Margie Pestorius

CANCELLED #NoCovidMarines for #Darwin CALL MINISTER PAYNE #giveemtheboot!

WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE MARINES ARRIVAL IN DARWIN HAS BEEN CANCELLED!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL INVOLVED.

URGENT ACTION TO STOP MARINES ARRIVING IN DARWIN. CANCELLED

Contact Defence minister Linda Reynolds 0262777800

Make the following points

homeaffairs alerts have banned entry to the Country from ALL countries especially high risk countries such as the USA
USA citizens and travellers are already highly contagious.
ASK: What are they doing about?
Don’t let them fob you off with an email.
Emphasise the vulnerability of Indigenous people in Darwin.
Refuse transfers from Guam
ASK: have they taken transfers from US military in Guam

Write now to @LindaReynoldsWA

Linda Reynolds Minister for DefenceMinister@defence.gov.au, 2020-03-30

MORE INFORMATION HERE WITH IPAN’s MEDIA RELEASE

Sample Letter

Good afternoon Minister Reynolds,

Could you please confirm whether the next deployment of US marines to Darwin has been suspended until after the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis has passed. When was the 2020 rotation expected? Sometime in April 2020? As you know, the Australian government has blocked non-citizens from entering the country:

www.homeaffairs.gov.au alerts > novel-coronavirus

“From 21:00 AEDT 20 March 2020, only Australian citizens,residents and immediate family members can travel to Australia. From 23:59 AEDTon 28 March”.

Please confirm whether your department will act responsibly and in accordance with Federal Government emergency policy measures, and confirm that this rotational deployment will now be suspended until the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis has passed.

Could you please issue a Media Release confirming your decision and place this on your website so the actions of your department are transparent to all Australians.

Thank you,

Sincerely,

Geoff Holland

HSBC Supports War Crimes in Yemen

It’s 5 years since the Saudis started to deliberately target Yemeni civilians in airstrikes. Equipment used was from the USA. A Boeing missile destroyed a school bus in 2016 and killed 50 school children.

Humanitarian disaster. War crimes.

Join us in SYDNEY to commemorate 5 years of war on Thursday (12th March), 11am at HSBC, a major investor of arms dealer Electro Optic Systems.

Your money, in this bank, is doing harm.

“HSBC loan money to Electro Optic Systems: about $50m to be precise. The UK based bank appears to have no ethical screening. For example, it also funds several coal projects in South Asia.

Electro Optic Systems is dealing with the Saudis one of the most problematic governments in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is USA’s ‘ally’ due to the immense amount of money made in weapons deals. Their policies have long included the structural confinement and control of women. Mistreatment of dissidents has been extreme including the murder and dismemberment of critical journalist, Khashoggi. The Saudi’s are involved in “proxy” wars for the USA.

Australian companies should not be dealing with the Saudis. We say NO to weapons exports to Saudi or UAE.

This Thursday, Anti Bases Coalition (ABC) with Wage Peace will extend their regular vigil to visit HSBC to tell their customers “Your money, in this bank, is doing harm.”

HSBC funds war; HSBC funds climate destruction

Small action groups targeting corporate investors and contractors in systematic ways are making a difference in movements across the world. The Stop Adani campaign have ejected over 60 contractors from that project. But it takes many of us to get out, to take a risk, to take action, to do our part from time to time.

We are asking you to join us. Acting against militarism, along with acting against climate destruction is important. Strategic focused actions make a difference.

Yours sincerely

Margie, Nick, Cate, and Julie,

JOIN US #StopArmingSaudi

Bank HSBC: 333 George St

From 11am – Facebook event here

(We’ll meet at 10.15 nearby, And Wed. afternoon to prepare. Call: 0403214422)

followed by the regular vigil at EOS at 75 Elizabeth St from 12 pm

This is what we’ll tell customers at HSBC who, unlike you, are probably not thinking about what happens to their money in banks.

“Did you know your choice of bank can have a huge impact on the world? This is because the money you put in your account is used by banks to make loans and investments.

HSBC invests $50m in the Australian manufacturer Electro Optic Systems which sells weapons to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Both countries are involved in the deadly and destructive war in Yemen. This war has been going for 5 years as of March 2020, resulting in the largest humanitarian disaster of these times.

HSBC is also involved in destructive COAL projects in South East Asia.

The types of loans banks make can go to industries that do good or those that do harm. So where your money goes ultimately shapes the world we all live in.

STOP BANKING WITH HSBC

Align your banking with your values

EOS and HSBC are “Enhancing the Lethality” of Saudi war crimes …

References

HSBC involved in Coal Projects – Market Forces so may be a target for this coming divestment week the 20th March.!

Mohamad Bazzi The Guardian: America is likely complicit in war crimes in Yemen. It’s time to hold the US to account

What we know about EOS

EOS has ex ACT Labor Senator Kate Lundy on their board along with ex ADF General Peter Leahy.
They sell missile fire systems into conflict zones.
They are currently teaming with Elbit to provide a weapons system for tanks – a “turret”
They have a submission to arm the Land 400 attack tanks with HanWha
Active with a sales office in the UAE.
Lethal products have been seen to be shipped from Sydney Airport to UAE and Saudi Arabia
Subsidised by the Federal government (36m grant)
Subsidised by the ACT (payroll exemption).

Share our video now to show people care about Australian companies dealing weapons to the Saudi prince.

Resources

Sign [or share] our petition to #stoparmingSaudi:

Thanks to Beyond War for the use of their database: you can unsubscribe at any time.

If you are receiving from us for the first time – it might be because you’ve recently signed to #MakeWestPapuaSafe. We are collaborating on anti-militarism stuff. If you don’t want to receive emails from Wage Peace but definitely want from Make West Papua Safe, can you just reply to this email saying: “Hey -just MWPS”. <3 thx.

Wage Peace happens on Sovereign Aboriginal Land – mostly Sovereign Yidindji Sovereign Land – but also on the land of the Gadigal, Bunjalung and the Ngunnawal people. We acknowledge the Tribal Authority of the people on whose land we live.

Those of us working on the project are around the country and we invite you to play/volunteer with us. or donate!

Facebook Twitter www.wagepeaceau.org

WAGE PEACE provides strategic messaging and digital campaign support
for campaigns & groups disturbing war & militarism in Australia.

We ‘organise’ and ‘mobilise’ to #EndWarCulture

#WAGEPEACE

Two Grand Tweets #ThisisAustraliasWar and #NoWarOnIran

“Our enemies are not in the poorest countries on the planet, but right here in the richest one”

—@MikePrysner #NoWarOnIran #GIResistance pic.twitter.com/uMiHv9wZpV

— About Face: Veterans Against the War (@VetsAboutFace) January 5, 2020

#ThisisAustraliasWar – $36bn per year on ADF and no help in the fire.

#ThisisAustraliasWar https://t.co/a6mKclrJfW

— #WagePeace (@wagepeaceau) January 5, 2020

We must not use our security resources for Trumps trumped-up war in Iran.

Is this justice? EOS arms deals to Saudi Arabia and UAE

AUSTRALIANS TAKE ACTION TO STOP WAR

Concerned citizens took a disruptive performance to four Canberra sites to highlight how Canberra supports the transfer of Australian weapons, made by Electro Optic Systems (EOS), to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

On Nov 13th the group visited

Canberra Airport, where the “EOS weapons executive” welcomed the “Saudi General”.
EOS factory at 90 Sheppard St Hume.
ACT Government offices.
Canberra’s favoured statue of Ethos outside the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The group performed a theatrical procession revealing war crimes in action, “Extra Lethal”, featuring a Saudi General, a weapons executive and of course – victims of war.

Background

Canberra’s Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has repurposed its world class technology, previously applied in aerospace navigation, to create lethal weapons for overseas regimes.

The CEO Ben Greene previously admitted the company has plans for future shipments to the Kingdom of Saudi. Furthermore, in a media release dated January 30, 2018 Greene claimed that the EOS R400 weapons system is all about “considerably enhancing lethality”.

EOS has sent weapons systems to the Saudi Ministry of Interior, even after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as indicated by this shipment noted at Sydney airport in June 2019.

SIGN THIS PETITION NOW TO #STOPARMINGSAUDI

Shipping label showing R400s Remote Weapon Station exported to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Minister for Interior, General Department of Arms and Explosives via Orbital ATK.Shahnaz Martin from Wage Peace said “The board is stacked with Canberra identities such as Kate Lundy and General Peter Leahy: people embedded in Canberra society pretending to do good, but doing deals with dictators”.

Former Labor Senator Kate Lundy and General Peter Leahy are on the board of directors for EOS. ACT Defence Industries is promoting the company. Lundy is “Defence Industries Ambassador” for the ACT. The Canberra airport advertises the company.

“We say EOS enhances the lethality of Saudi war crimes in Yemen. We fear the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are using weapons against their own population including women struggling for human rights and other dissidents such as journalists.” said Ms Martin

“This company’s interest is simply about money with total disregard for the victims of the regime. The last thing the Middle East need are more weapons. If EOS are mercenary with this particular technology, we must also question if their so-called civilian space program is also a military scam.”

“We simply don’t believe them when they say they don’t send weapons to Saudi – Who ever believed a arms dealer. They appear to have slipped round the Arms Trade Treaty”.

Letter from EOS to ASX justifying (not denying) their sale of weapons systems to Saudi Arabia and UAE — *Letter from EOS to ASX justifying (while appearing to deny) their sale of weapons systems to Saudi Arabia and UAE*

This letter was sent to shareholders in response to the media coverage and protests. It does not actually say that EOS does not sell to Saudi Arabia and UAE, rather it says that they sell to allies of the US and Australia, since US and Australia have a good human rights record. It is obviously a false assumption given the human rights abuses in Yemen. It is up to companies to make the moral decision.

At least 9 nations have already stopped transfers of weapons to Saudi Arabia including Germany, Denmark, Finland, Belgium and the UK. UK were forced to stop selling by their High Court.

*Protest banner at EOS Canberra. EOS claim their products are not weapons, while proudly expounding that they enhance lethality.*

At the EOS factory in Hume. Witnesses of death watch on as the “EOS executive” shows off the money the company makes from selling Extra Lethal weapon systems to the Saudi Arabia and UAE despite their regimes being accused of war crimes. The ‘General’ is very pleased to receive the goods. They are confident that they can continue their attacks on one of the poorest countries in the world, targeting school buses, hospitals and water infrastructure unfettered. They are both very proud of themselves for working out how to circumvent the Arms Trade Treaty and hide from public outrage to put profit before innocent civilian lives.

*Shahnaz Martin at the ACT Government Offices requests to see Kate Lundy or other representatives of ACT Government Defence Industry. ACT Government workers denied that it had anything to do with them.*

'Victims' of the arms trade with witnesses — *Witnesses mourn for the “victims” of the arms trade while the “weapons manufacturer” counts his money.*

'Victims' of the arms trade die-in in the foyer of the ACT Government offices — “Victims” of the arms trade die-in in the foyer of the ACT Government offices that deny involvement despite having a webpage promoting the arms trade industry and appointing Kate Lundy (board member of EOS) as Defence Ambassador to the Defence Industry Advisory Board.

Statue of Ethos outside the ACT Legislative Assembly — *The statue of Ethos outside the ACT Legislative Assembly represents the ethical basis of ACT Government.* *What would she think of Governments that support weapons manufacturers who sell to human rights abusers?*

EMAIL THE CEO OF THE WEAPONS COMPANY DIRECT

Write a letter to EOS via DoGooder — *Send a letter to the board and management of Electro Optic System EOS.*
They send weapons systems to UAE and Saudi Arabia despite the killing of Khashoggi and the disaster in Yemen. They know they are dealing with dictators. They need to know you know and that you don’t like it. Use our suggested letter or, even better, write your own (via DoGooder).

Check out our live feed and posts on twitter.com/wagepeace facebook.com/wagepeaceau

Redirect the $225bn For Obsolete Submarines to the Climate Emergency

Sign the Petition: Click Here

A climate emergency has clearly been unfolding – right now – throughout Australia. We must rapidly change the current arrangements. There are actions that can be taken now. Immediate redirection of funds for protection and restoration of Nature is required.

Addressing the current fire emergency must occur NOW with the application of Australian Defence Force resources.

$325billion has been promised to several military mega-projects: by the current Government with support of the Labor Opposition.

Submarines will cost $225bn alone. The first is not due till 2050 yet money is being poured out to Naval, a French weapons corporation and other transnational corporations which specialise in hi-tech military equipment.

The submarines are highly contested: claims are that they will be obsolete, pointless, made-in-France, unlikely to work with US partners and expensive. Between May and December 2019, the estimated cost escalated from $100bn to a massive $225bn.

The money should be applied immediately to the climate emergency. Climate change can be stopped and reversed using Nature’s own mechanisms.

The Australian Defence Force are best positioned by far to address this crisis in Australia. They have the organisational capacity, skills and access to equipment and materials required. Together with health and social institutions, the ADF can make a huge difference.

Veterans and serving members of the ADF understand recovery and healing. Call on them now.

Addressed to

Minister Linda Reynolds (Minister of Defence), Hon. Richard Marles (Shadow Minister of Defence),

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese,

Minister and Shadow Minister for Defence Industries, Members of the “National Security Committee”

Chief of Defence General Angus Campbell

Our petition:

We petition you to agree to allow the temporary, or permanent, redirection of money allocated for the Attack Class Submarines to the Climate Emergency.

Deploy ADF human and material resources to the current fire emergency and to fight future fire emergencies.

Deploy ADF resources to secure Australian communities and landscapes in the face of the Climate Emergency and to assist immediate recovery efforts.

Deploy ADF resources to protect and restore Nature as a practical response to global heating.

We see it is pragmatic at this moment to redirect military spending to the actual crises being faced by communities in Australia.

References

Cost of Submarines sails past $200bn
Government Must Explain Project Decisions
Thunberg and Monbiot: A Short Film on the Climate Crisis
Billion dollar cost blowouts and delays hit defence projects