BY JANET ROTH
AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Several hundred people gathered at the waterfront here on August 6 to mark the 50th anni- versary of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima. They farewelled a flotilla of boats due to set sail for Moruroa Atoll in French Poly-nesia to protest the French government's decision to resume nuclear tests.
Another 300 people took to the streets here in a candlelight parade. Protesters chanted, "Hiroshima - never again!" and opposed Paris's nuclear testing.
The New Zealand government is providing a naval vessel, the Tui, to accompany the protest flotilla. In addition, members of parliament from a number of countries plan to gather on September 2 in Tahiti, the main island in French Polynesia, for further protests.
Leaders of three of the main parties in the New Zealand Parliament spoke at the boats' send-off - Prime Minister Jim Bolger, and members of Parliament Helen Clark of the Labour Party and Jim Ander-ton of the Alliance. All sounded a nation-alist theme, claiming that "New Zealand-ers" having common interests in standing together against the French government. Anderton called the protest "a proud moment for New Zealanders to see we are prepared to take up the challenge against one of the great nuclear powers."
Many demonstrators read with interest a statement by Ruth Gray, the Communist League candidate for mayor of Christ-church. Gray stressed the need to oppose the sending of a naval ship to Moruroa and to oppose New Zealand chauvinism.
The plan to send the naval research vessel Tui to Moruroa, Gray explained, "aims to use an antinuclear guise to convince us that New Zealand's military forces can play a progressive role in the world. In fact, these forces are the enemy of working people at home and abroad."
"The imperialist rulers in Australia and New Zealand have seized on opposition to nuclear testing as an opportunity to mount a nationalist campaign against their rivals in Paris," she said. "Canberra and Wellington are whipping up anti-French sentiments to advance their own interests against workers, peasants, and youth across the Pacific. Their actions have nothing to do with the campaign against the dangers of nuclear radiation, threat of imperialist wars, or colonial domination.
The Communist League candidate added, "New Zealand's rulers wrap themselves in the virtuous robes of their antinuclear policy to draw working people in this country behind their own rearming. In late July the first Anzac frigate was launched with much fanfare." Anzac refers to the combined armed forces of Australia and New Zealand. The Anzac frigates are being built as a joint project of the governments in these two countries to reequip their navies.
Gray's statement concluded, "Workers, farmers, and youth should join together in protesting against the resumption of French nuclear testing; at the same time we must vigorously oppose every attempt by New Zealand's capitalist rulers to whip up national chauvinism."
Janet Roth is a member of the United Food, Beverage, and General Workers Union in Auckland.
BY PATRICK BROWN
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand - Five hundred people marched
here to oppose French nuclear tests in the Pacific as part
of the commemoration here of the 50th anniversary of the
bombing of Hiroshima. The largely young crowd, which
included a number of Japanese, energeti-cally chanted, "What
do we want? Stop the tests! When should they stop? Now!"
The call for a trade boycott of French-made goods was featured more strongly than in the large anti-tests demonstration held here July 14. A number of placards called for a boycott of all French goods. The march stopped outside Mt. Cook, a company that has ordered seven French-made aircraft. A speaker from Greenpeace called on the company to cancel the order.
A number of demonstrators bought copies of the Militant, and about 100 people took copies of a statement by Ruth Gray, the Communist League candidate for mayor of Christchurch.
Patrick Brown is a member of the Engineers Union in Christchurch.