earthfirst – Page 216

Dongria Kondh Road Block – Tribe vows to fight mine with axes and arrows

Tribe vows to fight mine with axes and arrows

One of India’s most isolated tribes, the Dongria Kondh, is preparing to stop British FTSE 100 company Vedanta from mining aluminium ore on their sacred mountain, after police and hired thugs forced protestors to dismantle a barricade over the weekend.

Tribe vows to fight mine with axes and arrows

About 150 people had blocked the road in Orissa state on Wednesday after hearing that Vedanta intended to start survey work for a planned aluminium mine which would destroy an ecologically vital hill, and the Dongria Kondh’s most sacred site. Vedanta employees visited the blockade repeatedly, threatening the protestors. On Friday the villagers gave in and took down the barricade, but about 100 are still at the side of the road, blocking traffic when Vedanta vehicles approach.

Vedanta is majority owned by London-based Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal.

Today, Dongria Kondh from all over Niyamgiri, the hill range that would be decimated by Vedanta’s mine, are making arrows and preparing their axes to stop Vedanta reaching their sacred mountain. One Dongria man said today ‘Now our people are very angry. We have to show the Dongria Kondh power to Vedanta.’

When India’s Supreme Court gave Vedanta the green light in August to mine on Dongria land, around 40 Dongrias used tree trunks to block a road leading into their hills, and held banners reading, ‘We are Dongria Kondh. Vedanta can not take our mountain.’ [photos available]

The mountain that Vedanta wants to mine is not only the Dongria Kondh’s most sacred site, it is also integral to the entire ecosystem of the hills, enabling the numerous streams and lush forests which sustain the Dongrias to continue to thrive.

Survival’s director, Stephen Corry, said today ‘The Dongria Kondh are protecting their land from invaders, who are only interested in plundering the mountain for their own gain. The Dongrias will get nothing from the mine, except destitution and ruin, and Survival will continue to support their resistance to Vedanta.’

For more information please contact Miriam Ross at Survival International (+44) (0)20 7687 8734 or (+44) (0)7504 543 367 or email mr@survival-international.org

Bath Bomb #15 out now

The Bath Bomb
@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #15
free/donation
Oct 08

Knowledge is Power, So Arm Yourself

The Bath Bomb
@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #15
free/donation
Oct 08

Knowledge is Power, So Arm Yourself

Of late, you’d be mistaken for thinking the end is indeed nigh. With the implosion of large chunks of the global economy, and the fall of banks like Bradford and Bingley and Northern Rock over here, Lehman Brothers, Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac in the States, capitalism’s days are looking numbered. Far from being an inevitable and efficient system, it seems like the constant financial fiddling and creative math required to meet targets and provide the illusion of continual growth, are causing a global credit crunch whose sting we’re all feeling. But whilst Brown & co donated £25 billion worth of corporate welfare to bail out blundering Northern Rock in one day, money sorely needed for our public services is nowhere to be seen. But are there any other answers? Well, last month saw the Bristol Anarchist Bookfair at St Werburghs Community Centre on Saturday the 13th September pulling in over 400 punters, and on Saturday the 18th of this month will be the Anarchist Bookfair in London. Expect reams of info on socially-just economics, alternative energy and lifestyles, childcare, music, food, talks and workshops, radical theory and lessons learnt from the past. Capitalism has been failing us now for decades with poor health, over-exploitation, over-work, increasing authoritarianism, and a widening poverty gap, and it’s high time we tried something new. And if you can’t make it to London, we now have a new online radical lending library in Bath – so, if you fancy an interesting read on the really cheap, check out the blog section of http://www.myspace.com/bathactivistnetwork.

http://www.anarchistbookfair.org/
www.bristolanarchistbookfair.org/

Labour of Hate

For the first time in decades, the annual Labour party conference was held outside of Brighton, the politicians instead opting for Manchester. The change in location did not bring a change in attitude though, and the conference saw more of the now familiar cosying up to big business, tired taglines and pro-war, pro-privatisation rhetoric. Outside the conference however, 4,000 citizens gathered to rip the agenda away from Neo-Labour and their corporate buddies and highlight the growing disgust the population feels at the contempt politicians show for the needs and desires of the average person. A large part of the demo consisted of the anarchist ‘freedom of movement bloc’.

Made up of up to 500 people, the bloc gathered to demand freedom of movement for migrants and an end to national borders, states and war. Before long, our fluoro-jacketed buddies from the deeply unpopular (and taser-happy) Manchester Metropolitan showed an interest in the bloc, diving in to arrest activists treasonous enough to don Gordon Brown masks. After a short, sharp fight however, the cops were sent packing with no arrests made. From then on, police tried to make frequent incursions into the bloc, all of which were repelled, and the least successful ending with 15 cops getting taken prisoner and cut off from their buddies for a period of 10 minutes! The most noticeable aspect of the demo was the increased size and prominence of anarchist politics on the march, a phenomenon that has been growing in recent years. While the demo was a mostly non confrontational affair, it was successful in reminding Neo-Labour that while they privatise our resources, imprison and torture our asylum seeking brothers and sisters, enclose us with CCTV and kill us with fuel prices – we are still watching, and we will not be silent.

Liberate Your Mind at Bubbling Under

Sunday 28th September saw a return to the monthly radical film showings at the Porter Cellar Bar in Bath. This month, the line up included ‘Bombs and Batons’, a short film covering Brighton’s Carnival Against the Arms Trade on June 4th. The film generally showed police officers looking totally fazed and out of their depth amongst hundreds of demonstrators taking a stand against the lucrative arms trade (see below for more info). The second film, ‘Can’t Complain’, was made up of footage from a demonstration in January outside Brighton police station against the oppression faced by those active in opposing EDO/ITT. The third film took viewers back in time to the tree camps of the 1990s. The film included daring stunts by activists to halt the building of the infamous Newbury Bypass. Whilst viewers enjoyed the films, they tucked into the Porter’s famous veggie roast. Aside from the fabulous food, previous showings have been accompanied by talks from political activists, live debates and workshops on events such as this year’s Climate Camp. Forthcoming events at Bubbling Under will include films about Climate Camp and coverage of the 1990 poll tax demonstrations. Organisers always welcome suggestions to bathactivistnet@yahoo.co.uk for films, workshops and debates.

Pigs Might Fly: Or Was He Pushed?

Matisse once said ‘flowers are everywhere for those who are willing to look’. Well, this month, our flowers come in the form of the forced resignation of Sir Ian Blair – ex-head honcho of the London Metropolitan police. Acts during his time at the top include the cold-blooded murder of Brazilian plumber Jean Charles ‘it’s one of them dark’uns, sarge’ de Menezes, the resignation of almost every black and asian high ranking officer he worked with amid claims of racism and the gleeful passing of laws to criminalize, beat and arrest legitimate protestors. The final turd on the mountainous steamer that was Blair’s career came when it emerged that he channelled taxpayers’ money away from the police and into his mates’ pockets. So, goodbye to true scum in its purest form (and hoping that more of his bastard buddies go the same way), and a fond hope that his forced retirement ends soon and bloodily with journalists reporting that the shooting was nothing more than a tragic case of mistaken identity.

Shut ITT, You Slag

Following on from June’s smashing Carnival Against the Arms Trade, on Wednesday the 15th of October, activists will converge from all round the nation on the EDO/ITT arms factory in Brighton, for around 2. Rather than toothlessly appealing to the state’s fictitious benevolent side to NOT sponsor corporate massacres half way across the world and at home, in the case of the ‘Smash EDO’ campaign, ordinary people are confronting the roots of war – the very manufacturers of instruments of death (Nazi Germany-affiliated ITT make the Paveway missile guidance system, used in Iraq and Palestine). Not petitioning them, but forcing them to stop, share by share, day by day, with the campaign biting down and holding tenaciously on, until these profit-obsessed bastards are brought down. It’s history in the making, an example of a focused campaign succeeding at its aims, even in the face of state, police and media censorship and harassment. And once ITT has been bankrupted, which company is next? Following this course, we will eventually have humanity, mutual aid, and dare we say it, world peace… even if we have to smash, d-lock, shout ourselves hoarse, and superglue our way through every dodgy industry and evil megalomaniac to get it: be there on the day! The demo starts at 12 noon, meeting opposite Falmer train station. For transport down, drop us an email at bathactivistnet@yahoo.co.uk.

http://www.smashedo.org.uk/shut-itt.htm

Positive’s Not News

It’s come to our attention here at the Bath Bomb of a worrying tendency in the local press. Whilst the same is true of national and regional papers the UK over, the Bath Chronic has taken upon itself to ignore positive local events and initiatives which show communities organising their own needs and doing good for themselves and their neighbours; take for example, the case of the Riverside Community Youth Centre’s open evening on the 26th September, where local youth showed off their music talents and staff put on food and highlighted to residents the important work the centre is doing. Staff were told by the Chron that such positive stories, which you might mistakenly believe are the fare of local rags all over the land, were not high enough priority to warrant a photographer, nor any more than reluctant coverage; perhaps the kids should have been out mugging people like a proper hoodie? Likewise, worthwhile activist events throughout the last six months have been equally censored: ‘Roots of Change’, ‘There is such thing as a free lunch!’, the Bath FreeShop… the list goes on. If these protesters had lived up to the stereotype and been busy breaking stuff, then perhaps that would have shifted a couple more papers? So whilst the Chron puts a cynical spotlight on the negative, the trivial, the celeb-obsessed, or fear-mongering, is it really the job of the media to decide what its readers are permitted to know or think?

Bath – 2, BNP – 0

Remember last year when Nick Griffin, head Nazi of the BNP, tried to come to speak at Bath Uni? Local anti-fascists mobilised to first kick him off campus, then out of several pubs, then into a field where the cops made him and his bonehead mates go home after a 5-minute speech on public safety grounds! Well, it looks like the Nazis may be back. Reports suggest that several BNP activists were handing out flyers at Bath Uni earlier this month. This month also saw a few hundred Nazis from across Europe converge at the Bungalow Inn in Somerset (against the scared owner’s wishes) to drunkenly sieg heil their departed fuhrer Ian Stewart Donaldson, singer of fascist band Skrewdriver, who bravely martyred himself over a decade ago after drunkenly falling in front of a car! While this was a one-off event, the BNP at Bath Uni may not be so, and Bath anti-fascists would appreciate any information on the situation there. The BNP are vicious racists who oppose immigration and trade unions and have a long history of racial violence, Hitler-worship and Holocaust denial (their leader still denies the Holocaust, calling it the ‘Holohoax’, and recently claimed in a speech to American Nazis that he would be happy to kill for the white race). We have kicked them out of Bath once, and we can do it again. Any information will be treated as confidential and can be sent to bathactivistnet@yahoo.co.uk.

Computer Says ‘No… 2ID’

Despite long resistance, the racist state will be pushing in ID cards, this year, starting on the 25th November with easy targets the immigrants. Incensed at this, 35 activists from No Borders across South Wales, Bath, Bristol and beyond converged on the Home Office Identity and Passport Office in Newport, on Saturday the 5th October. Despite the drizzle and minor police intimidation, they stayed on for two hours, leafleting the passing public about this insidious new (old) scheme. Whilst the cards will reach immigrants next month, if the scheme doesn’t meet too much opposition, it will then be rolled out to workers in ‘sensitive’ locations in 2009, and then students in 2010. Acting on flawed ‘intelligence’, bungling coppers turned up an hour beforehand to police the demo, and the office itself shut its barrier after one hour. But what’s all the big deal? Surely if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear? Management of this database (the most complex in Europe) will be doled out to private companies like PA Consulting, who already lost 30,000 people’s records back in August. Will their struggling software be able to handle this larger strain? We hope so, because with an increasing reliance on technology, and numerous such computer cock-ups, what’s to say that similar incidents won’t result in other horror stories, with data-loss victims unable to work, unable to pay bills, unable to shop, and unable to access basic services. But what about ID cards stopping crime? Unless the cards or RFID chips (radio frequency identification implants) miraculously address malnourishment, domestic abuse or poverty cycles, then these cards won’t prevent crime. So given that, why is Big Brother so intent on building up all this info? As the proverb goes, “First they came for the communists, and I did nothing because I was not a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did nothing because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did nothing because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to help me.”

http://current.com/topics/88831947_data_loss
http://www.no2id.net/
http://noborderswales.wordpress.com

Your Government Wants You Dead!

A dramatic headline? We at Bath Bomb are known for our occasional sensationalism, but on this occasion, we are being ‘deadly’ serious. Recent figures suggest that 1/3 of the population is going to be forced into a choice between sufficient fuel or sufficient food this winter. By encouraging price hikes in the private fuel sector and choosing to support failing business rather than average people, the government of this country will literally be responsible for thousands of deaths this winter. Let’s put this in perspective – the government is perfectly willing to shell out hundreds of millions of OUR money to slow the inevitable collapse of capitalism, while just down the road in Swindon, 69% of council house residents were recently discovered to be living well below the poverty line. There is plenty to be angry at the government over that we spend much time focusing on – the war on the Iraqi people and surveillance society being a couple of examples, but it is about time we start to resist the brutality that the state dishes out to us all on a daily basis; the fuel poverty, the cuts to NHS, education and jobseekers, the meagre support for low income families. The government has shown that it stands on the side of business above the needs of the people. The class war, this epic social battle between the haves and the have-nots was not started by us, it was started by a ruling class who care more for profit and preservation of the status quo than the lives of its citizens. We have had war declared on us by the political class and we need to begin asking ‘how will we respond to the assault of business and government on our lives’ and how can we organise to take back what is ours, our basic rights to warmth, food, affordable housing, enjoyment and an end to wage slavery? How will we organise to win the class war?

Mini Bar-stards

Just a quickie: on Friday 26th September, activists from Bath Animal Action and BAN did a short, sharp demo against foie gras seller Mini Bar on John Street, who have taken it upon themselves to sell the stuff. See every other issue of Bath Bomb for more on foie gras and the campaign. As per usual, BAA will be back again and again, until Mini Bar sees sense.

EVENTS

Mondays – Bath Hunt Sabs Meeting, 8pm, Bell
Wednesdays – London Rd Food Co-op, Riverside Community Centre, 4-7pm
Saturdays – Bath Stop The War Vigil, Abbey Courtyard, 11.30-12.30
Weds 15th Oct – Smash ITT, Falmer Station, Brighton, 12noon
Fri 17th Oct – Chris Baines’ green spaces in cities talk, Guildhall, 7pm £6
Sat 18th Oct – London Anarchist Bookfair www.anarchistbookfair.org
Fri 24th Oct – Bath Madhatters Birthday Party, Manvers St Baptist Church, 3-6pm
Fri 24th Oct – anti-foie gras demo, against Minibar, John St, 7-9
Sat 25th Oct – benefit gig, the White Hart, Easton, 6pm, £7 entry
Sun 26th Oct – Bubbling Under, Porter Cellar Bar, 1-4pm
Mon 27th Oct – Block the Builders, Aldermaston AWE blockade
Weds 29th Oct – Bath Bomb benefit gig, the Junction, Stokes Croft, Bristol, 8-late
Sat 1st Nov – Bath FreeShop, Stall Street, 12-3pm
Weds 5th Nov – Bath Animal Action meeting, backroom of Bell, 7.30-8.30
Thurs 6th Nov – BAN meeting, downstairs Hobgoblin, 7.30-9
Sat 22 Nov – Bath Vegan Fayre, Percy Community Centre 12-4pm

And now, to the disclaimer: As anyone is free to contribute, the opinions expressed in each article are not necessarily reflective of each contributor. Naturally, any right-wing or corporate bullshit will be binned and spat on. Needless to say, the opinions of the author of this disclaimer does not necessarily represent the views of any other contributor…

For further info on any of our stories see www.myspace.com/bathbomb

Q: Who Are Bath Activist Network? A: A local umbrella group campaigning on issues as diverse as development, environmentalism, anti-war, animal rights, workers’ rights and more. Helping to produce The Bath Bomb, we are open to anyone, and our members range from trade unionists to anarchists, liberals to greens, and people who just want to change Bath for the better. For details on meetings, demos, or just to get in touch, ring us on 07949 611912, email bathactivistnet@yahoo.co.uk, or see our website: www.myspace.com/bathactivistnetwork

GOT A STORY? WANT TO RECEIVE THE BATH BOMB BY EMAIL? HOPING TO SUE? Contact us by e-mailing bathbombpress@yahoo.co.uk. Large print e-versions available on request.

Picnic in the Park – mass trespass in Derbyshire, 25th October

Picnic in the Park, the Sequel
Saturday 25 October

A new open-cast coal mine site is gearing into action in beautiful Derbyshire and must be stopped. Leave it in the Ground, supported by Earth First!, invites you to a second Picnic in the Park for a Mass Trespass to get to know the area, meet the locals and have fun…

Picnic in the Park, the Sequel
Saturday 25 October

Meet at the Visitors Centre, Shipley County Park, off Slack Lane, Heanor DE75 7GX at 12 noon on Saturday 25 October (map).

For more info see www.leaveitintheground.org.uk or call 0780 4018214

Protest halts logging in upper Florentine Valley-Monday 13 October 2008 & campaign update newsletter

MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, 13th October 2008
Tasmanian forest defenders take a stand against climate crimes in the Upper Florentine Valley

This morning, forest activists from Still Wild Still Threatened conducted a peaceful action in the Upper Florentine Valley, halting logging operations in coupe FO42E. A forest defender is perched high on a tree-sit to protest against the continued decimation of Tasmania’s carbon dense old growth forests.

“We are speaking out against the climate crimes which continue to be perpetuated by Forestry Tasmania and Gunns Limited, and are calling on Kevin Rudd to take immediate action and put a stop to the rampant wood-chipping of some of our most significant carbon sinks” said Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson Christo Mills.

“A recent ANU study has clearly shown that Tasmania’s ancient forests can play a key role in combating dangerous climate change. [1]However, these globally renowned forests continue to be subjected to destructive roading, logging and burning operations” said Mr Mills.

“The carbon rich forests of the Upper Florentine Valley are being systematically destroyed to feed the rapacious appetite of an environmentally unsustainable wood-chipping industry.The devastation of these carbon rich forests is an international disgrace and forest defenders will continue to take peaceful action against these reprehensible climate crimes” said Mr Mills.

“Protecting Tasmania’s ancient forests is a simple and highly effective climate change solution” said Mr Mills.

For comment, contact: Christo Mills 0447 631 735

—–

The latest campaign update newsletter, Spring 2008 – upcoming dates (Note: Southern hemisphere spring is our Northern autumn) – not that you’d think of flying there in any case, boys & girls 😉

Anti-RBS Action, London – Fri 10 Oct 08

What do a Distraught Bengal Tiger, a Sacked Financial Analyst, a Homeless Polar Bear, and a Jobless Banker all have in common?

What do a Distraught Bengal Tiger, a Sacked Financial Analyst, a Homeless Polar Bear, and a Jobless Banker all have in common? Why they’re all victims of the Carbon Crunch – the conflation of Capital’s toxic Carbon Addiction and it’s self-made Credit Crunch. Oh, and they’re also all characters in a protest drama played out at the Olympia Exhibition Centre between some radical smart cookies from…
• People & Planet – http://peopleandplanet.org
• PLATFORM – http://www.platformlondon.org
• Rising Tide – http://risingtide.org.uk & http://londonrisingtide.org.uk
…and some shitty-brown suited security drones.

You know how Finance Capital oils the wheels of industry? [1] Well one UK bank excels above all others at oiling the wheels and greasing the axles of the Climate Criminal’s Juggernaut – and my, how proud they used to be about doing so. Once upon a time, there was a website called www.theoilandgasbank.com – a product of the Oil Bank of Scotland (who prefer “Royal Bank of Scotland”) – but in Jun 06, RBS took it down and stopped using this title publically. But why? This was the first major victory in a campaign waged since early 06 by a coalition of environmental NGOs (including Friends of the Earth Scotland, People & Planet and PLATFORM) to wean RBS of its toxic addiction to financing the climate criminals of the fossil fuel industries, and set it on a healthy diet of financing renewable energy initiatives: The Oyal Bank of Scotland Campain. [2]

THE OIL BANK OF SCOTLAND

“In 2007 RBS supported the fossil fuel industry with over $7 billion, while the bank’s embedded emissions passed 50 million tonnes of CO2 – more than Scotland.”
PLATFORM, in ‘NGOs slam RBS for fossil fuel financing on the eve of delayed Corporate Responsibility Report launch’, 10 Jul 08 –
http://www.carbonweb.org/showitem.asp?article=330

Yes, you did read that right – one bank in Edinburgh is complict in MORE climate pollution than the ENTIRE NATION of Scotland!

“RBS-NatWest is driving climate change and feeding carbon addiction faster than any other British bank. Pouring billions into fossil fuels and working intimately with oil corporations, the bank is locking huge emissions into our future. People & Planet and PLATFORM are campaigning for RBS to recognise its climate responsibilities and move its money from the dirtiest fossil fuels into sustainable energy.

OUR DEMANDS
We are calling on RBS-NatWest to:
• Accept responsibility for the climate impacts of its lending. Calculate and publish the embedded emissions resulting from loans to oil and gas projects.
• Adopt a comprehensive climate change policy, including a target for annual reductions and the strategy to achieve this.
• Rebalance its lending portfolio away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy. Immediate halt on all loans to coal and tar sands.”
Oyal Bank of Scotland Campaign – http://oyalbankofscotland.com

WANNA WORK FOR CLIMATE CRIMINALS?

The Oil Bank of Scotland is proud of it’s score of graduate recruitment programmes and sports a flashy animated Flash microsite to snap up the bright young things fresh from university – http://www.makeitrbs.com (although it’s foundations are as dodgy as its fossil fuel addiction – clicking any ‘programmes’ link on the ‘Programme Selector’ produces: “Page not found!”)

We thought we’d better alert attendees at the National Graduate Recruitment Exhibition at Olympia 2 that the recruiters on the RBS stand were consealing the fact that their hands were covered in oil. But with one reconnaissance photo taken and a few leaflets handed out, we were escorted from the Exhibition Hall by shitty-brown suited security drones. Unveiling our banner outside led to some very silly cat-&-mouse antics, with one of said drones trying to stop two snappers shooting his fellow drones attempts to censor a peaceful pavement protest!

Seems the cops had tipped of their Security Head Honcho (one v v unhhappy bunny) to our arrival, so he’d had constructed a three-crash-barrier cage to try (in vain) to contain us. Perhaps by stupidity (or maybe as a secret expression of sympathy? teehee 😉 our cage provided perfect banner mounting facilities, and was perfectly positioned to engage the captive audience of career seekers queueing up to get in.

While reconnoitering the RBS stand, I picked up two toys for my nephews, archetypes of corporate brading arrogance – wind-up squishy walking globes of planet Earth emblazoned with the RBS logo. This was on Black Friday, the last working day of a week that saw RBS shares have 40% of their value wiped out in Credit Crunch recriminations. Here’s hoping the shambolic rout of Finance Captal will refocus the minds of the RBS Fat Cats on bequeathing to their own young relatives a bioshere still rich in biodiversity, and stll fit enough to sustain humanity’s urgently required low carbon economy.

ALSO AVAILABLE: PIX, REPORT, & CALL TO TAKE ACTION

You can also read about our action in an illustrated report by People & Planet media and communications volunteer, and member of Westminster Uni P&P, Amani Ashraf – http://peopleandplanet.org/navid6525

Meanwhile, YOU TOO can help to shape our energy future – by telling RBS to stop fuelling carbon addiction:
• Take Action on RBS: The Oil Bank of Scotland – http://www.oyalbankofscotland.com/action.htm
• Take Action to Ditch Dirty Development, Target #1: RBS-NatWest – http://peopleandplanet.org/ditchdirtydevelopment/action

Neither the International Court of Justice nor any other bourgeois court will put huge dirty corporate Finace Capital bodies like RBS in the dock for aiding and abetting the Climate Criminals in the fossil fuel industries. So its down to us to band together and force RBS OUT of fossil fuel financing and IN to sustainable renewable energy development – join us, and take positive actions to safeguard our planetary future.

Tim Dalinian Jones

[1] Finance Capital oils the wheels of industry – at least it did until Capital’s historical Crisis of Overproduction [3] found expression in the Credit Crunch, toppling the huge Wall Street domino Lehman Brothers on 15 Sep 08, since when Finance Capital’s lubrication services have all but ceased in a paroxysms of fear and recriminations.

[2] The Oyal Bank of Scotland Campaign – http://www.oyalbankofscotland.com is the successful campaigning website of the anti-RBS coalition of environmental NGOs, including:
• People & Planet – http://peopleandplanet.org
• PLATFORM – http://www.platformlondon.org
• Friends of the Earth Scotland – http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/

[3] Capital’s historical Crisis of Overproduction: “what characterises the 20th and 21st centuries is that the tendency towards overproduction – which in the 19th century was temporary and could easily be overcome – has become chronic, subjecting the world economy to a semi-permanent risk of instability and destruction. Meanwhile competition – a congenital trait of capitalism – became extreme and, crashing up against the limits of a world market which constantly verged on saturation, lost its role as a stimulant for the expansion of the system, so that its negative side as a factor of chaos and conflict came to the fore.” ~ ICC, in ‘Capitalist Economy: Is there a way out of the crisis?’, translated from Accion Proletaria 199, the ICC’s publication in Spain, Jan-Mar 08 – http://en.internationalism.org/wr/315/crisis-01

Spirit of Freedom (October 2008) – support the eco-prisoners

Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!” (Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!” (Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Welcome to the October 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. The last month has been a month of mixed emotions for ELP. On the one hand we heard the brilliant news that the Dutch animal rights activist, Gerben Jan, was found not guilty of assaulting a police officer, causing the officer to break his leg, during an animal rights demo in Sweden. Instead Gerban was found guilty of resisting arrest for which he was fined and deported. Also in an unexpected move, all the Austrian Animal Rights prisoners were released from prison pending their trial! Plus, the American vegan, Nathan Knoerl, was granted bail in his case where he is accused of involvement in an anti-vivisection protest. Following Nathans release a support campaign has been set up to try and help raise money for Nathan’s forthcoming legal case. For more info please e-mail supportnathan@gmail.com. However, just as ELP started to think our prisoner lists might start to go down, we received news of further police raids in Austria. ELP also learnt that, due to Frank Ambrose, grassing everyone up, the American’s Marie Mason, Stephanie Lynne Fultz, and Aren Burthwick, have all had to enter Plea Bargains and admit some of the charges set against them. In Marie’s case she has admitted her direct role in an ELF arson on a University building involved with GM crop tests, whilst Stephanie and Aren have admitted not reporting a fire (Stephanie has admitted cutting Marie’s hair which was burnt following the arson). We don’t know what sentences Stephanie and Aren are likely to receive, but Marie is looking at 15 to 20 years and has been remanded into custody. This is really bad news, especially as it was hoped Marie might remain free until her sentencing early next year. Around the world, people are being imprisoned for standing up for what they believe in and trying to
help the animals and the earth. So please, no matter where you are in the world, support the eco-prisoners. And no compromise in defence of Mother Earth.

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Tre Arrow, #70936-065, (in transit), USA. Serving 78 months for his involvement in two ELF arsons. 1) an arson on logging trucks 2) an arson on vehicles owned by a sand & gravel company. (Tre is a raw energy vegan – He has asked that his letters of support are written on scrap paper or tree-free paper).

Grant Barnes #137563, San Carlos Correctional Facility, PO Box 3, Pueblo, CO 81002, USA. Serving 12 years for setting fire to a number of SUV vehicles. The letters ELF were spray painted onto all of the vehicles. (Grant is a vegan).

Nathan Block, #36359-086, FCI Lompoc, Federal Correctional Institution, 3600 Guard Road, Lompoc, CA 93436, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland. Serving 18 years. 1) Ten years for using explosives to destroy electricity pylons leading from nuclear power stations. 2) Eight years for the murder of a Swiss Border Guard whilst on the run. In ’02 Marco completed a 12-year sentence in Italy for destroying electricity pylons in Italy. (Marco is a meat eater who encourages organic living).

Daniele Casalini, Casa Circondariale, Via Burla 59, 43100 Parma, Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy. (Daniele is a vegan).

Rodney Coronado #03895-000, FCI El Reno, PO Box 1500, El Reno, OK 73036, USA. Serving one-year imprisonment after he informed people how to make an incendiary device during a speech at an animal rights gathering. (Meat eater).

Francesco Gioia, C.C. Sollicciano, Via Girolamo Minervini 2/R, 50142 Firenze Sollicciano (FI), Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy. (Francesco is a vegetarian and Straight Edge).

Paola Gori, Via delle Macchie 9, 57124 Livorno, Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of allowing her house to be used to plan illegal activity. (Paola is a vegan).

Bryan Lefey #38664-086, FDC SeaTac, Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box 13900, Seattle, WA 98198, USA. On remand accused of an ELF action that saw the damaging of GM trees and the damaging of US Forestry Service vehicles. (Diet unknown).

Jeffrey Luers, # 13797671, CRCI, 9111 NE Sunderland Ave, Portland, OR 97211-1708, USA. Serving 10 years for arson on a SUV dealership & the attempted arson of an oil truck. The original sentence was 22 years & 8 months, but was reduced on appeal. (Diet unknown).

Marie Jeanette Mason, Newaygo County Jail, PO Box 845, White Cloud, MI 49349, USA. Awaiting sentencing having pleaded guilty to involvement in ELF arson against a University building carrying out Genetically Modified crop tests. Marie also pleaded guilty to conspiring to carry out ELF actions and also admitted involvement in 12 other ELF actions. Marie is expected to receive a sentence of between 15-20 years. (Marie is a vegan).

Eric McDavid, 16209-097. FCI Victorville Medium II, PO BOX 5700, Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 19 years & 7 months for planning to destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and power plants. At the point of his arrest no criminal damage has actually occurred. (Eric is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan, #63794-053, USP Marion, US Penitentiary, PO Box 1000, Marion, IL 62959, USA. Serving 7 years for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an old growth logging corporation. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Daniel is a vegetarian).

Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Briana Waters 36432-086, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution, Route 37, Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving six years for involvement in an ELF arson on a University. (Diet unknown).

Joyanna Zacher, #36360-086, FCI Dublin, 5700 8th St.- Camp Parks- Unit F, Dublin, CA 94568, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted her role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS
(All Animal Liberation Prisoners follow a minimum vegetarian diet and most are vegan).

Jon Ablewhite TB4885, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Jon is a vegan).

Dan Amos VN7818, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester SO22 5DF, England.
On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Dan is a vegan)

Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF, England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Gregg is a vegan).

Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Nat is a vegan).

Mel Broughton TN9138, HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK4 4DA, England. On remand accused of involvement with an arson and blackmail campaign against an Oxford University vivisection establishment.
(Mel is a vegan).

Jacob Conroy #93501-011, FCI Victorville Medium I Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 48 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Jake is a vegan).

Donald Currie A3660AA, HMP Parkhurst, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5NX, England. Serving an Indeterminate Sentence, of not less than six actual years, for carrying out arsons against targets associated the vivisection industry including HLS. (Don is a vegan).

Lauren Gazzola #93497-011, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution, Route #37Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving 54 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Lauren is a vegan).

Joshua Harper #29429-086, FCI Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 5000, Sheridan, OR 97378 USA. Serving 36 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Josh is a vegan).

Sean Kirtley WC 6977, HMP Stafford, 54 Gaol Road, Stafford, ST16 3AW, England. Serving four and a half years for running an anti-vivisection campaign website. (Sean is a vegan).

Kevin Kjonaas #93502-011, FCI Sandstone, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072 USA. Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Kevin is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Heather Nicholson VM4859, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Heather is a vegan).

Jonathan Paul, #07167-085, FCI Phoenix, Federal Correctional Institution, 37910 N 45th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85086, USA. Sentenced to 51 months for an ALF arson on a horse meat plant. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Jonathan is a vegan).

John Smith, TB4887, HMP Lindholme, Bawtry Road, Hatfield Woodhouse, Doncaster, DN7 6EE, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (John is a vegan).

Andrew Stepanian #26399-050, USP Marion, P.O. Box 1000 Marion, IL 62959, USA. Serving 36 months for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Andrew is a vegan).

Kerry Whitburn TB4886, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Kerry is a vegan).

Sarah Whitehead, VM7684, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx, TW15 3JZ, England. Serving two years for: 1) rescuing a puppy from horrific conditions. 2) rescuing over 100 animals from a pet breeder who was later prosecuted for animal abuse. Also awaiting trial for SHAC activity. (Sarah is a vegan)

PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

Helen Woodson, 03231-045, FMC Carswell – Admin. Max. Unit, POB 27137, Ft. Worth, TX 76127, USA. Serving 8 years 10 months for actions that focused on the interrelationship of war & the destruction of the natural world. The actions included pouring red paint over the security desk of a federal court and making threatening communications. Previously Helen had served 20½ years for: 1) Using a hammer to disarm a nuclear missile silo. 2) Burning $25,000 on the floor of a bank whilst denouncing war, environmental destruction & economic injustice. 3) Mailing warning letters with bullets attached to Government & corporate officials. (Diet unknown).

THE LECCE DEFENDANTS
The Lecce Defendants have been charged with “subversive association” accused of damaging Esso petrol pumps to oppose the War on Iraq; sabotaging the cash machines of a bank which funds an immigration centre; and targeting the multinational company Benetton in support of Mapuche land rights activists in Chile. All of the defendants are currently either under house arrest or released on bail.

ANTIFA PRISONERS

Vahtang Devitlidze, ul. Libbedova 42, UO 68/2, otryad 14, brigada 142, g. Hagyshensk, Krasnodarskiy Kray, 352680 Russia. Serving 2½ years for stabbing a neo-nazi in the leg whilst defending himself from attack. (Diet unknown).

Fabio Milan, C.C. via Pianezza 300, 10151 Torino, Italy. On remand accused of fighting with the police after an anti-fascist protest. (Diet unknown).

Andrea Neff, Bnr: 746/07/2, Justizvollzugsanstalt fur Frauen in Berlin, Arkonastrasse 56, 13189 Berlin, Germany. Serving 14 months for anti-fascist activity. (Diet unknown).

Christian Sümmermann, Bnr: 441/08/5, JVA Plötzensee, Lehrterstr. 61, 10557
Berlin, Germany. Serving 40 months for breaching the peace whilst serving a suspended sentence issued for anti-fascist activities. (Diet unknown).

Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland.
Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending himself. (Tomasz is a vegetarian).

Yuri Yurevich Milevskiy, SIZO #7 kamera 38, g. Brest, ul. Karla Marksa 86, 224000 Belarus. On remand for fighting with neo-nazis. (Diet unknown).

OTHER PRISONERS

Olga Aleksandrovna Nevskaya, UU163/5, 7 Otryad, pos. Dzerzhinskiy, Mozhaysk 140090 Moskovskaya oblast, Russia. Eco-activist serving 6 years for arson, criminal damage and causing explosions in protest at the war in Chechnya. Due for release in 2009. (Diet unknown).

Vaggelis Botzatzis, Komotini Juridical Prison (“Dikastikes Fylakes Komotinis”), T.K. 69100, Greece. On remand accused of setting fire to two company cars owned by a energy/power company. It is believed that the person or persons unknown who carried out the arson did so in protest at the destruction of the natural environment and in support of two workers who died at the power plant. Vaggelis is also accused of setting fire to a bank and starting a fire inside a car yard. (Meat Eater).

Richard Sills (Address Unknown, USA). Serving 15 months for bomb hoaxing a University saying they would be targeted by the ALF if they didn’t stop their animal experiments. (Diet unknown).

Michael W. Sykes, 696693, 3855 Cooper St, Jackson, MI 49201, USA. Youth held on remand accused of anti-sprawl arsons, criminal damage, spray-painting an anarchist sign and burning the American flag. (Diet unknown)

Fran Thompson, #1090915 HU 1C, WERDCC, PO Box 300, Vandalia, MO 63382, USA. Serving Life for killing, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her home. Before her imprisonment Fran was an eco, animal & anti-nuke campaigner. (Fran is a vegan).

MOVE

MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group who carried out protests in defence of all life. All move prisoners describe themselves as vegetarians. There are currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving 100 years after been framed for the murder of a cop in 1979. 9th defendant, Merle Africa, died in prison in 1998.

Debbie Simms Africa (006307), Janet Holloway Africa (006308) and Janine Philips Africa (006309) all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA.

Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI Graterford, PO Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426-0244, USA.

Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), SCI Mahanoy, 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA 17932, USA.

William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.

Mumia Abu Jamal, (AM8335), SCI Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg PA 15370, USA. In 1981 Mumia, former Black Panther and vocal supporter of MOVE, was framed for the murder of a cop. He was originally sentenced to death but is currently awaiting re-sentencing following a court hearing in 2001.

STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE
Some people listed in this newsletter have carried out violent actions. ‘Spirit of Freedom’ does not condone violence. But we are also against censorship & believe people can decide for themselves who they wish to support.

ABOUT E.L.P. SUPPORT NETWORK
ELP is an international eco-prisoner support network founded, in Britain, in 1993 to support jailed eco-activists. We support the prisoners by producing various regular prisoner lists:

Spirit of Freedom is ELP’s international monthly prisoner listing which is circulated by e-mail.

Urgent ELP! Bulletin is an e-mail service that distributes the names of any new eco-prisoner as soon as ELP gets their details. For more info e-mail ELP4321@hotmail.com

On-Line Newsletters – ELP has a number of websites that provide news, prisoner lists and additional info about ELP & the prisoners.

English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Greek language ELP Website
http://greekelp.blogspot.com

North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org

Turkish language ELP Website
www.geocities.com/yesilanarsi/elp.htm

ELP Extra is an e-mail group that circulates the details of political prisoners, ELP learns about, who do not fall within the remit for support by ELP. To subscribe to the list e-mail ELP4321@Hotmail.com

Australian ELP.SN is our Australian contact. For more info e-mail elp4321@hotmail.com

Belgium ELP.SN is our Belgium contact. For more info e-mail elp_bel@hotmail.com

German ELP.SN is a prisoner led initiative run by eco-prisoner Marco Camenisch. For more info contact Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland.

Greek ELP.SN is our Greek contact. For more info e-mail greekelp@yahoo.gr

North American ELP is our North American contact. For more information e-mail naelpsn@mutualaid.org

Turkey ELP.SN is our Turkish contact. For more info e-mail
yesilanarsi@yahoo.com

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
elp4321@hotmail.com
http://spiritoffreedom.org.uk

CAMPESINOS FIGHT AGAINST GM SOY – PARAGUAY

9.10.2008
Farmers occupy large Brazilian-owned farms to block the entry of genetically-modified soy.

Campesinos in the department of San Pedro occupied Brazilian-owned farms on Oct. 1 to block the entry of transgenic soy, and began planting other crops such as sesame and yucca on the plots.

9.10.2008
Farmers occupy large Brazilian-owned farms to block the entry of genetically-modified soy.

Campesinos in the department of San Pedro occupied Brazilian-owned farms on Oct. 1 to block the entry of transgenic soy, and began planting other crops such as sesame and yucca on the plots.

Some 120 campesinos occupied two 600-hectare (1,480 acre) farms, according to local media reports.

Cristino Peralta, the San Pedro correspondent of the daily ABC Color, said that the farmers immediately began planting the sesame and yucca after occupying the plantations.

”There was no law enforcement intervention,” he said. ”The group´s leader Florencio Martínez said that the occupation marked the start of the recovery of Paraguayan territorial sovereignty.”

San Pedro is considered Paraguay´s best farmland, but it is also the country´s poorest department. President Fernando Lugo worked as a bishop there for a decade.

Land is concentrated in the fewest hands in Paraguay than in any other Latin American country. Only 351 landowners hold 9.7 million hectares (24 million acres), while, according to civil society organizations, there are more than 350,000 families with insufficient quantities of land or no land at all.

The demonstrators said that they took over the Brazilian-owned plantations in protest of what they called the government´s failure to implement land reform. Paraguay has also seen other campesino protests against transgenic soy plantations and the indiscriminate use of farming chemicals.

Lugo had requested that the campesinos give his government 100 days starting Aug. 15 to seek financing for land reform. The period ends on Nov. 22.

According to campesino leader Elvio Benítez, the government ”continues without finding a solution to the lack of land of thousands of our compatriots, while the Brazilians´ presence is getting bigger and bigger. We can´t do anything else but occupy the Brazilian-owned haciendas because the soy crops are causing deforestation, eliminating natural forests and contaminating people with its pesticides.”

Penan mount logging road blockade

Penan mount logging road blockade
8 October 2008

Penan communities in Sarawak, Malaysia, have mounted a road blockade against the logging company Interhill in an attempt to stop the destruction of their last remaining rainforests.

The Penan organized the blockade after negotiations with Interhill’s representatives at the company’s timber camp failed.

Penan mount logging road blockade
8 October 2008

Penan communities in Sarawak, Malaysia, have mounted a road blockade against the logging company Interhill in an attempt to stop the destruction of their last remaining rainforests.

The Penan organized the blockade after negotiations with Interhill’s representatives at the company’s timber camp failed.

‘We are asking Interhill to respect our Native Customary Rights and to stop logging our remaining primary forests,’ a Penan spokesman said.

The blockade, in the Middle Baram area of Sarawak, is being organised by the Ba Abang, Long Item, Long Kawi and Long Pakan communities. A similar blockade was erected in the area in June 2006 but was dismantled by the police after two weeks.

The blockade comes shortly after Penan women raised a cry of alarm over cases of sexual abuse and violence by logging company workers in the region.

The Penan tribe are nomadic hunter-gatherers. Many now live in permanent settlements, but continue to rely on the forest for their existence.

Interhill is a Malaysian company, and has been logging primary rainforests in Sarawak since the 1970s.

Source: Bruno Manser Fund

Background info: www.survival-international.org

Halloween land squat, Birmingham – housing crisis

POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN FIELD SITES FOR HOUSING

The issue of a lack of good quality, well maintained homes for social rent has long been an issue in Birmingham

Poor quality and badly maintained rented homes cause a variety of problems for their occupants including poor health.

POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN FIELD SITES FOR HOUSING

The issue of a lack of good quality, well maintained homes for social rent has long been an issue in Birmingham

Poor quality and badly maintained rented homes cause a variety of problems for their occupants including poor health.

During colder months the issue of insulation is a major problem with those on low wages or benefits not being able to heat their home properly. AND IT IS YET ANOTHER SOURCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE caused by a lack of insulation

On September 1st 2008 JUSTICE NOT CRISIS action group scaled the Town Hall in Birmingham to protest at the council’s social housing policy.

On Thursday 30th October JUSTICE NOT CRISIS are squatting a piece of vacant council housing land and setting up the JOHN LINES HOMELESS VILLAGE. We intend to celebrate Halloween on the Friday and stay for as long as possible.

For full up to date info please visit the web site at www.justicenotcrisis.wordpress.com
email us at justice.not.crisis@googlemail.com

We are campaigning for:

1. That the council release some of their housing land to housing associations so that they can use £100m worth of government grants to build 2,000 new homes for social rent.
2. We oppose the building of 1,000s of new homes on green field sites in and around Birmingham as part of the councils aspiration to build up to 60,000 new homes.
3. We want to see the council improve their homes to a much better standard than the laughable “decent homes standard”.

UK No Borders Gathering 8-9 November

Just over a month till the next network-wide No Borders Gathering, to be held in Newcastle on 8 & 9 November.

The Gathering will be a chance to discuss, network and plan, and to build on the discussions held at the last network-wide Gathering earlier this year.

Just over a month till the next network-wide No Borders Gathering, to be held in Newcastle on 8 & 9 November.

The Gathering will be a chance to discuss, network and plan, and to build on the discussions held at the last network-wide Gathering earlier this year.

The Gathering is a collectively organised event with shared responsibility for content and organisation, being co-ordinated this time by people in Newcastle. It will take place on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November, starting 9am for breakfast for a 10am start each day, ending at 6pm on the Saturday and 2pm on the Sunday. Venue details and directions will be posted nearer the time. Accommodation will be available on request.

You can contact us at whydontyou@post.com if you’d like more info, would like to suggest items for discussion at the Gathering or would like to get involved.

No Borders is a network of groups struggling for the freedom of movement for all and an end to all migration controls. We call for a radical movement against the system of control, dividing us into citizens and non-citizens.
We demand the end of the border regime for everyone, including ourselves, to enable us to live another way, without fear, racism and nationalism.
Visit the website www.noborders.org.uk

newcastle planning group
whydontyou@post.com