No perpetrator has ever been found. And the killing continues: last year 88 women were killed.

Sydney Action for Juárez (SAFJ) – a group of activists, academics and students – was formed in 2009 to draw public attention to the unresolved brutal rape, mutilation and murder of “the women of Juárez”.

SAFJ was formed as a response to an international appeal made by Artivism, a group of Mexican-based artists and activists, to keep information about the “femicide” of Juárez in the public sphere.

“We want at least 100 Sydney women marching on International Women’s Day against the killing of Mexican women,” said Pilar Angón, a SAFJ’s member. Angón, a Mexican anthropologist now living in Sydney, said the women killed belonged to the most defenceless sectors in Mexican society. “They are young, indigenous and poor,” she said.

Once a watering hole for Americans, the city of Juárez grew rapidly after Mexico signed the now discredited North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the US in the 1990s. As part of the agreement, in the search for cheap labour, hundreds of US maquiladoras (assembly plants) sprang up in Juárez, a city that grew from 1. 3 million in the mid 1990s to an end and transit point of nearly 40 million people today.

The assembly plants lured hundreds and thousands of destitute residents from all over Mexico, especially young indigenous women from the impoverished southern state of Oaxaca.  The assembly plants often paid as little as US 50 cents an hour.

“The women murdered in Juárez represent a part of Mexico,” said Andrea Ballesteros, a Mexican historian. Now a Sydney resident, Ballesteros said the women from Juárez represented a society where violence has been institutionalised and impunity has become the norm. “And when violence is institutionalised there is no way of stopping it,” she said.

Most of the victims of these gruesome murders are women between 12 and 22 years of age. Amnesty International has documented 370 unresolved murders between 1993 and 2005. Many others are still missing, presumed murdered.

“The Mexican government was declared incompetent in terms of resolving and stopping these crimes against women,” said Pilar Angón.

This is one of the reasons, she said, that SAFJ has called on Sydney women to say “no more femicide in Juarez City” on International Women’s Day by joining their contingent in the  march. To join, meet at the Sydney Town Hall on March 6 at 11am. Look out for women carrying pink crosses. The march will proceed to Martin Place for a rally at 12.30 pm.

SAFJ is also organising a fundraising “Concert for Juarez”, on March 13 at 7.30 pm at the Paddington Uniting Church, Eastside Arts, 395 Oxford Street, Paddington ($20/$15 Conc.).  For more information contact Rosarela (9698 9949) or Liliana (0450 376672).

- By Antonio Castillo

Climate camps have since been held in Europe, the US and other parts of Australia, with Newcastle becoming a particular focus for being the world’s largest coal export complex.

Participants at the Newcastle Climate Camp complained of police heavy-handedness against the drummers, hip-hop artists and others involved, with many riot police not wearing identification.

Controversial “Cronulla riot” laws were used at a political protest for the first time, with some demonstrators present charged with offences relating to hanging banners or ‘locking on’ to stationary coal trains.

Blunden was one of six activists who appealed her conviction.  She told the Hub: “Our argument was based on a ‘necessity’ defence.  However, the judge did not agree with the argument that the severe risk posed by the burning of coal to the health of the planet, humans and other species was a good enough reason for breaking the law.”

One of the defence barristers, David Shoebridge, said that the defence of ‘necessity’ was well known in Australian law. Shoebridge, who appeared pro bono and is the lead Greens candidate for the NSW upper house ticket, told the Hub that  “the law can excuse otherwise unlawful actions if they are reasonable, proportionate and performed to avert a greater and imminent danger to life or property”.

“The court did find that we all genuinely believed that we had a good reason to break the law. However given that mining, exporting and burning coal is currently legal, the courts found that these legal activities deserved protection from disruption,” Blunden said.

In the court’s opinion, allowing the appeal would allow ‘anarchy.’

Although losing the appeal against conviction, the Newcastle six had their fines reduced from $1,500 to $400 each.

The lost 18-month legal defence against their convictions does not mean that the battle is over.  “We’re now considering our options,” said Blunden.

“Obviously we could keep appealing but the higher you go the more expenses you face.  We are fortunate to have some pro bono lawyers assisting us. If we simply refuse to pay the fine, it’s not as simple as going to gaol. In fact, they don’t lock you up anymore – instead they take away your driver’s licence and other annoying things.

“What we are trying to do is challenge the way the law thinks about harm. Climate change is no less dangerous than a car crash. If you explain you did something to avoid a car crash if your car was out of control, for instance, you can be found not guilty. But most people don’t realise that climate change is like a car crash waiting to happen.  If a court agreed with us and did find any climate protestor not guilty, you can just imagine that would set a precedent and be a huge challenge for the government and coal lobby.”

Although the lost appeal against conviction is a setback, Blunden is defiant, and said she feels that history is on her side.

“We will do the same as before,” she said. “ Keep on going along with the other millions of people in the world who want to face up to reality and survive as a species into the future. Would I do direct action again? Yes, of course, as would my other co-defendants. It’s our duty.”

The Newcastle six are:  Hazel Blunden, Emma Brindal, Edward Cranswick, Chris Doran, Ashwyn Falkingham and Kristy Walters. For more information on a Climate Change Summit in Canberra from March 13 to15, go to http://www.climatesummit.org.au/

- By Dale Mills

Until Mar 24, Sydney Opera House, $95-350, 9318 8200, opera-australia.org.au

Since it was first opened to traffic in the early 1800s, Oxford Street has sat at the crossroads. Just last month, the City of Sydney exhibited its latest $14 million plan to redevelop the heart of the strip. The City owns twenty percent of the properties along lower Oxford Street from Whitlam Square to Taylor Square and is the single largest landowner in the gay village. One hundred years ago, in late 1909 the City resumed all of the buildings on the north of the street in order to widen the boulevard. While some of the buildings were sold off, Council has retained ownership of many the properties. Under the City’s ambitious plans, most of the entire block between Crown and Riley will be made over for commercial use. And who in Sydney doesn’t love a facelift? In 2006 the City last presented its plans to redevelop the block. Council consulted far and wide. Local business and residents alike supported Clover Moore’s plans for a food emporium. Council took the concept to market. Residents didn’t want a loading zone in their quiet back lane. Large grocery store operators demanded rear lane access to unload their massive deliveries. Nothing happened at the site, while the large grocery monopolies, which control the national food chain, opened a deluxe grocery store and a faux organic food market right up the road, with Clover Moore’s approval and Council went back to the drawing board.

In 2006, the City evicted a number of non-profit, gay community organisations which left much of Oxford Street empty, while it made plans to redevelop the block — exacerbating the area’s downturn. The City’s few remaining gay tenants along the strip demanded an independent assessment of the exorbitant rates Council was charging. The assessor (commissioned by Council) suggested that, given the overall market conditions, rents should be reduced by one-third. They never have been.

This time around, without proper community consultation, Council has exhibited its latest plans to redevelop a multi-million dollar shopping arcade right in the heart of Sydney’s most famous, international gay district. It doesn’t take a trained property developer to guess what kinds of tenants the City of Sydney hopes to attract in order to offset its $14 million redevelopment price tag. Only large, faceless retail chains will be able to afford the premises, ensuring some of Sydney’s last remaining gay owned, independent retail shops will go bottom up. International tourists, hoping to visit a world-renowned gay district and locals hoping to find a unique and authentic retail experience will stumble upon yet another ubiquitous shopping strip. If you don’t know what I mean, visit Oxford Street’s namesake in London, where soulless chain stores line the boulevard for miles in what the Brits call “Clone Town” and all the cool places are tucked back in SOHO.

While Council has the opportunity to reinvigorate Oxford Street with independent, unique boutiques, artist studios and busting independent commerce, it lacks the vision. While it proposes a modern retail arcade west of Crown Street, in November the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Council intends to sell off the block between Crown and Taylor Square to the east for public housing, destroying the high street’s unique commercial identity. Throughout December, Council was promoting Oxford Street and Taylor Square as Sydney’s Cultural Quarter. In January the City purchased the former Taylor Square Hotel, stating it planned to use the site as a cycling hub. In February, Ehssan Veiszadeh reported in the City News that Council would not let the Tap Gallery, a long standing, independent art gallery occupy the site (despite the fact that the gallery had signed a lease with the previous owner). According to the latest edict, people are not allowed to attend art exhibitions and theatre openings in the City’s designated Cultural Quarter because they would drink wine at openings in violation of Council’s liquor freeze in the area. What is this town coming to? Soon they will be sending dogs through galleries in this town to sniff out shiraz and chardonnay.

This year’s Mardi Gras parade went into lock down at 6:30pm. Hyde Park was a no go zone, following last year’s anti social, drunken brawls. After the street party was disrupted by “certain elements”, this year “the authorities” as a Mardi Gras spokesperson told the press, put up a stronger gate to deter the gatecrashers. Visitors and locals alike pressed up against the six-foot tall barricades for hours waiting for the parade to begin. While the dykes on bikes rumbled in the distance, mounted police marched their horses up against the fence. Terrified old ladies clung to the barriers and parents pulled their children back in terror. Welcome to Sydney. Be careful.

Ruby Hunter was born in 1954; the Ngarrindjeri, Pitjantjarra, Kookatha singer and songwriter was a member of the Stolen Generation and she met fellow member Archie Roach when they were both teenagers living on the streets. Their partnership in life and music (subject of a documentary) was a truly great one full of love, life and inspiration to any who came across its path.

Ruby was renowned for her colourful outfits, flamboyant and often feathery headresses (which she made herself); but above all, an overwelmingly warm and considerate nature.

Both Ruby and Archie came to recording later in life, although the two started performing together around 1983. In 1990 I had the pleasure of interviewing Archie Roach after the release of what was to become his breakthrough album Charcoal Lane.

As flamboyant as Ruby was, Archie was modest, quiet and restrained in his thoughts. He talked with thanks and reverence of working with Paul Kelly who had produced and encouraged the album, but you could not mistake the love that burned in his eyes so much louder than his softly spoken words when he talked of Ruby.

Ruby released her debut album Thoughts Within in 1994 and won a Deadly for Female Artist of the Year in 2000, Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music in 2003 and Excellence in Film and Theatrical Score in 2004.

Ruby was also the inspiration behind the Black Arm Band, and she and Archie performed as part of that musical collective, whose performances at the Sydney Festival and then all over the world have significantly expanded the knowledge and awareness of contemporary Australian Indigenous music.

Ruby had been due to perform at the Adelaide Festival with Archie. Festival Director Paul Grabowsky (who recorded Ruby with Hunter and Roach) was deeply saddened by the news. “Ruby was one of the truly great voices of our country,” he said, “and as a member of the Stolen Generation, her story, so beautifully and candidly told, is a truly emblematic one; to hear her tell it was an honour.”

At Federation Square, on the day Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued his apology Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach performed the song of the Stolen Generation that Archie wrote, They Took the Children Away. As Archie could not hold back the tears it was once again in Ruby’s arms that he found comfort.

Ruby Hunter passed away in the arms of Archie Roach, surrounded by family.

On Thursday night my house basked in the wonderful sounds of Ruby Hunter’s voice once again, and as I listened to her sing Archie’s Down City Streets, Ruby was in all our hearts.

A funeral service will be held for Ruby Hunter Friday 5 March, at The Riverland Field Days Site, outside Bamera, South Australia.

There was once a golden era of alfresco free speech in Sydney, when the placid green fields of the Domain hosted a regular speaker’s corner every Sunday afternoon.

It was the chance for anybody with an axe to grind or a philosophy to express to grab a soapbox and confront the crowds of both listeners and hecklers.

Foremost amongst the orators of the Domain was the somewhat notorious Webster whose radical views on everything from religion to sexual freedom were often greeted with a storm of abuse and ridicule.

Following Webster’s death at the ripe old aged of 95 last year, the Reverend Bill Crews from the Exodus Foundation approached the Botanic Gardens Trust about scattering his ashes in the Domain.

Amazingly the Trust hit on the Exodus Foundation, which provides free food for the needy, for a $10,000 donation, to “honour” the remains. Eventually Rev Crews chose to clandestinely sprinkle the ashes at night and pay homage to one of this city’s most colourful characters.

It’s unlikely that the Trust will ever erect a statue to Webster in the Domain, although what an attraction it would become if it was equipped with a recording of Webster’s classic rants and punters could not only admire the impressive bronze but backchat as well.

These days on a sunny winter’s afternoon you’d be lucky to find one or two speakers still carrying on the tradition of Webster and his ilk in the Domain. The halcyon days seem long departed, especially when everybody with a blog on the internet is their very own demagogue.

Hey, come on Sydney, it doesn’t have to be that way, There’s nothing like a big gulp of fresh open air oxygen to get the intellect pumping. Grab a milk crate and head on down to the Domain and maybe we can bring back the true glory days of free speech and good old fashioned shit stirring.

Just don’t tell the stingy Gardens’ Trust or you’ll need an orator’s licence and be paying hourly rent on that milk crate.

THE HIT LIST:
Eugene Hideaway Bridges – Back for his 24th tour of Australia the big man of blues and soul from Houston Texas invites everybody to a Southern style chitlin’ party at Notes, 73 Enmore Rd, Newtown – Friday 19 Feb, 8.30pm $25 – www.noteslive.net.au

Son of Steel – A rare screening of what has to be one of Australia’s wildest and most neglected cult classics – a post punk, apocalyptic sci-fi musical comedy so ground breaking in its day that distributors remained totally confused denying it any theatrical release in this country. Starring Jeff Duff and with a cameo from Gordon Wood (the gap murderer), the screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Gary Keady and Jeff. Saturday 20 Feb, 7.30pm – Mu-Meson Archives, Annandale www.mumeson.org

Meanwhile, New Mardi Gras is under attack for excluding a queer animal rights group for being “not gay enough”.

Kiss-in co-organiser Ben Cooper, 22, from Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH), told the Hub that the message to the Government was that “we are still not equal”.

“Although we have de facto rights at a federal level, we still don’t have marriage, and we still don’t have adoption on an equal basis.  We still have a long way to go,” he said.

Among the Valentine’s Day smoochers was Holly, 26, who had heard about the kiss-in from a friend at work and came because she wanted to stand up for equality.  “I’m from the UK and we have civil relationships there and I can’t see why people can’t have equality with heterosexuals,” she said.

Same-sex marriage
A majority of gay and straight people now want same-sex marriage.  A September 2009 Queensland University study found that more than half of gay couples living together wanted marriage.

A Galaxy Omnibus study in the same year found 60 per cent of Australians believe that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry – a figure that has been steady for several years. As would be expected, those under 25 were the most supportive (74 per cent) and the least supportive were those over 50 (45 per cent). Even 50 per cent of Coalition supporters said they approved of same-sex marriage.

Gay marriage has been legalised in several European countries, South Africa, Canada and several US states.

But Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has rejected same-sex marriage and ignored the survey evidence, saying it was “not what the Australian people want”.  Perhaps Rudd sees it as a wedge issue: those voting for Rudd will do so regardless, while waverers may not vote for Rudd if he is seen as too pro-gay.

This conservative strategy could backfire badly for Labor:  it strengthens the appeal of the Greens in culturally rich areas such as Newtown, Darlinghurst and Bondi, reinforcing the Greens as the most gay-friendly party.
Rudd may be letting his religion get in the way of public policy: he has refused to give his personal views on gay marriage but has repeated that being against gay marriage “remains Labor policy…and will remain so into the future”.

And let’s not forget that Labor backed its words with deeds by supporting an amendment to the Marriage Act that banned gay marriage in 2004.  Before the ban, it was open to a future High Court decision to redefine marriage in a gender-neutral way, in line with similar courts in other countries.

Meanwhile Mardi Gras is in the shit
While the St Valentine’s Day kiss-in was a success for grassroots activism, New Mardi Gras has refused permission for a queer animal rights’ float to join the parade.

Sydney Queers for Animal Rights have marched in Mardi Gras for 14 years and were nominated ‘Most Creative Float’ in 2006.  But now they are banned, while floats from ANZ, Ikea and Virgin Blue are allowed, prompting the charge that New Mardi Gras is giving preference to large commercial interests.

A spokesperson for the group, Lynda Stoner, said: “We feel marginalised and discriminated against, and that’s really quite distressing, especially coming from Mardi Gras, which is all about making a stand against discrimination.”

New Mardi Gras co-chair Steph Sands has refused to comment about the exclusion.

There are many who now argue that Mardi Gras is losing its subversive spirit and becoming increasingly superficial and commercialised. But radical action continues at the grassroots level with kiss-in activists and others now busy campaigning for same-sex marriage rights.

A rally and march, organised by a wide coalition of groups, is planned for Sydney Town Hall at 1pm on March 20.

According to Greenpeace, the Keneally Government is on the verge of approving two new coal-fired power plants for NSW. Each plant will produce 2000 megawatts of dirty power per year, with one to be situated near Lithgow in the Blue Mountains and the other at Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley.

The Government has argued that it will be “up to the market” to decide whether the approved plants will run on coal or cleaner gas power. But campaigners say that in both regions all infrastructure is already in place for coal and that without clear carbon price signals, there is only one choice for the market to make.

Activists also claim that the decision the State Government is about to hand down will result in an additional 20 million tonnes per year of new greenhouse pollution in NSW.

For more information visit http://www.greenpeace.org.au/climate/GI-nswcoal.html and get to the rally next week to find out more.

pic from deck of Bob Barker by Jo-Anne Macarthur

Each successive summer sees an increasingly tense battle between Sea Shepherd and the Japanese whaling fleet – both in Antarctica and in the world media. Last year it was charges of kidnapping and attempted murder while this season has already seen the scuttling of the fastest boat to circumnavigate the globe.

The Sea Shepherd contingent is now beginning what it hopes will be the second consecutive week no whale has been able to be killed. In the last 48 hours, the two vessels Steve Irwin and Bob Barker had a 5-hour engagement with four of the whaling fleet’s main vessels at the geographic boundary of the Southern Ocean Sanctuary.

According to Sea Shepherd, their vessels whaling vessels to deliver a message in Japanese, warning the whalers to stay out of the sanctuary. This message was met by water cannon fire, which was returned by the Steve Irwin.

Captain Paul Watson’s account points to another dangerous escalation by the whaling fleet, who then allegedly attacked the Steve Irwin with high pressure hoses in an effort to destroy the helicopter on its deck, at which point the Bob Barker moved in to shield the Steve Irwin and force the Japanese whaling vessels back.

More comical, perhaps, is a newly-posted video that Sea Shepherd claims shows three Japanese crewmen injuring themselves when the pepper spray they allegedly use to deter activists blew back into their own faces.

Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson has demanded an apology from the Japanese Minister for Fisheries, Hirotaka Akamatsu, for echoing the claim that these three whalers were injured by vicious Sea Shepherd activists.