Antiwar Forces Unite

The April 30 antiwar mobilisation which saw 35,000 New Zealanders marching, marked a new stage in the growth of the New Zealand anti-war movement. Students participated in much greater numbers than ever before. Thousands marched in all the university cities, and Auckland had a 60% effective student strike on April 30.

At Victoria, an ad hoc anti-war committee was organised several weeks before April 30. This committee, which had weekly meetings of about 50 people, organised mobe publicity, teach-ins, pickets, etc., leading up to the mobilisation. The result was the largest ever student contingent in a Wellington antiwar march.

Following on the success of April 30, some of the organisers of the ad hoc antiwar committee felt it should become affiliated as an official student organisation. With this in mind an AGM was called for Friday, June 4.

More than 60 students crowded the lounge for the AGM. Russel Johnson kicked off the meeting by outlining the need for an organised antiwar movement on campus to bring together all the antiwar forces in common action. The meeting established the Student Antiwar Movement with the central aim of mobilising the campus against the Indochina war around the demand of immediate withdrawal of all N.Z., U.S. and allied forces from S.E. Asia. The further aims of demanding N.Z. withdrawal from Seato, Anzus, Ansam, and the Five Power Defence Pact, and offering assistance to student conscientious objectors, were adopted.

A committee was elected by the meeting consisting of a convener (Russel Johnson), secretary (Sue Chappie), treasurer (Ken Howell), and 7 committee members. Included on the committee are the Stud Ass Vice-President, the International Affairs Officer of SRC, and representatives from SCM, Catholic Society, Women's Liberation Movement, Labour Club and Socialist Action Club.

The anti-war movements in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch, and NZUSA have called for a further national antiwar mobilisation on July 30. The student Antiwar Movement will be making an all out effort to maximise student support for July 30. Why not help? Come to the Movement's general meetings, and help organise student anti-war activities. The next meeting is this Friday, June 18, 12 noon in lounge.