GPJA Press Releases
The New Zealand government must move on from condemnation of the brutal Mugabe regime to take some simple steps to put real pressure on the dictator.
If we have learnt anything from the regime to date it is that Mugabe takes notice of actions – not words.
It is encouraging to see international cricketers taking the lead. Governments must now take effective action to support work for the total sporting isolation of Zimbabwe. In New Zealand’s case it means ending the proposed black caps tour to Zimbabwe next year.
Global Peace and Justice Auckland is appealing to the Prime Minister to extend the proposed controls on alcohol to also cover pokie machines and loan sharks.
We have written to the Prime Minister pointing out that alongside alcohol, pokie machines and loan sharks are also “parasites on poverty”.
Together this “terrible trio” are having a devastating on low-income communities. They are putting the quality of life for whole communities such as Manurewa under serious threat.
Police escalate arms race without democratic oversight
It’s all in the timing!
Today’s announcement in the New Zealand Herald that police are proposing trialling fully armed mobile patrols in Auckland is another blow to New Zealand’s democratic control of the police.
The announcement has been clearly timed to cash in on the public outrage at the callous brutality of the murder of Navtej Singh in Manurewa last week. The community is right to be sickened at this senseless killing but a kneejerk reaction to permanently arm police patrols is opportunistic and short-sighted.
5 June 2008
Media Release:
New Zealand is guilty of receiving stolen goods with the arrival this week of the cargo ship Cake from Morocco.
The ship is delivering a cargo of phosphate stolen from the Saharawi people of Western Sahara by the Moroccan government.
30 April 2008
Media Release:
Congratulations to ploughshares activists on deflation of Waihopai dome
Global Peace and Justice Auckland congratulates the activists from the Ploughshares group who entered and deflated one of the domes at Waihopai spybase near Blenheim early this morning.
The photo of the deflated dome is a powerful symbol of resistance to New Zealand’s role in supporting the so-called war on terror being waged by the US.
The government decision to increase New Zealand troops in Afghanistan is deplorable and can only compound the chaos and violence across the country.
The 18 additional New Zealand troops, like the existing contingent, have no place in Afghanistan.
In the six and a half years since New Zealand took part in the illegal invasion and occupation of Afghanistan that country has been plunged into violence and chaos for which New Zealand must share responsibility. We are part of the problem in Afghanistan.
20 February 2008
Media Release:
Global Peace and Justice Auckland is helping co-ordinate a protest against the on-going police raids and arrests from Operation 8.
The details of the protest are:
12pm Aotea Square, Auckland, Saturday 23rd February (this Saturday)
The protest will be calling for an end to the raids and arrests. The police have had over 18 months to investigate and lay charges. These latest raids and arrests – coming four months after the original raids on October 15th 2007 – smack of harassment arising from frustration.
28 November 2007
Media Release:
A protest march has been organised for this coming Saturday against the police use of the so-called anti-terror laws. The theme of the march is –
Never Again! Repeal the Terror Laws!
The march will leave from Aotea Square at 12 noon, Saturday 1st December.
There is widespread community concern in the aftermath of para-military police raids last month which targeted the Tuhoe community of Ruatoki and political activists around New Zealand.
15 November 2007
Media Release:
Forget the courts – a media lynch mob will do the job
The police are delighted, Ron Mark has wet himself with excitement and the Prime Minister feigns concern.
The excited “shock-horror” publishing of suppressed evidence from the court cases against the 17 arrested in so-called “anti-terror” raids last month has reached a new low for democracy.
Media Release - 14 November 2007
The police have made a breakthrough in their campaign for trial by media of those arrested in the so-called “anti-terror” raids last month.
They first went to Campbell Live, then the Herald on Sunday and finally today they achieved a breakthrough with the Dompost and Press publishing the leaked material.