Voice No 1 – Oct 2016

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IPAN Voice No 1

In this Edition:

IPAN Conference Sat 1st October, 2016 Alice Springs

Major IPAN events at Alice Springs and Pine Gap

  • Friday night Forum with strong attendance by Alice Springs residents (close to 200)
  • All day Saturday conference (around 140) with delegates from all Australian Capitals including ACT and NT
  • Sunday 2nd Oct: IPAN car cavalcade and protest at Pine Gap gates

Prof Richard Tanter addresses conference Of Pine Gap, he told the meeting:

“This is part of “a great upsurge” in American access to and use of Australian bases”. Professor Richard Tanter works at the School of Political and Social Studies at the University of Melbourne and is also with the Nautilus Institute, an international policy think tank. Australia now shares its defence satellite communications station at Geraldton, in WA, with “two very large American operational military communications systems”, said Prof Tanter.

His ten reasons for closure of Pine Gap facility

  1. Facilitates US nuclear war first strike
  2. Improves targeting for US nuclear second strike
  3. Is a priority Russian and Chinese nuclear target
  4. Contributes to US drone attack targeting
  5. Destroys China’s ability to retaliate against a US missile attack causing China to modernise and expand its nuclear weaponary
  6. Deeply involved in battlefield activities in US global military operations
  7. Situational Space Awareness role – the essential requirement for US space war
  8. Key part of US global surveillance network
  9. Australian uses of Pine Gap capabilities hard wire ADF into US military systems
  10. Limits the automony of Australian foreign policy, so that the default = US position.

Indigenous owners of Pine Gap land kept in the dark

“In the 60s, when we had no rights here, they built that space base and we didn’t know anything about it.

Pat Ansell Dodds was speaking at the packed public meeting held at The Chifley in Alice Springs by the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN)

The Pine Gap Drone Assassination Program

Australia’s involvement with the drone program was revealed at the Conference by Alex Edney-Browne a PhD candidate at Melbourne University. She said that over the coming decade, Australia planned to spend over $3-4 billion on unarmed ISR’s (Intelligence surveilliance & reconnaissance drones) and $1-2 billion on armed drones. Already she said, “RAAF pilots are embedded with the US airforce operating out of the Nevada desert, flying drones over Syria”.

Senator Lee Rhiannon at final protest, “We must inform all Australians”

Senator Lee Rhiannon (at left, outside Pine Gap) told the crowd of about 80: “US people are welcome here. We want to work with people from around the world. But not where there are bases with such destructive agendas”. “The nuclear war agenda was run out of this place. Now that we know that the drones are being directed from here we must inform all Australians.”

(More on Alice Springs conference speakers in next edition)

Final actions –Sunday 2nd October at Pine Gap

At the gates of the Joint Defence Facility-Pine Gap, the following letter was presented to a senior police officer for relay to the Chief of Station, Ms Amy Chaput. Previously, a request by letter to the Chief of the Station (an American) and to the Deputy Chief of the Station, (an Australian), to meet at an IPAN delegation at the gate for presentation of the letter, had been ignored.

[box]

TO THE CHIEF OF STATION

JOINT DEFENCE FACILITY-PINE GAP

Ms Amy Chaput, [/box] [box]Following the well-attended and successful conference organised by the Independent and Peaceful Australian Network (IPAN) at Alice Springs this weekend, it was determined that:

  1. The Pine Gap facility is a threat to the peace and security of the people of Australia and Alice Springs, in particular
  2. The illegal drone assassination program perpetrated by the United States with the assistance of Pine Gap makes the Australian people complicit in this illegal activity

For these reasons, IPAN, on behalf of all concerned people of Australia, calls for the immediate cessation of this illegal drone program and the termination of the Pine Gap facilities as soon as possible. Australia will then be a safer place for all of us.

Yours in peace,
IPAN Co-ordinating Committee[/box]

Independent and Peaceful Australia Network

IPAN National Co-ordinating Committee Statement – October 2016

The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN), representing more than 30 peace, anti-war, community organisations and unions from around Australia, held its third National Conference in Alice Springs (1-2 October), marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of one of the world’s most important US military spy bases, Pine Gap near Alice Springs.

The well attended IPAN conference titled – Serving US militarism for 50 years – Time for Independence, called for the following:

  • an independent Australian foreign policy ,
  • no more involvement in US foreign wars,
  • opposition to US bases on Australian soil,
  • the sending home of the US marines currently stationed in Darwin. The recent upgrading and expansion of US military bases and stationing of thousands of US marines in Australia and in the Asia-Pacific are all indications of preparations for wars of aggression.

Today’s world is in economic, political and military instability. The threat of a new major world war is becoming very real. Fierce competition for the world’s resources and global dominance by the big powers is intensifying military tensions in many regions. There are preparations for a major world war on a scale never seen before. The increasing tensions in the South China Sea and in Eastern Europe are threatening to engulf the world, including Australia, in devastating wars.

A world wide people’s movement for peace, justice and security has the power to stop these wars, and is needed now more than ever before.

Against this background the new IPAN National Co-ordinating Committee issued the following statement :

  1. We reaffirm our belief that Australia urgently needs an independent and peaceful foreign policy. We seek a policy that would de-escalate the tensions that have been provoked by the military build-up in our region, especially as exemplified by the USA’s ‘pivot to the Asia-Pacific’.
  2. We call on the Australian government to re-assess Australia’s military alliance with the USA, sharing the concerns of the growing number of voices in Australia, that the alliance has a negative impact on Australian independence and security.
  3. We are concerned at the real possibility that territorial disputes in the South China Sea could develop into war between the USA and China. This concern is heightened by the realization that, in such an eventuality, Australia’s alliance with the USA would make it impossible for this country to retain its neutrality but would draw Australia into another offensive US war against countries and people who do not threaten Australia’s peace and security. (See attached IPAN Statement on South China Sea Territorial dispute.)
  4. We question our government’s increased defence budget for offensive, not defensive purposes, reflected in the White Paper 2016 that services mainly the US global military and war agenda, and re-directs people’s taxes away from community and social services, public infrastructure, public health and education. In particular, we condemn the excessive public funds spent on the acquisition of the ‘F35 Joint Strike Fighter’, hosting US marines in Darwin and upgrading Australia’s defence facilities and infrastructure for deeper integration of Australia into the US military war machine. Rather than contributing to peace, such escalating expenditure increases regional instability and the possibility of future war.
    We also condemn the projected expenditure of $A6 billion on drones by early 2020s, one third of this on killer drones that are not in any way defensive, but would draw Australia into unlawful civilian mass killings by the US.
  5. We believe the presence of US bases and US marines in Australia threatens our country’s security, and risks Australia being embroiled in more US wars.
    The removal of US bases and US marines from Australia, and implementing an independent foreign policy that respects the sovereignty of countries, is one of the ways that can guarantee our security and independence.
    This will be the Australian people’s contribution to making the world a more peaceful and secure place for people and the environment.

[box]Questions raised in Workshops at the Allice Springs Conference[/box] [box]

  1. What does the ANZUS Treaty/Alliance actually say about Australia’s commitments to the US?
    An answer: Here is the verbatim answer that Bob Carr gave recently in The Inquirer section of The Australian (Oct 8-9, 2016):
    “Article 4 of the Treaty obliges the partners, in the event of an attack on the Pacific territory of one or the other, only to “act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional processes”. Or as Article 3 says: “whenever the parties are threatened, “the parties will consult together”. Consult not mobilise, not send a gunboat, not raise an expeditionary force. “The ANZUS Treaty obliges us to consult” It’s a simple repeat after me. “The ANZUS Treaty obliges us to consult.””
  2. What would non-violent defence of Australia mean ?
    Would an affiliate or affiliate member like to contribute an answer to this question ? Send to ipan.australia@gmail.com; preferably no more than 200 words for publication in the next Voice.[/box]

Affiliates Events/campaigns

SATURDAY 29th OCTOBER 2016

IT’S ALL ABOUT WAR

MAPW NATIONAL CONFERENCE

ALL WELCOME

FREE one day conference. Topics addressedwil include:

  • the plight of refugees
  • the unacceptable targeting of medical staff in conflict zones
  • the campaign to ban nuclear weapons
  • the storage of high-level nuclear waste
  • the role aid can play in promoting diplomacy and peace

MAPW – Health Professionals Promoting Peace

Glebe Town Hall, 160 St Johns Road, Glebe, Sydney, 9.30am to 5.30pm
Contact: Phyllis: eo@mapw.org.au

[box]

VALE: Dr Desmond Ball

IPAN Coordinating Committee wishes to express sincere condolences and sympathy to the family of Dr Desmond Ball with his recent passing .His research and papers and speeches concerning US bases in Australia and Pine Gap in particular has been vital in alerting the people of Australia to the implications of these bases. He has been one of the few academic voices brave enough to make public this information and has been an inspiration to the peace movement. He will be sorely missed.[/box]

IPAN Press release

Media Release 13 October 2016

ALP Falls into the ‘All-the-Way with Obama’ Trap

The recent statement by ALP Defence Spokesperson Richard Marles on the South China Sea dispute inflames rather than helps resolve the dangerous situation, the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) holds.

“Richard Marles asserted that “Australia’s navy and airforce should be “fully authorised” to conduct freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea, including within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands built by China,” says Bevan Ramsden spokesperson for IPAN.

These comments follow the belligerent comments of former spokesperson Senator Conroy some months ago. “This is to ostensibly reduce a real and significant but resolvable dispute between neighbours, to the pretext of “freedom of navigation”, whilst in fact giving carte blanche to US efforts to provoke confrontation with China.”

“It hands control of a critical Australian foreign policy issue to the ADF, and since the whole ‘freedom of navigation’ argument is a US-owned and controlled policy, effectively to the US military and executive. Even former PM Keating and current Prime Mimister Turnbull have objected to the abandonment of political control.

“’All-the-Way with Obama’ is no more appropriate or dignified a position than ‘All-the-way with LBJ’ was in the 1960’s. That helped drag us into an intractable and bloody conflict in Vietnam: this policy could have even worse consequences.

“The interests of Australia and the Australian people demand a more independent and peace-oriented foreign policy. As China is this country’s largest trading partner, we could play a positive role in helping bring these territorial boundary disputes to a negotiated conclusion.

“Whatever the rights and wrongs of a complicated situation, China has gone past the days when it can be bullied into retreat by threats. History tells us that such border disputes inevitably end in either negotiated compromises or war.

“The ALP could influence the issue in either direction – at present, it is encouraging war,” says Mr Ramsden.

Contacts: Bevan Ramsden 0418 697 528
Nick Deane 0420 526 929

[box]$2 Billion spend on Force Posture Agreement in NT

The Minister for Defence, Senator Marise Payne announced on 6th October that her visit to the US had successfully concluded with the apportionment of costs between Australia and the US for the implementation of the $2 billion in infrastructure development to support the Force Posture Agreement. This Agreement lasts for 25 years and provides the US with facilities for stationing up to 2,500 US marines in Darwin and provides them with access to Darwin and Tindal airstrips for landing and servicing US B1 bombers which are capable of carrying nuclear weapons. IPAN co-ordinating committee has written to the Minister asking for the proportion of this $2 billion, including ongoing costs, which will be borne by the Australian taxpayer.[/box]

[box]

State & Territory IPAN Representatives

Contact Phone Numbers

Vic: Shirley Winton: 0417 456 001

SA: Stephen Daley: 08 7329 8542

WA: Jo Valentine: 0427 708 180

NT (Alice Springs) Jonathan Pilbrow: 0403 611 815

NT (Darwin) Justin Tutty: 0424 028 741

Qld: Annette Brownlie: 0431 597 256

NSW (Sydney): Nick Deane: 0420 526 929

NSW (Newcastle): Bevan Ramsden: 0418 697 528

ACT: Kathy Kelly: 0417 269 984[/box]