Bonhoeffer 4 – Update action info
Hi guys below is an update & action response about some of our friends. I will post other info and maybe some past email updates as comments.
Oh and heres a picture of the B4 plus Jim and Ciaron just before they were arrested.
Current media stories online:
The Age: Game on for Christian protest:
http://www.theage.com.au/national/game-on-for-christian-protest-20090712-dhef.html
The Morning Bulletin: Talisman protesters enter live-fire area
http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2009/07/13/talisman-protesters-enter-live-fire-area/
ABC: Military watches for Shoalwater Bay trespassers
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/13/2624255.htm
ACTION ALERT!!!
PLEASE CONTACT TS09 info line 1800 639 724 and
Defence Minister John Faulkner
Defence.minister@defence.gov.au
and demand that the exercises be stopped!
Senator Scott Ludlam has informed the Minister of Defence that activists have entered the base.
?
Commander Meier has stated in Parliament, ?If we know there is an unauthorised person into the Commonwealth land at Shoalwater Bay?the exercise is stopped.? ?The Defence Department has been notified of our presence on the base. We call on Air Commander Meier to keep his word to the Australian people.
For full transcript visit the following link:
http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/transcript/defence-white-paper-talisman-sabre-swine-flu-preparedness
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Update:
Four nonviolent Christian Activists are currently on the Shoalwater military training area. The ADF have yet to make any comment as to whether they will cancel the exercise and have advised that they are still ‘investigating’.
However, according to ABC online (www.abc.net.au) Captain Brian Lewis from the US Air Force has commented on people being in the training area:
“We’re going to make sure that the area’s safe and clear and if there is anyone in the area that’s unauthorised, we’ll escort them out and turn them over to the civilian police,” he said.
“As in any exercise there are possibilities for dangers for anyone participating but our safety measures are in place to make sure the area’s safe and secure for those involved in anything that could arise.“
The four have resolved to stay on the base.
For further stills or video footage of the four entering the military base please contact Treena Lenthall 0447 851 858.
Press Release
Monday 13 July 2009
Christian Activists enter restricted military area during live-fire exercises
Four nonviolent Christian activists have entered the Shoalwater Bay Training Area this morning to stop the Talisman Saber exercises. ?Calling themselves the ?Bonhoeffer 4? after Kevin Rudd?s favourite theologian, Margaret Pestorius (44, Social Worker, Cairns), Jarrod McKenna (28, School Peace Educator, Perth) Jessica Morrison (33, University lecturer, Melbourne) and Rev. Simon Moyle (32, Baptist Minister, Melbourne) are currently moving towards a live-fire area. ?They call on the Australian and US forces to cease their involvement in the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the undeclared war in Pakistan.
The group has released the following statement:
In his article in the Monthly, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called Bonhoeffer ?without a doubt, the man I admire most in the history of the twentieth century.? We have taken the name of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, because he embodied a serious, costly commitment to peacemaking and ending injustice, ?a costly grace?. Yet Rudd?s $100 billion long-term military spending plan reveals the Prime Minister has forgotten his hero and is in need of some sisters and brothers to jog his memory.
That is why we will put our own bodies on the line in order to stop the U.S./ Australian Talisman Saber Military Exercises and jam a spoke in the wheel of war. ?These exercises are implicated in killing and injuring our sisters and brothers in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including untold numbers of civilians. This ?war without end?, as George Bush put it, has no exit strategy and no end in sight. ?We will not overcome the violent terrorism of the poor with the violent terrorism of the rich.
Rev. Moyle has been in contact with the Defence Department about our plans for more than 7 months (http://nonviolencestories.wordpress.com) in order to build a relationship of trust and openness. ?Air Commander Meier has stated in Parliament, ?If we know there is an unauthorised person into the Commonwealth land at Shoalwater Bay?the exercise is stopped.? ?The Defence Department has been notified of our presence on the base. We call on Air Commander Meier to keep his word to the Australian people.
We plan to be inside the area for as long as possible, and are well prepared for a long stay. We have released a red helium balloon from the base.
As Rudd?s hero Bonhoeffer put it, ?The church has three possible ways it can act against the State. ?First, it can ask the State if its actions are legitimate. ?Second, it can aid the victims of the State action? The third possibility is not just to bandage the victims under the wheel but to jam a spoke in the wheel itself.? With our actions and our lives we plan to do all three.
For footage and stills (full res) of the activists entering the area contact media spokesperson Treena Lenthall (0447 851 858).
This is an email from Jess.
Hi Friends – Hope you are all well.
I’ve been in sunny QLD for four days now, and have been busy organising for resisting the Talisman Sabre Military Training Exercises.
The US and Australian militaries blowing $200 million dollars in training for interoperability when we continue to be involved in wars of aggression that kills thousands of innocent civilians is a horrendous undertaking – and I’m hoping we can make a dint in the war machine while we’re here.
I’ve been working with the Peace Convergence, with lots of events coming up this weekend – see http://www.peaceconvergence.com. They will be posting updates (and already has stories of several things going down so far). There have been four arrests already – two up here, one in Cairns and vetran peace activist Jo Vallentine in Perth!
I have mostly been busy organising logistics for the overall Peace Convergence, and our personal action. I have also been handing out fliers to military personell encouraging them to resist war themselves; and marched in the biggest and most vibrant NAIDOC march I’ve ever seen! I also managed to get my mug in the paper – for just supporting another action!! http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2009/07/10/protesters-granted-bail-but-choose-jail-instead/
I have formed into an affinity group with Simon Moyle, Margaret Pestorious and Jarrod McKenna, and June Norman. We are calling ourselves the Bonhoeffer 5 after the peace theologian that our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd proports to honor. Jarrod has created a facebook group, which you’d be welcome to join.
http://www.facebook .com/group. php?gid=95652832 956#/group. php?gid=95652832 956&ref=mf
For those asking, why Bonhoeffer?
http://paceebene. org/blog/ jarrod-mckenna/ tailsman- sabre-bonhoeffer -5-kevin- rudd
I’ll make sure you are e-mailed updates as events unfold.
The big story for us here this week is Jim and Cairon’s action yesterday and subsequent bail refusal:
Cairon O’Reilly and Jim Dowling in Jail for resisting TS09
Early yesterday morning a small group of Christian peace activists set up a blockade on one of the access roads to the Shoalwater Bay war games, the so called Green Gate.http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/09/2621183.htm
They strung a banner across the road. It read: “In the name of God stop the wars +” Two knelt before it holding placards: “War is terror is war” and “End the war in Afghanistan”. The support crew stood by bearing witness with video cameras.
As Divine Providence would have it, they did not have to wait long. A convoy of 5 semitrailers carrying Yankee Humvees and Jeeps, two and three a piece, came along.
The blockade remained in place for two hours before the Rockhampton police came and directed the protesters to move. Ciaron O’Reilly and Jim Dowling chose to be arrested.
Later in Rockhampton Court they were taken before a magistrate who offered unrestricted bail but Ciaorn and Jim refused to take bail choosing rather to stay in prison for the duration of the Talisman Sabre war games.
Footage of the action was played on WIN regional Tv news tonight. ABC Radio carried it briefly.
Good on Ciaron and Jim! Their incarceration will be a running sore of a story during the rest of the war and peace games.
O’Reilly stated, “Talisman Sabre is a $250 million exercise in futility. Talisman Sabre is not a game or an exercise, it is a fantasy – a war theatre with no civilians! Most of those being killed by American, Australian and Pakistan militaries are innocent civilians, most fatalities have been women and children. The Af/Pak war is presently escalating and expanding. These Talisman Sabre exercises are significant preparations for more killing.
The Australian involvement in the war on Afghanistan is now eight years old. Ten Australian troops, hundreds of British and U.S. soldiers and thousands of Afghani civilians have been killed, millions of Afghanis and Pakistanis have been made homeless or forced to flee into exile.
I don’t have much e-mail access, but look forward to e-mailing when I can
Jess
Update:
The four have all been charged with tresspass. Jessica and Simon have also been charged with obstruction. They are currently at the Rockhampton watchhouse where they will be held over night after refusing to agree to police bail. They will appear in the Rockhampton court tomorrow morning.
A small crowd gathered outside the watchhouse as the four were brought in.
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Press Release
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Christian Activists found on Shoalwater Training Area
Margaret Pestorius, Jarrod McKenna, Jessica Morrison and Rev. Simon Moyle have been found this afternoon on the Shoalwater Bay military training area after entering the base yesterday. The four are expected to be taken to Rockhampton Police Station.
A great stand for Peace folks!
Pity they found you so early.
I hope they are looking afer you all at the watchhouse.
Prayers continuing from our Ballina group.
pace,
Celia
Update:
The Bonhoeffer 4 appeared in the Rockhampton Magistrates court this morning. The Magistrate refused to let the four be heard together. They individually pleaded guilty to the charges. Before they were sentenced each defendant spoke powerfully about why they took the action they did.
They were all given fines:
Jessica (Trespass & Obstruction) $1200
Margaret (Trespass) $400
Jarrod (Trespass) $200
Simon (Trespass & Obstruction) $700
The defendants made it clear that they would not pay the fines suggesting that they be given community service or the money go to community organisations that support peace.
Supporters were present in the court room and welcomed them out of the watchhouse when they were released.
At this stage, the police have confiscated some of their property such as mobile phones and cameras despite the fact that the matter has been dealt with in court. These articles have been kept by the state because they were used in the ?commission of a crime?. The four are currently in the process of appealing the forfeiture order. Jessica and Simon are unable to be contacted on their phones for this reason.
Watch the video on their action!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOM-GR9MkB4
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Press Release
14 July 2009
Activists refuse bail following their arrest at the Shoalwater military base
The Christian activists who spent over 30 hours on the Shoalwater Training Area during the Talisman Saber live firing exercise will spend a night in the Rockhampton watchhouse.
The four activists, Margaret Pestorius, Jarrod McKenna, Jessica Morrison and Rev. Simon Moyle were arrested this afternoon at the Shoalwater military base and charged with Trespass. Ms Morrison and Rev. Moyle were also charged with obstruction.
All four have refused police bail and will be held overnight in the Rockhampton watchhouse. They are scheduled to appear in court tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.
?We are relieved to know they are safe however we are concerned that the military failed to acknowledge that there were people on the base during the live firing stage of Talisman Saber. Clearly there were and yet the exercise was not halted. This is despite the protocol advised by Air Commander Meier who put it on the record in Parliament earlier this year that the exercise would stop if any one was found to be on the base,? said spokesperson Ms Treena Lenthall.
The four are expected to appear in court at 9.15am Wednesday 15 July.
For further information please contact Treena Lenthall 0447 851 858
“Talisman Sabre, Jesus, Bonhoeffer, Jaegerstaetter and the evolution of the Australian Church.” by John Tracey
http://unlearningtheproblem.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/talisman-sabre-jesus-bonhoeffer-jaegerstaetter-and-the-evolution-of-the-australian-church/