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Amidst heavy rain and gusty winds-a powerful storm not seen in a decade in parts of North Island-United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice paid her first visit to New Zealand promptly terming NZ 'a friend and an ally' phasing out 'a very close friend of the United States' phrase that President George W. Bush referred to during Prime Minister Helen Clark's visit to the US in 2007.

A bilateral meeting between Ms. Rice and Ms. Clark was held followed by a press conference. A number of issues were discussed among them the downturn in the world economy, food and fuel security.

New Zealand's anti-nuclear stance soured the relations between the two countries during David Lange's regime whole heartedly welcomed by New Zealanders but since thawed considerably ever since Winston Peters ascent as NZ Foreign Affairs Minister.

A great majority of the country's population does not support the US led invasion in Iraq and Afghanistan. PM Helen Clark's decision not to toe the US line is seen as one of courage echoing popular public sentiment.

Dr. Rice did acknowledge the contribution New Zealand defence troops have been making in Afghanistan. She recalled the vital role played by Mr. Peters in the run-up to the denuclearization process of North Korea and hinted that New Zealand's trade mark anti-nuclear message also could assist in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and development in the Middle East.

Condoleezza Rice from New Zealand leaves for the Pacific nation Samoa

A powerful storm could not prevent around 150 protestors from marching to the Government House braving rain and howling wind to stage noisy protest amidst heavy police security that included secret service agents.

Global Peace and Justice Auckland spokesperson John Minto who organized the protest march chanted 'Rice is a terrorist' 'Rice is a war criminal' 'Rice go back you are not welcome in New Zealand'.

The demonstrators who the police kept at bay barricaded by a couple of blocks from the venue of the talks could be heard inside Government House in Auckland during the Clark-Rice talks.

A minor scuffle broke out between the police and the protestors that forced the police in seeking reinforcements resulting in two arrests.

Meanwhile Green Party MP Keith Locke said that it is constitutional affront for the Police to threaten students wishing to conduct a citizen's arrest of Rice.

Auckland University Students Association offered a $5000 reward for any student who made a citizen's arrest of Rice, who it described as a war criminal. Mr. Minto announced during the protest claiming that Victoria University students association in Wellington had offered a bounty of $20,000.

Earlier the Auckland District Commander, Superintendent Brett England, had issued a press release vowing to stop any such arrest.

Mr. Locke, Green Party Police and Foreign Affairs spokesperson stressed that the police should stick to security issues and not get involved in politics.

He pointed out that arguably a legal case against Ms Rice might stand up. The Police should not be taking one side or the other.

In the recent past Auckland District Court Judge Avinash Deobhakta had issued an arrest warrant against visiting former Israeli Military General Moshe Yalom on which the police failed to act on the orders of NZ Attorney-General Michael Cullen.

Now with the illegal invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan by US under her watch, Mr. Locke feels that under the International Crimes and International Criminal Court Act 2000, proceedings can be taken against people visiting New Zealand who have been responsible for torture, or the launching of attacks which cause civilian casualties 'clearly excessive' to military objectives.

He added that Ms Rice chaired official meetings where 'enhanced interrogation' or torture methods were approved. The Bush administration has yet to categorically rule out the use of all forms of torture.

He called on the NZ government to point out to Ms Rice the contradiction between her tough stance against dictators in Zimbabwe, the Sudan and Burma, and the serious erosion of human rights in her own jurisdiction, not least at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre.

Media reports point out that only four questions, two from the local media and an equal number from the international press corps, were allowed at Government House.

Winston Peters, who is embroiled in controversy with allegations of undisclosed political donations to his party NZ First, managed to evade embarrassing questions about funding at a stage-managed press conference with Rice.

The media in New Zealand were guilty of dereliction of duty in letting Ms. Rice off the hook rather than subjecting her to scrutiny. In fact Ms. Rice was probably glad that the press were so keen to embarrass the New Zealand Foreign Minister on the financial scandal that she escaped any questions on the illegality of the war for in Afghanistan and Iraq, torture as an instrument of US policy, the scandal of Guantanamo Bay, secret detention centres spread out across the globe and the list could go on.

Syed Akbar Kamal is the producer/director for the current affairs program Darpan-The Mirror on the World Wide Web. He has written extensively on a wide range of issues for numerous domestic and international publications. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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