Bellingen Shire Walk Against The War

More than 3,000 people marched against war in Iraq in Bellingen on February 15, 2003. The Bellingen walk had one of - if not the - best turnouts per head of population in Australia, with locals making clear their opposition to the plans of Bush, Blair and Howard.
Local speakers GP Jane Deegan, Vietnam veteran Bob McLeod and Uniting Church Minister Chris Lockley informed and inspired the crowd after the walkers arrived at the Bellingen Markets.

If War Breaks Out
Meet at Bellingen Council Park at 5.30 that day - similar actions are being held in many towns across Australia

Canberra Convergence
A No War convergence on Canberra is happening from March 23 with Parliament meeting on March 24.
A bus from Bellingen Shire will leave for the convergence on Saturday March 22 and return on Tuesday March 25. For more information contact John on 6654 4373 or Aloka on 6653 4124.

Let a Politician know how you feel
The Medical Association for the Prevention of War is asking concerned people to fax brief messages and questions to the Prime Minister John Howard on 02 6271 5414 and 02 6273 4100 or the Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on 02 6273 4112.

Other relevant fax numbers are: Opposition Leader Simon Crean 02 6277 8495 and US Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer 02 6214 5930
Local member Luke Harsuyker's email address is Luke.Hartsuyker.MP@aph.gov.au

Tim Cadman: phone 02 6655 9841 or 0419 628 709
Steve Coates: email info@flyingfoxmultimedia.com.au

Poster - to download an A4 size poster like this one right-click (for Macs ctrl-click) on one of the links below, choose 'Save Target As' and choose a location on your computer to save the file to

poster-jpg (357 Kb)

poster-gif (205 Kb)

Post-walk Press Release (Feb 16)
MORE WALKERS AT PROTEST THAN COUNTRY TOWN’S POPULATION
Bellingen NSW
More than 3,000 people flooded the streets of NSW mid north coast town Bellingen (pop 2,700) on Saturday to voice their oppposition to plans for war in Iraq. The main street was closed as church groups, doctors and local politicians joined with babies and the elderly in cross-community support. Local business people closed their doors to join the march.
Uniting church minister Chris Lockley, GP Jane Deegan and Vietnam veteran Bob McLeod addressed the gathering as the march concluded.
The crowd applauded as Bob McLeod read from the letter he sent to Prime Minister John Howard explaining why he returned his service medals.
“My experience in helping America in its so-called fight for freedom in Vietnam exposed me to so many lies and so much hypocrisy and immorality that I cannot tolerate that such a thing could happen again,” Bob said.
Bob McLeod joined other speakers in urging people to keep the pressure up on government. The crowd was particularly encouraged by Bob’s comment that overseas embassies had expressed great appreciation for the support of those against war in Australia. It had “stiffened their resolve” to oppose the US position.
The Bellingen march was part of the global weekend of protest against the war in Iraq.

Press Release 3 (Feb 10)
DOCTORS OPPOSED TO WAR
A group of local doctors opposed to Australian involvement in any invasion of Iraq joined together in the Walk for Peace in Coffs Harbour on February 2nd. Next Saturday, 15th February, they plan to walk again in Bellingen Shire's Walk Against the War.
One member of the group, Dr Jane Deegan, said that as doctors they felt unable to stand idly by at such a critical time.
"As doctors our purpose is the prevention and relief of suffering. We also tell people if we think they're doing something that's going to kill them. This is one of those occasions. This is a situation where thousands, perhaps ultimately millions of innocent lives will be lost, and untold suffering created. Yet if enough people speak out, some of this, at least, may be prevented."
Dr Deegan is a member of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War, (MAPW), which is the Australian affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW). This international federation has affiliates in over sixty countries and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. It seeks not only to prevent nuclear war, but to prevent all wars, to promote non-violent conflict resolution and to minimize the effects of war on health, development and the environment.
The MAPW's policy on Iraq is that it is opposed to any invasion of Iraq, regardless of whether or not it has UN sanctions, since the casualties will be the same.
According to UN figures, 50% of the Iraqi population are children under 18. Seventy per cent of the victims of war are civilians.
"Every day, I hear my patients expressing their anxiety and despair about the imminence of war," Dr Deegan said.
"People are feeling powerless, but they often don't realize that so many others feel the same way. This weekend there will be simultaneous walks and rallies not just around Australia, but around the world, including Britain and the U.S. It will be a chance for people to stand up and be counted rather than sit quietly and hope it will all go away, because it won't go away unless we make it do so."
Dr Deegan will be speaking at the Bellingen Shire Walk Against War on Saturday 15th February.
To join the Walk Against the War, meet at 10am at the Council Park (opposite the Memorial Hall) to walk to the markets via the main street and war memorial to hear guest speakers. Everyone is welcome to attend.
For more information contact Irene Wallin on 6655 9090 or Marree Huggett on 6655 4085 or go to the website at http://www.refugeesaustralia.org/bellomarch

Prayer and meditation for peace will be held on the evening of the 15th . "Re:Connect with Peace" begins at 6.30 pm at the Bellingen Uniting Church, corner of Hyde and Ford Sts. Everyone welcome. Contact Reverend Chris Lockley 6655 1050 for further information.
Media Contact
Beth Gibbings 6655 9781, bgibbings@mncdgp.org.au

Press Release 2 (Feb 7)
NO WAR on IRAQ
War in Iraq will create refugee disaster
Bellingen Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) supports the anti-war movement not only as a matter of principle, but in the knowledge that a renewed war in Iraq will cause a massive humanitarian and refugee crisis in the middle East.
"At a time when the Howard government is locking up Iraqi asylum seekers in detention centres in Australia as well as on Manus Island and Nauru, we are strongly opposed to an action that will create further human suffering and force hundreds of thousands of people from their homes", said Anne Simpson of the Bellingen RAR group.
Based on United Nations estimates, the proposed US-led military campaign to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein would cause widespread homelessness and result in the creation of more than 2 million additional refugees.
UN officials have warned that the impact of a U.S. air and ground invasion in Iraq would be worse than the humanitarian crisis caused by the 1990-91 Gulf War, because a decade of economic sanctions has already made a large proportion of the Iraqi population dependent on aid for survival. War would seriously disrupt these sources of assistance, placing about 10 million Iraqi civilians at risk of starvation and disease. According to the Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, following the massive bombing raids of the Gulf War the civilian death toll rose to 111,000 people of which 70,000 were children under the age of 15. In addition to this, UNICEF documentation indicates that a decade of the combined effects of the Gulf War and economic sanctions has resulted in the deaths of 500,000 children due to malnutrition, diarrhoea and other preventable diseases.
According to Ms Simpson, a new war in Iraq will place further burdens on neighboring countries that already host large numbers of refugees, many of who have remained displaced since crossing into transit and refugee camps in Iran, Turkey, Syria and Jordan during the earlier conflict. Jordan hosted 850,000 refugees from Iraq and Kuwait, as well as 300,000 repatriated Jordanian guest workers and 40,000 school-aged children. Of the more than 33,000 Iraqis housed in the Raftha Refugee Camp in Saudi Arabia after the Gulf War, a significant number still have not been re-settled. While in Iran last year they cared for 203,000 Iraqis and more than 2.3 million Afghanis.
Ms Simpson said the first day of the 1990-91 conflict cost more than the total annual budget allocated to the UN to care for the entire global refugee population. "If analysts' calculations are correct, the cost of the war now being proposed will be significantly greater, and the human cost inestimably higher, these are peoples lives we are talking about, men women and children just like you and me".
Show your opposition to any Australian involvement in a possible war with Iraq by coming to one or more of the following events:
- Bellingen's Walk Against The War on Market Day February 15, part of an international day of protest. Join the thousands of other Australians voicing their opposition to war, at events happening around the country and around the world on the same weekend. The walk will start at 10 am at Council Park (outside the Bellingen Council Chambers) and will head to the Bellingen Community Markets via the main street and war memorial to hear guest speakers. For more information contact Irene on 6655 9090 or Marree on 6655 4085 or check out the website at http://www.refugeesaustralia.org/bellomarch
- Re:Connect with Peace - a gathering to pray and meditate for Peace on the evening of the Bellingen Shire Walk against the War. Hosted by Bellingen Uniting Church, this will be an opportunity for people of different religious backgrounds (or none) to join together in mutual respect and encouragement. Time will be provided for shared and silent prayer. The Uniting Church is at the corner of Hyde and Ford Sts, Bellingen, opposite the Council, Neighborhood Centre and Library. Re:Connect for Peace will commence at 6:30 pm in the Activities Centre at the rear of the old St. Andrew's Church and Op Shop. Rev. Chris Lockley can be contacted for information on 6655 1050
Is an Iraqi life of any less value than an American or Australian life?

Press Release 1 (late January)
BELLINGEN SHIRE WALK AGAINST THE WAR
SATURDAY FEB 15 2003
Show your concern about Australia's possible involvement in a war with Iraq by coming to Bellingen's Walk Against The War on Market Day February 15. Join with thousands of other Australians voicing their opposition to war at events happening around the country on the same weekend.
The walk will start at 10 am at Council Park and head to the markets via the main street and war memorial to hear guest speakers.
For more information contact Irene Wallin on 6655 9090 or Marree Huggett on 6655 4085 or check out the website at http://www.refugeesaustralia.org/bellomarch

Tamwork - Thursday Feb 13
5 pm from Tamworth Information Centre
contact almad@optusnet.com.au

Armidale - Saturday Feb 15
10 am from the rotunda in Armidale
contact vsherwell2002@yahoo.com.au or debbyo@northnet.com.au

Lismore - Saturday Feb 15
10 am from Spinks Park
contact 6622 2862, nowar_lismore@yahoogroups.com

Laurieton - Sunday Feb 16
10 am from Laurieton shops

Nambucca Heads - Sunday Feb 16
11 am from the Catholic Church cnr, heads to Gordon park for byo picnic
contact pat.richardson@tsn.cc

Port Macquarie - Sunday Feb 16
12 noon from Town Green
contact uniting@tsn.cc

Great Lakes - Sunday Feb 16
12 noon from reserve opp. Visitors Information Centre, Little Street, Forster
contact Kath Smith 6557 5984

Grafton - Saturday Feb 22
11.30 am at See Park (cnr Bacon and Turf St)
contact kkak@tpg.com.au

Melbourne: Friday Feb 14
from State Library, City - details at http://www.refugeesaustralia.org/bellomarch/www.vicpeace.org/

Canberra - Saturday Feb 15
12 noon from Garema Place, Civic

Hobart - Saturday Feb 15
11.30am from Franklin Square, marching to Parliament Lawns

Newcastle - Saturday Feb 15
11.00am from Civic Park, marching to Pacific Park

Perth - Saturday Feb 15
11am from Forest Place

Wollongong - Saturday Feb 15
10.30am rally at Fred Moore House, east side Wollongong station

Adelaide - Sunday Feb 16
12 noon from Victoria Square

Brisbane - Sunday Feb 16
11am from Roma St Forum, marching to Botanical Gardens

Darwin - Sunday Feb 16
11am from Oleander St (next to Nightcliff Markets)

Sydney - Sunday Feb 16
12 noon from Hyde Park North - details at http://palmsunday.socialchange.net.au/

Coffs Harbour Anti-War Group

Palm Sunday Walk Against The War Coalition Sydney

One Voice For Peace

Medical Association for Prevention of War

Indymedia Sydney

Women in Black

Refugees Australia Directory

© 2003