Basewatch welcomes two peace advocates to Darwin this Tuesday 23rd July 6.30pm Railway Club, Parap. Come to hear of peace actions throughout the Asia-Pacific Region and in Guam.
Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero is an indigenous Chamoru writer and teacher from Guam. She will talk on the rapid expansion of the massive US bases in their Pacific Island of Guam, strongly opposed by local people. She testified on behalf of her people to the UN Decolonialisation Committee in 2006. An award winning investigative journalist, she writes for local and US press and hosts a radio programme in Guam.
Bruce Gagnon (USA) will speak on the US military forces pivot into the Asia-Pacific region. He will focus on the militarisation of space and on the environmental effects of military expansion. Bruce Gagnon is the Coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space. He leads the worldwide campaign to keep space for peace. http://space4peace.blogspot.com
The question of peace not war is important in this election year as America’s Pacific push overrides independent foreign policy in our region.
After President Obama said the marines are hear to stay in Darwin for this century, the Basewatch network finds beneath the surface of Australians an unease about our children’s future with this war preparation.
We are alarmed with the integration of the Australian Government’s foreign policies and the ADF into the US war machine.
70% of Australians don’t want more military spending.
Yet our government is increasing our military spending in the US interests for build-up for war with China.
Darwin and Alice Springs will again be targets in a (nuclear) war.
But Australian people want spending on health and education, not on war. We want peace and independence, not to be hostage to the US Pentagon.
Hosted by Basewatch http://www.basewatch.org/#/
IPAN Independent and Peaceful Australian Network http://ipan.org.au/#/
Chris White is a Senior Research Fellow, Charles Darwin University, available 0418830297 for comment.
On US bases in Australia see http://chriswhiteonline.org/2013/01/tanter-more-on-our-us-bases