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Huey14 · 03-25-2006, 22:12

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3616706a11,00.html

Why Harmeet Sooden declared war on old boss
26 March 2006
By TIM HUME and TONY WALL

Freed hostage Harmeet Sooden quit his job at an Auckland company because of moral concerns he was supporting the war industry, and became involved in activism against the firm.

Emails to colleagues in the peace movement obtained by the Sunday Star-Times reveal Sooden's concerns about his former employer, Oscmar International, an Auckland company which provides laser training weapons systems for armies around the world and sought to do business with the Israeli army.

He wrote in June: "The NZ govt is doing nothing about the company that is selling military hardware to Israel it seems. That is a real disappointment. People worked really hard on that. And now they are sending 50 NZ SAS to Afghanistan in contravention of their own laws. Democracy my @#$$! We won't give up."

Details of Sooden's employment with Oscmar were not reported under voluntary terrorist event media protocols so as not to jeopardise Sooden's safety while he was held hostage. Information about his employment at Oscmar was publicised after Sooden was freed in Baghdad on Thursday.

Yesterday, a Foreign Affairs spokesman said: "Our judgement was the fact of his employment at that company, which had a connection with Israel, could potentially put him at risk."

Oscmar International was twice refused a licence in 2004 to export military-style laser harnesses -which detect laser beams sent out by simulated weapons and are worn during training exercises - to Israel because of the potential for the product to contribute to regional conflict. Sooden, who turned 33 on Friday, worked as a designer at the company for a year., It is understood he worked on the harness project.

Motivated by moral concerns, he quit his job and became involved in activism against Oscmar International. Activists alleged that, after the government blocked Oscmar's bid to export the harnesses, the firm had emailed technical details on how to produce the harnesses to its American parent company in order to manufacture the product for Israel.
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A subsequent investigation by Customs, triggered by leaked Oscmar documents, found the company had acted within the law.

Ernie Armijo, Oscmar's managing director, said he did not want to talk about Sooden's involvement with the company.

"Those stories are over. The last thing I want to do is engage in any debate about our business again."

Sooden's close friend Omar Hamed, a student, organised pickets against Oscmar. He met Sooden through Auckland University's Students for Justice in Palestine group, which he says his friend was drawn to.

"He feels there's been a lot of injustice to Kashmiri people, so he naturally wants to help out other causes."

Peace Movement Aotearoa coordinator Edwina Hughes said her organisation was able to focus activism against Oscmar because it had a lot of information on the company. She would not say whether Sooden was a source of information on Oscmar's activities.

"That's something you would have to ask him about."

Claire Evans, delegation co-ordinator for Christian Peacemaker Teams, the American group which sent Sooden and three other volunteers to visit Iraq, said her organisation's first contact with Sooden was through his unsolicited application to go to Iraq last year.

His credentials after similar visits with Solidarity International to the West Bank, impressed, as did character references.

Evans said Sooden's application revealed his change in career, from electrical engineering to studying English with the aim of becoming a teacher, was motivated by political convictions.

"It was having to do with not wanting to be involved with electrical engineering because of reasons of conscience - he didn't want to support the war industry," she said.

Miriam Pierard, president of Students for Justice in Palestine, said she and Sooden discussed him taking over leadership of the group which he joined last year after enrolling in an English literature course at Auckland university.

"He more than deserves the role. He's essentially a really good guy who was willing to put himself on the line for the underprivileged."

03-25-2006, 22:12	#12
Huey14 Kia ora, bro Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New Zealand Posts: 931	http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3616706a11,00.html Why Harmeet Sooden declared war on old boss 26 March 2006 By TIM HUME and TONY WALL Freed hostage Harmeet Sooden quit his job at an Auckland company because of moral concerns he was supporting the war industry, and became involved in activism against the firm. Emails to colleagues in the peace movement obtained by the Sunday Star-Times reveal Sooden's concerns about his former employer, Oscmar International, an Auckland company which provides laser training weapons systems for armies around the world and sought to do business with the Israeli army. He wrote in June: "The NZ govt is doing nothing about the company that is selling military hardware to Israel it seems. That is a real disappointment. People worked really hard on that. And now they are sending 50 NZ SAS to Afghanistan in contravention of their own laws. Democracy my @#$$! We won't give up." Details of Sooden's employment with Oscmar were not reported under voluntary terrorist event media protocols so as not to jeopardise Sooden's safety while he was held hostage. Information about his employment at Oscmar was publicised after Sooden was freed in Baghdad on Thursday. Yesterday, a Foreign Affairs spokesman said: "Our judgement was the fact of his employment at that company, which had a connection with Israel, could potentially put him at risk." Oscmar International was twice refused a licence in 2004 to export military-style laser harnesses -which detect laser beams sent out by simulated weapons and are worn during training exercises - to Israel because of the potential for the product to contribute to regional conflict. Sooden, who turned 33 on Friday, worked as a designer at the company for a year., It is understood he worked on the harness project. Motivated by moral concerns, he quit his job and became involved in activism against Oscmar International. Activists alleged that, after the government blocked Oscmar's bid to export the harnesses, the firm had emailed technical details on how to produce the harnesses to its American parent company in order to manufacture the product for Israel. Advertisement Advertisement A subsequent investigation by Customs, triggered by leaked Oscmar documents, found the company had acted within the law. Ernie Armijo, Oscmar's managing director, said he did not want to talk about Sooden's involvement with the company. "Those stories are over. The last thing I want to do is engage in any debate about our business again." Sooden's close friend Omar Hamed, a student, organised pickets against Oscmar. He met Sooden through Auckland University's Students for Justice in Palestine group, which he says his friend was drawn to. "He feels there's been a lot of injustice to Kashmiri people, so he naturally wants to help out other causes." Peace Movement Aotearoa coordinator Edwina Hughes said her organisation was able to focus activism against Oscmar because it had a lot of information on the company. She would not say whether Sooden was a source of information on Oscmar's activities. "That's something you would have to ask him about." Claire Evans, delegation co-ordinator for Christian Peacemaker Teams, the American group which sent Sooden and three other volunteers to visit Iraq, said her organisation's first contact with Sooden was through his unsolicited application to go to Iraq last year. His credentials after similar visits with Solidarity International to the West Bank, impressed, as did character references. Evans said Sooden's application revealed his change in career, from electrical engineering to studying English with the aim of becoming a teacher, was motivated by political convictions. "It was having to do with not wanting to be involved with electrical engineering because of reasons of conscience - he didn't want to support the war industry," she said. Miriam Pierard, president of Students for Justice in Palestine, said she and Sooden discussed him taking over leadership of the group which he joined last year after enrolling in an English literature course at Auckland university. "He more than deserves the role. He's essentially a really good guy who was willing to put himself on the line for the underprivileged." __________________ "You destroyed half a city block!" "That block was already messed up."
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