1st December 2003
This letter comes from Colombia, South America
Please make sure it goes to whoever is organizing the Peace Pirate
Expedition!
YES, YES, and Yes .... we want to help.
We are: Atlantis Ecological Community, Ireland and Colombia.
We have boat - Will Travel!
Our boat is small, about 57 foot, 1911 Norwegian fishing trawler converted
to sail, with engine. About 8 could travel in her. Rather narrow, couldn't
take a lot of cargo.
We've had her since 1979, she's called the Atlantis Adventure.
We are totally revolutionary political people who live absolutely outside of
society, no religion, no drugs, vegetarians, organic farmers in the
guerrilla-run mountains of Colombia. Our history goes back decades, a
wealth of activist experience in many countries.
We have been looking for something meaningful to do with our boat for years,
as a massive amount of energy, work and money has been poured into her to
renovate her. At this moment, she's on stilts in a boatyard being fixed,
but should be on water very early next year.
?Please tell us more about what your project is all about.
(Please don't send us to websites! - send direct material.)
We once offered our boat to Greenpeace but they were too snooty even to
answer....
Can give you masses more info. of course, just wanted to make initial
contact.
Ask anything you like, however personal. We like that.
Thrilled to hear of your plans - the wildest ideas are the best, they can be
made real, we know, we've done it a hundred times ... we are with you.
Jenny James and tribe
Atlantis Ecological Community,
Belen, Huila, Colombia
Boat at: Con's Boatyard,
Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland
Boat manager: Becky Garcia
We'll be waiting to hear from you, and all power to your creative elbows!
Ian, a huge hug for putting us on to this one. (How on earth did you find
them?)
NOW will you join us?!!
To 'joty' - there doesn't seem to be a complete email address on this - will
you forward what I have written to the relevant people? Thank you so much,
Jenny
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ian"
To:
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 3:27 PM
Subject: [DAAW] Sailors needed ~ Peace Pirates (fwd)
Jen, Many miles out of your way but heres an example of what can be
done with boats.
From: "joty"
Flotillas of Hope 2004 >>> Global Convergence to Nauru
Sailors needed ~ Peace Pirates
Hi there
I want to join this in 2004, either by sailing from or flying over... anyone
got any sailing contacts, boats, ships, ideas... Global Gaia tie up!!!!!!!!!!!
I am inspired and excited.
joty
__________________________
Flotillas of Hope 2004 >>> Global Convergence to Nauru
Hello Everybody,
I want to ask a favour of you - not for me but for human rights in
Australia and Nauru.
A week ago I emailed a call to action to the refugee activists from across
Australia. This call is "The Flotillas of Hope". I don't know how much you
know about Australia's current refugee policy. It is draconian and the worst in
the world for the signatories of the 1951 Refugee Convention. The Australian
government has now imprisoned over 300 men, women and children behind razor
wire on a tiny island in the Pacific, Nauru and about the same number on
Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Nauru is about 2000 kilometres north east of
Australia. It is an island that was dependent on phosphate mining when colonised. It is
now very poor because there's no more phosphate.
We want to bring the attention of the world, to Australia's current poor
human rights record, and to highlight the manner in which Nauru, being a country
in desperate need, was used for political gain, by the Howard government,
whilst it shirked its responsibilities as a signatory to the Refugee Convention.
We now have one definite boat and a crew of 4 including me, for the journey
Nauru is about 2,000 nautical miles north east of Australia in the Pacific
Ocean - very isolated and very poor. We will also brings gifts like electricity
generators for their only hospital. We are hoping other boats or ships can
join
us.
Could you please demonstrate your support for this direct action project by
writing a letter of support from yourself and / or any progressive groups
you are involved with in your country? Your letter will lift our members spirits
because they know that there are people watching what is happening from
across the planet. If you can find American or from any other country, boats and
sailors who wish to join us even better, or know of boats that may be in the
area of Nauru around May/June 2004 who want to converge that would be
wonderful.It would be wonderful to have other countries join us in actions
which demonstrate our international and global brotherhood.
Below you will find links and the original call to action.
in peace and solidarity
stavros AKA steve g
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Flotillas of Hope' - A Global Convergence on Nauru?
Ever since the Howard government came up with the `Pacific Solution',
refugee advocates have been grappling with the enormous difficulties of maintaining
contact with the people there and demonstrating support for their plight.
Much has already been done, thanks to the efforts of people like Elaine and Geoff
Smith and Lyn Murphy, whose Nauruwire.com project ( http://www.nauruwire.org
)has provided an invaluable conduit of information and support for those
stranded on the isolated island. The current initiative of A Just Australia
in developing a strategic approach towards the Nauru issue is another definite
step forward.
Now Steve Georgopoulos from the Hope Caravan has come up with an idea that
takes us to another level - a flotilla of boats from around the world converging
on Nauru - and possibly Christmas Island as well - to take our message of
support directly to the people who need it most. The idea may seem to be "outside
the square"; but the potential impact of such an undertaking could be enormous
in focusing global attention on the plight of those imprisoned there, including
many from the Tampa who continue to languish, despite their recognition as
refugees, while their more fortunate compatriots enjoy freedom and a new
life in New Zealand.
The logistics are daunting, but not impossible if the support and resources
are forthcoming. Already a vessel of suitable size has been pledged, and other
possibilities (including working in with organisations like Greenpeace) are
being explored. Sources of financial support are also being investigated.
The round trip would take about two months, and anyone interested in being part
of it would need to undertake a short course in basic seacraft skills. Timing
for the venture has yet to be finalised, although the knowledge that there's an
election in 2004 raises some interesting possibilities. Boats have played a
key role in bringing John Howard and his ilk to power - perhaps they might also
play a part in his downfall?
Judging from the volume of e-mail coming across the desk at RAR Admin,
refugee advocates and supporters are already rallying around this project. For more
information or offers of support contact Stavros at stevegeo@o... or visit
http://www.hopecaravan.com/flotillas.asp.
Anne Simpson
Rural Australians for Refugees Admin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flotillas of Hope
Hello Everybody
We went to Woomera in 2002 and to Baxter in 2003, both locations chosen in
part because they were isolated gulags. I have a fantasy which may become reality
if we wish it to.
Imagine this >>> next year, two flotilla of boats head off from the coasts
of Western and Eastern Australia simultaneously - destination Christmas Isalnd
and Nauru. Picture, say at least 10 boats in each flotilla and these boats carrying satellite mobile phones with which they are in contact with the planet.
Instead of a Sydney to Hobart race, a journey to two islands of Australian shame.
Now you don't have to be a media genius to see how much global media
interest this will generate. Neither do you have to be a political genius to see how
much such a scenario would piss Howard off!
I am not a sailor but Ruth is and we were having a chat one day about the
possibility. She estimated that it would take about 2 months for a round
trip to Nauru and back to Newcastle. Ruth told me that I would need to do a short
TAFE course in basic seacraft to be able to do the trip safely. We didn't talk
about the amount of time it would take to get to Christmas Island, however, anyone
familiar with sailing can estimate the time. I don't have access to a boat
but I hope that there people who do and want to sail to these places.
The refugee advocacy movement in Australia is huge and very well networked.
Now imagine if the Movement focussed its attention and energy on one major
project such as the boat journey to the island gulags what we could achieve. Imagine
if the Movement as a whole made a concerted effort to raise funds to support
such an action. Who knows, there may well be people on these lists who own boats
that can get us there. Those who cannot come away to the island gulags can be an
incredible network for media blitzes. Together we can shame this Howard
government and bring to the planet's attention the plight of innocent
refugees imprisoned on these islands.
Sure the commitment is big...instead of a few days in the desert, it will
require a lot more time commitment both in the journey and in the
preparation but I believe it would have an incredible impact.
We may be able to get the assistance of GreenPeace, maybe even have Rainbow
Warrior II join us! We may be able to get financial assistance from the
Greens, Democrats, Labor 4 Refugees, Amnesty International etc.
I don't know why but this idea has been germinating in my heart for a while
and I feel that now is the time to express it.
I believe that if we wish it to happen, it WILL happen.
So, please tell me what you think. Let's start imagining an action which
will hopefully turn around this country's attitude. Let us shame this Howard
Government and bring the world's spotlight on the two island prisons. Please
forward this to your networks.
stavros
http://www.hopecaravan.com/flotillas.asp
Flotillas_of_Hope-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/Flotillas of Hope.
http://sydney.indymedia.org/
--
Ian.