[Green-Activist] Fw: Happy Easter from Philip Ruddock.

[Jenny Stirling]

Hi friends,
Last year I may have spoke to you about a group of people who stayed at my 
house and who went on to make a an unauthorised 'citizens tour of 
inspection' of Pine Gap. They were able to penetrate into the heart of the 
site and did no harm other than to put up a sign which drew attention to 
thir prescence. They had previously informed the powers that be of their 
intentions and were open about their reasons for pursuing their actions, 
which were crafted as a responce to the new terrorism laws. Seems Phillip 
Ruddock wants to make an example of them under a law that was last used 54 
years ago. No doubt there will be non-violent social actions to come out of 
this travesty of justice- our rights to have sovereignty on our own soil. 
And there is no doubt that Pine Gap will be crucial to any war against Iran, 
which the US govt appears to be planning.

Jenny
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bryan Law" <bryan at cairnspeacebypeace.org>
Subject: Happy Easter from Philip Ruddock.


> Dear friends,
>
> CELEBRATING EASTER
>
> On December 9 last year, in the hours before sparrow-fart, travelling 
> afoot by starlight, I and three other Christians Against ALL Terrorism 
> entered the prohibited area of the Joint Defence Facility at Pine Gap.
>
> Jim Dowling, 50, from Dayboro and Adele Goldie, 29, from Brisbane got 
> right to the heart of the high-security compound and scaled a building in 
> the Northern Technical Area where the antennae arrays are.
>
> Donna Mulhearn, 37, from Sydney, and Bryan Law, 51, from Cairns were 
> detected and arrested while trying to get through the first of two 
> “man-proof” fences at the high-security compound.
>
> On Easter Saturday this year, all four received a friendly note from Paul 
> Usher, an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions in Darwin. The note 
> said that the Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, has consented to the 
> commencement of proceedings against us for an offence pursuant to s9(1) 
> Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952 (Cth).
>
> This offence is “Unlawfully Enter a Prohibited Area”, and the penalty is 
> up to seven years imprisonment. If convicted, there is now a serious 
> probability of a custodial sentence for the four activists concerned.
>
> We’re told this is the first time this charge has been laid against anyone 
> since the legislation was enacted 54 years ago, before any of the 
> defendants were born. It’s clearly an achievement of some kind.
>
> The activists have previously been charged with “Damage Commonwealth 
> Property” under the Crimes Act (Cth), with a penalty of up to ten years 
> imprisonment.
>
> There is a “Committal” hearing on both indictable alleged offences being 
> held in Alice Springs later this week on 19 and 20 April. Prosecution 
> witnesses scheduled to appear include 12 Australian Federal Police (AFP) 
> Protective Service Officers, 1 AFP Federal Agent, 1 AFP Police Officer, 
> and 1 senior bureaucrat from the Department of Defence who is now the 
> Deputy Chief of Facility at Pine Gap.
>
> While the evidence itself is sub-judice until introduced into Court, there 
> are some general issues that I’d like people to bear in mind during the 
> conduct of our Committal hearing.
>
> 1/ I’d like people to remember the domestic security context in which this 
> prosecution is taking place.
>
> The Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952 (Cth) has many parallels with 
> the traditional and revised sedition laws. For one thing, it grew out of 
> our alliance with the US state.
>
> Any Commonwealth Police Officer may arrest, charge and hold a person in 
> relation to an offence, but for a prosecution to proceed, the 
> Attorney-General must give written consent. The penalty is seven years.
>
> 2/ The Defence Act allows the Court to (i) hear evidence in a closed court 
> and/or (ii) make non-publication and non-disclosure orders.
>
> Our defence relies on adducing evidence about the role and function of 
> Pine Gap, particularly in relation to the war on Iraq and the Missile 
> Defence Shield, there is some concern that hearings might be closed in 
> relation to this evidence – thereby depriving all citizens of their right 
> to a fair and open trial.
>
> 3/ It could be argued that our trial puts on show the contemporary 
> attitude by state security agencies towards nonviolent civil disobedience.
>
> Behind the AFP and Northern Territory Police, ASIO and other security 
> agencies are hovering in the back-ground, briefing and directing the 
> uniforms on what to do. The Director of Public Prosecutions has shown its 
> willingness to pursue retribution, no doubt in the name of deterrence.
>
> Because our action is designed to interfere in unjust practice, and not 
> just to express opinion, we may well be made an example of. If that’s 
> true, I hope people see the example as one of:
>
> how ordinary citizens can stand up to the war criminals and injustices of 
> our times;
>
> how the invincible posture of the security agencies is a great big fraud;
>
> how there is no military solution to terror;
>
> how well Gandhi knew the conditions of conflict “When everyone’s in the 
> positive program, we won’t need the resistance”;
>
> how right now we need the resistance.
>
> Conclusion
>
> When Ciaron O’Reilly entered Australia earlier this year he was questioned 
> at the airport by ASIO about his earlier involvement with the Peace 
> Convergence at Shoalwater bay in 2005, and about his brother’s 
> participation in the Pine Gap inspection.
>
> Ciaron’s conclusion was that these small, interventionary actions pose a 
> much greater threat to the security state than any amount of rallies and 
> marches in the big cities. Our effect is subversive and transformative. 
> Our intent is seditious.
>
> The prosecution case, and our defence will emerge in due course.
>
> We’d all appreciate it if some of you kept an eye on our trial.
>
> On Sunday 23 April, there’ll be a life-affirming nonviolent action at the 
> front gate and/or approaches to Pine Gap, along Hatt Rd, off the Stuart 
> Highway just south of Alice Springs. Bring your creativity, water, and a 
> bicycle.
>
> Happy Easter
>
> Bryan
>