Jim Holdom
Jim Holdom is a New Zealand activist.
Background
Holdom is active in the Waikato. Holdom has visited Palestine, Cuba and Nicaragua, on "left" of the New Zealand Labour Party.
Holdom grew up on the southern slopes of Mt Taranaki and worked for his father on the dairy farm after leaving school.
he subsequently qualified as a teacher and was possibly the first male to be head of an Infant Dept. He has a Masters Degree in Education, and his wide interests include human rights/equity, environmental issues, history, social issues, politics. He has been involved with Te Whare O te Ata for a good many years, has been the Treasurer since 2008, and lives on the South side of Fairfield Park, Hamilton.[1]
Jim DOM has been and is an active member of so many different organizations including CORSO, Trade Aid Kirikiriroa, United Nations, Council of Elders, Waikato Anti-Racism Coalition, Environmental Business Network, Forest & Bird , The Ecologic Foundation.
- As a member of the Hamilton Corso community, Jim has constantly challenged status quo assumptions both locally and internationally in areas of Recycle/Reuse policy development and sustainable development, and in Corso social justice issues which challenge racism, oppression and inequality.
- Jim is the longest serving member of the Trade Aid Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) Trust with his participation going back to the mid 1970s. In more recent years Jim's involvement has moved from that of volunteer in the Trade Aid shop to a valuable member of the Trade Aid Kirikiriroa Trust Board.[2]
CORSO
Circa 1985 - attended CORSO Nat. Council meeting. 8.9 YMCA Wellington Observer, Waikato.
1986 Waikato rep. to CORSO Annual Assembly, Wellington Teachers College, 12-14 Sept.
1987 June, wrote article in Peacelink "CORSO & Peace", about history of CORSO.
Active in CORSO since early 1960s.
Frost tour
Circa 2001, Mike Frost (former Canadian spy) Speaking Tour of Aotearoa "Big brother is listening - The Inside Story: How The US, UK, Canada, Australia And NZ Spy On The World", Aotearoa New Zealand national speaking tour. Tour later cancelled, Holdom was contact Hamilton.
CAFCA
March 2002 - Hamilton Contact: for tour by CAFCA's Murray Horton.
Latin America Solidarity
Holdom has lived and worked in Chile with anti Pinochet opposition and was at first public rally against dictatorship. [3]
1986 - a contact for the Labour Party Nicaragua Support Committee.
1987 p- lanning to spend time in Nicaragua.[4]
1987 worked with coffee pickers in Nicaragua.
Circa 2001 - member Hamilton Latin America Committee, with Warren Brewer.
SPA connections
December 2000 - article in Socialist Party of Aotearoa's Red Flag on Palestine.
2003 - Holdom's Palestine article published in SPA/MUSAA's Spark Vol. 1, No 2.
WISSE
In 2009 Jim Holdom, was an Executive Member, Workers Institute for Scientific Socialist Education .[5]
NZ Committee to Free the Cuban Five
Circa 2009, the list of Initiating Members and Supporters of the New Zealand Committee to Free the Cuban Five, included Jim Holdom, Cuba Solidarity Waikato.[6]
US Embassy letter/Cuban 5
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.[7]
- 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 included Jim Holdom.
Craccum
In 1955 Jim Holdom was sports editor of Craccum.
References
- ↑ [http://www.fairfield.org.nz/home/our-trustees,INTRODUCING TE WHARE O TE ATA TRUSTEES
- ↑ Hamilton Civic Awards
- ↑ TS Vol1, No 2 03
- ↑ CORSO Overview No 33
- ↑ [1] Overseas Investment Review, CAFCA 2009
- ↑ Initiating Members and Supporters of the NZ Committee to Free the Cuban Five
- ↑ SCOOP, US Embassy Refuses Letter From MPs. Crs. Unionists Tuesday, 7 April 2009, 9:36 am Press Release: NZ Committee to Free the Cuban Five