BY SUSAN PRICE
The United States and other First World governments are using the "war on terrorism" as a pretext to launch an offensive against the peoples of the Third World. All around the world, governments are attacking working people's living standards and civil liberties, and women's rights. International solidarity with the victims of war and oppression, especially with the asylum seekers imprisoned by Australian government, is urgently required.
Recognising this, International Women's Day (IWD) collectives around Australia are organising actions, on or around March 8, which include among their themes opposition to war and racism. Green Left Weekly spoke to activists around the country to find out what is being planned.
Jane Armanasco reported that the Perth IWD collective has planned a rally for Saturday March 9 with the tentative theme of "Stop the war on women". The collective is keen to promote demands that oppose racism, promote solidarity with women in the Third World and defend refugees' rights.
Susan Austin, from the Brisbane collective, told GLW that the city's demonstration, also on March 9, will raise the demand, "Stop the war on women at home and abroad". Other demands include: include: "Free the refugees, royal commission now!"; "Stop the 'war on terror', defend democratic rights"; "Reproductive rights, abortion on demand!"; "Free, 24-hour, quality child care" and "Stop domestic violence".
Austin said that the Brisbane-based Domestic Violence Resource Centre (DVRC) is threatened with closure in April because its funding has been slashed by the Queensland Labor government. It may be forced into a tendering process to provide the services it already provides. "IWD is keen to support the DVRC if it decides to launch a campaign to fight this attack on the service", Austin said.
Robyn Marshall, another Brisbane IWD activist, told GLW that the collective had organised a picket in King George Square on January 31 to protest against the detention of asylum seekers in the Australian government's "concentration camps in the desert". Inspired by the Thursdays In Black campaign, which draws attention to domestic violence, women were asked to wear black. It was felt that the detention centres are just a form violence and terror committed by the state.
Angela Luvera, from the Sydney IWD collective, reported that activists are meeting weekly at the Ashfield Migrant Resource Centre to organise a rally in Sydney Town Hall Square on March 9.
"This year's rally has a very clear political focus: to oppose Washington's so-called 'war on terrorism' and to campaign against racism and the attacks on refugees", Luvera said. "The collective includes women from the migrant communities, as well as students, left activists, greens and women who have never been involved in organising before. They are all so incensed at the US war mania. Of course, opposition to federal government's ideological attacks that seek to drive women out of the work force and back into the kitchen will also figure prominently on March 9."
"We are also supporting the Sydney West IWD collective, which is organising a speakout in the Parramatta Mall on March 8", Luvera added. The speakout will be followed by a film night in the Parramatta Town Hall. Historical footage of IWD marches and a film about the struggle of Iraqi women will be screened.
In Melbourne, the IWD march's demands include "Free the refugees, close the camps", "Drop the Third World debt not the bomb", "No attacks on unions", "Increase funding to community and women's services", "Women's bodies are not for sale" and "Reproductive rights for all women". Vivian Messimeris told GLW that the IWD collective at its January 31 meeting decided on a broad theme of "Stop the war on women".
The march and rally will take place on the evening of Friday, March 8. Speakers will include Tahmeena Faryal, a leader of Revolutionary Association of Women from Afghanistan.
In Adelaide, Natasha Izatt reported, a rally on March 8 in Victoria Square will be held, followed by a march to Parliament House via the federal immigration department office.
According to Izatt, the March 8 action will be an "upfront political protest" against the attacks on refugees and against US military aggression, in contrast to other IWD activities on March 9. "A walk and picnic with the theme, 'Because we're women', has been organised by a group which has refused to take up any political demands. Specifically, it has refused to adopt demands that oppose war and the attacks on refugees. They have opted for a 'celebration' instead.
Kerryn Williams, from the Canberra collective, told GLW that organising meetings for the city's IWD rally, planned for March 8 in Garema Place, has attracted many new faces.
The Hobart IWD collective on January 31 decided to concentrate on three issues at its March 9 action: access to abortion, refugees' rights and opposition to the so-called "war on terrorism".
A spokesperson for the collective, Anthea Stutter, explained: "Although laws were rushed through parliament at the end of last year to 'solve' the state's abortion crisis, public hospitals are still refusing to perform abortions. The new laws don't give women the right to choose abortion, they give doctors the right to decide instead."
Stutter told GLW that the issue has sparked one of the most significant feminist campaigns in Tasmania for a long time. "At short notice, 200 people attended a pro-choice rally last year. By making the right to choose a key issue for this year's IWD demonstration, the collective hopes to raise awareness that the problem of access to abortion in Tasmania has not gone away."
"We will demand non-judgmental, timely public provision of pregnancy terminations for women who need them and demand the repeal of all abortion laws."
The collective hopes to work with People for Choice, the abortion campaign group that formed in December.
For complete details of IWD actions around the country, or to contact the IWD collective in your city, check the Activist Calendar on page 23.
From Green Left Weekly, February 6, 2002.
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