, India, Russia and Egypt will participate in the conference.

The participants will presents lectures on the subjects of 'Foresight and Creating Logical Connection between Divine Religions and Islamic Sharia', 'Study the Culture of Unity and Bilateral Commitment', 'Islamic Jihad and Defense for Sovereignty of the Islamic Nations', and 'Study Humanitarian Spirit, Faith and Worshiping'.

'Humanistic View to the Environment', 'Sense of Highness of Human Being', 'Comprehensiveness in Morality and Justice', 'Culture of Logical Dialogue', and 'Protection of the World's Oppressed' are the other topics for discussion in the international conference.

After holding the 20th International Conference on the Islamic Unity, the second meeting of the General Assembly and High Council of the Proximity of the Islamic Schools of Thought and the International Assembly of Islamic Fiqh will be held in Tehran on April 9-11.

"Clayton's" Smacking

While taking the kids around the Oxford A&P Show today, I spotted Labour Cabinet Minister and Waimakiriri MP, Clayton Cosgrove manning his campaign bus.

I engaged him in a lengthy converstion on Labour's anti-smacking bill.

If anyone thinks this boy is going to vote against his great leader Helen, they are sadly mistaken.

Clayton assured me that the proposed bill did not in fact ban smacking. It will outlaw smacking "only for correction".

Funny, I thought that was its main purpose.

I should have said, but didn't "that's like banning sex-but only for procreation".

Horowitz on the Dishonesty of the Left

US commentator David Horowitz is a hero of mine. A former leader of the "new left" and scion of a Stalinist family, Horowitz is now the scourge of the American left.

Here is an extract from his latest blog post dealing with the difference between conservatives (add libertarians here) and leftists.

As I've pointed out many times, leftists and conservatives are not parallel political communities who happen to come down on different sides of particular issues.

Leftists are religious fanatics who believe they are going to change the world. Therefore they look on their political opponents as evil and treat them accordingly.

Conservatives are willing to give their opponents the benefit of the doubt (often far too generously) and when they make mistakes in characterizing individuals, they are ready and willing to correct them.

Leftists presume the worst in their opponents and since their agenda is to eliminate them from any argument, they think nothing of smearing and defaming them, and inventing the "facts" to substantiate their smears.

When a conservative calls someone like Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, a Nazi for example, that's because Nasrallah represents a movement that allied itself with Hitler and still admires him, and has called for the extermination of the Jews -- in so many words.

By contrast, leftists call Bush "Hitler" because they don't like him. Anyone who challenges leftwing positions will be called a racist, a sexist, a homophobe, an Islamo-phobe, a Nazi -- and a McCarthyite! That's what they do and who they are.

Food Fascists Show Contempt for Human Rights

The political left has long tried to tell us how to think and act.

I predict that the next major trend will be telling us what we can eat.

From Indymedia


Activists have stormed butchers store several times over the past 36 hours, Meat on Tory a deli near wellingtons waterfront has been targeted due to the foi gras and veal they are selling. Prestons butchery a large meat retailer and wholesaler has also been stormed, with activists informing workers and passers by the of the destruction the system they are part of is causing. During the Prestons protest one activist was assaulted by police drawing blood and causing bruises.


This was a shocking surprise to the protestors;

Inside prestons dead animals were being carved up and the floors of the processing area were covered in blood.


Meanwhile the Muesli Munchers were harassing people attending a meat industry conference in Wellington

From Indymedia

Delegates at the meat conference in wellinton have had a dinner interrupted and an early morning wakeup. Last night delegates were follwed to a dinner being held at a wellington restaurant called POD. They had placards held against the restauarants window and the owners were informed of the animal abusing scum inside.

Delegates at three wellington hotels offering discounts to conference goers were woken up at 5am with chants drums and whistles. The delegates are quite obviously shaken to know that people care enough about the animals to stand up against them.

All those involved in the meat industry have are guilty of mass murder and environmental destruction. It is our duty to stand up and show our opposition to the ongoing destruction of our planet.

Treatment of Female Prisoners in Iran

It sickens me to see the Western left supporting Venezuelan President Chavez, when he he makes no bones of his alliance with Iran.

The Iranian regime is extremely brutal, particularly towards elements of the Iranian left and other political opponents. Women activists are not only imprisoned and executed but are also often subject to extreme degradation.

Extracts from the testimony of Zari Erfani
published on the leftist feminist website Rahai Zan

It happened in the Women block of Evin prison in 1997, after 3 days in isolation cell without food, I was taken to the interrogation, I was in isolation cell for 3 months and two guards, together, 7 times in 24 hours, raped me. I was so shocked that my all hairs got into white. I was tortured by Goodarzi and Abdolrazaghi. Then I was transferred to Women’s jail of political block number 1 of Evin prison in a room of 12 s.m. with 26 people.

The prison keepers were Mrs. Kobra, manager of the women’s block, Maghiseh, Khajegan and Azadeh inside the block and Haj Rezaii was the prison director.

Parvaneh Rahimi got pregnant from jail keepers and for overcoming to her family appeal, she killed her child by diverting the heating radiator on her child head and broken his head in the mothers’ jail at night. The mother was killed by injection of a virus by which she died gradually.

Kobra Vabasteh, 23 years old, with an unhealthy leg, worked in a company of revolutionary guards and 5 guards were raping her from both sides, when her parents got awarded of it, sued them but the innocent girl was taken to jail.

Saltanat, 26 or 27 years old, has been executed after 16 years being jail.
A girl of 24 years old later being in jail for some months, were executed by hanging with wire rope.

Kajal from Democratic party of Kurdestan, when a delegation from Islamic country came to visit prison, explained that this food, blankets fruits, sheets are just because their visit from prison not for all the time. He showed his back to the delegation where was burned by picnic gas. This brave woman was taken for torture when the delegation left. When she was back, her wrist was replaced, even then she tear up any picture of khamene ei hanged on any walls.

Sheida Majd was the daughter of Khorram, she was called by her husband’s name. Before execution, her nails were taken out and her golden ring was in the hand of Maghiseh. Her husband was executed too.

Maman Monir was in jail for 18 years.
Roya was one of the political activists and her husband too. In front of her husband was raped. Her husband suicide in the bathroom of jail and she was psycho sick too.

A lady was arrested just because of being follower of Monarchy, she is now 40 years old. In Jail, she was raped by 3 or 4 men, together, a prono film was made from it.

Mojgan from Shahed district of Tehran Pars was taken to jail. She was 18 years old whom husband was killed in war, she was in jail for 12 years and still is in jail. She had a child of 2 or 3 years old and one day a molla asked her for a temporary marriage but she rejected. The molla used his power to force her. One day Mojgan took molla to her home. She went to sleep her baby but in fact taking a knife from kitchen and returning in the room and attacked molla. She was taken to jail for spying charges. Now she is in jail for 12 years and of raped too. She says that if I knew that I should be raped every day, I could stay outside taking care of my child! Why here!

A girl of 16 being taken to jail whose mother was married with RayShahri. One day that her mother was not home, RayShahri took the opportunity and raped her. When she talked to her mother, RayShahri denied it and her Uncle condemned her fort his and the girl is being taken to jail. She has the execution sentence. She cries every day so badly.

Maryam, scholar of sociology, 4 moths in temporary jail of police, isolation cell, was slashed together with two other ladies then was taken to Evin. Roghayeh and Zinat whom were with her, were executed.

Soheila, cherik fadaii khalgh, ( follower of a Marxist organization) is in jail for 12 years. She has been raped frequently. She is graduated in university and arrested in cultural revolution.

Nastran Riahi, she has been here 3 years before I came in, she is Mojahed, despite writing regret letter, she has been executed.

Parvaneh Mozafari, her brother was paralyzed and his nails were taken out. Before Evin, she was in Karaj prison, she was hanged up on hook, she was tortured a lot. She was transferred to isolation cell. Her interrogator was AbdolRazaghi. She was in Karaj prison for 4 or 5 months. Her parents were executed. She was slaved for mollas in Evin prison ( temporary Islamic riled relation) the molla who was director of there, raping her and praying before rape!

Mijgan was 2 moths before me. She was the third year of medical university, she rejected to autopsy an executed young man of 27 who was political activist and executed, it was explained that he was fighting against Islam, but she rejected and protested to this. She has been tortured and kept in jail fort hat.

In Block 1, room 3, 24 people were tortured because of leaking information.
Fariba 24 years old, political armed struggle activist, was tortured very much and jailed with no sentence.

Aazam, accounting stuff, got information of billions embezzlement , 2/3 of the factory budget was got into pocket of Minister of public insurance. Aazam disclosed it, she was summoned by revolutionary court one year later and got suspended for her work and after getting lawyer and appeal to the sentence, she was taken to Evin with fort the planning against Minister of public insurance. Her daughter Maasoomeh, of 6 year old, was 3 when taken to jail, her daughter was very scared of Kobra khanom.

Parvaneh Rostami 26 or 27 years old, was a political activist and had no sentence, tortured very severely and was in jail for 7 years.

Nahid, was in Evin prison for about 15 years, her hands was paralyzed because of torture. She was 41 years old and member of Toodeh (Communist, New Zeal))Party. She was very wise and all the time struggling( resistance). She was betrayed when delivering document and embezzlement of prison( she leaked information from prison)

Shahla 25 years old and was in prison for 3 years. Her brother was member of a political organization and executed. She went to get her brother body(Corps) but she was addressed to condemned grave yard ( it is a part of Tehran public grave yard named Condemned district). Shahla spitted and shouted. 3 guards arrested her and tortured her very severely then transferred her to the women’s blockjail. She was raped too.

Haj khanom was in Evin for 9 years and she was 52 years old. She was taking care of a baby of 8 month age. The baby’s mother was political prison and gave birth to this baby inside prison, but executed. Haj khanom’s husband was imam of a mosque and their home was in Vosoogh Sq. In Tehran. Her husband in the name if helping women, was receiving women at home and in a room raping them, by imposing Islamic temporary marriage rule. One day a pregnant woman came to their home and saying the Haj khanom’s husband ist he father of her baby and he must take the responsibility. At this time, haj khanom found out how her husband is helping women. Haj khanom helped this woman to sue Imam( haj khanom’s husband) but as usual, imam was found not guilty. The woman goes to higher court to sue again, imam was present in the court too. Imam had a gun at home all the time. Haj khanom took the gun when was going to court. When the verdict was that imam is not guilty. She shot the judge and her husband. Imam was dead.

Fattaneh 22 years old from Arak( a city in center of Iran) her father was in SAVAK ( the intelligence and security organization of Shah) and was killed. Fattaneh was very beautiful. She was taken to the party of high rank authorities and she had to dance fort hem and at the end was given to one molla each time. One day when Fattaneh was returned to jail, she shouted in front of those who came to visit their relatives in prison and leaked all what happening, despite that she had no execution sentence, she was executed after severely tortures. In the time of execution, she was 24 and had sentence of 22 years in jail.

Homa 28 years old. From Ali Goodarz city, student of third year in university. She was with cherk ha ye fadaii khalgh, she was in isolation cell for 3 months then transferred to Evin. All of her nails was taken out and her body was tortured by a pliers. She was virgin but raped in jail.

Nayarreh was mojahed and 8 years in Evin. It was 5 or 6 months that she was transferred to Evin. She was arrested in an explosion operation, she was 18 when arrested and now 26 years old. She signed her execution sentence. On her body was signs of tortures. She was executed.

Mitra was kurd and from Sanandaj, she was in Evin more than a year before me. She had 3 kids. She had arm activity in Democrat party. She was arrested in arm conflict in Baneh. Mitra has no sentence yet but was tortured and raped severly. She had no visitors.

Sorraya was arrested for about 6 or 7 months. She was sentenced 5 years in jail. She had 2 kids. She was raped.

Robabeh was in jail for about 5 years. 32 years old and single. Graduated in university. And political activist. 4 months in isolation cell. Tortured and raped. After five years there was still sign of lashes on her body.

Sima 27 years old. She was in jail for 3 years. She was student of teachers university. And very beautiful. The first person who raped her was Haj Rezaii( prison director). She was tortured and lashed and raped by stick

Mina was about 30 years old. She was Mojahed. And judged by Haj agha Hosseini in revolutionary court. She was raped with a bottle.

Parivash and Parisa were two sister and political activists in Amol operation named Sarbedaran. Their brother could escape. They were in prison since 1981 without any sentence. They were tortured by Amole revolutionary guards and raped. They were tortured very much. Parivash body was burned by cigarettes. The signs of burning was still on her body.

It was 8 months that I was arrested in 1997 and Goli was 9 month of her arrest. Goli was a member of cherik ha ye fadaii khalgh and had execution sentence. In this period, she was severely tortured and raped. On her back was burned by kabab stick the word of Allah( God) her whole body was wounded. She was raped by stick. Goli was 26 years old.

There was a room in Evin where the women with more than 50 years of age were being jailed. They were all with prison background and mostly from Toodeh party. They were 12. their condition was so bad and painful. They were like dead moving. They could not control their urine and had sentence of life in prison. We were going to their room for helping them.

Zeinab was from Gonbad political group. She terrored the molla accompanying Khalkhali. She lost her teeth in torture. She was sentenced to execution. She was severely tortured and raped.

Kobra was from Zahedan and she was suspected for co-operation with arm smuggling and politic activity., she was in Sistan prison for 3 years and 8 months then transferred to Karaj, then to Evin. She was tortured very severely she looked like 30 years old. She was there one and half year before me. Around end of 1995, she was there around 7 years. There was the signs of lashes and burning on her body. She was burned by a tool like welding torch. She was raped and had sentence of 32 years in prison.

Khadijeh Babaii from Karaj, was 5 or 6 month transferred to Evin, she was tortured in zir hasht( a SAVAK period torture center) she was raped.

Hajar came 7 months later, she was from Noshahr and student. From cherik ha ye fadaii khalgh, she was in Noshahr prison for one year. She was raped in Evin. She had no visitor. Her finger was broken in torture. She had no sentence

In the second room of down block 1, near to Naneh Aghdas room, there was a lady whom was in prison for 4 years. She was taken to Evin when giving birth in hospital. She was 27 years old and her husband was Mojahed and executed. There were signs of tortures on her body. The affection of hand cop was on her wrist. She was in isolation cell for 9 months and was arrested in Arash women’s hospital of Tehran Pars. She was just from giving birth bit tortured. She had no sentence.

Mahsa 24 years old, student of second year in medical university. She was arrested for spreading political announcement papers in Toopkhaneh Sq. Of Tehran. She was in isolation cell more one year. She was tortured and raped. Her leg was lamed

Zohereh, mother of two kids, political activist. She was living around Jajrood. 40 years old. 6 months in isolation cell she was in isolation cell 3 months before me. She was tortured very badly and raped. She had no sentence.

Sahar Hedayati, was suspected for playing a role in prono film and was sentenced to death by stone. But it was not true. She was political activist and the interrogators and torturers made porno film with her.

What was the share of women from history! Pain, torture, that’s all! For each millimeter of freedom that she gained, she paid by her dignity and life. For earning a humane life, she is still being tortured, raped and executed by those who fed from her blood and body.

As long as the man run society is the culture of a society and not taken away, women will have no civil right equal in political power share.

As long as women give their energy uselessly and leave the battle to men because of their fear from man rudeness, women will not reach a happy time.

Not only women but also men will be effected by that and cultural corruption will be continued and having a humane, , beautiful society free of corrupt culture, poverty, prostitution , defragmenter family will not be possible.

Women are the occopier of tomorrow. If they take their responsibility seriously and to treat the pain of society and break down the mystery of man run society and its criminal moolas anti women regime who is fighting against women. The political participation of women and creating of a modern regime is the only way of freedom.

Signed by: Zari Erfani
Zurich, Oct. 2006

Pity Moderate Iran

Moderate Iranians are trapped between people like this and people like these.

From the Daily Mail


Hat Tip Zionist Anti Communist

Mexican Marxists Split, But Confident of Success

Mexico is facing two communist infiltrated mass revolutionary movements, the "Broad Progressive Front" of failed presidential candidate Lopez Obrador and the Zapatista dominated "Other Campaign".

Both want to bring Latin American socialism to the US border.

From the Communist Party USA's Peoples Weekly World

MEXICO CITY — The Zapatista Army of National Liberation Army (EZLN) has vowed to continue its campaign to change Mexico’s political and economic system.

The Zapatistas, as part of a larger movement known as “The Other Campaign,” say that they will renew their efforts to organize “a civil and pacifist insurrection” across Mexico to transform the country’s political and economic system. The Other Campaign is a loose coalition of individuals and groups that includes the Party of Mexican Communists, one of the country’s left-wing parties.

The primary goals of The Other Campaign are to abolish capitalism, which it says has led to widespread poverty, and to dismantle the country’s repressive political system.


Subcomandante Marcos at first public meeting of The Other Campaign, 2006 Chiapas

According to EZLN leader Subcomandante Marcos, in a recent interview posted on the web site Radio Zapatista, while armed struggle to change the economic and political system is still an option, The Other Campaign has ruled this out. He predicted that the Zapatista-led campaign could succeed in transforming Mexico before 2010.

Zapatista commanders, including Marcos, have launched a new tour of Mexico to build opposition to the government of President Felipe Calderon. The EZLN is also initiating a solidarity campaign, in Mexico and worldwide, with the indigenous communities in Chiapas, an impoverished state in the country’s southeast.

After Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s center-left movement, The Other Campaign is the second largest opposition group working for change in Mexico. However, both movements are bitterly opposed to each other.

During the 2006 election campaign, Subcomandante Marcos toured the country urging people not to vote for either the National Action Party (PAN), the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) or Lopez Obrador’s coalition For the Good of All (now called the Broad Progressive Front). Marcos charged that Lopez Obrador and his coalition, if elected, would pursue the same right-wing policies implemented by PAN and PRI.

As a result, a bitter rift has emerged between supporters of the EZLN and Lopez Obrador, some of whom charge that Marcos helped PAN and PRI secure more votes by encouraging people who might have been inclined to vote for the left to abstain from voting. Given the history of election rigging in Mexico, The Other Campaign refuses to take part in electoral politics.

Muesli Munching Mentals Monster Meat Mongers

From Indymedia

Over the last few weeks concerned activists have been gluing the locks of two businesses, involved in perpetuating the oppression of both animals and environment.
The Bank of New Zealand and the Mad Butcher have been targeted for their involvement in the Meat Conference, being held in Wellington this 30th and 31st of March.


The agriculture industry is responsible for the brutal murder of millions of animals every year. Animals exist on this Earth for their own reasons, not for humans to dominate and exploit.

Not only is this industry killing animals but the environment is also suffering. Effluent and runoff from dairy is poisoning our waterways and agriculture is destroying our topsoil. Agriculture is the largest contributor to climate change in Aotearoa, the methane and nitrous oxide emissions amounts to 51% of our greenhouse gas contributions.


It is widely accepted that climate change will cause the collapse of entire ecosystems and it will drive over one million species to extinction over the next few decades.

Businesses profiting from death must be stopped by any means necessary; this is just a small reminder that we are watching and their end will come!

Can you believe these loonies?

Criminal activity justified by nature worship, bogus environmentalism, climate change myths and self righteous messianic saviour complex.

Proof that lack of animal fat in the human diet leads to brain dysfunction.

Rodney Rules the Runway

Who'd have thought this was possible a year ago?


Kirkcaldie & Stains broke with tradition this season, taking the autumn fashion show out of the store and into the Wellington Town Hall for the first time. It was a brave move which paid off with close on 700 people attending. Celebrity models Lorraine Downs and MP Rodney Hide joined over 40 models who strutted the catwalk to show women’s, men’s, children’s wear as well as lingerie and fashion accessories.

Hat Tip Rodney Hide

Christchurch Anti Anti-Smacking Bill March

I went on my first ever protest march yesterday. With 2,000 other brave souls (including several ACT members) I marched through central Christchuch, in the pouring rain, in opposition to Sue bradford's proposed anti-smacking law.


From TV1 News

About 2,000 people packed a rain-soaked Cathedral Square in Christchurch on Wednesday, to protest against the anti-smacking bill which would remove the defence of reasonable force from Section 59 of the Crimes Act.

The crowd marched two city blocks from Victoria Square to the Cathedral shortly after midday, where speeches were delivered by Newstalk ZB's Ali Jones and broadcasters Simon Barnett and Gary McCormack to thunderous applause.

Jones says the issue is bigger than whether to smack or not. He says it is about allowing the average loving New Zealand parent the right to chose how to fairly and reasonably raise their children.

Update

The Labour government is to adopt Bradford's bill as their own. Theoretically this means it could be passed within a few days.

Helen Clark must want that UN job pretty badly to risk her party's future with such unpopular legislation.

Chinese Pressure NZ Media

I recently posted on the exclusion of journalist Nick Wang from a function at Parliament for Chinese vice premier Zeng Peiyan.

I have heard many stories about local Chinese government supporters pressuring the NZ Chinese media, so I was not surprised, but grateful when Auckland's Triangle TV CEO, J W Blackman wrote this comment;

I am the Founder & CEO of Triaqngle Television in Auckland - we broadcast to Auckland and Wellington - Nick Wang provides a programme on Asian affairs to our Wellington station. It is our policy not to have any form of editorial control on programme providers who purchase time to air their views - rather we rely on the requirements of Broadcast Standards to ensure that appropriate broadcast is achieved.

In Auckland we broadcast a paid programme supplied by the Falungong movement.
A few years ago, I was rung by the Chinese Consul in Auckland expressing concern that we broadcast Falun Dafa/Falun Gong programmes in Auckland saying that it wasn't "helpful" and was embarrassing to the Chinese people here, and therefore it might be a good idea and helpful (I am not quite sure who to) if we were not to screen these shows.

I explained that we operated a Govt owned frequency under a policy of open access with no editorial influence unless the programme might conflict with BSA etc., and that we would not censor programming - I also pointed out that the Chinese Govt was fully entitled to provide programming that countered any claims or were totally entitled to complain to BSA if they felt we were contravening the standard.

The Consul was far from happy with this - and we heard no more - but it was noticeable that the programming we screened by mainland Chinese people dried up, and even screening CCTV4 and CCTV 9 became difficult.

A check on websites that are banned and blocked in China will show that Triangle TV's Auckland website is one of these. I have no doubt that this is as a result of our broadcast of Falungong programming and I am sure we will shortly find TTV Wellington website blocked as well!!

I have no doubt that Nick is capable of pushing the boundaries, and good on him for doing that but I am equally sure, based on my own experience of the Chinese officials, that he would indeed have been targeted. I am not sure that Dr Cullen and others would be aware of the way they Officials work.

J W Blackman

Thankyou for your insight.

There is little doubt in the local Chinese community, that Chinese government agents and allies keep a close eye on potential "troublemakers".

This issue needs to be confronted and brought out into the open.

I am happy to publish any more examples of this kind of behaviour by Beijing officials or sympathisers.

Maybe the MSM could even look into it. There is a big story here.

Barack Obama's Marxist Mentor

The US far left is divided on whether to support Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama for the Democratic Presidential nomination.

While both have cultivated a moderate image in recent times, both undoubtedly come from the left.

Clinton's youthful Marxist ties have been well documented, but it appears that even Obama has some socialist influence in his background.

Certainly the Hawaiian based East West Centre where Obama's Kenyan father and American met is a well known centre of leftist thought.

Now the Communist Party USA is claiming Barack Obama as its spiritual heir.

US academic Gerald Horne, a member of the editorial board of the CPUSA's theoretical journal, Political Affairs wrote this piece in its latest online version.

Horne is commenting on the alleged leftist views of US ethnic minorities.

When these sources are explored, I think scholars of the future will be struck by, for example, the response in Honolulu when tens of thousands of workers went on strike when labor and CP leaders were convicted of Smith Act violations in 1953 – a response totally unlike the response on the mainland. Of course 98% of these workers were of Asian-Pacific ancestry, which suggests that scholars have also been derelict in analyzing why these workers were less anti-communist than their Euro-American counterparts.


In any case, deploring these convictions in Hawaii was an African-American poet and journalist by the name of Frank Marshall Davis, who was certainly in the orbit of the CP – if not a member – and who was born in Kansas and spent a good deal of his adult life in Chicago, before decamping to Honolulu in 1948 at the suggestion of his good friend Paul Robeson.

Eventually, he befriended another family – a Euro-American family – that had migrated to Honolulu from Kansas and a young woman from this family eventually had a child with a young student from Kenya East Africa who goes by the name of Barack Obama, who retracing the steps of Davis eventually decamped to Chicago.

In his best selling memoir ‘Dreams of my Father’, the author speaks warmly of an older black poet, he identifies simply as "Frank" as being a decisive influence in helping him to find his present identity as an African-American, a people who have been the least anticommunist and the most left-leaning of any constituency in this nation –

At some point in the future, a teacher will add to her syllabus Barack’s memoir and instruct her students to read it alongside Frank Marshall Davis’ equally affecting memoir, "Living the Blues"...

According to African American Review of Summer/Fall 2003;

In Davis's case, his political commitments led him to join the American Communist Party during the middle of World War II--even though he never publicly admitted his Party membership.

Will the CPUSA back Barack?

US Preparing to Attack Iran?

From Novosti

MOSCOW, March 27 Russian military intelligence services are reporting a flurry of activity by U.S. Armed Forces near Iran's borders, a high-ranking security source said Tuesday.

"The latest military intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran," the official said, adding that the Pentagon has probably not yet made a final decision as to when an attack will be launched.

He said the Pentagon is looking for a way to deliver a strike against Iran "that would enable the Americans to bring the country to its knees at minimal cost."

Russia/China Build Alliance

From Novosti


The leaders of Russia and China met in Moscow Monday to discuss the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs, and cooperation within a post-Soviet security organization and in space security.

In their joint declaration concluding the first day of the Chinese leader's three-day visit to Moscow, Vladimir Putin and Hu Jintao said Iran had the right to peaceful nuclear energy if it observed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

"Russia and China believe that Iran's nuclear problem must be resolved purely through peaceful means and negotiations," said the joint declaration.

Russia, which is building a $1-billion nuclear power plant in southern Iran, has been following a softer stance on Iran and opposed any tighter sanctions against the country.

At their meeting in Moscow, Putin and Hu also agreed to maintain intensive cooperation in other international affairs, including within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Russian leader said.

"We are positive that our joint efforts will help enhance the security of Russia and China, and will promote stability in Central Asia, in the Asia-Pacific Region and in the world as a whole," Putin said after Hu announced last week the SCO was preparing for further expansion.

Apart from Russia and China, the organization presently includes Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan and Afghanistan have observer status.

Indian Murder Update for Workers Party People

Here is a murder update for the Workers Party. The table, compiled by Indian Naxal Terror Watch details the killings carried out by your Maoist Naxalite comrades in India in 2006.

Please note that in every state, civilian murders (liberations)outweigh the number of security personnel killed.


Just thought you'd like to know.

Animal "Rights" Criminals At It Again

From Indymedia

Last night (26th March) Animal Rights Activists broke into the Cheeky Chicken battery hen farm on Airfield Road in Papakura, Auckland.

We liberated 30 hens from the filthy and disgusting conditions.


Our actions need no further explanation, as has been said many times before we will continue liberating animals and exposing abuse until it stops."

India Seeks A/NZ Support for Nuclear Power

From Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency

Aiming to muster the support of all members of the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) for its civil nuclear aspirations, India will seek next week to persuade Australia and New Zealand to shun their reservations on the issue.

Shyam Saran, the special envoy on the nuclear issue, will visit these countries from Tuesday to explain in detail the reasons for India's aspirations for civil nuclear energy while pointing out its impeccable record in non-proliferation, said a "The Times of India" report.

Saran, the interlocutor for the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, will meet ministers and officials of Australia and New Zealand during his stay there to try and assuage their concerns with regard to backing New Delhi's aspirations.

Besides getting Australia's support at the NSG, India would like to have bilateral cooperation with it as it is known to have one of largest uranium reserves in the world.

Saran is expected to underline the fact that India requires civil nuclear power to meet its growing energy needs in view of its rapid economic progress.

As India's economy continues to grow, experts have said its energy needs will grow manifold in the coming years, putting a huge burden on fossil fuels and affecting the ecology.

The enactment of a law by the US to allow civil nuclear trade with India despite its strategic programme is expected to be cited to back New Delhi's case.

New Zealand too has reservations about supporting India in this area as it has not signed the NPT.

Several countries, including the US, Britain, France and Russia, have declared their support for India's case. They have sought an end to India's nuclear isolation despite it not signing the NPT, with an emphasis that the exception be made only for it.

South Africa, Brazil and some other nations have shed their reservations after being convinced about India's peaceful ambitions.

Will India Ally With Russia, China and Iran Against the West?

India is being pushed/enticed to join a growing neo-communist bloc on two fronts.

From below the pressure comes from an allegedly Chinese/Pakistani backed Maoist insurgency that effects a third of the country.


From above, India is being lured into the Chinese/Russian led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation with promises of economic and energy rewards. The influential Communist Party of India (Marxist) is playing a leading role in the pro-SCO lobby.

From Novosti

BEIJING, March 20 (RIA Novosti)-Cooperation between China, Russia and India will benefit global as well as regional development, Chinese leader Hu Jintao said Tuesday.

"Trilateral cooperation between China, Russia and India is not aimed against any third party, and is beneficial for the development of these three nations and that of the world at large," Hu said in an interview with Russian media.

He said China, Russia and India, which play an increasingly important role in the global arena, have shared interests and see eye to eye on many key issues of international concern.

"All three countries advocate a multi-polar world, the democratization of international relations, and the preservation of world diversity; they want international issues and interstate disputes to be settled on the basis of universally accepted norms of international law and seek a consolidated role for the United Nations," said the Chinese leader.

China, Russia, and India cooperate, specifically, through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional security alliance currently composed of six full member states and five observers.

According to the Chinese leader, the SCO is now preparing a document on further expansion.

Its full-fledged members include China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan; India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan and Afghanistan have observer status.


Blue-current members of SCO, green-observer members of SCO

Should SCO expand to include India, Pakistan and Iran, it will encompass not only the bulk of the world's population, but two of the world's fastest growing economies and a huge percentage of the world's known oil and gas reserves.

It will also become a hugely significant military bloc.

The SCO is allied with most of red Latin America and South Africa and will be able to exert huge political, miltary and energy pressure on the European Union.

Of course Russia, China, Iran and India would never use this tremendous power against the West, would they?

ALF-Anarchist Loonies Filmed?

The world is plagued by ego driven, self centred no-nothings who indulge in criminal behaviour to win the esteem of their peers.

Now some of them have glorified their criminality in a film.

From Indymedia


Screening of BEHIND THE MASK
Wednesday 4th April
7pm
Trades Hall
147-151 Great North Road
Grey Lynn
$5 on the door

After spending nearly 11 years in prison for breaking into an animal experimentation laboratory to expose animal cruelty, a young man is finally released and risks it all again to save more animals.

Who is he? What kind of a person would risk so much to save the lives of animals?

The Animal Liberation Front, comprised of clandestine animal rights activists, is now labeled the #1 domestic terrorist threat by the FBI.

Who are these animal liberationists and why do they believe that breaking the law is the best way to help animals? What inspires them to challenge the status quo, fight against all odds, and endure public reproach?

Director Shannon Keith goes BEHIND THE MASK and captures the hearts and souls of men and women who unveil their individual struggles for Animal Liberation.

This controversial documentary weaves together the lives of people who face jail, devastation, and even death for their ideals.

BEHIND THE MASK exposes never-before-seen footage that reveals the extent to which these individuals will go to save the lives of animals.

People of all ages and backgrounds, from all over the globe, tell their tales of liberation, incarceration, sacrifice and determination, while exclusive underground footage reveals heart-thumping action sure to leave you wondering, who are these people?

We Must Not Offend Great Zeng Peiyan

From Stuff

An official ceremony at Parliament was temporarily shelved last night after the delegation of Chinese vice-premier Zeng Peiyan objected to journalists' presence at a function.

A Government spokesman said there had been a misunderstanding over whether two journalists working for the same organisation were allowed at an official meet and greet.

Journalist Nick Wang and cameraman/editor Tony Clark went to an office on the eighth floor of the Beehive to document Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen meeting the Chinese vice-premier.

The photo opportunity had been listed in a media advisory.

Clark said the two men were prevented from properly doing their job after a "local Chinese intelligence guy" told a member of the Diplomatic Protection Squad that Wang was "a problem".

While members of the Chinese media travelling with the delegation were allowed into the meeting room to observe the official handshake, Clark and Wang were escorted by a uniformed police officer to the office of Parliament's Speaker.

Clark said he had been given permission to film on the premises by the Speaker. Wang is an accredited member of the Press Gallery which means he has a pass to allow him access to Parliament's buildings.

Both men work for New Zealand Asia TV and Capital Chinese news, a New Zealand-based Chinese language newspaper. They produce a half-hour show on Triangle Television, reporting on Asian events in the Wellington region.

The chairwoman of Parliament's Press Gallery Marie McNicholas was called after the Chinese delegation protested at the journalist's presence.

The pair went to the Beehive venue where an official signing ceremony was to be held but the Chinese delegation refused to take part at the assigned time while Wong was there.

The official line was that the signing ceremony was held later because talks had gone on longer than expected.

The signing related to agreements on standards, technical documents that would have been agreed long in advance.

I Care

Anonymous posted this comment on my recent post on the anti Anti Smacking Bill march.

Hmm, dont care about children, animals the environment, poor people.... I think im detecting a pattern in trev's blogging.

I'm not usually bothered by insults anon, but I won't let this comment go by.

Firstly I love kids anon-read my posts on adopting. I chose to be a parent and it was bloody hard work. My kids didn't arrive by accident and I put my heart and soul into bringing them up as best I can.

Don't ever come on my blog and tell me I don't care about kids-mine or anyone elses.

I also care about animals and animal welfare-not as much as kids-but I do care.

Re the environment-I grew up in and on the Waimak and Kaiapoi rivers-I saw pollution first hand. I watched as the woollen mills, the fellmongery and the freezing works spilt their foul shit into my rivers, day in day out.

I spent most weekends of my youth in the outdoors-fishing for trout on the West Coast, salmon on the Waiau and herrings and kahawai in the Waimak-hunting rabbits, ducks and geese on the Hurunui and the Rakaia. Every morning before school I was out whitebaiting or duckshooting-walking through frozen swamps and freezing rivers, watching the sun rise through the branches of my mai mai.

Don't tell me I don't care about my environment.

Don't tell me either I don't care about the poor. I have agitated in my industry to improve the apprenticeship system so that more young people can get a shot at learning a trade. I've spent thousands of hours personally teaching young people trade skills and basic numeracy so that they will have more chance of earning better money.

I joined ACT because I was fucking sick of a Labour government screwing over the people it claims to help and a National Party concerned with little beyond winning power and maintaining the status quo.

I am a revolutionary. I want a society where your reward is determined by your contribution. I want to end school zoning so everyone can get the best education possible. Will it drop the house prices in Epsom and Fendalton? Tough shit.

I want low taxes so that every individual can look after themselves and not be beholden to that heartless bitch Helen Clark for a handout.

How many people die every year on Labour's waiting lists? How many people suffer needlessly because they can't get the treatment they need from the socialists?

I joined ACT to end that evil shit.

You can argue about my methods. You can call me stupid or misguided.

But don't ever tell me I don't care.

Maoists Bash Police

A top priority of any decent socialist revolutionary organisation is the erosion of public confidence in the police.

Unfortunately, the NZ Police Department has make the left's job easy by their abandonment of standards and wimpy political correctness.

The socialist feminists had a go a couple of weeks ago-now the Maoists are putting the slipper in.

Subtle, aren't they?

From Indymedia


Fuck the Police" in the latest upcoming talk by the Workers' Party we'll discuss the concept of a police force, it's ties with capitalism, the police rape trials, their relevance as well as other issues swirling about the political landscape currently.

Ya Gotta Love This Lawyer!

Former ACT Justice spokesman, Stephen Franks is one no bullshit lawyer.

He's been blogging more regularly lately here

On Labour's heinous proceeds of crime bill (Pusillanimous means cowardly);

March 21st, 2007 Good to hear the Green and Maori Parties’ spirited defence of that ancient and vital principle. They oppose the bill to allow confiscation on suspicion of criminal connections. It would allow it without conviction, or even when a conviction is overturned.

Shame on the pusillanimous parties that supported it, especially NZ First and National. They should expose disgraceful smokescreen bills like these as Labour’s desperate attempt to look tough on crime.

On the Kathie Rifle prosecution;

March 21st, 2007 Does anyone else hear the echo of Stalin’s show trials in Kathie Rifle’s guilty plea on Monday? Desperately remorseful, she and her husband Jack publicly accepted that the police had to lay careless driving charges against her. The Rifles just wanted to get the process over. The pain won’t end for them.

The world has never understood why so many of Stalin’s victims went to their deaths publicly apologising for crimes they had never committed. I think we are seeing the mechanism here.

When the entire establishment backs a justice system has been perverted beyond recognition its victims lose confidence in their own judgment. They assume that because they are out of step they deserve the pain inflicted on them. Some even thanked Stalin for his wisdom in ignoring their inability to remember what they had done wrong.

Six months ago three of Mrs Rifle’s children were killed and she was seriously injured when her car landed upside down in a culvert. The cause of the accident is not known. Probably she fell asleep.

What’s the purpose of charging her? What conceivable good can charges do in such circumstances? What court punishment could mean a thing beside her current suffering?. What victim is avenged by these stupid charges? What deterrence can it possibly achieve, greater than the deterrence of losing your loved children, your own health and your car? What conduct is it supposed to denounce and correct - she does not even know what happened. No one does.

Who is protected by this disgraceful police practice of criminalising people with no evil intent? Police do not have the resources even to answer calls for help from victims of deliberate wickedness! Yet they pour thousands of man hours into accidents that no one intends.

Our criminal law has travelled far in the last four decades. It was focussed on the guilty mind, on conscious wrongdoing. Not any longer.

Now the Police would rather force a 35 year old mother, described by the judge as a decent person who had led a blameless life, to weep her guilt in front of a judge, to spend their money on lawyers and then to reassure the Police that they were doing them no wrong.

On the Blair government’s approach to crime and on the legitimacy of retaliation;

March 21st, 2007 Britain now has 34 murderers on whole of life sentences. They will die in prison. Their Court of Appeal just increased a sentence from 30 years to 50. Lord Falconer responded to the top judge’s complaint that “the prisons will be full of geriatrics”, with the hope that others, like Ian Brady who had not got whole of life sentences, would also never be let out. Best of all, he gave a robust justification for retribution as a legitimate purpose of punishment.

In 6 years of Parliament I never heard another NZ politician risk a defence of retribution. And more sad still, all the victims I’ve met through Sensible Sentencing have felt obliged to offer the PC mantra that they are not looking for retribution. The authorised piety perverts the honest need to see punishment into “all I want is to ensure that this does not happen to anybody else”.

Sympathetic questioning reveals the contortions required to believe and say that. You’ll find of course they want the criminal to pay the proper price. I know of no culture that did not base justice on reciprocity. Nearly all our victims feel the the offender should suffer something. Securing that helps them feel the world is not entirely unbalanced. In short our stifling official cant forces the victims of even our worst crimes to feel ashamed of their natural and laudable desire to retaliate.

Public March To Protest Anti-Smacking Bill.

I dont normally go in for marches and rallies, but this issue is too important too ignore.

Public March To Protest Anti-Smacking Bill

All Christchurch is encouraged to make the time to attend the Public March To Protest Anti-Smacking Bill.

When? Wednesday 28 March 12pm
Where? Victoria Square (close to Cathedral Square)
Speakers: Simon Barnett and Gary McCormick from MoreFM's show Si&Gary, Ali Jones from NewsTalk ZB.

www.politik.co.nz has all the information plus a map of where to meet.

This is quite likely the most significant protest march you will ever attend - do not miss it. We must show the Government - who have been ignoring the public - exactly what us Kiwis do think on this crucial issue.

Good parents will be criminalised if Bradford's bill becomes Law.

Make sure that it doesn't by supporting the march!

There will be marches also in Wellington, Nelson and Fielding. www.politik.co.nz has all the information on these marches, plus news updates, polls to vote in, petition forms and info on how to email the MPs.

Who is Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri? Why Did He Come to New Zealand?

According to an Iranian news report, a very senior Iranian official and his entourage recently visited New Zealand.

From Islamic Republic News Agency

Ayatollah Mohammadi Ray-Shahri and his entourage visited Malaysian Hajj Organization and its Investment Fund here on Friday and discussed issues of mutual interest with the Malaysian officials.

In a meeting with the Malaysian Hajj Investment Fund officials, they expounded on services of the organization especially the financial support given to the pilgrims.

Malaysia has an annual quota of 26,000 pilgrims for Hajj and 190,000 candidates are awaiting their turn.

Ayatollah Ray-Shahri and his accompanying delegation, who arrived in Malaysia Thursday evening from New Zealand, will stay there until Tuesday.

I have found no other record of this man's visit to New Zealand. An extremely high-ranking figure in Iran, I would have thought there would have been at least some media comment.

Who is this Ayatollah Ray-Shahri? Why did he come to New Zealand? Why might it be significant?

Ray-Shahri is also known as Rayshahri and Reyshahri. I will use the most common spelling, Reyshahri.


Reyshahri was born Mohammad Mohammadi Nik in 1946 in the city of Ray, near Tehran. In 1960, he entered Burhaan Theological School in Ray.

He finished his seminary studies in Qom just before the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

Reyshahri married the nine-year old daughter of Ayatollah Ali Meshkini in 1968. It was Ayatollah Meshkini who first called him "Reyshahri" (of the city of Ray).

After the Islamic Revolution's victory, Reyshahri held various positions in public office, including chief judge of the Military Revolutionary Tribunal in the immediate post-revolution period.

He was also the first Iranian Minister of Intelligence under Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi. The Iranian parliament passed legislation on creating an intelligence agency in 1983 and the Intelligence and Security Ministry was established the next year in an effort to eliminate competition between numerous institutions and committees. Reyshahri headed the ministry from 1984 until 1989. He later served as prosecutor of the Special Court for the Clergy.

In Iranian dissident circles Reysharhri is regarded as one of the Iranian revolutions most senior criminal/politicians.

Here is his file from the the National Council of Resistance of Iran Website

Name: Mohammad
Family Name: Mohammadi Rayshahri

POSITION IN 1988:
Minister of Intelligence

CURRENT POSITION:
Representative of Supreme Leader Khamenei for the pilgrimage to Mecca.

OTHER POSITIONS:
Judge of the Special Court for the Clergy; judge in the Revolutionary Tribunal ;President of the Military Tribunals; founder of the Ministry of Intelligence.

CHARGES RELATED TO THE MASSACRE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN 1988:

-1 Appointment of the death committees, each consisting of three members, in Tehran and the provinces. These committees interviewed all prisoners and decided who should be executed. Montazeri reveals that the committees were dominated by the Intelligence Ministry representatives, who insisted on the highest number of executions.

-2 Rayshahri headed an oversight committee in Evin Prison. On the first day of the massacre, this committee drew up details for the execution of more than 10,000 political prisoners in Tehran on Khomeini's orders. Other members were Raissi, Nayyeri, Mortazavi, Mohseni-Ezhei, Mobasheri. and Pourmohammadi.

-3 The arbitrary detention of thousands of former political prisoners and young supporters of the Mojahedin and the re-arrest of thousands of released political prisoners. His ministry organized the execution by firing squads of these victims along with political prisoners.

OTHER CHARGES:

-1 Ordering the execution of dozens of people during the years 1979 through 1981 as a roving Revolutionary Judge in Gachsaran, Dezful, Behbahan, Khorramabad and Borujerd.

"-2 Purges" of thousands of dissident military personnel as chief judge and prosecutor of Military Tribunals from 1980 through 1984. He personally ordered the execution of several hundred servicemen during this period.

-3 Detention of many dissident clergymen and the execution of several of them.

-4 As the founder of the Intelligence Ministry, he was responsible for institutionalizing torture, kidnapping, murder, sexual assault on women detainees and an endless list of crimes committed by the Intelligence Ministry agents under his command.

REMARKS:

Several former personnel of the Ministry of Intelligence and Evin Prison are ready to give eyewitness testimony about Rayshahri's crimes against humanity in any trial.

According to Wikipedia;

Most famous achievements of Reyshahri has been the discovery of two abortive coups: Nozheh coup, which was supposed to happen on July 8, 1980 by supporters of Shapour Bakhtiar, and was reported to Reyshahri by Saeed Hajjarian, and the Ghotbzadeh coup, which led to the execution of Sadegh Ghotbzadeh and the removal of Ayatollah Kazem Shariatmadari from being a marja by the Society of Teachers of the Qom Hawza, and his later death (of cancer) in April, 1986.


Others have implicated Reyshahri in ordering the machinegun assassination of leaders of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, Sadeq Sharafkandi, Fattah Abdoli, Homayoun Ardalan and their translator Nouri Dehkordi at The Mykonos Restaurant, Berlin in 1992.

The delegates of the PDKI were in Berlin for a conference of the Socialist International, held from September 15th to the 17th of that year.

The Berlin Supreme Court trial, which concluded in April 1997, convicted one Iranian and four Lebanese for the murder of the four men. The German judge said that the order to assassinate the Iranians came from Tehran.

From the IranHuman Rights Documentation Centre

The origins of the Mykonos attack can be traced to the decision by the IRI’s Special Affairs Committee to appoint Hojjatoleslam Ali Fallahian, then Iran’s Minister of Intelligence, to oversee the elimination of PDKI's leadership.

The Special Affairs Committee was established after Ayatollah Khomeini’s death in 1989 to make decisions on important matters of state. The committee's existence is not provided for by the constitution. The fact that the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is the head of the committee, and that the IRI's “guardianship of the jurist” doctrine endows the Supreme Leader with extraordinary powers, effectively places the committee above both the government and the parliament.

At the time of the Mykonos assassinations the other permanent members were Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, then President; Ali Fallahian, then Minister of Intelligence; Ali Akbar Velayati, then Foreign Minister; Mohammad Reyshahri, a former Minister of Intelligence; Mohsen Rezai, then General Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard; Reza Seifollahi, then head of the Islamic Republic of Iran's police; and Ayatollah Khazali, a member of the Guardian Council.

One of the issues handled by the committee was the suppression and elimination of political opposition to the Islamic Republic. Assassinations both at home and abroad were ordered directly by Ayatollah Khomeini while he was alive.

After Khomeini’s death, the responsibility for recommending individual assassinations fell to the Special Affairs Committee. Once the committee's recommendation was approved by the Supreme Leader, an individual committee member would be charged with implementing the decision with the assistance of the Ministry of Intelligence’s Special Operations Council

The council’s operational commanders received a written order signed by the Supreme Leader authorizing an assassination.

Documents of the Mykonos Case] 171-2 and 194-5 (Mihran Payandih et al. trans. 2000). 25Mesbahi noted, “I myself, in another case, saw such an order with Khomeini’s signature, although I was not the operational commander. This case regarded Khusru Harandi (Hadi Khursandi).

Mohammad Musavizadih, the Deputy of Mohammad Reyshahri, then Minister of Intelligence and Security, came to Dusseldorf with a copy of the order. There, me and him[Musavizadih] met with the head of the hit team and his deputy….I was their interpreter and translated the order from Farsi to French.”

Ironically New Zealand temporarily cut diplomatic relations with Iran over the assassinations.

In 1991, Reyshahri became leader leader of the Iranian delegation to the Hajj pilgrimage. Reyshahri founded the Society for the Defense of Values of the Islamic Revolution in 1996 and stood as its candidate in the 1997 presidential election. He came 4th out four "approved" candidates.

Why would a leading member of the Iranian elite-steeped in intelligence experience-leave it all to promote religious pilgrimage?

This January 2006 article from the official website of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei hints at Reyshahni's possible role.

The Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei received a group of officials and executives in charge of the hajj pilgrimage on Saturday, January 28.

Speaking at the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the mental and spiritual development of Muslims as the most important goal pursued by the hajj pilgrimage.

The Leader stated that the precious opportunity provided during the hajj season should be utilized in an appropriate manner. He also advised the officials and executives in the charge of the hajj pilgrimage to provide the pilgrims with the necessary facilities so that they may derive the most spiritual and cultural benefit from their pilgrimage.

Further in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that the increasing inclination on the part of Muslim nations toward the Islamic Republic of Iran stems from the nature and character of the Islamic Revolution and the thoughts and views of the Founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, late Imam Khomeini.

The Leader of the Islamic Republic also hinted at the explicit stances taken by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the important issues of the Islamic world and toward the United States, describing these stances as instrumental in raising the Muslim nations' inclination to the Islamic Republic.

At the meeting, the Leader’s representative for the hajj affairs and caretaker of the Iranian hajj pilgrims, Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Mohammadi-Rayshahri, presented a report on the great hajj congress. He also referred to the holding of a glorious ceremony marking the disavowal of infidels and seven international seminars with the participation of intellectuals and scholars from the Islamic world during the hajj season.

Hojjatoleslam Mohammadi-Rayshahri further said that the increasing inclination expressed by Muslim pilgrims from other countries to the Islamic Republic of Iran and their rising hatred of the United States were among the points worthy of attention during the hajj season this year.

Reyshahni's role obviously goes well beyond the religious. Are the Iranians are attempting to use the Haji pilgrimage to propagandise Muslims to support the Iranian line against the United States and the West?

According to this irna news report of April 22nd 2006? from Mecca;

The leader of the Iranian hajj pilgrims, hojjatoleslam Mohammad Mohammadi Rayshahri, told a seminar of Afghan people here on monday that "jihad and unity of words were two important elements which will help Afghanistan emerge out of the present crisis."

Hojjatoleslam Rayshahri stated that "all the misery and tragedy which has befallen the Afghan nation is due to the unsuccessful attempts of the enemies to unfold their conspiracies in the war torn nation in order to take full advantage of the situation.

Several obvious questions arise;

Did Reyshahni visit New Zealand as reported?

If so, why was a man with his alleged past and openly jihadist views allowed into this country?

Who did Reyshahni meet with in New Zealand?

Was he promoting the Hajj to local Muslims?

Is there a danger that New Zealand Muslims could be steered towards Iranian style extremism, by Reyshahni and his operation?

Perhaps some of our MSM journalists could find some answers to these questions?

A Brief History of Indian Communism

From the left wing Indian magazine Tehelka


Interview with leftist writer Arundhati Roy

The Communist Party of India, the CPI, was formed in 1925. The CPI (M), or what we now call the CPM — the Communist Party Marxist — split from the CPI in 1964 and formed a separate party. Both, of course, were parliamentary political parties.

In 1967, the CPM, along with a splinter group of the Congress, came to power in West Bengal. At the time there was massive unrest among the peasantry starving in the countryside. Local CPM leaders — Kanu Sanyal and Charu Mazumdar — led a peasant uprising in the district of Naxalbari which is where the term Naxalites comes from.

In 1969, the government fell and the Congress came back to power under Siddhartha Shankar Ray. The Naxalite uprising was mercilessly crushed — Mahasweta Devi has written powerfully about this time.

In 1969, the CPI (ML) — Marxist Leninist — split from the CPM. A few years later, around 1971, the CPI (ML) devolved into several parties: the CPM-ML (Liberation), largely centred in Bihar; the CPM-ML (New Democracy), functioning for the most part out of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar; the CPM-ML (Class Struggle) mainly in Bengal. These parties have been generically baptised 'Naxalites'. They see themselves as Marxist Leninist, not strictly speaking Maoist. They believe in elections, mass action and — when absolutely pushed to the wall or attacked — armed struggle.

The MCC — the Maoist Communist Centre, at the time mostly operating in Bihar — was formed in 1968. The PW, People's War, operational for the most part in Andhra Pradesh, was formed in 1980.

Recently, in 2004, the MCC and the pw merged to form the CPI (Maoist) They believe in outright armed struggle and the overthrowing of the State. They don't participate in elections. This is the party that is fighting the guerrilla war in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

Does National Thinks This is Acceptable?

The National Party says it will not alter Labour's Employment Relations Act, should it win the next election.

That means it is willing to allow this kind of abomination to continue. How much damage is this kind of corruption doing to our economy? How much harm is it doing to this country's work ethic and moral standards?

From this morning's Christchurch Press

An Air New Zealand employee fired after being caught spending up to a third of his working hours accessing internet sites, including dating and online chat services, was unjustifiably dismissed, the Employment Relations Authority has determined.

However, the authority awarded Brian Crisp, who worked as a cargo training co-ordinator for Air New Zealand for more than 25 years before his dismissal in 2005, just $2000 in compensation, saying his behaviour significantly contributed to his dismissal.

In its determination, released today, the authority said Air NZ management became concerned about Mr Crisp's internet usage in March 2005.

A subsequent investigation found he spent between 20 and 30 percent of his work time on the internet, with the majority of sites visited for personal use.

In February 2005, Mr Crisp spent 57 hours on the internet, with extensive visits to a dating site during work hours.

Air NZ internet policy warned against unauthorised internet usage and wasting company "time and resources".

However, the authority found Air NZ's internet usage policy was not specific enough in relation to non-business-related email or internet access.

It also said there were weaknesses in the analysis of Mr Crisp's internet access which made it impossible to be exact about the extent of Mr Crisp's access during working hours.

In light of those determinations, it said Mr Crisp's summary dismissal was not the action a "fair and reasonable" employer would have taken, and was therefore unjustified.

However, it said Mr Crisp was not entitled to a high award, and ordered Air NZ to pay him $2000 as compensation for injury to his feelings.

Solidarity Strikes Out

Matt McCarten's UNITE union focuses on youth and low paid workers in the service sector. UNITE is also heavily infiltrated by the Maoist/Trotskyist Workers Party.

Meanwhile the Pure Trotskyists of Socialist Worker have started their own union to organise low paid factory and industrial workers.

The new union is called "Solidarity" and its only two officials are Secretary Grant Morgan (leader of Socialist Worker) and Campaigns Officer Joe Carolan, formerly with UNITE and a prominent member of Socialist Worker.

After a street by street, factory by factory recruitment campaign, Solidarity has begun to flex its muscles.


From Indymedia

Solidarity Union activists today protested at the Management Headquarters of MetroGlass iin Auckland's East Tamaki, to highlight the new Australian owner's intransigence on providing an adequate redundancy provision in their contracts. MetroGlass was recently sold for over $350 million to Australian speculators Catalyst Investments, in a surprising move that startled and upset workers.

"We have seen what happened at Feltex, and at Progressive, and workers in MetroGlass are concerned that despite repeated management promises the company would not be sold to overseas owners, it was. Now there is promises of no re-structuring or redundancies. Well, if this is the case, it won't cost MetroGlass a cent to include a decent redundancy clause in these workers contracts, since they promise they have no intention to lay anyone off".

"We've been waiting four months for management to get back to us on this issue", said Solidarity Union's Joe Carolan. "85 workers signed a petition in October in favour of a 10 by 2 redundancy agreement- 10 weeks pay for anyone laid off, with a further 2 weeks on top for every additional year worked at the firm. MetroGlass is one of Auckland's leading glass companies- the workers there think they should also lead the way in conditions and pay."

Is Far Left Behind the Anti-Smacking Campaign?

What evidence do I have the the far left is involved in the anti smacking campaign?

Here's an unsigned piece from the pro-Soviet, Socialist Unity Party's "Tribune" of 16.7.90 p5.

Tuesday, July 8th was a great day for NZ. On that day the physical abuse of children in NZ schools was made illegal...

People who believed that respect could be hammered into the hide of a child found out how much things had changed in the 60s and 70s with the mass defection of young adults from society's punitive and self righteous values.

These people make up the hundreds of thousands of NZers who choose more peaceful and reasonable methods of rearing their own children, who opposed ties with the apartheid regime and who insisted on a nuclear free domestic and international policy and a healthy environment.

At last our official treatment of children has caught up with the values of the 80% of the people.

What took us so long?

Now perhaps we can start working to make hitting children in the home illegal.

It is clear that the SUP saw the abolition of corporal punishment in schools as part of a wider movement for social change.

It is also clear that they grossly and deliberately exaggerated public support for their values. Nothing's changed there, has it?

It is also clear that the far left had the banning of smacking in their sights at least 17 years ago.

I have made the point before-if you want to find the origins of Labour Party/Green Party policy today-read the communist press of 5 to 20 years ago.

That is where it comes from.

On Caning, Kinky Sex, Devious Young Men , Tory MPs, Pillow Talk and "Mata Hari" Prostitutes

Labour's attempt to shut down debate on the anti-smacking bill reminds me of a little incident that occurred 17 or 18 years ago.

This was the time when the left were campaigning heavily against corporal punishment in schools.

I was sitting at a desk in the Christcurch Peace and Environment Centre, perusing their wonderful selection of "peace" literature.

Two young men were chatting nearby. One in his early '20s, the other not quite so young.

It was soon obvious that they involved in the anti corporal punishment campaign.

The younger one was well known to me. He will remain nameless, but I will say that one of his favourite phrases is "mindfuck" and I believe he was very handy with a spraycan.

The conversation turned to tactics-one activist thought it would be good idea to contact his friends in the Prostitute's Collective. He wanted to see if they could provide "dirt" on the kinky sexual habits of certain National MPs who were opposing the policy.

He sheepishly remarked that he didn't like stooping so low, but "hey, the cause justifies it."

The bill passed of course, but I often wondered if the "plotters" had any influence.

I've also wondered how many "Tory" MPs know that the "escort" they've dallied with might be involved with the Prostitute's Collective, which just might be feeding information to their leftist friends.

Heather Roy on Anti-Smacking Bill

ACT MP Heather Roy is not impressed with Helen Clark's plans to "fast track" the anti-smacking legislation.

From her latest press release

Putting Parliament into urgency to pass the "Anti-smacking Bill" is unacceptable and anti-democratic, says ACT's Deputy Leader and Party Whip, Heather Roy.

"Around 80% of Kiwis are opposed to banning smacking by good and loving parents. Using urgency to force through a Bill simply because it's unpopular is no way to run a democracy", Mrs Roy said.

"Banning responsible parents from lightly smacking their children as a disciplinary measure is not urgent to the welfare of our country, and the argument that it's slowing down the Government's agenda is rubbish - as a Members Bill, it's only able to be debated on Members Days.

The reality is that the Bill's supporters are trying to shut down public debate, and are prepared to suspend the normal rules of Parliament to do so.

ACT will oppose urgency just as strongly as we have been opposing this Bill".

With Friends Like These...

From Korea News

Pyongyang, March 21 Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of greetings to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday on the occasion of the New Year in Iran.

Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger in different fields, the message sincerely wished the president good health and happiness and greater success in his responsible work for the prosperity of the country.

Christchurch Socialist Activist Dies

Christchurch socialist activist Jim Lamb died, in his early 50s, on Monday.


Lamb earned an honours degree in Philosophy from Otago University. His first practical "community work" was as a youth worker in Merseyside area of the UK.

During the '80s, Lamb worked on the railways in Christchurch and was active in the union movement. By 1989 he was prominent in the Christchurch Unemployed Rights collective. The CURC was a motley collection of anarchists and radicals, influenced to some degree by Communist Party members such as Ralph Blacklock and Socialist Unity Party linked activists like Peter Hall-Jones and Roy Wilkie.

By 1991 Lamb was working in the Coalition Against Benefit Cuts, alongside SUP activist Paul (Raz) Wratten.

Lamb was a scourge of the National Party...

In March 1991 he organised an anti-welfare cuts protest outside an NZ Institute of Management meeting where Jenny Shipley was speaking.

In May that year he organised a bus tour to Philip Burdon and Gail McIntosh's homes respectively. He also organised a soup kitchen outside Ruth Richardson's house

Lamb told the Communist Party's Peoples Voice of May 20th "We went to their homes to bring home to them the impact of what they're doing".

In the late '80s/early '90s, the Workers Communist League set up People's Centres in Auckland, Palmerston North and Wellington.

The WCL presence in Christchurch was very small, but by 1992, Jim Lamb was coordinator of the Christchurch Peoples Resource Centre.

Aligned to the WCL controlled centres, Lamb's outfit acted as a lobby group for beneficiaries "concentrating on the areas of benefit entitlement."

In 1993, former members of the WCL (which had dissolved in 1990) such as Sue bradford and Robert reid, together with some Marxist "Christians" convened "Peoples Assemblies" in several centres.

These evolved into a nationwide "People's Network", linking Maoist leaning former WCL members, Marxist "Christians", Maori radicals and "social activists".

This initiative was in response to the People's Plan for the 21st Century (PP21), a pan Asia Pacific socialist initiative coordinated by both Maoist and Soviet/KGB linked NGO's.

By 1996, Lamb was the Christchurch contact for the Peoples Network, with Pakistani Maoist Aziz Choudhry.

Lamb was a very busy comrade. He was a founder member and director of Community Energy Action, a committee member of the Christchurch Tenants Protection Association, a core group member of the Aotearoa Network of Unemployed and Beneficiaries, head of the beneficiaries Advisory Service, president of the Canterbury Council of Civil Liberties, a director of leftist internet group PlaNet Canterbury and in 1998 was an executive member of the Marxist controlled, UNITE union.

In 2002 Lamb worked to oppose sanctions on Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

The Christchurch revolutionary movement has suffered a major loss.

Did a "Sendero Luminoso" Supporter Study in NZ ?

Some readers who attended Auckland University in the early '90s, or Canterbury University in the mid '90s may remember a Peruvian student, Edgardo Alarcón León.


According to a 1993 Amnesty International report held at the University of Minnesota Library;

At approximately 23:30 hours on June 16, 1986, subversives planted dynamite charges in the road at the place known as Pucallacu in the city of Cerro de Pasco, Department of Pasco. They detonated the dynamite charges as a vehicle transporting military troops was passing. Three soldiers and one civilian were killed, and another three soldiers were wounded.

From then until June 24, the Army made arrests in places near the site of the attack, and in the city of Cerro de Pasco itself. It apprehended a number of people who were accused of being the alleged authors. Among the townspeople arrested were Edgardo Alarcón León, a student leader with the Frente Unico de Comensales of the Universidad Nacional Daniel Alcides Carrión in Cerro de Pasco; Juan Santiago Atencio, a leader of the CENTROMIN-PERU union; Marcial Torres, Vice President of the Frente Unico de Comensales UNDAC-PASCO; Saturnino Rojas Rímac; Teófilo Rímac Capcha, a professor at the Universidad Nacional Daniel Alcides Carrión, Deputy Secretary of the Federation of Farm Communities of Pasco and a member of the FOCEP Political Party which was part of the "United Left" Alliance; and other individuals whose identify it has not been possible to ascertain.

And;

Edgardo Alarcón León, a student leader from the Universidad Nacional Daniel Alcides Carrión in Cerro de Pasco, was one of those detained on June 23, 1986, but on January 26, 1989 was exonerated when no evidence against him could be found. Edgardo Alarcón was an eyewitness to what happened to the now disappeared Teófilo Rímac Capcha subsequent to June 23, 1986, as he maintains that he was held prisoner and tortured in the same detention facility as the victim. On March 2, 1989, Edgardo Alarcón León testified in the presence of Deputy Flavio Nuñez Izaga, at the time Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of the House of Deputies.

And;

According to Police Report No. 018 SE-JP, at approximately 2:00 a.m. on January 31, 1989, four subjects wearing ski masks appeared at the home of Domingo Alarcón Cano, located at Jirón Alfonso Ugarte No. 560, in Pampas, Department of Junín, searching for his son, Edgardo Alarcón León. Domingo Alarcón Cano, however, strenuously objected to these men entering his home, and told them that Edgardo was not at home.

7.3 The Police Report also states that at around 1:00 a.m. on February 20, 1989, four subjects entered his home while he, his wife and children were sleeping. The subjects were heavily armed and their faces were covered by ski masks. Two of them were wearing black boots. The subjects forced Edgardo's father to open all closets and compartments in the house and kept asking him for his son. When they did not find him, they left.

What happened to Edgardo Alarcon Leon? He fills in some details himself, in an interview with the Christchurch Press of 12.10.1996

According to Leon, in 1986 he was a 24 year old Geology and Engineering student in his final year at Cerro de Pasco uni, Pasco, central Peru.,

He was student president and was involved in demonstrations for better conditions for miners, improved education etc. There was high Sendero Luminoso activity in the area and the army beleived that the Maoists had penetrated the campus.

After the bombing Leon was arrested, tortured for 17 days and incarcerated for 31 months. He witnessed the death of a peasant leader under torture and testified about it at his trial.

Leon was acquitted for lack of proof, but three days after his release the army came to arrest him. He fled to to Lima and hid for seven months. He was put in contact with Amnesty International and with the help of AI, Red Cross and an escort of sympathetic parliamentarians, he escaped into Ecuador.

After 9 months Leon was told to leave the country, but AI, contacted its NZ branch and he was accepted as a refugee by this country.

In 1990 Leon arrived in Auckland with one other. He did a course in English at AIT, went to Auckland University and completed a BSc in Geology.

Auckland University was a hotbed of radicalism at that time. Maoism was popular and several student activists and politicians had links with overseas radical/terrorist oganisations including the Communist Party of Philippines and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation.

When visiting Auckland that year, I was told by a university contact that two Sendero Luminoso supporters had been greeted at Auckland Airport by a student official, alleged to have had ties with the the Basque seperatist group ETA.

Whether Leon was one of this pair, I am unsure.

The Maoist leaning and pro-Sendero Luminoso "Radical Society" was founded in 1991. It was closely linked to the Ray Nunes/Daphna Whitmore led, "Workers Party". I believe that Leon was actively involved in Radsoc at Auckland University.

Certainly, after 1995, when Leon came to Canterbury to study environmental sciences he was a Radical Society supporter.

I remember picking up a copy of Radsoc's "Outburst" at Canterbury at the beginning of 1996 and seeing "Edgardo" listed as Radsoc's local contact. He lived in Ilam Flats.

As far as I know, Canterbury had no Radsoc presence until Leon arrived. Likewise, I believe it had no Radsoc presence after he left.

After Canterbury, Leon studied further in Western Australia.

By 2000 he was in Peru from where he posted this criticism of Sendero Luminoso's arch-enemy, President Fujimori on the BBC's "Talking Point" website.

If the international community do not support a tyrant regime, things will improve around the globe. Unfortunately there is not the political will to do that. This is why dictators such as Fujimori is openly challenging the basic principles of democracy.

He is currently back in Australia, working as an environmental scientist.

Modern Maoists on the March

Maoism is growing in India, Nepal and the Philippines. There are also strong movements in Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and several other Asian, African and European countries plus nearly all of the Americas.

Some operate inside the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement, which supports Peru's Sendero Luminoso, others are aligned to more generally focussed, Maoist Internationals.

Sendero Luminoso, decimated after the 1992 arrest of its leader Abimael Guzman (Gonzalo) is making a slow comeback.

Recently in Paris, several Sendero Luminoso supporters, the Peru People's Movement, the Communist Party of Turkey (Marxist-Leninist), the Maoist Communist Party (Turkey and North Kurdistan) and the Maoist Communist Party of France organised a conference to celebrate one the great periods of Maoist history, the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

Maoism is back!


From Red Sun

With a resolute will and the highest revolutionary optimism, the Peru People's Movement, generated organization of the Communist Party of Peru (PCP) for the Party work abroad, call on all the Communist Parties and revolutionary organizations inside and outside the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (RIM) to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the initiation of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (GPCR) in China (1966-1976), the most earth-shaking political process and the greatest mass mobilization ever seen on Earth, a great historical milestone in the development of the dictatorship of the proletariat towards the final securing of the power of the proletariat, and therefore of transcendental historical importance in humanity's inexorable march to communism. The GPCR is, in historical perspective, the most transcendental of the development of Marxism-Leninism by Chairman Mao, and represented Marxism's leap to a third, new and superior stage: Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, mainly Maoism.

The celebration of the anniversary of the GPCR is part of a protracted campaign to impose, with people´s war, Maoism as the only command and guide of the world proletarian revolution; serving its embodiment in the peoples of the world and to crush the general counterrevolutionary offensive that is headed by Yankee imperialism as the only hegemonic superpower. It is the celebration of our unbreakable faith and absolute conviction of the triumph of communism; in times of great disorder under the sky; it is to celebrate the rising Red Sun; thus, it is the oath before the unfading red banner with the golden hammer and sickle of the iron legions of the international proletariat, that, challenging death, are launched in the new great wave of the world proletarian revolution under the battle cry: People´s War Until Communism!

Thus, the celebration of this anniversary of the GPCR is a renewal of our promise to never lay down our arms until communism, a promise that falls upon all the communists of the world; and therefore, the celebration also serves the reconstitution of the Communist Parties as militarized Marxist-Leninist-Maoist communist parties, that initiate and develop people´s war in all the corners of the world, as soon as possible; in this way it also serves to support the communists in Nepal, see the complex situation that the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) faces and reaffirm that for the international proletariat and the oppressed peoples of the world, for all the communists, revolutionaries and progressives of the world, there is no other option than to culminate the democratic revolution through the conquest of power in the whole country, by way of the guns of the revolutionary army.

We Maoists are supporters of the omnipotence of the revolutionary war and among us no one, whoever it may be, can let themselves move even an inch from the course that is guaranteed by two principles: "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun" and "It is right to rebel!", the only proletarian, people´s and democratic road, the road of the people´s war.

We will hold the Second International Conference to Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution on March 10th, 2006, in Paris. Paris, which was the birthplace of the proletarian dictatorship, the first time we seized power.

136 years ago the heroic proletariat of Paris and spilled their blood and constituted the Paris Commune. The great Lenin said: "The sacrifices of the Commune, heavy as they were, are made up for by its significance for the general struggle of the proletariat: it stirred the socialist movement throughout Europe, it demonstrated the strength of civil war, it dispelled patriotic illusions, and destroyed the naïve belief in any efforts of the bourgeoisie for common national aims. The Commune taught the European proletariat to pose concretely the tasks of the socialist revolution. The lesson learnt by the proletariat will not be forgotten."

Long Live the 40th Anniversary of the GPCR!
Long Live the 136th Anniversary of the Paris Commune!
Unite Under Maoism!
People´s War Until Communism!

Peru People´s Movement,
February 2007

New Zeal Look to a big upsurge in Maoist violence this year and growing evidence of Maoist/Muslim cooperation.