New Zealand’s involvement in the occupation of Afghanistan has been commonly perceived as a humanitarian role. John Edmundson demolishes that myth and looks at what the occupation is really about.
The Situation so far
On 10 August 2009, Prime Minister John Key announced that the SAS (Special Air Service) would return to Afghanistan. This announcement had been predicted for some time so came as no surprise. The troops are being deployed in three rotations over 18 months and the full deployment involves 70 soldiers over that time period. At the same time, over that 18 months the NZ Army’s Provincial Reconstruction Team – NZ’s major commitment to the war – are being gradually reduced and eventually withdrawn, their work to be replaced by civilian work on agriculture, health and education. But the SAS deployment may in fact last much longer. The war in Afghanistan is going badly for the US -led coalition and few military people or civilian analysts are prepared to go public with an estimate of how much longer it could go on. A time frame as short as 18 months seems unlikely and if the war continues for years, there will be further requests for extensions to the troop commitment. With the Obama administration massively expanding the war effort, not just through increased troop numbers in Afghanistan, but an increasing involvement in Pakistan also, the war could well drag on for years. read more
Ben Peterson interviewed by Mikey Havoc on 95bFM
Hear Ben’s interview where he talks about the revolutionary changes in Nepal http://www.95bfm.co.nz/assets/sm/195354/3/BenPeterson.mp3
WAIHOPAI AND THE GHOST OF DAVID LANGE
Don Franks
Well done the three antiwar activists from the Ploughshares group, and 
the jury who found them not guilty of burglary and intentional damage in the Wellington District Court. The not guilty verdict relates to charges laid when the men deflated one of the domes at the Waihopai spy base near Blenheim two years ago. Continue reading “WAIHOPAI AND THE GHOST OF DAVID LANGE”
Nepal revolution speaking tour kicks off
Ben Peterson’s speaking tour of New Zealand began today in Auckland.
Tomorrow he’s being interviewed by Mikey Havoc on 95bFM at 8.15, and speaking at Auckland university at 1pm.
Ben gives a fascinating, first hand account of the big changes taking place in Nepal.
Get out of Iraq and Afghanistan
Activists gathered in Auckland today outside the US consulate to protest the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. 
Marking the anniversary of the Iraq invasion 7 years ago the protesters demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all foreign troops, including and especially the NZ SAS and other military in Afghanistan.
The Workers Party had a PFLP banner, as part of a solidarity campaign with the Palestinian liberation movement
The protested ended on a fitting note, with old shoes being hurled at the Consulate.
Ben Peterson on his experience in Nepal
Reprinted from UNITYblog
Ben was kind enough to answer some questions for UNITYblog about his experiences in Nepal.
When did you go to Nepal? How long were you there for?
I was in Nepal last year from the beginning of March to July, about four and half months in total.
Why did you go to Nepal?
I went to Nepal specifically to see the social and political transformations taking place there. I’d first come into contact with the revolutionary process there in 2006, but didn’t really start to study what was happening there until 2008 when the Maoists won the Constituent Assembly elections. The more I read into what was happening there the more excited I was. But all the time it was really hard to find good and reliable sources of information, particularly from a progressive point of view. So I decided that to really get a handle of what’s happening there, I should go and see it for myself. Continue reading “Ben Peterson on his experience in Nepal”
Revolution in Nepal
A new Workers Party publication
Do like Jesus done
Song by Don Franks, performed at the CAFCA “Roger Award” 2010
Here we all sit one more time – shafted by the ANZ
Stealing away our futures while we work til we’re dead
Now Sexy John won’t save us – and nor will Biker Phil
Or any other capitalist prick asleep up on that hill
But folks -if we don’t do more than cry into our beer
Our great great great grand children will
still be awarding bastards here
Its up to us to find a way – to spoil the banker’s fun
And the one that makes most sense to me
Is to do like Jesus done
He bust straight through security and kicked the tables high
Those speculating bankers could only run and cry
There was no negotiation, no maybes, please or thanks
When Jesus took the workers side
And turned over the banks
Of course there was a price to pay – because then, just as now
The banks were for the ruling class – a very sacred cow
after a scab betrayed him – the cops took Jesus down
and strung him from a macrocarpa – half a mile from town
JC made one big error – he waged his fight alone
Without sufficient back up after he cast the first stone
Just twelve guys in his union – and one of them went sour
It would have been a miracle – if they could have won state power
But anyway, good on him – at least he had a crack
And don’t it make good history – for us now looking back!
Chorus
Well, anyway, so here we are two thousand years on
With the banks still in the box seat- and the Christians mostly gone
Philosophers just take the shit and deftly rearrange it
The point about this unfair world is that we need to change it
We still can learn from Jesus – direct action’s half the way
The other half is getting up the numbers on the day
So why not lets get positive- get out and spread the word
The capitalist system is dated and absurd
Lets organise resistance while we’re still in the mood
We can make a revolution – with Jesus’s attitude.
Chorus
International Women’s Day: Women’s Role in Nepal’s Revolution
Reprinted from Kasama (originally from Monthly Review)
Girl carrying water
Women’s Role in the Nepalese Movement: Making a People’s Constitution
by Hisila Yami (Parvati)
At this very moment Nepal is making a constitution through the historic Constitutional Assembly (CA). It is important to note that up till now all prior constitutions handed over to the people of Nepal were through direct intervention of oligarchs or kings. It was the historic ten years of People’s War (PW) (1996-2006) complemented with 19 days of People’s Movement (April 2006) that made it possible to bring about a free and fair CA election in April 2008 as a means to make a people’s constitution by the people themselves. It is under the leadership of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [CPN(Maoist)] and its skillful use of a united front with various parties that the monarchy system was abolished in 2008.
The specificity of the Nepalese movement is the presence of a strong left. For this very reason the women’s movement is comparatively strong in Nepal. Women’s exploitation being deep-rooted — one of the oldest and longest exploitations, embracing all sectors from womb to tomb — communist movements often take the lead in ending it. Of course one has to fight against patriarchal tendencies within the Communist Party or similar tendencies arising from the stage of development of one’s society which ultimately find reflection on the Party or movement. But there are always rightist, ultra-leftist and eclectic middle tendencies within the Party or movement which will affect the women’s movement accordingly. Women have to fight for a correct line which addresses both the class and gender issues in correct proportions. In the specific case of Nepal, we have to additionally address Dalit, regional and ethnic oppression because they are interrelated to women’s oppression. Continue reading “International Women’s Day: Women’s Role in Nepal’s Revolution”
by Hisila Yami (Parvati)
At this very moment Nepal is making a constitution through the historic Constitutional Assembly (CA). It is important to note that up till now all prior constitutions handed over to the people of Nepal were through direct intervention of oligarchs or kings. It was the historic ten years of People’s War (PW) (1996-2006) complemented with 19 days of People’s Movement (April 2006) that made it possible to bring about a free and fair CA election in April 2008 as a means to make a people’s constitution by the people themselves. It is under the leadership of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [CPN(Maoist)] and its skillful use of a united front with various parties that the monarchy system was abolished in 2008.
The specificity of the Nepalese movement is the presence of a strong left. For this very reason the women’s movement is comparatively strong in Nepal. Women’s exploitation being deep-rooted — one of the oldest and longest exploitations, embracing all sectors from womb to tomb — communist movements often take the lead in ending it. Of course one has to fight against patriarchal tendencies within the Communist Party or similar tendencies arising from the stage of development of one’s society which ultimately find reflection on the Party or movement. But there are always rightist, ultra-leftist and eclectic middle tendencies within the Party or movement which will affect the women’s movement accordingly. Women have to fight for a correct line which addresses both the class and gender issues in correct proportions. In the specific case of Nepal, we have to additionally address Dalit, regional and ethnic oppression because they are interrelated to women’s oppression. Continue reading “International Women’s Day: Women’s Role in Nepal’s Revolution”
Antiwar Protest Auckland March 20
Saturday, March 20, 12 noon, US Consulate, Citbank Building, Customs St, City
Protest the continuing occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Mark the anniversary of the Iraq invasion 7 years ago. Demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all foreign troops, including and especially the NZ SAS and other military in Afghanistan. (Bring and old pair of shoes!)
Organised by Global Peace & Justice Auckland