Watch and Control...

...Bradley Manning, SOPA and the Food Bill

Bradley Manning, the key leaker of Wikileaks and a US soldier, is still in prison for supplying Top-Secret US files “to the enemy”. The treatment he has received has been termed torturous by the UN's rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez- who was at first denied permission to visit him. Manning's crime, namely providing his citizens and the world with information of the US' actions abroad, demonstrates the on-going degradation of freedoms and human rights in the West.

A top US official was recently forced to resign after siding with Manning. The soldier is being made an example of; but the right to protest, internet freedoms and food rights are also getting a prison sentence.  The US Occupy movement supports Bradley Manning's release, but an updated version of the National Defence Authorization Act passed by a majority in December could see any potential “terrorist” being detained as well.

The meaning of the word “terrorist” is subject to interpretation, but if Manning can be thrown into solitary confinement for months on end for 'aiding the enemy', there is no reason why protesters who want to change the status quo, even if by nonviolent means, cannot be seen as enemies too. The bill grants power to the military to arrest U.S. citizens on American soil and detain them in military prisons forever without offering them the right to legal counsel or even a trial.

Recently we have also witnessed the US Senate attempting to pass through legislation that could severely affect our internet-based lifestyles. Even sites like Wikipedia, YouTube, BoingBoing and Facebook could have been affected by the legislation as they rely on referenced sources in a public domain- without these sources receiving a profit.

The two bills, SOPA and PIPA were made to curb online piracy, with offenders legally being shut-off the internet, fined and/or imprisoned. Many sites across the net blacked-out their activity for a day in protest causing the senators and US officials to be flooded with public submissions against the bills.

The protesting sites say the bills would stifle creativity, innovation and internet freedoms: Wikipedia asked its users to imagine a world without knowledge. A spokeswoman for the intellectual property group Electronic Frontier Foundation said the bills would force providers to block access to infringing sites and calls the moves censorship. Soon after the internet black-out, senators began retracting their support from the bills.

Sadly SOPA and PIPA have spawned in new forms, such as the Open Act, and are facing the Senate again, backed by the Music and Film Industries. In New Zealand the recent Food Bill, being looked at by Parliament, could threaten local producers and community gardens. The bill is likely to push the costs up for local producers, despite the fact that big meat industry is the primary cause of food-borne illnesses.

The two bills, SOPA and PIPA were made to curb online piracy, with offenders legally being shut-off the internet, fined and/or imprisoned. Many sites across the net blacked-out their activity for a day in protest causing the senators and US officials to be flooded with public submissions against the bills.

The protesting sites say the bills would stifle creativity, innovation and internet freedoms: Wikipedia asked its users to imagine a world without knowledge. A spokeswoman for the intellectual property group Electronic Frontier Foundation said the bills would force providers to block access to infringing sites and calls the moves censorship. Soon after the internet black-out, senators began retracting their support from the bills.

Sadly SOPA and PIPA have spawned in new forms, such as the Open Act, and are facing the Senate again, backed by the Music and Film Industries. In New Zealand the recent Food Bill, being looked at by Parliament, could threaten local producers and community gardens. The bill is likely to push the costs up for local producers, despite the fact that big meat industry is the primary cause of food-borne illnesses.

The new piece of legislation will not just be an update of the old, it will give unprecedented rights to Food Safety Officers who will be able to confiscate food and personal information as “proof” if a company, or a producer, are thought to infringe the law. What's worse, these police-like FSOs could be contracted by private companies.

The Food Bill is dangerous because of what it allows, but it is also dangerous because the Minister in charge will have the right to give exemptions and even rewrite the bill without having to tell. Our society is becoming increasingly watched and controlled. The Food Bill is just the local version of trade regulations pushed by the International Monetary Fund. If it passes, we could lose the rights to grow our own food, share it and sell it.

The Food Bill is dangerous because of what it allows, but it is also dangerous because the Minister in charge will have the right to give exemptions and even rewrite the bill without having to tell. Our society is becoming increasingly watched and controlled. The Food Bill is just the local version of trade regulations pushed by the International Monetary Fund. If it passes, we could lose the rights to grow our own food, share it and sell it.

We will also be handing over our keys to contracted police officers. Meanwhile our right to protest is also in peril and our freedom to express it online will be scrutinised.

Oil Dependency

As the number of oil deposits wane, our dependence on the tarry substance becomes more apparent. Time and time again small pressure groups have sought alternatives. It is now time to really start looking into them, and quickly.

The Pacific island-nation of Kiribati has started to buy land off Fiji to slowly migrate all residents from the coral reefs to safer shores. Authorities in the nation and scholars of Fiji's University of the South Pacific, where many young i-Kiribati study, are scared the move to Fiji could lead to a loss of culture.

Luckily the well-planned transfer of population isn't expected to result in conflict. Many other nations affected by climate change may not have the same fate. The change to alternative resources, and a conscious realisation of the effects of climate change may just as well start here, before our coasts are severely plundered for oil.

By 2050 it is predicted the population will reach 9 billion people. As well as that, it is calculated there will be circa 200 million climate refugees. The rise in global temperatures will hit poor nations more severely. The Center for American Progress (CAP) states 1 billion people in Asia could be affected by shrinking freshwater resources, while in Africa agricultural yields could fall by as much as 50%.

Migrants will be hitting our shores much more often, and CAP states it will be more permanent: “Refugees from natural disasters usually can return home over time but future climate migrants could be permanently forced to leave”.

Climate change has drastic consequences. Albeit, in New Zealand we will soon see oil wells off our shores. The early warning signs have been ignored by the big businesses that profit from oil extraction. Moreover, their tactics have become much more brutal; fracking shoots liquids into the ground to expel or break open new oil deposits, this method has been linked to contaminated aquifers and earthquakes in non-earthquake prone Ohio, or Lancaster. Imagine what the effects would be here!

The RENA disaster should have been a forewarning: New Zealand is uncapable of capping an environmental catastrophe even of a small scale. Alternatives to oil have to be found immediately.

Plans for a windfarm in Otago were recently filed after the nouveau-riche of the area decided it would be aesthetically unpleasing. This sort of mentality should be frowned upon, we are currently facing the baby footsteps of a problem that will affect the whole world. We will soon witness mass starvation, genocides and war due to the crises.

Let's face it, soon our sweet New Zealand renowned for its beauty will lose its characteristic green.

The National government is both blind and masochist. They tried to open up protected national parks to mining last term but public pressure from protests and petitioning stopped the government at its tracks. With the new plans to fuck our shores, local councils have no power. We will need another concerted effort to bring the environment back to local hands, for local interests. In Otago the demonstrations to keep Neurosurgery in Dunedin scared the government proposal away. We need a similar campaign if we want to protect our shores.

The issue is not just a leftie side-project, it is a moral issue. If you care about the future of the planet, would like to see less wars and want more of a say on issues that affect you personally: we will have to bring the issue back to the streets and to the community, where we can choose what our back garden will look like while others will also have the choice.

In The News...

Child Poverty in NZ is Extremely Common!

An article in today’s NZ Medical Journal (30/03/12) finds that New Zealand’s investment in children is low by OECD standards. 

 The report highlights poverty as a major driver of preventable illnesses amongst children. There are 230,000 children in New Zealand currently living in poverty. An extremely high number when you think that New Zealand’s whole population is little over 4 million.

 Prof Innes Asher from the Children’s Poverty Action Group (CPAG) said, “New Zealand needs to take immediate action to address child poverty.  While reports are written and committees deliberate, children are growing up in extremely deprived conditions.  A year is not a long time for a government committee, but in the development of a child it is crucial.  We know that childhood illnesses can have life-long consequences, including cardiovascular disease and mental illness in adult life.”

 The Southern young Nats solution to this problem is to give out a few jars of marmite to the poor… hardly a solution!

 OGNA’s solution is simple: work from the bottom up rather than the top down. Job creation, free education and a higher minimum wage would pull families out of poverty and New Zealand’s children along with them. 

National to Sell our Gambling Laws to SkyCity Casino

Harmful gambling can cause stress-related physical and psychological ill health and over 75000 New Zealanders suffer from inferior Mental Health as a result of problem gambling. Other adverse effects include family breakdown, domestic violence, criminal activity such as fraud, disruption to or loss of employment and social isolation. Harmful gambling also profoundly impacts on the physical, emotional, and financial health of family, friends, workmates and others in the wider community.

This is well known by the government. Over the past years pokie machine restriction laws have been put in place to prevent problem gambling and money has been put into rehab programs for problem gamblers.

Despite this the National government has decided to sell the gambling laws that aim to prevent people developing gambling addictions in return for a $350million convention centre in   central Auckland! …Mind you we shouldn’t be overly surprised. It wasn't that long ago, after all, that Key’s Government agreed to change our employment laws to suit American film giants Warner Bros, the makers of The Hobbit.

This goes to show just how undemocratic our “democracy” is as large corporations just have to ability to change law by throwing money at the government. Ordinary people have no say in this, which completely shows where the governments priority is –to make more money. It doesn’t matter whether the changes are going to negatively affect people or not, they are concerned with profit and nothing more – showing the inherent downfall of the capitalist system.

 We need a new system – where the focus is on improving people’s lives, not on profit. To do this we must strengthen our communities, not weaken them by increasing the number of people with gambling addictions. Mr Key is free to sell and cut whatever he likes if we let him. Over the last few years we have been, as our education system, welfare system, and state assets slowly disappear. It is us who have let this happen and it will not stop until we organise, take to the streets and show our voice.

Homophobia in Chile

On March 3, Daniel Zamudio was sleeping in a the San Borja park in Santiago when a group of four young Neo-Nazis beat him, kicked him, burned him with cigarettes, and carved swastikas into his body before leaving him for dead. The reason?- because he was homosexual. These heinous crimes have left a bitter taste in the mouth of the Chilean public and have lead to an outcry to change the laws and penalize this type of violence in the country which has very weak  anti-discrimination laws.

Although Nazism seems like it would not appeal to youths with at least some indigenous ancestry, according to research by journalist Lygia Navarro, most Chilean youth became involved in neo-Nazism because of economic disenfranchisement, and they direct their hatred toward those whom they believe to be a threat to society (and, in effect, the raza chilena or Chilean race), such as homosexuals, Peruvian immigrants, alcoholics, drug addicts, thieves, and punk rockers. 

A large reason this happens is because the left is weak. It must grow and present an active challenge to Nazi ideas- redirecting youths anger and frustration at the system that leaves them jobless with few prospects - not towards each other. Gay, lebian, bisexual and transgendered people must be free from violence, harassment and legal constraints, and be   extended the same rights as others, including the right to marry and divorce in order to prevent prejudice and attacks such as the attack on Daniel Zamudio.

Capitalism, in Chile and the rest of the world, divides the working class, based on sexual, gender, racial, national and other distinctions. In order to create a world of equality we must overcome these divisions and fight for the rights of all oppressed people which includes fighting to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Through collective grass roots action this can be achieved.

Tibet's Brutal Occupation and How We Can Change It

Tibet is a large plateaux region in Asia, situated north of the Himalayas. With an elevation of 14,000 ft it is literally the highest nation in the world! Until 1950 it was a sovereign state inhabited by six million people. By the end of 1950 it had fallen victim to a Chinese occupation which has resulted in the death of over one million Tibetans; the destruction of over 6,000 monasteries, nunneries and temples; countless cases of blatant human rights abuse; severe and irreversible environmental damage; and genocide. In short the Chinese government has enforced a non-democratic and authoritarian rule over Tibet which has lead to the mass exploitation of the Tibetan people. They have no say in any of this and lack all basic freedoms. All this has    happened with limited criticism from the majority of the international community, who have ignored Tibet’s cries for assistance,  despite the obvious injustices that have been prevailing for almost 60 years. Most governments – including New Zealand’s – do not recognize Tibet as an occupied state.

 

A Very Brief History

Over past centuries, some countries, including Britain and Mongolia have sought to exert control over Tibet, with periodic and partial success. International legal scholars agree that from 1911 until the Chinese   invasion in 1950, Tibet was a fully independent state by modern standards. Since then the people of Tibet have struggled to regain their freedom and keep their culture intact.

In March 1959, Tibetans rose up against their  Chinese occupiers. The uprising was brutally crushed and the Tibetan leader, His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, escaped to India after the governments’ of other countries, including neighboring Nepal (and the USA), offered little or no assistance. The Tibetan leader was followed by more than 80,000 Tibetans. Tens of thousands of Tibetans who remained were killed or imprisoned.

Tibet has been continually oppressed over the  decades- always from the top down. During the 1960s and 1970s, repression took place under a state that was trying to exert total control over the economy. Today, private capital is a partner of the state, but the need for repressive methods remain. Tibet was never ruled under communism- the nation was first  oppressed under state capitalism, now it is market capitalism. During the era of state capitalism, workers and peasants were ruled by Chairman Mao’s         nationalist ideology, which forcefully bound China’s masses to its rulers. This is the reason for the       continuous Tibetan oppression still now.

The UN general assembly has passed multiple   resolutions condemning the Chinese government for violations of fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people and called on China to respect the Tibetan peoples’ rights – including their right to self-determination.  This has been to no avail.

The situation in Tibet is now getting worse rather than better. Close to 180,000 Tibetan people are now in exile. To prevent any more the Chinese government is now paying the Neplese police to arrest Tibetan exiles as they try to cross the border and send them back to the Chinese authorities. Cultural restrictions are more severe and many Tibetans cannot get employment due to their ethnicity.

On Tibetan New Year's, which happens on the 22nd February, we would normally see images of the Dalai Lama, government officials and reincarnated monks praying and reciting invocations. Tibetans would be giving out offerings for good luck. The next fifteen days are celebrated with singing and dancing to celebrate Tibetan culture. However this hasn't been the norm for over 6 decades. The restrictions on the celebrations this year were more restrictive than ever with a total ban on foreign tourists and millions of Chinese troops surrounding the city of Lhasa.

This year the Tibetan Parliament in exile and Tibetan communities across the globe observed a day-long hunger strike, in solidaity with the 30 monks that have self-immolated since 2011. Their sacrifice proves the severity of the situation in Tibet, and the fact that we haven't heard it – its censorship.

The Dalai Lama and many Tibetans have had to flee over the Himalayas to Dharamsala in northern India. Dharamsala, meaning “resting place for travellers” in Hindi is only a temporary refuge where Tibetans can live in relative freedom, waiting for the world to act.

Shide Monastery, one of the Tibets most venerable Buddhist monasteries, 

was destroyed during the Chinese invasion of Tibet in the 50s.  Evidence of the wreckage like this 

statue of the Jigshe in now being cleared by authorities

The Effect of the Occupation On...

1) The Tibetan People

The effect of the occupation on the Tibetan has been devastating. Fundamental human rights have been abused with the imprisonment, torture and exploitation of thousands of Tibetan people.

They have no freedom of speech - There is no free media and 4000 Tibetan political prisoners are currently being held by the Chinese government. Arbitrary arrests continue. Many Tibetans that are and have been imprisoned have been subject to torture.

They do not have the right to assembly, movement and expression.

Genocide has been committed in Tibet. In 1959, the International Commission of Jurists found that genocide has been committed in Tibet. With the help of new railways the Chinese government has got high numbers of other people from China to migrate to Tibet, offering them higher wages and other inducements. This policy is threatening the survival of Tibetan people. Tibetans are becoming a minority.

Discrimination and Racism. The Tibetans that remain in Tibet suffer from discrimination from the new settlers. These results in them not being able to get employment and support their families as well as they should be able to.

Force Abortions, often late in pregnancy, and sterilization of Tibetan women is common.

Their religion and culture is monitored, limited and controlled - Over 6,000 monasteries, nunneries and temples to date have been destroyed. New Chinese houses are being built to replace the Tibetan ones - Tibetans are forced out of their homes into non-Tibetan houses and are then required to take up loans to pay for it.

Exploitation of the Tibetan people through mining, deforestation and tourism. Mining, logging, and tourism companies destroy take huge profits – none of which get back to the Tibetan people, who, are in most cases unable to work for these companies in the first place.

Tibet has been heavily militarized. There is one Chinese armed troop for every ten Tibetans. One  quarter of China’s nuclear missiles are situated in Tibet. This is a huge intimidation tactic by the     Chinese government and devastating for a peace-loving people like the Tibetans.

 2) The Environment

Mining and Deforestation has lead to irreversible environmental damage. Almost half the tree that were in Tibet fifty years ago have been chopped down leading to soil erosion and the extinction/endangerment of many species. Mining leaves damaging by-products that are not cleaned up and are bad for the health of the people living near them. It also contributes to destroying the habitats that may species depend on to survive – species that are found nowhere else in the world.

Tibet is being used as a dumping ground for nuclear waste.

From Top to Bottom: An SFT protest in
San Fransisco; A poster from an SFT
campaign; Protests in New York; the
Tibetan Flag

The 'Free Tibet' Movement 

The Free Tibet Movement is set up for anyone who wants to  support the Tibetan people. It raises funds for various different charities, organises and leads local and international campaigns and fights for human rights. It has done lots of every important work over the last two years in building awareness of the Tibetan cause, especially in 2008 over the Beijing Olympics.

Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) is one of the largest and  argueable more successful groups with active chapters working around the world. They work in solidarity with the Tibetan people in their struggle for freedom and independence. Through  education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action, they campaign for Tibetans’ fundamental right to political freedom. Their role is to empower and train youth as leaders in the worldwide movement for social justice. In Their work for Tibetan independence they also aim to inspire and enable people, especially youth, to create a just and equitable world, free of    oppression, in which there is respect for the earth and all living things.

This is exactly what groups outside of Tibet need to do in order to successfully support the Tibetan people. Through their work,   especially through protests, they show solidarity with Tibetans; demonstrate the power that people have to change society;   increase visibility of the cause; build active relationships with   others who what to make a positive change; and energize participants to carry on organizing and fighting for the cause. This is the same as what OGNA tries to do in its work.

Problems Within the Movement

Unfortunately a small minority in the Free Tibet movement have run campaigns with anti-Chinese feelings. Many of these look at imperialist powers, such as the US, to intervene. As has been shown in Afghanistan, Iraq and countless cases in the past,  imperial powers only intervene when it is in their interests- and even then, living conditions and human rights abuses only get worse. In the case of Tibet, the US’s support for the Tibetan   people is superficial; offering nothing to them of any substance- it serves as a platform for the USA to stick its middle finger up to China.  The only good it can do is to raise awareness of the Tibetan situation. This generally encourages people to help in none productive, reformist rather than revolutionary ways.   Relying on the United Nations is an example, multiple reports on the plight of Tibet have been released, but in the last 60 years things have yet to change.

In the U.S., people need to continue to expose the hypocrisy of politicians who decry the abuse of human rights overseas as they pursue their own violent course to exploit the world’s people and resources, from New York to Baghdad. These worldwide purveyors of oppression are up to no good in their support for the Dalai Lama. The experience of other oppressed nationalities has shown that U.S. support represents a     hazard in the struggle for self-determination, not an advantage.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and how a Positive Change for Tibet can Come About

From Top to Bottom: A Free Tibet
protest in Delhi; His Holiness the Dalai
Lama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1989; A monk protesting in
Kathmandu Nepal

 The Dalai Lama has been the leader of the Free Tibet movement since the Chinese invasion. In recent years he has made many steps towards further democracy within the Tibetan Government in Exile. He is striving to achieve equality in Tibet and freedom for   everyone. He has gained mass world wide support and respect as he advocates for a peaceful solution that benefits both the Tibetans and the Chinese. This draws similarities to the approach of Mahatma Gandhi.

The movement in Tibet has always been non-violent. This strategy has huge popular support. It is unlikely to change as the whole  essence of Tibetan culture is based on Buddhism – a philosophy focused on ending the suffering of all living things. The Tibetan non-violent approach is principled rather than pragmatic.

With popular support and a mass movement behind them, backed especially by the working class of China, there is no need for violent resistance. This idea is especially ridiculous when you take into   account that the Chinese army is 3 million strong, with highly sophisticated weaponry well out of the grasp of poor Tibetans.

The Tibetan movement is not just about Tibetans. It is linked to the millions of poor, oppressed and exploited people who live under the rule of the Chinese government including those in East-Turkistan, Inner Mongolia and many of the Chinese themselves! The Chinese working class, some of the worst treated workers in the world, are capable of delivering real liberty as they can strike the biggest     possible blow to the government’s control. They can do this by   striking, and shutting down production and vital services, and through non-cooperation with the government, taking away its power. In recent times Chinese workers have started to fight back against the Chinese authorities, organising in unions, and partaking in effective strikes. This, if it continues, offers hope to the Tibetan people who can then assist through their own action in Tibet.

The control over the future course of resistance in China is up for grabs. The political views that develop in China among workers, peasants, and the oppressed will make the crucial difference. A   Chinese movement for genuine socialism and liberation is possible on the basis of antiracist unity against all oppressors—unity that   equires an adamant defense of the right to self-determination for   oppressed nationalities. The efforts of solidarity activists in the West would also benefit from adopting the same sort of politics.

The occupation of Tibet has lead to a state of control – an authoritarian, non-democratic system that exploits and harms the Tibetan people. They get no profits from the companies that destroy their land. They get no say and no freedom.

At least one million Tibetans have died as a direct result of the Chinese government’s policies since 1950 - through starvation, torture and execution. Thousands more have died in East Turkistan and Inner       Mongolia. Millions of people in China live in abrupt poverty. The Tibetan struggle has been non-violent for almost 60 years and their courage in the face of sustained persecution and world-wide apathy deserves the support of those with the freedom to do so but ultimately – for them to be liberated and truly freed from oppression – they need support from the lower class of Chinese society and solidarity with others around the world. They, ultimately, are the only people who can help Free Tibet. Not the               undemocratic, exploiting governments of the West.

 Help. Free Tibet. Join OGNA and Students for a Free Tibet and make a difference.

Current Struggles OGNA is Supporting

Asset Sales: What We Didn't Vote For

The Government’s dreams of raising $7 billion by selling off 49 percent of four energy companies and Air New Zealand have come one step closer to reality with a slim win in Parliament on March the 8^th this year.  National’s partial asset sales legislation, or the Mixed Ownership Model Bill, was passed with just 61 votes to 60.  As recently re-elected Prime Minister John Key sees it, “rightfully so; the issue was voted on in the November election, and National won.” 

Striking, then, is a recent 3 News poll that revealed 62 percent of voters oppose asset sales, with only 35 percent in favour.  Compared with the 60 percent opposed to the plan in early 2011 it would seem that despite a convincing win at the November elections, National failed to get voters on side regarding the biggest issue on which they campaigned.  Such clear-cut evidence makes Key’s offhand remark that a public referendum regarding asset sales is not needed, as “We've had that - it's called an election”, seem all the more infuriating. 

In the absence of democracy being upheld by our elected leader, lobby organisation Grey Power and the Council of Trade Unions are in the process of launching a petition to force a citizens-initiated referendum.   To force such an outcome they will need signatures from 10 percent of all registered voters, that being more than three hundred thousand signatures.  Even when gained, however, the results of such a referendum are not binding – that is, it can be completely ignored by Government. 

Nonetheless this effort is being backed by such parties as the Greens and Labour in light of the dire consequences if nothing at all is done.  Primarily, Green Party co-leader Russel Norman opposes asset sales as it will take assets owned by all New Zealanders and place them in the hands of the wealthiest.  Overall asset sales will create a future that New Zealanders simply cannot afford: one where foreign ownership means profits go overseas; where partial privatisation will inevitably lead to full privatisation and an ensuing lack of control on companies that affect our daily lives.  It is not hard to see how a loss of government control on the electricity market will lead to higher prices as shareholders demand increasing returns for their investments. 

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters recent address to Parliament summed up the situation beautifully, stating that asset sales “is a process arranged by the greedy for the greedy just like this is a Government of the greedy by the greedy and for the greedy."   This blinded move for asset sales has been made by a government completely out of touch, and seemingly with no care for the opinions of, the general public. 

What we need now is to coordinate the voices that oppose this move so strongly.  So keep up to date, talk with friends and family, and get your name on that petition. 

Ports of Aukland Dispute: We Have Been Here Before

In 1951 the management of Ports of Auckland locked out the wharfies, this led to a shut-down of the whole country and bitter ideological battles that have resurfaced again today. After more than 8 months worth of negotiations, the wharfies have been locked out once more. The Maritime union needs to keep on picketing if working conditions in New Zealand are to continue improving.      

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Despite the ruling of the Employment Court, whose decision implies the Port management is being unfair, the quasi 300 workers are still on the streets, unsure when they will get their next payment.   

Unions across New Zealand have applauded the determination of the stevedores fighting for their livelihoods. The families of the workers have been able to get by thanks to the donations from other unions.        

The management of the Ports of Auckland wants to sack the current set of workers to contract new ones, without union affiliation, who will work for worse work conditions. The Ports are already dangerous enough as it is, and the job gets more dangerous further into the night- the longer the work hours. If the Ports get their way, businesses across New Zealand will have an excuse to casualize their workforce. This will mean workers will be given less holidays, there will be less job security and they will have to work longer hours. It will also drive down wages, as each worker, without the backing of strong unions, will be under more of a threat from profit-driven capitalists.    

OGNA stands behind the Maritime Union in its current struggle, and will be backing MUNZ as it comes into negotiations with Port Otago in April. Unions, as democratically-run organisations, are an example of worker solidarity. Countries with strong unions are more equal, and the workers therein earn higher wages.  If we want New Zealand to leave behind the days of unemployment and low wages- stronger unions will be our best bet.

Kony 2012

Kony 2012 may be the first slacktivist campaign to go completely viral within hours. Created by the sub-par charity, Invisible Children, the Youtube video shows how a young kid is sat down and forced to believe that violence and the military can be good. Likewise the viewer is indoctrinated to believe the out-of-date information given to us by one of the charity runners, who has filled his pockets with the money of well-meaning individuals.

Joseph Kony is the founder of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The militant group operates in 4 countries since 1987. It is believed to have abducted and trained up to 100,000 child soldiers and has been filed by the International Criminal Court on numerous counts of human rights abuses.

The 30-minute spiel is an example to follow when it comes to marketing. That is all it is though. Some reports say that only 30% of money given to the charity ends up where it was destined. The Kony 2012 video successfully pushes an empathy button- but as many have already said, liking a status is not going to change the world. Moreover, liking a bottom that supports the US' world-domination campaign through military 'peace-enforcing' is the wrong path to take.

OGNA believes Invisible Children has succeeded in creating an awareness campaign. However, instead of buying products, nonviolent methods such as petitioning governments, demonstrating before embassies and boycotting countries and products are good alternatives. The Kony 2012 campaign has enraged many Ugandans who have already started to boycott the charity's products. If we want to change the world, we have to be more active in our fight against injustices.

Peace and Liberation - Volume II Editorial

 Oil: Could this be New Zealand's Future? 

Society’s priorities appear to be a little messed up of late. A few weeks ago when the Otago Rugby Union ran out of money and was set to collapse there was a huge outcry! People got outside and collected money; rallied together in Dunedin Central and showed a display of unity; Cambell Live even organized a televised giant sausage sizzle to raise money to get the bankrupt rugby union back on its feet! Yet when the worst famine Africa has seen in the past thirty years is announced on the news, nobody organized sausage sizzles or rallied together to try and do something for these poor starving people on the other side of the world.

I understand – It is partly because it is “normal” news. Africa has been having famines for as long as you can remember. You expect to turn the TV on and see people starving in Africa, suicide bombs going off in central Asia, and economic problems in Europe. You may have even become accustom to it and pay no attention, or you may feel helplessness and powerlessness, and wonder “what can I, sitting at home in little New Zealand, do about this?”. You may even pay someone like World Vision or Unicef $10 per week, say you have done your bit, and forget about it - but unfortunately, even though this payment will do some good, it does not change the oppressive system that we live in that leads to starvation, war and economic failures – nor, as I need not say, does sitting in-front of the TV at 6 o’clock each evening wondering “what the world has come to”.

This magazine, and the Organisation for Global Nonviolent Action (OGNA), help to highlight some of these terrible things that are happening in the world. But unlike the mainstream media we aim to show that through the use of collective nonviolent action you are not powerless. You can, as many have done in the past, change society for the better, and develop on what they have done to create a world of equality, free from oppression, exploitation and war. But to do so you have to organize, study and offer alternatives, and protest – from the grass-roots up, not from the top down – they have messed to world up enough as it is and don’t plan to do anything otherwise.

We, as a society, must demand change – change that will only come if we do something about it. OGNA is here to help with that.

If you want to help us (even if you’re not completely sure how you can), or have any questions please contact us at:

 ogna.nz@gmail.com

Thank you and we hope to hear from you,

Joe Llewellyn

The aim of the magazine is to be a publication that highlights non-violent action, looks at it in historical global context and reports on current struggles from a socialist perspective, always aiming for the improvement of society through a future social revolution. We also look into and debate about how a future society may look. We are open to articles from individuals or organisations as long as they agree with our policies as stated in ‘What we are all about’ on p1.