Protest against SAS deployment

GLOBAL PEACE & JUSTICE AUCKLAND
www.gpja.org.nz

19 August 2009
Media Release:

Protest against SAS deployment

GPJA is planning a protest outside the SAS army base in Grove Road, Papakura this Saturday at 12 noon.

The SAS deployment is a shameful act of aggression by New Zealand. We are sending troops to prop up a medieval regime of warlords and drug runners who have no legitimacy to run the country.

The regime New Zealand is supporting has just passed laws which mean a woman can be starved to death by her husband for refusing sex and a man can avoid prosecution for rape by marrying his victim or paying compensation.

This is the vicious woman-hating regime John Key is sending our troops to risk their lives for.

Widespread electoral fraud means the Karzai government (which will be elected to power) will have as much legitimacy as Robert Mugabe has in Zimbabwe.

The protest will gather outside the main base entrance at Grove Road, Papakura from 12 noon this Saturday.

(We are aware the first SAS deployment has already left (we understand they flew out last Sunday) but SAS troops scheduled to go in the remaining two deployments over the next 18 months remain based at Papakura.)

Background

In the eight years since New Zealand took part in the illegal invasion and occupation of Afghanistan (it was never sanctioned by the United Nations) that country has been plunged into violence and chaos for which New Zealand shares responsibility.

We are part of the problem in Afghanistan and yesterday’s decision puts us on the losing side both morally and militarily.

In previous SAS deployments New Zealand troops handed over “suspects” they captured to the American forces who tortured and often murdered their captives. GPJA called on former Prime Minister Helen Clark to condemn the murder of two Afghanis in US custody when their cases were publicised. Helen Clark turned a blind eye.

And despite the supposed bravery of our SAS troops they didn’t have the courage to insist on Geneva Convention treatment for people they handed over to the US. One SAS soldier is quoted saying “we sort of knew what would happen to the prisoners, Americans being Americans”.

PM John Key’s tells us any suspects this time will be handed over to Afghan authorities and he has assurances they will be well treated. Those assurances are worthless. This is the regime which suffocated hundreds of suspects in containers and which uses torture and murder as its modus operandi. The assurances given to Key are paper-thin at best.

There is no place for New Zealand troops or our provincial reconstruction team. Afghanistan needs money to help rebuild and this should be channelled through non-governmental organisations. The $180 million spent so far on reconstruction could have stretched a lot further if it wasn't spent on NZ soldiers doing the reconstruction work on the other side of the world.

ENDS