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Protest targets Israel’s flotilla raid Protesters gathered in Byron Bay last Saturday to espress their opposition to Israel’s recent attack on an aid flotilla bound for Gaza. Organiser Gareth Smith told The Echo, ‘We got 23 signatures to a letter to Kevin Rudd plus complaints to the police over the “offensiveness” of our banners. ‘Interactions with Israelis were friendly, so unlike last September when two threatened to kill me had we been in Israel.’ The letter to PM Rudd reads in part: ‘We the undersigned call on the Australian government to condemn in the harshest terms Israel’s acts of piracy and murder in international waters of humanitarian aid activists. ‘The siege of Gaza violates international law as it is collective punishment. Israel blockades nearly all the essentials of life from the captive 1.5 million people of Gaza whose only “crime” was to express their democratic choice of Hamas in a fair and well scrutinised election.
‘After the Israeli blitzkrieg of Operation Cast Lead which attacked schools, sewage and water treatment plants, the university, police stations and other civil agencies (20,000 homes were destroyed), the need for reconstruction is massive yet Israel bans all building materials.
‘Israel’s inhumanity and breach of UN resolutions is a matter of record and yet Australia mutes its criticism and boasts Israel as friend. We call on your government to make a principled stand by condemning outright this latest Israeli barbarity and to demand an
end of the siege of Gaza in the UN and other fora; support Israeli boycott, disinvestment and sanctions; support calls for an international enquiry into the flotilla massacre; and enforce the law preventing Australians from serving in the IDF.’
Local dance troupe wins at indigenous festival
On Saturday May 29 around festival in Inala near Brisbane30 local kids took part in the and won. 55 Station Street Mullumbimby 02 6684 4036 dance comp at Stylin Up InThe crew, who are aged bewww.poincianacafe.com digenous Hip Hop and R&B tween 9 and 21 years, call themselves The United Nations of Hip Hop and come from Federal, Mullumbimby, Lismore and Coraki and even as far as Yamba. The name came about as three quarters of the group are of indigenous Australian background with the rest of the group’s heritage covering many corners of the globe. The young people have been taking in dance and circus workshops over the sun 30 may past three months, at their 2010 schools, community centres and church halls, run by arts SINCERE THANKS TO ALL OUR SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS AND workers Zahra, Lou and Mitch and Nadine from the Creative PARTICIPANTS FOR A GREAT CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT. People Collective. PRINCIPAL SPONSORS
Aisha, Marli and Bodhi from Federal and Lulu and sisters Nadji and Phoebe from Mullumbimby, have been working with Zahra and Lou at circus and dance workshops weekly in Federal. There, with other children in the community, they learn acrobatics which they incorporate into dance routines. ‘The level of dance at the competition was very high and quite daunting for our group to watch before they performed,’ said circus teacher Lou Harwood, ‘but as soon as they hit the stage,( despite a three hour plus journey to the festival for some of the kids!) they unleashed their amazing energy and ability we have witnessed over the few months we have
worked with these kids. ‘Their choreography and music, thanks to their dance teacher Zhara, is very original and of a very high quality, combining street dance moves with circus balances and acrobatics. ‘This group of children and young people are some of the most amazing kids I have worked with. They are highly skilled in learning and perfecting new dance and circus moves, have great determinism, imagination, intelligence, and resilience. ‘I think it is for these reasons, plus the fact they they are all astounding performers, that the United Nations of Hip Hop, wowed their audience and won the competition and trophy at Stylin Up.’
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ACTIVITY SPONSORS NORTH COAST HOLIDAY PARKS • LUCKY DUCK GIFT SHOP • DOLPHIN CAFE BYRON BAY ECO-CHARTERS • BRUNSWICK SEASIDE HOLIDAYS BRUNS BOOTCAMP • DOMINIC’S RESTAURANT • CINO BAMBINO • SANCTUM RIVERSIDE ESPRESSO BAR • CANCER COUNCIL • BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL CROSSLINK SURFCRAFT TRACTION • BRUNSWICK NEWSAGENCY Whatever • Brunswick Tackle & Surf • Brunswick Marine Rescue Riverview Inn • Brunswick Medical Centre • BH Fishermen’s Co-op Vision Walks • Splashes Icecreams • Juices2U • Xcede Airport Transfers Rice Indonesian • Arndt & Biggar • Nu Water • Brunswick Health Foods Thanks also to Andrew Swain & Paol and all the fabulous musicians who donated their services. The committee: Penny Fuller, Craig Reid, Kim Rosen, Stephen Bond, Vicki McKain, Paul Begg, Glenn Scheithe, John Helman, Andrew Sinclair, Wendy Bithell, Kris Southwell, Roger Curran, Craig Alsepp, Veda Dante, Scott Rawstorne, Jodie Heiniger & Jo Gillooly. Brunswick Scouts, VRA, Fire Brigade, Jill Ball, Sea Shepherd, and the many other volunteers who helped to make the day such a success. from BRUNSWICK MARINE RESCUE, BRUNSWICK SURF CLUB & BRUNSWICK VISITOR CENTRE.
8 June 8, 2010 The Byron Shire Echo
Some of the winning United Nations of Hip Hop crew.
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