Photos and captions courtesy of Suara Bangsamoro Partylist

Filipino Muslim woman leader visits Waihopai spybase

in New Zealand

The Waihopai electronic intelligence gathering base, near Blenheim, 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.

The Waihopai spybase is New Zealand ’s most important contribution to the “War on Terror” and any other American-led wars. President Bush and President Arroyo of the Philippine shave declared that country to be the “Second Front” in the “War on Terror”, specifically in relation to the war that has been waged against Muslim separatists in the south of the Philippines since the 1970s. That war is current, directly involves US military Special Forces, and causes a huge amount of misery for the Muslim population of the southern Philippines . It is a safe bet that the network of which Waihopai is part targets that Muslim struggle in the southern Philippines .

Thus it is entirely appropriate that a touring speaker from that part of the Philippines, Amirah Ali Lidasan, a young, progressive woman leader of the Filipino Muslim people, should visit the Waihopai spybase to see for herself New Zealand’s involvement in the US-led global spybase network which targets her people (among others). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a representative of an actual target group has visited this top secret spybase.

Amirah Ali Lidasan visited the Waihopai spybase at 10.30 a.m. on Thursday October 25. A written permission from the Station Chief for our group to enter the outer perimeter of the base and walk up as far as the inner security gate. That written permission includes journalists who wish to accompany us.

From Philippine Solidarity Network of Aotearoa
Christichurch, New Zealand
 

________________________________________________

Muslim woman to speak on civil war in Philippines
By JANE DENNIS

ON Tuesday night, Filipina woman Amirah Ali Lidasan , the national vice- chairwoman of the Suara Bangsamoro Party List Organisation, will speak in Dunedin about the United States ‘‘War On Terror’’ and its impact on her people.

The young Muslim woman — with a history of senior leadership in the student movement in Manila and in groups such as the Moro Christian Peoples Alliance — was part of a Philippines human rights delegation which toured North America and Europe in March.

This is a chance for New Zealanders to hear from one of the voiceless, a Filipina Muslim, who is from a community that has suffered centuries of repression and neglect.►►►

Suara Bangsamoro Partylist Organization Amirah Ali Lidasan was accompanied by Steffan Browning Kaikoura Electorate Green Party spokesperson and Murray Horton of Philippines Solidarity Network of Aotearoa.

Steffan Browning Kaikoura Electorate Green Party is carrying Valerie Morse's recently published book, Against Freedom : The war on terrorism in everday New Zealand life. The irony being that Morse who has protested previously at Waihopai with Steffan and Murray, has not been seen on the streets of Wellington since the arrest of activists in anti-terrorist raids. Valerie's book specifically details scenarios of abuse of anti-terrorist laws.

The Philippines military has been waging a full-blown conventional war in the southern Philippines since the 1970s, alongside the better known and equally long war against communist guerrillas throughout the whole country.

That war is seeing some of its heaviest fighting in decades, with direct involvement from US Special Forces, which have been stationed in the southern Philippines since 2002.

It has had negative consequences for the whole Muslim population in the south, including Amirah and her family, and it has now become part and parcel of the ‘‘War on Terror’’ against Islamic terrorists. - Hidden Voices, is on October 23, at 7.30pm at the Gazebo Lounge, top floor, University of Otago Union building, off Cumberland St.

CLOSE THE WAIHOPAI SPYBASE NOW!

●   Waihopai is New Zealand’s biggest contribution to America’s wars, most notably in Afghanistan and the coming war on Iraq.

●   Waihopai does not operate in the interests of NZ or our neigh­bours.

●   It is not effectively accountable to Parliament or the people. It is exempt from key provisions of the Privacy Act and Crimes Act.

●   To all intents and purposes, it is a foreign spybase, working for, and providing raw intelligence directly to, the US.

●   Waihopai intercepts and records your international phone calls and e-mail.

●   Waihopai is a waste and blatant misuse of taxpayers’ money.
 

What does Waihopai actually do?

The 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 by giant domes) intercept a huge volume of satellite phone calls, including New Zealanders’ international calls, plus telexes, faxes, e-mail and

computer data communications. It gathers this data from our Asia/Pacific neighbours, and forwards it on to the major partners in the UKUSA Agreement,  specifically the US National Security Agency. Its targets include international communications involving New Zealanders. The codename for this – Echelon – has become notorious worldwide. New Zealand is an integral, albeit junior, part of a global spying network, one that is ultimately accountable only to its own constituent agencies, not governments, and certainly not to citizens.

How does Waihopai involve us in America’s wars?

Waihopai’s “Big Ears” cover a vast area of the Pacific. Although Iraq is on the other side of the world, the US military/intelligence network that is planning that war is global and depends on global facilities. Waihopai is strategically situated in the Pacific for spying on several countries, such as Indonesia, that do not support US war plans or the so-called “war on terror”. If New Zealanders disagree with US policies and warmongering, then Waihopai is located right here to monitor our own international e-mails and phone calls and report directly to Big Brother at our expense - because we pay for Waihopai with millions of our tax dollars every year. The Bush Administration has pronounced Intelligence to be the key component of all the wars that it is fighting, or planning to fight, throughout the world. Thus, much more so than any token commitment of the SAS or a frigate, the Waihopai spybase is New Zealand’s key contribution to all these American wars.

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.

http://www.converge.org.nz/abc/waihopai.html

The Waihopai base operated only one satellite dish until 1998,

when a second dish and advanced interception capabilities

were added to the station.

Waihopai Spybase Protest

JANUARY 16-18

The public face of New Zealand’s role as an American ally is the NZ military presence in both Iraq and Afghanistan. But New Zealand’s most significant contribution to those wars, and any other American wars, is the Waihopai spybase.

Waihopai is controlled by the US, with New Zealand (including Parliament) 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 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

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 portaloos, a marquee and a barbecue. 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 $30 (or $15 unwaged) to cover costs. Absolutely no open fires.

*How to find our camp. Take Highway 6 out of Blenheim (the Nelson road); just before Renwick, turn left onto to Highway 63 (the Nelson Lakes road). A few kms down that, turn left down the Waihopai Valley road (winery on corner). The spybase is about 10 kms up the valley (you can’t miss it - 2 huge white domes). Our camp is about 1.5 kms past the base on the left. Look for the ABC camp sign.

Waihopai Spybase Protest

Monday, 5 January 2004, 3:55 pm
Press Release: Anti Bases Campaign

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