From Arab Spring
we come singing
for freedom’s sake
strike up the banner,
cry war no more
rid us of this insane curse
those warmongers are the worse
our job is not to lead
nor is it to be led
lower the casket down
on our graves rich masters
feed their fortune
let’s bring war to an end,
it cannot come too soon
in this, our pale afternoon
– Ode to lives lost at Mirabad
The current role of Gallipoli Barracks is to provide a base for 7th Brigade, the Deployable “Joint Force Headquarters, associated full time and Reserve land forces and training and logistic units.
Gallipoli Barracks currently accommodates over 2600 regular uniformed personnel, 3000 Reservists and more than 200 civilian and contract personnel.” excerpt from Enoggera redevelopment stage one, Gallipoli barracks, Queensland statement of evidence to the parliamentary works committee on public works department
I hope the people who organised the vigil at Enoggera army base are going to run a defence in court on the 20th October on the charges from their last action?
And I hope the people arrested on the 10th anniversary of this war are you going to do the same on 27 October when they appear in the Brisbane Magistrates courts?
People are justified in being disappointed about the numbers of people involved (25-30 at Enoggera and 10 in the CBD).
But maybe the peace movement could do something more with the numbers that we do have?
Why don’t we start a ‘Rosa-Parks-boycott’ at Enoggera Army Barracks where the Defence Department are building a land army installation to match the air force installation at Amberley in size a scope for making war. Enoggera, Amberley and Townsville are strategic bases in the US alliance and its global war.
“System for use by the Australian Army in airborne surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition... Everything from concrete to food is transported by A2 Enoggera Barracks and involved the use of the Virtual Battlespace System (VBS2)”.. Hanson
Are they making drones at Amberley? Are they installing signaling devices at Enoggera (supplied by Israel, of course) to help guide the drones to their deadly targets? We already know the importance of the Joint US/Australia base at Pine Gap in bombing people in Baghdad in 2004.
People who view the video ‘Ten Years War’ may note that the most important vehicles for the army base at the moment are the cement trucks owned by Hansons. That concrete is laying the foundations for a new era of war capability.
An army marches on its stomach
The proposed Mess … will be sized to accommodate approximately 1050 military personnel (125 Officers, 125 Senior Non-commissioned Officers and 800 Other Ranks)…
(Gallipoli Barracks marked in black)
Excerpts from military documents
“Improvements are proposed to the existing engineering services to meet current demands and the requirements … The proposed works include major upgrading of the high voltage electrical supply and reticulation system to maintain supply reliability … The units affected by the works include the Australian Defence Force Investigative Services, Headquarters 7th Brigade,8th Personnel Support Company, Deployable Force Cash Office and 139th Signals Squadron. Headquarters 7th Brigade, Australian Defence Force Investigative Services, 8th Personnel Support Company and Deployable Force Cash Office … Consultation will be held with relevant local government and council representatives as well as utilities such as Energex and the Queensland Fire and Rescue services. This consultation will continue throughout the construction period. An industry briefing was conducted in December 2006to ensure the local construction market was provided with information relating to the scale, schedule and nature of the works required. Discussions are planned to be held with the Brisbane City Council and the Federal Member for Brisbane.” — excerpt from ENOGGERA REDEVELOPMENT documents.
While people were preparing to block the gate, the army was keen to keep those trucks coming and going.
Would the truck drivers stop delivering cement? Would the Builders Labourers union and Transport Workers Union place a black ban on pouring concrete on the site? Has anyone asked them?
Ian Curr
October 2011
Please see ‘Ode to lives lost at Mirabad’
[youtube=http://youtu.be/H3xujqGMv6Y]