Peace in Perth and the People’s Embassy : LeBoeuf’s Newsletter

Not in our name! Perth people responded within hours of the bombing campaign in Iraq on Thursday, the 20^th of March, 2003. A large protest gathered in Forrest Place, central Perth, and made a crowded walk to St. Georges’ Terrace, and to the United States Consulate. After occupying the street in front of the U.S. consulate in an angry but peaceful protest against the violence in Iraq, there was a call for the establishment of a permanent people's peace embassy in front of the Perth Concert Hall. It was the spontaneous beginnings of the Perth Peace Embassy – placed directly opposite to the premises of the US Consulate.

Perth's 'Biggest Ever Peace Rally’ – as billed – lived up to its name on the 22^nd of March, demonstrating a desire among Perth people to continue to lobby for peace in the face of the worsening war. The size of the rally was warming for Perth’s peace movement, encouraged further by the awesome peace movement developing simultaneously world wide. From the despair and outrage of activists who have struggled since 2001 to avert violence by promoting peaceful democratic action, Perth’s ‘Biggest Ever’ rally gave hope to peace activists through the mobilisation of so many supporters.

Peace protestors crowd William Street, extending in thousands to the north.

The peace movement in Perth is proving to be very diverse and strong – protesters sat at the corner of William and Saint Georges’ Terrace in the city’s biggest-ever street occupation.

At the central city’s busiest intersection – St. Georges Terrace and William Street – the ‘die-in’ highlighted the deaths of innocent Iraqi civilians, an expression of shared humanity with other ordinary people of the globe, however far away.

The protests over the last year and a half have spawned a population of people who – despite the comforts of living in Perth – are not sleeping comfortably with Australia’s decision to use violence against civilians in Iraq.

The Perth People's Peace Embassy came into being on the commencement of a war supported by the Australian government. As the antithesis of Australia’s war effort, the embassy is providing a direct and personal meeting place and landmark close to home, for those concerned about humanity in the Middle East, not with cheaply consuming the oil it produces.

I have become interested and involved in the mushrooming community of peace activists at the Perth Peoples Peace Embassy, and on Tuesday 25 March, I spoke with Ché, Brian and other ambassadors there over a cup of tea.

Discussions about the unfolding events in Iraq continued with Ian and Brian, and a gentleman passing on his way to the court stopped for a chat. There were exchanges of views about other wars in history and the necessity or otherwise of violent incursions into foreign territories.

A drum communicated to some of the other dedicated peace activists across the Terrace, who stand immediately in front of the US consulate during the mornings.

A group of protesters on the footpath at 18 Saint Georges’ Terrace,
near the entrance to the United States’ Consulate.

The people of the peace embassy seem to me to have some very valid concerns. Concerns, for example, about the ethics of invasion and violent conflict perpetrated by Australian authorities against civilians in Iraq. Concern that there is no proven link between the horrific events of September 11, 2001 in New York and responsibility of Iraq for this horror. Concern that Australia is helping in illegally invading a sovereign nation, with no evidence of Iraqi responsibility for terrorist acts against Australians in Bali. Concern that the conflict appears to be based upon domination of Iraq for the sake of oil markets.

No bases, No Sea Swaps (code-named U.S. Navy exchange) No bombing

– No Blood for Oil

How can thinking people in Perth understand the Australian leader’s decision to spend enormous Australian defence budgets on offence by invasion, without international sanction? The fortunate majority in Perth, comfortable and employed might well wonder whether this ‘defense’ spending is as effective a use of their taxes as education and health. How far should ‘border protection’ reach? How can young people, paying for their education, or homeless people, struggling to survive, or unemployed people struggling to make a living, watch their potential future taxes squandered on building a ‘relationship’ between Australia’s prime minister and his keeper, governor Bush, at such great humanitarian cost?

People stop by for a chat or to bring food and fruit every so often. On the table with leaflets, a vase of flowers is filled from a large water carrier. Hot water for tea and coffee comes from anonymous government departments in nearby faceless office buildings during office hours. Damp sheets and tablecloths are dried in the sun on the plaza during the day.

The people’s peace embassy is an organic collection of shelters, messages and people.

The embassy provides a welcoming forum for discussions about the unfolding horrors. It fosters a lively exchange of views and accommodates a diversity of people spending large amounts of time together, which is itself an achievement. The people have grown to know one other and to look after one another as the time has passed.

Sun beams over the buildings of Saint Georges’ Terrace onto Ché and some of the tents in the background, as the information table awaits passer-by.

‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’ – signs complete the northern aspect of the people’s peace embassy on Saint Georges Terrace, Tuesday 26 March

As I wrote this on Tuesday the 8^th of April, the people’s peace embassy was 19 (nearly 20) nights old. It endured some extremely heavy rainfall on the weekend of 29 – 30 March, but remains regardless of its detractors. Apparently, the City of Perth as well as the management of the Perth Concert Hall have been cooperative, making reasonable requests for constraints on their ‘tenants’ – but ultimately, it seems, supporting the democratic principle that use of public space in Perth should allow expression of diverse views.

The activists at the peace embassy mourn the daily toll of Iraqi civilians – conservatively estimated at 996 killed by mid Sunday – and this suggests that their presence is important for the conscience of peace minded people of Perth. News of more horrific killings of civilians came to hand on Monday. Robert Fisk has independently published on the web some photographs of the results of sickening violence against innocent civilians.

On Monday night, people at the peace embassy were keeping sane with a few cartwheels and flying kicks, while others moved belongings around under the tarpaulin. A communique arrived by messenger for one of the activists who had been interviewed for Perth Indymedia.

I recommend a visit to the people’s peace embassy at the forecourt of Perth Concert Hall. It is a place to contemplate the ongoing conflict, and to support peace by getting together with others who are confused, angry, cynical or outraged at the senseless killing continuing right now in Iraq. It is a place to remind us that our feelings are shared – that we are still human.

Agent LeBoeuf Tuesday 8^th April (copyleft – feel free to copy and distribute)