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In
this issue:
* REPORT:
IPAN National conference,
Melbourne, 8-10th
September, 2017
* IPAN Conference
Declaration: September,
2017
*Conference Resolutions:
Korea, West Papua, The
Philippines &
Solidarity with London
arms trade opponents
* International Day of
Peace protest in
Martin Place, Sydney
* International Day of
Peace celebration in
Brisbane at St Johns
Cathedral
* October 7th - Global Day
of Action against military
bases
* Take a stand against
endless war and aggression-
IPAN Brisbane Oct 7 rally
* Solidarity with &
support for, the Peace
Pilgrims facing court in
November, 2017
*
ICAN call for donations to
assist campaign to get Ban
the Bomb Treaty signatures
* Greenpeace Campaign to
get Australian Government
to sign "Ban the Bomb" UN
Treaty
* The South China Sea
& the risk of war: A
summary - James O'Neill
* Is it time Australia
pursued an independent
foreign policy - Anthony
Dodd
*
Understanding Korea- U- tube
documentary
* Korean
solution needs US to sign
peace treaty- Finian
Cunninham
* The Alliance - The Facts
and the Furphies - Richard
Butler (former Australian
Ambassador to the UN)
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REPORT:
IPAN National
Conference, Melbourne,
8-10th September, 2017
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| Warren
Smith, Maritime Union of
Australia addresses the
conference
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The 2017
IPAN National Conference
in Melbourne, War,
Peace and Independence
– Keep Australia Out
of U.S. Wars, was
a great success,
building on previous
IPAN National
Conferences in Canberra
(2014), Brisbane (2015)
and Alice Springs
(2016).
The Conference lifted
and strengthened the
public call for an
independent Australia
foreign policy; and
consolidated IPAN’s work
in building a
broad-based peace
movement in Australia.
The Conference was
characterised by
informative and strong
evidence- based
presentations by a wide
range of speakers
(speakers audios are now
available to use on
IPAN’s website); and the
large numbers of
participants attending
the conference - IPAN
affiliates, individuals
and interested people
previously not familiar
with IPAN. Close to 200
people attended the
Conference throughout
the weekend of 8 – 10
September.
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All
speakers’
presentations were
thoroughly researched,
engaging and
inspirational,
strongly advocating an
independent Australian
foreign policy that
promotes global peace.
The wide range
of speakers, topics
and themes dovetailed
into the Conference’s
main theme of
independent and
peaceful foreign
policy and keeping
Australia out of U.S.
wars.
Many
speakers expressed
concerns with the
integration of
Australian foreign
policies, defence
industries and
capabilities into U.S.
global military
agendas and supporting
U.S. wars. Many
speakers stressed that
now is the time to
promote widely and
stronger the call for
an independent foreign
policy and build a
broad and united
people's movement for
peace and independence
from U.S.
The
success and interest
in the Conference and
IPAN reflected the
growing public
concerns with
Australia’s
subservience to U.S.
global military
agendas and the
dangers of hosting
U.S. bases and the
drones program in
Australia.
The
conference took place
at a time of
increasing U.S.
belligerence and
provocations on the
Korean Peninsula and
the build up of U.S.
military on the
Peninsula, including
the THAAD system and
joint military
exercises.
In
the lead up to the
Conference, the wide
promotion amongst the
community and unions
enabled IPAN to reach
wider sectors.
IPAN
received very positive
feedback from many
participants,
congratulating IPAN
for organising an
informative and
inclusive conference
with a strong line up
of speakers and a wide
range of topics.
Conference
participants came from
around Victoria, Qld,
Alice Springs, NSW,
South Australia, Alice
Springs, Canberra,
Tasmania and West
Australia.
It was a truly
national conference
with representatives
from every
state/territory.
All
speakers were
outstanding, and the 4
overseas speakers in
particular of note
brought the
international
solidarity of the
people’s struggle for
peace, justice and
security:
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Sung Hee Choi - peace activist from
South Korea
and Jeju
island
spoke passionately
and
eloquently on
the history of
U.S. military
domination of
South Korea
and called for
the
immediate removal
of THAAD
(Terminal High
Altitude Area
Defense)
system,
all U.S. bases
and troops
from South
Korea and an
end to joint
military
exercises and
for U.S. to
get out of
Korea. Sung
Hee Choi's
presentation
were warmly
received with
the conference
unanimously
passing a
resolution
below calling
on the U.S. to
first remove
the THAAD
system and
stop joint
military
exercises
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David Vine
is Associate
Professor of
Anthropology at
American
University in
Washington, DC.
He is the author
of Base Nation:
How U.S.
Military Bases
Abroad Harm
America and the
World. David is
also the author
of Island of
Shame: The
Secret History
of the U.S.
Military Base on
Diego Garcia.
David provided
an historical
background to
the current 800+
US bases
operating around
the world.
Showing us
photos of eg
Guantamo Bay
living quarters
for staff little
American suburbs
placed in far
away places like
Diego Garcia.
His presentation
was a real
eye-opener.
Listen on www.ipan.org.au/conference2017audio.
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Olivier
Bancoult –
passionately told the
conference the long
struggle of the
Chagossians to return to
Diego Garcia from where
they were removed by
U.S. and Britain to make
way for the biggest U.S.
military base in Indian
Ocean
Murray
Horton – NZ
peace activist inspired
us with his report on
the success of NZ peace
activists
In
keeping US nuclear ships
out of NZ and their many
campaigns against US
bases in NZ.
One of
the outstanding features
of the Conference was
the wide range of
organisations attending
– from faith
organisations, different
peace groups, community
organisations concerned
with lack of public
funding to meet
community needs,
academics, lawyers,
journalists and unions.
The
Maritime Union of
Australia had a strong
contingent at the
conference with
delegations attending
from Sydney, Port Kembla
and Victorian branches.
Representatives and
members from other
unions included ETU,
NTEU, CFMEU. The
MUA’s support in
particular was enormous
and IPAN is indebted to
the union and its
members.
Warren
Smith MUA
National Assistant
Secretary delivered a
passionate speech on why
the struggles for peace
and justice are union
business and the long
tradition of Australian
unions campaigning for
peace and justice
All
speakers' speeches
were recorded and are
now posted on IPAN's
website,
http://ipan.org.au/conf2017audio
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IPAN
Conference Declaration
and resolutions
on the Korean
Peninsula, the
Philippines, West Papua
and solidarity greetings
to the Pine Gap
activists facing trial
in November were adopted
by the conference and
detailed below.
Working
groups were formed from
the conference delegates
and addressed the
following issues:
(i)
Independent
Foreign Policy
(ii)
Move
the Money (from war
spending to social
useful priorities)
(iii)
US
Bases; US marines in
Darwin
(iv)
Militarisation
of education; the
military -industrial
complex
(v)
Justice
and peace is union
business
(vi)
Building
regional alliances in
Asia-Pacific
The
enthusiasm and ideas
from these groups will
help promote existing
and future IPAN
campaigns. You
are very welcome to
join and participate
in theIPAN groups
working on these
campaigns; for
details see the IPAN
web site:
ipan.org.au
IPAN
co-ordinating
committee has put a
great deal of work in
organising the
Conference.
We wish to
thank many of our
supporters who
enthusiastically
promoted the
conference to their
networks and contacts
and volunteered to
help on the weekend.
The
conference concluded
with a protest outside
the U.S. Consulate in
Melbourne on Tuesday
12 September, calling
on the U.S. to remove
the THAAD
"defence" system and
get out of Korea.
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| Declaration
from the IPAN Conference
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Central
calls of the
declaration:
In
moving towards an
independent and
peaceful Australian
foreign policy:
•
We call on the
Australian government
and the Opposition to
end their unequivocal
subservience to U.S.
military and foreign
policies that have
made Australia a
virtual rubber stamp,
helping to legitimise
U.S. foreign policies,
military adventures
and threats to peace.
For example, Australia
refusing to ratify the
U.N. Nuclear Weapons
Ban Treaty; continued
support for Israel’s
occupation of the West
Bank and the blockade
on Gaza, and voting
with the U.S. and U.K.
against calls in the
U.N. for decolonising
Diego Garcia U.S.
military base and
allowing the
Indigenous people
return to their
homeland.
•
We call on the
government to
immediately end
Australia’s military
engagements in U.S.-
led wars in the Middle
East and Afghanistan.
· We
call on the Australian
government to
immediately pledge
support for the U.N.
Nuclear Weapons Bans
Treaty.
· We
call for removing U.S.
marines and warplanes
from Darwin back to
the U.S.
· We
call for an immediate
end to any
contribution from the
U.S. military
intelligence base Pine
Gap near Alice Springs
to the drone
assassination program.
Furthermore,
we are deeply
concerned that US
military bases on
our soil, including
Pine Gap, integrate
Australia into the
US war machine and
lock us into its
wars against
countries with whom
we’re not at war,
and jeopardise
Australia pursuing
friendly and
peaceful relations
with our neighbours
and the
international
community. These
bases deny Australia
our sovereignty and
our freedom to make
foreign policy
decisions
independently of the
US.
We support
the call made by the
former Prime
Minister, the late
Malcolm Fraser, to
phase out U.S.
military bases on
Australian soil.
· We
call on the government
to re-direct public
funds from supporting
U.S. wars and the
military-industrial
complex into public
and community needs
such as health,
education, income
security for all,
affordable housing,
creating sustainable
and socially useful
local industries and
jobs; and addressing
climate change.
· We
call for the removal
of Lockheed Martin and
other military
corporations from
Australian
Universities and
schools. We oppose the
inroads made into the
militarisation of
education,
manufacturing
industries and the
economy by military
corporate
conglomerates like
Lockheed Martin,
Raytheon and others.
· We
call for the ending of
military tensions in
the South China Sea by
the removal of the
military presence of
countries not directly
involved in the
disputed territories.
Australia
should not be used to
provoke a conflict by
sending our navy or
airforce into the
disputed areas.
READ
complete
declaration
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IPAN
Conference Resolutions
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Resolution
for peace
on Korean Peninsula
This Conference calls on the Australian government to withdraw from joint military
exercises in South Korea and work for a peaceful resolution of the conflict on the
Korean Peninsula.
To realise a Peace Treaty in the Korean Peninsula requires the following efforts from
each side:‐ South
Korea and the United
States should stop
all war exercises,
refrain from deploying nuclear weapons in South Korea and work for a peace agreement with
North Korea.
For its’ part, North Korea should respond by stopping nuclear and missile tests.
Passed unanimously
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Resolution on West Papua
We call on the Australian government to support the inalienable right of the West
Papuan people to independence from Indonesia, to peace and security.
Passed unanimously
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Solidarity Message to activists opposing DSEI Arms Trade Fair in London
This 2017 Conference of the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network send
solidarity greetings to the activists currently blockading and opposing the DSEI Arms
Trade Fair in London.
We are here in Melbourne to seek a peaceful and independent Australian foreign
policy: commercialisation of war is a major impediment to this.
As Aranduth Roy said, “we used to sell weapons to fight war, now we fight wars to sell
weapons.”
We stand with you in opposing this trade in death and destruction.
Passed unanimously.
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Resolution
on The Philippines:
Keep Australian
troops out of The
Philippines
We,
the participants of the
Independent & Peaceful
Australia Network (IPAN)
National Conference,
8-10th September, 2017 in
Melbourne, affirm our
commitment to justice and
peace in the Philippines
over violence and hatred
and war and call on the
Australian Government to:
READ
ON
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| International
Day of Peace protest in
Martin Place Sydney.
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For a short
time on (the
International Day of
Peace) one of Sydney's
many memorials to
militarism displayed
messages of peace.
There were
two, double-sided
placards placed on the
soldiers' bayonets at
the Cenotaph in Martin
Place. The slogans
read:-
- "No
More War"
- "Honour
the War Dead by
Ending War!"
- "Sign
the Nuke Ban
Treaty!" and
- "We
Fought for Peace"
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| International
Day of Peace celebrated with
6th Annual Peace Lecture in
St Johns Cathedral, Brisbane
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In
Brisbane the
International Day of
Peace was celebrated
with the 6th
annual Peace Lecture
held at St Johns
Cathedral in the city.
The University of Qld
and Griffith worked with
the United Nations Assn
of Australia Qld Branch
and Just Peace Qld (IPAN
member) to organise.
Professor Henry Reynolds
lecture was titles Australia’s
Unnecessary Wars.
Henry Reynolds spoke
about how virtually none
of the wars Australia
has committed to and
engaged in were about
the defence of
Australia. He talked
about the massive loss
of life and quality of
life for those returning
from the Boer War
through to today where
so many returning
soldiers suffer PTSD and
poor quality of life for
themselves and their
families. The lecture
was very well received.
The evening was
complimented by song and
other speakers.
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CALL
FOR GLOBAL ACTION
AGAINST MILITARY BASES
7
October 2017 It’s time
to resist! TOGETHER!
Determined
activists around the
world have been
resisting occupation,
militarism, and foreign
military bases on their
lands for decades. These
struggles have been
courageous and
persistent. Let’s unite
our resistance into one
global action for peace
and justice. This fall,
during the first week of
October, we invite your
organization to plan an
antimilitarism action in
your community as part
of the first annual
global week of actions
against military bases.
Together our voices are
louder, our power
stronger and more
radiant. Let’s resist
together to abolish war
and stop the desecration
of Mother Earth. Join us
in creating a world
where every human life
has equal value and a
safe environment in
which to live. It is our
hope that this is the
beginning of an annual
effort that will better
unite our work and make
our connections with
each other stronger.
Will you join us in this
global effort?
As Albert Einstein said:
“War cannot be
humanized. It can only
be abolished.” Will you
join us? Let’s make this
possible, together.
With the deepest
respect,
First signatories
NoDalMolin (Vicenza –
Italy)
NoMuos (Niscemi – Sicily
– Italy)
SF Bay Area CODEPINK (S.
Francisco – USA)
World Beyond War (USA)
CODEPINK (USA)
Hambastagi (Solidarity
Party of Afghanistan)
STOP The War Coalition
(Philippines)
Environmentalists
Against War (California)
READ
DETAILS
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The Independent & Peaceful Australia
Network
Take
a stand against
endless
war and
aggression
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*Afghanistan
- 16 years of war-
Australia’s longest war
*Iraq
14 years
*Syria
7 years
*North Korea
64 years!
Join us in Brisbane on
October 7th
as we join with others
around the world to call
on US coalition
governments to leave
Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Syria. In North Korea
Australia has recently
joined the US and others
to stage naval and
military exercises in
the seas off North
Korea.
Saturday,
October 7th,
2017
11.30am King
George Square
Come with
friends, colleagues,
your MP’s, and Faith
Leaders to demonstrate
the wishes of people
around the world for
peace.
Speakers Music and
Solidarity
Negotiate
don’t Escalate
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| Solidarity
with & support for,
the Peace Pilgrims
Facing Court in
November, 2017
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| The Pine
Gap Peace Pilgrims face
court in November in Alice
Springs.
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The
#PINEGAPPILGRIMS face
court from 13th
November 2017. Pauli
Christie who was
praying in the valley
will oversee the
selection of his jury
on the Monday 13th.
The other pilgrims
will meet their jury
in court on Thursday
16th November 2017. We
invite you to join the
Pilgrims in Alice
Springs for the court
case. Court cases are
times of intellectual
endeavour and further
resistance as we
explore ways to keep
challenging the
military State and
telling the stories of
resistance. We will
conduct public
meetings and more
actions if we can. We
will hear from
‘experts’ who we will
call to the trial. We
hope to rekindle the
spirit of the Pine
Gap 4 and the Waihopai
3 and the Rocky Tiger
Ploughshares! We will
gather from Friday
November 10th ready
for court on Monday.
We will have a media
team, and a remote
social media team. We
will help organise
places to stay for
supporters – Best we
can. Join us through
our sign up for more
information and to
volunteer where ever
you are. Its an
opportunity for NEW
ACTIONS to
#ClosePineGap Lets put
#WARONTRIAL Contact
Margaret directly on
Facebook if you are
coming or Cate
@wagepeaceau to
volunteer Donate here
Join us for more
actions and events to
stop warmaking and
surveillance as
activists face court
in 2017.
#Endwarculture
#NoMoreUSwars
#ClosePineGap
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The
Treaty on the Prohibition of
Nuclear Weapons opened for
signature at the UN on 20th
September,2017
The
Treaty
on the Prohibition
of Nuclear Weapons
opened for signature at
United Nations
headquarters in New York
on 20 September 2017 and
will remain open
indefinitely. Once 50
nations have ratified or
acceded to it, it will
enter into force.
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| United
Nations deliberations on
Treaty to Ban nuclear
weapons development &
possession |
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Donations
need for ICAN Campaign
to gain Australia's
signature on Treaty
ICAN
Australia is calling for
donations to fund the
campaign for
Australia
to sign on to the treaty to
prohibit nuclear weapons
development
and possession.
It
has been a tremendous
achievement to reach
agreement on the Treaty at
the UN and ICAN has been in
the forefront of this
campaign.
Now
the Treaty is open for
countries to sign the Treaty
and it is obviously vital
that Australia is among
them.
Could
you give this your
consideration and spread the
call among friends and
members of your
organisation.
Donate
by phone:
Call (03)
9023 1958
Donate
by cheque:
Please
make your cheque payable
to ICAN Australia and
send it to:
ICAN
Australia
PO Box
1379
Carlton
VIC 3053
Donate
by direct deposit:
Account
name: ICAN Australia Inc
BSB: 633
000
Account
number: 140361197
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FOREIGN
MINISTER JULIE BISHOP:
SIGN THE NUCLEAR WEAPON
BAN TREATY!
AUSTRALIANS
WANT PEACE, NOT
NUCLEAR WAR
READ
ON
and sign
the Greenpeace on-line
petition to Julie Bishop
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The
South China Sea and the
Risk of War: A Summary
by James
O'Neill
It is
self-evident that
the risk of war is
not confined to the
South China Sea.
In fact, the
risk of war there is
probably less than
in other significant
flash points around
the world.
Since
1945 The US has
overthrown or sought
to overthrow at
least 55
governments, of
which 32 were
successful.
Recent
examples involving
Australia include
Afghanistan, Iraq,
Libya and Syria.
All of these
countries, and many
others from that
list of 55, are now
seriously
dysfunctional.
They have
certain other
features in common,
including the
reasons for the
intervention, which
are rarely as
publicized.
Similarly,
the mainstream media
likewise continually
misrepresents the
consequences.
READ
ON
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Is
It Time Australia
Pursued An
‘Independent’
Foreign Policy?
If Asia’s
future is to be led by
China, Australia may
need to balance out
its U.S.-centric
foreign policy.
By
Anthony Dodd for The
Diplomat
September
12, 2017
Australia
faces a number of key
challenges heading
into the “Asian
Century,” particularly
regarding how it will
balance its economic
and security
interests. Since
Australia signed the
ANZUS Treaty with the
United States and New
Zealand in 1951 during
the Korean War, the
country has continued
to place a great
degree of its
protection under the
American nuclear
umbrella. As the
significantly smaller
ally, some experts say
Australia’s foreign
policy has long been
subverted to the
strategic objectives
of its great and
powerful friend, which
has come at a cost.
READ ON
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South
Korean members of a
civic group hold banners
during a rally against
the South Korea-US Joint
military drills outside
of the presidential Blue
House in Seoul on
Monday. Photo: AP
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Korea
Solution Needs
US to Sign a
Peace Treaty
By
Finian Cunninham
The
proper starting
point is for the
US to finally
sign a full
peace treaty
with North Korea
to mark the
definitive end
of the Korean
War. It seems
almost bizarre
that 64 years
after the end of
that war
(1950-53), the
US refuses to
commit to a
peace treaty.
The matter is
hardly permitted
into public
discourse by the
US government
and Western news
media. Even
though the issue
is key to
finding a
peaceful
solution.
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The absence
of a binding peace
settlement means that,
technically, the US and
North Korea still view
each other at being in a
state of war. This gives
profound substance to
North Korea’s
existential fears over
the US continually
conducting «war games»
around the peninsula.
READ
ON
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RICHARD
BUTLER. The Alliance:
The Facts and the
Furphies
19
September 2017
A
review of how we conduct
our alliance
relationship with the US
is urgently required,
not simply because it
has elected a President
who is unfit for his
job, but because of the
US’ attachment to war.
READ
ON
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Voice is
produced and edited by
the Media Group of the
IPAN co-ordinating
committee. It is
produced for IPAN
affiliates to:
*provide a medium
for communication of
their campaigns and
activities
*provide a medium
for discussion of
issues central to
IPAN’s objectives
*provide
affiliates with
details of
co-ordinating
committee
activities, media
releases, lobbying
activities and other
actions taken on
behalf of IPAN
* provide
information on
issues/events
relating to IPAN’s
objectives
Contributions to
Voice, in information
or comment, should be
emailed to :
Ipan.au...@gmail.com and
limited, if possible
to 200 words.
The Media Group takes
editorial
responsibility for
choice of content and
is responsible to the
IPAN co-ordinating
committee.
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