2nd Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference, March 29 - April 1, 2002

>>> 3 weeks to go! <<<


Just some of the speakers from over 25 countries: 
-------------------------------------------------

Tahmeena Faryal, RAWA, a courageous young Afghani woman activist, exiled in Pakistan 

Dita Sari, the Indonesian union leader who rejected Reebok's $50,000 "human rights" award 

Farooq Tariq, Pakistani socialist & peace movement leader 

Michael Albert, founder of ZMagazine 

Victor Briz, young Filipino union leader 

Leaders of Brazil's MST (Landless Rural Workers Movement) 

Luis Pelayo, US advocate & activist for Hispanic workers' rights 

Boris Kagarlitsky, renowned Russian socialist writer & commentator 

Alex Callinicos, British Marxist intellectual 


From the Pacific Region:
------------------------

Jimmy Naouna, Pacific Concerns Resources Centre (PCRC), Fiji - Assistant Director - Decolonisation & Indigenous Rights [ depending on funding ]

Dr. John Ondawame, (West-)Papuan Presidium Council, and Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Uni Sydney

John Paska, President of PNG Trades Union Congress & PNG Labor Party

Powes Parkop, Melanesian Solidarity (MelSol), Papua New Guinea

Moses Havini, Bougainville Interim Government (soon Autonomous Government)

Sem Karoba, West-Papuan student leader [ depending on funding ]

( and more to be confirmed, plus of course the Australian Solidarity Groups for West-Papua, PNG, and Bougainville )

[ an invitation to Oscar Temaru from the pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira party of Te Ao Maohi (French Polynesia) is on its way ]


Featuring: 
----------

Global Solidarity Action for Refugees, March 31, Villawood refugee prison
(see [1] below) 

Discussion towards an Asia Pacific Social Forum
(see [2] below}


Opening public meeting: 7pm, March 28 

>>> Register now! <<<

Phone:    (+61)(0)2 9690 1230
FreeCall: 1800 634 206 (only in Australia)
Mobile:   (+61)(0)421 322 175 (Mobile)
Email:    APISC2002@greenleft.org.au 
WWWeb:    http://www.global-revolt.org/
_______________________________________________________

[1] Breaking down the Borders:
Global Solidarity Action for Refugees
Villawood Refugee Prison: Sunday, March 31

Featuring speakers from the
Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference

Endorsed by:
Free the Refugees Campaign, Rural Australians for Refugees, United Nations Association of Australia, Refugee Action Coalition, International Federation of Iraqi and Iranian Refugees, Refugee Action Collective (Melbourne Central), Refugee Action Collective (Canberra), Refugee Action Collective (Lismore), Edmund Rice Centre, Mary McKillop Institute, Father Claude Mostowik, Progressive Young Hazaras, Health Professionals for Global Responsibility (NSW), Action for World Development, Nicholas Poynder QC, Peter McGregor (Lecturer in Media & Social Studies, UWS Penrith), Thang Ngo (Fairfield Councillor), PNG Solidarity Action, Women Against War & Racism, Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific, Socialist Alliance, Labor for Refugees, Resistance, Democratic Socialist Party, Refugee Action Collective (Illawarra), Newcastle Action for Refugee Rights, Actively Radical TV, Bougainville Freedom Movement, Australian West Papua Association, Australian East Timor Association 


[2] Towards an Asia Pacific Social Forum 

The following media release was sent out to Australian media on February 7 by the conference organising committee:

Region’s activists to discuss launch of Asia Pacific Social Forum 

In the wake of the second successful World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, activists from the Asia Pacific are to meet in Sydney on March 31 to discuss the formation of a regional social forum to oppose corporate globalisation and the stepped up US-led military intervention in the Third World. 

Activists from the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia who recently attended the WSF (which attracted 50,000 activists from around the world) will be part of this important discussion, to be hosted by the 2nd Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference (Sydney, March 31-April 2, 2002). 

“The Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference will show that movement against corporate globalisation and war is alive and well in this region”, said Mr Peter Boyle, a conference organiser. 

“The bullying by the US President George Bush and his Pacific deputy sheriff John Howard is going to meet serious resistance.” 

The 1st Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference – held in Sydney April 10-13, 1998 – attracted 750 participants including 67 international representatives, including leading activists from Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, South Korea, East Timor, PNG, New Zealand, Singapore, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

____________________________________________________________
Second Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference 2002
SYDNEY BOYS HIGH, MOORE PARK, SURRY HILLS (Sydney-Australia)
Easter 2002: Friday, March 29 - Monday, April 1
(Conference launch & rally on Thursday, March 28 at 7:00 pm)
Contact: Phone (02) 9690 1230 - Email APISC_Sydney@yahoo.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~