earthfirst – Page 207

Sea Shepherd Clashes With Whaling Fleet in Australian Waters

December 26th, 2008
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Steve Irwin closed in on one of the vessels of the Japanese whaling fleet at 0730 Hours GMT (1930 Hours Sydney Time) on December 26th off the coast of the Australian Antarctic Territory north of the Mawson Peninsula.

The Kaiko Maru emerged from dense fog in front of the Steve Irwin. The Sea Shepherd crew pursued and delivered 10 bottles of rotten butter and 15 bottles of a methyl cellulose and indelible dye mixture.

“That is one stinky slippery ship,” said Sea Shepherd 2nd Officer Peter Hammarstedt of Sweden.

The Japanese ship was ordered out of the territorial waters of Australia by Australian citizen Jeff Hansen from Perth, Western Australia. The message was delivered in Japanese.

As the Steve Irwin came alongside the starboard side of the Kaiko Maru, the whaler steered hard to starboard and struck the Steve Irwin lightly crushing part of the aft port helicopter deck guard rails on the Sea Shepherd ship. There was no serious damage to either ship.

The Sea Shepherd crew’s objective was to intimidate the Japanese fleet and to keep them moving Eastward out of Australian Territorial waters. The Sea Shepherd crew have been pursuing the fleet eastward for a week. There is only 90 miles left before the fleet enters the New Zealand Zone.

“Our objective now is to chase them out of Australia’s Economic Exclusion Zone,” said Captain Paul Watson. “I have a chart here and it clearly states that these waters are Australian EEZ. There is an Australian Federal Court Order specifically prohibiting these ships from whaling in these waters. We have informed the whalers they are in contempt of this Court ruling.”

There is no doubt that Japanese whaling in Australian waters has been severely disrupted. Since Saturday, the Sea Shepherd crew have chased the Japanese fleet for 400 miles through heavy fog, dense ice and nasty weather. During that time they have not been able to kill any whales.

“We still have them on the run and we intend to keep them on the run for as long as our fuel resources allow,” said Captain Watson.

Fight Speciesism! #7 – Out Now

January issue of the latest anti-speciesist, anti-capitalist, abolitionist direct action news is out now. Antispeciesist Action is a collective of militant antispeciesists and animal rights activists committed to confronting animal abuse, suffering and exploitation of non-human beings through the use of direct action.

We believe in the ‘No Compromise’ philosophy, veganism and actively support the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and animal rights prisoners.

We are opposed to capitalism and the state, understanding that without both entities, the universal exploitation of animals would not be possible.

Until Every Cage Is Empty!

Articles:

– In Memory of Barry Horne
– NYSE:LSR Under Attack
– Hunt Sabbing News
– Mink Released
– Insurrection in Mexico
– Letter from Sean Kirtley
– Whalers On The Run
– Global Roundup
– Telmex Campaign
– Uprising in Greece

FS! #7 – http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/12/416034.html

Civilian Uprising against Barrick Gold in Tanzania

Mine security shoots young man, villagers respond by destroying $7 million in equipment

December 24th, 2008

Mine security shoots young man, villagers respond by destroying $7 million in equipment

December 24th, 2008

Last week, reports surfaced in the mainstream press that thousands of villagers had raided a gold mine in Northern Tanzania, setting fire to $7 million* worth of mine equipment. Most reports blamed problems with crime in the area, calling the intruders "gold-seekers."

While the spokesman for Barrick Gold** Tanzania, Teweli Teweli, describes these villagers as "well-organized groups" who attacked the pit following the blasting of high-grade ore, others paint Barrick as the aggressor in this event, citing immediate and historic causes that have been largely ignored by the international community.

According to several witnesses, the immediate cause of the civilian uprising was the killing of a young man named Mang’weina Mwita Mang’weina. Human rights lawyer Tundu Lissu, who represents many of the villagers, explains that Mang’weina and some friends were engaged in an argument with Barrick security when one of the guards shot Mang’weina, who was unarmed at the time. This incident caused an uproar within the community, which immediately took up stones, overpowered mine security (who then fled), and attacked the mine, setting fire to millions worth of equipment.

Mang’weina himself is a part of the legacy of the North Mara mine. He was one of the thousands of unemployed locals in the area, angry over the mine’s recent history of forced displacement, loss of livelihoods, human rights abuses and ongoing repression. He is the seventh person killed at the hands of mine security since July 2005, when the killing of a local boy sparked a similar uprising that resulted in the destruction of mine equipment and the subsequent detention of over 200 villagers.***

Eyewitnesses to the 2005 killing told The Guardian (Tanzania) that "the boy who was shot dead was walking past the company premises when company security guards, suspecting him of stealing oil, stopped him. When the boy failed to heed the order, the guards called the police who, before even questioning him, shot him in the chest."

Not one year later, security guards employed by Barrick Gold allegedly shot – five times in the back – another villager who was alleged to have illegally entered the mine complex, bringing the death toll to six.

According to Lissu in a letter written in June 2006:

The killings represent a major shift in Barrick’s strategy for dealing
with the troublesome locals who have always opposed the Mine. In the
period after the forced evictions of the villagers in August 2001,
hundreds of villagers, particularly community leaders and prominent
locals were targeted for illegal arrests, criminal prosecutions and
long term imprisonment. Numerous local leaders including the area’s
[late] Member of Parliament Chacha Zakayo Wangwe and elected Member of
the Tarime District Council Augustino Nestory Sasi were harassed this
way, with the latter being sentenced to 30 year jail before we got him
out on appeal to the High Court of Tanzania in December 2004.

Calculating from media reports, Lissu estimates that over 10,000 artisanal miners, peasant farmers and their families were kicked out of the area to make way for the North Mara mine in 2001. Since that time, there has been ongoing tension between the mine and the local communities.

According to Allan Cedillo Lissner, a Toronto-based photojournalist who recently interviewed families surrounding the North Mara mine, "Ongoing conflict between the mine and local communities have created a climate of fear for those who live nearby." Since the mine opened in 2002, one family told Lissner that they live in a state of constant anxiety because they are repeatedly harassed and intimidated by the mine’s private security forces and by government police. "There have been several deadly confrontations in the area and every time there are problems at the mine, the Mwita family say their compound is the first place the police come looking. During police operations the family scatters in fear to hide in the bush, ‘like fugitives,’ for weeks at a time waiting for the situation to calm down," Lissner explains.

The Mwita family explained that they used to farm and raise livestock, telling Lissner that "now there are no pastures because the mine has almost taken the whole land … we have no sources of income and we are living only through God’s wishes. … We had never experienced poverty before the mine came here." They also told Lissner that they would like to be relocated, but the application process has been complicated, and they feel the amount of compensation offered was merely "candy."

According to Tanzanian journalist and community advocate Evans Rubara, this latest uprising "is a sign to both the government of Tanzania and the International community (especially Canada) that poor and marginalized people also get tired of oppression." He hopes that the recent conflict will inspire Barrick "to start another strategy that will bring a good and constructive relationship with the local communities by implementing programs that do not enhance more looting and belittle Tanzania, leaving thousands in destitution."

Since this most recent uprising, dozens of villagers have been arrested. According to Lissu, who plans to represent those arrested, "They have arrested dozens of people; [Barrick is] on a war path; these people have been denied bail, they are targeting the youth and repression is on."

Lissu also spoke about reports of weapons making their way into the North Mara area. "Two days ago, we got information that [Barrick is] importing weapons: a ton and a half of tear gas, and hand grenades were transported to the mine on Thursday. The hand grenades were seized by customs on the way to the North Mara Gold Mine, but have since been let through," he told ProtestBarrick.net on the phone from Tanzania.

Sakura Saunders is an editor for protestbarrick.net, an all-volunteer news site that networks organizations and community groups organized against Barrick Gold around the world.

* On December 17, 2008 Barrick Gold said it had revised down the damage to its North Mara Mine in Tanzania during an attack last week to about $7 million from an earlier estimate of $15 million.

** In January 2006, Barrick Gold merged with Placer Dome, who previously owned the North Mara mine.

*** By mid 2006 all of the villagers detained after the 2005 uprising had been released by the courts after the authorities failed to prosecute them.

Actions in India and the Philippines

I’m not sure whether the following reports are ‘ideologically acceptable’ but over the last year there has been a rash of direct action attacks against corporations and in defence of the environment and the indigenous peoples that live there, undertaken by Maoist forces in both India and the Philippines.

India

1. Naxals attack in Gadchiroli [December 2007]

CHANDRAPUR: Naxalites set ablaze three vehicles – two tippers and a truck – of a contractor on Wednesday evening. The incident took place near Haldwahi Tola village in Chamorshi tehsil of Gadchiroli district, said the police.

According to sources, the Naxals came to the village and after identifying the vehicles of the construction company – Sainath Constructions – set those ablaze. The Naxalites then disappeared into the jungle.

Sanjay Latkar, SDPO of Chamorshi division, said, “The Naxals have burnt the three vehicles owned by Raju Biyani, director of Sainath Constructions on Wednesday evening.”

(http://maoistresistance.blogspot.com/2007/12/naxals-attack-in-gadchiroli.html)

2. Maoists attack Essar Steel plant in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Apr 25 [2008]: About 300 heavily armed Maoists on Friday attacked an iron ore beneficiation plant of Essar Steel in Chhattisgarh, and set 53 trucks and three heavy machines on fire, a senior police officer said.
The attack was carried out near Kirandul in the state’s Dantewada District where the insurgents have been running a de-facto administration for years.
“Armed rebels attacked Essar Steel’s iron ore facility and created havoc for hours, by setting at least 53 trucks and three heavy machines on fire, in a raid that ended in the early hours of Friday,” R. K. Vij, Inspector General of Police of Bastar range, told media.
The plant supplies high quality iron ore from its 8 million tonne per annum (MTPA) unit to the pellet plant at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
According to police, rebels overpowered a few employees working in the plant during night shift and then sprayed diesel on vehicles and set them on fire.
The rebels later slipped into the nearby forest. The rebels left pamphlets at the attack site saying their act was to protest transportation of local rare natural resource iron ore to outside the state and the country.
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is on a four-day visit to tribal pockets in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

(http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/maoists-attack-essar-steel-plant-in-chhattisgarh-2_10042081.html)

3. In September 2008 a photo essay about the anti-Maoist militia the Salwa Judum appeared on the Internet. Part of the essay read as follows:

The conflict sits on top of one of the most valuable iron mines in Asia [in Bacheli, Chhattisgarh]….. Some people allege that Salwa Judum only exists to free up land for mining contracts, and is not really a fight against communism.

[A] massive steam shovel was attacked by Naxals a month before I arrived. Naxals target mining infrastructure because they say local people don’t reap any benefit from the multi-billion dollar industry. (Unfortunately the damage was temporary and the machine has been repaired)

Christopher Kindo is the Deputy Director of Mining in Chhattisgarh. he says that he doesn’t understand why Naxals keep attacking his equipment. (Aaahhh …. the innocence dripping from his face could melt anyone’s heart)

The mining machinery in Chhattisgarh comes from an American company and sells for half a million dollars per truck. [A] massive load puller can hold several tons of top grade iron which eventually ends up in building projects across India and Japan. The mines are a central target of Naxal militants.

(http://naxalrevolution.blogspot.com/2008/09/salwa-judum-photo-essay.html)

4. Naxalites set eight vehicles on fire

Sunday November 30 2008

Raipur (PTI): Eight vehicles were set on fire in two separate incidents by suspected Naxalites in Dantewada and Bijapur district, police said today.

Naxalites stopped the road construction work between Kamalur and Kundeli in Dantewada district and set three tippers, two dozers, a pokelene machine and a trailer on fire late last night, police said.

In another incident, about three dozen Naxalites led by Ursa Bodhra, a hardcore Naxalite, set a vehicle on fire for allegedly carrying supplies meant for security forces at Gangalur region of Bijapur last night….

http://naxalwatch.blogspot.com/2008/11/naxalites-set-eight-vehicles-on-fire.html
Philippines

5. communique published by the New Peoples Army, republished on the website of the Negros Chronicle

….September 15, 2008
The NPA Mt. Talinis Front Command based in southeast Negros island implemented last September 9 a directive from the Provisional Revolutionary Government to punish the Tamlang Valley Agricultural Development Corporation (TVADC) for promoting and planting jathropa and cassava in the said area.
According to Ka Dom Pantaleon, spokesperson of the NPA Mt. Talinis Front Command, Red fighters seized and immediately burned three tractors owned by the TVADC late Tuesday night in Sitio Cuadra, Barangay Mantikil, Siaton town in Oriental Negros.
The punitive action was implemented after it was proven that the year-old TVADC project has gravely dislocated the planting of the traditional corn, rice and other food crops in Tamlang Valley, he said.
Lands previously used by farmers for own-consumption food production were now forcibly used for bio-fuel purposes, and a succession of Army battalions were employed to actively harass and dupe farmers to plant jathropa and cassava, he added……

(http://www.negroschronicle.com/?p=379)

6. Red Army’s anti-biofuels campaign continues
October 28, 2008

The NPA will implement more preventive measure against private agri-business corporations like the Tamlang Valley Agricultural Development Corporation (TVADC) for worsening the food supply problem and causing numerous military abuses in southeast Negros.
Thus said Ka Dom Pantaleon, spokesperson of the NPA Pulang Mt. Talinis Front Command, as he announced yet another punitive action against the TVADC biofuels company mainly based in barangay Casalaan, Siaton, Oriental Negros.
In a press release, Pantaleon said the countryside-based people’s democratic government ordered an NPA team last October 3 to confiscate and burn two TVADC-owned tractors in sityo Tamlang, barangay Talalak, in Sta. Catalina town. No one was harmed in the incident, he added.
It was the second such operation in as many months by the Red army to protect upland peasants from the intrusive and harmful biofuels company co-owned by the family of ex-Congressman Herminio Teves and their Korean business partners….
Pantaleon revealed that the NPA will continue implementing similar orders for punitive actions from the countryside-based people’s democratic government that are meant to block the widespread growing of jathropa and cassava in and around the vast Sta. Catalina-Siaton-Valencia-Pamplona border barangays of Oriental Negros known as Tamlang Valley.
More importantly, it will impose armed punitive actions against the 302nd Brigade for providing protection and even colluding with TVADC in forcing ordinary farmers to plant jatrhopa and cassava, instead of their traditional food crops like upland rice and corn, he added.
The NPA spokesperson said the mercenary AFP has become the biofuels campaign’s most visible “errand boys” for the agri-business company and the Teves family in southeast Negros.
This has resulted to numerous human rights abuses, including the enforced disappearances of ordinary farmers Flaviano Arante and Reynold Yanoc – both residents of barangay Talalak, Sta. Catalina town – who have been missing and feared salvaged since early this year, he added…..

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/cgi-bin/statements/statements.pl?author=npasn;date=081028;language=eng

7. December 23, 2008

[extract]…..The NPA also burned six (6) multi-million heavy equipments of SRMI as punishment for their considerable transgressions against the environment, indigenous Filipinos, workers and people affected by their mining operations.
SRMI is owned by the Amante political family and has wrought environmental destruction to the municipality of Tubay, paid low wages and unjustly treats its workers, disrespects the rights of the indigenous Filipinos to their ancestral lands and deprives them of their ”royalty share”. SMRI’s unquenchable greed is forcibly put over and above the interests of the indigenous Filipinos, small miners and the masses through the hiring of Ret. Col De Lara and establishing a big security force whose members include abusive criminals.

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/cgi-bin/statements/statements.pl?author=ndfnm;date=081223;language=eng

ALF & ELF Continue Telmex Sabotage

“On December 11 the Frente de Liberacion Animal in Mexico sabotaged 25 telephones of the disgusting company Telmex in an act of direct support for our fighting comrades in Colombia, we are glad to know that the attacks that are badly needed in Latin America have this continuity, we hope that the flame will not go out in Colombia and that they continue on!

Continuous, well-planned sabotage is the worst nightmare of the exploiters.

A fighting embrace!

For animal, human and earth liberation!

FLA Mexico”

———–

“On December 18 we sabotaged 20 phones of the destroyer of the planet, the Telmex company, in the same manner as before (with bolt cutters and other tools).

We will not stop …

FLT México”

———–

Previous actions

ELF sabotage phone booths in Columbia & Mexico
http://www.earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/21875

Telmex phone booths sabotaged in Mexico City
http://www.earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/21813

Source http://www.directaction.info

Invitation to the Northern Climate Rush – January 12th

On Monday 12th January 2009 at 7pm the Northern Climate Rush will hit Manchester Airport Terminal 3 (Domestic Departures).

Everyone is welcome to join us. Come in Edwardian dress if you can (think long skirts, coats and tails, and silly hats, all hidden under a big coat!) with hampers of food to have our ‘Dinner at Domestic Departures’, to the strains of our very own string quartet! It will take place on the day that the MPs return from their winter holiday, and at exactly the same time as the main Climate Rush, at Heathrow.

Our protest will be against airport expansion and domestic flights. In a time of recession and climate crisis, government money should be spent on improvements to rail, trams, and buses, not on subsidies and infrastructure for the aviation industry.

For an accessible report on the latest climate science, check out http://climatesafety.org/

We have waited too long and been misled too many times. It is time for us to take control and to lead social change.

northernclimaterush@googlemail.com

Radley Lakes saved

Following years of campaigning through legal channels, and the squatting of a building by the side of Thrupp Lake at the beginning of 2007, the Save Radley Lakes campaign is victorious – hoorah! Use the search above for old stories and photos from the campaign – stories about the recent victory and future plans are below.

Yesterday’s (17.12.08) announcement by RWE Npower brought to an end a 41 month campaign to save the last remaining Radley Lakes, Thrupp and Bullfield Lakes, from destruction by being filled with waste pulverised fuel ash (PFA) from the Didcot A Power Station.

It also brings to an end 23 years of filling of old gravel pits in Radley with power station ash, which began in 1985, when the Power Station was run by the nationalised Central Electricity Generating Board and when the environment figured less highly in popular concerns. The choice back then was between landfill with general waste, commercial exploitation, or ash. Local people voted for the ash, which is probably what they would have got anyway.

The ash had been pumped into the gravel pits as a slurry via an underground pipeline. Many gravel pits were filled in this way over the intervening years and people did not seem to mind, though eyebrows were being increasingly raised, and there were objections to the filling of Lakes H and I, which had become a spectacular haven for wildfowl. In 2005, RWE npower sought permission to fill the the two remaining gravel pits. These were the oldest excavations, which had, over the half century or so of their existence, become restored into beautiful lakes and had been given names by local people.

How the Lakes Were Saved (in a nutshell)

The smaller Bullfield Lake was rescued from this fate following protests back in 2005, but the much larger and more important Thrupp Lake has remained under threat ever since, as planning, legal and other battles raged around it. As a last resort, local people even applied to have the area turned into a Town Green. This too failed, but it remains the subject of a Judicial Review, which was due to be heard in the High Court in February 2009. In February 2007, having got all necessary planning permissions and removed the protestors who’d occupied the lakeside building, npower went ahead with clearance work on the site, and many trees were destroyed. Work then had to stop until the Autumn, because of nesting birds. After carrying out some preliminary work in October 2007, npower suddenly ceased their activities on the site.

Then, in February 2008, events took an unexpected turn: npower announced an interim reprieve for Thrupp Lake. A little later, Waste Recycling Group (WRG) openly came forward with a proposal that would save Thrupp Lake for ever. It has taken until now to bring this to fruition. Planning permission was needed, technical problems had to be resolved, a commercial agreement had to be reached; then there was the question of what to do with Thrupp Lake. Many delicate negotiations, it seemed, were going on in the background, culminating in yesterday’s momentous announcement.

Triumph at Last!

To mark the occasion, the Power Station operators invited press and public into the grounds of Sandles, the house on the shore Thrupp Lake. There, Mr John Rainford, the Power Station manager, announced that, because the power station had found better and more sustainable ways of disposing of its ash, there would be no need to destroy Thrupp Lake, not now, not ever. He made it clear that RWE npower was offering The Lake to the local community as a nature conservation area and that discussions were underway with the Northmoor Trust to provide for its management. It was hoped that the house could be converted into an educational centre.

Representatives of the community, Jenny Standen, chairman of Radley Parish Council, and Basil Crowley, chairman of Save Radley Lakes, expressed their satisfaction and delight, thanking npower for their magnanimity and looking forward to working with them in restoring the area to create something to be really proud of. Both expressed gratitude to all the people who had supported the campaign and whose support and tireless efforts had helped bring this about.

With the late December afternoon sunshine casting long shadows across the vestiges of Sandles’ lawn, a jubilant party atmosphere prevailed. Champagne flowed, hands were shaken, cameras clicked and, in a touch of surreality, a man in a frog suit played a solo trombone fanfare at the lakeside to herald the lake’s salvation.

Where the Ash Will Go

The ash that was to have gone into Thrupp Lake will now go to Waste Recycling Group’s Sutton Courtenay landfill site next to the power station where it will be used for engineering, capping and landscaping of the landfill operations. Surplus ash will be stockpiled in a planned new storage facility, which received planning permission back in July, and will maintain WRG’s essential supply of ash after 2015 when the power station will have closed. Because the power station and the waste site are immediately adjacent, the ash can be transported directly across the fence and put into the stockpile, which is not far from the power station boundary. At no time will this ash be transported on public roads, which means there will be no adverse impact on the residents of Sutton Courtenay. Indeed, it will remove the need to import over half a million tonnes of substitute materials after 2015, which would have had an impact!

http://www.saveradleylakes.org.uk/
http://www.radleyvillage.org.uk/news/News0009.htm

Japanese Whaling Fleet Is On the Run

Friday, December 19, 2008
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Steve Irwin now has the entire Japanese whaling fleet on the run.

At 2345 G.M.T. the Steve Irwin intercepted the Japanese harpoon vessel Yushin Maru #2 inside the Australian Antarctic Economic Exclusion Zone at 64°26 South and 132° 40′ East.

Friday, December 19, 2008
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Steve Irwin now has the entire Japanese whaling fleet on the run.

At 2345 G.M.T. the Steve Irwin intercepted the Japanese harpoon vessel Yushin Maru #2 inside the Australian Antarctic Economic Exclusion Zone at 64°26 South and 132° 40′ East.

The encounter took place in dense fog and in dangerous ice conditions. The Steve Irwin launched a Delta boat with a crew to attack the Yushin Maru #2 with rotten butter bombs. Unfortunately the wind increased to fifty knots with blizzard conditions. Captain Paul Watson called the small boat crew back for safety reasons when they were halfway to their target some three miles away.

The Yushin Maru #2 then headed due North to lead the Steve Irwin away from the whaling fleet. The decoy did not work. The Steve Irwin is now in pursuit of the whaling fleet.

They have ceased whaling operations and they are now running from the Sea Shepherd crew.

The Yushin Maru #2 was the same vessel that the Steve Irwin crew boarded in January 2007. This year the crew observed that the Yushin Maru #2 has set up large netting to be run along the side of the ship to prevent boarding parties from going over the side. When the whalers realized that the Steve Irwin was onto them, they immediately ran on deck to deploy the netting.

“It looks like Whale Wars, season #2 is officially underway,” said Captain Paul Watson. “We’ve got them on the run. They are not in the Ross Sea where they said they would be. They are in Australian waters. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is officially calling on Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett and Foreign Minister Stephen Smith to order the Japanese fleet to comply with the orders of the Australian Federal Court and to cease and desist from killing to whales in Australian waters.”

COAL CARAVAN – route & dates update

The fabulous climate caravan lives on.

This time we will be the COAL CARAVAN, walking and cycling between the sites for proposed open cast mines and new power stations in the Midlands, Yorkshire and North East.

The fabulous climate caravan lives on.

This time we will be the COAL CARAVAN, walking and cycling between the sites for proposed open cast mines and new power stations in the Midlands, Yorkshire and North East.

On our route we’ll be talking to local people, organising bicycled power films and events, holding public discussions and displays, and linking groups from different areas to help strengthen isolated campaigns.

24 April 2009 Co2al Caravan launch party, Sumac Centre Nottingham
25 April – set off to Shipley Glen
27/28 April – cycle to Yorkshire
29 April – Fairbairn Ings
30 April – 2 May – cycle to North East
3 May – Anti-opencast workshops
4 May (Bank Holiday Monday) – Grand Finale

The caravan itself will not involve direct action (although we may offer training, if local groups so request). It will be openly organised and if you would like to go on the list please email caravan@climatecamp.org.uk.

Stop the Weymouth Relief Road Update & Videos – wish list & overhanging branch tactic!

Latest news: a technicality has meant a tree top protest against a new £87m relief road scheme in Dorset has continued despite a legal ruling.

The government has given the go-ahead for the Weymouth relief road and Dorset County Council secured a land possession order to evict protestors.

Latest news: a technicality has meant a tree top protest against a new £87m relief road scheme in Dorset has continued despite a legal ruling.

The government has given the go-ahead for the Weymouth relief road and Dorset County Council secured a land possession order to evict protestors.

But the demonstration, which began last Thursday, was continuing on Friday and has delayed work at Two Mile Coppice.

Protestors have now occupied a tree branch overhanging neighbouring land.

In the morning, Dorset County Council served a compulsory purchase order on the land which meant the protestors were legally required to leave.

While the oak tree they are in is on land covered by the notice, the branch they occupy overhangs adjacent Woodland Trust land.

——–

Tat list – What we need

And latest update (Saturday 20th December):-

www.greenvoice.com – shortly to be a web space for us

PLEASE CIRCULATE

update– we have an address of sorts, and donations and xmas gifts would be great !”!!

Cash is ok to send as it is a secure post box, but phonecards for Orange are better than cash.
Also need AAA and AA batteries – Duracell and Energiser or alkaline ONLY.
Rope – Green or blue polypropelene – 6mm or 10mm thickness.
Rope – Static climbing line – 10mm or larger.
Rope – Dynamic climbing line – any thickness
Rope – arborist lines – we have 2 tree surgeons living with us and this rope is useful.

second hand rope is normally FREE from climbing centres -indoor centres often throw their ropes out every 6 -9 months – just call in and ask for it.

Tarps, plastic sheeting.

Tools – hammers, nails, saws, pruning saws, bill hooks.

2 way radios, nightvision goggles, catapults (to get rope up), grappling hooks. Head torches – LED are best.

The Woodland Trust still own the land that the road is being built on, but have waived their 14 days notice period and told Dorset County Council that it is ok to get on with cutting down the Ancient woodland – basically they have thrown in the towel without even standing up to argue or delay the destruction on their land. The fact that the Woodland Trust still own the land was recorded in the Court case of the 18th december 2008 of Dorset
County Council ‘ v ‘ Persons Unknown in Weymouth County Court. Her Majesty’s Land Registry in Plymouth also confirmed it.

The people of Weymouth brought Two Mile Copse through public subscription. Local people dug deeply into their pockets and put their money into conserving the land for perpeturity, for us and all future generations.

Dorset County Council have so far not given one penny in compensation, either to the Woodland Trust, nor local people who raised the public money to preserve the wood in the first place.

—————————-

More update:-

Hi Ho!, HO!, Ho!

Living up 6 trees at weymouth – Two Mile Copse / Teddy Bear Woods. I helped fight against
this road back in 1996, and 2004 and we won it then.

BUT now they gone and done it and cut 70% of the trees…..

We have a 400 year old Oak in Ancient Woodland that’s are protecting and 4 Ash trees reaching 90 feet up into the sky. Also a tall and healthy young elm.

We have a tree house, a net, lots of walkways in the sky and an off route visitors site on the ground.

GET HELP + MEDIA now if u can.

regards

2 Mile Copse Protest Camp
c/o Lorton Barn
Lorton Lane
LittleMoor
Weymouth
DT3 5QH

Sorry we currently are in the process of arranging a site mobile phone – number to follow
shortly

Links/more below & in previous story.

—–

Following from the Stop the Weymouth Relief Road bulletin. Apparently there is a chainsaw gang now operating 1.5 miles further North from Littlemoor, between Littlemoor and Ridgeway. There are 3 protesters down there but they need more back up. I have been in contact with the protesters occupying the sight at Littlemoor. They are in urgent need of more support from locals to help on the ground and others to help build tree houses along the route, all help would be greatly appreciated.

On site mobiles are 07792717821 / 07807952822

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Videos: 1 | 2

COUNCIL chiefs will go to court tomorrow in a bid to remove a growing number of protesters from the route of Weymouth’s planned relief road.

It comes as the stand-off intensified in Two Mile Coppice as eco-warriors began moving a fence and telling security staff it encroached too far into the ancient woodland.

But today Dorset County Council is hoping to be granted possession of the land by Weymouth County Court.

The council is asking the court to rule that the protesters must leave the property, and if they agree to that request, when they must leave.

The number of protesters reached seven as a camp was set up beneath an oak tree that stands alone in the fenced off area of the woods.

Four protesters set up camp and roped off their own area below three more based up inside the tree.

One new arrival, known only as Andy, said: “We are here to stop the road as there are many reasons why the woodland should not be chopped down.

“The oak tree we are in and beneath is hundreds of years old.

“We heard about the people here and wanted to come to support the action.

“We can help provide food and whatever else they need in the tree.

“If you let the council go ahead with the road it won’t be long before they want to chop more of this beautiful woodland down for development.

“The road won’t actually help prevent traffic congestion in the end anyway.”

A council spokesman confirmed clearance work is continuing in the western edge strip of Two Mile Coppice and said it is hoped this will be finished before Christmas.

She said: “There is a county court hearing today where the county council will be asking for an order for the trespassers to hand over the land to the possession of the council.”

Nick Pepper, 41, has camped in the woods since he came down from a tree which has now been chopped down.

Mr Pepper, who previously lived in Weymouth but now lives in Bristol, said: “As soon as we received the legal papers to evict the tree we thought we’d better have a legally legitimate support camp.

“We are protected under the 1977 Criminal Law Act which stops us from being legally evicted or illegally assaulted.

“We’ve actually squatted in an area of land so we can protect the people up the tree from intimidation or illegal activity.

“There needs to be open access so we can monitor what’s going on.”