Cultivating Peace
DOV in Australia

The Cost of Conscience

Mordechai Vanunu -  Sydney link to Israeli prisoner of conscience

Mordechai Vanunu, an Israeli citizen, has now served 17 years in prison in Israel for blowing the whistle on his country's secret nuclear plant at Dimona, Israel.  As a young man Vanunu worked at Dimona as a technician for 9 years.  Vanunu was in solitary confinement for eleven and a half years.  He is still in prison, serving an 18 year sentence.  His secret trial followed his kidnapping in 1986.

The Sydney connection

While working at the nuclear plant, Mordechai Vanunu became troubled by the implications of his work.  Despite signing security agreements, he took photos of the Dimona plant. He took these with him on his travels.

Visiting Sydney in mid-1986, Mordechai Vanunu joined a discussion group at St John's Anglican Church, Darlinghurst.  While in Sydney he made two momentous decisions.  One was to become a Christian (a major step for someone from an Orthodox Jewish family). The second was to make his photographs public in order to warn the world about Israel's nuclear capacity and the spread of nuclear weapons.

A decision that cost Vanunu his freedom

After being baptized at St John's, Mordechai Vanunu left for London with his photographs.

On arrival in London, he  began negotiating with the Sunday Times, which needed to check his information before publishing it.   He was warned to be on his guard while the authenticity of the photos was verified.  In London's Trafalgar Square, he began chatting to an attractive young woman, "Cindy" who claimed to be an American tourist with a sister in Italy.  Cindy was actually an agent working for Mossad, the Israeli secret police.

Lured to Italy, Vanunu was illegally kidnapped

Lured to Rome by "Cindy", Mordechai was sedated, shackled and taken to a ship waiting offshore.  This kidnapping on 30 September 1986 was in breach of Italian law.  On arrival in Israel, he was tried in secret and later sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment.  Meanwhile, the Sunday Times published his photos in London. The truth was out, but Vanunu had paid with his freedom.

11 and a half years in solitary confinement

Despite pleas and protests from supporters in the USA, UK, Sweden, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere, the Israeli authorities kept Vanunu in solitary confinement for 11 and a half years.  He is still in Ashkelon Prison, Israel, although no longer confined in solitary.  Supporters from Amnesty, peace groups, anti-violence groups and Christian groups throughout the world continue to campaign and pray for the release of this prisoner of conscience.  In Mordechai Vanunu's own words:

 "I have sacrificed my freedom and risked my life in order to expose the danger of nuclear weapons which threatens this whole region.  I acted on behalf of all citizens and all of humanity."

Recent milestones in the Mordechai Vanunu story

October 1996  - a conference was held in Israel, convened by Joseph Rotblat, Nobel Peace Laureate. Attended by delegates from the USA, U.K. and Norway, the conference considered legal, human rights and security aspects of the Vanunu case.

September 1998, September  1999
Delegates from the Australian Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu joined the international group demonstrating in Israel for his release.

March 1998 - Vanunu released from solitary
After more than 11 years of psychologically damaging solitude, Vanunu was allowed to mingle with other prisoners.  There have been occasional problems: for example,  Mordechai's Christianity is not popular with other prisoners. However, his brothers report that his anti-nuclear views are as strong as ever.

1998 - Senate motion for Vanunu's release
The Australian Senate unanimously passed a motion urging Mordechai Vanunu's release from prison.

This year.....
* 2000 - many Israelis join pro-Vanunu demonstrations;
* 2000 - first public debate in Knesset (Israeli Parliament) on the Mordechai Vanunu case;
* August 2000 - Vanunu's lawyers finally gain access to 40% of the transcripts from his secret trial;
* 30 September  2003 - marks 17 years' imprisonment for this nuclear whistleblower.
 
for more information, visit the Free Vanunu website

How You Can Help Mordechai

AUSTRALIAN CAMPAIGN TO FREE MORDECHAI VANUNU

You can help by:

* Telling others about Mordechai Vanunu and the case for his immediate release

* Writing a postcard of support to him at Ashkelon Prison, Israel

* Writing to the Israeli Ambassador to Australia about this case

* Supporting Amnesty International and other groups which work on behalf of prisoners of conscience

* Being on our mailing list -
Contact us c/- St John's Church,
PO Box 465 Kings Cross 1340

St.John's Anglican Church, Darlinghurst