[imc-wellington] Fwd: Jeff Sluka, the IRA and the State Terror Raids of October 15th

[ksimpson at ihug.co.nz]

Kia ora

The October 15th Solidarity Group in Wellington invites you to a
public meeting!

Dr. Jeff Sluka will be speaking about State Terrorism in the Ruatoki Valley
Meeting time: Tues, 2 December at 6pm
Venue: St John's Church Hall, corner of Willis/Dixon Streets in Wellington

Political Anthropologist, Associate Professor Dr. Jeff Sluka, is
coming to Wellington.

On Tuesday 2nd December Jeff Sluka will be the key speaker at public
meeting discussing State terrorism during the 2007 ‘anti-terrorism’
raids in Ruatoki. This is the fifth in a series of meetings
hosted by the October 15th Solidarity Group group.

“Jeff,” says Anna Thorby from the October 15th Solidarity Group, “was
a guest speaker at the recent commemoration of the police
‘anti-terrorism’ raids at Ruatoki.” During his talk there he
described the raids as ‘politically misguided, morally wrong and
fundamentally counterproductive.’

Jeff Sluka is an anthropologist whose particular interest is armed
national liberation movements – that is, ‘freedom fighters’ – and he’s
one of the few social scientists who has actually done first-hand
research with people defined as ‘terrorists’ in their natural settings.

“Jeff challenges people to think about the labels of terrorism and
terrorist,” said Anna.

“After living in both west and north Belfast, Jeff has first-hand
knowledge of terrorism and the terrorising of communities. At
Ruatoki Jeff said that ‘aggressive police operations, like
those employed during the raids in the Ureweras, conducted by
paramilitary police backed by ‘special’ anti-terrorism legislation and
powers, are characteristic of state terrorism and military
occupation.’ Something he was used to in Northern Ireland.”

“Jeff told the gathering,” said Anna, “that as a result of the police
raids of October 15, the resultant awareness and need for security
consciousness made him feel ‘a bit like ‘coming home’ to the culture
of terror and resistance’ – a life he experienced whilst living in
Northern Ireland.”

“He makes people think about policing and counterinsurgency tactics
used by the State. He highlights the inherent dangers of paramilitary
policing.”

“We cannot forget about the raids that happened last year. People were
terrorised and one whole community in te Urewera was locked-down by
300 police, many of those police armed with automatic weapons. Next
time it could be you or your whānau targeted. Next time,” Anna
said, “when the police go storming ninja-style into a community,
someone could die.”

As a result of the raids last year there are now 18 people facing
charges. Attempts by the police to lay charges under the TSA failed
but people are still facing politically motivated charges under the
Arms Act. And a new charge of participating in an organised criminal
group has been laid against five of the 18.

Come and listen to Jeff Sluka at St John’s Church on Tuesday 2nd
December at 6 pm. For more details about the Solidarity Group visit
our website at: www.October15thSolidarity.info or email: info (at)
October15thSolidarity.info
****************************************
Please pass this message along to your contacts! Thanks!