Activists seek to revive peace march
By Kylie Moon
MELBOURNE — Anti-nuclear and peace activists have come together to organise a Palm Sunday rally and march on March 28.
The action was initiated by Jabiluka Action Group (JAG) activists and has brought together a range of organisations, including the Uniting Church, Committee for International Cooperation and Disarmament, National Union of Students, the Greens, Resistance and Friends of the Earth.
The coordinating committee includes peace activists experienced in organising the large Palm Sunday demonstrations of the late 1980s, as well as a new generation of anti-nuclear activists.
Ray Fulcher, a JAG activist, organiser of earlier Palm Sunday rallies and a member of the Democratic Socialist Party, told 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ that in the past Palm Sunday has mobilised as many as 100,000 people to stop the nuclear cycle. "While this year's action won't be on that scale, we want to expand on the size of the previous anti-Jabiluka mine rallies and reach larger numbers of people who oppose the Jabiluka mine."
The main demands will be: Stop Jabiluka uranium mine!, Land rights now! and Stop the nuclear threat! The rally will end with a festival.
The Uniting Church will send Palm Sunday posters to more than 1100 churches, and the Catholic Church has sent posters to 100 parishes. Defenders of Native Title will also advertise the rally.
There has been some opposition to the Palm Sunday march and rally within JAG from members of the International Socialist Organisation (ISO) and Socialist Alternative (SA). They have argued that the Palm Sunday demonstration will be "too passive", and likened it to a "funeral march" because of the participation of church-goers.
As a compromise with those who oppose the march and rally, a week-long "blockade" of North Ltd's offices, to begin after the march, was agreed to by JAG. However, the ISO and SA are now arguing that building the blockade is more important than building a large Palm Sunday demonstration.
The ISO publication red reaction argued that a "successful week-long blockade would be a further headache for North" and proposed that JAG should dispense with the broad Palm Sunday organising committee, control every aspect of the rally and end the march at the blockade.
The majority of JAG activists oppose this perspective and are seriously developing networks with organisations which oppose the Jabiluka mine. If you are able to help with organising or publicising the Palm Sunday march and rally, phone JAG on 9417 6660.