23 September 2001

Dean Gould
Editor
Northern Star

Easy to be visible for peace in time of peace, but more courage is needed to stand up and speak out for peace when the dogs of war are braying and fear is all about.

Now is the time for the peacemakers. Now is the time to be visible. Now is the time for courage.

The Nimbin based colourful and crusading Peacebus is being prepared to take its message of peace to the protests outside the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting in Brisbane 6 October.

It may be that CHOGM will be cancelled for some of the big players like British PM Blair have already pulled out. In global belligerence an eager partner with the US, Blair has demonstrated how small time the Commonwealth is for him.

But whether CHOGM goes ahead or not, I believe there will be a major march, rally and Peace Expo on 6 Saturday October in Brisbane's Musgrave Park, a Murri declared police free zone only a block away from the Southbank Conference Centre where CHOGM will, maybe, take place.

I have no doubt that PM Howard is hoping that these protests will produce images of violent conflict on which he will boost his chances of re-election. I remember "All the way with LBJ" won a landslide for the Liberals back in 1966. But in resistance to that media manipulated consent, a protest movement grew and brought major political upheavals, including the election of the Whitlam government 1972, the end of conscription and disengagement from the Vietnam War.

On behalf of Peacebus, I have been attending meetings with the local organising group of CHOGM protesters, the Global Justice Alliance. Last week I met with some of the Brisbane organisers and also with the police organising CHOGM security and a representative Qld Premier's Department.

Be assured that there is agreement amongst all the people I spoke to that our aim is to our mutual benefit to create an event that is peaceful, artful and safe, an event that will demonstrate, in witness of the world, how soundly established the ideals of democracy and freedom are in Queensland and Australia generally, in the people if not in the prime minister.

I know for sure that the gathering in Musgrave Park starting with a Convergence Circle at 6 pm Friday 5 October will be a colourful and auspicious meeting of indigenous people, anti-globalists and peace activists. Many new associations will be formed, many people inspired and committed and the CHOGM protest's fruits will be harvested in terms of peace, renewed political activism, and resistance to racism and globalisation for many years to come.

How shamefully eager it was of Howard to commit Australians to war and racism! And just to win brownie points on opinion polls!

I swear he will rue the day for no amount of Murdoch media hype will cover up how grovelling, foolish, mean hearted and self interested he was to offer the blood of young Australian to appease the USA, now a pebble wounded Goliath thrashing about in rage and blood lust. Dangerous! A wiser man would step back, take a deep breath and then work for enduring peace.

It may take months, even years, but I have strong faith in the basic decency of Australians and our distain for tyranny and know that it is only a matter of time before PM Howard will be remembered with contempt for the meanness of the mould he attempted to foist onto this land and its people.

Come to CHOGM! Be visible for peace! Let's make the kind of art that makes community and makes peace.

The Global Carnivale in Heritage Park, Lismore, next Saturday 29 September will be a warm up for Musgrave Park the following week. Bring music, flags, banners, lanterns and dance. Be there!

Graeme Dunstan
Peacebus.com