John Minto

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For the Oregon Pioneer, see John Minto (Oregon pioneer).

Minto at an Auckland protest against the 2007 New Zealand anti-terror raids

John Minto is a New Zealand based political activist known for his involvement in various left-wing groups and causes, most notably Halt All Racist Tours. A 2005 documentary on New Zealands top 100 history makers listed him as number 89. Today he is involved with Global Peace and Justice Auckland and the Unite Union. He writes a weekly column for The Press^[1] and is editor of the Workers' Charter newspaper.

Minto is also the chairmain ^[2] of QPEC, Quality Public Education Coalition (Inc)

1 Halt All Racist Tours
2 Companion of OR Tambo Award
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Halt All Racist Tours

John Minto, along with Trevor Richards, Tom Newnham and others, was involved in forming Halt All Racist Tours, a group set up to protest rugby union tours to and from Apartheid South Africa, in 1969. He became the National Chairman of the organisation in 1980. During clashes between police and protesters he was seriously assaulted (by rugby supporters the evening after the disruption at Rugby Park in Hamilton). In 2005 a police baton owned by Ross Meurant, a former member of Parliament who was second in charge of the "Red Squad" during the 1981 Springbok Tour was put up for auction online labeled as a "Minto Bar" ^[3], a "joke" based on the co-incidence of names between John Minto and Minties, the brand name a popular mint-flavoured candy.

The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (SIS) listed Minto in 1981 on a list of 'subversives' for the events of that year.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Companion of OR Tambo Award

During January 2008 Minto rejected a nomination for the prestigious South African Companion of OR Tambo Award for foreigners, saying he is dismayed over conditions in the country at the moment, local media reported. The Tambo award is the highest honour granted to non-South Africans in recognition of friendship, cooperation and support.

Previous recipients include Mahatma Gandhi, Kofi Annan, Salvador Allende and Martin Luther King Jr.

He states that "We were fighting for a better South Africa for all its citizens. The faces at the top have changed from white to black but the substance of change is an illusion." ^[4]

But on 29 January 2008 The Presidency of South Africa stated that Minto has not been nominated for any national award whatsoever. The SA Government remains open to engaging with Mr. Minto and the New Zealand Anti Apartheid Movement with regards to the upliftment of South Africa. ([1])

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ JohnMinto.org.nz Archive of Minto's Press articles, in weblog format
^ Press release from QPEC
^ New Zealand Herald - Meurants Red Squad batton up for sale by Angela Gregory 06/06/05 (link)
^ Mail & Guardian - Anti-apartheid campaigner rejects SA award (link)