Bolshevik Bum Barer Bollocks Bogus Bun Blogger

Some time ago I posted about Christchurch activist Joe Davies mooning the Queen during a royal visit.

I used a picture of some naked male buttocks to illustrate the story, implying they were Joe's.

Understandably Joe was offended that the poor quality cheeks on display were being passed off as his own beautiful bum.

Joe has kindly sent me a photo of the real thing;


Thanks very much Joe-I'm most impressed, as I'm sure was HRH.

The contrast is glaring, Joe's backside is far and away more aesthetic than the scrawny, pimply specimen I tried to pass off as his.

I doubt anyone was fooled though because Joe's buttocks are world famous in New Zealand for the quality of their curve and the symmetry of their split.

I have replaced the offending photograph with the genuine article and apologise unreservedly for the slur upon Joe's honour.

Trotskyists Plan New Left Wing Party to Challenge Labour

I suggested a few weeks ago that Socialist Worker Trotskyists are planning a new left wing political to challenge Labour.

I was right.

From Socialist Worker's UnityBlog

PUBLIC FORUM “A New Left Party: Build it Now!”

The Labour government’s demonisation of the Urewera 17 is just another nail in the coffin of any claims it has to represent working people, Maori or anyone else up at th sharp end of globalisation and imperialism. Around the world, new left parties built by the millions and not the millionaires are rising up to take the fight to the “centre-left” parties who have spat upon the people who built them.

Come and join the discussion, and hear about some of the things that have been happening in Aotearoa recently as activists and workers take the first step to our own new party of the Left.

Wednesday December 5th, 7:30 pm
Unite Union Offices
12th floor, cnr Queen Street and Wellesley Street

China Supports International Communist Movement

Despite apparently embracing capitalism, China is playing an increasingly influential role in the world communist movement.

What up?

From the Communist Party USA's Political Affairs;

CPUSA National Board member John Bachtell attended the international meeting of the Communist and Workers' Parties held in Minsk, Belarus in early November...

The second major factor, I thought, was the participation of the Communist Party of China. The Communist Party of China has 73 million members, a huge party, the biggest in the world. And in all the previous international meetings they have only been observers. They have generally sat in the back of the meeting and not mixed in much.

At this meeting, however, they played a very active role in the meeting itself. They spoke right up front. The Chinese representative reported on the 17th Party Congress in China, about the problems they are confronting in building socialism and what they are trying to do about them.

The representative also spoke later on in Moscow, where there was a big celebration that we all went to marking the 90th Anniversary. In his remarks there, he said that the revolution in China had its roots in the Great October Revolution, and that the Great October Revolution introduced Marxism to China.

You got this feeling of tremendous unity in the world Communist movement because of their participation. As we know, there have been some divisions in the past, but the Chinese delegation was fully a part of this meeting and fully a part of the whole process, which I think is a really important sign of the vitality of the international communist movement.

More On Iti and Iran

The police affadavit used to secure search warrants for the October 15th anti terror raids allegedly contains a short reference to Tame Iti and Iran.

A bugged converstion from April 2007 allegedly refers to Iti intending to travel to Iraq, but expressing the opinion that he might get a better hearing in Iran.

Iti supporters have claimed that he was going to Iran, after his May 2007 trip to Austria (to appear in a Maori version of the Tempest)to broker a fishing deal, which turned sour.

It has also been stated by a commentor on the above linked post, that Iti never actually arrived in Iran.

That a trip to Iraq and possibly Iran was discussed by two of Iti's "soldiers", a month before Iti went overseas raises some questions.

Were these men, who allegedly participated in armed training activities, really interested in a Middle Eastern fishing deal?

Or did they think that Iti's real purpose lay elsewhere?

Cubans Show Interest in Obama's Campaign

Hillary's campaign has faltered and Barack Obama has got a second wind in the race for the Democratic Party presidential nomination.

Barack has been backed by the communists at home-now the Cuban communists seem to be showing an interest in his fortunes.

From Cuba's Prensa Latina

Washington, Nov 28 Slips and gaps in Sen. Hillary Clinton's strategy seems to be paving the way for African American Sen. Barack Obama (D.-IL) to win the 2008 presidential race.

NewsMax says chances for the Blue Party legislator improved after winning support from Democrat ex Vice President Al Gore and Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy.

Clinton's problems began with "a thorny issue" in a live TV debate on October 30: granting driver's license to illegal immigrants in New York.

The analysts consider his message better synchronized with the active Democratic forces: he opposes the war in Iraq and favors a liberal agenda for social issues like public health and immigration.

While Obama currently leads the polls in Iowa, and is gaining ground in important states like New Hampshire and S. Carolina, a recent inquiry by Zogby agency shows that Hillary would lose while Obama would beat the five leading Republican contenders in early elections

Hat Tip Zionist Anti Communist

Crampton Canes Electoral Finance Bill

Eric Crampton from the Economics Department at Canterbury University gave an excellent speech to the anti Electoral finance Bill in Christchurch today.


It takes a lot to drag an academic economist out of his office to a political rally downtown. If this were simply a protest over bad legislation, I'd have stayed in Ilam: bad legislation, unfortunately, isn't all that uncommon.

And, this is very bad legislation - so bad that, even after amendment, the New Zealand Law Society wants it scrapped.

This is amazing. When law is badly drafted, it's the lawyers that profit by the resulting court battles. Lawyers from Chapman Tripp warn that the courts may well decide the next election - they expect court action. Legislation has to be shockingly bad before we'd expect lawyers to say it should be scrapped entirely, but that's what they've done. Even the Electoral Commission, who has to give advice on compliance with the legislation, is reported to have thrown up its hands: it can't make heads or tails of the legislation either, and so can't provide advice.

Even worse, the legislation seems pointless.

The best social science evidence shows that donations to political parties don't buy the donor a whole lot in terms of changes in policy. And, when sitting politicians spend money on election campaigns, the spending doesn't have a very big effect on vote share. Spending can matter a lot for challengers, who have to work very hard to get their names known. But, spending doesn't matter much for incumbent politicians.

Further tightening up of campaign spending rules, and especially changes like the ones now proposed that allow political parties to use Parliamentary budgets for electioneering, protect sitting MPs against challenges by newcomers. It's an incumbent protection racket plain and simple. New parties and new ideas will be frozen out, and the same old hacks are guaranteed job security.

As bad as all of that is, it's not the main reason I'm here.

This isn't just bad law. It's a bad law that affects how we make laws, and threatens the legitimacy of government itself. Constitutional rules stand apart from other bits of legislation. They affect fundamental rights and freedoms, and they set out how all the other rules will be written. The Electoral Finance Bill directly affects our freedom of speech. Once it's passed, we'll only have freedom of speech 2 years in 3. And, it sets out the rules for how an election is conducted - how legislation for the subsequent three years will be formed. These have constitutional implications.

Constitutional rules aren't like other rules. They really require broad agreement across society. I studied under James Buchanan, who won the Nobel Prize in economics for his work in this area. He likened it to setting out the rules for a poker game: you get everybody to agree to the rules before you deal the cards. If everybody's agreed to the rules before the cards are dealt, the outcome of the game is fair and legitimate. What Labour and its support parties here have done is dealt the cards, taken a peek at their hands, and then declared deuces wild. This violates constitutional justice and threatens the legitimacy of any government that is elected under the new rules.

Electoral rules - constitutional rules - require broad agreement if the government that's formed under them is to have legitimacy. We're here today to say that we don't give that assent. If Labour rams this bill through Parliament, shuts up anyone who opposes it during the 2008 election, then squeeks through a tight coalition win after a lot of litigation, will that government have any legitimacy?

That's why this Bill must be stopped and that's why I'm here. The Bill violates the spirit of our constitutional foundations. It throws freedom of speech out the window. And it rigs the election to protect the politicians who pass it. Helen Clark, Annette King, throw out this Bill!

Scoop, Indymedia-Allies in Anarchist Propaganda?

Two media outlets have been most sympathetic to those arrested in the October 15th anti terror raids-aka the "Urewera 17"

They are Indymedia and Scoop.

Indymedia is easy to understand. It is run by anarchists and two of its three main editors were among those arrested. At least four other arrestees were also associated with the same anarchist circles.

The Scoop newsite is supposedly independent and does publish press releases from almost anyone. However it is favourite site of the socialist and anarchist left and gives those groups a bridge to the more mainstream media.

Wellington anarchist and Indymedia activist Danyl Strype certainly regards Scoop as sympathetic. From a comment on this post by Indymedia editor Asher Goldman-discussing media and the "Aotearoa 17";

The question then was does Indymedia count as media? Does Scoop, whose coverage of the Oct 15 arrests and the aftermath has been sympathetic, count as media? Does the Listener journalist, who is an old friend of the some of the arrestees, count as media?

In February 2006 Indymedia activists did a bit of a Who's Who, introducing themselves to each other ang iving a bit of personal background.

I try to identify those who give aliases or incomplete names and add some comments.

Apologies to any i get wrong. No doubt you will inform me.

The list gives a lot of insight into New Zealand's radical media and its connections.

Those listed were;

smush - Wellington
tena koutou, i'm smush (SmushS) from te-whanganui-a-tara. involved with w((i))ndy since the start of this (2005) year. i'm also doing heaps (too much?) of other stuff including Peace Action Wellington and Radical Youth.

This is the unamed Swiss national and Save Happy Valley campaigner who was arrested in the October 15th anti terror raids.

Brian Van Dam - Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland)
Kia Ora,
NAME: Brian van Dam REGION: Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) BLURB: I usually go under the acronym Billabong Bob - or BB for short (long story as to why the name). I am a part-time mathematics PhD? student at Auckland University, and full-time activist!

My involvement in A-IMC has been through friends in Auckland who kickstarted me into being involved thru their enthusiasm. Since then, have been active in the Auckland group, and on the website A-IMC Editorial and Features Lists. Look forward to the day when IMC's are a mainstay of peoples `news and views' diet.

Cheers, Brian.

Van Dam was for several years in the '90s a leading member of the Auckland University neo-Maoist organisation, Radical Society. RADSOC supported Peru's Shining Path guerillas as well as Maoist insurgents in the Philippines and Nepal.

pip - Wellington
hi all,

i am not sure if my original introduction got through. i never got it so will post again.

i'm pip and i'm in wellington completing my masters at victoria university. i also work part time at an electronic publishing centre.

i have been on the list since the beginning of the year and have been probably pretty inactive. i have made a new season resolution to take more notice and be more involved.

i guess i am involved because i believe in the expression of multiple experience and the impossibility of the single point of view.

have fun pip

This is possibly Pip Wilde, allegedly an activist with Peace Action Wellington and the Save Happy Valley Campaign.

Alastair Thompson - Wellington
Hi All,

Alastair Thompson here, editor of Scoop Media, www.scoop.co.nz an independent news website here in Wellington. I am a journalist (obviously) and have been involved with Indymedia mainly as a poster of stories since its inception in Seattle in 1999. With regards to A-IMC I tend to take a back seat role occasionally lifting items and images off the site for scoop.co.nz.

Kind regards and greeting to all
Alastair
Alastair Thompson
Scoop Editor
Scoop Media
Wellington

A clear connection between Indymedia and the "independent" news website Scoop.

kieran - Wellington
Kia ora thanks first to rovin and brian for proposing this, I was thinking the other day it would be interesting to know who is on board.

im kieran from wellington, and am have been involved on this imc loop for about 12-14months there abouts(maybe more, whose counting) . I am also involved with the windymedia paper in town here, and have participated from the start last november. I struggle like fuck with the techie stuff but am not discouraged cos theres heaps of other avenues to contribute to(hence my enthusiasim with the paper).

cool
kieran

This is Kieran Monaghan a leading wellington punk musician who uses the name "Mr Sterile". Monaghan recently performed at a fundraising event for the Mexiacan Zapatista revolutionaries.

Chloe - Auckland
Kia ora
My name's Chloe and I'm based in Auckland. I have been involved on and off in activism and Auckland IMC stuff for a couple of years now. I am also horrendously busy so I dip in and out as time permits. I try and get to all the actions I can and upload digi photos (and video on occasion). I am interested in working with others collaboratively on media projects. I am also on the features list but apart from helping to organise a GE feature I haven't done much yet......but I really do HOPE to when I get some time and I would like to contribute more. In terms of my day job(s), I work at the Grey Lynn Library and as a research assistant on a media and human rights project at Auckland Uni.

Cheers
chloe

This is Chloe Heffernan

Clare - Poneke (Wellington)
hello,

I'm part of the w((i))ndy collective, and have been involved in indymedia in aotearoa for a few years now! mostly i help edit the site and write features, but i'm also involved in some video projects.

Idendity unClare.

Miles Thompson - New York
Hello all,

I'm Miles Thompson. Sometimes when I'm online I call myself 'utunga'.

I'm currently domiciled in New Yawk city but feel very attached to my roots back home in Aotearoa and so have been (a little bit) involved with AIM since, I guess, near its inception. I am also involved with the NYC IMC.

In my day job I work as a web developer, so my contributions have been are are likely to continue to be in the technical area of setting up the website etc. I'm also the brother of Alastair Thompson (who gave his introduction here) of scoop.co.nz fame.

After witnessing some of the events of September 11 up close, I found myself involved with a group called unanswered questions. We are working to demand a fuller inquiry, as well as bringing to light some of the harder questions that people don't seem to want to ask : http://www.unansweredquestions.org

I've also found myself hellishly busy in this stupid job I have right now, but hope to again be able to put some time into the AIM project come November. I will be returning to NZ in November too, so it would be great to meet up with people then !!

Miles

Scoop again. Connections to New York Indymedia.

Dan - Otautahi (Christchurch)
Hi I'm Dan from Otautahi(Christchurch), I haven't posted much (if at all) to this list because I barely get time to read my e-mails let allow reply to them,

I'm a libertarian socialist (anarchist) who has been involved in activist stuff for a number of years. Don't know bugger all about tech stuff, so my involvement in indymedia so far has been in the last few months helping Otautahi get a print publication up and running and writing articles for it,

I'm also a full-time wage-slave who works as a community support worker with people with intellectual disabilities,

I'm interested in how we can get indymedia out there more into the wider community so it doesn't just become a tool for the (small) 'activist' community in Aotearoa,

Dan

Identity unknown

Isaac Kearse - Haumoana (in Hawkes Bay)
Hi everyone,

My name is Isaac Kearse, living in sleepy Haumoana, Hawkes Bay.

In my previous life in Auckland I was working as a Unix Operations Analyst for a TNC, and finishing a Law/Finance degree. I barely escaped this fate at the start of the year with my sanity intact.

I have been on the general list for quite a few months, and joined features recently, I'm probably going to delve into tech soon also. Special interests include media analysis/reform, corporate abolition, and democracy. I think a gathering is a great idea, maybe we could tie it in with an upcoming event over summer?

Jeff Evan - Te Tai Tokerau

Greetings from the forever visiting me. I do not mean anything by giving my first greeting in the Reo other than to show exactly where I am coming from and exactly what I believe to be important. There are many other things, but from where I am sitting, and where you are sitting (most of you) this is Aotearoa, and it will always be-it is an honour for me to be here, not a right.

I live here permanently and have been following in wellington with the W((i))ndy crew since our inception. I was involved in similar "dissent" overseas, but that was over 8 years ago. I am shifting up to Te Tai Tokerau in a matter of days, and hope to link as much of the far north as I can to this mission. Safe travels to you all on this long road of emancipation and redemption, especially to every marginalised member of the voices we all represent. Thank you everyone, always, for contributing.

JEvan

Ken - Wellington
Hi - I'm Ken from Wellington.

My involvement in independent media started with collaborating on a paper called Rumble for a couple of years from late 1999. I got interested in Indymedia at the November 2001 Convergence Against Capitalism and am a founder member of the Wellington IMC collective (Windymedia) which was set up soon after the Convergence, at the end of 2001. I'm not very good at computer stuff, but I've learned to use Pagemaker and help put together our publication W((i))ndy. I'm also in the Anti-'Bypass' Action group and an anarcho-punk band called Dead Vicious. To support my activist/musical/writing activities I work part-time as a doctor.

This is Ken Simpson. Several of the "Urewera 17" were involved in a film profect Kotahi Ao. A Ken Simpson is listed as a researcher for the project.

Katie - Auckland
Hey all

I live in Auckland but right now I´m in Spain doing a bit of an OE thingo, I will be back in NZ in Jan, and hopefully will get a bit more in touch with imc things then, I haven´t been paying a whole lot of attention recently...

I´m starting uni next year, and I want to be a journalist, preferably one who tells the truth instead of regurgitating propaganda, hence my involvement here.

Katie

Possibly Wellington activist Kerry Tankard.

Strypey - Aotearoa
Kia ora koutou,

Ko Danyl Strype toku ingoa, No Otautahi ahau.

I have been involved in AIM pretty much since the start. I helped to get us through the New-IMC process to become an official member of the IMC network and I have done local organising in Otautahi (Christchurch) and Waikato (Hamilton).

I got arrested helping the Sydney IMC crew prepare for and cover the WTO meeting (for more info see ). Through much of 2003/ 2004 I was a roving Indymedia networker using my tech skills to help people use free software, get online and use the site and facilitating communication and co-operation between the AIM core groups in the major cities and media activists in other centres. I attended the Aotearoa Indymedia convergences in Poneke in November 2002 and December 2005.

In 2006 I am settling in Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) and starting a Science degree through Massey University.

This is Danyl Strype, a long time anarchist activist, involved in the Save Happy Valley Campaign alongside at least 5 of the "Urewera 17".

Andrew McNaughton - Overseas
Hi everyone

I've been hanging around the background of AIM since early days, I did a fair bit of prodding as part of getting the ball rolling, but I've mostly been lurking since, just throwing the odd suggestion in.

I'm a co-founder of Scoop.co.nz, and the guy who built most of the software for that site. I've got a lot of technical web skills to offer if something pops up that looks like it's got my name on it.

I'm currently in Edinburgh, and about to head through to Sydney. I'll look the CAT people up when I get there, and maybe I can play a useful role in AIM's relationship with them.

Andrew McNaughton

Another Indymedia Scoop link. CAT is an anarchist media collective.

Geraldene Peters - Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland)
Inspired by student and political activism in California '99 + a month in Cuba - (never mind the pianos, the revolution needs digicams, lots of stock, and a couple of G4s) back in Tamaki Makaurau I got called in to video the No-to-APEC conference - not digi,VHS - somewhere now, I think, in Leonie Pihama's archives. That led in 2000 to organising, with the s11aotearoaNZ collective, a series of Global Activism screenings at the UofA? - pretty successful by all accounts - we got numbers, and a range of people. "Showdown in Seattle" was the lynchpin screening. After helping organise, and videoing anti-WEF demos in Auckland one thing led to another with a group of us wanting to set up Aotearoa Indymedia. By early 2001 we hooked into a network of people from around the country wanting to do something similar and Aotearoa Indymedia came together. Also helped set up "Global Peace and Justice Auckland" (http://gpja.pl.net).

Have just finished a PhD? titled "Oppositional Voices: Radial Left Documentary in Aotearoa" and have worked on broadcast and activist documentaries in various capacities over the years. I write,teach and do a bit of lecturing as well. Documentary's my passion alongside media activism that can't exist without the 'just do it' ethos and social justice concerns of different activist networks in Aotearoa. Collectivate!

Says it all. I profiled Peters here.

Teanau Tuiono- Poneke(Wellington)
Kia Ora,
NAME: Teanau Tuiono
REGION: Poneke (Wellington)
BLURB: I come from the Northern Tribes of Aotearoa in particular Ngai Takoto and Ngapuhi, im also from the island of Atiu in the Cook Islands

What can I say? Im tired of being forced-fed corporate bullshit masquerading as "News" on tv and in the papers. (Ngapuhi aren't known for being subtle). Id been at an international activist gathering and went to a really shitHot indymedia meeting which had a large number of people from many different countries, so yeah I got hooked to the idea there. I really want to get into doing stuff for indigenous peoples ( yeah this mainly because im an indigenous person ) . As for activism my political influences have been many, I was one of the founding members of the urban Maori organisation, Te Kawau Maro. This organisation attacked the neo-liberal Government policies, advocated direct action against land sales and unjust land settlements through occupations and other strategies and disseminated information to Maori communities about what is now known as the 'fiscal envelope. thats me in a nutshell

noho ora mai, Teanau.

Teanau Tuiono is one of new zealand's leading Zapatista supporters and an associate of several of the "Urewera 17".

Bobo - Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland)
Hello.

I like jumping around the place, online, offline, off walls and between my ears..

Working on heaps of projects that are related to Indymedia:

1. recyclopedia - a http://www.wikipedia.org style encyclopedia focusing on building a grassroots commons ( http://www.recyclopedia.info not started yet...)
2. enzyme - an open publishing public sphere, similar to Indymedia, except its not only based on news, but also other forms of communication/discourse/dialouge ( http://www.enzyme.org.nz )
3. ecco - an activist resource and community center in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) ( http://ecco.enzyme.org.nz )
4. 'rhizome' (unknown name) - that uses Twiki for a free project incubator space/networking area for Aotearoa (and maybe international) and link/information database.. blah blah
5. enzyme journal - printed version of Enzyme website.
6. my own stuff...

I'm very busy. (-: But once they get going, I'll give them over to who ever uses them and be free of cyberspace to get back to voluntary simplicity.

Simon Oosterman, Auckland based anarcho-communist and National Distribution Union publicity officer.

Chris Michael - Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland)
Kia Ora all, I'm in the South Eastern part of Auckland (at time of writing), I'm a student at Auckland University studying geography, environment, film, media and politics papers under an Arts Degree, hopefully ending with a Film major or Double major with film and geography, depending on what keeps my interest.

My main action zones are environmental issues, waste and exploitation particularly, Urban Sprawl is one of my deep interests (how to stop it, how to prevent it), hoping to assemble a documentry on Urban Sprawl in the East of Manukau (my home town) shortly.

I'm sort of an aspiring photojournalist, although lacking video equipment anymore due to some technical issues with it, I can usually be seen wandering with my digital or still cameras. I run a small hosting company as what was meant to be a funding pool for my techie needs, but now it just hosts my blog and some small community interest sites. I post on the Aotearoa IMC and in IRC under different usernames, best not documented though. I'm keen to get involved in anything which gets people off their computers and on to the streets to force the changes which are so obviously needed in our world. thats me for now.

Chris Michael.

omar - Takapuna
im omar from takapuna and am studying at auckland university. im involved in a number of different youth and student organisations. my main focus is Aotearoa Radical Youth.

Omar Hamed. involved in the Save Happy Valley Campaign and one of the "Urewera 17" arrestees>

Clearly Scoop is not entirely independent and has a close association with both Indymedia and some of the "Urewera 17"

Should Scoop be treated as an objective souce of information on the arrested activists?

Can an organisation with clear ties to anarchist extremists be trusted by the public and the MSM?

Who Else Was Linked to the Urewera Camps?

Only 17 people were arrested in the October 15th anti terror raids.

However, on reading the police affadavit, it was claimed that over 100 people had attended training.

The affadavit names several that were known to have attended, but for whatever reason were not arrested.

Most were Maori and several had extensive criminal records.

Several others were named as knowing about the camps, or advised of dates, but were not seen attending.

Some of those either attending or apparently aware of the activities of the "Urewera 17" included;

A former Auckland University Student Association Maori Students officer, well connected to Asian student radicals and known to have spent time in the Philippines and on the Thai/Burmese border.

A Maori tattooist

A Maori spiritual healer

A Maori tribal leader, former government consultant on Maori cultural and welfare policy, who has travelled to North Korea in recent years.

A well known activist who has given his young son, the middle name of "Zapatista."

A pensioner, allegedly involved in training some of those arrested.

A Maori radio journalist.

A prominent Tuhoe leader.

A North American Indian activist, currently resident in New Zealand.

A movie projectionist.

The daughter of a prominent Taranaki Maori activist.

A female Wellington anarchist, active in Peace Action Wellington and Peace Movement Aotearoa. Two arrestees, also both Wellington anarchists, Val Morse and the as yet unnamed Swiss national are also involved in Peace Action Wellington. This woman also has links with the anarchist HQ at 128 Abel Smith Street Wellington as have all three Baileys arrested-Simon/Rongomai, Ira/Tim and Emily, plus Val Morse and the Swiss national.

A Christchurch based male activist with the Save Happy Valley Campaign. Five arrestees-Val Morse, Ira/Tim Bailey, Emily Bailey, Omar Hamed and the Swiss national are also involved with SHVC. The Christchurch man, the Bailey's and the Swiss national were involved, late last year in a SHVC training camp. Another Christchurch SHVC member travelled north with this man, but is not known to have attended that particular (or any other)camp.

A young Tuhoe activist who attended the Nice n Native camp earlier this year, at a Waikato Marae, with arrestees Tim and Emily Bailey and Rangi Kemara.

Several individuals prominent in the campaign to paint the "Urewera 17" as innocent activists.

"Urewera 17" Affadavit Posted On Net

The 155 page police affadavit on the "Urewera 17" has been posted on the internet.

It appears on a US based website in the name of the New Zealand Civil Liberties Union.

Can't give you the link but a bit of patient Googling does wonders.

They Lie So Casually

This little snippet on Indymedia caught my eye.

It was posted by Scott Hamilton and advertises a party to be held in Auckland on Saturday to raise funds for the campaign against the Suppression of Terrorism Act.


While I am no friend of Labour's TSA, this campaign is an extension of the leftist support effort for those recently accused of undergoing terrorist training in the Ureweras.

Next Saturday's speakers will include Justin Taua, a long-time activist in the National Distribution Union and Maori rights movement. Justin, whose whakapapa includes many members of the Parihaka movement, has often been a critic of police treatment of Maori. He was heavily involved in the fight for justice for Stephen Wallace, the young man shot in the back by a Taranaki cop in 2000...

David Bedggood and Scott himself will also be performing.

A few points here;

Scott is about 12.5% of the Communist Workers Group, a Trotskyist organisation run by Aucland academics David and Janet Beddgood.

Justin Taua is also about 12.5% of the Communist Workers Group. He is also connected to the Kahui family-who's twin baby boys were brutally murdered some time ago. Their father, Chris Kahui is currently out on bail awaiting trial for their murder. Justin Taua wrote a piece, blaming capitalism for the twin's killing.

Stephen Wallace, to the best of my knowledge, was shot while ADVANCING on a policeman, while swinging a golf club.

What's the saying-"he is so respectful of the truth, he uses it only sparingly".

Bend Over, Australia

The left is gloating over the Australian Labor Party's emphatic victory in Saturday's general election.

From the Communist Party USA's Political Affairs Editor's Blog;

It is predicted that three-fourths of the ministers in the new Rudd Government in Australia will be trade unionists. Amazin!

This came from the fact that the single most unpopular part of the Howard government was its draconian Industrial Relations policies.

The first order of business will be to roll back the Howard WorkChoice program.

Also, a main focus will be focus on the educational programs that essentially destroyed the teaching profession in Australia. It seems like right wing government, like Howard's idol, Geo Bush, [NYC Mayor Bloomberg not a distant 3rd] focus on destroying the ability of young people to think for themselves. This area will be a top priority for Rudd and the teachers unions.

The ACT, Australian Council of Trade Unions, will have in the drivers seat in these early days of the Rudd government.

So it's back to strict union control over the workforce and no parental say over their children's education.

Pity our cousins across the Tasman.

Julia Gillard Tells Fabians of Labor's Plans

Like its British counterpart, the Australian Fabian Society is highly influential inside the Australian Labor Party.

ALP deputy leader and probable new deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard is a proud Fabian socialist.

No doubt the Fabians will approve of the new ALP government's plans for Australia.

Excerpt's from Julia Gillard's speech to the inaugural Fabian Society annual dinner

Melbourne, 31 August 2007

Thank you.

It’s a great honour to be asked to deliver the address at this inaugural Australian Fabian Society annual dinner.

No address to the Fabian Society would of course be complete without acknowledging the lifetime commitment to the Fabian cause of Race Matthews – someone who played such a big role in helping elect the Society’s National Patron, Gough Whitlam.

It must be a source of great satisfaction to Race and Gough that the Society, now in its seventh decade, is as strong as it’s been in its history.

Let me also mention the Society’s national president and our candidate for Higgins – Barbara Norman. Barbara, you have the biggest, toughest and most important job in Australia – wiping the smirk off Peter Costello’s face on election night.

And let me mention the Society’s national secretary and someone I first met in student politics all those years ago – Evan Thornley – who has played along with so many others such a huge part in the Society’s revival.

Today the Fabian Society boasts contributions from some of the Labor movement’s leading figures – people of the stature of John Faulkner – and we’re going to need it to be a forum for new ideas regardless of the outcome of this year’s election.

Friends, it’s been a long, hard time in the electoral wilderness for the Australian Labor Party at the federal level.

For eleven long years we’ve seen the Howard Government take the easy option of coasting on the mining boom and benefiting from the hard reforms of the Labor Governments of the 1980s and ‘90s.

You know, I’ve heard some commentators argue recently that there’s so little difference between the parties these days that there’s not much point to the election.

They’re wrong. Dead wrong.

It’s true the world has changed dramatically in the last eleven years – and so, inevitably, has the ALP.

But on the great issues of the day there is still a world of difference between the parties.

Think of the three big symbolic issues for progressives today.

The first is Iraq. John Howard sent our troops there, intends to keep them there, and won’t apologise for making Australia a bigger terrorist target as a result.

Labor opposed the commitment of Australian troops from the beginning.

We regard it as one of the biggest blunders in Australian foreign policy since the Vietnam War.

And we will bring the troops home.

The second issue is climate change. John Howard doesn’t really believe that global warming is caused by human activity; he won’t support efforts to create new industries like renewables; and he won’t set a target for reducing carbon emissions.

Kevin Rudd and Labor’s frontbench have been asking “How can a Government of climate change sceptics be part of Australia’s climate change solution?”

A good question.

Labor accepts that climate change is man made; we have set out a target to reduce carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2050; and we will introduce a carbon trading scheme to create a new sustainable future for Australia’s energy generation and manufacturing industries.

Labor will ratify the Kyoto Protocol – John Howard will not.

And John Howard will set in train policy that will lead to the construction of 25 nuclear reactors across Australia – Labor says no nuclear reactors; there are other alternatives.

And the third issue is Work Choices. The Government is determined to use AWAs to reduce conditions, especially for the low-paid, erode job security and destroy people’s hopes for work-family balance.

Labor will get rid of Work Choices, give people the democratic right to bargain collectively in the workplace and prevent the creation of a low-skill Australian workforce – all while encouraging greater economic reform through enterprise bargaining and flexibility in our industrial relations system.

Emphasis added.

Will "Red Julia" Gillard Help Push Australia Left?

Will last night's electoral victory by the Australian Labor Party bring significant changes to Australia's domestic and foreign policies?


If likely deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has anything to do with it, I'm betting the answer will be yes.

ALP deputy leader Julia Gillard was the centre of controversy in the last few weeks, after Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello exposed her past ties to to a Communist Party linked organisation, Socialist Forum.

Initially Gillard admitted her association, but played it down.

Here's part of a 17th October Lateline interview with ABC journalist Tony Jones

TONY JONES: Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?

JULIA GILLARD: (Laughs) Tony, I think that question shows how silly all of this is getting, though I suspect in this interview, probably the Howard Government would think you're the dangerous radical. After all, I'm only from the Labor Party, you're from the ABC.

TONY JONES: Well look, seriously, Peter Costello has thrown this out. Let's deal with it properly. What's the Socialist Forum? Were you an organiser for it? And when did that happen, if you were?

JULIA GILLARD: Tony, it's 2007 and I'm a 46-year-old woman. What Peter Costello is referring to is more than 20 years ago when I was in my 20s. I was a full-time university student and I had a part-time job for an organisation called Socialist Forum, which was a sort of debating society. It ultimately amalgamated with the Fabian society, which of course is a long-running ideas and debating group in Australian politics and indeed in British politics before Australian politics. I've worked in the cleric and administrative work.

TONY JONES: It wasn't a front organisation for Communists?

JULIA GILLARD: Certainly not. It was an organisation where people who identified themselves as progressives, some in the Labor Party, some outside the Labor Party, would come together and would talk about ideas. I did clerical and administrative work, Tony. This is so long ago. It's the days before modern computers and the internet, in the days where if you wanted to put out a meeting notice to people you wouldn't send an email, you'd get out an envelope and put it in your IBM electric typewriter and type up the address and then get the next one. That's the sort of thing I used to do.

Julia Gillard's vagueness with Tony Jones is surprising, as a week before the Sunday herald Sun's Lincoln Wright had published this story on News.com.au

SCRAPPING the ANZUS treaty, twinning Melbourne with Leningrad and introducing a super-tax on the rich were among radical policies devised or backed by Julia Gillard as a student activist.

Labor's deputy leader was a key figure in a socialist group that pushed radical policies and social agendas in the 1980s and early '90s.

Founded in 1984 as a pressure group within the ALP, the Socialist Forum also wanted to sever Australia's alliance with the US, remove the spy base at Pine Gap, introduce death duties and redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor.

The Sunday Herald Sun has gained access to the forum's archive – held in the Baillieu Library at the University of Melbourne.

The archive contains material revealing the radical past of Ms Gillard, including her links to former members of the Communist Party of Australia.

Ms Gillard, who could be Australia's next deputy prime minister, was on the management committee of the forum for many years. She acted as its public officer, secretary, and legal adviser on the drafting of its constitution.

Her signature is on liquor licence applications for the forum's social events, such as theatre nights.

In a pamphlet from the mid-1980s, Ms Gillard describes herself as a "socialist and a feminist" and someone who joined the ALP at 16.

"Contrary to what may have been suggested, Socialist Forum is not a secret organisation nor is it a sub-caucus with the Socialist Left," Ms Gillard says in the pamphlet.

"The members of the forum are drawn from varied backgrounds. Around 45 of the forum's members left the Communist Party of Australia in the division of a year ago and about 80 are members of the ALP. The largest group are not members of any political party."

The 200-plus member forum sought to influence Bob Hawke's Labor government, especially on foreign and economic policy, through the free discussion of ideas.

One key document is the 1985 "Pine Gap - Planning a Strategy", drafted by Philip Hind, who recommends a long-term policy of abrogating the ANZUS Treaty, removing Pine Gap and eventually closing all US bases.

Mr Hind visited the former Soviet Union and came back praising the reforms of president Mikhail Gorbachev. He recommended stronger ties with the USSR, including making Melbourne a sister city of Leningrad (now St Petersburg).

The archive also reveals the forum's debate over tax policy was based on a Communist Party tax pamphlet titled "A Case for Radical Tax Reform".

"We argue that there is only one effective way to reform the tax system, by a sweeping redistribution of the tax burden which now hits hardest at low and middle-income earners," the pamphlet says.

In reality Socialist Forum was almost wholly a vehicle for former leaders of the Communist Party. I quote Australian Marxist-Leninist paper Green Left Weekly from an article from 30th November 1994 on late Communist Party of Australia leader Bernie Taft.

The end was in sight by the early '80s, and Taft, most of the Victorian leadership and a quarter of the CPA National Committee departed to form Socialist Forum, an ALP ginger group. The rest of the CPA slowly folded over the remaining years of the decade.

Gillard came semi-clean about her long term involvement in Socialist Forum in a 23rd October interview with Melbourne radio station 3AW

JULIA GILLARD: I’ve been predominantly asked about the time I worked there and so I’ve talked about that, I’ve answered all of those questions. What happened is I worked there for a period of time when I was at university. I then finished my university career and moved into my legal career. To do that, I did the course you could do instead of being an article clerk, Leo Cousins; that was a full time course and to support myself through it I waitressed three nights a week. And then I went and got a job at Slater and Gordon, worked pretty hard there, made partner in three years. So whilst I kept a membership of Socialist Forum, I sort of drifted out of active involvement with it. So yes, I would have attended the occasional meeting, but…

NEIL MITCHELL: When would you last have gone to a meeting?

JULIA GILLARD: Oh, look I really couldn’t tell you that, honestly Neil but a very long time ago. In the sense that as my legal career got more and more intense, as a partner I didn’t have time left over for other things, so…

NEIL MITCHELL: So were you on the Management Committee until 1994 at least?

JULIA GILLARD: I would’ve been. I mean, certainly the records show that I would’ve stayed on the management committee. But Neil, this is a voluntary organisation; a couple of hundred members. Once you’re on the management committee of something like that it can be hard to get off because no one wants to step up and take your place!

NEIL MITCHELL: Did you ever resign? Did you ever resign from the Socialist Forum?

JULIA GILLARD: No, it petered out, what…

NEIL MITCHELL: Well, it sort of became the Fabian Society, didn’t it?

JULIA GILLARD: Yeah, what happened is, its membership went into decline - it was only ever a very small thing. You know, its membership went into decline. It entered an arrangement with the Fabian Society and what was then the Evatt Foundation in Victoria which was also a bit of an ideas think tank. Entered an arrangement to share offices and share costs and all the rest of it. That happened in 1997, I think. And sort of slowly after that the Forum petered out. And now…

NEIL MITCHELL: Did you…

JULIA GILLARD: …people who want to join that sort of thing join the Fabian Society.

NEIL MITCHELL: So are you a member of the Fabian Society?

JULIA GILLARD: Yes I am.

NEIL MITCHELL: And what, you just sort of went from Socialist Forum to Fabian Society?

JULIA GILLARD: I hold a membership of the Fabian Society, I do support people getting together and talking about ideas. I think that’s all to the good.

NEIL MITCHELL: Mmm.

JULIA GILLARD: I, obviously, with all my responsibilities am not a regular attendee at Fabian Society events…

NEIL MITCHELL: Sure.

JULIA GILLARD: They generously invited me to address their recent dinner which I did.

Julia Gillard was still listed as a member of Socialist Forum as late as 2002.

As Julia Gillard is only one of many leading ALP figures from left/union backgrounds, I'm betting Australia is about to undergo a leftist shift in foreign policy similar to that suffered by New Zealand in 1984.

Domestic and monetary policies may also shift to the left as the ALP lacks the Roger Douglas faction that moderated New Zealand Labour's left extremism in 1984/90.

Interesting times ahead.

Who Is Subcomandante Marcos?

If you want to know why Maori radicals and anarchists were running around the Ureweras with guns and napalm-ask this man.


A near legendary figure, the always masked Subcomandante Marcos leads the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (Zapatistas), from the impoverished southern Mexican state of Chiapas.

Marcos has yet to reveal his true identity, but Mexican authorities claim he is Rafael Sebastián Guillén Vicente, a son of Spanish immigrants, born in Mexico.

Guillén graduated from Mexico City's Metropolitan Autonomous University and then earned a masters' degree in philosophy at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, before working as a professor at the same institution.

Caught up in the student radicalism of the late '60s, Guillen joined the Maoist oriented guerilla group, the National Liberation Forces.

In the early '80s, Guillen and some of his followers moved to Chiapas in southern Mexico to work through the local Mayan peasantry.

From the US Military Review May/June 1997;

Cadres of what became the EZLN began to secretly organize in the early 1980s. The EZLN claims it was founded in 1982. Formed in part by members of old splintered groups and drawing on a predominantly indigenous following, EZLN's evolution was complex and is still debated. During its formative years, the group gave little indication of its existence, a posture that fit well with most Mexicans' perception that guerrillas were an issue of the past.

However, the guerrillas were not gone from every area of Mexico. Reports of secretive armed groups training in the mountains were as commonplace locally as they were heatedly denied by Mexican authorities...

On 1 January 1994, 15 years of official government and public complacency ended abruptly when the EZLN publicly announced its existence with the brief occupation of several towns in Chiapas, resulting in sharp clashes with the army that left nearly 150 dead.

Since the initial rebellion, Marcos's Zapatistas have formed a semi autonomous state in Chiapas and have worked to build bridges to radical and anarchist groups throughout Mexico and the world.


The Zapatistas have proved masters of communication and have spread their ideology to indigenous and anarchist groups worldwide via the internet and regular international conferences.

According to Wikipedia;

From 1992 through 2006, Marcos wrote more than 200 essays and stories and published 21 books in a total of at least 33 editions, amply documenting his political and philosophical views...

Although Marcos's political philosophy has sometimes been characterized as "Marxist," his broadly populist writings concentrate on unjust treatment of people by both business and the State, giving Zapatista ideology a strong anarchist tinge.

In 2005, Marcos launched the "La Otra Campaña" (The Other Campaign) to coincide with the 2006 mexican elections. The Zapatistas did not run or endorse candidates, but instead called for a new constitution prohibiting privatization of public resources and providing autonomy for an estimated 57 indigenous populations. More than 900 organizations joined The Other Campaign.


Subcomandante Marcos is an icon for the new anarchist/indigenous and anti capitalist left that has disrupted nearly every major international political and financial gathering since the Battle in Seattle in 1999.

It is no so surprise that he is admired by many of those arrested in the New Zealand "anti terror" raids of October 15th.

Aussie Communists Back Greens.

It is no surprise that the Communist Party of Australia wants John Howard and his Liberal led coalition out.


However, the CPA is not urging its supporters to vote Labor, but to give their first preference to the Australian Greens.

The CPA clearly reasons that a strong green party ifluence will help drive Labor further left.

From the Communist Party of Australia's Guardian

Labor will be caught between these expectations and the realities of capitalism, and will not be helped by its commitment to neo-liberal policies.

In reality, with the independence of the RBA, the floating of the dollar (by former Labor Treasurer Paul Keating), past privatisations, and other deregulatory measures, a Labor Government will have little control over interest rates and the big corporations, many of them foreign owned, which control most of the economy. The international (and local) financial markets are beyond the control of any capitalist government.

A Labor Government could, however, given the political will and the support of the electorate, implement progressive reforms that ameliorate some of the worst features of capitalism.

With the support of The Greens, with their policies for peace, justice, the environment, support for the public sector, the repeal of WorkChoices and other valuable alternatives, the balance of power in the Senate could prevent the Coalition from blocking progressive legislation such as trade union rights, withdrawing from Iraq, signing the Kyoto Protocols and taking other climate change measures, re-introducing a commonwealth dental scheme, proper funding for health and education etc.

The Communist Party of Australia advocates giving The Greens the number 1 vote in both houses and putting the Coalition parties last.

Sadly, Communism is Far From Dead

From an editorial in the Communist Party of Australia's Guardian

In 1991 when the Soviet Union broke up and its leadership destroyed the Soviet Union's socialist system, the Sydney Morning Herald came out with an exultant front-page banner headline — COMMUNISM IS DEAD!

A statement of confidence issued at that time by the Executive Committee of the Socialist Party of Australia (as the Communist Party was called then), expressed conviction that "socialism remains the best and only system capable of meeting the needs of the working people of all countries, is capable of eliminating unemployment and exploitation, doing away with the booms and slumps of capitalism by democratic economic planning. Only socialist societies consistently uphold the necessity of preserving peace on our planet".

At the international conference of Communist Parties held at the beginning of November this year and which commemorated the 90th anniversary of the 1917 socialist revolution in Russia, the head of the delegation from the Communist Party of China proudly declared: "I bring greetings to this conference from the 73 million (yes, million) members of the Communist Party of China".

An estimate submitted to the conference was that there are now over 100 million Communist Party members throughout the world and that 40 percent of the people of the world live in countries where the Communist Party either heads the government or participates in the government.

These countries are in different stages of economic, political and social development. Some are developing rapidly such as China, Vietnam and Cuba, where the rate of economic development runs at around 10 percent each year. Others are in the transition stage or have put their foot on the first rung of the socialist ladder.

In a number of countries the Communist Parties are in alliance with other progressive parties or trade union organisations, such as in South Africa.

Politically the developed capitalist countries are a long way behind countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia in particular. They were the first capitalist countries and became rich from the savage exploitation of the colonial people.

In the United States, Britain and other European countries the same process went on. In these countries there was a certain "trickle down" and working class organisations were also able to force concessions but their struggles did not go any further than knocking some of the rough edges off capitalism.

This process is now coming to an end as the inevitable crises which have always beset the capitalist economies once again come to the surface. Furthermore, the former colonial countries and the emerging socialist economies are becoming steadily more powerful economically, politically and militarily.

Communist parties have survived the onslaught of capitalist attacks and ideological subversion in the developed capitalist countries as well. Communism is not dead there either.

One of these smaller communist parties is the Communist Party of Australia. In his contribution to the meeting of international parties held in Minsk and referred to above, the CPA representative said among other things: "Ours is the future and we can gain confidence and optimism from the revolutionary, anti-imperialist and socialist sweep of the peoples of South America, the African continent and in Asia."

New Zealand "Official" Backs Iran

A New Zealand "official" (and socialist) backs Iran.

From Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency


New Zealand's National Advisory Council for Disarmament Ex-Chairman Robert James Rigg said on Thursday that the report presented by IAEA Director General Mohamed Elbaradei to IAEA Board of Governors indicates that Iran's nuclear dossier should be referred to IAEA.

Speaking on the sidelines of the international seminar on "Iran's nuclear program and ElBaradei's report, he said it was an excellent report which indicates that Iran's nuclear issue should be resolved by IAEA and there is no room for interference of UNSC.

ElBaradei's report also indicates that Iran's nuclear dossier should be merely resolved through peaceful and diplomatic means.

Iran should mobilize the world public opinion in support to its legitimate rights because the world public opinion can force governments to recognize Iran's rights, he said.

Once More For Freedom, Johnny!

Good luck tomorrow, Australia.

Christchurch Anti Electoral Finance Bill March

DEMOCRACY UNDER THREAT

Protest March Victoria Square to Cathedral Square

Wednesday 28 November 12.30. March starts 1.00pm.

Organiser of the Auckland and Wellington marches

John Boscawen will speak.
The last week has seen the most blatant display of political hypocrisy in the nation’s history. At a time when MPs have voted themselves more of your money to express their views, your right to express your own views will be gagged. If this Bill becomes law NZ will have the most restrictive electoral law in the western world.

The New Zealand Human Rights Commission called the bill ‘inherently flawed’ and its provisions a ‘dramatic assault’ on the rights you cherish. Its call on the government to withdraw this bill has been ignored.

Its time to stand up and be counted!

Be there this Wednesday at Victoria Square by 12.30!

Authorised by

John Boscawen,

P.O. Box 42267, Orakei

Roy Stands In Wellington Central, Prebble Offers Words of Wisdom and Encouragement

ACT deputy leader Heather Roy, has been named as ACT candidate for the key seat of Wellington Central in 2008.


In a speech to last night's candidate launch at the Museum Hotel, former ACT leader and one time Wellington central MP, Richard Prebble gave his views on Wellington Central and it's significance for 2008.

Wellington Central could pick the next government.

It is a statistical fact that Wellington - the country's smartest electorate - is politically astute, and has been willing to switch its vote to lead the country.

When I put my name in for Wellington Central, ACT was at one percent. In the first opinion poll I was the fourth-ranked candidate. I won because the electorate realised that, by electing me, it would be gaining MMP and electing another Party into Parliament. Even though I gained more votes when I lost than when I first won the seat, the electorate realised ACT was going to win and I was going to be in Parliament whether I won or lost the seat.

Wellington Central voters can have an even bigger impact on this election. While many media commentators think it a foregone conclusion that National will win the next election, they're forgetting that this is MMP.

No party since the 1951 waterfront election has won 50 percent and, despite the current polls, National will not get the 50 percent to govern alone.

According to latest polls, Labour could form a government even with a huge swing to National. Indeed, we could have the electorate move to the Right and the Government move to the Left with a Labour/Green/Maori Party government. If the Maori party wins all seven Maori seats and few list seats, a likely result will be an overhang as to get proportionality Parliament will have more than 120 seats.
Winning Wellington Central could easily be the balance of power. When Wellington Central activists suggested I stand for this seat I said: "But I'm the man who drove through the civil service reforms. Civil servants will never vote for ACT". The activists said "Not so, the civil servants know how bad the waste is."

Heather Roy has been a critic of the extraordinary growth in bureaucracy, and the civil servants know she's right - 20,000 extra employees and no increase in service. That's not my view; that's the result of a study by the Treasury.

There's another reason Wellington needs Heather Roy. Let me be as polite as I can be about Marian Hobbs, but she wasn't dropped from the Cabinet because of her effectiveness.

Labour's nominee has likely been selected because of his support of the Left faction, rather than their ability to represent this electorate. It's ironic, but it is very challenging representing the capital.

You would think it would be easy - most Ministers live here; politics is this city's business. Representing the capital should be a piece of cake. The reality is, however, that it's the opposite. It's easier to be the MP for the West Coast; there, the MP is the only MP for 400 kilometres. He's the only representative for the region and his views are accorded real weight - not just by the voters, but also by Wellington.

In the capital, the local MP is competing for attention from the whole of Parliament. Ministers think that, because the live here, they know the issues. They don't, but they THINK they do.

The voters also often by-pass the local MP and go directly to departments. The result is that decisions are made about Wellington by central government that Ministers would never consider making if it were Auckland or Southland.

To be heard and effective, the MP for Wellington Central has to be much better than your average MP.

Heather Roy is well qualified. She was ranked number two for very good reasons. ACT was acknowledged as having - man for man, woman for woman - the best caucus, and that Party recognised her as the most effective.

Heather Roy is a Wellington Central girl.

I have no doubt she will be the most talented of all the candidates and I know she is standing to win.

Sam Buchanan's Reply

I challenged Wellington anarchists, particularly Sam Buchanan and Asher Goldman to distance themselves from the pro-violence views of Mr Geoff Karena.

Here's Sam Buchanan's reply with some comment by me in the first section.

Sam Stretching it a bit here aren't you, Trev? If you have issues with Mr Karena shouldn't he be the one you approach for comment? Or is this you're socialist streak coming through again - your deep tendency to group people together and hold them collectively responsible for each others views? I wouldn't expect you to take responsibility for what other people say...expect me to?

New Zeal I asked you to distance yourself from and to condemn Mr Karena's writings. I gave you as a well known anarchist and friend and colleague of several of those arrested on October 15th, the opportunity to condemn terrorism. I did not say you were responsible for Mr Karena's views. You are fudging the point here Sam.

Sam By the way, you still haven't replied to my offer to correct the errors in your piece about me, and the mis-lablelled photos you still have up, for a reasonable price. This seems a bit irresponsible of you.

If you want my thoughts on political violence, you are welcome to fund me to write and publish a small book on the subject. Please let me know your terms.

New Zeal I have removed two photos of Val Morse on the request of her lawyer, Mr Lilico. I have also removed one of Tim and Emily Bailey because I found that their images are still under suppression orders.

I don't believe I have stated any falsehoods about yourself. I Blog for free (though if anyone would like to sponsor me, feel free to offer), for my own gratification and as a public service. That's an ethos I'm sure you'll appreciate, Sam.

I would be willing to pay for some info Sam, but not the kind I think you'd be willing to reveal.

Sam However, here's something for free - it's already in the public domain anyway. A short piece I wrote for a newsheet at the time of the public transport bombings in London a few years back. It also refers to the idiots who grafittied an Auckland mosque in response. it's somewhat terse, and the language is a bit untypical of me, but I was pretty angry at the time.

Cheers

Sam Buchanan

STUPID BASTARDS

The bunch of fuckwits who put bombs on public transport in London and the politicians who ordered the bombing Baghdad are on the same moral level.

The glib liberal slogan “one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter” is claptrap. Terrorism is terrorism – it doesn’t matter how worthy your cause is or what means you use to deliver it. Whether a bomb is in a suitcase, or dropped from a B-52 makes fuck all difference to the victim.

Terrorism is trying to gain a political aim by frightening a population into submission. The term was first used to describe government’s who terrorised their own populations in order to stay in power, still the most common form of terrorism.

Meanwhile the press trumpets the ‘defiance’ of ordinary Londoners who go to their jobs as if nothing has happened. Do they have any choice? Are they choosing to show their courage by taking the bus and leaving their armour-plated limousines in the garage? Unlike their bosses and leaders they don’t have country houses to flee to, or an army of police and soldiers to stand between them and their attackers. They can’t stay home until the threat has receded – if it ever does.

Do Blair and Bush really think they can fight wars overseas and not have their own cities attacked? Could they care less? Behind the smiles and rhetoric another dead Londoner, Spaniard, Iraqi or Sudanese is a detail of history, or worse, a handy PR opportunity, for these great colonial statesmen.

Meanwhile, some opportunist losers in Auckland take the opportunity to slide their own sick little agenda forward on the blood of the victims of the London bombing. Blaming Auckland muslims for the attacks is like blaming the local branch of Youth for Christ for an IRA attack on the grounds that all Christians are the same.

New Zeal Thanks for that Sam.

Wellington Anti EFB Rally

Some photos from yesterday's anti Electoral Finance Bill rally in Wellington






From Not PC

Asher Reads the Riot Act

Wellington anarchist, Asher Goldman, had several friends and colleagues arrested in the October 15th anti-terror raids-including his two Indymedia co-editors.


He's not happy at the lack of security in the anarchist movement.

From Indymedia

Where do you stand? Shutting the fuck up to not risk our freedom

In the wake of the October 15th raids, there are a few key points regarding security and dealing with the Police and media that demand restating. Too many people who should have known better ended up saying things they shouldn't have to the Police, whether directly or via the corporate media.

Soon after the raids, those being called in for questioning were reminded on Aotearoa Indymedia that "There is no such thing as a harmless conversation when it comes to police questioning." This lesson, however, was apparently not learnt.

There can be no doubt that being asked questions with a gun to your face is one of the scariest things that can happen to someone, and so I won't delve too much further into those specific situations, except to say that the main thrust of my argument still holds true - not saying anything is always a better option for the overall safety and liberty of everyone concerned.

Too many people however, when confronted by Police without firearms (whether at their houses or after being called in for questioning) still talked. Too many people talked to the media, armed with only microphones. The excuses for this have been varied, from thinking one was doing the right thing, to not thinking at all, however in all cases talking had a negative effect, whether directly or indirectly.

The Police intelligence gathering in Operation 8 had two aspects - information gathered specifically to aid in the prosecution of those individuals arrested on October 15th (and any further arrests that Police stated they wished to make), and information gathered to help in building an overall picture of the Tino Rangatiratanga, anarchist and activist movements and communities across Aotearoa with a sinister eye to the future.

Some people answered simple questions like "Do you know person X?", thinking that either the fact that they knew them didn't matter, or assuming that the Police already knew the answer was in the affirmative. In doing this, they assisted Police to further enhance their maps of who is connected to who, who works with who. Regardless of whether or not it had relevance to Operation 8 in specific instances, it certainly will help them in investigating any future activity.

When confronted by Police at your house, if they don't have a warrant, make sure they leave your property immediately. No ifs, no buts. Don't answer any questions, don't let them walk around your back yard uninterrupted, don't leave them alone unwatched until they're gone. If they have a warrant, then let them in and watch them for as long as possible (theoretically, you should be able to watch the entire search, but Police aren't exactly known for obeying the rules). While watching, make sure you don't tell them anything. Don't answer questions, don't engage in idle chit-chat. Cops aren't friendly except for when they think that will help them in finding out the answers to their questions - if they're being nice, it's not because they're nice people, it's because they want to lull you into talking. Don't fall for their trap.

If you feel like you need to answer a call for questioning, either talk to a lawyer first, or if you can get a pro bono lawyer, take one in with you. Again, don't answer anything. Don't sign anything either, there is no requirement for you to do so. Try to recall everything they ask you - it could prove useful for working out their lines of enquiry, or discovering the extent of their surveillance.

Perhaps the worst example of talking to the media during the aftermath of Operation 8was the front page story in The Press in Otautahi/Christchurch, with quotes from somebody claiming to be a friend of one of the people called in for questioning. This friend was quoted as saying things which should obviously not have been said to anyone, let alone a journalist from a large media organisation. A saying which is apt here is "If you don't know anything, don't talk about it. If you know a little, say even less."

This isn't a game. This isn't about your moral indignation that you have "nothing to hide". Operation 8 was not the usual bullshit charges of Disorderly Behaviour seen at a protest, where one could have a reasonable expectation of being found not guilty, if the charges ever reached trial.

The potential charges in Operation 8 could have resulted in some serious, long term jail time, and even the lesser Arms Act charges still carry a potential of up to four years. This isn't a game, and those talking to the Police or the media are risking the liberty of those they claim to call friends. The coercive arm of the state arrived on our doorsteps – and will potentially use the information gathered for many years to come. Inviting a cop in for a cup of tea undermines the good work you and many others have been doing, and can put waste to organising that has taken months or years of effort to do.

At the end of the day, it comes down to a simple question of where you stand. Do you stand with those fighting for justice and liberty, or with those who seek to repress it? If you stand with the former, then it should be second nature that we do not do anything to help those who stand with the latter. One of the lessons learnt since October 15th is a very simple one, one of who can be trusted, and of who breaks trust placed in them. It would do us all well to remember that.

Some Questions For Wellington Anarchists-Especially Asher and Sam

This is Oblong Inernet Cafe, Cuba Street Wellington, run by and for Wellington's anarchist community. It is often used as a meeting place by the activists running anarchist newsite, Indymedia.


Inside is the Freedom Bookshop where one can buy anarchist books,'zines and posters.


Geoff Karena, who claims to be friend and relative of "Urewera 17" arrestee, Rangi Kemara and who advocates suicide bombings and war on pakeha recommends Indymedia and the Freedom Bookshop.

He says;

come along to a hui at your local freedom shop or go to anarchy.com indymedia, www.tinorangatiratanga.yahoogroups taitokerau@yahoogroups.com or googlise fro the "poor mans James bond" book, buy the book set up a cell and select some suicide bombers go to it. there are detailed video's on how to make suicide vests in it oye oye for the cause.

go to the one in wgtn at the oblong left bank cuba street that’s where you can find out about the fake us, canada, america and english pernicious resource stripping war mongering industrialists nations and how to overthrow them.

I'd like to ask the Wellington anarchists who occasionally comment on this Blog, such as Sam Buchanan and Asher Goldman if they endorse Mr Karena's statements?

Are you proud to have someone who seems to recommend suicide bombing and civil war associated with your news site and bookshop?

Considering that several of your friends and colleagues were recently accused of involvement in terrorist related activities, surely you would want to distance yourself from Mr Karena's writings?

You are both involved in the peace movement-surely you must strongly oppose Mr Karena's apparently pro-violence views?

I am happy to post your replies unedited-defamation excluded of course.

Hide On Labour's Fascist Electoral Finance Bill

A press release from ACT leader, Rodney Hide

The Electoral Finance Bill is the most serious assault on free speech and political expression ever seen in the developed world - and the recent amendments to it have changed nothing, ACT Leader Rodney Hide said today.

"Absolutely nothing has been changed by these amendments - they simply fiddle with the details and leave the Bill's abhorrent concept and principles untouched," Mr Hide said.

"Free speech is vital to a democratic system, but this Bill indefensibly restricts the ability of New Zealanders to fully participate in the political process - under this Bill, New Zealanders will have to register with the Government in order to express a political view every election year; political expression and debate will be subject to Government regulation and control.

"It's shocking that the Greens, New Zealand First and Labour have signed up to a Bill that undermines Kiwis' ability to express their political views freely and openly. It is unnecessary, unjustifiably restricts political expression and breaches fundamental human rights.

"This isn't a Bill to regulate political Parties - it's a Bill to regulate every New Zealander. The country is right to be upset and angry over what the Labour-led Government and its support Parties are doing - after all, free speech is something that previous generations of New Zealanders fought and died for; it's now to be taken away from us in peace-time by the Government rushing legislation through before Christmas," Mr Hide said.

Who is Geoff Karena?

Geoffrey Fuimaono Karena is a Wellington based activist and musician. He is of mixed Maori/Samoan descent and hales from the Bay of Islands.

He has been a long time Maori sovereignty activist and protestor.


Photo from Teanau Tuino's Conscious Collaboration's website.

Mr Karena studied at Victoria University in Wellington from at least the mid '90s to the early '00s.

In 2001, the year he stood unsuccessfully for the Wellington mayoralty, he was aged 46 and studying for his Masters in International Relations.

He stood unsuccessfully for the '95 and '96 VUWSA presidency.

In 2002 Mr Karena served on the executive of Victoria University's Maori student's organisation Ngai Tauira, where he was a colleague of Kaye-Maree Dunn.

In 2002/3 he was the president and sole staff member of Te Mana Akonga, the national federation of Maori Student organisations.

Around that time Te Mana Akonga was affiliated with Radical Society and NZUSA to the radical leftist Asian Student's Association.

In 2003 Mr Karena floated the idea of a National Iwi Independence Party of Aotearoa.

More From Mr Karena

In this post I quoted from the Bebo site of Mr Geoff (Potangotango)Karena.

It seems that Mr Karena is a relative of Rangi Kemara of "Uruwera 17" fame and is also close to Kemara's colleague Teanau Tuiono.

Reading Mr Karena's Bebo blog is very interesting and if he is serious, more than a little chilling.

Here are some excerpts, with commentary from me.

From a post 21 days ago

this is the time to go to war.

well you may ask which war is that, is it like whats going on in iraq. no I tell you the war that is going on on a daily basis is here in kiwi land, NZ or aoetaroa to this supporter of independence for iwi is well on the cards and we have to be ready.

yes thats right is it time to take the bull by the horns and take that final step as we want to, and start a clear-earth policy as they have tried to on us. as well as the normal take them on in the trenches, in the streets, burglarising them, home invading them, bombing them...

within the baskets of knowledge are also that which is the iwi essence which is definately at risk of annihilation by these latest arrests, so we need the warriors of iwi to rise up and to take their positions.

with the arrest over the the last two weeks of tino rangatira supporters a clear message has been sent out to iwi, to the people of aotearoa and indeed to the rest of the world that the pakiha are going to begin the dawn raids and the illegal imprisonments as they have done since their arrival in 1800 so we have no alternative but to take them on.

Would this have been sedition, before the offence was recently abolished?

From a post 353 days ago

nga toa o te motu you are all invited to a hui to be held at a marae somewhere in the bay of islands feb 2 to feb the 7th 2007.

the hui will discuss how we/us you and all of us are going to take back aotearoa from the baldyheads to expel the britishers, the kaupapa of the hui is to set a plan of action in place to assist in bringing this about, independence and self determination we will all decide as to what and how we move on this ideally we want to perform an action on waitangi day that will shock the world.

we will be discussing how we are going to return mana motuhake of aotearoa to iwi or to the hui which ever will work for our people and what works best. for the purpose of being non hierachical making it safe for the wahine as well we thought we would come to the hui in scarves, balaclava's etc no faces allowed whether we continue that during the hui will be up to the first hui of the week no leaders, we are all the leaders we can elect spokes people or representatives or kai mangai kaikorero.

those organising the hui for instance are not the leaders they are the admin. so long as you are into independence and self-determination for iwi hapu and whanau then you are will be able to contribute to the hui all will be listened to

Is this as heavy as it sounds? Nga Toa o te Motu-roughly translates as warriors of freedom.

From a post 449 days ago

one up for the masses

the sacred fires of the gods was not extinguished in melbourne austrailia 2005, the aboriginal order of freedom fighters withstood police and pakeha authority harassment to maintain the sacred fire that was lit in protest at the blatant display of colonial theft by the commonwealth they were branded the stolen wealth games.

to commemorate their stance they have kept the fire alight to this day, never to be extinguished, its fire was sparked by mahuika and tane mahuta in remembrance of self-determination and independence for the indigenous tribes of austrailia for mana motuhake, so austrailia is returned to them.

the last report from our trusty iwi reporter Ana brown davis, said "there was great resolve in the aboriginal peoples council of war towards achieving this goal indeed with the help of all the indigenous peoples and now resident kiwi's kiwi pakeha Samoan, all peoples of the pacific that there has to be freedom in the pacific.

to effect this there are going to be a series of massed rangatahi young people protests on the doorsteps of the wto November 2006, 7, and 8, the world bank, imf, un headquarters, the G8, as well for the next twenty years. till they give it up, wherever there is oppression said davis we will be there to effect change however way that is achieved.

we want thousands no millions to march in brussels in 2008. it will be the year for change said URS anarchist in protest over the united states, nz, and canada's non ratification of the decolonisation act of 1960, and the non ratification of the indigenous peoples declaration 2006. this shows how these fake governments run by crooks and thieves left over after the elite the gentry, kings and queens fled to escape beheadings from the peoples in the twelve to eighteen hundreds onwards or they escaped to other colonies to wreak their madness.....are able to get away with the murder of our people for the last 170 years

Ana Brown Davis a major supporter of the "Urewera 17".

come along to a hui at your local freedom shop or go to anarchy.com indymedia, www.tinorangatiratanga.yahoogroups taitokerau@yahoogroups.com or googlise fro the "poor mans James bond" book, buy the book set up a cell and select some suicide bombers go to it. there are detailed video's on how to make suicide vests in it oye oye for the cause.

go to the one in wgtn at the oblong left bank cuba street that’s where you can find out about the fake us, canada, america and english pernicious resource stripping war mongering industrialists nations and how to overthrow them.

Suicide bombers??? Note the anarchist connection. Indymedia is anarchist run and two of its three editors were arrested in the "Urewera 17" raids.

Oblong is a meeting place at the anarchist run Freedom Shop in Wellington.

the poisoning of billions of people with skin cancer was anticipated with the depletion of the ozone layer they planned it who wants to live in a cold dreary place the rich have purposely cut the tree's they have purposely melted the ice to raise the water levels thereby the waters through its sheer weight will put pressure on the crust of the planet, forcing volcanic activity at the seams in the next two decades increasing eruptions will not only propel us out into space or if timed wrongly plummet us towards the sun whilst shifting the continents.

europe and russia will sink, amerika will sink the pacific will arise the climate will be warmer and brand new. the rich caused the ozone layer to get larger to turn the world into a sunny warm place. sweet by me we can see for ourselves the damage this selfish wish has created, I have genealogy in warm country's and have to agree with that thinking it will mean that the equator will become too hot to live on, in that this is what international capitalists are doing to our planet clever aye or are they crazy

No wonder this guy is upset.

A post from 450 days ago

Full and final settlement is theft

it's all very well to say that "the united nations” inspired waitangi tribunal is the only game in town that will heal all the ills of iwi. but in the long run what do Iwi get for taking the few pieces of silver they are offered and to admitting to a "full and final settlement", nothing absolutely nothing.

What if some are able to through wise investment and managed business opportunities to build the full and final returned claims monies into wealth producing empires. To do that they haveto become the capitalist pigs we detest, whom we have been fighting tooth and nail to overcome since marx identified it. We are supposed to use the monies from these illegal waitangi tribunal settlements to become the whitey contractors that will strip our own land of all its forests.

We will also use our "full and final" settlement monies to set up huge fishing fleets that will strip our waters of all living creatures, or we will use our "full and final" monies to build intensive farming operations to wrench the last ounce of blood profit out of our already overused lands. Why would we want to do this I ask, what so we can give this illegal government and its capitalist system legitimacy for the next one hundred years. Regardless we will still have to ask the minita of maori affairs if we can spend over one hundred dollars of our iwi money, bugger that. Do you want your grandchildren to have to put up with that crap. And if the reason some of our people want to accept full and final settlements so that they do not have to experience poverty, shame on you, its time for war.

Its time for war! Clearly Mr Karena sees no hope in the current system. What then can one do?

Therefore, this is not the "only game in town" there are others. Much like all those who refer to this as a game they also know that there are other games that will achieve for iwi the self-determination and independence outcome we are all striving for, of which the following examples can be seen to be practised with much success all around the world.

Example 1

The warlord game: this is where a group of whanau or hapu begin in their rohe a campaign of terrorising and confiscating their own lands from the local farmers and land stealers. Using ex-colonial soldiers and the thousands of disenfranchised youth of their whanau as the enforcers, and the local hapü as their suppliers, with their local Iwi parliamentary member as their exonerator or supplier, a method that has been used successfully in: Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Columbia, Togo, Uganda, Somalia, now Caledonia etc.

Or Tuhoe country?

Example 2

There is also the occupation method, this is similar to the first one and includes the use of high powered long range weaponry. It uses military methods to lock down areas such as road-blocks delineating tracts of land to certain hapu and no trespass signs and declarations of independence and have their people defend their area's against incursions by the state. These were used successfully in Chechnya, Kenya, Yucatan, Georgia, Siberia, etc.

Example 3

Then there are the suicide bomber games, this requires complete
commitment to the cause of iwi self-determination and independence.

Example 4

Then there are the games the iwi gangs play, who amongst all iwi they are the best at, hook up with them influence them lead them to our way of thinking.

Example 5

There are the petty crime games, steal anything and everything it is muru. Burn it or destroy whatever you steal or distribute it if this is for example 1&2. It there is any profit from it give ten to 20% of it to any iwi political organisation, like the whanau.

Example 6

Kidnapping is another game that has found favour with indigenous freedom fighters. Snatch rich people, government officials, MP's, foreigners, tourists, cabinet ministers etc., hold them for millions of dollars, make it impossible for them to refuse and if the governments or families of the kidnapped do not pay up decapitate
them, video it and send it to tvnz. Assassination is another way to appeal to a recalcitrant government to leave a territory or a series of assassinations if they do not heed the warnings.

There are many more other games in town these are two I came up with
what other games do others have that they think would fit into this.

For extra info try this site for articles of how to wage war on the invaders where you can maximise you destructive capabilities, which will help you with your peoples aspirations.

http://www.deltaforce.com/catalog/pa...

two four six eight what do we appreciate
iwi independence and self-determination

A bit lost for words really. What do you make of all this?

Labour Voters?

A friend sent me this.


He reckons its two Labour voters rushing to the polls.

What do you think?

Interesting Message, Interesting Friends

Check out the Bebo page of Potangotango-Karena


This guy has some interesting views;







wishes and dreams

we must make war against the oppressors of iwi hapu and whanau rip up the treaty of waitangi

yofuk seig heil

message to black power and the mongrel mob go hard bro's we have to have the best of the best if you war against each other the purpose is of course obvious, it is to sort out who of the two groups will be able to go up against the crazy marauding invading pakeha.

if there are deaths and murders these are called collateral damage. so I say to the iwi, hapu and whanau if you need shop buy off the two groups they need our support as black power and mongrel mob are the only ones who will take on the pakeha. no reira koutou kia kaha i ou mahi hirahira

Note also that he lists as friends both Teanau Tuiono and "Uruwera 17" arrestee Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara.

Another friend unnamed, is pictured wearing a Zapatista style black balaclava.

More Evidence of "Urewera 17"/Zapatista Links

Evidence of links between the "Urewera 17" and Mexico's Zapatista rebels is becoming overwhelming.

Here's the latest piece of the jig saw.

R J Maccani is a US based educator and activist.


I teach and write to pay the bills but mostly do organizing, education, and media work to build struggles for collective liberation. I organize with Regeneración Childcare NYC as well as the Men's Collaborative of Generation FIVE. I'm an international adherent to the Zapatistas' Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle, and write regularly for Left Turn and The Narco News Bulletin.

Maccani runs a blog called Zapagringo which promotes;

zapatista-inspired rebellion on Turtle Island (North America)and throughout the galaxy...

Here's an extract from his latest blog post;

The Maori and the Zapatistas

Maori freedom fighter Tame Iti is out on bail

Members of the Maori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa (known to many by its colonial name "New Zealand"), were amongst those who founded the Zapatista-inspired Peoples' Global Action network (PGA) in 1998. A month ago under New Zealand's 2002 Terrorism Suppression Act, over 300 police raided houses across the country seeking up to 60 activists in Aotearoa's Tino Rangatiratanga, peace and environmental movements.

Among the 17 people arrested in the sweeps were some of these same founding PGA members, along with current Zapatista solidarity activists. With these networks in place, a massive response came from all over the world denouncing the raids and arrests...and the terrorism charges were dropped.

Teanau Tuiono, who has known links to at least four "Urewera 17" arrestees-Tame Iti, Rangi Kemara, Emily Bailey and Tim/Ira Bailey is a key New Zealand contact for Peoples Global Action.

More on this later.

Iti Visited Iran?

From today's Herald on Sunday

Maori activist Tame Iti made an impromptu visit to Iran earlier this year - but supporters say it was a legitimate business trip.

The Tuhoe sovereignty campaigner - one of 17 people arrested during last month's nationwide police raids - has been accused of running camps in the Urewera which led to the so-called terror raids.

He is facing 11 counts of unlawful possession of firearms, including Molotov cocktails, a .22 Ruger, another .22 rifle and a military-style Saiga 7.62 rifle. Iti has denied suggestions he is a terrorist, or that any terrorist acts were planned. A source close to Iti confirmed the 55-year-old activist had visited Iran earlier this year in a bid to broker a commercial fishing deal with an Iranian businessman.

However, the deal went sour and Iti returned home.

New Zeal a commentor on this post claims that the Iran trip did not happen.

Unfortunately this story is wrong as is essentially the main problem with believing everything that is overhead in bugged conversations. Iti did intend to stop over in Iran to secure a fish deal on his return from performing Tempest in Austria, but the fish deal went south before he left so the trip never eventuated.

Whiri Kemara's Anarchist Links

"Urewera 17" arrestee Te Rangikaiwhiria (Whiri) Andrew Kemara also goes by the name of Rangi Kemara.

While his links to the Tame Iti/Tuhoe wing of the "Urewera 17" are obvious , Kemara also has ties to the Wellington based anarchist faction.

Kemara has often posted on the Indymedia website, which is edited by two anarchist "Urewera 17" arrestees, Omar Hamed and a Swiss national who still has name suppression.

Kemara also works closely, in the Maori Internet Society with Teanau Tuiono, who is both an indigenous activist and an anarchist with links to the Wellington scene.

Tuiono draws inspiration from the Zapatista revolutionaries of Mexico, who have turned indigenous Mayan peasants into an army strong enough to create a semi autonomous state in Chiapas State.

Much like some Tuhoe seem to be attempting in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

An event entitled "Nice n Native" was held in the Waikato early this year.


The idea was to bring together a small group of indigenous activists...who were all actively working towards a different world to wananga (explore, sit, think and share ideas) indigenous self-determination. It is not often that indigenous peoples are given the opportunity to sit and share with other indigenous peoples stories of how our communities are surviving in the face of colonization, capitalism, westernism and other external influences.

Our whanau (family) that came together for the week ranged from the four corners of the earth, bringing together tangata whenua (peoples of the land) from Alaska, the Phillipines, The desert in Arizona and New Mexico, Australia and Aotearoa. Many peoples, many tribes, many mountains, rivers, clans where brought together at Motakotako Marae.


This gathering of domestic and foreign radicals was organised by Conscious Collaborations, an organisation run by Tuiono Tuiono and Kiritapu Allan.

Conscious Collaborations has played a leading role in the "Urewera 17" arrestee support network.

Of the 25 odd Maori activists attending Nice n Native three were the "Urewera 17" arrestees Emily Bailey, Ira/Tim Bailey and of course Rangi Kemara.

Emily Bailey incidentally has visited a Zapatista stronghold at Oventic in Chiapas.

Also attending Nice n Native were Tuhoe activist Ati Teepa, brother of "Urewera 17" arrestee Maraki Teepa and former Maoist activist, Helen Te Hira.

Kane Te Manakura, of Tuhoe, gave his impression the event;

The collective power of the people brought together for Nice n Native has spurred on the realization that this, and a sustainable indigenous self-determination is not only necessary but possible. By being so thoroughly but supportively humbled I was able to listen and see from a fresh perspective, and the very real hope that our communities can be healthy, whole and function independently of the capitalist empire is what I saw.

I have come to recognize something of how deeply colonized I am, a good thing because now I can start the positive and humbling process of de-colonisation.

Guess who has offered to host the next Nice n Native gathering?

Ngai Tuuhoe has put in a tono (offered) to host the next Nice 'n' Native in their rohe (tribal region) in the heart of the Urewera. It is proposed that Nice 'n' Native 08 will take place in March 22-28 2008.

Given recent events, I wonder if a change in venue might not be a good idea.

New Zeal Someone, presumably involved with Conscious Collaborations has diverted my links to a report on the Nice n Native gathering and to Conscious Collaboration, so they cannot be reached from this blog.

To find them Google these links;

http://www.conscious.maori.nz/page.php?4

http://www.conscious.maori.nz/front.php

If they are similarly altered just Google "Nice n Native 2007 report" or "Concious Collaborations"

Truth will out.

Revolutionary Writing From "Uruwera 17" Arrestee

One of those arrested in the October 15th anti terrorism raids was Te Rangikaiwhiria (Whiri) Andrew Kemara (Ngāti Urunumia), a 38 year old Manurewa man.

An IT manager for a Maori owned strategic services company and former vice president of the New Zealand Maori Internet Society, Kemara was arrested at the same address as Vietnam veteran, Tuhoe Lambert. Kemara is also Former flatmate of Tame Iti.

Kemara is bailed on firearms charges. The Police unsuccessfully applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Mr Kemara carries a full facial moko, but I believe it is still illegal to publish his image.

Check out this article Mr Kemara posted on the Maori chatsite Aotearoa Cafe (currently off-line)which was subsequently re-posted on the anarchist run website Indymedia 5th may 2005

Hikoi one year on-an observation, a conclusion

Thoughts and observations of the last 3-4 years from a relatively new participant in the Tino Rangatiratanga movement, as to the effectiveness of the movement within this current paradym.

On the Maori Party:

There have been many thoughts go through my head in the last year about the Maori Party, and their emergence at this stage in our hystory. Its been a difficult conclusion to come to, but I now see this Party as an appropriate reaction and representation of where a lot of Maori are at, and I can see why they will garner a lot of Maori support. It is an avenue that Maori are yet to fully explore - the avenue of political minority representation within this parliamentary MMP system. It is a road we seem to need to travel, if nothing more than to see where it ends.

On Revolution/uprising:

I doubt there will ever be a revolt lead by 'Maori' per se unless we somehow have a [[massive]] shift in base thinking (notwithstanding this is still a dream prevalent in the hearts and minds of many Maori around the motu).

Why i say that is not to put Maori down or the movement down but to point out what is now more obvious to me now than ever before.

1/ Apart from the reality that many Maori resistance leaders are now worn down by years of tireless action (and as Dei Hamo sings) "years of having no shit", and are turning to more ‘stable’ lifestyles.

2/ Apart from the obvious fact that Maori do not have the financial backbone at the moment to resource an effective revolt...

3/ Apart from the sad fact that the Crown is wholeheartedly dependent and expectant of Maori to quell any Maori revolt...

Those reasons and many more are not behind why I am thinking this way at the moment.

The Observation:

The reason I believe we have focussed and restricted our level of action to these arenas such as endeavouring to set up alternative parliaments, alternative systems of law, alternative dollar notes, why we ‘hikoi’ off to Parliament of all places seek some form of justice, why grass roots movements are continually so easily snatched from the clutches of the people and placed in the hands of courtrooms or political party's, is because deep down...

…many believe there is still hope (within this system).

From what we have seen with the killing of Stephen Wallace and subsequent acquital of his murderer, also what I have witnessed at Ngawha - the wholesale destruction carried out there on whenua there, the backhand slap in the face given to the people there by the crown and its Maori ministers, and also with the Seabed and Foreshore and the eventual confiscation of million of acres of Maori ancestral lands by the Crown. These have left me under no illusion that the only real hope we have is to accept the glaring fact that there is no possibility for real justice within the realms of this system…not now, nor ever.

…and I think the sooner we participants in this movement called Tino Rangatiratanga can accept this fact, the sooner we will be able to function as an effective resistance movement is supposed to.

Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara
www.aocafe.com

Emphasis added.

Some Straight Answers From Frances Mountier

Frances Mountier of the Save Happy Valley Campaign was visited by police at her Christchurch home on the morning of the "Urewera 17" police raids.

Like the well trained activist she is, Mountier refused the police entry because they had no warrant.



The next day, October 16th, Mountier was interviewed on TV1's "CloseUp", by John Sellwood.

Sellwood Do you have any involvement in any activity that is illegal? Have you ever and anyone you know-and look in my eyes and tell me-have you ever been involved in anything that involves weapons?

Mountier No I have not.

Sellwood Do you know anyone who has or has been involved in the training using weapons?

Mountier I'm, I'm sure there's a whole lot of people...

Sellwood Do you know anyone?

Mountier Look, I have no idea, I, I...

Sellwood Seriously, do you know anyone?

Mountier Not in terms of-in...

Sellwood Do you know any?

Mountier Not in, ahh, ahh, like not beyond a shooting rabbits kind of sense.

Sellwood OK, more importantly, do you know anyone connected with the Ureweras and possibly what has occurred up there?

Mountier Ahh, as far as I'm aware, no I don't on and and and why does, any neither does anyone (unintelligible) so we can go tramping.

Sellwood As a New Zealander, if it was shown there was a terrorist training camp-the word terrorism, oh let's forget it-there was a training camp and arms were used possibly for training/political purposes, surely that would concern you?

Mountier Ah, as a New Zealander, what would concern me is this, this, this police, ah, , ah, coming into people's houses across the country and also the designation of, such, y'know, alleged camps, its been denied by all those people, being, being morphed into this concept of terrorism that, that, y'know everyone has heard about incessantly for past 24 hours.

Frances Mountier, incidentally, joined the recent Tuhoe hikoi to Parliament.

Anti EFB Rally in Auckland-Be There!

Leading ACT Party member John Boscawen is a leader of the campaign against Labour's appalling Electoral Finance Bill.

The first protest march will be held in Auckland tomorrow.

From David Farrar's KiwiBlog.

A big reminder to those in or near Auckland that John Boscawen had organised a march against the Electoral Finance Bill this Saturday 17 November from the Auckland Town Hall at 10.30am (assemble from 10am).

Remember that under the current version of the Electoral Finance Bill, such a protest march would be illegal next year unless one did statutory declarations for all the placards.

I don't normally support marches, but I urge you to get involved in this one if you can.

Freedom of speech has never been so imperilled as from this Bill.

PS John Boscawen's father Owen has just died, but John is carrying on.

John organised Rodney hide's successful against all odds campaign in Epsom in 2005.

He is an awesome organiser and a true Kiwi patriot.

Condolences john and best of luck with the campaign.

New Zeal Turns Two!

New Zeal is two today.


Thanks for your support, comments, information, praise, links, abuse, spam, suggestions and aroha.

Here's to freedom and the future!

US Communists Vow to Oust Republicans, Install "Progressive" Democrats

The Communist Party USA holds your future in its hands.

Hot off the press from the Peoples Weekly World.

NEW YORK — Members of the Communist Party USA national committee meeting here Nov. 10heard Sam Webb, the party’s chairman, say that “in the struggle against the ultra-right we are at the cusp of a political conjuncture which could shift things in favor of the working class.” After “a quarter century of domination,” he said, the right is finally losing momentum.

In his report to the meeting, Webb noted the erosion of Bush administration control over Congress and of the administration’s ability to dominate politics at home and abroad. But, he warned, the right wing “is not a spent force. The threats against Iran and the continuing push for authoritarian rule here at home need to be taken seriously.”

The report described how “the broadly based labor-led movement has resisted Bush” from the beginning and how, as a result, “new forces came into play including antiwar and immigrant rights groups,” culminating, in 2006, “with an election victory that gave control of Congress to the Democratic Party.”

While that shift was not a “revolutionary change,” Webb noted, it helped propel critical debates along positive lines, adding impetus to the drive for diplomacy rather than military force and for government curbs on corporations that run wild, and to the drive for economic democracy and against racism.

Webb defined the 2008 elections as “a squaring off between the growing movement of labor and other democratic forces” and the far right. “At stake is our country’s future,” he said, calling for a “decisive defeat” of Republicans and increasing the Democratic majorities in Congress, especially the number of progressives.

Warning that it would be a mistake to equate the Democratic and Republican parties at this time, Webb said, “Defeating the far right is to the advantage of and critical to the survival and growth of the people’s movements.” Such an electoral sweep will “give people’s forces more leverage and independence,” he said.

He called for a strong emphasis on the fight to reverse the deteriorating economic conditions of working people.

The jobs, mortgage and housing crises and the entire economic struggle of working people must be brought into the electoral arena, Webb said. This includes the fight for manufacturing jobs, for union organizing rights and for universal health care, he said.

Joelle Fishman, chair of the CPUSA’s political action commission, also addressed the national committee members with a PowerPoint presentation on the stakes in the 2008 elections, which is available for public forums.

Fishman said the defeat of the Republican Party “could change the political map in our country,” and urged an all-out grassroots mobilization to turn out the vote and protect it from GOP dirty tricks.

Not So Happy Valley Campers-Green Party Links to the "Urewera 17"

No doubt members of the "Urewera 17" are extremely relieved not to be facing terrorism charges.

Not far behind in the relief stakes would come senior members of the Green Party.

If members of the "Urewera 17" were tried and convicted terrorism charges, I believe the fallout would destroy the Greens as a force in New Zealand politics.

The Green Party is linked with members of the "Urewera 17" in several ways, both direct and indirect.

Could this be why some Green Party MPs have played a leading role in the "free the terrorists" campaign?

One of the most obvious Green Party/"Urewera 17" links is the Save Happy Valley Campaign.

Since its formation in 2004, the SHVC has cost power company Solid Energy many millions of dollars of by disrupting their coal mining activities in the West Coast's Happy Valley.

From the Save Happy Valley website

The Save Happy Valley Coalition came together at a campout at Happy Valley in early April, 2004. A group of people from around the country travelled to Westport and made the three hour hike to Happy Valley to camp for a week in protest against the proposed mine.

Working alongside other organisations like Buller Conservation Group, Te Runanga o Ngati Waewae, Forest & Bird, Greenpeace and the Green Party the Save Happy Valley Coalition aims to build awareness about the proposed coal mine at Happy Valley and the environmental issues surrounding coal mining, and to actively oppose the mine and coal-fuelled energy generation.

Green Party members have supported SHVC from both inside and outside the organisation since day one.

Several Green Party members such as Alan Liefting, Tara Forde (a Young Greens leader), Mojo Mathers have been spokesmen for SHVC.

Frances Martin has been both a leading Canterbury University Green Party activist and Happy Valley occupation co-ordinator.

According to the SHVC website , on 14th March 2006 "Twenty-two members of the Green Party, of various ages, walked into Happy Valley for the weekend to show their support to members of the indefinite occupation.

Green Party members tramped into the valley with packs laden with fresh fruit, vegetables, first aid supplies, and tarpaulins for the current occupiers, and cooked them dinner to show their appreciation for the courageous effort being made to protect this pristine New Zealand eco-system. The Save Happy Valley Coalition is grateful for the support shown by members of the Green Party and is pleased to be able to share interest and concern, as well as a decent meal, with members of the party."

The Green group included Aoraki policy networker Felix Collins, Party Development co-ordinator (now co-leader) Russel Norman, Aoraki Executive Networker Natalie Cutler-Welsh and 2005 election candidates Mojo Mathers and Alan Liefting.


Top left Green Party member Rik Tindall (now a Canterbury Regional Councillor) top centre Green Party co-leader Russel Norman, middle row right, wearing Green Part T shirt, leading Canterbury Green Christine Dann, middle row, second from rigt Allan Liefting.

Russel Norman led the charge earlier this year when it was dicovered that a private security firm had infiltrated a spy into thex SHVC.

Several Green MPs have spoken at SHVC functions, including party co-leader, Jeanette Fitzsimons and Nandor Tanczos.

According to Green Achievements in Parliament 2007 Both Metiria (Turei)and Russel (Norman)tramp to the Happy Valley protest site in early 2007 as part of the Greens’ ongoing support of the Save Happy Valley campaign.

While the Green Party provides support to SHVC, the backbone of the organisation is anarchist.

SHVC's Wellington HQ is the infamous 128 Abel Smith Street, also home of the Wildcat Anarchist Collective, the Zapatista Support Group, the film project Kotahi te Ao and the anarchist website, Indymedia.

At least five members of the "Urewera 17" have links with both 128 Abel Smith Street and the Save Happy Valley Campaign.

Every one of them faces firearms charges.

All five of them, except Tim/Ira Bailey would have faced trial for terrorism offences had not the Solicitor General refused the police permission to lay charges.

The five include include Emily Bailey and her younger brother Tim/Ira Bailey, who was SHVC's campaign's spokesman for much of 2006.


Photo removed for legal reasons.


"Urewera 17ers" Tim Bailey left, Emily Bailey, centre at Happy Valley camp February 2006

The others include two of the three members of the Indymedia editorial collective, Omar Hamed "Smush", a 23 year old Swiss national who cannot yet be named for legal reasons.

The third member of the Indymedia editorial collective, well known anarchist Asher Goldman is also a leading SHVC activist and "Urewera 17" support campaigner.

I have good grounds to believe that the Bailey siblings and "Smush" were involved in training SHVC activists at a secret training camp in the upper South Island, late in 2006.

Certainly the police are aware of connections between SHVC and the "Urewera 17". When the "anti terror" raids occurred on October 15th, police also tried to search two Christchurch houses including one occupied by SHVC spokeswoman Frances Mountier, but were denied entry because they had no warrant.

The police claimed they were looking for a "person of interest."

On February 14th 2006 SHVC was welcomed to Parliament by Green Party Conservation Spokesperson Metiria Turei, Nandor Tanczos and co-leader Jeannette Fitzsimons

The Save Happy Valley Coalition was at Parliament, complete with Great Spotted Kiwi, to talk with MPs about the destruction of the kiwi habitat in Happy Valley. State-owned Solid Energy plans to create a vast open cast coal mine in Waimangaroa Valley, one of the few stable habitats of the endangered Great Spotted Kiwi.

Photo removed by request of Valerie Morse's lawyer.

Note the blonde woman on the left, holding the banner Fitzsimons, Tanczos and turia?. Could it be "Uruwera 17" member, Valerie Morse?

Here, take a closer look.


Photo removed by request of Valerie Morse's lawyer.

Looks like Val Morse to me.

So at least five possible "terrorists" have been working within a Green Party supported organisation in very recent times.

If they were convicted and the Green connections came out in court, what would that do to the Green Party's "caring and sharing" image?

What would it do to Labour's chances of re-election in 2008 if their largest potential coalition partner was exposed as supporting a "terrorist" infiltrated organisation?

Who thinks that the Green Party/"Urewera 17" links merit a little MSM attention?

Tuhoe /Anarchist Alliance

The Urewera 17 are basically an alliance of Tuhoe militants and mainly pakeha anarchists.

They mirror the Mexican Zapatista movement which allies anarchists and indigenous Mayans.


From yesterday's "hikoi" on parliament-the picture says it all.

Arrested Anarchists Were in Solidarity with Tuhoe

Just found a link from June 2007 showing solidarity by two anarchist members of the "Urewera 17" to the Tuhoe people of Tame Iti.

It comes from Life During Capitalism, the blog of arrestee, Omar Hamed.

Around fifty-five people turned out to the evening of political documentaries that was the Antidote #15.

Smush, premiered the first cut of his 30 minute documentary from Tonga which he peppered with his own insights from his experiences traveling around Tonga in the aftermath of the pro-democracy riots and subsequent repression.

We also showed Whose News?, a 30 minute film produced by the Auckland Indymedia Collective in 2004 about the corporate media and the independent alternatives.

However our feature was Tuhoe: History of Resistance, an hour long collection of footage and interviews from a people who have long had their views distorted, ignored and misrepresented in the corporate media.

"Smush" is the as yet unnamed 23 year old Swiss national who was arrested on October 15th.

The police sought to charge both of these men with terrorist offences.

Should Nandor Tanczos be Talking to the Police?

An appeal to Green Party MP Nandor Tancos


Green Party MP Nandor Tanczos has been a strong campaigner against the recent police raids on the so called "Urewera 17"

Mr Tanczos has been an anarchist activist since his teens and has strong coonnections to the radical scene in the Auckland, the Waikato and Wellington.


Mr Tanczos has also been a strong supporter of the Save Happy Valley Campaign.

The Wellington branch of the SHVC is based at 128 Alel Smith Street Wellington, an anarchist hangout, to which several of the "Urewera 17" are connected.

Several of those arrested, including Omar Hamed, Tim/Ira Bailey, Emily Bailey and the as yet unnamed 23 year old Swiss national have been heavily involved in SHVC.

Several supporters and associates of the anarchist contingent of the "Urewera 17" arrestees are also active in the SHVC.

Given Mr Tanczos' anarchist connections and his strong support for the SHVC, it is a safe bet that Mr Tanczos personally knows some of those arrested and their supporters.

This makes a statement posted by Mr Tancos on a Green Party internet forum 26th January 2006, particularly interesting.

The context was a discussion on the place of Maori in New Zealand society and the Treaty of Waitangi.

Here is Mr Tanczos' statement-emphasis added;

If we say 'well Pakeha have the power now, so tough' and base our occupation on simple domination, then we have to prepare ourselves for permanent civil unrest and eventually when the demographics change enough, for outright war. I have spoken to people who see this as the future, and it frightens the hell out of me.

I think that the high level of Maori in prison is indicative that many people DO see this as the reality, both in the sense of many esp. poor Maori having no stake or commitment to society in its current forms, and also in the sense of a racist system parts of which aim to dominate and suppress Maori people.

Could the people Mr Tanczos has "spoken to" included some of the anarchist or Maori activists arrested on October 15th?

Could some of them be "Urewera 17" supporters not yet arrested or interviewed by police?

Does Mr Tanczos possess information that could be valuable to police investigating the "Urewera 17" or other networks?

Seventeen people, some of whom Mr Tanczos almost certainly knows face firearms charges. There was clearly sufficient evidence for police to suspect at least some of them to be involved in planning terrorist activities.

Some reports have indicated that up to 100 people may have been involved in "activities" in the Ureweras, so there may still be several people in the community that police need to know about.

Therefore I urge Mr Tanczos to take any information he may have, no matter how minor it may seem, to the police.

One small piece of information may be enough to allow police to make more arrests or uncover further potentially dangerous activities. It may even save lives.

I therefore urge Mr Tanczos to put aside his loyalties to his anarchist friends and put his country and his constituents first.

What the Bugs Revealed

Leaked police transripts from bugging of the "Urewera 17"

Please explain these, my lefty friends.

From the Dominion Post

Suspect tells another it would be good to kill Pakeha to get trainees used to killing. Also suggests making their own tracer ammunition and using tungsten projectiles to go through a "cop vest" and through "his f...... mate".

- Bug in vehicle, recorded April 6, 2007.

"Get someone to assassinate the prime minister, the new one, next year's one. Just been in office five days, bang ... Yeah. John Key ... just drop a bomb ... Just wait till he visits somewhere and just blow them ... They won't even find you."

- Two suspects in bugged vehicle, August 17, 2007.

"They want to start blowing shit up. You know, they want to blow up power plants, gas plants, Telecom, petrol f...... places and shit like that."

-Two suspects in bugged vehicle, June 23, 2007.

"You know like the IRA in England ... it's gonna happen here ... I'm ready to die, mate. I'm gonna hurt this country, I've had a gutsful ... I wanna leave this planet making sure that I've done a f...... huge amount of harm to this country."

-Suspect recorded on bugged phone, May 26, 2006.

"It'd have to be a, some sort of f......, sudden f......, because what it'll do, it'll come down on the thinking of the people, they'll think it's al Qaeda ... It's gotta be sudden and it's gotta be brutal."
Other suspect says: "Don't piss around with cities or doing the bush thing ... just go to Parliament."

-Two suspects in bugged vehicle, August 17, 2007.

"I heard you talking about the napalm shit." Response from unknown man: "I'll make some and bring some next time round, show everyone how to make it."

-Conversation in bugged vehicle, September 16, 2007.

"No, I'm teaming up with the Maoris, we have to ... I'll come and see ya, I can't f...... take the white man on without the c...s ... I'm declaring war on this country."

-Bugged cellphone, May 22, 2007.

"Tuhoe wouldn't have popular support for a bombing campaign in New Zealand."
Reply: "It would in Tuhoe though ... What about if we did a bombing campaign that blew up Waihopai spy base, power dams, gas facilities, TV stations and radios ... It's a strategy that's gonna be f...... urban warfare. We are training in the wrong place."
First speaker: "What's going to be the strategy?"
Reply: "Strategy will divide, will divide Aotearoa ... extreme violence and extreme f...... actions too."

-Two suspects in bugged vehicle, June 23, 2007.

"I cut down all of my work, right down. Ah, I'm only focusing to go to war."

-Bugged suspect, April 26, 2007.

"There's nothing in this country can stop you once you got it, you can kill anybody you want. They'll never be able to find you."

-Suspect talking in bugged vehicle about asking for sniper's rifle, August 16, 2007.

"Wait till bullets start going through people, that's f...... horrible ... Wait till your mate's head gets blown off because someone dobbed us in and we get f...... shot at."

-Suspect in bugged sleeping room, June 23, 2007.

"There's about 10 manuals ... There's the al Qaeda manual and that's f...... good. That's right up to date."
Later another suspect says: "That last exercise was a bit freaky for me, having a gun in my back."
Response: "High level of secrecy, we needed, you know, we need to test people."

-Bugged training camp room, June 23, 2007.

Suspect X tells Suspect Y he is tired of playing games. Suspect Y says they need good planning so they don't die on the first day. Both worry about the enemy within their ranks and talk about needing 20 small squads, such as in Iraq, carrying out their own missions.

-Bugged vehicle, April 4, 2007.

The KLUB

I finally met the other member of world's most exclusive KLUB (Kaiapoi Libertarian Union of Bloggers) last, Rick Giles-of Silent Running fame at an ACT Party gathering the other night.



Like me, Rick hales from the North Canterbury river town of Kaiapoi-about 20 Kms north of Christchurch.

Rick became a libertarian by listening to Objectivist, Lindsay Perigo on the radio while working on his parents farm.

I got on the right track after reading a newspaper article on Ayn Rand by NZ's numero uno Objectivist Bill Weddell, when I was 18.

Bill Weddell converted Lindsay from socialism to libertarianism a few years later.

There's a connection there that only libertarian Kaiapovians can possibly hope to fathom.

Rick has just spent the last month in a Michigan slammer after running foul of US border officials.

Rick overstayed his visa by six days and when attempting to cross into Canada was hauled away for a months R&R on the US taxpayer.

Held almost incommunicado, with no access to a lawyer Rick's faith in the land of the free was a little shaken.

Like me, Rick still loves what the USA represents, but wishes it could re-discover the ideals that made America the greatest country on earth.

Spot the Difference

I believe Tame Iti's Tuhoe nationalist movement is modelled on Maoism and Mexico's Maoist derived Zapatista revolutionary movement.


Zapatista supporters march, Mexico City, May Day 2001. Note Mao T-shirt, trademark Zapatista masks.


Tuhoe Hikoi to Parliament, November 2007

Neo-Communist Venezuela Courts Tonga

Cuba and China are not the only socialist powers with an interest in the South Pacific.

I missed this at the time, but worth reporting on in light of my previous post.

From the official website of the Kingdom of Tonga


The Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr. Feleti Sevele and the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hon. Vladimir Villegas Poljak,

Pursuant to approval by His Majesty’s Council on 13 April 2007, His Majesty’s Government formally established diplomatic relations with the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela with the singing of a Joint Communiqué on 6 May 2007 at the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Washington, D.C. The Joint Communiqué was co-signed by the Hon. Dr. Feleti Vaka’uta Sevele, the Prime Minister of Tonga, and the Hon. Vladimir Villegas Poljak, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

In view of supporting sustainable development in Tonga, the Vice-Minister conveyed Venezuela’s offer of technical and financial assistance, among other things, in the Energy Sector. He intimated that the Government of Venezuela’s efforts to operate oil refineries and storage facilities in Vietnam and Malaysia would cut transportation time and costs to Tonga. Moreover, closer cooperation between the two countries would contribute towards national, regional and international peace and security.

The Vice-Minister looked forward to any assistance Tonga would provide Venezuela to strengthen the common interests of both countries. He reiterated the Government of Venezuela’s invitation extended to the Ambassador of Tonga, Mrs. Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu, to visit Caracas in June/July of this year.

The Prime Minister of Tonga conveyed his gratitude for the signing ceremony and for the technical assistance offered by Venezuela to benefit relevant sectors in Tonga, particularly towards taking action to expedite access to cost-cutting energy services. The Prime Minister stated the Government of Tonga’s desire to develop mutual cooperation with the Government of Venezuela.

Chavez, Castro To Increase Influence In South Pacific

Cuba and now neo-communist Venezuela are moving on the South Pacific's mini and micro states.

The Australian Marxist-Leninists of the Democratic Socialst Perspective think this is a good thing.

I don't.

From the DSP paper Green Left Weekly

Venezuela has initiated plans to extend its solidarity-based oil deals to countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as signalled by Venezuela’s deputy foreign minister Vladimir Villegas, at the 38th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting in Tonga, held October 16-17.

According to the Energy Publisher website, Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in South America and was the world’s sixth-largest oil exporting country in 2006.

“The oil was a blessing given to us by the universe, by nature. We have a choice: either to use it and be selfish about it, or to use it and help with it”, Villegas told reporters at a press conference in the Tongan capital of Nukualofa after the PIF summit.

The October 20 Sydney Morning Herald reported Villegas as saying: “Before President Hugo Chavez came to power, oil was used as a weapon of domination. Now oil is used in Venezuela as an instrument of liberation.”

Venezuela is not just offering cheap oil to the poor island nations of the south Pacific. Villegas said Venezuela would consider helping with a regional fuel depot, matching the forum’s interest in joint bulk-buying of oil to lower costs for its power generators, fishing boats and other vehicles.

Thus the proposed oil deals would also be aimed at boosting energy infrastructure of the partner countries, increasing their energy sovereignty as a means of severing Third World countries’ dependence on the big Western oil corporations.

The public discussion of the proposed agreements at the PIF followed a July invitation of ambassadors of member countries to visit Venezuela to see its oil refineries, hydro-electric programs and other energy programs.

Venezuela already provides crude oil at preferential, below-market prices, as well as energy development infrastructure assistance, to a range of South American and Carribean countries, including Cuba, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Panama and Guatemala.

The PetroCaribe arrangement, for example, enables countries to pay for oil on low-interest loans or in exchange for goods and/or services. These agreements apply only to state enterprises, excluding privately owned corporations.

In sharp contrast to Venezuela’s aid policy, “aid” provided by Australia, the richest country in the PIF, has deepened, rather than reduced, the island nations’ dependence on Western corporations.

Increasingly, the term “aid” is being used to disguise the intervention of Australian corporate interests in the region. Much foreign aid is tied to the purchase of goods and services from Australian companies or government organisations. For example, Canberra used $734 million of its allocated $800 million in aid to Papua New Guinea in 2004 to fund the Australian Federal Police’s presence in the country.

Other Australia aid is used to promote neoliberal “free market” policies. AusAid, Canberra’s overseas aid agency, refuses to fund food security programs in the Pacific that reinforce local agricultural development, instead favouring trade liberalisation that helps Australian food exporting companies gain greater access to Pacific island markets.

Likewise, World Bank “aid” preferences the private provision of services in Third World countries. It has refused to support the East Timorese government’s request for assistance in recreating rice fields, public storage silos and public abattoirs to boost internal agricultural output.

The guiding political ideas of the proposed Venezuela-Pacific oil agreements are directly opposed to the neoliberal economic agenda.

Socialist Cuba, a close ally of Venezuela, already provides a solidarity-based aid program to East Timor, paying for 286 Cuban doctors to staff clinics and help train East Timorese medical personnel. A similar program has been recently taken up by Papua New Guinea.

The oil agreements are one way in which Venezuela, since the beginning of its socialist revolution, is using its oil and oil revenue to aid other undeveloped countries’ non-corporate-dominated economic development.

Wananga Sent Students to Mexico for Zapatista Indoctrination

State funded Maori education providers have sent groups of young Maori overseas for indoctrination in revolutionary ideas.

One organisation involved is the Otaki based Te Wananga O Raukawa.

In late 2004, a group of TWR's young Maori students participated in an overseas educational trip sponsored by a US based organisation, the International Honors Program

On each of IHP’s study abroad programs, a relatively small group of students and faculty will travel together to several different countries. The group will spend between four and eight weeks in each country while examining issues related to the program theme. The exploration of issues will involve direct contact and interaction with local experts, activists, educators, community members, public figures, and leaders of various government and community organizations.

Sounds great, until you realise that IHP seems to be focused on exposing youngsters in its charge to third world revolutionaries and radical "indigenous" movements.

TRW's team met up with kids from several other countries. They travelled to rural southern Mexico-home of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.

This the story of their trip, with some commentary from me.

November 5th was the longest Friday of our lives: it lasted precisely 40 hours and 23 seconds. We chased the sun around the world from New Zealand to arrive in LA where New Zealand Airlines greeted us...several of us encountered the toughest (and rudest) immigration process as of yet. Those of us who made it through customs frantically dashed to our gate just in time.

Unfortunately, five people were “randomly” searched and missed the flight...Sam was detained for six hours and questioned by the authorities. Fortunately IHP staff from Boston intervened and he was graciously allowed by the US Government to proceed to Mexico on grounds of “humanitarian parole.”

After our layover in Bush International Airport in Houston, the first round of our fragmented group safely arrived in Oaxaca, Mexico on our second night November 5th.

The next morning, we finally met the legendary Gustavo Esteva, IHP Mexico faculty coordinator. Lucano, one of the members of the IHP Mexico Team who is also from India, led us to La Universidad de la Tierra (UniTierra), a small building filled with beautiful people and radical ideas.


Gustavo Esteva is no low level functionary. A former underground guerilla in the Che Guevara era, Esteva joined the Mexican government in 1965 to run the large aid and development programmes.

After a change of government Esteva was offered a ministerial post but declined. After meeting anarchist educationalist Ivan Illich, Esteva founded the radical University de la Tierra in Oaxaca, Southern mexico.
He has been a key figure in founding several Mexican, Latin American and International NGOs and networks.

Esteva was president of the 5th World Rural Sociology Congress. He was also president of the Mexican Society of Planning, vice-president of the Inter-American Society of Planning and served as board Member and interim chairman of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development.

In 1996 he was invited to become an official advisor to the Zapatista rebels in their negotiations with the Mexican government.

Explained simply, the University de la Tierra is a school with no classes, no lectures, and no professors. Graduates receive no diploma, but rather knowledge and strong connections. The university is a space dedicated to facilitating the process of learning through real life experience....

The next morning, reunited again, we were introduced to Gustavo’s radical ideas and those of the Zapatistas. The entire week was filled with hours of lectures, discussions, debates, and questions. During these sessions, our assumptions, beliefs, values and experiences were thrown into a new light for re-evaluation. Every afternoon we left feeling more mentally exhausted than sleep could repair.

Sleep deprivation, hours and hours of lectures on revolutionary ideas. Sounds a bit like China during the Cultural Revoltion or Cambodia under Pol Pot, doesn't it?

We were educated in the idea of education. Does institutionalised education perpetuate an unjust system? From the perspective of many indigenous people in Mexico, the education system estranges them from their culture, teaching them only one perspective.

We explored alternative types of education, confirming that learning does not only take place in the classroom. This resonated with us, seeing as we have struggled throughout the trip to channel our real-life experiences into academic papers. With all these things on our minds, we split up and travelled to three different villages where we would spend the next ten days.

What effect would this type of "education" have on teenage kids, or young adults?

During our down time we watched many educational movies made by and for the community including one on AIDS, dry toilets, and their trash problem...

Fernando returned to Yavesia Wednesday to talk to us about the communal philosophy of life that revolves around the community’s unique cosmovision. He emphasised the four “pillars” of the village social organization—communal territory, communal authority, communal work, and communal fiestas. We learned about the difference between obligations and rights and how this distinction operates in Yavesia: before one can expect the right to use the village resources, one must fulfil his or her tequio, or obligations toward the community.

Sound a little like socialism to you?

On Friday, some of us went to our family’s milpa and helped harvest corn and other vegetables, while others made tortillas, learned about daily activities, or sat by the sunny stream to read or write. The next day we watched as the children dressed up in their revolutionary costumes to celebrate Dia de la Revolucion.

Throughout our stay, we ate, slept, worked, and played with families who were part of the village authority. Each day we were split into rotating teams and would accompany a different family in their daily routine; then at night we met with the communal land and municipal authorities to discuss the day’s events. Many of the people of Yagavila grow coffee (some organic) and then sell it through several coffee cooperatives that ensure the farmers receive fair pay in exchange for their labour.

Good clean indoctrination.

So began our week of discussions processing the last villages stays and gearing up for the Zapatistas. We discussed with Gustavo many of the philosophical dilemmas we found ourselves in, not only in the Mexican villages, but throughout the trip as a whole. What kind of development is okay, if any? How do you experience the otherness of the other while suspending judgement, and is that possible? Does the idea of “poverty” imply a value judgement? Is human rights a Western concept? And what exactly is our purpose on this trip?

Human rights a "Western concept"? What is being implied here?

We were face to face with the difference between tolerance and respect. At this point Gustavo brought forth the concept of Radical Pluralism, which basically allows for the existence of many world-views and cosmovisions in a non-dominating, non-hierarchical way. It entails an openness and respect toward other beliefs and truths, but not the abandonment of one’s own. While many of us admired the concept in theory, we struggled with how to live it ourselves in reality. Gustavo, as always, told us not to think too much, but promised an embodiment of Radical Pluralism in the Zapatista communities we would soon visit .

Radical Pluralism has been defined as the presence of conflicting systems of thought in a person’s mind. It is a philosophy based on the idea that there is no objective truth or unity of truth.

In other words everyone's truth is equally valid, so you need to be open to new and radical ideas. This is the beginning of "brainwashing".

The next day two guest lecturers came to talk with us – one spoke about the importance of maize in Mesoamerican society and the threat transgenic corn poses to local communities, and the other about the problem of water in Oaxaca (“the politics of shit”) and the necessity of “ruralising” all cities by making them sustainable.

Basic Maoist/anarchist philosophy.

This week we have been struggling with the looming deadline of our final paper and trying to consolidate our “learning” throughout the whole trip into an academic paper of ten pages.


After catching our breath on the beach we were off again to the city of Juchitan, a kind of “Queer Paradise” where we heard about the different conceptions of gender that exist there. After our brief stay we travelled to Chiapas to begin our exploration into the world of the Zapatistas.

When we arrived in Chiapas we stayed at CIDECI (la Universidad de la Tierra of Chiapas), our base in San Cristobal, for the next three nights. The school is a place for indigenous students to come and learn any skill offered in order to take it back to their communities, including automechanics, music, carpentry, traditional medicine, computer applications, cooking, and Spanish. The school has its own garden to supply much of the food eaten, and they produce themselves many of the products needed to operate. Here we learned about the recent history of the Zapatistas from the director Raymundo Sanchez Barranza, the founder and director of CIDECI who also had a central role in the previous negotiations between the Zapatistas and the Mexican Government.

Cultural indoctrination?


Thursday we went into town to CAPISE, an organisation dedicated to working with and for indigenous communities in the area. Our hosts at CAPISE and translators in the villages, Nino and Benedetta, gave us a presentation about the extent of militarisation of Chiapas around the Zapatista areas.

Chiapas, we learned, has one of the most heavy military occupancy in the world. Andres Aubrey, an anthropologist who has done extensive field studies in Chiapas, then talked to us about the Mayan symbolism of the caracole, a conch or snail shell, that the Zapatistas have brought back to describe their autonomous governing bodies, Las Juntas de Buen Gobierno (the Committees of Good Governance).

Political indoctrination?


A bit more informed, we prepared to go to Oventik, an autonomous Zapatista community. A group of Aboriginal Australian filmmakers also joined our group to share and explore the ways the Zapatistas are dealing with the media. We arrived not knowing what to expect as we walked down the hill to the meeting place.

Bright murals of Zapatista resistance lined many of the walls, setting the vibrant atmosphere for what was to come. After our passports were collected and we were warned not to take pictures of any people whose faces weren't covered. We entered a barn-type building carpeted with pine needles and met with the local authorities who wore black ski masks.

The Zapatistas´ words we had read rang in our hearts: “The mountain told us to take up arms so we would have a voice. It told us to forget our names so we could be named. It told us to protect our past so we would have a future.... Behind our black masks, behind our armed voice, behind our unnameable name, behind what you see of us, behind this, we are you.” To finally be in the presence of these people whose struggle has been an inspiration to us all was one of the most intense moments of the trip thus far. The room was filled with a living energy of respect for humanity.

How many thousands of indigenous people from around the world are making this pilgrimage and are undergoing this type of revolutionary indoctrination?

Oventic, incidentally was the Zapatista stronghold visited by Marama Mayrick and Emily Bailey of the "Uruwera 17" during their film making trip to Mexico.

These men and women were part of the Commission of Reception, a part of the Junta de Buen Gobierno, through which most members of the village rotate to participate in governing the community. For the next six hours, they shared inspiring and thought-provoking words, telling us about themselves, their struggle, and their caracole. We learned about the ways they are acting autonomously—without any aid, interference, or permission from the state.

They explained why they had risen up in arms: “We didn't do it to die, but so we could live.” They are defining their own lives in many ways, from operating their own schools to their own health clinic to their own governing body. Afterward, we explored the cooperative and bought handicrafts, which support the local community. We were also shown the health clinic, shoe-making factory, and other village projects.

How many of these young people will go on to revolutionary activity in their own country-including New Zealand?

The next morning, we left for Pohlo, an autonomous Zapatista base community. Pohlo expanded to its current size of over 5,300 people after a government offensive in 1997 that displaced many people and turned the village into a permanent refugee camp. The village authorities told us about their shortages of food due to the paramilitary groups that occupy their land and prevent them from returning to their communities.

They told us about how they are continuing to define their own lives, despite the constant threat of the military and inability to grow their own food. They will not accept any help from the Mexican government but they do accept donations from various international civil society organizations that are in solidarity with the Zapatista cause. We spent our one night there all together in an evacuated clinic that was once occupied by the Red Cross, who recently pulled out of the area for their forces were “more needed” in Iraq.

Fostering a sense of grievance and indignation against the local authorities and the evil USA?

Tired and dreary eyed, we arrived in Oaxaca at 10 a.m. the next morning. No time to rest, however, for we were faced with the tremendous undertaking of representing our past four months in a presentation we had to perform the following night. After a crazily productive Monday, we met Tuesday morning to fill out evaluations and discuss the inevitable journey home. The discussion was filled with tears, laughter and uncertainty as we all grappled with the reality of the upcoming transition.

What would four months of this do to impressionable young minds?

After scrambling to collect any last minute props and run through our pieces one more time, we all congregated at UniTierra for the big presentation of our final Summary of Learning. While people worked individually or in small groups, it flowed together as a whole.

The setting was: the final bus ride to the airport. Siobhan and Dave, the “people of the day,” acted as the MC´s and during the “bus ride” we watched “movies,” “listened to music,” heard reflective discussions, slammed poetry and sang songs as a means to share and reflect on the experiences we had together the past four months. Everyone put so much of themselves into their presentations, and by the end of the night the energy was through the roof; we were in a state of awe at what we had created.

Brainwashing completed.

Tonight we will gather as a group for the last time, since tomorrow morning before sunrise we will be on our way to the Oaxaca International Airport.

We will all be returning to our own communities, however, we too have become a community – a community, as Gustavo has articulated, of friendship – which will hold true across nation-state boundaries, oceans and mountains, time and space. Who knows exactly what lies in our 22 separate futures, but opportunities will come to us as long as we keep in mind some wise words from our dear friend Peter: “It's a bloody good time to be alive!”

Twenty two more young revolutionaries unleashed on an unsuspecting world.

This process is going on day in day out, not just in Mexico, but in many other countries. Similar groups are even being sent to New zealand to learn about the brave struggle for Maori self determination-Tino Rangatiratanga.

Te Wananga O Raukawa is not the only New Zealand organisation involved in such activities.

How long are we, as taxpayers, going to keep financing our own destruction?

Was Decision Not To Press Terrorism Charges Political?

The conspiracy theories about the conspiracy to cover up the "terrorism" conspiracy have started.

From today's Sunday Star/Times

Solicitor-General David Collins was briefed by Crown lawyers weeks before the police terror raids - but did not raise any concerns about the likely charges.

His decision on Thursday to throw out police attempts to bring charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act came as a bombshell to Police Commissioner Howard Broad, Crown lawyers, and police investigators.

Collins described the law as "unnecessarily complex, incoherent and almost impossible to apply" to domestic situations.

But the Sunday Star- Times has learnt Collins had an initial full briefing at least a month before the October 15 police raids ended the 22-month investigation, codenamed Operation eight, and then had regular updates - without raising serious doubts about charges.

A source said: "It's a very political decision. (Collins) knew what we were doing, what we had and as far as we know he didn't flag any concerns (about the evidence or using the Terrorism Act)." Collins, Broad and the Crown Law Office would not directly comment on, or even confirm, the briefings.

Asked if the police would have acted differently had Collins indicated his concerns, a spokeswoman for Broad said: "The action to terminate the operation on October 15 would still have taken place because of the threat to public safety. There is provision to do that under the Arms Act."

New Zeal So what's going on? Is this report simply more unsubstantiated rumour or was there really a political element to the decision not to apply the Suppression of Terrorism Act?

If there was political pressure (and I'm not saying there was), I've got a conspiracy theory of my own.

The two main groups targeted were Maori radicals and anarchist environmental/peace activists.

Could there be links between these two groups and the Maori and Green Parties?

Would links to real terrorists prove embarrassing to these two parties at the 2008 election?

Could the Labour Party even suffer considering that one of those arrested is allegedly a Labour Party member?

What would happen to Labour in the 2008 election if its two likely coalition partners, the Maori Party and the Greens were linked in any way with the "Urewera 17" in court?

What do you think punters?

Disabled Liberation Supports "Urewera 17"

As I have written before-Marxists are now targeting the disabled as yet another "oppressed" group to be manipulated.

From Indymedia

Disabled feel great relief that terrorism charges being dropped against Tuhoe and otter protesters...However...

Disabled liberation, representing the doctrines of people with disabilities / disabled people (Nga Hauaa); feel great relief that terrorism charges being dropped against Tuhoe and otter protesters.

However the underlying issues surrounding colonization, marginalization and the bullying tactics of suppression by formal and informal authorities, is still of concern. If more of what we have seen continues, it shows violence (systemic and individual), leading to serious injuries, which brings these people into 'our' world.

Impairments of any kind should and must not be caused by politics and any subsequent actions. Able bodied societies such as Aotearoa NZ have an obligation to uphold all principles of human rights for an equitable system and raise their next generations (mokopuna) in the same fashion.

Please listen to us now, perhaps more than ever.

In Honour & For Peace

Doug Hay - Representative

Disabled Liberation - Aotearoa

The Real Purpose of Political Correctness

Some profound Truth from British writer Theodore Dalrymple

"Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better.

When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One's standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed.

A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect, and is intended to."

Hat Tip Crusader Rabbit

Peace Action Wellington-Anarchy's Warriors

Wellington's infamous anarchist HQ at 128 Abel Smith Street, Te Aro is the centre of local support networks for the "Urewera 17".

Several of the "17" have been described as peace activists, or pacifists, implying that they therefore couldn't possibly be involved in terrorism or violence.



128 Abel Smith Street is also effectively the home of Peace Action Wellington, the region's umbrella peace organisation.

From SCOOP

Tuesday, 23 October 2007

Press Release: Friends Of Wellington Terror Arrestees

Friends and colleagues of the four Wellington activists being held on firearms charges have released a statement and background information on the activities the four were involved in before their arrests on October 15th...

They are all incredibly community-spirited, and are involved in a huge range of projects focused on social justice and community building. Community groups that one or more of them give their considerable skills and support to include:

128 community house, a radical social and resource centre at 128 Abel Smith Street, Te Aro. It has meeting rooms, a workshop, paint, tools and resources to use or borrow, yoga/ dance/ band practice/ art space, and more, and contributes to a diversity of community projects...

Peace Action Wellington, a grassroots campaign group working on issues of peace and justice, particularly the war on Iraq, the occupation of Afghanistan, and NZ's involvement in the war on terrorism...

According to Wikipedia Peace Action Wellington was founded in 2002 to;

...oppose wars, particularly the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and played a prominent role in the New Zealand anti-war movement's opposition to the war, organising large protests. PAW has called for the New Zealand Government to reveal the actions of the SAS soldiers fighting under US command in Afghanistan.

The group has also organised against the annual arms industry fair held at Te Papa, for self determination in Palestine, Aceh and West Papua, and against the New Zealand Government restricting human rights as part of the "war on terror".

On 25 April 2007, PAW members took part in a demonstration at the dawn ceremony for ANZAC Day to protest against the New Zealand military's involvement in wars and occupations in Afghanistan, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste. Two banners were held and two New Zealand flags were burnt, resulting in two arrests.


Initially PAW was a fairly broad coalition involving Marxist-Leninists, Trotskyists, Maoists, anarchists, greens and socialists. In recent years the organisation has been mainly anarchist led.

Known PAW leaders or supporters include;

John Anderson A member of the Alliance Party's national council in the early '00s. Anderson has been recently involved with the Wildcat Anarchist Collective, also based at 128 Abel Smith Street.

In 2003 he was a spokesman for PAW.

Grant Brookes A long time Marxist, Grant Brookes is a Central Committee member of Socialist worker.

In 2003, Brookes was a spokesman for PAW.

Kelly Buchanan In 2003, Buchanan was a spokeswoman for PAW.

In 2004 she was spokesman for the Alliance Party's gay wing, PrideAlliance.

Sam Buchanan A long time activist, leading light in the Wildcat Anarchist Collective and caretaker/resident of 128 Abel Smith Street.

In the mid '80s Buchanan supported the Kanak rebels of New Caledonia.

In 1992, he was working at Sue Bradford's Auckland Peoples Centre. He was hospitalised after a police batoned him during an unsuccessful raid on the Centre looking for "paraphenalia used in the making of bombs."

In 2001 Buchanan was arrested in Genoa Italy during anarchist led demonstrations against the G8.

Sam Buchanan has been a long time associate of PAW and often speaks at its protests.

Mark Eden A long time animal rights activist and associate of the 128 Abel Smith Street crowd.

Mark Eden has been arrested arrested several times and has been convicted over the vandalism of a sporting goods shop in Christchurch.

Eden has been involved with PAW since at leat 2004 and this year was a group spokesman.

Sam Flewett Involved in PAW in the early '00s. Flewett was also a member of a Trotskyist group, the International Socialist Organisation.

Don Franks A vetran protestor and socialist, Don Franks has served the Wellington Marxist-Leninist Organisation, the Worker's Communist League, Socialist Worker and now the Worker's Party.

Franks was been active in PAW around 2004.

Nick Henry Involved in the Maoist leaning Radical Society at Victoria University in the late '90s/early '00s.

More recently Henry has worked in IT for the Council of Trade Unions and was active in PAW around 2003.

Nick Kelly Also associated with Radical Society at Victoria University, Nick Kelly has been recently active in the Worker's Party.

Kelly was involved in PAW in 2004.

Valerie Morse One of the "Urewera 17", Valerie Morse was bailed from prison yesterday.

Also an anarchist, Morse was until her arrest, the librarian at 128 Abel Smith Street.

Since about 2004 Morse has been one of PAW's most active leaders and has protested against the Iraq War, in support of Tongan rioters and against the deployment of New Zealand troops overseas.


She has protested nude in the grounds of Parliament and was arrested this year for trying to burn an NZ flag on ANZAC Day.


Mark Rawnsley A long time activist associated with the Wildcat Anarchist Collective and 128 Abel Smith Street and PAW.

In April this year Rawnsley, faced charges of obstruction and resisting arrest after allegedly trying to disrupt the Wellington ANZAC Day service by blowing a plastic horn.

Anna Sutherland Active in the Alliance Party's STAUNCH youth wing and the NZ/Cuba Friendship Society. Sutherland was involved with PAW in 2002.

All in all a decent bunch of right thinking Kiwis.

Left To Hold Terrorism Symposium

While the police have been forbidden to lay terrorism charges against any of the Urewera 17, the left are certainly not about to let the issue die.

The left controlled Post Graduates Students Association is hosting a seminar on Terrorism at Victoria University next Saturday. Food will be provided by the anarchist controlled Food Not Bombs-perhaps they did the catering at the training camps in the Ureweras?

From Indymedia

Symposium on Terrorism at VUW Rutherford House

PGSA is hosting a one-day seminar organised by the Postgraduate Student’s Association of Victoria University

Saturday, 10 November - 9.30am
Ground Floor Lecture Theatre 1, Rutherford House, corner Bunny Street and Featherston Street, Wellington

Confirmed speakers: Moana Jackson, Jane Kelsey, Nicky Hager and David Small

PGSA members will be offered first seating in the 300-seater venue. We will hold panel discussions in addition to 45 minute speaker sessions and hope to make the symposium as interactive as possible for attendees.
Symposium convenor: Pala Molisa.

This is open to public as well as post-grad students.

Food Not Bombs will be present to provide lunch (be in the first 300...)

Labour's Never Ending PCness Strikes Again

From Newstalk ZB

Sunday schools seem set for the chopping block. Education Minister Chris Carter has confirmed that a gathering of three children under adult supervision constitutes an early childhood education unit, so must be fully licensed. That would see Sunday schools follow gym creches into oblivion.

National Party Associate Education spokeswoman Paula Bennett says that is silly, as often parents are in the same building or just next door. She says parents know what is best for their children.

Paula Bennett says Sunday schools are perfectly safe environments, where parents know exactly what their children are doing.

Webb-Pullman Welcomes "Our Man From Havana"

If there are any revolutionaries that Wellington journalist Julie Webb-Pullman admires more than her beloved Zapatistas, its Castro's Cubans.

Here are some extracts from this unbelievably fawning piece Webb-Pullman recently wrote to mark the appointment of Cuba's new "ambassador" to New Zealand.

From Scoop


José Luis Robaina Garcia, whose last posting was as Minister Counsellor in the Cuban Embassy in the People's Republic of China, presented his credentials to the Governor-General, Hon. Anand Satyanand, at Government House last Thursday.

His Excellency's arrival could not be more timely, given last week's Norwegian apology for the dodgy meningococcal vaccine being administered to our young – Cuba is a world leader in this area.

His Excellency told SCOOP that Cuba is looking forward to collaborating with New Zealand in biotechnology and other areas, so let's hope the meningococcal vaccine is top of the list.

"On the basis of friendship, co-operation and development, and with the utmost respect for New Zealand authority, we would like to contribute to development wherever and in whatever way we can," he said. He noted that there have never been any conflicts, difficulties or problems between New Zealand and Cuba, and that they have very good communication and can discuss anything, including human rights.

"Little by little, step by step, we can continue building friendship and co-operation in every way possible. The Cuban Government has a lot of respect for New Zealand, for the people and the Government," he said.

The independence of our Government and foreign policy are also a plus, and together with the generally friendly environment, make for many opportunities for business between the two countries. "We already have many commercial exchanges, on our side coffee, honey, cigars, and information science, but there are many other areas for important collaboration, such as biotechnology and medicines," he said, mentioning potential collaboration on developing solutions to skin problems for diabetics as one example.

Wider South Pacific co-operation is also on the agenda, with Cuba already providing medical attention in Papua and Nauru, for instance, and other accords and collaborations are imminent. Maybe we could do a milk-for-medicine deal –doesn't have quite the clout of the Chavez oil-for-doctors, but hey, our ailing health system could do with some of that world-renowned Cuban health-care.

All work and no play may make Jack a dull boy, but there is no danger of a dull José - it is not just our voracious appetite for Cuban salsa and music that has him opening the first Cuban Embassy in our country – he also intends to share Cuban art with us, in addition to some 40 subtitled films he brought with him!

Once this show gets on the road Cuba may lose a few tourists – why leave town when you can see his country right here – especially when, as he appreciatively pointed out, we already live in one of most beautiful cities in the world!! Salud, Senor Robaina Garcia - y Bienvenidos!

Russian Communist Show of Strength

According to the Communist Party of the Russian Federation's website, 50,000 communists marched through Moscow on November 7th to mark the 90th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution.


Large marches were also held in St Petersberg, Vladivovstok and other Russian cities.


The Russian communists are the main opposition to Putin's United Russia in the December 2nd Duma elections and are expected to significantly improve their numbers in the Russian parliament.

Hat Tip Once Upon a Time in the West

Mexican Anarchists Support Maori Seperatists

Mexican and US anarchists want to tear down the US/Mexican border. For some reason they also support New Zealand's Maori seperatists.

From Indymedia here and here


Today approximately 200 people, including activists, migrants, workers, indigenous Cucapá people from Baja California, students, people from Mexicali, all over México and the world converged in Mexicali-Calexico's centres to create the first ever Bi-national No Borders Camp.

The No Borders Camp is an autonomous space created by people who are fighting for a world where no one is illegal, and part of a global movement that is growing stronger day by day. This camp is a space to share cultural and political work and experiences, without divisons of color, class, gender or nationality, an experiment in living in a way that is not determined by the state or by capitalist relations.

The structure of the camp is horizontal. It is self-organized by those participating in the camp, without leaders, rulers or protagonists. It is an opportunity to direct our anger and analysis at these walls that divide people, these walls that are closed for some while open for others, these borders where only capital can travel freely.


Mexicali and Calexico are not sister cites, they are one city divided by a hyper-militarized line, where each year hundreds of migrants die trying to reach the other side and the so-called “american dream”. The borders are a method of segregation.

These walls are the product of imperialism and invasion, products of those in power's desire to dominate and oppress. The border represents the separation of families and the imposition of racism, frustration, xenophobia, and death. The borders are opened for capitalism, and it is capitalism that is responsible for the world's poverty and also forces so many people to migrate in order to achieve a so-called decent standard of living.

Seeing and living so much discrimination and injustice, we feel the need to show our contempt for all borders, what they represent and their consequences. Not only in México but also in many other parts of the world many people are dying, many people are divided and many people segregated by these walls that only exist to defend the interests of corporations and businesspeople, politicians and presidents.

In solidarity,

No Borders Camp Crew

Wednesday 7 November 2007
Mexicali, Baja California, México.

I'm Famous!!! I'm a Star!!!

NZ Truth published a front page article today "Terror Link to Rebels-Masked Mexicans Back Uruwera 16"

The article quoted yours truly as the source of information linking the Uruwera 16, to the Mexican Zapatistas and other Mexican anarchists.

The MSM media seems to have overlooked/ignored this very important connection, so good on Truth for getting it out to the public.

Support THE TRUTH-buy a copy at your local dairy tomorrow!

On Tuesday night, my wife Tracey and I went to the NZ premiere of the movie We're Here to Help-the story of Dave Henderson's long running battle with the IRD.

It was a great night by the way-400 people in theatre, functions before and after-food drink and great company.

Got to catch up with the Rodney and the ACT crew plus several Libz and heaps of other friends-including one I hadn't seen for 10 years.

Tracey was Dave's PA through most of the saga and I got to hear the story, blow by blow for several years. Dave's lawyer at the time was Brian Palliser, who is also a great friend and guided Tracey and I through adopting our two kids.

So while it was great to see Dave, his girlfriend Cath (and son Michael) and Rodney Hide portrayed in the movie-it was also a buzz to see my wife and friend/lawyer standing up for Dave on screen.

The movie was great-it took a humorous approach and left out Dave's political side and much of the IRD's malevolence, but it was still very powerful.

Best performances went to Erik Thomson who played Dave and Miriama Smith who played Cath. I thought Smith's portrayal of the heartache of Dave and Cath's relationship breakup was excellent.

Shock of the night though was a scene where Tracey and some others were sitting on a couch after helping Dave move house.

Tracey got up to leave, saying it was the kid's bedtime and time to go. Her hubby got up to leave with her. It slowly dawned... THAT WAS ME! I AM TRACEY'S HUSBAND! I AM IN DAVE'S MOVIE!

I was stunned. I AM A STAR!

The scene lasted all of 10 seconds (and never actually happened) but the guy was extremely good looking and stole the show with his presence.

My head's still spinning. Is this just the beginning?

Communists Celebrate 90th Anniversary of Bolshevik Revolution

From Vietnam News


HA NOI — Activities to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the October Revolution were being held across the world, said Andrei Filippov, head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF)’s Department for International Affairs.

In an interview with Russia’s Pravda newspaper last Saturday, Filippov highlighted the significance of the decree issued on September 12 by the Communist Party of Viet Nam’s Central Secretariat regarding the celebration of the Russian revolution, which falls today, and the 160th anniversary of the launch of the Communist Manifesto.

He said the occasion was being celebrated by workers and communist parties in numerous nations, including Cuba, Belarus, Brazil, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Sri Lanka and Ukraine.

According to Filippov, KPRF and Russia’s left wing would organise a march in the capital and a meeting at the Moscow centre.

In Belarus’s capital Minsk an international conference was held from last Saturday to Monday with participants coming from more than 80 communist parties and workers’ parties worldwide. Attending the event was a Vietnamese delegation led by deputy head of the Communist Party of Viet Nam’s Central Committee’s Department for International Affairs Pham Xuan Son.

They reviewed the significance of the historic event in Russia in 1917, as well as current trends in social development, and exchanged points of view on the pressing issues internally and externally affecting one another’s countries.

Leaders of the Communist Party of Belarus said the conference was of great significance because Belarus was where the first congress of the Russian Social Democratic Workers Party took place in March 1898. The congress established the Marxist party of the Russian proletariat, which played a decisive part in the success of the October Revolution.

The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, yesterday sent a message of congratulations to all Belarusians.

The message stated: "The Russian October Revolution not only changed the fate of a large nation but basically defined the development path of mankind. It has attracted millions of people in the process of building a new society, a society without exploitation, oppression, and inequality. Thanks to the success of the revolution, the dreams of many generations of Belarusians have become a reality: Belarus has become an independent nation that has expanded relationships with many countries worldwide."

Meanwhile, the High-level Party School of Nico Lopez in Cuba’s capital Havana held a scientific workshop last Monday entitled "Restoration of Socialist Ideologies".

Addressing the workshop, Raul Valdes Vivo, head of the Nico Lopez School and a member of the Central Committee of the Cuba’s Communist Party, reaffirmed the significance of the October Revolution to Cuba’s victories over its foreign enemies, social progress in central America.

Who Really Runs Russia?

This op-d by Yevgeny Kiselyov from the Moscow Times reveals who is really in charge in "post-communist" Russia

The Bolsheviks Are Still Alive and Kicking

Wednesday is the 90th anniversary of the date when the Bolsheviks came to power with Vladimir Lenin as their leader. And if we believe the apocryphal version of the country's history, then we know President Vladimir Putin's grandfather served as a cook for Lenin's family.

Had the Communist Party remained in power, we would have seen to this day grandiose ceremonies with military parades and mass demonstrations like we saw during the 50th, 60th and 70th anniversaries of the Great October Revolution.

But the Communists fell from power long ago, and the Nov. 7 anniversary is no longer an official government holiday.

The paradox is that the Bolsheviks, in a sense, haven't gone anywhere. They remain in power even today.

Putin's Kremlin has adopted many of the Bolsheviks' worst traits by its disdain for the opinion of the minority, parliamentary government, fair elections, an independent judiciary and a free press. The other Bolshevik trait is the Kremlin's willingness to use force to suppress political opposition.

After the Soviet collapse, several former Soviet-bloc countries passed laws that banned leaders who held high posts in the Party leadership from holding a future political position. Russia, however, never instituted this ban on former Soviet leaders and nomenklatura. The result is that we now have many Soviet-era Communist functionaries occupying high-ranking posts. The freshest example is the new prime minister, Viktor Zubkov. Under Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Zubkov headed the district committee of the Communist Party on the outskirts of Leningrad, and he later worked as head of the agricultural section of the Leningrad regional committee of the Communist Party.

And, in contrast to Gorbachev, who ultimately separated from the Party -- albeit very late in the game -- Zubkov never expressed these sentiments.

In fact, you can count on the fingers of both hands the number of officials in power today who actively supported the democratic policies of the late 1980s and early 1990s. One of these is the current president. Putin served as an assistant to the late Anatoly Sobchak, who was the first mayor in the history of St. Petersburg to be democratically elected. But no one can exclude the possibility that Putin in 1990, when he was still an acting KGB officer, was placed in that post by the KGB to keep an eye on the new, democratic city leader.

But the fact of the matter is that Putin -- who resigned from the KGB in August 1991 after a group of conservative Communist leaders tried to organize a putsch against Gorbachev to forestall the collapse of both the Party and the Soviet Union -- now speaks with regret about what he calls the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century."

But some people consider that the complete opposite case is true -- that the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the last century was actually the October Revolution, which meant decades of totalitarian Communist rule that resulted in countless suffering and tragedy not only in the Soviet Union but in many countries where the Soviet influence spread. But these people are in the minority in Russia.

As soon as the Bolsheviks seized power on Nov. 7, their main concern was how to maintain and strengthen it. On Dec. 20, 1917, they created the Cheka, a brutal secret police force that served as the primary tool for fighting counterrevolutionaries and for increasing their power. Then came the Red Terror, the appearance of the gulag and Stalin's purges and repression. The name of the secret police force changed several times throughout that period until it ultimately became the KGB in 1954.

Ninety years since the creation of the Cheka, a countless number of former members of the KGB occupy positions of authority, with the president at the head. They proudly refer to themselves as Chekists, a reference to members of the Cheka under the leadership of Felix Dzerzhinsky, a notoriously bloodthirsty Communist fanatic. Some still hang Dzerzhinsky's portrait in their offices.

It is unlikely that these modern-day Chekists are willing to employ the same harsh measures of the Cheka and KGB, but they are nevertheless trying to create a "Chekist corporation" as a mechanism for holding on to power for as long as possible....

Yevgeny Kiselyov is a political analyst and host of a radio show on Ekho Moskvy.

How The Left Changes Society Through Education

A reader sent me this excellent article by Australian, Mark Lopez. It is very timely considering the extreme left bias of New Zealand's newly announced school curriculum.

From The Australian 30.10.07

PC Warriors Serve up a Slanted Education

In her address to her union's conference in 2005 the Australian Education Union president Pat Byrne openly acknowledged the ideological bias that dominates the school system. As she put it: "We have succeeded in influencing curriculum development in schools, education departments and universities. The conservatives have a lot of work to do to undo the progressive curriculum."

This bias is the consequence of historical factors originating in the politics of the 1960s that led to a domination of school curriculums by the ideology of the politically correct Left. Correspondingly, the majority of high school teachers appear to have many values compatible or consistent with this ideology. This ideological hegemony is one of the salient features of "progressive" education. This means that for the numerous students with non-Left views, the education system presents additional challenges.

Although many teachers are likeable people who generate a pleasant atmosphere in their classrooms, what pervades in the school system is a way of looking at the world characterised by the Left, an outlook presented not as ideological but as normal, correct, legitimate and just. More importantly, in terms of assessment, what also exists is a subtle un-stated pressure to ideologically conform if students want to succeed academically.

It should be noted that most of the teachers exerting this pressure would probably be unaware that they are doing so because they would be unaware of the bias affecting their assessment. From the teachers' perspective, they are simply sharing their enthusiasms with their classes and responding positively to what they prefer to see in students' work. Meanwhile, the politically incorrect arguments presented by some students in their essays would be assessed more severely because, from the teachers' perspective, they are genuinely seen to be flawed.

As a private tutor, what I have noticed by closely observing patterns of ticks and comments made in the assessment of students' papers, is that when students clearly indicate in the introduction of their essay that they share their teacher's politically correct beliefs, the teacher automatically clicks into what I describe as a non-critical frame of mind.

Consequently, the teacher is less inclined to notice mistakes in grammar, argument or in the presentation of evidence. Meanwhile, if students cross the teacher's bias, the opposite happens. The teacher clicks into a critical frame of mind, finding every justification in the essay to deduct grades.

Due to the psychological subtlety of this behaviour, it is highly likely that the teachers displaying their bias would not recognise it as such, but rather see the grade solely as the product of their professional judgment. It is human nature to display an affinity for those who appear to be like-minded, and to favour them, and this is as true for the assessment of essays as it is in most human interactions. However, because so many teachers share an ideological disposition, the aggregate effect of this tendency is a politically correct bias that appears to be both systematic and widespread.

In addition, this bias is so prevalent and so deep-seated that it has achieved a degree of normalcy or a taken-for-granted quality, thereby being virtually invisible to many involved with the system. This is much like the way we become more aware of the constant hum of an air conditioner when it is suddenly switched off than when it is running.

Consequently, if greater intellectual diversity was introduced into the education system, for example, to reflect the degree of diversity in the mainstream community, it would probably initially appear strange to many people, especially to many of those working in it.

Unfortunately, some teachers are not subtle in expressing their Left-wing bias, being quite militant in the expression of their views and intolerant of dissent. Although evidence of commendable attempts at broad-mindedness and fairness among teachers can be found, evidence of blatant bias is far from rare in the school system.

For example, a student came to me late in his Year 11 to receive early preparations for Year 12. Soon after I commenced helping him in English, he reported to me a recent incident when he suspected that he had experienced ideological bias in the assessment of an essay. He had written an informative piece that appeared to be broadly appreciative of the US in its victory in the Cold War, which the teacher had severely criticised. Concerned, he made an appointment to see his teacher to discuss the matter.

Unfortunately, what resulted was a severe haranguing, with the teacher yielding no quarter and even boasting to the student that she was anti-American. To many of the politically correct, the US is perceived as an international villain for being a militaristic capitalist superpower.

When the student renewed his attempt to put his case, her convoluted and uncompromising argument worked its way towards a reference to Pearl Harbor. Initially stunned by this irrelevancy, the student soon realised that this was a cruel dig at his Japanese heritage. It did the trick. The student ceased putting his complaint. Coming to the teacher with what he felt was a legitimate grievance, he left feeling that his efforts were futile. He also found the experience somewhat humiliating.

Teachers responsible for scenes like this are probably likely to forget them minutes later. Unfortunately, the students involved are likely to remember them long afterwards.

It is also highly likely that these teachers would not remotely see themselves as politically or ideologically oppressive, or as part of a system that creates an environment where free thought and expression can be compromised.

The idea that the beliefs of the politically correct, which are seen by them as so noble and emancipating, especially when they were touted by radical students in the '60s, could have become a means for compromising the intellectual freedom of the young in the 21st century would be unimaginable to them.

As for the student who expressed those moderate pro-American views, upon appreciating the realities of the school system, he produced politically correct essays, perfectly tuned into his teachers' biases, to receive A grades that were (thank goodness) hassle-free.

Like the characters Winston Smith and Julia in George Orwell's classic anti-totalitarian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, students with non-Left views need to learn to outwardly conform to inwardly remain free.

Prevailing educational practices suggest that the custodians of the education system, like the teachers' unions, have not realised that they are on the wrong side of a growing desire among Australians for greater intellectual diversity and freedom.

There is a need for an education system that would better serve the young in terms of their need for knowledge and acceptance. However, as the president of the Australian Education Union recognised regarding the process of reform, there will be a lot of work to do.

Mark Lopez is an educational consultant who was a participant in the Howard Government's History Summit in August 2006.

New School Curriculum-Socialism In All but Name

Three Marxist influenced oganisations, the Maori Party, the Human Rights Commission and the Green Party have succeeded in slanting our new school curriculum even further to the left.

Didn't we used to call tis kind of thing "brainwashing"?

From the Dominion Post

The Treaty of Waitangi - dumped from a draft curriculum just months ago then reinstated after protest - is to become a guiding principle in the way New Zealand children are taught.

It will join reading and writing as core subjects, along with issues such as ecological sustainability and climate change.

They are key parts of a new curriculum launched yesterday in the first complete overhaul since its introduction in 1993.

The Treaty was not included in the draft earlier this year, but was written in after protests from the Maori Party, the Human Rights Commission and the Green Party.

It is now a central part. Schools will have to give pupils the opportunity to learn Maori language and customs and to learn about the Treaty.

Maori is one of three official languages, alongside English and New Zealand sign language.

Pupils will be taught how the Treaty is interpreted differently by some, and about the significance of Maori as tangata whenua.

The English curriculum will be mandatory for all state and state-integrated schools from 2010, and will be joined by a separate Maori curriculum, written in Maori, within a year.

The curriculum will focus on more independent learning and give schools and communities more say in teaching.

It will include core areas such as relationship building, participation and personal financial management, and will put more emphasis on learning a second language.

"This curriculum represents a shift away from focusing on knowing facts and figures to knowing also how to use knowledge effectively and apply it outside the classroom," said Prime Minister Helen Clark, who launched the document at Hutt Valley High School.

Teachers welcomed the document, but some questioned whether the changes would create a need for retraining and for more teachers, of whom there is already a shortage.

Others said more funding and resources would be needed before teachers could begin to teach the curriculum.

"Putting in place a review of their whole school curriculum is a major piece of work and cannot be done by osmosis," Irene Cooper, president of the New Zealand Educational Institute, said.

Education Minister Chris Carter said teachers would be given a professional development day to consider the curriculum.

New Zealand Principals Federation president Judy Hanna said the new curriculum was catching up to the way many schools already taught, particularly on issues such as climate change and the environment.

Traditional subjects remain intact, but will encompass topics featuring in the headlines, and not just in the textbooks.

Miss Clark said that, by including issues such as climate change, the curriculum had a "future focus". "It says our students have to be challenged, to be thinking about the big issues."

Hone Harawira Shows True Colours in Parliament

Inddymedia kindly reprinted these remarks by Maori Party MP and "Uruwera 17" supporter, Hone Harawira in Parliament yesterday.


Hansard Of Hone Harawira On Terror Amendment Bill

UNEDITED COPY SUBJECT TO CORRECTION

Turn(s) 22.2 to 23.1 Tuesday, 6 November 2007 4:25 PM

TERRORISM SUPPRESSION AMENDMENT BILL In Committee

HONE HARAWIRA (Māori Party—Te Tai Tokerau): ....when people start talking about the historical nature of terrorism and ask whether the Māori Party actually understands the historical nature of terrorism, I say that absolutely we do. An earlier speaker talked about introduced diseases. I think of influenza, which was introduced by the whalers and sailors, wheelers and dealers, and thieves—who came from England. That disease wiped out thousands of Māori people. When I hear members talk about the murder of innocent citizens, I think of the so-called New Zealand colonial forces who murdered thousands of innocent Māori.

When I think of the terror of the overtaking of a people’s land, I think of the land theft that has gone on since the time the New Zealand Government was first established in this country, and that continues to this very day. I absolutely understand the historical nature of terrorism. I understand it more so than, I assume, many other members of the House.

But do I understand terrorism in the way that other members have expressed it, in terms of this bill? The *answer is no. I do not mind saying that I do not understand terrorism, as it is understood by those fuelled by the jingoistic, acid-drenched, hate-filled, anti-Islamic, death to anyone from the Middle East, vitriolic, poisonous claptrap that the United States is trying to foist upon the rest of the world.

Dr Wayne Mapp: *al-Qaeda.

HONE HARAWIRA: The member says “al-Qaeda”. I have heard the mention of al-Qaeda in this discussion on terrorism. Is that the same al-Qaeda, and Taliban, that were funded by the United States to get the Russians out of Afghanistan?

The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley): The member needs to come back to the bill.

HONE HARAWIRA:....Exactly where does this terrorism come from? It seems to me that terrorism, in terms of this bill, is terrorism as it applies to the American definition, not as it applies to the terrorism that is being meted out against people who oppose that kind of American imperialism. I come back to the meaning of terrorism in this country. My understanding of terrorism comes from a source that is far different from the American expression of terrorism.

My source relies on historical fact, rather than hysterical drama, for its position. My source connects me to my indigenous brothers and sisters all over the world. When I think about terrorism in this country, I again think about the terror of the State. What about the terror imposed on those communities in my whanaunga’s electorate? What about the terror imposed on those communities throughout Rūātoki? What about the terror imposed on activists right throughout the country—Pākehā, Māori, and all sorts of people, like Jimmy O’Dea, a 72-year-old staunch activist. His house was broken into by these—

The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley): The member will come back to the bill, thank you.

HONE HARAWIRA: I think about terrorism in this country and whether I will sit quietly by, as suggested by Wayne Mapp, Mr John Hayes, and others, and wait for the police to come up with a decision. I think not. I will not sit quietly by, while State forces terrorise my people.

If this requires of me that I speak out against the rule of law that would impose terror on Māori communities in this country, then I will speak out. I will speak out against it in this Chamber, on television, in newspapers, and anywhere else I possibly can. I will challenge the rule of law and I will oppose the rule of law, if terrorism is a vehicle being used by the State forces of this country to terrorise Māori communities. I will support those whānau, hapū, iwi, and individuals—Pākehā, Māori it does not matter—who have been threatened—

Obama Endorsed By Radical Endorsed By Marxist-Leninists

In my opinion US presidential contender Barack Obama is an extreme leftist masquerading as a moderate.


Certainly Obama has been strongly supported by the Communist Party USA and the equally extreme and deceptively named Democratic Socialists of America.

Now Obama has been endorsed by of one the most radical black politicians in the US.

From the New York Observer

Barack Obama just picked up the endorsement of Councilman and outspoken black activist Charles Barron, who fended off questions that Obama represents a less militant, less aggressive form of black nationalism than Barron.


Barron, on the City Hall steps just now, told reporters:

“He came from the South Side of Chicago. That’s a black community where he took care and fought for black people on the South Side of Chicago. He’s introduced racial profiling legislation in the state of Illinois. His pastor, Jeremiah Wright believes in black liberation theology. He’s done a lot. He’s speaking about poverty now.”

When asked about the differences between Barron and Obama’s approaches to black nationalism, Barron replied:

“He said he supports the black community. He’s said he’s been black all his life. You said he’s against black nationalism. He never said that. Matter of fact, he goes to a black liberation theologist church where they believe in a black Christ. So, he is for black people.

Who is Charles Barron?

Barron is a former member of the Manhattan branch of the Maoist leaning Black Panther Party. In recent years he has been a militant and vocal New York city concillor.

In 2006 he made an unsuccessful run at the Democratic Party nomination for the 10th Congressional District.

Barron was "endorsed" in that campaign by one of the most extreme left organisations in the country.

From Workers World 27th July 2006

The "International_Action Center" hosted a “Charles Barron for Congress” rally and fundraiser at its new office in Manhattan July 25. Barron, an African-American, is a New York City Council member from Brooklyn who is radical and outspoken on many domestic and international issues. He is seeking election on Sept. 12 in order to represent the 10th Congressional district.

Barron has a powerful mass base among Black voters in Brooklyn. One hope of his campaign is to reach out to broader sectors of the population for funding as well as political and organizational support. The IAC established “antiwar4Barron” to build anti-racist solidarity with the former Black Panther.


Larry Holmes, an IAC co-director, introduced Barron and told the audience, “Barron is a movement candidate. His views are global. He is not just against the war in Iraq but he is against all wars. Barron has no problem standing with the Palestinian people or supporting the Cuban revolution or Venezuela’s right to control its oil. With the antiwar4Barron component, we have the rare opportunity to help put one of our own in Congress.”

Barron announced that he plans to host Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez at City Hall in September during the opening of the UN General Assembly.

He stated that “electoral politics are important because of what the people can extract from it,” like having a say in how the $58 billion city budget is spent. He went on to talk about his campaign program, which includes: “Bring the troops home now; Free Palestine; the people of New Orleans have the right to return, self-determination and the right to vote; free all political prisoners; reparations now and an end to police brutality.” He received a standing ovation when he ended his talk with these words: “America needs a revolution.”

The International Action centre is a front for one of the US's most militant Marxist-Leninist organisations, the Workers World Party. Larry Holmes is a member of the Secretariat of the WWP.

According to the New York Post;

An Obama spokeswoman said, "Sen. Obama disagrees with Councilman Barron's statements on several issues, but this campaign is about asking people to unite instead of divide, despite our differences."

Hat Tip Zionist Anti Communist

Two More "Terrorist" Suspects Named

From the Dominion Post

A fight by two terror suspects to keep their names secret has been lost, with the Appeal Court throwing out their case.

The two accused Vietnam veteran Tuhoe Francis Lambert, 58, and Whiri Andrew Kemara, 38, both of Manurewa, Auckland.

Former flatmates of Maori activist Tame Iti, they face multiple firearms charges including possession of military-style semi-automatic firearms, molotov cocktails and other weapons. They may also face charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act.

The two men took their case to the Court of Appeal after both the district and high courts refused to grant them name suppression. The High Court also refused them leave to take their case to the Appeal Court.

In a move described as a stalling tactic, the men's lawyers, Charl Hirschfeldt and Kahungunu Barron-Afeaki, tried to circumvent the decision by applying directly to the Court of Appeal for special leave to have their case heard. But the court threw out the men's case at a hearing in Auckland yesterday, saying they had no grounds for such an application.

A written decision by Justices Ellen France, John Hansen and Paul Heath giving their reasons for the ruling had yet to be issued.

The lifting of the men's name suppression means the identities of just four of the 16 people arrested on firearms charges after nationwide anti-terrorism raids by police last month remain secret.

Russia, China, Consolidate "Strategic Alliance"

From the Communist Party of China website

Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged late Monday to further promote the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation.

During the partnership's first decade China and Russia have achieved a thorough settlement of the border issue. Additionally, the two countries have put forward the concept of "friendship for generations" with the signing of the Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during talks with President Putin at the Kremlin Palace late Monday.

Mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides have also been deepened over the past 10 years, said Wen, adding that the successful events of "the Year of Russia" in China and "the Year of China" in Russia have helped the Sino-Russian friendship take firm root in the hearts of both peoples.

Expressing his satisfaction with the rapid development of the partnership, the Chinese premier said its sound and stable growth is a guarantee of the development of both countries and a great contribution to world peace and stability.

He said that China will make continued efforts with Russia to maintain friendship for generations, deepen political mutual trust and offer firm support to each other on key issues to consolidate the political basis of the strategic cooperation.

The two sides will also promote cooperation in areas of trade and economy, energy, investment, science and technology, and will improve the trade structure, increase the proportion of electromechanical products to strengthen the substantive basis of bilateral strategic cooperation, said Wen.

He said the two countries need to facilitate coordination to combat the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and make concerted efforts to safeguard regional peace and stability to solidify the security basis of their cooperation.

The Chinese premier hoped that China and Russia will further advance collaboration and coordination on international affairs to make greater contributions to safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.

Wen arrived here Monday for a two-day official visit to Russia after concluding a visit to Belarus.

Russia is the last leg of Wen's four-nation tour, which has also taken him to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

China Builds Socialism "With a Capitalist Hand"

Communisn is dead in China-we all know that. Therefore it is safe to invest there, to build factories and trade with Beijing.

We needn't worry about China's huge military build-up or her alliance with Russia or increasing political clout accross the globe, because China is becoming more like the West every day.

What if that isn't actually true?

From French Communist Party paper L'Humanite

By Zeng Zhisheng, professor at Renmin University of China, Beijing. Contributions to a recent Marxist International Congress;

Globalization is the result of capitalism. This is an inescapable historical fact. You can fight against globalization, but you can’t annihilate it. On the other hand, according to Marxist dialectics, you can study globalization, and learn to understand it and to control it. We are far from being pessimistic. We think it is in our power to adjust the tendencies of the movement to obtain better results.

Globalization is the result of the development of capitalism. At first glance, capitalist production appears flourishing. In reality, its contradictions are still not resolved. Quite to the contrary: there are more and more contradictions and, as these contradictions become bigger, social revolution approaches. What is China’s attitude facing globalization?

We have a realistic attitude with respect to the economical aspects of globalization. Not panicked, nor blinded by optimism, we must be careful in this situation and analyse what has happened in the past. Socialism has been carried into the wave of capitalist globalization. But we must be active participants in this wave, not passive observers. Our aim is to take advantage of globalization in order to develop our country: the capitalist economy is more advanced. Its production techniques and management methods are better than the socialist ones. There is no reason to reject them. To the contrary, we have, in all modesty, to learn from capitalist experts. As Lenin said, we build socialism with a capitalist hand.

It is important to understand that theoretically, the difference between capitalism and socialism is not a matter of planning or markets. In a socialist society, there is a market economy; in a capitalist society, planning is also present. It is wrong to believe that, because we engage in a market economy, we are on the path of capitalism. We need planning and markets...

Through a market economy, we open the doors of the country and use the economical, scientific and technical method that globalization offers.

This does not mean that we kneel down before capitalism. We understand that market economy is not perfect – it is rather a chopping block. If we take a nonchalant attitude, we will be crushed and ground to pieces.

Anarchist Media Hit Hard

Aotearoa Indymedia is this country's leading anarchist/socialist media forum. It is part of an international network of similar websites used to network radical activity and support networks.

The recent police roundup of suspected "terrorists", mainly anarchists and/or Maori radicals has hit Aotearoa Indymedia hard.

Asher Goldman seems to be holding the fort alone.

From Indymedia

Aotearoa Indymedia aims to be a space where people feel inspired to read, write and comment on news and events happening across Aotearoa (and the rest of the world). In order to fulfill this aim, the Aotearoa Indymedia Editorial Collective is empowered to enact the Editorial Policy...

Prior to the Police raids of October 15th, the editorial collective had three main editors - all had been editing for some time and so were experienced with what needs to be done. These three did much of the work on Aotearoa Indymedia...

During the raids, two out of those three editors were arrested, and both are currently being held in Auckland Central Remand Prison. As the only one of those three left, I have endeavoured (with help!) to keep Aotearoa Indymedia as up to date as possible with information on the raids and protests, but there are limits to how much an increasingly small collective can do.

Now, perhaps more than ever since Aotearoa Indymedia began, we need your help. If you are interested in taking an active role in the Aotearoa Indymedia Editorial Collective, then please....

In solidarity,
Asher, (Aotearoa Indymedia Editorial Collective)

"I'll Get Her On Smacking"

If child custody battles are often dirty now, Labour's anti-smacking legislation will make many of them even nastier.

I was talking to a colleague a couple of days ago who is fighting for full custody of his two year old daughter.

I asked him he how rated his chances given the alleged anti-male bias of the Family Court.

He replied he was pretty confident because he was gong to "get her (his ex-wife) on smacking".

He explained that his wife occasionally smacked the daughter and her older children by another marriage, so he would use that fact in court.

My colleague doesn't smack, so he thinks he's on to a winner.

How many other disgruntled ex-spouses are thinking the same way?

Labour Party Violence

Whale Oil reminds us of Labour's recent violent history.

Lying Labour Looney, Len, Lashes Lefty

Violence erupted outside the Labour Party conference on Auckland's North Shore yesterday.

150 odd protestors were heckling Labour's delegates over the government's draconian Anti Terrorism legislation.

One, Jared Philips of the Maoist leaning Workers Party, confronted leftist Labour delegate Len Richardson and gave him and earful.

Len got pretty heated and ended up lashihing out with a megaphone, hitting Philips and also allegedly John Minto's wife Bronwyn Davies in the process.



According to the Herald on Sunday


Richards is a delegate of the Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU), which was holding a lunchtime event at the conference.

The altercation happened around 11.30am, after Richards and fellow union delegate Jill Ovens emerged to tell protesters the SFWU was on their side. Ovens was drowned out by hecklers and went back inside. Richards picked up the megaphone, the protester tried to grab it off him and Richards took his swing. Richards retreated inside and later denied he meant to hit anyone.

Jill ovens is Richards' partner. She is a hard core socialist unionist who claims to "hate employers".

Len Richards' profile can be viewed here.

Both were senior figures in the Alliance party until Ovens was forced to join Labour in order to take a senior position in the Service Workers Union.

When confronted by media, Richards at first denied hitting anyone.

When told that the incident was on tape, he then said he didn't "mean to hit anyone".

Atom Bombs, Trout Fishing and Spiritual Cleansing

From the LA Times

To the end of his days, Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. believed that dropping the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima was a justifiable means of shortening World War II and preserving the lives of hundreds of thousands of American servicemen who military experts said might have died in a final Allied invasion of Japan.


Paul Tibbets, centre

For Tibbets, the pilot whose bombing run unleashed the devastating explosive force and insidious nuclear radiation that leveled two-thirds of the city and killed at least 80,000 people, there was never any need to apologize.

"I never lost a night's sleep over it," Tibbets said of the Aug. 6, 1945, attack.

The Army Air Forces officer died Thursday at his home in Columbus, Ohio. He was 92...

If family legend is to be believed, I once met Paul Tibbets' boss-the man who gave the order to send "Enola Gay" on its horrific mission.

I met the man I knew only as "Mr Carnie?" in the little Southland Town of Winton. It was in 1987, at my grandfather Jim Loudon's after funeral gathering at my aunt and uncle's house.

My grandfather had been a trout fishing guide at Stockton Rush's luxury Takaro Lodge near Te Anau.


In the '70s only ultra-rich could afford to stay at such places. I toured the place once, as a kid, but can only remember the gold plated bathroom taps.

Granddad spent thousands of hours on the Oreti, the Waiau, the Upuk and the Mararoa showing the rich and powerful how to catch big Southland brown trout.


My grandfather guided some very famous people around those rivers, including members of the Rockerfeller clan. He made a lot of friends and recieved many gifts invitations to fish in the US-he didn't go, he was scared of flying.

Takaro Lodge was effectively closed by Bill Rowling's anti foreign investment Labour government in the mid '70s, but several clients continued to came out to fish with granddad for years after.

"Mr Carnie" was granddad's most loyal client and friend and as far as I know, the only one to come his funeral, except for, I think, one of Stockton Rush's dauhters.

It was whispered in the family that "Mr Carnie" had been a top man in the US Air Force in WW2. He had been in charge of 250,000 men. he had given the orders that had sent Paul Tibbets and "Enola Gay" to drop the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

I knew "Mr Carnie" was from Colorado. I knew he was rich and powerful. I had been campaigning against Soviet "gulag" made goods coming into New Zealand at the time. I had been corresponding with the office of Colorado Senator Richardson, who was opposing the entry of Soviet slave labour goods into the US. I thought "Mr Carnie" might know Senator Richardson.

It turns out he did. The two were friends. I tried to talk to "Mr Carnie" about my campaign but he wasn't interested-he seemed distracted. I tried to discuss New Zealand's treacherous anti nuclear stand as well-but to my surprise he wasn't interested in discussing that either. How dumb can you be?

I often wondered how much the decision to kill tens of thousands of Japanese men, women and children weighed on "Mr Carnie's" mind?

"Mr Carnie" was merely a senior figure in the chain of command. His order helped shorten the War and no doubt saved hundreds of thousands of Japanese and Allied lives.

War makes good men do terrible things to prevent even greater horrors.

But no matter how right, such decisions must take a spiritual toll.

I hope those days spent on Southland's beautiful clean rivers with my granddad, were good for "Mr Carnie's" soul.

I really do.

Court Action Against Electoral Finance Bill

I wish this initiative, the best of luck.

From the ACT Party newsletter "Action."

November 5 will see the opening round of a legal challenge to fascinate even the most hardened of political and legal observers.

Epsom's 05 campaign guru, John Boscawen, has filed papers in the Wellington High Court seeking a judicial review of Attorney General Michael Cullen's report to Parliament that the Electoral Finance Bill does not breach the Bill of Rights - a view that contrasts the opinion of the Human Rights Commission that the Bill "represents a dramatic assault on two fundamental human rights that New Zealanders cherish - freedom of expression, and the right of informed citizens to participate in the election process."

Mr Boscawen has been joined in his fight by ACT Leader Rodney Hide, the Sensible Sentencing Trust's Garth McVicar and Grey Power's Graham Stairmand.

The case is potentially very serious - should the High Court rule against the Attorney General, that the Electoral Finance Bill does indeed breach the Bill of Rights Act, there will be huge pressure on the Government's support to oppose the Bill. Given the tenuous grip that it has on the Treasury benches, Labour need all three - NZ First, United Future and the Greens - to vote for the Bill to see it pass into law.

Mike Smith and the "Urewera 17"

Just found this message posted on a World Indigenous People's Network Yahoo group.


------ Forwarded Message
From: Mike Smith

Update:

The door of 128 in Wellington was broken in during a raid by 30 police. Marama Mayrick has been taken into police custody in Hamilton. Emily Bailey and Valerie Morse arrested in Wellington. Omar Hamed arrested in Auckland. Tameiti in Ruatoki.


On 15/10/2007, at 10:43 AM, Mike Smith wrote:

Just heard from the news media that there are a number of "Maori and Environmentalists" currently being arrested as part of a major national operation, warrants have been issued in Whakatane,, Wellington, Palmerston North, and Hamilton Tameiti has apparently been arrested.

Mike Smith

Is this the same Mike Smith, who was the partner of Tame Iti's lawyer, Annette Sykes?

The same Mike Smith who went to Libya in the '80s, who hung around with Syd Jackson and Tame Iti in the '90s?



The same Mike Smith who on the 28th October 1994, the anniversary of the 1835 Declaration of Independence, took a chainsaw to the pine tree atop One Tree Hill in Auckland?

The same Mike Smith who recently told TVNZ’s Closeup “If there was any terrorism in Tuhoe it was state sponsored terrorism. The people there want to be self-governing. The recent declaration of Indigenous Rights says that indigenous peoples have the right to be self-governing. Self-governing includes things like issuing drivers licences, appointing your own postmen, and putting up a defence force. The public of New Zealand have nothing to worry about by going into Tuhoe. If you go into Tuhoe and behave yourself, you will be looked after. If you go there and misbehave, they will take it upon themselves to police their own area. Tame is about the protection and enhancement of Tuhoe people and Tuhoe lands."

If it is the same man, note the apparent familiarity with the people involved. Note his apparent knowledge of 128 Abel Smith Street, Wellington, the anarchist HQ, with which several of those arrested are connected.

This message was written on the day of the arrests, well before names were made public. All of the above names, except for Tame Iti were in fact suppressed until the last few days.

How well did Mike Smith know these people?

"Evil Empire" Gathers in Tashkent

The Shanghai Co-operation Organisation is the new Warsaw Pact-only it is larger, better armed and much, much richer.

It is growing into a major challenge to Western interests.

From Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency


The 6th Meeting of prime ministers and vice-presidents of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states kicked off here on Friday afternoon.

Iran's First Vice-President Parviz Davoudi is attending the meeting as an observer.

The member states are scheduled to discuss ways to increase and develop ties between member countries and ways of executing agreements in the SCO summit held last September in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Russia, China, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are members of the SCO.

Islamic Republic of Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Mongolia have been attending the SCO meetings as observers since four years ago.

Davoudi has met with Kazakh prime minister and Uzbek Oly Majlis speaker on the sidelines of the meeting and is scheduled to confer with representatives of other participating countries.

Spam Attack Query

The comments section of my blog been spammed several hundred messages like this;

how to download lg ringtones has left a new comment on your post "Concern at Chinese Influence in Cook Islands":

Good job!

faq canada employment insurance has left a new comment on your post "Socialist Honorable Institute for Training Tyrants...":

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Please write anything else!

Have others experienced similar problems?

Ati Teepa-Well Connected Radical

Ati Keepa is a relative of the bailed Uruwera 17 man from Ruatoki.


According to TV1 News

Ati Teepa was not at his Taupo home when the police called, so he called on them.

Local police seemed surprised that Teepa - wanted in the terrorism sweep - had come to their doorstep. But Teepa told them he just wanted to "do the right thing, bring myself in nice and quietly cause I've got nothing to hide".

Teepa is originally from Ruatoki, the centre of this week's police raids, but he was in Ngaruawahia for a health conference at the time.

However, back in Taupo, someone was at home - his partner as well as some overseas guests.

"They must have asked me close to 30 times the same question 'do you know if your partner is involved in any military activity in the Urewera and after about the twentieth time I said 'have you got a pea brain or are you deaf?'," says Teepa's partner Charlotte Pearsall.

Ati Teepa is also involved with the Concious Collaborations organisation, along with arrestees Tim/Ira Bailey and Emily Bailey plus previously profiled individuals such as Kiritapu Allan, Teanau Tuiono and Helen Te Hira.

Ati Teepa was also a cast member, with Tame Iti in the recent Maori adaptation of Shakespeare's play, The Tempest.

According to French languge indigenous support site Dans le Peau D'un Papou

Le moko est le tatouage traditionnel des Maori. Il peut couvrir tout le corps et le visage. 'Il est....un symbole de révolution et de résistance' dit Ati Teepa.

Which roughly translates to;

The moko is the traditional tattoo of the Maori. It covers the face and the body. "It is a.... symbol of revolution and resistance" says Ati Teepa.

Ati Teepa is also a former staff member of defunct Maori radio service Ruia Mai in Raglan.

"Urewera 17" Status Update

Anarchist, Asher Goldman, has compiled a list of those arrested in the "Uruwera 17" police swoop and their current status.

From Indymedia

On Thursday November 1st, a few new pieces of information were revealed and confirmed. Firstly, that there will be two trials - one for the arms charges, and one for the charges under the Terrorism Supression Act (if consent to lay them is granted by the Solicitor General). Also, the details of which prisoners have had their files referred to the Solicitor General by the Police was confirmed (12 of the 16). It was inferred by the counsel for the crown that there could be a decision by the Solicitor General by the end of next week.

Cases heard on November 1st

A 38 year old Auckland man has interim name supression, and is remanded in custody until December 3rd. The Police have applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Marama Mayrick, 24, of Hamilton, had her bail extended to December 3rd, although her attendance is excused on that date as long as she is represented by counsel. The Police have not applied to charge her under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Jamie Lockett, 46, of Auckland, is remanded in custody until November 12th, when he will apply for electronic bail (aka home detention). The Police have applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Tame Iti, 55, of Ruatoki, is remanded in custody til December 3rd, although he will have a bail appeal in the Rotorua High Court on November 7th. If bail is granted, his attendance on December 3rd will be excused as long as he is represented by counsel. The Police have applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Ira Bailey, 28, of Wellington, was granted bail (not opposed by the crown) to a Wellington address until December 3rd. his attendance on December 3rd will be excused as long as he is represented by counsel. His bail conditions include not to go to Ruatoki, a 10pm - 6am curfew and not to obtain any firearms. The Police have not applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

A male from Ruatoki was granted bail to Ruatoki (not opposed by the crown) to reappear on December 3rd. His attendance on December 3rd will be excused as long as he is represented by counsel. His conditions include reporting to the Whakatane Police Station every Friday and a 10pm - 6am curfew. The Police have not applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

A male from Ruatoki was remanded in custody until December 3rd. He will have a bail appeal in the Rotorua High Court at an as-yet undecided date before then however. The Police have applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

A 23 year old male from Wellington was remanded in custody until December 3rd. The Police have applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Moana Winitana, 53, of Palmerston North, had his bail extended til December 3rd. His attendance on December 3rd will be excused as long as he is represented by counsel. The Police have not applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

A 59 year old male from Auckland is remanded in custody until December 3rd. He may have a bail application on that date. The Police have applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

A 32 year old Auckland woman had her bail extended til December 3rd. The bail conditions were also changed, with a lessening of the curfew amongst other changes (against the crown's wishes). The Police have applied to charge her under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Cases heard on November 2nd

Rongomai Bailey, 28, of Auckland, had his bail extended through til December 3. The Police have applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Omar Hamed, 19, of Auckland (an an Aotearoa Indymedia activist), had a bail application which took up most of the day. It was denied by the Court for reasons which are supressed. He also applied for a fresh order of name supression, which was also denied. He is remanded in custody until December 3. The Police have applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Rawiri Iti, 29, of Hamilton, made a fresh application for bail due to a change in circumstances since his initial application was denied. The Judge ruled that there had been no change in circumstances, and so no application for bail was heard. He is remanded in custody til November 23rd, when he will apply for electronic bail (home detention). The Police have applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Emily Bailey, 30, of Wellington, did not make a bail application and is remanded in custody until December 3. The Police have applied to charge her under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Valerie Morse, 36, of Wellington, did not make a bail application and is remanded in custody until December 3. The Police have applied to charge her under the Terrorism Supression Act. Rebel Press, who published Morse's recent book Against Freedom (on the "War On Terror" in Aotearoa / New Zealand), have put out a press release in support of her.

New Zeal

The 17th person was arrested on drugs charges and will be tried seprately.

The 23 year old from from Wellington, is I suspect an anarchist and Indymedia activist with Pacific Island links. If I am correct he was also involved, with two others on the list, in training Save Happy Valley campaigners at a training camp in the upper South Island late in 2006.

Why Has Cuba Sent a Senior Diplomat to Little Ol' New Zealand?

First Samoa opens diplomatic relations with Cuba-now New Zealand has its first ever resident Cuban ambassador.


The man on the left is almost certainly Robaina Garcia

From SCOOP

José Luis Robaina Garcia is the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba. Mr Garcia’s last posting was as Minister Counsellor in the Cuban Embassy in the People’s Republic of China. From 2004 until now Mr Garcia was the Director of the Centre of Asia and Oceania Studies within the Department of International relations of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party. He will be Cuba’s first Ambassador resident in New Zealand.

Allegedly an NGO the Center for Studies on Asia and Oceania formerly directed by Robaina Garcia is;

an academic institution promoting the study of Asia and Oceania, as well as exploring the interconnections between Cuba and this region. CEAO also has consult status in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. The investigations undertaken by CEAO focus on four areas: globalization and integration; governance; military and economic security; and sustainable development.

CEAO does academic research along with facilitating the flow of information between Cuba and the Asia-Pacific, in order to educate both the Cuban public about Asia and Oceania and increase knowledge of Cuba in the Asia-Pacific region. The Center pays particular attention to exploring the effects of capitalism, socialism, and globalization on this third world region, to discover what lessons can be learned for the Cuban situation.

In other words, the organisation is probably a front for Cuban Intelligence.

What is such a high ranking Cuban "diplomat" doing in an international backwater like new Zealand? Why come from a senior post in China and the directorship of a leading Cuban "NGO" to the bottom of the Western World?

This the second senior "Evil Empire" highflyer to take up an ambassadorship in New Zealand in recent times.

Why the apparent growing interest in our region?

Top Communists Gather in Minsk

You won't hear much about this highly significant gathering in the MSM.

These people are not holding a high school reunion. They are planning your future.

Attendees include the three most influential communist parties in the world-Russia, China and the USA. The Russian Party effectively controls Russia, the Chinese Party controls a quarter of the world's population and a huge chunk of its wealth.
The US Party has thoroughly infiltrated the Democratic Party and has huge influence in the US Congrss and Senate.

Unlike most in the West, these people realise that their movement is very much alive and are looking forward to a very succesful next 90 years.


From Belorussian State News

Minsk is welcoming delegations participating in the international meeting of communist and working parties. The forum “The 90th Anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. Its Urgency and vitality. Communists Combating Imperialism and Backing Socialism.” will be held in Minsk on November 3-5. The Belarusian capital has already received representatives of the communist parties of Spain, Greece and Sudan. On October 31 a delegation of Bahrain is expected to arrive in Belarus, BelTA learnt from First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus Tatiana Golubeva.

The meeting will gather about 80 delegations of communist and working parties from all the continents. The total amount of the participants of the forum will exceed 150 people. Among them will be Gennady Zyuganov, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Greece Aleka Papariga, delegations of the communist parties of China, Cuba and Vietnam.

The forum will focus on the anniversary of the October Revolution, several speeches will mark the event. Tatiana Golubeva will report on the role of the Revolution in the history of the Belarusian people.

The participants of the meeting will consider the international communist movement, the situation in different regions of the world and adopt final documents. The event also envisages placing of flowers to the monument of Vladimir Lenin, the Victory obelisk and visits to the companies.

Tatiana Golubeva noted that Belarus has been, for the first time, honoured of holding a meeting of the delegations of communist and working groups. Belarusian and Russian communists have passed a joint address to the working group of the International Communist Movement asking to hold meetings in Belarus and Russia – the document has been signed by Tatiana Golubeva and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov.

Tatiana Golubeva considers that the decision of the working group of the International Communist Movement to hold a regular meeting in Belarus and Russia was influenced by the fact that the October Revolution Day is a state holiday in Belarus.

After the meeting in Minsk, communist and working groups will go to Moscow to partake in the events held by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

Hat Tip Once upon A Time in the West

Webb-Pullman Humbles Loudon

This amused me;

From SCOOP bio of Val Morse by Julie Webb-Pullman;

A Dominion Post profile of Valerie on October 25 2006 pilloried her while allowing precisely 13 words in her defence, but ACT Party member Trevor Louden’s asinine alliteration on his blog surpasses even that - “Val Morse - Arrogant, Aggressive, Anti-American Auckland/American, Anarchist Author and Anti-Automobile Activist.”

When Mr Louden learns the next letter of the alphabet we can probably expect “Val Morse - Brash Bossy Boy-Bashing Blond Butch/Bitch, Ball Breaker and Bullet-Brandishing Bomber.”

"Urewera 17" More Names

Several more of the 17 people arrested in police "anti- terror" raids have been named.

They are Moana Winitana age 53, student from Palmerston North.

Valerie Morse, 36 of Wellington.

Emily Bailey, 24, , the sister of Rongomai Peropero Bailey and colleague of Marama Mayrick.

Ira Mangaimimi Timothy (Tim Bailey)Bailey, 28, the twin brother of Rongomai Bailey.

From a bio of Ira/Tim Bailey by Wellington journalist, Julie Webb-Pullman;

Ira Mangaimimi Timothy (a.k.a. Tim) Bailey grew up in a family environment in which activism was not just accepted, but positively encouraged. A descendant of the peaceful resistance movement of Parihaka, which resisted the land-grabs from the 19th century until recent times, he belonged to the Environmental and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand (ECO)...and he also facilitated workshops at the Parihaka Peace Festival.

His social conscience has long been evident in his numerous fundraising activities - for Save the Children Fund and Amnesty International, for Palestinian education and medical relief such as the work of New Zealand surgeon Alan Kerr, for the victims of the tsunami, and for communities in Southern Mexico.

His family background suggests his commitment to social justice issues is in no small part a product of his environment – his father Rongomai-Ira was a respected high-achiever, and well on his way to becoming the first Maori Trade Commissioner until his sudden untimely death. His mother, a graduate whose professional life has encompassed roles as a teacher, child welfare officer, and interpreter/translator, has always been very much involved in human rights and political and social justice issues.

Ira’s interest in the environmental movement stems also from family experience, his older sister having died of leukaemia following exposure to 245T and his aunt Vera Bezems being largely responsible for instigating the government enquiry into petro-chemical pollution at the Motonui outfall in Taranaki.

These influences paved the way for his involvement in helping to organise the making of the biggest GE-free sandwich in the world in opposition to the introduction of GE food into New Zealand, and to his participation in the Save Happy Valley campaign...

He has designed websites for the Workers Educational Association (WEA) and the Arlington Community Gardens, facilitated a workshop on media at a recent young peoples’ hui in Raglan, and been making canvasses for local artists. Amongst all of this he has still managed to find time to complete paid contract work for Dev-Zone, the Development Resource Centre.

Ira was instrumental in the reconstruction of the house known as 128, which had been abandoned, then rescued from destruction by the local community. Not only did he help rebuild the house, but he also set up a library there, and a bike workshop

This work, and visits to Nicki Hager’s self-built house, inspired Ira’s interest in building construction, and he had recently been working as a builder with the goal of eventually constructing his own house and becoming self-sufficient.

New Zeal

Ira/Tim Bailey was arrested in 2005 while protesting against the new Wellington bypass. He has also been a spokesman for the Save Happy Valley Campaign.

Ira Bailey and Emily Bailey also have links to Kiritapu Allan, Teanau Tuiono and Helen Te Hira through Concious Collaborations, an organisation run by Allan and Tuiono to bring together activist, indigenous people and radical musicians.