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HUMAN RIGHTS VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN PALESTINE

The International Women’s Peace Service in Palestine (IWPS-Palestine) is a team of women human rights workers, who provide international accompaniment to Palestinian civilians, document and non-violently intervene in human rights abuses and support acts of non-violent resistance to end the illegal Israeli occupation and building of the apartheid wall.

Great grandmother, June Norman, 68, from Brisbane was arrested this morning protesting joint US Australian military exercises at Shoalwater Bay near Rockhampton.

Protesters gathered at a police road block where they performed the Hokey Pokey calling on the Australian military to ‘put their whole bodies out’ of the military base.

Police told the protestors they could not proceed further towards the military gates behind which 15,000 American servicemen are about to start live firing military exercises with the Australian Defence Forces.

The US-Australian Talisman Sabre military exercise due to start tomorrow (6 July) at the Shoalwater Bay Training area near Rockhampton will be met by peace campaigners calling for the war games to be cancelled.

?These exercises are rehearsing for the next invasion. Clearly this is something the Australian people don?t want,? said Denis Doherty from the Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition (AABCC).

?Defence has no mandate and no right to conduct these war games and should stop immediately. They are trampling on democracy.

ACTION DESCRIPTION

Australian Catholic Workers, Jim Dowling and Ciaron O'Reilly were arrested this morning while blocking a major military access road to the Talisman Sabre 09 exercises being held at Shoalwater, central Queensland, Australia. Along with seven other anti war activists, the pair blockaded the road for over and hour and a half, and prevented more than a dozen US Army Jeep Troop carriers from entering the area.

This Other war news may also be of interest:

http://www.engagemedia.org/Members/traverser11/news/al-jazeera-censored/...

As mentioned in an update to an earlier post, one of the actions organised in connection with the current Students of Sustainability conference being held at Monash University - http://www.studentsofsustainability.org/ - was a demonstration of support for Sina Brown-Davis now on trial at the County Court on charges of riot, affray and criminal damage. These photos of the solidarity action have been supplied for posting here.

The C2C Festival was a gem of an event; small but glittering in its beauty and goodwill.

The crowd was never bigger that 300 but oh, what a beautiful feeling. It lost money but built confidence amongst the young organisers who all worked so well together under Renton Bishopric's leadership

Peace activist arrested, ordered to stay away from US sailors after peaceful banner waving protest
> 4th July 2009, 15:30 WST
>
> Veteran peace activist Jo Vallentine has been arrested for a breach of the peace following her participation in an anti-nuclear and peace rally on the Fremantle wharf this morning.
> Ms Vallentine, 63, was arrested after being given a move on order by WA police during a peaceful protest near the E-Shed market car park.
>

The gates of Australian Army at Rockhampton Airport were blocked this morning (July 6th. 09)
By a group of Christian anti-war activists. The depot is presently deploying U.S. and Australian military personnel to Talisman Saber 09 exercises taking place at nearby Shoalwater Bay.
Melbourne activists Rev. Simon Moyle (Baptist, Urban Seed, Insipiral), Jacob Bolton (Jahworks),