Thousands protest to 'bring the troops home now!'

March 23, 2005
Issue 

Thousands of people rallied in cities and towns across Australia on March 18-20 to mark the second anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq. The protests demanded that PM John Howard reverse his decision to send more Australian troops to Iraq, and called for all the troops to be brought home.

Marce Cameron reports that 3000 people marched in Sydney on March 20, chanting "End the occupation, troops home now!" Stop the War Coalition co-chair Pip Hinman condemned the Howard government for marking the second anniversary by sending 450 more troops, and pointed to the Italian government's decision to pull out as proof that even pro-war governments can be forced back Speakers included Sister Susan Connelly from the Mary MacKillop Institute of East Timorese Studies, Keysar Trad from the Lebanese Muslim Association, and Peter McClelland, president of the construction division of the CFMEU who congratulated the rally organisers. Independent journalist John Pilger told the spirited crowd: "What all of your should remember on this econd anniversary of the brutal assault on Iraq is that you are not alone: that you are part of a great worldwide movement that refuses to accept the dangers and moral indecencies of Bush and Blair and Howard." Greens Senator Kerry Nettle declared that "the only way we can resolve the conflict in Iraq is to get all foreign troops out".

Mamdouh Habib, recently released from the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, his wife Maha and lawyer Stephen hopper, received a standing ovation from the crowd. Habib told the rally that he was very proud of the Australian people who stood up for him and helped him come home. He urged people to help bring the other Guantanamo Bay detainee, David Hicks, home.

Lisa Macdonald reports that on the same day, 300 people rallied in Parramatta Park and marched down Church Street to the Parramatta mall. The rally was organised by Sydney Peace and Justice Coalition.

In Melbourne, Karen Fletcher reports that a good smattering of home-made placards dotted the crowd of 1200 that gathered at the Victorian State Library in Melbourne on March 18 for a rally called by the newly-formed Stop the War Coalition. The ebullient crowd included a good number of rowdy students in school uniforms, a brass band resplendent in pink and at least one "Boring Old Fart Against the War".

Alleged "terrorist" Jack Thomas, although scheduled to speak, did not attend on the advice of his lawyers. He was represented by Gerard Morel of the Justice for Jack Campaign, who explained that Jack had been advised to stay away following a spray against anti-war activists and Thomas by 3AW shock-jock Neil Mitchell that morning. "The government is desperate for evidence against Jack", he said. "Their case is so weak they really need him to say something they can use before the committal hearing."

Morel said that all the prosecution had against Jack were some statements he made, following 100 days of detention and torture in Pakistan, that the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay was a travesty and its inmates should be freed. "Something that most of us here would agree with", Morell said, to approval from the crowd.

Rally chair Margarita Windisch asked the crowd who the real war criminal was - US President George Bush or Jack Thomas - and Bush was indicted soundly by popular acclaim.

The rally also heard from Maritime Union of Australia representative Kevin Bracken, former intelligence officer and Greens representative Andrew Wilkie, and Bill Deller representing the Victorian Peace Network, who pledged the support of the VPN to the new activist formation. The crowd marched through the Melbourne streets, stopping outside the Melbourne headquarters of war profiteers ANZ and Worley Parsons.

Teacher and education unionist Fiona Roberts, representing the Socialist Alliance, spoke outside the ANZ bank about the need to build the movement against the war so that the Coalition government would be forced to follow the example of Spain, Poland, Yugoslavia and Italy and withdraw its troops from Iraq.

Paul Benedek reports that more than 500 people rallied and marched in Brisbane on March 20. Louay Alzaher from the Iraqi Solidarity Committee, spoke to the rally about the occupation of his country and Palestinian activist Rihab Charida condemned the dual occupations of Iraq and Palestine. She said that "wherever there is occupation there will be resistance" and called for people in Australia to also resist.

The rally also heard from Julie Bignell from the Australian Services Union, Zohl de Ishtar from the University of Queensland's Australian Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, the Greens' Juanita Wheeler and Murri activist and Socialist Alliance member Sam Watson.

Nick Fredman reports that 500 people joined a rally and march through the streets of Byron bay on March 20.

In Perth, Nikki Ulasowski reports that former intelligence officer Andrew Wilkie, Resistance and Socialist Alliance activist Emma Clancy, Refugee Rights Action Network spokesperson Victoria Martin-Iverson and anti-nuclear campaigner Nicola Paris addressed a 300-strong rally.

A loud street march to the office of Liberal Senator Gary Humphries was the highlight of Canberra's rally on March 19, reports James Caulfield. Around 140 people attended the rally in Garema Place.

Gregor Henderson, president-elect of the Uniting Church in Australia told the rally that while PM John Howard keeps repeating that the world is better off without Saddam Hussain, it is a moot point because there is no doubt that Iraqis are much worse off after two years of occupation.

Greens MLA Deb Foskey noted the failure of the occupiers to even count civilian casualties, of which it has caused many thousands. Diana Rahman, from the Canberra Islamic Centre, said that Iraqis could have and could still make a democratic Iraq, but only with the full withdrawal of occupation troops.

Michael Shaik, from Australians for Justice and Peace in Palestine, and Socialist Alliance activist Nick Everett also spoke.

Kamala Emanuel reports that 200 people rallied in Hobart on March 19. El Salvadoran refugee Rene Aragon called for no more troops to be sent to Iraq and for the troops there to be withdrawn. He called for the political prisoners in Guantanamo Bay to be released. He also warned of the threat of military attack on Venezuela.

Other speakers included Tasmanian Greens leader Peg Putt, Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union state secretary and ALP state president David O'Byrne and Alex Bainbridge from the Socialist Alliance. All called for the withdrawal of Australian troops.

O'Byrne contrasted the occupation forces' rhetoric about democracy with the attempts to suppress trade unions in Iraq. Bainbridge told the rally that John Howard acknowledged when he announced that more troops would be going to Iraq that it would not be popular and that this has been borne out by opinion polls. "Making decisions against majority opinion is not democratic. How does he think he can help bring democracy to Iraq when he can't even act democratically in this country? If John Howard seriously believed in democracy in Iraq, he would do what the majority of Iraqis want - withdraw Australian troops."

Brownwyn Jennings reports from Geelong that 40 protesters gathered on March 18, while weapons of mass destruction flew overhead. The protest coincided with the International Air Show at Avalon, where trade and industry groups met to sell and purchase aircraft, such as those used to bomb Iraq for more than a decade.

The rally heard from Tim Gooden, assistant secretary of Geelong Trades Hall, who demanded that Howard withdraw troops just as Spain and now Italy have done. Street theatre performers reenacted the torture of Abu Ghraib prisoners, with sheets over their heads and electrodes attached to their bodies.

In Newcastle, 150 people attended a very enthusiastic rally on March 20, reports Perry Brown. The large speaking platform included federal ALP MPs Sharon Grierson and Kelly Hoare, Bishop Michael Malone, student activist Zane Alcorn, Reverend Brian Brown of the Uniting Church, Greens councillor Michael Osbourne and Socialist Alliance member Ben Reid.

Jon Lamb reports from Darwin that on March 20, 20 people cheered on Italy's decision to withdraw troops. Darwin NOWAR set-up a display of photos from Iraq and white crosses on the lawns over the weekend.

In Adelaide, 150 people rallied on March 20, reports John McGill. David Palmer, from Flinders University, told the crowd that US President George Bush couldn't run proper democratic elections in Iraq given how he manipulated his own election in the US.

Melissa Hughes from the socialist youth organisation Resistance, David Scrimgeour from the Medical Association for the Prevention of War, representatives of the Student Activist Alliance and former human shield in Iraq Ruth Russell also addressed the rally. Scrimgeour declared that "if war is used as an instrument of economic advancement, then we are descending into barbarity". Russell told the rally that the mass protests prior to the invasion prevented a much larger scale of murder in the initial bombings.

From Green Left Weekly, March 23, 2005.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

You need Green Left, and we need you!

Green Left is funded by contributions from readers and supporters. Help us reach our funding target.

Make a One-off Donation or choose from one of our Monthly Donation options.

Become a supporter to get the digital edition for $5 per month or the print edition for $10 per month. One-time payment options are available.

You can also call 1800 634 206 to make a donation or to become a supporter. Thank you.