Wednesday, 16 November 2016

Blockade of weapons expo underway

Peace activists are now blockading entrances to the Viaduct Events Centre to stop the international weapons expo taking place.

"This conference is about how companies can better make money from wars, disasters and human misery. We think this is abhorrent. This is why we taking direct action to stop this conference," said Auckland Peace Action spokesperson Virginia Lambert

"We've got people from across the country blockading - young and old, Māori, Pacifica, Asians and Pākehā peoples and visitors from overseas, teachers, engineers, librarians, nurses, students, labourers, and many others - who have all come together for one reason: to stop war profiteering."

Lockheed Martin, the world's largest arms dealer & a maker of nuclear weapons, is the primary sponsor of the conference.

Faisal is an Iraq-born migrant who has lived in Aotearoa for almost 20 years. He is involved with Racial Equity Aotearoa, and does research with Arab and Muslim communities.

"The weapons expo represents an economy based on 'institutionalised uselessness': the manufacturing and sale of high-tech weaponry is just a way to maximise profit from something that has absolutely no use-value to anyone whatsoever."

"On a personal level, as a Muslim Iraqi, I'm appalled at the fact that our government is happy to celebrate and normalise a culture of militarism that perpetuates war and causes so much destruction and misery in places we once called home".

"We will stay here as long as we can today - and we invite people to come down at whatever stage they can today."

ENDS

© Scoop Media