AUCKLAND — More than 20,000 people marched against war on Iraq on February 15 in more than 20 cities and towns around New Zealand. Jewish people and Arabs, black and white, Muslims, Christians and those with no religious belief marched side by side. It was the biggest anti-war mobilisation since the movement to end the Vietnam War.
There were huge marches in Auckland and Wellington demanding that the Labour government oppose US President George Bush's planned attack on Iraq.
Despite Prime Minister Helen Clark having made statements criticising US threats to invade Iraq without the backing of the UN, her government has sent a frigate to join US forces in the Gulf, supposedly as part of the "war on terrorism". The Labour government has promised further troop deployments to the region, including an Orion surveillance aircraft.
In Auckland, 10,000 people rallied, marched and chanted their way through the city centre. "No blood for oil on Iraqi soil!" and "We don't want your racist war!" rang out as the huge march forced police to shut close all four lanes and the entire length of Queen Street. People were still leaving the starting point as the head of the march reached a rally in Myers Park several kilometres away.
John Minto, spokesperson for the Global Peace and Justice Auckland coalition, read out three resolutions which were carried by a series of cheers from around the park: "This rally condemns American plans to invade Iraq whether or not the UN Security Council is pressured to agree"; "This rally condemns the Bush doctrine of pre-emptive military strikes as a reckless threat to world peace"; and "This rally urges the New Zealand government to actively oppose American plans to invade Iraq and to withdraw our frigate and Orion aircraft from the Gulf region".
In Wellington, march organisers were forced to lead the protest past the planned end point as the crowd of 8000 people was too big to fit in the park. Brushing past police, the march flowed into the parliament grounds instead.
Greens MP Keith Locke was cheered as he spoke to the rally over a hastily erected sound system. "It doesn't matter if the bombs are UN sanctioned to the people they're falling on", he said. "If the government really opposes war, then their first step should be to withdraw the frigate from the Gulf."
Some Labour MPs joined the anti-war marches. Officials from the Council of Trade Unions, under growing pressure from rank and file union members, turned out for the first time.
The anti-war movement in New Zealand is tapping into a wider anti-capitalist mood and dissatisfaction with Labour. "Iraq is a catalyst", explained Auckland high school student Miriam Pierard. "Plenty of young people have been concerned about other issues, but before now there's been nothing significant enough for them to stand up and join a group."
The mushrooming anti-war movement is likely to deepen Labour's problems. After an anti-war concert in Auckland on February 16, hundreds marched to the prime minister's plush residence to deliver a 30-metre-long banner signed by thousands of people. As they marched, tired but ecstatic, they were chanting: "Send the MPs off to war. Give their houses to the poor!"
[Grant Brookes is editor of the NZ Socialist Worker Monthly Review.]
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, February 26, 2003.
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