SSS conference
I refer to Zanny Begg and Sam Wainwright's review of the recent SSS conference in Melbourne (GLW, July 21) and wish to express my disappointment at their narrow reporting and their conclusion that integrating approaches to environmental issues entails "sitting on the fence".
Begg and Wainwright's report was extremely selective and occasionally wrong. For example, no decision was made as to which campus would host the 1994 conference, and Russell Smith told us very little of substance on the first day; instead it was Gary Foley who turned Russell's speech into one of the "highlights" of the day.
Most disappointing of all, however, was the authors' expressed exertion that the 1994 conference should "exhibit a stronger commitment to building an independent environmental movement": a conclusion runs in total opposition to the theme of the whole conference.
The entire conference was wrapped around the theme that independent movements, whilst having merit in themselves, unfortunately also serve to maintain polarisation of different parties on environmental issues, and it is through complementing and combining our forces (the buzzword is "networking") that we can hope to achieve the greatest effect, with this conclusion based on the deep recognition that environmental and social justice issues themselves are intricately related.
Lastly, it would have been good to have seen some comment on the positive effect of the conference on the general morale of the attending students, particularly in terms of reinforcing their motivation and conviction to fight social/environmental justice.
Toni Begley
Mangerton NSW
ICAC and councils
The ICAC hearing of Mr Zouch, alleging he was bribed whilst an alderman on the Coff's Harbour Council, rings a bell.
For a long time, a pattern of operations of secret land-buying companies has become apparent.
These companies are seeking to buy land, as it is rezoned in a council process, into which they place one of their number. The person may be the mayor and he or she is in the box-seat, preparing the Environment Management Plan, as it goes through council, before a judge rules on its contents.
The plan itself, with its resident, and resident committees' inputs, goes on display in Council Chambers. To the average person, it means next to nothing. There are zones and zones, and zones becoming other zones, as classification of the bush is defined or changed.
But to the "shrewd 'ead", and long practised real estate operator, or rorter, every block, in every zone, gleams not with colour in the council plan, but with the alluring yellow of gold.
What the secret groups want is first pick of the blocks.
If they have their man on Council, or voting block, and another person in Council Admin, they will be pouring over the Environmental Management Plan, from the moment it is first drafted.
They can mark every best block, every group of best blocks, after checking the location, view, value, and re-sale value. Residents nearby, who believe their bush will not be destroyed, later have a rude awakening, e.g. residents at Emu Heights, Winmalee, and Springwood. Idyllic bush, the reason they moved to the Mountains, has been rezoned (unknown to the residents), bought (secretly), and is about to be dozered into landfill.
This operation may net the secret group a hundred or more blocks, reselling at 50% to 100% profit. In an area like the Blue Mountains, where an acre is now $100,000 to $150,000, the profit is high. Hence the secrecy, hence the need to control the local media, and to discredit, divide and neutralise opposition. In the Mountains, one pseudo-green group told a developer they would divide and neutralise his opposition for
$10,000.
When one reads of Zouch's case, and the alleged buying of the local paper (at Coff's Harbour), it is a question as to who else has followed this pattern of operations, and where.
The Blue Mountains Gazette has consistently omitted material that will uncover any such pattern of operations of secret land buying groups in the Mountains.
Acquisition of the Gazette was unnecessary, because it consistently identified with the new wave of developers.
Denis Kevans
Wentworth Falls NSW
Friends for Cuba
Over 300 USA-Cuba Friendshipment participants have assembled in Laredo, Texas to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. On Thursday 29 July they will attempt to drive 100 vehicles loaded with nearly 100 tons of aid, across the US border into Mexico in defiance of the US embargo. If they are successful, they will caravan to Tampico, Mexico where the aid will be loaded onto a Cuban freighter.
The Freedom Socialist Party is actively supporting and defending the Friendshipment and has initiated a mobilisation of its members and supporters in a campaign to fax US President, Bill Clinton, to demand that the caravan be allowed to pass unhindered into Mexico to continue its journey to Cuba with much needed aid.
As part of this campaign we are also demanding an end to the inhumane US embargo against Cuba, which is being tightened through enforcement of the Torricelli law, and the normalisation of relations with Cuba.
We are proud to join with other defenders of Cuba at this critical time for the Cuban revolution and have extended our solidarity to include an exchange of ideas. One hundred and fifty copies of the current Freedom Socialist newspaper containing an article in both English and Spanish titled "Eyewitness says the embattled revolution needs global aid and socialist democracy to survive" are on their way to Cuba as part of the caravan and a
credentialed Freedom Socialist reporter is travelling with the Friendshipment.
El internacionalismo, la llave para la libertad! Viva Cuba!
Alison Thorne
Freedom Socialist Party
Melbourne