Media release

8 October 2001

The recently formed Coalition For Peace in Whangarei confirms their previous announcement, that there will be a Candle-lit Vigil this evening, from 5-7pm, at the Cenotaph, opposite the Rose Street Bus Street Terminal to mark the beginning of bombing in Afghanistan by the USA-led military movement.

The Coalition for Peace states that the Vigil is to mark broad opposition in this country to New Zealand supporting US attacks on other countries, our strong opposition to terrorist acts of all kinds, and our call for nations and peoples to genuinely address the causes of war and terrorism.

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind," quoted one of the Coalition's spokespersons Carol Peters. "Our Coalition, along with other groups throughout New Zealand and beyond our shores, deplores the counter-productive use of violence in retaliation for the terrible attacks of September 11th. The Gulf War never achieved its stated aims of ousting Saddam Hussein in Iraq, but only of achieving huge numbers of civilian casualties during the war, and some half million children's deaths since."

"The nations of the rich world must be more genuinely addressing the grievances of the peoples of the world suffering under economic and political oppression. It does not help New Zealand or the USA if we are scapegoating ethnic minorities in our own country or overseas," said spokesperson Tim Howard.

"We call on the people of Whangarei to join us in the Vigil tonight at 5pm, and on this Friday at lunchtime in the Mall. Our voices and feelings need to be expressed and heard".

Coalition For Peace Whangarei.
Contacts: Cheree (09) 430 8588; Jan (09) 438 5889; Tim (09) 434 6633; Carol (09) 437 0185; Vaughan (09) 433 8897 / 437 0185.

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