Vol. 73/No. 1      January 12, 2009

Vermunt has been a Communist League candidate in a number of election campaigns, most recently running for Parliament in November national elections. A meat worker and active unionist, she has been involved for two decades in political campaigns for Maori rights, women’s rights, and other working-class struggles.

More than 90 fellow meat workers working in Otahuhu, Auckland, have signed Vermunt’s letter. Other signers include trade union officials, academics, Maori rights campaigners, and representatives of political organizations.

Vermunt was detained at customs for more than four hours when returning to Auckland from Australia. After twice interrogating her, searching her bags and taking swabs, officials found no evidence of narcotics or contraband. Despite this, she was forced to undergo a strip search. Then officers continued to detain Vermunt and subjected her to a third interrogation, demanding that she answer questions about her political activity as a leader of the Communist League.

Vermunt’s letter, addressed to the ministers of immigration and customs, demands that such harassment cease. Vermunt was detained and similarly questioned by customs officials at the Christchurch airport in 2005 and 2006.

National Radio interviewed Vermunt November 18, along with several of those who had endorsed her letter. These included Matt McCarten, national secretary of the Unite union; Robert Reid, national president of the National Distribution Union; and Catherine Delahunty, a Green Party member of Parliament. “It is not acceptable” for customs to question people about their political activity, said Delahunty.

In a press statement released the previous day, Vermunt noted, “What happened to me is an illustration of how increased powers being granted to police, immigration, and customs will be and are being used to target working-class activists and political dissent.”

Using the banner of fighting “terrorism,” the New Zealand Parliament has adopted a raft of legislation over the past decade to widen police powers of surveillance and detention and to curtail democratic rights. This includes beefing up the powers of the border police.

Vermunt pointed out that the first use of “antiterrorism” laws in New Zealand had been police raids on Oct. 15, 2007, targeting Maori rights supporters. Although forced to back down from terrorism charges in the face of protests, police are prosecuting firearms charges against 17 of those arrested. Five have been hit with additional charges of “participating in a criminal gang.”

Vermunt also noted the revelation in the media December 14 of a nearly 10-year operation by a police informer infiltrating political groups and spying on union activities. The fink was paid by the Special Investigation Group, an “antiterrorist” police outfit. Vermunt and the Communist League were among those spied on by the informer.

“It is important that every violation of our rights, such as happened to me at the airport, is met with a response,” Vermunt said. “That’s why it is significant that so many have joined me in submitting this open protest letter.”

Vermunt’s lawyer has written to the ministers of immigration, customs, and the Security Intelligence Service, demanding that they release all information they hold on file on Vermunt.
 
 
Related articles:
Testimony in socialists’ lawsuit against FBI spying  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home