October 15th Solidarity

• No. THREE - 29th April 2008
• No. TWO - 7th April 2008
• No. ONE - 18th March 2008

October15thSolidarity.info NEWSLETTER No. THREE - 29th April 2008

Tena koutou,

we send out irregular updates on the campaign to support the people arrested in the so-called 'anti-terror' raids in Aotearoa (New Zealand) on 15th October 2007 3 more people were arrested on 19th February 2008 and one on 17th April 2008. Although charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act were never laid, 20 people are still facing charges under the Arms Act and need your support.

:: UPCOMING EVENTS

1. May 1st: Court Apperance of a Tuhoe activist in Porirua District Court. He faces charges for obstructing traffic during the Tuhoe hikoi to Wellington in November 2007.

2. May 1st: Public meeting in Porirua: Tino Rangatiratanga, Tuhoe and the Terror Raids.

Thursday 1 May 7-9pm at Mungavin Hall, Lower Mungavin Avenue. Porirua. Come along to find what the October 15th 'terror raids' mean for you and your family, find out how we can make Tino Rangatiratanga happen in Aotearoa now and what Tuhoe is doing to stand up to police violence. Come along and get involved in the campaign for freedom.

3. May 2nd: Fundraising Gig at Happy in Wellington (corner Tory and Vivian Streets) with Upper Hutt Posse, Mr Sterile Assembly and more... 9pm, $10.

4. Bi-weekly Tuesday Night Solidarity Meetings in Wellington at 6pm at Thistle Hall (top of Cuba Street): 13 May, 27th May etc.

5. 13th May: "Tuhoe and "terrorism" on television news". Media Studies Research Seminars, 4-5pm, VUW, Kelburn Parade 42, room 101, Wellington.

:: DONATIONS

If you would like to make a donation, check out http://www.october15thsolidarity.info/donate for details of the various funds.

:: ARTICLES and UPDATES

1. Further 'Operation 8' arrest in Auckland

A woman was arrested on Thursday (17th April 08) afternoon in Auckland and charged under the Arms Act for alleged participation in 'paramilitary-style training camps' in the Bay of Plenty. She is facing several charges. The woman has been bailed and appeared in the Auckland District Court on 18th April. She was granted name suppression.

2. April 18 - legal update from Auckland appearance today

Lawyers for the accused appeared in the Auckland District Court today and a number of matters were argued. First, another pre-deposition hearing has been scheduled for 19 May. The accused have been excused from this appearance. On this date, the defence will be seeking to establish if the Crown has fully responded to the application for further particulars – a legal term in which to have the Crown enunciate the precise nature of the arms possession charges.

More: http://october15thsolidarity.info/en/node/297

3. Labour party humiliated by protest at election congress

The Labour Party and its cabal of ministers including Cullen, Maharey, King, Laban, Goff and Horomia were humiliated at a protest today outside of their election year congress by people holding them responsible for a range of issues. Helen Clark’s speech was interrupted and ministers were forced outside when a fire alarm went off at approximately 2:20pm. Cullen sought refugee behind his mummy as he walked outside, but that didn’t stop him being confronted by people who had been arrested on October 15th. Members of the Labour Party assaulted people in an attempt to protect their ‘co-leader’ from being targeted. The October 15th Solidarity crew along with whanau from Te Urewera organised a march that went through town in advance of their arrival at the Labour Party conference. Around 100 protestors gathered at 12noon at Te Aro Park and marched through Cuba Mall, Manners and Willis Street. “Ka whawhai tonu matou, ake ake ake!”, “One solution – Revolution!”, “1, 2, 3, 4 – Labour Party out the door” and “When Tuhoe/128/Workers’ Rights are under attack – stand up, fight back” were chanted on the march. Upon arrival, the march was met with a large police presence and a metal barricade. For approximately an hour, there was noisy demonstration with a sit-in blockade at one entrance.

More: http://october15thsolidarity.info/en/node/294

4. Anarchism in New Zealand - an interview with Omar Hamed (Operation 8 arrestee): http://october15thsolidarity.info/en/node/293

5. G20 sentencing: upping the ante on the right to protest

In an obvious attempt to silence political dissent, on April 14, 10 G20 protesters who had pleaded guilty to charges of common law riot, criminal damage and recklessly causing injury received severe sentences in Melbourne’s Magistrates court.

The court cases relate to altercations with police that occurred during the Melbourne G20 summit demonstrations in November 2006. The G20 meeting involved finance ministers, central bank governors, World Bank and International Monetary Fund representatives from the world’s 19 largest economies.

More: http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/747/38646

:: RESOURCES

There are poster, newsletters and leaflets available here: http://october15thsolidarity.info/en/node/236

:: LINKS

www.October15thSolidarity.info | www.indymedia.org.nz | www.tuhoe.net | www.gpja.org.nz | www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz

October15thSolidarity.info NEWSLETTER No. TWO - 7th April 2008

Tena koutou,

we send out irregular updates on the campaign to support the people arrested in the so-called 'anti-terror' raids in Aotearoa (New Zealand) on 15th October 2007 and on 19th February 2008. Although charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act were never laid, 19 people are still facing charges under the Arms Act and need your support.

:: UPCOMING EVENTS

1. GPJA monthly Forum (Auckland)

2. Public Meeting: Police raids, terrorism and the Labour Party conference (Wellington)

3. Solidarity Gig at Al's Bar (Otautahi/Christchurch)

4. Protest against Labour Party Congress (Wellington)

1. Monday 7th April: GPJA MONTHLY FORUM – ANTI-TERROR LAWS: Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn, 7.30pm. Special Forum to update on the campaign to repeal the anti-terror laws. Details of panellists to follow. www.gpja.org.nz

2. Public Meeting: Police raids, terrorism and the Labour Party conference

When: Tuesday, 8 April, 6-8pm

Where: Arlington Hall, Taranaki Street (across from Wellington High School sport fields)

The Labour Party is hosting its election year conference in Wellington on April 11-13. Come help us organise against the racist brutality of this government.

You are invited to a public meeting to discuss how the Labour Party has been responsible for committing acts of terrorism against the people of Tuhoe, responsible for passing a raft of US terrorism legislation, and increasing the powers of the SIS and Police to invade your life.

3. Solidarity Gig at Al's Bar (Otautahi/Christchurch)

Upper Hutt Posse (Wellington, 2 MCs + drummer only)

The Eastern + More

Guest speaker: Urs Signer, arrested in October 15th raids

8:30pm, Thursday 10th April

Al's Bar

31 Dundas St (off Colombo St), Christchurch

$10. Door Sales Only.

CDs, T-Shirts and badges for sale at the door. All funds raised will go towards supporting those arrested in the raids and their whanau during court hearings.

4. Protest against Labour Party Congress (Wellington)

Protest: Saturday 12 April, midday, meet at Te Aro Park (between Ghuznee St and Manners St)

The protest will start at Te Aro Park (also known as Pigeon Park) and move to the Labour Party Congress (held at the Town Hall). Everyone who opposed the raids is invited to come and bring banners, placards and noise-makers. The government has attacked, October 15 Solidarity Wellington will not allow the government that attacked us to congratulate itself in peace.

:: DONATIONS

If you would like to make a donation, check out http://www.october15thsolidarity.info/donate for details of the various funds.

:: ARTICLES

1. Protest: hold the Labour Party responsible for Operation 8

2. Why reject the Treaty? A Maori-pakeha viewpoint.

3. Land of the Long White Lie: The New Zealand Terror Raids

1. Protest: hold the Labour Party responsible for Operation 8

The Labour Party is due to hold its election year conference in Wellington on the weekend of April 11-13. This conference will be the staging ground for protests and demonstrations opposing Operation 8.

Helen Clark, Annette King and Michael Cullen, who will all be in attendance, bear direct responsibility for the Police and Security Intelligence Service attacks on Tuhoe and other activists targeted in the raids. In the week before the raid on 15 October, Helen Clark and John Key met with the Officials Domestic and External Security Committee (ODESC) which includes the head of Police, the SIS, Defence and several other key agencies. At that time, Clark was advised that the Terrorism Suppression Act would be used to raid homes across the country and that activist Tame Iti would be arrested. Subsequent declarations by Michael Cullen that the raids were simply a police operational matter were false. In the first instance, the very notion of ‘terrorism’ is political. These people were not arrested because of what they were doing, but rather because of the ideas and beliefs that they hold. Secondly, a police operation of this magnitude, involving millions of dollars of time and resources, would be closely scrutinised by Helen Clark, who is wellknown for her micro-management of government agencies, and who is, after all, the Minister of the Security Intelligence Service.

Labour bears much broader responsibility for Operation 8. As the party responsible for the introduction and passage of ALL of the post-9/11 anti-terrorism legislation, Labour is a key ally in George W. Bush’s ‘war on terrorism.’ Acts of Parliament included in this ‘war’ agenda are the Terrorism Suppression Act, the Border Security Act, the Maritime Security Act, the Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Act, the Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Act, as well as amendments to the Crimes Act, the SIS Act, the Misuse of Drugs Act, and a major revision of the Immigration Act currently underway. Despite the claims of George Bush and Helen Clark, the agenda of this ‘war’ has little or nothing to do with terrorism. Rather it is the primary means by which those who have power and control over resources to get more. It is very easy to see this in places like Iraq. This same ‘war’ is now being waged here in Aotearoa New Zealand as well.

There are few better examples of this than the Foreshore and Seabed Act of 2004. Since 1840, iwi and hapu have claimed that the foreshore and seabed fall within the exercise of tino rangatiratanga (sovereignty) because they are both part of the whenua (land). When the Court of Appeal decided on June 26, 2003 that the eight Iwi in Marlborough could have their claim to their stretch of foreshore and seabed heard in the Maori Land Court, this Labour Government moved swiftly to extinguish the right simply to have the matter heard before a judge. The land and resources involved make this the largest land confiscation by any New Zealand government since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Meanwhile, the right of pakeha to own land was never considered a threat to those in power.

There are a range of reasons why the Labour Party deserves to be held responsible for Operation 8. The sheer racism of the Party must be exposed. Its main opposition, of course, holds many of these same policies, and bears equal responsibility for the pain and horror caused by the police and SIS.

Let’s take back our freedoms. The showdown with Labour happens on 12 April at 12 noon. The demonstration will assemble at Te Aro Park (Pigeon Park) on Dixon/Manners Street.

2. Why reject the Treaty? A Maori-pakeha viewpoint.

This article was written by 'Operation 8' arrestee Emily Bailey.

"When you learn about the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand schools or on the street (if you manage to hear any of our hushed-up history), you are told how all the Maori chiefs signed the Treaty and how it became the founding document of this country, making us all 'one people'. People speak romantically of Maori wanting to 'share their country' or of Maori having to sign because of being outnumbered and 'losing the war'. It is all lies of course. A convenient lie repeated by those who continue to deny our past and the injustices that happened and continue to happen."

You can read this article here: http://october15thsolidarity.info/node/253

3. Land of the Long White Lie: The New Zealand Terror Raids

This article was written by 'Operation 8' arrestee Valerie Morse.

"On October 15 2007, the New Zealand police carried out unprecedented nation-wide raids arresting 17 indigenous rights activists and anarchists and raiding some 60 different locations. The arrests were based on surveillance and interception warrants obtained under the Terrorism Suppression Act. This was the first time that the police used this Act, a law passed immediately after 9/11 and a direct result of it."

You can read this article here: http://october15thsolidarity.info/node/254

:: RESOURCES

You can download the newsletter produced by the Wellington group here: http://october15thsolidarity.info/files/newsletter%20vol%201%20take%202.... More posters and leaflets are available for download here: http://october15thsolidarity.info/en/node/236

:: LINKS

www.October15thSolidarity.info | www.indymedia.org.nz | www.tuhoe.net | www.gpja.org.nz | www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz

October15thSolidarity.info NEWSLETTER No. ONE - 18th March 2008

Kia ora,

here is the first newsletter from the October15thSolidarity.info crew. We send out irregular updates on the campaign to support the people arrested in the so-called 'anti-terror' raids in Aotearoa (New Zealand) on 15th October 2007 and on 19th February 2008.

:: QUICK SUMMARY

On Monday, October 15th 2007, more than 300 police carried out dawn raids on dozens of houses all over Aotearoa / New Zealand. Police claim the raids were in response to 'concrete terrorist threats' from indigenous activists. The reality, however, included heavily armed police terrorising an entire township. To date, no evidence of the so-called terrorist plot has been revealed.

Police arrested 17 indigenous, anarchist, environmental and anti-war activists, including people from Tuhoe, Te Atiawa, Maniapoto, Nga Puhi and Pakeha. Police wanted to charge 12 people under the Terrorism Suppression Act (TSA), however the Solicitor-General denied the police permission to proceed. After four weeks in jail everyone was released on bail. On Tuesday, February 19th 2007, police raided further properties, arresting 3 more men. All were released on bail with strict conditions that same day.

19 people are facing charges under the Arms Act, in a trial that could take several years. Although out of jail, they have very strict bail conditions that deny them freedom of movement and association.

:: UPCOMING EVENTS

1. Organise against Labour Party Congress (Meeting, 18th March, Weelington)

2. Fundraising Concert (5th April, Wellington)

3. Public Meeting (8th April, Wellington)

4. Fundraising Concert (10th April, Christchurch)

5. GPJA monthly forum (7th April, Auckland)

1. Organise against Labour Party Congress (Meeting, 18th March, Weelington)

Kia ora

This is an invitation to next week's October 15th organising meeting. This meeting will be SPECIFICALLY dedicated to organising around the Labour Party conference.

This includes:

1. a public meeting on 8 April, and

2. action/information for the Labour Party conference on 11-13 April in Wellington.

We would love to have your input into this...so please come along.

WHERE: 128 Community house, 128 Abel Smith Street

WHEN: Tuesday 18 March, 7pm-9pm

2. Fundraising Concernt (5th April, Wellington)

Afternoon gig at 'The Adelaide', 114 Adelaide Road, Newtown. With the Klezmer Rebs, Emma Paki and other bands (tbc)

3. Public Meeting (8th April, Wellington)

“Police raids, terrorism and the Labour Party conference” - Arlington Hall, 6 pm.

The NZ Labour Party will be having its annual conference in Wellington on 11. - 13. April. You are invited to a public meeting to discuss how the Labour Party has been responsible for committing acts of terrorism against the people of Tuhoe, responsible for passing a raft of US terrorism legislation, and increasing the powers of the SIS and Police to invade your life.

4. Fundraising Concert (10th April, Christchurch)

Al's Bar - 31 Dundas St (off Colombo St) (tbc)

5. GPJA monthly Forum (7th April, Auckland)

147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn. 7.30pm

Special Forum to update on the campaign to repeal the anti-terror laws. Details of panellists to follow.

:: DONATIONS

If you would like to make a donation, check out http://www.october15thsolidarity.info/donate for details of the various funds.

:: ARTICLES

1. One Operation 8 accused stays in Tauranga

2. Greetings to the >October 15th Solidarity< group in Aotearoa (New Zealand)

3. Justice Delayed is Justice Denied

1. One Operation 8 accused stays in Tauranga (from http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/75063/index.php)

Raunatiri Hunt, who was arrested on 19 February 2008 as part of Operation 8, will not have to attend the deposition hearing in Auckland in September with his 18 co-accused. His lawyer, Nicholas Dutch, conceded there was a prima facie case to answer but said all of the evidence against Hunt could be dealt with by a depositions hearing in Tauranga.

Crown prosecutor Rob Ronayne told the judge in a pre-deposition hearing on 12 March 2008, he understood that depositions evidence against Hunt - from 13 police witnesses - would all be handed up in written briefs. Ronayne said he still opposed Hunt's case staying in Tauranga - as he did in a previous pre-depositions hearing - but made no further submissions on the issue.

"[There s] obvious prejudice to Mr Hunt if he has to sit there [in Auckland] for two months as well" said Dutch. Judge Thomas Ingram agreed, saying: "In my view, it would be contrary to the interests of justice to remove him to Auckland for a lengthy hearing when the matter can be dealt with expeditiously with a short hearing in Tauranga."

The crown prosecutor stated it was possible the Crown would make a fresh application to transfer the case after depositions. Hunt's depositions hearing was set for May 29 in the Tauranga District Court and he was remanded on continued bail.

2. Greetings to the >October 15th Solidarity< group in Aotearoa (New Zealand)

Dear friends, dear comrades,

We (www.maus-bremen.de) have heard about the political attacks against you and we are closely following the situation in Aotearoa and in particular your situation.

We were very pleased to receive your greeting message for the demonstration against repression and capitalism on 15 December 2007 in Hamburg. The message was read out at the rally preceding the demonstration and was received with much solidarity and applause.

We are wokers at a free institute, which has been affected on numerous occasions by state repression in recent years: in the context of the resistance against atomic waste transports and against atomic energy production or more recently in the context of the resistance against the G8- summit in Heilgendamm. On 9 May 2007 our offices and the flat of a coworker were raided and material seized and only a few days ago, after over 10 months, returned. The Section 129a accusations ( for participating in a terrorist group) has been dropped but the case is still ongoing on a different level.

We agree with you that this repression in Aotearoa or in the FRG cannot be understood in isolation. World-wide conditions are created, in order to be able to execute the neo-liberalisation of social conditions and capitalist globalisation unimpaired. Meanwhile, each emancipatory idea and practice toward
self-determination, solidarity and liberation are suppressed, communication destroyed, the monitoring and control of all humans is perfected and the individualisation of humans is advanced.

Terrorism is an effective public accusation.

We see the repression against you and your resistance in this context.

We should fight against this development by global solidarity of all oppressed and exploited of this world. And we are delighted that the first contacts in this direction between us have been made.

We greet you and embrace you in solidarity and wish you much strength,

the workers of the ' Meßstelle für Arbeits- und UmweltSchutz Bremen'

www.MAUSBremen.de

Bremen, 06.03.08

3. Justice Delayed is Justice Denied (from http://www.maoriparty.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1627...)

The prospect of nineteen defendants facing another six months under bail restrictions, before a decision is even made as whether they should face trial,
foreshadows a serious miscarriage of justice, says Te Ururoa Flavell.

"These people are innocent until proven guilty. They deny the charges against them. They have been on bail almost five months already, and the depositions hearing is still six months away.

"That first hearing might well show there is no case to answer - otherwise a date will be set for the trial some time in the future. Meanwhile, every day, they live with charges hanging over their heads, affecting their families, their work, their communities. It is completely unjust to have to wait so long.

"Applications for legal aid lodged more than four months ago are still being processed by the Legal Services Agency" said Mr Flavell. Although Auckland District Court Judge Hubble directed the agency to make a decision about funding in the next two weeks, waiting around over all of this time will obviously take its toll on the defendants and their families".

"This is trial by duress. If it takes a year to decide whether there is even a case to answer, one can only guess how long it might take to find them innocent or guilty," he said. "Meanwhile they are restricted in their movements and who they can associate with.

"The depositions hearing alone is forecast to last up to six weeks. The nineteen defendants have to attend court in Auckland - even though many of them live in the Bay of Plenty or other parts of the country. The cost and disruption for them and their families are quite intolerable.

"The Crown has swamped the judicial process with masses of evidence,most of which is likely be completely irrelevant, like bugged phone conversations on unrelated matters. But all of the more than 60,000 pages of information have to be sifted and assessed before it can be ignored.

"The time and effort, and the cost of lawyers, is out of all proportion to the seriousness of the charges. This is shaping up to be one of the biggest trials in New Zealand's history - yet no-one was hurt and no property was damaged.

"It is a political show trial, staged by the police and the Crown to salvage their reputation after their terrorism case collapsed. They are using these cases to try and justify their years of surveillance and monitoring.

"The injustice is that the Crown side is paid to work on the case - the defendants have to pay their own travel, accommodation and phone costs, and significant legal costs, even if they get legal aid. And the longer things drag on, the greater the injustice" said Mr Flavell.

:: LINKS

www.October15thSolidarity.info | www.indymedia.org.nz | www.tuhoe.net | www.gpja.org.nz | www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz