What can a Citizen Do when the State Declares War on its Citizens? : Melbourne Indymedia

A few weeks ago the Federal government and every State and Territory government in Australia declared war on its citizens by removing fundamental rights, privileges and checks and balances that have protected Australian citizens from arbitrary arrest, imprisonment and interrogation. Many Australians have been surprised by the extent of these laws, wrongly believing that the Australian Constitution protects them from the arbitrary exercise of State power.

The proposed laws that will be passed through parliament in the next few months are primarily designed to be used to stifle dissent, not fight terrorism. Laws that will jail people for up to 7 years for promoting feelings of 'ill will' or 'hostility' between different groups that 'would threaten peace', are designed to stop protests against the government's Industrial Relations (IR) laws, not protect Australians against terrorist attacks.

The greatest threat faced by a citizen is the threat posed by a government that can use all the power at its disposal to implement its ideological agenda. The Stalins, Hitlers and Pol Pots of the world were able to murder millions of their citizens because they were able to exercise unbridled State power. Paradoxically, the laws that will soon be introduced pose a greater security threat to the individual and the community than any terrorist threat could ever pose. In such circumstances, citizens must act to protect themselves against attacks from government.

People for Constitutional Human Rights was formed to resist the government's attempts to strip away rights and liberties Australians have enjoyed for generations. We encourage individuals and groups around the country, to hold regular peaceful vigils outside Commonwealth parliamentary, judicial, enforcement and administrative offices around the country, to alert Australians to the dangers posed by a government that is able to exercise unlimited power and detain its citizens without charge or trial. We encourage individuals and groups to muster the courage, strength and will, to openly protest against these changes and promote the idea among Australians that they demand that their parliamentary representatives pressure the political parties they belong to, to adopt electoral policies that promote the idea that a referendum be held to give the Australian people the opportunity to incorporate a Bill of Rights in the Australian Constitution. Incorporating a Bill of Human Rights within the Australian Constitution will give Australians some protections against the arbitrary exercise of State power that they currently don't enjoy.

We encourage you to use any material available on our website. We encourage you to become involved in a campaign of peaceful vigils around the country. We encourage you to take this campaign directly to the Australian people. The thing governments fear most is not an internal or external terrorist threat but a forceful, peaceful mass movement that believes that ultimate political authority rests in the hands of the people, not the government of the day or the State.

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Meet members of People for Constitutional Human Rights at the following events and vigils. If you can't join us as you live in another part of the country, form your own group and commence to hold vigils outside Commonwealth
offices in your part of Australia. The more people who become involved in this movement the greater chance we have of forcing the government of the day to hold a referendum to include a Bill of Rights in the Australian Constitution.

* DEMONSTRATIONS FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES *
Rally on the steps of PARLIAMENT HOUSE, (Spring Street, Melbourne)
Saturday 1.00pm - October 22nd 2005
Rally endorsed by: People for Civil Liberties
They lied to us about `Weapons of Mass Destruction',
they lied to us about `Children Overboard' and now
they want us to trust them when they say these new laws
are for our own safety!!
SAY NO TO TERROR - SAY NO TO WAR - SAY NO TO TYRANNY

* Corner Swanston Street & Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne *
Wednesday 11.30am - 26th October 2005

* HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA - Melbourne Office *
Wednesday 11.30am - 2nd November 2005
Cnr La Trobe Street and William Street, Melbourne

* AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE HEADQUARTERS *
Wednesday 11.30am - 9th November 2005
383 La Trobe Street, Melbourne

* FEDERATION SQUARE - Melbourne *
Wednesday 11.30am - 16th November 2005
Cnr Flinders Street & St.Kilda Road, Melbourne