2 November 2001 Media Statement

Humanitarian focus on Afghanistan

“The Alliance has not agreed to, nor has the Government proposed, further offensive military responses to the war in Afghanistan. We are, however, prepared to make genuine efforts to assist with humanitarian needs,” said Alliance leader Jim Anderton today.

“The Alliance has pressed for a humanitarian focus in the Government’s response to the situation in Afghanistan.

“This enhanced humanitarian contribution may require, for example, a Hercules to transport food and medicine for refugees, engineers for refugee camps, a logistics team to coordinate relief efforts, and a medical team to work with refugees.

“Any involvement would be offered to the United Nations. Details for this focus are not yet finalised,” Jim Anderton said.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>