International Anti-Bases Speaker To Visit Waihopai Spy Base Thursday Morning

Cora Fabros will be visiting the Waihopai spybase at 10.30 a.m. on Thursday (July 10). To nobody’s surprise, “due to recent events” she (and her ABC travel companion and anyone else) has been refused permission to go up to the inner gate. So, she will view the base from the public road gate.

She will also be visiting the Tangimoana spybase at 11 a.m. on Tuesday 15th, where the same access restriction has been imposed.

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Chief Reporter

BASES OF EMPIRE
The Global Spread Of
US Military & Spy Bases

CORA FABROS
Touring NZ July 7 -18 2008

Recent events have propelled the Waihopai spybase into the spotlight. It is a US spybase in all but name and NZ’s most important contribution to all US wars. Cora Fabros, from the Philippines, is a veteran activist with the anti-bases, anti-nuclear and peace movement. She is the Asia/Pacific Coordinator of the International Network for the Abolition of Foreign Military Bases.

The US is on a global war footing and the Asia/Pacific region is of immense strategic significance.This is the region that Cora will be speaking about. In Japan (particularly Okinawa) and South Korea the huge US presence covers the full range from nuclear warfighting bases to conventional combat bases to a whole variety of spybases. Despite having been kicked out of the Philippines in the early 90s, the US military is back. Guam, a US territory, has been turned into a major nuclear warfighting base. Australia has given the US permission to build its first new spybase in 40 years. NZ hosts a US military transport base (at Christchurch Airport); and two “New Zealand” spybases, at Tangimoana and Waihopai. NZ’s role as a small, but vital, US satellite must be exposed, and the covert links ended. This is election year and ABC believes that NZ’s continuing links to the US should be a major issue.

Cora’s tour provides the regional context for how we aid and abet the US military and intelligence empire. Cora will be visiting all three NZ bases – Harewood, Waihopai and Tangimoana. She is an excellent speaker who has travelled the world for decades (including one previous NZ visit) talking on these issues. And, yes, she speaks excellent English (which is an official language in the Philippines).

ITINERARY

Tuesday July 8 - Dunedin

Public Meeting: 7.30 p.m, Alexander MacMillan Room, Dunedin Community House, 283 Moray Place

Wednesday 9 - Christchurch

Public Meeting: 7.30 p.m., Oxford Terrace Baptist Church Hall, cnr Madras St & Oxford Terrace.

Thursday 10 - Blenheim

Public Meeting 7.30 p.m., Wesley Centre, 3 Henry Street.

Monday 14 - Wellington

Public Meeting: 5.30 p.m., St Johns in the City, Main Hall, cnr Willis & Dixon Sts.

Tuesday 15 - Palmerston North

Public Meeting 7 p.m. PSA House, 1st Floor, 43 King St.

Wednesday 16 & Thursday 17 - Auckland

Public Meetings 7.30 p.m, Wednesday 16, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn & Thursday 17, 5-6.30 p.m., Pacific Media Centre, WT0032, AUT Tower (WT Building), corner of Rutland and Wakefield Streets, opposite Aotea Square.

ENDS

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