David Hicks issues Rally Sat 21st April Old Fannie Bay Gaol : Melbourne Indymedia

Nine months imposed by Howard’s phony deal

This is a national day of protest re the treatment of David Hicks and the need to promote universal human rights despite or even more because of the so-called war on terror.

David Hicks is just an Aussie caught up in this mess, deserted until
recently by his government, this has nothing to do with his character, it's all about due process.

In the NT the Chief Justice a year or so I believe described his treatment as abominable or something similar, and the Leader of the Opposition came out in January against his treatment.

We were asked to organise something to complement National Action on this day, so we are preparing a small rally at a brilliant venue for good media coverage of both the issues and the venue in fact. We propose to be outside the main gates and under the Fannie Bay Gaol sign from 10am Sat 21st April, with brief speeches and contributions welcomed from anyone who wishes to. (Prob. no amplification.)

We asked for permission to be given to briefly put a David Hicks look-alike in a cell with bars for a media opportunity, but this has been refused by Anna Malgorzewicz of MAGNT for the most specious of reasons. Apparently tourists are welcome there but not Darwin residents.

Having the media traipse though such a special place, would also promote the old Fannie Bay Gaol, so this woodabin a potentially win win situation.

Ah well ... Stay for a sausage sizzle, or head to Parap Markets for a luksa.

Rob Wesley-Smith
Darwin
89832113 0419 807175

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I wrote to the NT News about this Jan 31st pointing out that we are talking about the process rather than David the man:

To the "Let Hicks Rot" fraternity: forget Hicks, its not the man, it's the principle, and it could apply to any of us.

This Australian government has kowtowed to the Bush administration on just about everything. Both disrespect international law in many ways. Bush has created new bogus law to deal with people in countries he has invaded, and Howard/Downer/Ruddock go along with it.

No Aussie is safe overseas, even Howard proclaims this.

But Howard proclaims everyone has a right to the presumption of
innocence, yet in practice this applies to him, his Ministers and cronies, but not to the likes of Hicks, or you and me, mate.

Its not just Hicks denied natural justice in Guantanamo, its all the inmates. The UK recognised this and pulled its citizens out. However the most deserving criminals who should be inmates, if any, are those Coalition of the Willing leaders, Bush Blair and Howard, who have committed the crime of invading Iraq for its oil, and probably Afghanistan for revenge.

Rob Wesley-Smith

A few other quotes etc follow:

Louise Arbour: Justice Before Politics
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/020907G.shtml

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour argues that demands for justice and for the execution of international law should take precedence over political considerations in conflict resolution. "Some say: peace, first; justice afterwards. I've never heard anyone say: justice first, peace later. To subjugate justice to political processes is to compromise it. When we begin to say that 'justice must come into play at the right time,' we are, by definition, manipulating it."

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David Hicks may have been gagged but we have not. He may have been tortured into 'confession' but we remember the abuse of process, which preceded his plea. He may have been kidnapped but we are not going to be incarcerated by the Howard spin-doctors.

David Hicks is not the only victim of the 'War on Terror'.

This war has fundamentally compromised our basic rights and liberties. We no longer live in a 'democracy' free from arbitrary detention. We no longer insist that prisoners should not be tortured. We are willing to see our fellow citizens kidnapped. The truth is that the 'law' David broke was only created years after he was locked up. He cannot be tried in Australia because he has not broken any Australian law. How far will they go - and what will not be justified in - the name of 'National Security'?

The Howard Government has done a deal for the election year. They are trying to cover up 5 years of shameful inaction over the abuse of an Australian citizen. Don't let Howard off the hook. Join us as we tell the government that WE ARE STILL NOT HAPPY JOHN.

No gag orders. No secret deals. Close Guantanamo Bay. Free David now!

In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act -
George Orwell