Shoalwater Peace Pilgrim aims to put war on trial
Wednesday 25th November 2015
Rockhampton Court House, Rockhampton
“Peace Pilgrim”, Jim Dowling, goes to trial today for being part of a group of 16 people who occupied Shoalwater Bay Military base in July this year. In groups of two and three, and calling themselves “Peace Pilgrims”, they walked onto the base to resist the biennial Talisman Sabre US and Australian war games.
With two others, Dowling was arrested on the Samuel Hill airstrip holding a banner reading, “What have you done? Your brother’s Blood cries out to me from the earth. Gen 4; 10”
Others arrested during the war games, including three “Quaker Grannies”, pleaded guilty at the time, and were mostly fined $500 and had their possessions confiscated. Some are presently appealing that confiscation.
Dowling declared his intention to do his best to put war on trial. “War making is the real crime here,” he said. “The horror of suicide bombing and terrorist shootings in the west would not be happening today if it were not for our own terrorist activities in waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We must face up to our own war crimes and cease fighting the terrorist wars of the US Empire”
For more information or interviews:
Jim Dowling: 0410 269 678