Interview 1 @ Peace Witness Protest, HQ JOC, Canberra
Channel: Mordd IndyMedia
Date: 2017-04-28

A small group of protesters conducted a Peace Witness Protest yesterday morning, outside the entry gates to the Headquarters, Joint Operations Command (HQ JOC) in Canberra.

The HQ JOC is the Australian Defence Force's (ADF) operational level headquarters responsible for the command and control of ADF operations worldwide.

"We understand that HQ JOC is the Centre from which Australian forces in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan get their operational orders and their operations are monitored in real time on large screens and in large auditoriums," said Helen Bayes, coordinator of the Peace Witness training.

"This is, our group says, death and destruction from afar served upon peoples and nations who have made no acts of aggression against Australia or Australians."

"Our peace witness is a call to our military, collectively and individually, to grow a moral conscience, withdraw from the US alliance, and turn to peacebuilding and humanitarian service," said Ms Bayes, a Quaker Granny who has witnessed against war at Shoalwater Bay, Pine Gap and Avalon Arms Trade Fair.