Pine Gap Four charges dropped!

Got this message from Simon about an hour ago:

Pine gap 4's
convictions quashed
and retrial refused!
Woo hoo!

(Me and Simon and the other Simon went and visited the US Consulate last year during the initial trial, to talk with them about the Pine Gap military base.)

Media coverage:
'Christian activist 'curious' about jail' - ABC News
'Pine Gap activists to appeal convictions' - ABC News
'Court hears appeal from Pine Gap protesters' - ABC News
'Australian Christian anti-war activists appeal prosecution' - Ekklesia
'Pine Gap protesters' convictions quashed' - Herald Sun
'Court finds in favour of Pine Gap protestors' - ABC Darwin

Pine Gap in the news #12

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed the Pine Gap 4's sentence, claiming that the fines are 'manifestly inadequate', and that they need to go to gaol.
Donna Mulhearn and Adele Goldie are also appealling the conviction itself.

'Commonwealth appeals against Pine Gap sentences' - ABC News
'Govt to appeal "inadequate" Pine Gap fines' - Catholic News
'Commonwealth appeals Pine Gap sentences' - News.com.au
'Pine Gap protester surprised about DPP appeal' - ABC Alice Springs

No Gaol for Pine Gap 4!

Got this from Jess during lunch:

Small fines all round. 1250 for jim less for others.

And now they're heading up to Queensland to protest the Australia/US wargames at Shoalwater Bay.
If you want more news about Pine Gap click here.

Pine Gap in the news #11

'Four found guilty over Pine Gap break-in' - Sydney Morning Herald
'Four convicted of Australian defence facility break-in' - Radio Australia
'Four Christian pacifists guilty over Pine Gap break-in' - ABC News Online

Pine Gap 4: guilty on all counts

Just got this from Jess:

Guilty verdict on all counts. sentencing hearing today but she'll rule at 11:30 tomorrow. Crown asked that they all do time!

Pine Gap 4 verdict to be made tomorrow

Jess SMSed me this about an hour ago:

Court adjourne til 9 tomorrow. Judge has 5mins left of summation, then jury goes to deliberate. Please pray. Love jess

Pine Gap in the news #10

Jess reckons the Pine Gap case is going to be finishing today, and says that yesterday the Pine Gap Four's defences were ruled as inadmissable. (I don't really get what that means though.) Jess's written about it here.

Also:
'Break-in was reasonable, Christian pacifist tells court' - ABC News Online
'Pine Gap invader cries in court' - ABC Radio Australia

Pine Gap in the news #9

'Pine Gap protest linked to Iraq war, pacificists tell court' - ABC News Online

Pine Gap in the news #8

'Activists cross-examine Pine Gap deputy chief' - ABC News Online

Pine Gap in the news #7

'Protesters detained at Pine Gap' - The Age
'non-violent action at Pine Gap today' - Indymedia

Going into dialogue

Today me and Simon and Simon went to the US Consulate to meet with vice-consul Maya Dietz, to talk about Pine Gap. We weren't really expecting to get a meeting with anyone there when we asked for one. I'm glad we asked for a meeting though, rather than just presuming that they wouldn't want to meet with us. Fits well with what I was saying the other day about loving our enemies (or those we think are our enemies).
I got a few photos of the three of us, considering none of us normally dress up 'nicely':

Pine Gap in the news #6

This is from ABC News Online, and is particularly interesting, so I thought I should repost it here:

Pine Gap break-in trial stalls
A Supreme Court trial in the Northern Territory for four people accused of breaking into the Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility near Alice Springs has stalled.
A lawyer representing the Commonwealth is applying for public interest immunity to stop the defendants eliciting details about the facility's operations.
Bryan Law, Donna Mulhearn, Adele Goldie and Jim Dowling are facing up to seven years' jail over their alleged unauthorised entry into Pine Gap in December 2005.
Law has cross-examined the facility's deputy chief Michael Burgess about who he reports to and which agencies are involved in a daily joint management operational meeting.
The Crown prosecutor objected, saying it was not relevant to the charges.
But Law told the court he was trying to prove a link between the operation of Pine Gap and the committing of war crimes in Iraq by US and Australian forces.
He said his group was acting against the alleged war crimes.
The jury has been stood down while Michael Maurice QC applies for public interest immunity on behalf of the Commonwealth, in response to Law's line of questioning.

Pine Gap in the news #5

'The New Pacific Wall' - Foreign Policy in Focus
'Pine Gap 4 on Trial' - Indymedia

Pine Gap in the news #4

'Three plead not guilty to Pine Gap charges' - ABC Northern Territory
'Australia uses old law to deal with activists' - Legalbrief, South Africa

There's also some stuff on Indymedia: 'Pine Gap on Trial'
And Marcus has put some stuff up on Seeds: 'Pine Gap 6 On Trial'

Pine Gap in the news #3

'Judge rejects Pine Gap house arrest bid' - The Australian

Pine Gap vigil

So, today we (about a dozen of us, including kids) were in Bourke Street Mall from 12 noon till 2pm, reading out the names of people who've been killed in Iraq (coalition forces and Iraqis), praying and talking to people about Pine Gap. It was pretty full-on reading out the names of the people killed, and reading about who they were how they had died. A majority of the Iraqis were civilians - farmers, clerics, students, children.


Most of the people walking past ignored us (which wasn't surprising), but we still got to talk to a fair few people about Pine Gap, including one guy who lives in Alice Springs.
Also, we got a message from friends in Alice Springs, saying that the prosecutors were unsucessful in putting the Pine Gap Four under house arrest, which is good news.
For about the second hour we were down there it was raining, so this sign was a bit worse for wear by the end:

Pine Gap in the news #2

'Protesters gather for Pine Gap four' - The Australian

'Love your enemies'

Just been reading Jesus' famous sermon on the mount, as preparation for tomorrow's vigil. This bit in particular stood out to me:

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons [and daughters] of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers [and sisters], what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
(Matthew 5:43-48)

I'm thinking about the fact that if you hate your enemy then it's pretty difficult to have any hope for tranformation or reconciliation. It often means you can end up seeing them as being completely evil and yourself as being completely righteous in hating them. (That's called scapegoating.) We noticed that going on at the G20 last year, where some protesters were saying that if was fine to use violence against the police, because they weren't human anymore.

Pine Gap in the news #1

'Pine Gap peace activists facing possible house arrest' - WestEnder
'Pine Gap tresspass trial starts' - Brisbane Times

Support the Pine Gap 4

Next Tuesday May 29th 2007, four Christians will go on trial for attempting to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding the Pine Gap military base in the Northern Territory. They face seven years' imprisonment for their actions, and we invite you to lend your support. Join us on Tuesday in Bourke Street Mall as real human toll of the war in Iraq interrupts business as usual...
From 12pm, we will be conducting a prayer vigil, including reading aloud the names of many of those killed in the conflict so far. Please feel free to join us, and by your presence be a voice for peace.
Pine Gap is a joint US/Australian military facility that has played a significant role in the Iraq war. Its existence and activities call into question Australia's sovereignty as a nation, and make us complicit in the many war crimes that have already taken place in Iraq in the last four years.
There's more info about the Pine Gap 4 here.
There's also stuff going on in Cairns, Newcastle, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide and Baghdad, which you can find out about at the Pine Gap Six livejournal.
Have peace,
Christop
(wearing my Christian Activist Network hat)