An anarchist news blotter following events in Oceania & South East Asia
Banner drop on the July 25 International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners for #antifa prisoner Jock Palfreeman from Sydney NSW, who is currently incarcerated in Bulgaria for defending a young Roma from being killed by a gang of racist football hooligans.
You can read more about Jock Palfreeman here:
https://bivol.bg/…/charlie-hebdo-midnight-express-in-sofia.…
27 July – A solidarity action took place outside the Turkish consulate in Melbourne on Monday in response to Turkish state complicity in the Suruç Massacre and in response to the international call out made by Anarşi İnisiyatifi (Anarchy Initiative) who lost four of their comrades in the attack.
A group of about 20 mostly anarchist activists gathered outside the consulate at around 5PM with banners and signs condemning the massacre and the involvement of the Turkish state, there were also signs expressing support for the ongoing Rojava Revolution. Of the two large banners that were unfurled outside the consulate, one read: ‘Solidarity With Suruç From Melbourne! Stop Turkish State Sponsored Terror!’ while the other banner read: ‘In Memory Of Evrim Deniz Erol, Alper Sapan and Medali Barutçu – Solidarity Is Our Weapon!’
There were two speeches made with the speakers expressing solidarity with the people of Suruç, the Kurdish struggle in Rojava and elsewhere in Kurdistan, condemning the Turkish state for their involvement in the Suruç massacre and for their recent airstrikes against the PKK as well as the shelling of YPG/J positions inside Rojava. Mention was also made of the brutal crackdown against the Kurdish movement and the Turkish left inside Turkish state controlled territories – a crackdown that has resulted in mass detentions and the extra-judicial killings of at least 3 young activists.
As expected there was the usual over the top presence of both state and Federal police officers who were stationed in front of the consulate doors and across the road from where the demonstration took place. A staffer from the consulate was also observed taking photographs of the action.
Solidarity With The People of Suruç!
Long Live The Memories of Evrim Deniz Erol, Alper Sapan, Medali Barutçu And All The Young Revolutionaries Who Died In The Suruç Massacre!
Long Live The Rojava Revolution And The Kurdish Resistance!
Increase The Pressure Against Turkish State Terror!
28 July – With sadness and anger, people demonstrated at Turkish consulates in Sydney and Melbourne Australia yesterday 5pm to condemn the Turkish state’s complicity in the Suruc massacre and commemorate those fallen in the attack.
We stand with those fighting both the overt and covert state sponsored terrorism of the Turkish state, with Kurdish liberation fighters, and with all who are brave enough to resist in the face of such repression. Let it be known, as our banner read ‘We stand with Kobane’ and are inspired and strengthened here by the resistance over there, thank you.
In Sydney attempts by local police to intimidate us on social media, demanding forms be filled out to determine our protest ‘legitimate’ were ignored, supposedly justifying the heavy policing on the day. We do not recognise the authority of the white colonial state known as Australia.
Standing with the Aboriginal flag, we remind ourselves of the historical and ongoing state violence against First Nations people here. With its bloody and racist policies, we are disgusted by the hypocrisy of the so-called Australian state attempting to tell us what is ‘legitimate’ or not. Decolonise now- full sovereignty for Aboriginal communities! Kurdish liberation now!
‘We stand with Kobane’
‘Turkish state = terrorist state’
Rojava Solidarity Australia unequivocally condemn the cowardly and barbaric attack against the young people who were gathered in solidarity with Kobane that took place in Suruç on 20.07.15.
This callous, inhumane act that was committed against young activists who were preparing to cross the border into Kobane, Rojava in order to deliver gifts for war-affected children and to assist in the reconstruction of the war-ravaged city is nothing short of an atrocity carried out by enemies of humanity who falsely believe that they can crush the international Rojava solidarity movement via acts of terror and cowardice.
We would like to express our deepest sympathies and condolences to the many people who lost loved ones in this cowardly attack. Our thoughts are also with the many people who were injured and we wish them all swift recoveries.
Even though what took place was a horrific and terrible crime of the highest magnitude we take some degree of comfort in the knowledge that this despicable attack will not in any way alter the resolve of the international Rojava solidarity movement to continue actively supporting both the Rojava revolution and the reconstruction of Kobane.
Rojava Solidarity Australia
21.07.15.
21 Jul – Carrying a self-styled Aboriginal passport, Nganyaywana man Callum Clayton-Dixon has also recently entered and departed the Solomon Islands.Mr Clayton-Dixon, chair of the Aboriginal Provision Government (APG), told jourmalists that he arrived in Brisbane from Honiara on June 30.
“They warned me if I made any false declaration that could involve some penalty under the law but I didn’t make any false declaration,” he said.
“I just kept on insisting I’m an Aboriginal person returning to my country on my Aboriginal passport, and this is the travel document I’m choosing to use.”
“I just kept on insisting I’m an Aboriginal person returning to my country on my Aboriginal passport, and this is the travel document I’m choosing to use.”
In a statement to SBS, immigration said the Australian Government does not recognise the Aboriginal passport as a valid travel document.
“In certain circumstances where a traveller presents at the border and is seeking to enter Australia without a bona-fide travel document, authorities will take action as appropriate to determine the identity of the traveller,” it read.
“If such a person is subsequently confirmed to be an Australian citizen, their entry is permissible; although certain conditions will apply.”
The first country to officially accept the Aboriginal passport was Libya in 1988.
Tasmanian lawyer Michael Mansell led a group of Aboriginal activists on a visit to challenge Australian sovereignty in the bicentennial year.
“If you think that you belong to an Aboriginal nation, then you have to fight for it”.
“If you think that you belong to an Aboriginal nation, then you have to fight for it,” Mr Mansell told SBS at the time.
“There are ways of doing it without necessarily being violent, and stand up to the government and stand up to the white reaction in this country and you can get away with it.”
The APG relaunched the passport in 2012, issuing them to Aboriginal people, asylum seekers, former Guantanamo Bay detainee Mamdouh Habib and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Canadian authorities refused to accept the Aboriginal passport last year, but this is the second time this year that an APG activist has entered the Solomons on one.
When Mr Clayton-Dixon departed for the Solomons from Brisbane his Aboriginal passport was rejected by immigration officials and an Australian passport was produced.
On arrival in the Solomon Islands, he was issued with a six week visitor’s visa in his Aboriginal passport and then an exit stamp on departure.
Both times he was not challenged, despite the Aboriginal passport not being recognised in the country’s Migration Act.
Carrying a self-style Aboriginal passport, Nganyaywana man Callum Dixon-Clayton has also recently entered and departed the Solomon Islands. (SBS)
Trevor Long, former Qantas general manager of facilitation, told SBS that the activists were making a political statement.
“But the problem with making a political statement is the vast majority of countries won’t recognise the Aboriginal passport,” he said
“What will happen is if they present an Aboriginal passport in a first-world country and many third-world countries they will not get in and be turned away.”
On departure, Virgin Airlines in the Solomons refused to check-in Mr Clayton-Dixon with the Aboriginal passport and an Australian one was again presented.
Mr Long said it showed the security system for checking passengers heading to Australia works, even in the Solomons.
“What would have happened here is when Virgin started to check the passenger in, they would have collected the data from the passport, sent it in to the immigration service, who would have sent it back saying, ‘we don’t know this passenger and they’re not to board until you get clearance from us,” Mr Long said.
On the three-hour flight to Brisbane, Mr Clayton-Dixon handed his Australian passport to a travel companion.
Presenting the Aboriginal passport at immigration in Brisbane, he was led away and detained.
About an hour later, he was admitted to the country through a side door at the international terminal without officials seeing his Australian passport.
“I suspect the department would get a bit peeved with that and do something about it but, at the end of the day, if they can prove that they are Australians, then they’ll be admitted,” Mr Long said.
Aboriginal Provisional Government activists say they will continue to use their passport.
19 July – Anti-police graffiti action taken against the Australian embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal. The words ‘Australian police protect racists’ and ‘Antifa’ were spray-painted on the embassy wall in solidarity with antifascist activists in Melbourne who came under vicious attack by police for counter-protesting a rally organized by fascist organizations Reclaim Australia and United Patriots Front.
18 July – There have been chaotic scenes on Melbourne’s streets as anti-racism protesters and nationalists clash in demonstrations.
Anti-Islamic groups Reclaim Australia and the United Patriots Front (UPF) held rallies in several cities and towns on Saturday.
Subsequent anti-racism groups launched counter rallies in response to the protests, holding banners saying “No Room for Racism”.
There were violent scuffles in Melbourne, reminiscent of scenes when the two groups met during demonstrations earlier this year.
Bottles were thrown in the streets, protesters from both sides were punched and kicked as the rival groups clashed.
Some masked protesters attempted to barge through the police blockade but were met with force as officers resisted.
About 400 police members were on hand including officers mounted on horses who rammed through the crowds.
Officers used capsicum spray to subdue the crowds and protesters were seen on the ground having milk poured in their eyes.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said the use of capsicum spray was justified.
“The [police] were at significant threat of having their lines over run and it was a tool we had to use at the time,” he said.
Police said at least four people were arrested for violence-related offences including attacks on police horses.
Assistant Commissioner Leane said he was disappointed hardline protesters from both sides were involved in the violence.
Black Nations Rising (BNR), published by Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, is a grassroots Aboriginal magazine dedicated to the cause of decolonization and self-determination. Our publication, launched in January 2015, promotes symbols, stories and strategies of indigenous resistance and revival. We have published two editions of BNR so far, and will publish another two this year.
1st edition http://is.gd/dCdOMI
2nd edition http://is.gd/iqR4NE
Published independently, BNR receives no government or corporate funding. The magazine is operated by a small but strong group of Aboriginal volunteers:
· Coeditors: Pekeri Ruska (Goenpul) & Callum Clayton-Dixon (Nyaywana)
· Printing/Distribution: Merinda Meredith (Darumbal)
· Cartoonist: Jade Slockee (Gumbaynggirr)
With the help of several unions, universities and Aboriginal organizations, we managed to print and distribute over 3,000 copies of Black Nations Rising issue one. It was distributed at rallies, via the Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy (BASE) Food Program, and posted out to several hundred subscribers. As we believe Aboriginal media is an essential service for our people in pushing for social and political change, the magazine is free for Aboriginal people. We ask non-Aboriginal people to pay a $50 yearly subscription fee to help subsidize the postage costs.
BNR is an evolution of Brisbane Blacks magazine, an activist publication of BASE. Brisbane Blacks magazine was born out of discussions around the fire in Musgrave Park. Six editions of Brisbane Blacks magazine were printed and over 6000 copies distributed between August 2013 and November 2014.
Our goal is for Black Nations Rising magazine to turn into a monthly print publication with a circulation of 10,000 copies each issue. In order to do this, we need the financial capacity to enable consistent printing and distribution. To gather and produce the content necessary for a monthly magazine, we need the money to provide basic wages for a skeleton staff. We’re aiming to raise $50,000 to cover operation costs for 2016.
The Aboriginal print media landscape has deteriorated dramatically over the past few years. Tracker magazine was axed in 2014, and the National Indigenous Times (NIT) shut at the start of 2015. That’s two of the three major Aboriginal print publications gone, and both were active in promoting an Aboriginal rights agenda. BNR was established in an effort to fill the void left by Tracker and the NIT. But we also intended BNR to break new ground as a fully independent platform for the free expression of marginalized Aboriginal views and ideas, with a heavy focus on the views and opinions of young Aboriginal activists. Our publication was never meant to be separate to the Aboriginal movement. In fact, BNR was set up to be an organ of the movement.
A new era of Aboriginal activism dawns, and with it comes the need for strong independent Aboriginal media to echo its calls, to bolster the anticolonial agenda. Our movement and media must be one and the same. Black Nations Rising is a publication of the movement, by the people, for the future. We hope you can support us in building this publication into a powerful force for positive change.
Yours in the cause,
Black Nations Rising team
blacknationsrising@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/BlackNationsRising
To Contribute Money: http://www.gofundme.com/BlackNationsRising
Riot police try to avoid petrol bombs during heavy clashes with anti-austerity protesters in Athens.
16 July – Two Melbourne police officers, honeymooning in Athens have been tear gassed during a violent protest outside the parliament where rocks and molotov cocktails were thrown at police.
While inside the parliament, Greek MPs debated over the latest round of austerity reforms.
Rebecca Amore and her husband, both police officers, told 3AW radio they got caught up in the violence.
“It was very interesting to say the least, our hotel is literally a minute walk from Syntagma Square,” she said.
“We set out for a nice romantic evening on our last night of our honeymoon.
“We had a perfect spot on a balcony in a beautiful restaurant and then things started to take a turn from there.
“We were on the balcony and all of a sudden we saw the police and they started to put their helmets on.
“All of a sudden we heard bang, bang, bang and it literally shuddered through you, we thought there was fireworks.”
Ms Amore said everyone rushed inside as the tear gas came in.
“All of a sudden I got that tickle in my throat I’ve had a million times before,” she said.
“I looked at my husband, I got up off the table because my eyes started to well.
“Soon enough the whole restaurant ran inside, it was so potent.
“Lucky they had bi-fold doors, otherwise we would have been in serious trouble and people were just running in seeking refuge from everywhere.”
Meanwhile an Australian citizen was arrested during the clashes, allegedly for painting graffiti in Syntagma Metro station. They were arrested along with a number of other foreigners, including four Germans, two French citizens, one Ukrainian, one Dutch and three Poles. There were given charges relating to damage of a metro station.
A protester burns a Greek flag
