WAIHOPAI
SPYBASE PROTEST
JANUARY
19-21, 2007
The public face of New Zealand’s role as an American ally is the NZ
military presence in Afghanistan. But New Zealand’s most significant
contribution to that, and other American wars, including the one in Iraq, is
the Waihopai spybase.
Waihopai is controlled by the US, with New Zealand (including Parliament
and the Prime Minister) having little or no idea what goes on there (let alone
any control).
The Waihopai electronic intelligence gathering base is located in the
Waihopai Valley, near Blenheim. First announced in 1987, it is operated by New
Zealand's Government Communications
Security Bureau (GCSB) in the interests of the foreign Powers grouped
together in the super-secret UKUSA
Agreement (which shares global electronic and signals intelligence among
the intelligence agencies of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and NZ). Its two
satellite interception dishes (shielded from public view by giant domes)
intercept a huge volume of telephone calls, telexes, faxes, e-mail and computer
data communications. It spies on our Asia/Pacific neighbours, and forwards the
material on to the major partners in the UKUSA Agreement, specifically the US National Security Agency (NSA). Its
targets are international communications involving New Zealanders, including
the interception of international phone calls. The codename for this – Echelon
– has become notorious worldwide as the vast scope of its spying has become
public. New Zealand is an integral, albeit junior, part of a global spying
network, a network that is ultimately accountable only to its own constituent
agencies, not governments, and certainly not to citizens.
Waihopai does not operate in the
national interests of New Zealand or our neighbours. Basically it
is a foreign spybase on NZ soil and directly involves us in America’s wars. Waihopai must be closed.
We invite
people from around the country to join us for the weekend of anti-war protest
at this spybase. Come prepared for roughing it and camping out. We’ve hired a
marquee. We provide the food (note: we cater for vegetarians but vegans will have to
bring their own). Bring sleeping bag, groundsheet, a tent, torch, water
bottle, eating utensils, clothing for all weather, and $40 (or $20 unwaged) to
cover costs. Absolutely no open fires.
How to find our camp. Take Highway 6 out of Blenheim
(the Nelson road); cross the Wairau River bridge, take the first turn left, and
then drive for approximately 15 minutes until you reach the bridge turnoff which takes you to the Department of
Conservation’s Onamalutu camp (right turn at sign). It is a public campsite and
has some basic facilities. ABC has to pay a fixed charge per person.
I want to take part in the weekend of protest
Name --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phone/Fax/E-mail
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I enclose $40 ($20 unwaged) per person registration to
cover costs -------
I want to make a donation to the Waihopai campaign
---------------------------
I can help with publicity in my area or network Yes/No
I want to join the Anti-Bases Campaign. Annual membership
is $20 -------
CLOSE THE WAIHOPAI SPYBASE NOW!
Organised by the Anti-Bases Campaign, Box 2258,
Christchurch.
E-mail cafca@chch.planet.org.nz www.converge.org.nz/abc
Make all cheques to ABC.