Supporters of Julian Assange gathered outside Lismore Baths on Saturday, the 20th Anniversary of the Iraq war, to add their voice to those who would see the journalist free.
I was an insightful meeting and a solid show of support for Assange’s freedom in the aftermath of his arrest for publishing the truth. It was ‘Lismore’s Belmarsh Tribunal’ as Roy Drew from the creator of the Northern NSW 4 Assange, stated. In saying this he urged people to watch the ‘Sydney Belmarsh Tribunal’ found on the Facebook and Twitter pages he manages. In what now is being aptly termed as Julian’s ‘hostage’ status.
This rally had a number of focal points; the release of Julian Assange, whistleblowing in general, the unconditional demand for freedom of speech, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and on the talk of further war on our horizon. Addressing history threatening to be repeated with US led wars being sold to us on the AUKUS front. Bewildering to most that AUKUS was born in secrecy during the Morrison era in the midst of his ministerial plate-spinning saga.
In-depth list
An in-depth list was provided to us by speaker Miriam Torzillo (an anti-militarist activist with Wage Peace) of some of the major corporations that profit from war/weapons sales, that in turn fund public sectors such as education. Her message is to educate ourselves of the monetary incentives of war and the chilling conflicts of interest that are occurring.
Assange, Chelsea Manning, David McBride and the multitude of other investigative journalists, military personal, community members keep bring us proof of corruption. Its all in the hope we’ll apply discernment when the next war is sold to us on the front pages of our major newspapers. Yet here we are. Last week images of a fleets of bomber planes headed towards us through ominous reddened skies- casually predicting a war with China within three years. This was featured on the front page of two major newspapers. If you are afraid, you should be, but not of China, as John Pilger points out in his captivating film The Coming War On China, an investigation into the lack of threat from China.
The aim of this gathering was to teach, update and motivate our community, adding to the global momentum as Graeme Dunstan reiterated. In working in close quarters with Assange’s father, John Shipton, Graeme shares his passion like an uncle for Julian”s release.
His plea is simply watch the film Ithaka. (Free on ABC iView). Alternatively, we will all pay for the loss of freedom of speech. As McBride said at the Melbourne rally Sunday just gone; Anthony Albanese would be better off going down in history as the PM that saved Julian Assange rather than one that let him die.
Whistle blowers and publishers must be protected
Whistle blowers and publishers must be protected not punished, murdered and or tortured by our own states. Their ultimate intentions; to restore integrity in leadership. To inform readers briefly, David McBride, a Major/Lawyer, Soldier and now whistle blower from the Australian Army pushed internally for Dept of defence to be exactly that: defence -not offence as called out corruption.
David McBride stresses to Michael West in an interview that he should be reinstated to clean up the department not jail him for going to the media – which by the way, after internal avenues failed, he was within his rights to go to the media as departmental policy stated.
In light of Assange and Manning’s reveal of war crimes. Acknowledgement of this occurrence, solid steps and accountability is what’s needed. To honour the deaths as being more than ‘collateral damage’ or as Julian puts it: ‘collateral murder’. For the indigenous families of Iraq and Afghanistan, in particular the civilian deaths, estimated to be 900 000.
It’s the likes of Assange, Manning and McBride that are seen as the real hero’s to their national grief. Hideous crimes are still being committed overseas and here at home, unsurprisingly mostly for resources and power. Even as we speak in this country, there’s an ongoing war between unrestrained corporate greed and our indigenous people. Not to mention our ecology, farmers and citizen scientists. First nation’s Gurridyula charismatically reports the unravelling crimes and morally bankrupt acts by Adani. Stressing, along with water at the sacred Doongmabulla Springs and in his shout out to the Pilliga, these prominent water recharging sites for the Great Artesian Basin are under threat to all Australian’s survival.
Protection and unbiased media is non-negotiable
Protection and unbiased media support for all our brave messengers is non-negotiable. It’s a national embarrassment in seeing the phenomenal rise in support for these messages to be dealt with morally.
The global wounds in witnessing the punishment of Julian Assange and countless others that bring us the truth must be addressed with the upmost integrity on every level as a matter of dire national and global faith in our leadership.
It is simply about education.
For those of us with apathy or resistance in supporting Julian Assange’s release, it may not be our fault but it can be remedied with reputable sources of information and a willingness to look into both sides of his case. Although reducing, this lack of support seems to be down, in part to, “tabloidisation.”
News headings or dramatic articles from the inner circle of the press and government officials that have far reaching and effective cultural impacts. While drumming up a war to say we were now a target of Iraq and if we remember correctly, went ahead without the UN’s approval for what has now been proven to have been fought on false grounds.
Simultaneously to running smear campaigns from fabricated rape claims, niggly points about his personality, to biggest lie, that it was him that was a threat to our national security. Now media outlets are openly saying they released the narrative without the proof. For what? A solid US foot hold in Iraq and nearly a million dead innocent civilians.
Tabloidisation, effectively enables the tired or over empathetic to disconnect.
All the leaks have been mismanaged
However, when you finally see the documentation of ill-happenings for yourself and learn how all the leaks have been mismanaged and where more efforts are going to persecuting and jailing these messengers- that alone is telling.
Without further ado, big thanks to all the organisers and speakers; Aunty Thelma and Aunty Shay, Miriam, Graham and Roy (mentioned above), Eddie Lloyd (Violet Coco’s lawyer), ‘Free the Truth’ director Kym Staton, US Imprisoned and deported Poet Drow Smith and Musicians Lucie Garlik and Brodie Buttons.
Violet Coco out of jail
And congratulations to Eddie Lloyd for getting climate change protester, Violet Coco out of jail, this is a win, although unfathomable that she had to fight this fight.
Visit www.assangecampaign.org.au or assangefreedom.network to find out how you can support the unconditional release of Julian Assange and free the press.
Yvonne Preston is a team member with Northern Rivers NSW 4 Assange.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
