BY OSCAR
JUKES & RUTH RATCLIFFE
DARWIN — Cries of "UN, USA — no war, no way!’‘ woke up the usually sleepy Smith Street Mall as 2500 people took to the streets on March 15.
Larrakia activist June Mills opened the rally saying: "No more war on Iraq! They've been dropping bombs forever. They talk about a war on terrorism but I'm terrified.’‘
Rally chair Ray Hayes, a member of the Socialist Alliance, thanked the Uniting Church for providing public liability insurance for the event, allowing the event to get a street permit. Steve Orme of the Uniting Church told the crowd, "We are the conscience of the community not just a "mob’”. He was followed by Iman Adam of the Darwin Mosque, who said "as a society we have many differences but when it comes to justice we are all united’‘.
Brianna Pike, the organiser of the Books Not Bombs collective in Darwin, and Mark Wakeham of the NT Environment Centre also spoke. The No War Committee collected more than $500 in donations which will be used to build future actions.
The No War Committee decided to invite representatives of political parties who would voice their opposition to a war on Iraq regardless of UN backing. Dave Pollock spoke on behalf of the Greens and Ruth Ratcliffe on behalf of the Socialist Alliance. Labor Senator Trish Crossin attended the rally but was not prepared to speak on such a platform.
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, March 19, 2003.
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