Today, May 15th marks 60 years since the Palestinian Nakba or Catastrophe, when 750,000 Palestinian people (two-thirds of the Palestinian population) were driven from or fled from their land and the State of Israel was founded.

On this day, activists committed to Palestinian freedom, will be spending time reflecting on the past, evaluating the present and looking toward the future. Palestinian, Israeli and international direct action against occupation and apartheid has continued throughout the week including destruction of a settlement roadblock in the West Bank. [ Video | More | Photos ]

Links: Electronic Intifada | IMC Israel | Anarchists Against the Wall | International Middle East Media Center | International Solidarity Movement | PSC: 15000 demonstrate solidarity in London | ZNET Israel/Palestine

Auckland University Students' Association (AUSA) has today requested that Prime Minister Helen Clark call on Philippines President Gloria Arroyo to ensure the safety of a student unionist who has received death threats from the Philippines military.

Glaiza Dimapilis, the 19 year old president of the Philippine Christian University student council, and secretary general of the National Union of Students of the Philippines(National Capital Region), has received death threats from the Filipino military.

More: Student leader seeks writ to stop agents | Stop the Killings in the Philippines | Philippines Solidarity Network of Aotearoa | KARAPATAN - Human rights monitor

Ecuadorian police detained five journalists associated with Ecuador Indymedia late Tuesday night, May 6th. Four of the five were released from custody on Wednesday afternoon. The government says that the four activists were detained because of their relationship with the fifth detainee, Ecuadorian resident and Colombian national Antonio Alcívar.

The government at first refused to issue a statement on the matter or inform the detainees of the reason for their arrests. The Regional Foundation for Assistance in Human Rights (INREDH) noted that this was a violation of the detainees' constitutional right to be clearly informed of the reason for their detention along with the identities of those who ordered and carried out the arrests.

CMI Ecuador: Comunicadores de Indymedia Ecuador víctimas de arresto arbitrario || URGENTE: SOLIDARIDAD CON COMUNICADORES INDEPE || Comunicado detención comunicadores de Indymedia Ecuador víctimas de arresto arbitrario || Periodistas populares fueron liberados (más información) || CMI Brasil: Comunicadores independentes são vítimas de prisão arbitrária || Upside Down World || Global Indymedia Feature

Last week marked the thirtieth anniversary of the reoccupation of Takaparawha/Bastion Point in Orakei, Tamaki Makaurau. As Ana comments,

the occupation certainly cemented the momentum and Maori drive for self determination, Takaparawha also showed the strength of solidarity with union placing green bans in support of the protest and support of many non Maori.It was a very visible reassertion of identity, pride & collective power. For a haapu that had been made virtually landless by the colonial imposition of Auckland, Takaparawha demonstrated the importance of fighting for the ahi kaa in our whenua and ourselves [ Read More ]

More: Uriohau: Noho Whenua ki Takaparawha | TV Footage of Police Invasion | Radio NZ Archived Coverage | People's History of Auckland

New Zealand Open Rescue has conducted an undercover investigation into an intensive piggery in Auckland, uncovering gruesome evidence and rescuing two female piglets.

“Our investigation revealed death, cannibalism and immense suffering,” says New Zealand Open Rescue spokesperson Deirdre Sims.

“We witnessed sows in farrowing crates anguished in extreme confinement. These mother pigs were unable to walk or turn around, let alone able to interact with their babies. Our team also documented many dead piglets, one of which had been severely cannibalized."

More: Open Rescue | Meat Free Media | Video

The Human Rights Network of Aotearoa is proud to present the fourth annual New Zealand Human Rights Film Festival - a cinematic event celebrating extraordinary people striving for success and achievement amidst the most difficult circumstances and conditions.

2008 is a particularly special year for the Human Rights movement as it’s the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the films shown during the festival not only celebrate how far we have come since the signing but also where work is still needed if the promise of the first Article - All human beings are born free and equal - is to be realised.

• Wellington 8 - 16 May | Paramount Theatre
• Auckland 15 - 23 May | Rialto Newmarket
• Christchurch 22 - 30 May | Regent on Worcester
• Dunedin 29 May - 6 June | Rialto Dunedin

Official Site - Schedule, films, booking, prices…

Update 9/5: After seven days in jail, Danny Wilson has been granted bail!

Former Auckland anarchist and one of the founders of Radical Youth, Danny "Vegas" Wilson, 20, and five others have been arrested and jailed after a May Day celebration in Olympia, Washington State. During the protest, symbols of the state and Capital were attacked. Danny is being charged with "1st degree malicious mischief" (felony charge) and "suspicion of riot" (misdemeanor). The total bail for all six arrestees is 40,000 dollars with Danny's being set at $5000. As of today May 5th Danny is still being held and money is needed to help meet the cost of bail. In addition Danny has not had access to proper food that meets his dietary choices of an animal/dairy free diet.

On May 1 in Olympia, WA a group of about two hundred people had a rally in solidarity with the immigrants’ rights and anti-war movements. The rally was followed with a march to the capital where activists gathered outside of the governor’s door, making their presence known and urging her to support the proposal of making Olympia a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants. After the capital the march continued downtown, where rocks were thrown through the windows of Bank of America and US Bank, two banks notorious for their social and environmental injustices. A scuffle ensued in which protesters clashed with the police. Pepper spray and pellet guns were used on the protesters and six people were ultimately arrested. [ Read More ]

More: Report/Photos | Bombs&Shields: May Day actions marking the international anarchist holiday | Corporate Media Coverage (Video + Photos)

Auckland: On Monday the 12th, the Auckland Anarchist Assembly, an informal evening of presentations and short films, funds will be collected to help pay for Danny's bail. [ Details ]

Adrian Leason, Peter Murnane and Sam Land were bailed from the Blenheim District Court this morning after almost one week in jail. They have non-association orders, are not to go within 100m of a defence facility, not to go to Marlborough except for court or lawyer and report to a Police station twice a week. They will appear in court for a pre-deposition hearing on 9th June.

On Wednesday the three entered the Waihopai spy base and used sickles to cut one of the two 30-metre white domes. Damage is estimated at $1 million. "We are responding to the Bush administration’s admission that intelligence gathering is the most important tool in the so-called War on Terror. This war will have no end until citizens of the world refuse to let it continue. The ECHELON spy network including Waihopai, is an important part of the US government’s global spy network and we have come in the name of the Prince of Peace to close it down. The base is funded by New Zealand tax payers and located on New Zealand soil which makes New Zealand a target through our association with the UKUSA intelligence cooperation agreement."

About 60 people attended a demonstration of solidarity and support for the three men arrested for deflating the protective balloon covering the satellite at the Waihopai spy base last week in Wellington on Saturday.

Links: http://ploughshares.org.nz/ | Ploughshares Penetrate Waihopai Base Deflate Satellite Dome | Make tea, not war!