Maritime Union members started a protest at 7am today on board the vessel Rotoiti at the Ports of Auckland. The crew are drawing attention to the fact that when the Rotoiti is withdrawn from service on 26 November, it will be the end of the last New Zealand crewed ship working on the trans-Tasman trade. The 34 crew stopped work this morning and are preventing the ship from being unloaded. The vessel is currently owned by international shipping line Hapag Lloyd. [ Media Release ]

A 24-hour strike and community protest in support of workers at Independent Liquor took place on Wednesday. The workers took action in support of their pay claims and in opposition to the vicious bullying, intimidation and harassment of union members at this site. Independent Liquor workers are fighting for parity with other brewery workers. These workers typically earn $300 per week less than Lion and DB workers. This has been a long and very difficult battle carried out by the workers. The company has stonewalled negotiations and victimised Unite union members. Independent Liquor is now being sold, with the workers left high and dry, and with poor redundancy arrangements. [ 1 | 2 ] After two days on strike this week these workers are taking further strike action on Tuesday. [ Details ]

Links: Maritime Union | Unite | Anarcho-syndicalism | prole.info | libcom.org

November 1 2006 marks two years in Mt Eden Remand Prison for Iranian asylum seeker Thomas Yadegary. Thomas is an Iranian chef who is being held because he refuses to sign papers which would result in him being forced to return to Iran where his life would be at risk. On Saturday October 28, around 60 people, including Thomas' support group, local Christian groups including Pax Christi, Global Peace Aand Justice Auckland, the Worker's Party and the Green Party picketed Mt. Eden prison calling it, "Labour's own Guantanamo Bay, here in the heart of Mt.Eden". Thomas is due to appear in court on Friday November 3rd and GPJA will join his supporters in court for his appearance. GPJA has been campaigning for Yadegary's release and has picketed the immigration offices in 2005(See photo-left).

For the past 23 months Thomas Yadegary, an Iranian, has been imprisoned without charge or trial in Auckland’s Mt Eden prison. Last week Associate Immigration Minister Clayton Cosgrove once again washed his hands of Thomas’s situation so his detention is due to continue indefinitely. Thomas came to New Zealand in 1993 and applied for refugee status. For 12 years he worked hard and was a model citizen. Despite the strong support of a wide circle of friends and his Christian community, which includes support from his Catholic bishop, his application was turned down and on 1 November 2004 he was taken into custody at Mt Eden to await deportation. He has been there since. [ Read More ]

Links: Scoop Report: Amnesty Does U-Turn On Yadegary Case | Scoop Backgrounder | Comment on No Right Turn

Over the last forty-eight hours there has been severe state repression in the southern Mexican city Oaxaca where teachers have been on strike for the last five months. "Groups of gunmen", including paramilitaries and police, attacked members of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) evicting them from occupied streets and attacking barricades.

The repression has cost the lives of four people. The dead are Emilio Alonso Fabián, a teacher from the Los Loxicha region; Bradley Will, a New York City Indymedia journalist (Left: a photo of Brad interviewing an Oaxacan resident at a barricade); Esteban López Zurita, an Oaxacan resident; and Eudocia Olivera Díaz.

"Following a declaration by the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) to launch an all-out work stoppage and boycott to force the hand of governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (known as “URO”), Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) supporters, both police and private individuals, assaulted the population in several different areas of the city on Friday." Read More

There is a long history of Mexico using government sponsored paramilitaries to repress social movements, including a massacre of hundreds of students in Mexico City in 1968. As reports of protesters surrounded by armed government forces and police continue to pour in, activists in cities around the world are planning protests at Mexican embassies in outcry against the violent aggression against the people of Oaxaca.

Update: Around a dozen people went to the Mexican embassy in Wellington on Monday to express their disgust at the murder of four people in Oaxaca over the weekend and the continuing repression targeted at the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO). [Report + Photos] A small but vocal crowd held a demonstration in solidarity with APPO on Friday in Auckland. [Report + Photos]

Links: Last Communique from NYC Indymedia Journalist Brad Will | Indymedia Oaxaca | el enemigo común | Narco News | Radio APPO | Audio from Oaxaca | Photos | Timeline of Events | The Oaxaca Uprising - Mexico (AIMC) | Aotearoa IMC Statement on the situation in Oaxaca, Mexico

Narco News Reports (english/español) A Day Of Killings While Teachers Negotiate in Mexico City | Oaxaca’s Popular Assembly Throws Down a Challenge to the Governor | The Toll of Friday the 27th | Brad Will, New York Documentary Filmmaker and Indymedia Reporter, Assassinated | Federal Police Authorized to Enter Oaxaca

Update: Report and photos from demonstration.

Take Back the Night (also known as Reclaim the Night) is an international event opposed to Sexual and Domestic violence against womyn, originated by the radical feminist movement.

Women are often told to be extra careful and take precautions when going out at night. In some parts of the world, even today, women are not allowed out at night. So when women fight for freedom, we must start at the beginning by demanding freedom of movement, which we have not had and do not now have. We must recognize that freedom of movement is a precondition for anything else. It comes before freedom of speech, because without it freedom of speech cannot in fact exist.

Auckland Anarcha Feminist Syndicate (AAFS) have organized a TAKE BACK THE NIGHT on October 28, at 7pm, in Aotea Square. We are hosting the event around Halloween, to emphasize the persecution of womyn throughout time. A witch theme is being incorporated into the event as a symbolic gesture of standing against the oppressive persecution of Womyn healers and Natural Midwifery.

There will be a rally, march and gender workshops for both Womyn and Men.

AAFS has organized this social gathering for the womyn, to build strength and solidarity, along with discussions of future projects. A symbolic music and dance circle will be hosted in Myers Park, so please bring along any musical instruments. Auckland Pro-Feminist Mens group will be hosting a discussion based workshop raising awareness to gender political issues.They have compiled a zine which they will be distributing at the workshop.

Free food is going to be distributed at the Rally. We hope to see you there!

Links: anarcha.org | Auckland Anarcho-Feminists on Myspace | 2005 Take Back the Night | Men Can Stop Rape

Hikoi to mark Independence Day 2006 - making the links between the Declaration of Independence, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Stand up against the 'axis of denial' (NZ, US, Canadian and Australian Governments) who are fighting indigenous peoples' at the United Nations.

Wellington Events: Wednesday, 25th Oct., 12.30pm - Australian High Commission, 72 Hobson Street (off Pipitea Street), Thorndon; 12.45pm - US Embassy, corner Fitzherbert and Mulgrave Streets, Thorndon; 1pm - Rally at parliament.

We are making the links between:

• The anniversary of the 1835 Declaration of Independence on 28 October
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi: Removal from legislation and the NZ schools curriculum
• Opposition to the UN Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples

Tuesday, 24th Oct., 6-8 pm, mezzanine floor, Wellington Library. Panel discussion with Moana Jackson, Edwina Hughes, Hone Harawira and Aroha Mead.

Links: Aocafe | Tino Rangatiratanga | US, Australia, New Zealand Reject Indigenous Declaration

Over 100 anti-fascist protesters chased approximately 20 members of the fascist National Front out of Wellington today when they attempted to hold a rally at the Cenotaph.

The day started when Steve Larsen and George Walters, two members of another fascist group, New Right, were spotted across the road taking photos as antifa were gathering. A group of approximately 12 antifa went over to let them know that their presence was not welcome, and they were soon forced to run away.

The National Front, attempting to hold their third annual rally, had hoped to hold it at the Cenotaph next to Parliament, but anti-fascist activists had already occupied the area, blocking entrances with banners and setting up barricades with large plastic road barriers which were found nearby.
[ 1 | 2 | Fight Dem Back! | Holiday camp hosts fascists - Let them know how you feel! | 2004 mobilisations: 2-4000 converge in Wellington to oppose racism and 2000 strong anti-racism march in Christchurch ]

Between two and three hundred demonstrators caused major disruption for four hours to the annual forum of the New Zealand Defence Industry Association (NZDIA) held at Te Papa today.

The demonstration once it reached the Te Papa forecourt then occupied the only gap between the police fence and the building. Scuffles broke out between the demonstrators and the police as Te Papa was gradually surrounded by more and more blockades; eventually eight blockades were put in place and Te Papa was shut to the public for the rest of the day. Music was provided at the blockade on the main entrance by the Brass Razoo Solidarity Band, Jesse Moss, Ryan Prebble and the awesome Imon Star. Food Not Bombs kept those in the blockade and surrounding them fed and watered. [ YouTube Video | Reports 1 | 2 | 3 | Timeline 17 Oct 2006 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Weapons Conference Protest Movies | TV3 Video | Cambell Live Feature on Rakon | Private thugs at Te Papa ]

Day 2 started with an early morning protest at Te Papa followed by protests against Rakon shareholders. Activists were chased around town by a hord of cops who wanted to arrest people. At 6pm 40 protestors were back at Te Papa. Two protesters were arrested. Rakon, Right Hemisphere and Apex Global Healthcare all received Destructive Industry Connected to Killing (DICK) Awards. [ Report and Pics | 2006 D.I.C.K NZ Award recipients ]

In October 2004, the Lancet medical journal published research by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore which estimated that around 100,000 Iraqis had died as a result of the war.
A new study out this month documents that between 420,000 and 790,000 Iraqis have died as a result of war and political violence since the beginning of the US-UK invasion in March, 2003, with 655,000 considered the most likely figure. Read More

Between Tuesday, 17 October, and Wednesday, 18 October, Peace Action Wellington has called for everyone who is opposed to the war and the New Zealand companies making a killing from it (and all other wars) to demonstrate to stop the weapons conference, held annually at Te Papa.

Tuesday, 17 October

8:30am - Te Papa forecourt – meet and greet delegates as they go into the conference.

10:00am - Clowning dress up at 128 Abel Smith Street for demo

12 noon – Pigeon Park (corner of Manners and Taranaki Streets) – March! Rally! Blockade! - March leaves at noon going to Te Papa to catch the delegates lunch break.
Wednesday, 18 October

8:00am – Museum Hotel entrance – delegate wake up call

10am (approximately) – Rakon shareholder demos (location to be advised) – email stoprakon(at)gmail.com for more info.

6:15pm – Duxton Hotel – Crash their party! Defence Industry Awards dinner and drinks. Meet at the grassy knoll across the street from the entrance to the hotel. Bring noisemakers!

[ New Zealand Trade and Enterprise: Blood on Your Hands | Home Demo for Chairman of NZDI | RakonKills.com ]