Waiheke women to join peace trek across U.S.

Press, 14 February 1986, Page 4

Waiheke women to join peace trek across U.S.

PA Auckland Anne Macfarlane and Maynie Thompson plan a nine-month walk across the United States on a peace mission.

The two Waiheke women, committed antinuclear campaigners, say they will deliver their message to Americans along the way. They will make the 1240 km trek with about 5000 other people, in a march organised by the American group, Pro Peace, to promote global disarmament.

Starting on March 1 in Los Angeles, the campaigners will walk six days a week, five hours a day, and camp in pup tents at night. Meetings will be held along the way to promote discussion of peace issues among Americans. The march will end in Washington D.C.

“The thought of actually covering the distance doesn’t daunt me too

much,” said Ms Macfarlane. She and Ms Thompson (who is in her early 60s), do a lot of walking, swimming and jogging on Waiheke Island, and consider themselves fit.

“I’m sure the walking will get easier and easier as we go, until it’s just automatic...” She is less confident about the prospect of public speaking during peace meetings and school visits. Unlike Ms Thompson (who went to England in 1983 for the Greenham Common protest), Ms Macfarlane has never before taken part in a big public peace action.

“At the moment I’m far , from being a fluent public speaker, but everybody has the ability to , communicate... and I’m • certainly convinced about ’ the argument.”

The women have been . told by march organisers > that they are the only two from New Zealand on the trek, and they feel they will have a particular mission in explaining New Zealand’s anti-nuclear stand.

“We want to tell any Americans we meet that New Zealanders are not anti-American, and explain the Labour Government’s ban on nuclear ships,” Ms Macfarlane said.