The post Stop drive to war with China appeared first on Fair Go For Pensioners.

A new coalition of Pacific Peace groups, which has been convened by the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) and World Beyond War New Zealand, is calling for cancellation of the “RIMPAC’ military exercises event to be attended by up to 26 countries in Hawaiian waters this August.

The exercise has already been reduced from three months down to just two weeks duration because of fears around COVID-19. But the Pacific Peace Network (PPN) says it should be cancelled altogether. Two countries, Israel and Chile have already pulled out.

Correspondence from the Department of Defence on the 21st May stated that “a final decision about the nature of the ADF’s participation in RIMPAC has yet to be taken as Defence adjusts a range of plans and commitments, to implement the Whole of Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic”.

IPAN has repeatedly called for a decision to be made by the Defence Minister and recommended that Australia not participate in RIMPAC.

“Indigenous people in Hawaii are struggling for some degree of self-determination in the face of nuclearisation, militarisation and economic exploitation of the Pacific. We believe the military exercise RIMPAC is an ugly expression of this multi-level colonisation –physical, cultural, spiritual, economic, nuclear, military – past and present”, says Pacific Peace Network co-convenor and IPAN Chairperson Annette Brownlie.

As part on the ongoing activity, a webinar was held last Saturday (202 June 2020) where speakers from spoke about the impact in their countries.

This included Kawena Kapahua is a Native Hawaiian activist, talking about Hawaiian and the indigenous battle for autonomy, the Cancel Rimpac Coalition, and push for demilitarisation.

Retired US Army colonel and a former US diplomat, Ann Wright, spoke about her opposition to the war on Iraq and her subsequent resignation, her work with peace groups around the world,

Maria Hernandez is a daughter of Guåhan and environmental and cultural rights advocate in the Marianas addressed the work against the desecration and militarisation of indigenous lands,

Virginia “Virgie” Suarez is currently a Co-Convenor of SCRAP VFA! Movement (broad campaign network of coalitions, organizations and individuals united in the pursuit of genuine sovereignty.) in the Philippines. She is also the Secretary General of the political organization KILUSAN (Movement for National Democracy).

Valerie Mors, a member of Peace Action Wellington, addressed the impact of the war on terrorism in everyday NZ life.

In Australia, Margaret Beavis, of the Medical Association for Prevention of War, spoke about loss of life and environmental devastation caused by warfare. Her interests include the creeping militarisation of Australia, nuclear issues, climate change.

The post Pacific Peace Network calls for cancellation of ‘RIMPAC’ War Games in the Pacific appeared first on Fair Go For Pensioners.

The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) has endorsed the appeal of the United Nations Secretary General, for all nations to cease war, while the corona virus is infecting the world.

In line with this, IPAN is asking Australians to contribute towards making this a reality for Australia.

A good contribution can be made by sending an email to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Marise Payne. More can be found out by going to IPAN’s website. The same can be sent to the news desks of the major media outlets.

Australia’s major contribution to war is the operation of a range of military installations on Australian soil, firmly entrenching the activities of the United States military here, and locking Australia into a dependent partnership.

Especially now that the United sates has become the epicentre of the Corona virus spread, personnel coming from that country insignificant numbers, pose a considerable risk to the Australian community. This should be stopped.

A statement from the Network gives the following reasons.

“The U.S. base at Pine Gap, near Alice Springs, provides battlefield intelligence to the U.S. military and targeting information to the U.S. drone warfare operators at Nevada, USA.

“Tindal air base, near Katherine, is used by U.S. fighter jets and is being upgraded to support U.S. bombers including those capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

“The Minister for Foreign Affairs has refused to confirm that Australia will cease war operations in response to the United Nations’ call, and refuses to confirm or deny that U.S. personnel, including military and CIA for deployment at Pine Gap, will be allowed into Australia at this time.”

IPAN asks that when sending a message to the minister, the following should be asked.

“Will the government support the United Nations call for a ceasefire on war operations to enable concentration on the fight against corona virus and will the government ban U.S.personnel from entering Australia for their deployment at Pine Gap or Tindal air base? It should do so to prevent importing corona virus with them.”

The post Call for Australia to join in stopping war during the Corona virus crisis appeared first on Fair Go For Pensioners.