Palestine photos exhibited

BRISBANE — On November 8, 50 people attended a public display of photographs taken by Vivienne Porzsolt, a Sydney member of Jews Against the Occupation, during her three-week visit to Israel/Palestine last December and January.

Following an address by Porzsolt, Margot Salomn gave a short talk on the June 2001 founding of the Brisabane organisation Palestinian and Jewish Unity, and anti-war activist Ray Bergman gave a clear exposition of the many facets of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Robyn Marshall

Indigenous press raided

SYDNEY — On November 11, federal police raided the National Indigenous Times to seize leaked government documents on Aboriginal welfare programs.

Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance federal secretary Christopher Warren said in response: “Authorities cannot use criminal procedure to attain the identities of journalists’ sources — which is clearly what they attempted to do today.

“The foundation of our democracy relies on journalists’ ability to report matters of public interest. To do this they rely on the good faith of their sources.

“The government’s attempt to intimidate this small publication is an absolute disgrace. In matters of social responsibility and welfare those in authority need to be held accountable.”

Unlawful arrests of activists

DARWIN — Three members of the Network Against Prohibition — Gary Meyerhoff, Stuart Highway and Robert Inder-Smith — were unlawfully arrested on November 1 for their involvement in a 2002 protest against the NT Labor government’s repressive “drug-house laws”. Along with two others, they were convicted in 2003 and sentenced to 14-21 months’ jail, suspended after five months.

Warrants were issued for their arrest by the Supreme Court on October 4, even though the three were on bail pending appeals against their sentences. The activists were not informed of the hearing, nor that the warrants had been issued.

The police arrived at Meyerhoff’s house at 1am to arrest him. He told the ABC’s Stateline program that he “knew straight away that someone had made a mistake somewhere”, but “had no choice but to get in the back of the van with the police”. It was pouring rain at the time and Meyerhoff was recovering from pneumonia.

The three were taken to the Darwin watch-house, where they were refused phone calls and contact with legal aid. NT police commander Max Pope conceded on Stateline that “they should have been allowed to make that call”.

The activists will launch civil litigation against the NT government.

Kathy Newnam

From Green Left Weekly, November 17, 2004.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

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