How long has World Beyond War Aotearoa New Zealand been going?
I started coordinating the group here almost three years ago and have been going slowly since. I am also on the international board of WBW and a convener of the Pacific Peace Network, and have attended conferences in Toronto, Alice Springs, Darwin, Prague, and Ireland, where I have met some wonderful international peace activists who I work with now. Pretty early in the piece I was lucky to win the Sonja Davies Peace Award which gave me funding to study Peace Literacy in the US, which was when I was asked to head up WBW in NZ.
How many people turned up at the gathering?
It was raining cats and dogs on the day so we abandoned our plans to go on the beach and met instead at Matt's cafe in Haumoana. In the end there were about a dozen of us including a couple of delightful kids.
Who participated in the webinar which you hosted?
People from all over the world including the United States, Hawaii, Guahan/Guam, Australia, Philippines and Aotearoa – the link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2fPTaM6g7w&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3eCtDUJcQRqV4z82uyaj4jjR5K5J0VS7o0aqJegQXU-8euOUfg4MylyR4 There is also a petition, as below: https://diy.rootsaction.org/petitions/help-hawaii-stop-the-largest-naval-war-practice-in-the-world
Why is it important to keep the pressure on the governments to pull out of RIMPAC?
First because of the global risk of Covid-19, as land-based activities are still needed. Secondly, because it's dangerous to be in such a close alliance and at the beck and call of Donald Trump and his warmongering colleagues. Another aspect is that many soldiers return home with PTSD and there is not enough good treatment for them out there. At the same time we have an inquiry going on into the NZDF's actions in Afghanistan. How many countries are still participating and how many have pulled out?
Israel and Chile have pulled out due to concerns re Covid, with so far 24 countries remaining, to be confirmed.
Why should NZ distance itself from RIMPAC?
We need to re-define security, NZ has no enemies and the wellbeing of our Pacific neighbours should be our first concern.
Can you comment on this description of RIMPAC from the website? "RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans."
For decades New Zealand governments have said there is no direct military threat to this country nor are our armed forces large enough to deter any military aggression. Therefore we need to reframe how we view "security", away from outdated narrow military security concepts, and to transition away from maintaining combat-ready armed forces to civilian agencies that meet the wider security needs of all New Zealanders and our Pacific neighbours. Fisheries and resource protection, border control, and maritime search and rescue could be better done by a civilian coast guard with inshore and offshore capabilities, equipped with a range of vehicles, vessels and aircraft that are suitable for our coastline, Antarctica and the Pacific. WILPF believes that equipping civilian agencies for land-based search and rescue, and for humanitarian assistance here and overseas, would be a much cheaper option.
How would you describe the peace gathering?
It's always blissful to be around peace people who care much about creating a peaceful and just world as I do!
• For more information contact Liz on 027 333 1055 or liz@worldbeyondwar.org
Liz Remmerswaal is a former Hawke's Bay Regional councillor 2007-2013, and co-founder of Baywatch Environment Group and Cape Kidnappers Protection Society, and lives in Haumoana.
