Waihopai Spybase Protest 2000

WAIHOPAI SPYBASE PROTEST
JANUARY 21- 23, 2000

The Waihopai electronic intelligence gathering base is located in the Waihopai Valley, near Blenheim. First announced in 1987, it is operated by New Zealand's Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) in the interests of the foreign Powers grouped together in the super-secret UKUSA Agreement (which shares global electronic and signals intelligence between the intelligence agencies of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and NZ). Its two satellite interception dishes (shielded from public view by giant domes) intercept a huge volume of telexes, faxes, electronic mail and computer data communications. It gathers this data from our Asia/Pacific neighbours, and forwards it on to the major partners in the UKUSA Agreement, specifically the US National Security Agency. Its targets include international communications involving New Zealanders. The second and newer dish enables Waihopai to intercept international phone calls, including New Zealanders'. It spies on our neighbours, people such as the Bougainvilleans and Timorese.

New Zealand is an integral, albeit junior, part of a global spying network, a network that is ultimately accountable only to its own constituent agencies, not governments, and certainly not to citizens.

It does not operate in the interests of New Zealand or our neighbours. To all intents and purposes, it is a foreign spybase. Waihopai is not in the public interest, therefore it must be closed.

For more information on Waihopai and Echelon, check out our spies index page.

We invite people from around the country to join us at the weekend of protest at this spybase. Come prepared for a weekend of roughing it and camping out. We've hired portaloos and a marquee. We provide the food. Bring sleeping bag, groundsheet, a tent, torch, water bottle, eating utensils, clothing for all weather, and $20 (if you haven't registered in advance). Absolutely no open fires. We are planning a range of activities to suit all tastes.

WAIHOPAI PROTEST PROGRAMME

JANUARY 21- 23, 2000

FRIDAY 21

Afternoon and evening. Arrive at campsite; set up camp; general housekeeping and settling in. Dinner. To find our camp. Take Highway 6 out of Blenheim (the Nelson road); just before Renwick, change, on the left, to Highway 63 (the Nelson Lakes road). A few kms down that, turn left down the Waihopai Valley road (winery on corner). The spybase is about 10 kms up the valley (you can’t miss it - 2 huge white domes). Our camp is about 1.5 kms past the base on the left. Look for the ABC sign. Be prepared for a weekend of roughing it. We’ve hired portaloos, a marquee and provide the food. Bring sleeping bag, groundsheet, air mattress, a tent, torch, water bottle, eating utensils, clothing for all weather, $20 (if you haven’t registered in advance), placards and banners. Absolutely no open fires.

SATURDAY 22

Morning. Breakfast; introductions; discussion of the weekend’s programme, tactics and new ideas; walk to the base for an on the spot explanation of what it does. An advance group will go into town and leaflet the Blenheim public. Late morning - travel to Blenheim, march through central business district.

12 noon - Seymour Square, Blenheim. Spies Picnic, including sausage sizzle & Best Dressed Spy Contest (don’t forget to bring your spy costume with you for the weekend). We will also be issuing and stamping passports for the Undemocratic Republic of UKUSA (seeing as Waihopai is not really part of New Zealand).

2.30 p.m. - peaceful protest at the base. Back to camp, dinner.

8 p.m. - video screening, Community Trust Centre (25 Alfred St, use back entrance off High St carpark, Blenheim, go upstairs). We are screening the 1999 Australian TV documentary 'Big Brother Is Listening', about Waihopai and the global spybase network of which it is but a small part.

Overnight - possible activities at base.

SUNDAY 23

Morning - breakfast; evaluation; discussion of the future of the campaign; possible activities at base. Lunch; dismantle camp; leave by early afternoon.

ABC can be contacted on ph/fax (03) 3663988 (Murray Horton) until the morning of Friday 21. After that it’s mobile 021 2641440. Those of you planning on attending the Waihopai Camp, 21 to 23 January, who need transport from Picton or Blenheim to Waihopai - please contact transport co-ordinator Evin Wood tel/fax 03-578-2259 or ewood@mlb.planet.gen.nz as soon as possible !

How to find our camp.

Take Highway 6 out of Blenheim (the Nelson road); just before Renwick, change, on the left, to Highway 63 (the Nelson Lakes road). A few kms down that, turn left down the Waihopai Valley road (winery on corner). The spybase is about 10 kms up the valley (you can't miss it - 2 huge white domes). Our camp is about 1.5 kms past the base on the left.

Look for the ABC sign.

We need people, money, and publicity.

I want to take part in the weekend of protest

Name

Address

Phone/Fax/E-mail --------------------------------------------------------

I enclose $20 per person registration to cover costs ---------------------

I want to make a donation to the Waihopai campaign

-------------------------------------------------

I can help with publicity in my area or network
Yes/No

-------------------------------------------

I want to join the Anti-Bases Campaign.

Annual membership is $20 -------

CLOSE THE WAIHOPAI SPYBASE NOW!

Organised by the Anti-Bases Campaign, Box 2258, Christchurch.
E-mail cafca@chch.planet.org.nz... Make any cheques payable to ABC.

10 January 2000

Chief Reporter

WAIHOPAI SPYBASE PROTEST

SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2.30 P.M.

People from all around New Zealand will be converging on the super secret Waihopai spybase, in Marlborough, on the weekend of January 21-23. There has been more than a decade of protests by the Anti Bases Campaign (ABC) since David Lange announced, in 1987, that Waihopai was going to be built, and our demand hasn’t changed - Waihopai is not in the public interest and it must be closed.

This year our protest weekend will be joined by Green MPs Rod Donald, Keith Locke, and Ian Ewen-Street. We are hopeful that the change of Government and the new Parliament will see an end to spybases on NZ soil and an end to NZ’s membership of secret intelligence agreements. The Greens share our commitment to the closure of Waihopai and the abolition of the NZ Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) which operates it. The Alliance has a policy critical of unaccountable intelligence agencies.

The shockwaves from 'Secret Power', Nicky Hager’s seminal 1996 book on NZ‘s role in the top secret UKUSA electronic intelligence sharing agreement, continue to reverberate around the world. For example, the US Congress is holding an inquiry into the activities of the US National Security Agency, the recipient of Waihopai’s spy data and the biggest Big Brother of the GCSB ’s international partners. Even NZ’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, Laurie Greig, admitted the obvious in his 1999 annual report, when he stated that the GCSB’s partner agencies in the UKUSA Agreement have access to Waihopai. Of course they do - the base exists for their benefit.

This was the first such official admission in NZ.

As well as the protest action at the base, there will be activities in Blenheim. Highlights include: SPIES’ PICNIC & BEST DRESSED SPY CONTEST, SEYMOUR SQUARE, 12 NOON, Sat 22. We will be issuing passports for the Undemocratic Republic of UKUSA. And a screening of the excellent 1999 Australian TV documentary 'Big Brother Is Listening'. This programme, which has never been shown on New Zealand TV, blows the cover on Waihopai and its network of sister spybases around the world.

8 P.M., Sat 22, COMMUNITY TRUST CENTRE (25 Alfred St, use back entrance off High St car park, upstairs).

CLOSE THE WAIHOPAI SPYBASE!

Murray Horton for ABC

ABC can be contacted on ph/fax (03) 3663988 (Murray Horton) until the morning of Friday 21. After that it’s mobile 021 2641440.

Link to the Anti-Bases Campaign Statement, 7 February 2000 - Close the Waihopai Spybase Protest Now!

Link to main page on Spies and the SIS

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