The Nuclear Resister

Dear friends,

October 7 marked the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan.  While most of Australia has been trying to forget about this war which has claimed 28 Australian and tens of thousands of Afghan lives, some of us felt moved enough to go to the place where many, if not most, Australian troops deploy to fight what is called the war on terror (really, the war of terror).

About 25 folks gathered at the main gate of Brisbane’s Enoggera Army Base at 2.30 p.m. We planted white crosses with the names of the dead, both Australian and Afghan. We held placards with various messages, such as “Bring the Troops Home” and “War is Terror”, and placed a ten meter banner reading “In the Name of God, Stop the Wars” on the side fence.

photo by Mauro Heck

Over 150 people, most Catholic religious sisters and calling themselves “Friends of Francis”, converged at the main gate of Offutt Air Force Base, home of STRATCOM, on Sunday, October 2 to pray and act for peace.  Coming from numerous Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota cities, the group was commemorating the 25th anniversary of the October 4, 1986 Ecumenical Peace Gathering in Assisi and the annual feast of the man of peace, Francis of Assisi, as well as marking the tragic 10th anniversary of the beginning of the U.S. war with Afghanistan on October 6.

The gathering included prayers, singing and dancing. Martha Hennessy, the granddaughter of Dorothy Day – the founder of the Catholic Worker – was one of the speakers. At the end of the service the group moved onto the drive leading to the main gate of Offutt Air Force Base. Traffic was blocked while a statement was read, and three people crossed the property line and were immediately detained by base security. (See text of statement below)

Delaney Bruce, Executive Director of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee shared these words with supporters, following a telephone conversation with the imprisoned activist on October 1:

He’s doing well and is relieved to be out of Lewisburg. Leonard is no longer in solitary and his privileges have been restored (and ahead of schedule). He believes the living conditions at Coleman are much better and he’s met up with some old friends he knew at Leavenworth. He’s surrounded by Indigenous brothers, again, too. He asked me to thank all of you for all you’ve done on his behalf. He feels truly blessed.

The LPDOC also writes today of a critical support opportunity–

Fr. Moon Jung-Hyun (white beard) and Br. Park Do-Hyon, SJ, (yellow shirt), under arrest.

According to the latest update at savejejuisland.org, “Eleven South Korean college students have been beaten and arrested by naval soldiers and police while trying to visit Gureombi Rock”, the landmark site of the strategically provocative Navy base under construction at Gaengjong village on Jeju, South Korea’s Peace Island. “Fifteen people are now in custody. Secret police involvement in surveillance, arrests and brutality have been reported.”

Seven of the fifteen people have been in jail since August 24 or September 2, charged with violating posted orders not to obstruct the commerce of the private construction companies.  At least three dozen people were arrested during a series of massive police raids on the village and coastal peace camp on those days, which cleared the contested site for creation of a construction gate.

Dennis DuVall under arrest at Y-12, July 5, 2010. photo by jpKERNODLE

Y12 Resisters’ Sentencing • Day 7, Dennis DuVall

Report by Ralph  Hutchison, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance

Upon first meeting Dennis DuVall, with his Arizona tan, square jaw, bright eyes, and tall white cowboy hat, you can’t help but think “Marlboro Man.” Then you talk with Dennis and listen to the depth of his commitment, his bright wit, his thoughtful response in almost any circumstance, and you realize there is a lot going on under that hat.

That was never more apparent than this morning, in federal court in Knoxville, when Dennis stood before the judge. The hearing was a little a-kilter, because Dennis’s attorney, Robert Kurtz, had challenged his pre-sentencing report and it’s assignment of category points. Eventually the judge would recess to consider and then deny the motion, but the effect at the beginning of the hearing was the judge completely skipped the prosecution’s recommendation on Dennis’s sentence.