THE ANTIDOTE #10

An evening of alternative political docos + the Annual Auckland Indymedia Xmas Party

Sunday 12 December 2004 at The Classic Comedy Bar (321 Queen Street, CBD) 7.00pm start time for films, $5

This month's Antidote #10 features a varied line up of documentaries on topics relating to human rights to celebrate Human Rights Day (December 10th). The programme includes documentaries on child slavery and the sexual exploitation of young Burmese girls in Thailand and the esettlement of refugees in Auckland. Also on the programme there are two short documentaries: the first takes a satirical look at the alleged 'casing video' shot by Ahmed Zauoi while the second pokes fun at the recent Auckland mayoral race.

The screening will be followed by the annual Indymedia Xmas party with snacks and music provided.

"The courts of this land have said Maori have a right to investigate their ownership of foreshore and seabed but the Government has ignored these rulings, this legislation is confiscation."

UPDATE:The Parliamentary office of the Maori Party has been flooded with calls from people, asking how they can express their views about the passing of the Foreshore and Seabed Bill. Contact the Governor General.
Labour MPs Tim Barnett and Mahara Okeroa had their office tagged sometime overnight in Christchurch.

The Foreshore and Seabed Bill became legislation on 18 November 2004, despite months of massive public protest, 4000 written submissions - with 95% voicing opposition, and public consultation all being ignored. Many Maori and Pakeha see the bill as a further continuation of the practice of the state sanctioned confiscation of Maori land. Metiria Turei of the Greens calls the legislation "unnecessary" and descended from the "racist legislation of our colonial forebears ... and to our shame, it is done in the name of all New Zealanders"

Approximately 100 people attended a demo at parliament as the bill went through its second reading. [ photos ] Demonstrations have been planned to occur simultaneously with the movement of the bill through the house. Ngati Kahangunu have events planned in Napier and Hastings, about 150 people from Te Arawa delivered their message to MPs Mita Ririnui and Stevie Chadwick, a rapid response demo was held in Christchurch, and other ongoing activities can be viewed Here.

Amongst the speeches at parliament, it was expressed that all other options have been utilised and closed with the end result being that Maori have again been the victim of state confiscation, and now it is the time for direct action. Already in Auckland Helen Clark's electoral office had its front window smashed as an axe was thrown through the glass. Leaflets were left with responsibility being claimed as a Pakeha action against the Labour governments legislative steam-roller.

[ Foreshore and seabed information | Scoop coverage | PMA: what now?]

The Arctic and Antarctic are experiencing severe climate change. The Arctic ice cap is melting at an unprecedented rate due to human induced global warming, according to a new study conducted by 300 scientists and elders from native communities in the arctic, released 8 November. Over the last 30 years the ice cap has shrunk 15-20 per cent. In 2003 the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf, the largest in the Arctic, broke into two pieces. With the build up of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, the trend is set to accelerate with forecasts that by the summer of 2070 there maybe no ice at all.

In Antarctica, while the interior of the continent is cooling, disappearing sea ice and warmer temperatures around the Antarctic peninsula are causing an 80 percent drop in the numbers of Antarctic Krill. This is causing the food chain to crash affecting fish, penguins, sea birds, whales and other animals, as well as commercial Fisheries. The breakup of the Larsen B ice shelf in 2002 has also released several glaciers, increasing their speed up to eight fold, and dumping their loads into the Weddell Sea contributing to rising sea level.

[ Melbourne IMC: Climate Change Features | Perth IMC: Warming in Antarctica | WWF: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment | Climate Solutions ]

A group of Wellington GE Free activists celebrated the one-year birthday of the People's Moratorium on Friday; descending on ERMA to remind them that resistance to GE remains strong. ERMA are the Environmental Resource Management Authority who rubber-stamp the GE trial process. A 'birthday cake' of compost and birthday card was delivered with a noisy birthday party with drums, party poppers and kazoos.

Meanwhile in Auckland activists visited Crop and Foods, who are conducting G.E onion trials, and dumped 60kg of onions at their door.

'Field Trials of genetically engineered onions, pine trees and cows continue, but there have been no new applications for release since the launch of the People's Moratorium, a year ago today. This is because biotech corporations know that New Zealanders don't want GE and won't tolerate it, said Wellington Anti-GE Action spokesperson, Felicity Perry.

On Saturday October 23 approximately between 2-4000 people took part in a protest that went from Te Papa to parliament. The march was collectively organised by Multi-Cultural Aotearoa (MCA), a group formed in Wellington to organise and display community opposition to the National Front's (NF) proposed anti-Asian protest on parliament. Stopping the NF was one of the three principles agreed upon at the inaugural MCA public meeting, the other two principles were to oppose humiliating immigration policies and to put a stop to Maori-bashing.

The NF backed down from the publicly unpopular anti-Asian march and decided to go to the beehive to say how much they liked the NZ flag instead. There they were confronted by the scary fairies. An intimidating rable in fluro and fairy wings. The MCA march left Te Papa and gather in momentum as it proceded to parliament accompanied by music, dancing and chants calling for the end of a racist state and the releasing of Ahmed Zaoui. News reports stated that metal barriers had been erected in parliament ground to seperate the two groups, but the NF had scarpered by the time the large MCA demo arrived.

[ Fairies fighting fascists | Nazis lose badly in Wellington | NF run out of town | MCA say 3000+ marched & Tze Ming Mok's speech | Scoop coverage ]

On Saturday, 16 October, the biggest rally ever in Papeete gathered to support Oscar Temaru and demand the dissolution of parliament and fresh elections. According to a tahitipresse report "An estimated crowd of more than 20,000 people peacefully marched into downtown Papeete on Saturday, calling for the dissolution of the French Polynesia Assembly so that new elections could be held."

In early October the pro-independence Temaru Government of French Polynesia was defeated in a no-confidence motion in the local assembly, after serving just four months in office. The Temaru government says the French authorities have refused to dissolve the assembly and call new parliamentary elections. Twice in the past week, France has ruled out calling an election. Former French government minister and member of the Socialist Party, Christian Paul, has said there have been acts of "methodical destabilisation" on the part of the French government.

[Discuss | European Centre on Pacific Issues | La Polynésie, c'est loin ?(fr)]