Gareth Evans' words
If Senator Evans' strong words about hunting down and bringing to justice the Khmer Rouge killers is to be taken seriously when can we expect him to introduce legislation akin to the United States Torture Victim Protection Act? Under this act, Helen Todd has just been awarded US$19 million damages against Indonesian General Sintong Panjaitan for the killing of her son during the Dili massacre.
No doubt the Khmer Rouge were encouraged in their ruthless blood-shedding by the recent visit to Australia of Indonesian deputy president, General Try Sutrisno who, rather than being condemned outrightly for crimes against humanity, was wined and dined by the Australian government and invited to lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial.
If Gareth Evans' words are to have any clout at all with torturers, murderers and genocidists in our neighbourhood Australia must be prepared to extradite them to countries like the US to face trial until they can be charged here. Take heed President Suharto, your proposed visit to Australia next year may not go as smoothly as you think. Gareth means what he says!
Gareth W.R. Smith
O'Connor ACT
Brazil song
We all need to lift our game dramatically if planet Earth is to remain habitable for all life to continue to exist. A poem "Song of the Indigenous Forest People of Brazil" is about their life. Far different from the millionaire money-bags who ever seek new methods of living off more profits from the people they exploit.
We could learn quite a lot from their song:
River, you are our highway carrying us to places far away.
River, you are our marketplace where we find food and drink.
River, you rock our children to sleep and water our crops and sing us songs.
River, we will take care of you. We will not poison you or clear your forests. You are our lives.
Don Mackay
Port Macquarie NSW
Priscilla
Andrea Savage and Elle Morrell's comment on Kath Gelber's review of Priscilla (Write on, November 2) argues that portraying the sexism/racism of society is necessarily sexist/racist. This would seem to leave no possibility of non-sexist/racist film, literature or whatever except (maybe) science fiction and pure escapism. That is the road to "socialist realism".
The real question is not whether, but how a work treats existing sexism/racism. Does it reinforce sexist/racist stereotypes or undermine them?
Savage and Morrell are perhaps upset because Bob, aside from treating his Filipina wife badly, is portrayed as a generally sympathetic character. If only he picked his nose and sat around tearing wings off flies, we could be sure that Priscilla conveyed the message, "Sexism and racism are bad".
However, there are other, more subtle, ways of undermining stereotypes. One is to send them up. That, I would argue, is what Priscilla does. Other viewers may disagree — but let's discuss that, rather than setting up arbitrary and useless standards of what is or isn't sexist/racist.
Richard Ingram
Sydney
Brandon Astor Jones
On behalf of Mr Brandon Astor Jones, I wish to extend grateful thanks to those readers who have sent donations to enable him to purchase writing materials and postage stamps.
The prison authorities have recently changed the regulations, and prisoners may now receive cheques direct. However, it appears that there are difficulties in sending Citibank cheques, and it is now preferable to send American Express international money orders, which can be obtained at any Post Office in Australia (cost $6.00).
The money order should be made payable to "Mr Brandon Astor Jones EF-122216, G2-51" (please ensure that all numbers are included) and mailed to: Mr Brandon Astor Jones EF-122216, G2-51, GDCC, P.O. Box 3877, Jackson, Georgia 30233, USA.
If possible, please send a letter to Brandon with the money order giving your name and address (the prison authorities do not allow him to see the actual money order), as I know he will want to thank you.
Brandon is extremely grateful to GLW readers who make it possible for him to continue writing his articles. He sends his heartfelt thanks for giving him the opportunity to contact the world outside his prison walls and to educate us all concerning the social injustices against the poor and racial minorities in USA.
Stephanie Wilkinson
Co-ordinator, Australians Against Executions
Seven Hills NSW
Privatisation
Your editorial of 26 October about privatisation provides much needed information about the ways Governments have of keeping their financial arrangements with private companies secret.
As you point out the free loan of $223m. to the Sydney Harbour Tunnel Company has probably cost the government over $1 b. in interest foregone. Investigation of the M5 Motorway and the North-Western Freeway might reveal that such free loans are common, and that, when some private companies have become indebted in the process of construction they have been bailed out by other government loans which are either free of interest or subject to an artificially low rate of interest.
While an argument can be advanced for doing it, the large sums involved and the secrecy which surrounds the way the arrangements have come about, must raise a question mark about corruption. I believe that one journalist, from a large metropolitan paper, was refused access to the office of the Minister for Transport at one time for too close an interest in such financial arrangements.
All these secret and ad hoc financial arrangements with their overtones of collusion between government and private enterprise are unnecessary. Large public works can be built from the land values that they create. There is nothing new about this; the suggestion was made by Henry George one hundred years ago. There is nothing secret about it; every speculator in land knows about it. Already land values are rising in the Homebush area in expectation of the Olympic Games. Already real estate interest has shifted to the Mascot area in expectation of rising land values from the "new southern railway".
Land values are our money. They are created by the presence and activities of the community around any piece of land. Just think how much land value has been brought about by the Sydney Harbour Bridge — enough to pay for it a dozen times.
It is time we campaigned to get this money back!
Richard Giles
Enfield NSW
Racial violence bill
How interesting, this "racial violence bill" the Australian Labor Party intends foisting on us.
Are the recent statements by the current prime minister on "crushing Iraq" incitements to racial violence, or their (ALP) Timor Gap Treaty with Indonesia incitements to (forcefully) suppress the inalienable rights of the East Timorese people — not to mention the destruction of their property, stolen by this treaty (by BHP and others). Further, what racial injury have Australia's nefarious policies and actions towards the people of Bougainville done?
If this new law is necessary to curb the extremes, then these surely are the extremes that need curbing or punishment.
Robert Wood
Surry Hills NSW