Pine Gap
Appearance
Protests
Pine Gap has been the subject of many protests over the years:
- On 11 November 1983, Aboriginal women led 700 women activists to the Pine Gap gates where they fell silent for 11 minutes to mark Remembrance Day and the arrival of Pershing missiles at Greenham Common women's peace camp in Britain. This was the beginning of a two week women only peace camp, organised under the auspices of Women For Survival. While the protest was non-violent, women trespassed onto the military space and on one day 111 were arrested and gave their names as Karen Silkwood, the American anti-nuclear campaigner. There were allegations of police brutality and a Human Rights Commission Inquiry entailed.[1]
- In 1986 the base was issued with an eviction notice to be 'closed by the people' in a Close the Gap campaign; there was a protest by both women and men in which bicycles featured strongly.
- In 2002 about 500 people protested at the gates of Pine Gap, including some politicians. They were objecting to its use in the then impending Iraq war and missile defence, with a massive police presence. A few were arrested after a scuffle with police.
- In December 2005 six members of the Christians Against All Terrorism group staged a protest outside Pine Gap. Four of them subsequently broke into the facility and were arrested. Their trial began on 3 October 2006 and was the first time that Australia's Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952 was used.[2] In June 2007 the four were fined $3250 in the Northern Territory Supreme Court with the possibility of a seven year jail term. The Commonwealth prosecutor appealed the decision saying that the sentence was "manifestly inadequate".[citation needed] The Pine Gap four cross-appealed to have their convictions quashed. In February 2008 the four members successfully appealed their convictions and were acquitted. Judges who worked on the case stated that a "miscarriage of justice" had taken place because the four were not allowed to argue before a jury that Pine Gap was not a "defence facility" for Australia.[3]
See also
References
- ^ The Anti-Nuclear Campaign
- ^ Donna Mulhearn and Jessica Morrison (6 October 2006). "Christian Pacifists Challenge Pine Gap In Court" (Press release). Scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
- ^ Australian court quashes convictions of protesters for entering US spy base
- 1999 Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. An Agreement to extend the period of operation of the Joint Defence Facility at Pine Gap. Report 26. Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, October 1999.
- 2002 Craig Skehan, "Pine Gap gears for war with eye on Iraq. Sydney Morning Herald, 30 September 2002.
- 2002 MR: Australian Anti Bases Coalition http://www.anti-bases.org/pine_gap_Sept_2002_protest/protest_news.htm
- 2003 Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Pine Gap. Retranscription of program broadcast on 4 August 2003.
- 2007 Pine Gap 6 http://pinegap6.livejournal.com/
- 2007 "Judge rejects Pine Gap house arrest bid" The Australian, 29 May. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0%2C20867%2C21815635-1702%2C00.html&cid=0
- 2007 "Aussies eye BMD role" United Press International, 11 Jun. http://www.upi.com/Security_Terrorism/Briefing/2007/06/11/aussies_eye_bmd_role/2041/&cid=1117183476
- 2007 "Pine Gap protest linked to Iraq war, pacifists tell court" ABC, Australia, 5 Jun. http://abc.net.au/news/items/200706/1943288.htm%3Falicesprings&cid=0
- 2007 Protesters get a wrist slap; http://au.news.yahoo.com/070614/2/13qwi.html
External links
- Pine Gap's wider missile role, The Age, 21 September 2007