Newtown anti-war rally targets Sikorsky

BY LIAM MITCHELL

SYDNEY — Corporate warmonger Sikorsky was the target on February 1 of a spirited demonstration against war on Iraq. Sikorsky manufacturers helicopters used by armed forces in many imperialist countries.

The rally, which drew around 90 people, was organised by the Marrickville Peace Group and started in Newtown, before marching to Sikorsky's Australian head office in St Peters.

Federal ALP member for Sydney Tanya Plibersek told the rally that: "They can't find Osama bin Laden, so they're going for Saddam Hussein. The idea that regime change led by the US is going to bring democracy to Iraq is fanciful."

Greens candidate for the seat of Marrickville in the coming state election Col Hesse told the crowd the war is for the control of resources in the Middle East. "Are they thinking about ending the weapons of mass destruction? Well hardly, they make them", he said.

Sue Johnson, Socialist Alliance candidate for Marrickville spoke about the 24 US and other European companies that supplied the Iraqi regime with chemical, nuclear and biological weapons, as well as rocket equipment. Bush had tried to delete these companies from the Iraqi declaration. Bruce Cornwall, from the Marrickville Peace Group also spoke.

From Green Left Weekly, February 5, 2003.

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From GLW issue 524