On October 17, the New Zealand terror state came down on sections of the left like a ton of bricks. 200 armed police descended on the 17 left-wing, largely unconnected activists and charged them under the Terrorism Suppression Act. They include Maori, anarchist and ecology activists. Included amongst those arrested is well known Maori leader Tame Iti. They all have been denied bail until the state finds (or fabricates) sufficient evidence. The New Zealand Labour Government, led by Helen Clark, has backed this grossly unjustified repression.
These activists are all connected to the militant anti-capitalist movement that cropped up at the end of last century. They believe in adventurist direct action with out the significant social base capable of fighting and defeating the system � the working class. We must be critical of their political method. But in no way are they Osama Bin Ladin. They are not linked to any Muslim extremist movement or anything like it. The cops will undoubtedly find the odd unlicensed gun but possessing a gun, legal or otherwise, doesn�t make one a terrorist. Tami Iti has been guilty of shooting the NZ flag and chaining himself to a railway track.
The use of state repression like this from a so-called Labour Government is outrageous but not surprising. Clark administers a Labour government dominated by US imperialism (which controls NZ) and therefore she must be seen as pulling her weight in the US imperialist orchestrated �war on terrorism�. This will earn her some brownie points. It is also an extremely effective weapon to silence left-wing opposition in that country. �Stand up against our reactionary policies, and we�ll brand you a terrorist and put you away forever� is a pretty heavy threat against those wanting to fight the imperialist offensive.
Over the Tasman the left is organizing. The Australian left and the workers� movement must take a stand in solidarity. Australian Unions must take direct action until the 17 activists are freed and charges are dropped! Clark is supposed to be Labour and Howard is supposed to be Liberal but they are both capable of reactionary state repression against the labour movement and the left. So too will be a Rudd government, if elected.
STOP PRESS
Whilst the victims face many charges such as illegal possession of firearms, the main charges involving terrorist have been dropped.
In Sydney there was a demonstration of about 30. The largest contingent came from the N.Z. green and anarchist left. There was also a contingent from the Redfern Block.
This is a small, promising start. There was no working class presence, a reflection of both the organisers who lacked a working class orientation and the N.S.W. workers movement which clearly fails to understand its responsibility for international solidarity against reactionary state repression.
It is only through international class solidarity that this reactionary �war against terrorism� can be defeated. Imperialists everywhere rationalise repression by pointing to Osama Bin Laden but events in N.Z. show that the left and the workers� movement will be victims of this reactionary campaign as well. Workers in Australia must stand up for the N.Z. Seventeen.