Alice Springs activists make claims against Pine Gap

An activist group in Alice Springs has accused the Pine Gap facility of being ‘directly complicit’ in war crimes.

A Red Centre activist group has claimed the Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility is “directly complicit” in “war crimes” against Palestinians.

The comments come after Mparntwe for Palestine, an activist group of Arrernte and “settler” peoples, held a vigil on the council lawns of Alice Springs.

The vigil was not the first Red Centre gathering to express pro-Palestinian sentiment, as a separate activist group, Territorians for Palestine, staged a blockade at the Pine Gap facility last month.

A Mparntwe for Palestine spokesperson claimed the facility was involved in supporting operations against Palestinians.

The Department of Defence was approached for comment however did not respond by time of publication.

The most important mission in Alice Springs though is “peace and liberation”, Mparntwe for Palestine says.

“(We want to) make it internationally apparent that there are numerous community members, both Arrernte and settler, in Mparntwe – Alice Springs – who are profoundly outraged by the actions taken by the Israeli State in Gaza,” the spokesperson said.

“And secondly, we want to hold a public, communal space in order to share our collective grief, to continue to build solidarity, and to work together towards peace and liberation for oppressed peoples.”

In October, a group of activists staged blockade at Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility near Alice Springs. Picture: Territorians for Palestine

Mparntwe for Palestine maintained Palestinians were victims of oppression and “violent force”.

“We need to believe that as a planet we can evolve past oppression and find better ways to co-exist without diminishing the humanity of various groups.”

Originally published as Alice Springs activists make claims against Pine Gap