New Zealand Committee to Free the Cuban Five

New Zealand Committee to Free the Cuban Five

Initiating Members and Supporters

Circa 2009;

• Hon Jim Anderton, Minister Agriculture, Biosecurity, Fisheries, Forestry, Minister Responsible for the Public Trust Associate Minister of Health Associate Minister for Tertiary Education. Leader of the Progressive Party
• Dr David V. Williams, Professor of Law, University of Auckland
• Sue Bradford, Green Party MP
• Dr Jane Kelsey, Professor of Law, University of Auckland
• Gerald O'Brien, Former Member of the Parliament of New Zealand
• Hon Matt Robson , Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party ,Associate-Foreign Affairs Minister 1999-2002.
• Peter Cranney, Lawyer, Wellington
• Helen Kelly, President NZCTU
• Hon Laila Harre, National Secretary, National Distribution Union, Auckland. (Former NZ Cabinet Minister)
• Robert Reid, President, National Distribution Union, Wellington
• Cr Paul Bruce, Greater Wellington Regional Councillor, Wellington.
• Des Brough, Peace Council Aotearoa New Zealand
• Dr Carol Worthington
• Ken Douglas, Councillor, former President of NZCTU
• Dr. Greg Kleis, Alliance Party candidate Christchurch Central
• David Wiseman, Director of Humanitarian Programmes, Peace Council Aotearoa New Zealand
• Mike Urlich, Peace Council Committee member,
• Barney Richards, National Secretary, Peace Council Aotearoa New Zealand
• Mike Treen, National Director, Unite Union, Auckland
• John Minto, Spokesperson, Global Peace and Justice, Auckland
• Paul Piesse, President, Alliance Party, Candidate Christchurch East
• Grant Morgan, Chair, Residents Action Movement (RAM), Auckland
• Warren Brewer, Secretary, Christchurch Cuba Friendship Society, Christchurch
• Pat Bolster, President, Wellington Cuba Friendship Society, Wellington
• Gillian Magee, Secretary, Wellington Cuba Friendship Society, Wellington
• Ina Lawrence, New Zealand Cuba Friendship Society, Auckland
• Maxine Gay, Retail Secretary, National Distribution Union, Wellington
• Mike Ingpen, Secretary, South Pacific and Oceanic Council of Trade Unions, Wellington
• David Wickham, Trade Union Project Co-ordinator, Wellington
• Omar Hamed, International Affairs Officer, Auckland University Students Association
• Louisa Jones, National Organiser – NZ Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union
• Kathryn Tucker, Unite Organiser, Hamilton
• Tom Buckley, Unite Union Organiser, Auckland
• Eric Gamble, Christchurch
• Bob Anderson, President Workers Institute for Scientific Socialist Education
• Don Borrie
• Kay Murray, Co-leader Alliance Party. Candidate Dunedin South
• Quentin Findlay, Alliance Party List Candidate
• Roger Fowler, Co-organiser, RAM - Residents Action Movement, Auckland
• Joe Carolan, Organiser, Socialist Aotearoa, Hamilton
• John Flygenring, Christchurch
• Cameron Walker – student
• Trevor Hanson, General Secretary Maritime Union of New Zealand
• Brendan Tuohy, Chair Socialist Party of Aotearoa
• Sam Murray, CC Socialist Party of Aotearoa
• Jennifer Francis, CC Socialist Party of Aotearoa
• Lyn Doherty Project Co ordinator, Ohomairangi Trust
• Hana Spierer, Alt TV Producer, “Green Core”
• Nico Woodward, Student
• Dr. Gael Donald, Westfono Healthcare, Henderson, Auckland
• Julie Webb-Pullman, Journalist Wellington
• Ian Powell, Wellington
• Janet Roth, Auckland
• Adrian Guerrero, Carla Batista, Katia Cisternas, Victor Batista, Tomas Guerrero, Nicolas Guerrero, Nadia Batista, Cristian Batista, Enrique Batista, Antonia Marchesse, (Latin Americans living in NZ)
• Oliver Woods - Residents Action Movement Co-organiser, Auckland.
• Helen Ritchie Cuba Solidarity Waikato
• Annalucia Vermunt, Communist League, Auckland
• Mike Tucker, Communist League, Auckland
• Nick Fowler, Young Socialists
• John B. Turner, Waitakere.
• Susie Powell teacher, Auckland.
• Jane Bucholz, Auckland
• Janfrie Wakim, Palestine Human Rights Campaign, Auckland
• Christine Blance, Christchurch.
• Malcolm McAllister, teacher, Auckland
• Joel Hildebrandt
• Denis O'Connor
• Paul Maunder, Greymouth
• Ron R. Miller, Auckland
• Jim Holdom, Cuba Solidarity Waikato
• Jeremy Gorham, Business Manager, Auckland
• Colin Pounder, Christchurch
• Nick Laery, undergraduate student, University of Auckland.
• Dora May Sutcliffe, Waitakere Auckland
• Vinnie Molina Branch President Australia-Cuba Friendship Society Perth
• Elizabeth Hulm Secretary Australia-Cuba Friendship Society Perth
• Perth Branch Australia-Cuba Friendship Society

US Embassy letter

On 6 April 2009 US Embassy in Wellington refused to accept a hand delivered letter from MPs, City Councillors, trade unionists, church leaders,academics and other New Zealanders calling on the US Government not to oppose the petition to the US Supreme Court for the release of the Cuban 5.

An attempt to deliver the letter was made by Wellington City Councillor, Ray Ahipene-Mercer and Secretary of the Weliington Cuba Friendship Society Gillian Magee but US Embassy Guards said they would not accept a hand delivered letter.

Dear Attorney General Holder

We, the undersigned New Zealanders are writing this letter to you on the eve of the US Government submitting a brief in response to the 30 January 09 petition to the Supreme Court and the twelve separate amicus curiae briefs that were filed in the US Supreme Court on 6 March 2009 regarding the unjust incarceration of five Cuban citizens - Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, René González Sehweret, Ramón Labañino Salazar, Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez and Fernando González Llort - known as the Cuban 5.

We urge the United States Government to acknowledge that a complete miscarriage of justice has taken place regarding the Cuban 5 and to support, rather than oppose, a review of the conviction by the Supreme Court. We urge you to immediately release the Cuban 5.

Signatories were;

• Ray Ahipene-Mercer Wellington City Councillor
• Hone Harawira MP Te Tai Tokerau Electorate New Zealand House of Representatives
• Sue Bradford MP Green Party List, New Zealand House of Representatives
• Ken Douglas Porirua City Councillor
• Hon Laila Harre Former MP and Minister, National Secretary National Distribution Union
• Hon Matt Robson Dep. Leader Progressive Party, former NZ Assoc. - Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Peter Conway Secretary, New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
• Trevor Hanson General Secretary, Maritime Union of New Zealand
• Brian Turner (Rev), Methodist Minister
• Prof. Jane Kelsey Auckland University School of Law
• Robert Reid, President, National Distribution Union
• Mike Treen National Director, Unite Union
• Victor Billot Alliance Party National Spokesperson
• Barney Richards President Peace Council Aotearoa New Zealand
• Warren Brewer WISSE
• Russell Mayn Assistant General Secretary, Maritime Union of New Zealand
• Joe Fleetwood Wellington Seafarers Branch Secretary, Maritime Union of New Zealand
• Mary McTavish Programme Co-ordinator - Akoranga Ngatahi
• Julie Webb-Pullman
• Hugh Gaw
• Dr R. H. Lovell-Smith Senior Lecturer Department of English University of Auckland
• Jim Holdom
• Tom Dowie
• Carla Batista
• Greg Kleis
• Dora May Sutcliffe
• Richard Keller Wellington
• Alicia Jrapko, Argentinean, resident in the United States
• Paul Maunder
• Wellington Cuban Friendship Society of New Zealand
• Des Brough
• Eric Gamble, Christchurch New Zealand.
• Paul Piesse President Alliance Party
• Kay Murray Alliance Party Co-leader
• Luke Coxon Organiser, National Distribution Union
• Maxine Gay Sector Secretary, National Distribution Union
• Mary Hamilton
• Richard Tingey Levin
• Raymond Vogt Petone
• Jared Phillips, Organiser, Unite
• Simon Oosterman National Distribution Union
• Andrew Campbell Campaigns Director, Finsec Union
• Dale Frew WISSE
• Val Flint Waikato
• Craig Wills WISSE
• Dion Martin Organiser, National Distribution Union
• Denis O'Connor Christchurch
• Sam Murray Wellington
• Cuba Friendship Society - Otautahi-Christchurch NZ
• Bob Anderson J.P. Wisse *
• Seamus Coogan
• Adela Brent QLD Australia
• Gillian Magee Secretary, Wellington Cuba Friendship Society, Administrator NDU.
• Katia Cisternas
• Victor Batista
• Adrian Guerrero

References

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