Click here to join the action, join us on March 19th, 2008.
This Nano-Virtual-Sit-In is being performed on the 5th anniversary of the war on Iraq. We have chosen biotech and nanotech corporations and organizations as our targets, because their science is driven by the war and drives the war.
http://bang.calit2.net/5yearsofwar/
Click here to join the action, join us on March 19th, 2008.
This Nano-Virtual-Sit-In is being performed on the 5th anniversary of the war on Iraq. We have chosen biotech and nanotech corporations and organizations as our targets, because their science is driven by the war and drives the war.
Gluaiseacht members along with Shell to Sea campaigners, friends and British supporters took part in 3 different actions over the weekend of St Patrick in London. Here is a summary of their story!
Gluaiseacht members along with Shell to Sea campaigners, friends and British supporters took part in 3 different actions over the weekend of St Patrick in London. Here is a summary of their story!
..
Having started at Ennis in County Clare at 11am on Friday the 14th picking up people along the way a full coach load of bewildered people arrived on Rampart street home of the The Rampart Social Center. It is soon to be evicted so we felt lucky to be there.
Having found a place to set up our various air beds and sleeping mats some put the head down for a few hours kip while most went out and about looking to do some site seeing, watch the rugby or catch up with friends or relations in London town.
The rest of the Day was made up of cooking food the masses and having planning meetings for the weekends actions.
THE ACTIONS
Having assembled at the given point on Sunday morning for our part in the Parade it was decided to keep our banners folded for the first few minutes until the parade got underway as he had received warning that organisers weren’t happy with protesters in their parade and may ask police to confiscate political banners.
After about 5 mins of walking we unveiled the banners and began singing songs and passing out leaflets to the crowds. We were well received for the most part and the songs streaming out from our many megaphones seemed to lift the crowd on what was a wet and cold london day.
Just as the parade was near its end police did indeed try to take out banners but we were too fast for them. The were quoting the new SOCPA laws which prevent any protest at all within a mile of any point around Westminster Parliament building.
We had heard that Enda kenny and John Gormley were to make speeches at Ken Livingston’s St Patrick’s party in Trafalgar square later so we headed on up there. As we arrived Mr Gormley was making his speech. We were unable to get near to the stage so instead unveiled ours pipeline and banners at the top end of the square and some members of our group spoke on the mega phone to the assembled crowd about why they were there.
Wet but satisfied we made our way back home to the Rampart.
The SHELL HQ
The following morning we headed over to Waterloo home of Shell in London. The pipe was unwrapped again and presented at the Door of Shell by representatives of the different sections within our group. John from Mayo protesting the coercion of the local community, Bro Anthony from Limerick protesting the Robbery Irish natural resources and Laura from Italy protesting Shells record of crimes and against humanity and the environment world wide. Despite calls for a representative to receive the pipe om Shells behalf none were forthcoming. Then the party started and musicians and mobile sound system cranked out the tunes and the crowd danced Irish jigs outside the building. This helped to keep us warm and our spirits up.
Watch RTE footage here http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0317/corrib.html
The SHELL INVESTORS MEETING
This meeting was one for Shell to sell themselves to potential investors. We decided to remind these investors that it would be unwise to receive stolen property or to become accessories to worldwide human and environmental degradation. With this in mind we went off to The London Tower bridge hotel where the meeting was to take place. The group repeated the earlier performance of music and dancing while parading the pipeline out side the hotel and around the assembled police. Having found the conference room where the meeting was taking place members of the group advised any potential investors of the record of shell worldwide and asked police to arrest those inside for there murderous activities.
With that we all piled onto the bus again to head for home exhausted but exhilarated at the same time.
http://www.gluaiseacht.ie
http://www.corribsos.com/
http://www.mayogasinfo.com/faq.html
—
old street shell garage evening of 17th march
Members of Rhythms of Resistance Samba band visited Shell’s old street petrol station around 8pm on the evening of 17th March to spread information about the pipeline to passers by and drivers visiting the petrol station.
We decided not to actually block the entrance/exit but instead to play on the forecourt (lovely accoustics!).
On arrival we noticed a tanker on the forecourt filling up the pumps. As he atemped to leave we decided to sand in front of his lorry and stop him leaving, and gave him a flyer explaining why we were present.
Several times the irate driver moved his vehicle forward attaempting to squash/scare those people standing in front of the lorry.
Eventually when he failed in running us over he decided to make a phone call instead,(we presumed to the police), and at this point we moved away from in front of the lorry but he just continued to sit there.
At this point we decided to leave before the police arrived and return once he had left and the police had been and gone.
On our return some 20 minuites later we again went onto the forecourt and commenced drumming, but this time two police appeared within some minuites.
We were asked to move to the pavement and complied, all the time drumming.
Soon the police returned from their car again and asked us if we’d promise to not go back onto the forecourt so they could leave and deal with 5 robberies!?
We said yes, of course.
So they left.
We continued for a while longer, witnessing a ‘biodiesel’ taxi enter the forecourt and fill up with regular diesel.
On talking to the driver he told me ‘you gotta put diesel in it and there’s nowhere to buy biodiesel’ and when i said ‘so the fact it says on the side “run on biodiesel” is a lie then?’ he replied “yes’.
Shell Sells Suicide
Some words:
there’s a bird dressed in black
there’s a world nearly cracked
there is me, there is you
what the hell shall we do?
it’s not hard to explain
all the ways we can gain
from a world without oil
no more spills, no more spoils
Shell smells sweet gas off the seashore in Mayo
they think it’s theirs just ‘cos the government says so
but they forgot about the will of the people
and the people of Mayo say ‘No, no, no, no, no, no, no –
it’s Shell that’s got to go!’
Shell sells suicide on the forecourt
Shell sells suicide
Shell sells suicide with such forethought
or
Shell smells sweet gas over in Rossport
or
Shell smells sweet oil in Port Harcourt
Shells sells ecocide
Shell buys South Bank silence completely
Shell sells wild lies
Shell kills wildlife and still smiles so sweetly
Shell kills wildlife (and somewhere the future quietly dies…or is reborn?)
here’s a bird dressed in black
there’s a world nearly cracked
there is me, there is you
what the hell shall we do?
– can we start anew?
– say farewell to Shell
– say no to oil etc.
—
From an anonymous tipoff call very early in the morning two Shell service stations were found to have been D-locked and shut down for several hours on the morning of Monday 17 March 2008.
To coincide with the Shell Day of Action and visiting members of the Shell To Sea campaign from County Mayo, Ireland, although no connection apart from solidarity, some activists took it upon themselves to shut down two of Shell’s garages.
The service stations remained closed for several hours as frustrated staff used hack saws to remove the D-locks clamped around petrol pumps.
The Day of Action also saw Irish protestors deliver 20 metre pipeline to Shell HQ on Southbank London, and gave a lively protest.
Shell recently declared record profits for the second year running, the second time the corporation has broken all UK records for profit made by a British company, this year declaring £13.9 billion.
But the damage from this company continues to span the globe from County Mayo in Ireland, where the unfinished gas refinery construction has polluted the local water supply with high levels of aluminium, to the continuing ecological destruction of the Niger Delta, where death and disease from pollution and pipeline accidents has become a weekly occurance.
Sunday March 16, 2008
Have heard from two reliable sources that Squeek has left the tunnel at Rath Lugh. She left with Gardai and some of her family present. The Gardai have taken her away from the site as far as I am aware.
Sunday March 16, 2008
Have heard from two reliable sources that Squeek has left the tunnel at Rath Lugh. She left with Gardai and some of her family present. The Gardai have taken her away from the site as far as I am aware.
Here’s hoping for 100 to take her place. Tara is THE symbol of dead-end corruption and anti-democratic government in Ireland. The dictatorship of the developers. Pitting people against each other.
Well done Squeek. Takes a lot of nerve.
Tunnel has been filled in with earth.
On Saturday March 15th, activists and community members protested the war in Iraq, environmental racism and global warming by blockading the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond, CA.
On Saturday March 15th, activists and community members protested the war in Iraq, environmental racism and global warming by blockading the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond, CA. A coalition which includes health, environmental and anti-war organizers had called for people to shut down the Chevron refinery for the day in support of community efforts to stop Chevron from expanding its Richmond refinery. An expansion will increase pollution and cause asthma, cancer and rising death rates in surrounding communities.
Chevron was shut down all day in anticipation of the protest. Protesters marched to one of the main gates of the refinery and people laid out lock down tubes and barrels and up to 50 people locked themselves down. Bands played, and there was street theater and food. The police had the entrance blocked with barricades. After several hours, the lockdown was ended. Protesters held a circle gathering then quickly moved the barricades and went toward Chevron. Police were startled but formed a line and people sat down. Other people took down the rest of the barricade and put it out in the intersection to keep the street closed. People sat in front of the police for several more hours. Eventually the police arrested 25 people. Protest organizers say that Chevron is driving the war and occupation in Iraq, refining over a million barrels of stolen Iraqi oil in Richmond a month, and actively lobbying for the privatization of Iraq’s oil fields.
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Video: 1 | 2 | Audio
Chevron has a long and highly profitable history with Iraq—one it wants to see significantly expanded. Most recently, Chevron has teamed-up with Total to bid on Iraq’s fourth largest oil field, the Majnoon field. Chevron hopes to produce oil in the field under the terms of the Iraq Oil Law. It has continued regular negotiations with Iraq’s leading government officials in pursuit of the best contract deals possible, while the Bush administration pressures the Iraqis to pass the Iraq Oil Law.
In Richmond, a city with a population of about 100,000, the vast majority of whom are low-income people of color, 17,000 people live within just three miles of the Chevron refinery, including in two public housing projects. Built in 1902, the Chevron Richmond Refinery is one of the oldest and largest refineries operating in the U.S. To refine its capacity of 87.6 million barrels of crude oil per year—240,000 barrels a day—the refinery produces over two million pounds of climate-poisoning, smog-forming and toxic air and water pollutants each year.
Spirit of Freedom
(March 2008)
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)
Spirit of Freedom
(March 2008)
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 March 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. First off in this
Editorial ELP would like to apologise about an error we have made in our
prisoner listing. We wrote that the American Eco-Defence prisoner Grant
Barnes spray-painted the letters ELF onto one of the vehicles he set fire
to. Grant has asked for a correction, pointing out he spray-painted the
letters ELF onto all of the vehicles he set fire to. Secondly as people may
be aware, the American environmental prisoner, Eric McDavid, is currently
held on remand awaiting his sentencing having been found guilty of having
the intention to destroy the property of the US Foresty Service, etc. (note:
he never actually destroyed or set fire to anything). Eric’s sentencing is
constantly being put back and back and we urge everyone to support him as we
recognise this constant delay in his sentencing will be a very stressful
time for Eric. Remember, 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, CS# 05850722, Vancouver Island Regional Correction Center, 4216
Wilkinson Rd., Victoria, BC, V8Z 5B2, Canada. On remand accused of
involvement with an arson on logging trucks and an arson on vehicles owned
by a sand & gravel company. Both arsons occurred in the USA. Tre is
fighting his extradition to the USA.
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.
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.
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.
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 Boarder Guard whilst on the run. In ’02 Marco completed a 12-year
sentence in Italy for destroying electricity pylons in Italy.
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.
Rod Coronado – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.
Ibai Ederra, Carcel de Pamplona, C/San Roque. Apdo. 250, 31080 – Iruñez –
Pamplona, Navarra (España), Spain. Serving just under 5 years for
sabotaging machinery at the controversial Itoiz dam construction site.
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.
Jeffrey Luers, #1306729, Lane County Adult Corrections, 101 West 5th Ave,
Eugene, OR 97401-2695, 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.
Eric McDavid X-2972521 4E 231A, Sacramento County Main Jail, 651 “I” Street,
Sacramento, CA 95814, USA. Awaiting sentencing having been found guilty of
planning to destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone
masts and power plants.
Daniel McGowan #63794-053, Unit I, FCI Sandstone, Federal Correctional
Institution, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072, 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.
Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.
Julio Villanueva, C.P. Prision De Pamplona, 31080, Iruna (Navarra), Spain.
Serving just under 5 years for sabotaging machinery at the controversial
Itoiz dam construction site.
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.
ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS
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.
Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF,
England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to his
involvement with the SHAC campaign.
Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15
3JZ, England. Jailed for breaching her parole conditions imposed on her for
telling a fox hunting murdering scum what she thought of them. Also awaiting trial accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign.
Nathan Block – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.
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.
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.
Rod Coronado, Voice of the Earth, PO Box 732, Tucson, AZ 85702, USA. Due to
be sentenced to one-year imprisonment after Rod informed people how to make
an incendiary device during a speech at an animal rights gathering.
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.
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.
Sarah Gisborne, LT5393, HMP Downview, Sutton Lane, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PD,
England. Serving 5½ years for conspiracy to cause criminal damage following
the damaging of 8 vehicles owned by people linked to Huntingdon Life
Science.
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.
Kevin Kjonaas #93502-011, FCI Sandstone, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072
USA. Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA
campaign.
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.
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.
John Smith TB4887, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA,
England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied
guinea pigs for vivisection.
Andrew Stepanian #26399-050, FCI Butner Medium II Federal Correctional
Institution, PO Box 1500, Butner, NC 27509 USA. Serving 36 months for
helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign.
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.
Gabriel Villeneuve #HUL03299801, 500, de la Faune, Case Postale 87130,
Québec, Québec, G1G 5E4, Canda. Held on remand accused of breaching probation conditions by allegedly attending an animal rights protest, even though he never actually went to the protest!
Joyanna Zacher – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.
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.
THE LECCE FIVE
The Lecce Five 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
Lasandra Burwell W063658, Ohio Reformatory for Women, 1479 Collins Ave.
Marysville, OH 43040, USA. Serving 5 years for taking part in an anti-fascist demonstration that turned into a riot.
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.
Augustin Kraus, Vazebni veznice, PP-1, Litomerice, 41 201, Czech Republic.
Serving 14 months for his participation in attacks against local neo-nazis. His charge was “bodily harm”. He speaks Czech, Slovak and Polish. You can also write him short postcards in English.
Fabio Milan, C.C. via Pianezza 300, 10151 Torino, Italy. On remand accused of fighting with the police after an anti-fascist protest.
Andrea Neff, Bnr: 746/07/2, Justizvollzugsanstalt fur Frauen in Berlin, Arkonastrasse 56, 13189 Berlin, Germany. Serving 14 months for anti-fascist activity.
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.
Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland.
Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending himself.
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.
Maura Michlle Lungarlli, booking # 1167062, Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF), 11705 South Alameda Street, Lynwood, CA 90262, USA. Well known animal rights Laura Lungarlli held on remand accused of activity unconnected to animal rights. (Please note the prison officials have made a spelling mistake with her name which must be replicated on her letters of support).
Kevin Olliff, booking #1167029, Terminal Annex, P.O. Box #86164, Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164, USA. Animal rights activist held on remand accused of activity unconnected to animal rights. Co-defendant of Laura Lungarlli.
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.
MOVE
MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group who carried out protests in defence of all life. 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
14.3.08
Thursday morning, 08.00. Activists make an attempt to block all 7 sets of entrance doors and 2 gates to the World Biofuels Market held in Brussels this week. All but one set of doors succeeded. The action ended after 3 hrs with three people arrested, who were released after a few hours.
14.3.08
Thursday morning, 08.00. Activists make an attempt to block all 7 sets of entrance doors and 2 gates to the World Biofuels Market held in Brussels this week. All but one set of doors succeeded. The action ended after 3 hrs with three people arrested, who were released after a few hours.
Action at World Biofuels Market ended by police – 3 arrests
This morning, activist group ‘Agrofools’ closed down the World Biofuels Market by locking closed with padlocks and chains four sets of double doors and sandwiching themselves in between just before the official opening soon after 08:00. A battle ensued between protesters and security to lock the fifth set of doors.
Outside the conference centre the gates were also locked by a chain and blocked by activist group of Rhythms of Resistance who then made their presence felt with upbeat Samba for nearly two hours before being given an ultimatum by police. The Samba was played to a backdrop of three banners with slogans like ‘Agrofuels are a Scam’ and ‘No Solution to Oil Addiction’.
Meanwhile security forces inside the conference centre managed to re-open one door as guards and staff overwhelmed protesters in a comic ‘tug-o-war’. Delegates were then allowed to enter while the other doors remained blocked for a further hour. Between each set of double doors, a couple of activists, dressed up as conference delegates, had locked themselves in.
When the entrance was not effectively blocked anymore, both groups were still in direct sight of participants, outside at the entrance or through the glass of the locked doors.
Activists targeted the World Biofuel Market as a “blatent attempt to greenwash the oil industry”. The long list of corporate delegates, and the texts issued by the World Biofuel Market itself, clearly show that they enter the emerging market of agrofuels not because they’ re worried about climate change or environmental damage: agrofuels are just another corporate marketing strategy to squeeze the last bits of money out of our oil dependancy and to win control. The run for agrofuels is already causing severe social and environmental damage, especially in the South. The so-called 2d generation agrofuels are often put forward as an alternative, a claims that lacks serious scientific background.
The activists were soon either arrested or sent away by Police after a thorough ID check. The 3 arrested people were released at 12am.
PRESS RELEASE
ACTIVISTS PROTEST AT WORLD BIOFUELS MARKET
Brussels, 13 March 2008
EMBARGOED UNTIL March 13, 8:30
Today at 08.30 am, the action group ‘Agrofools’ staged a protest the entrance to the World Biofuels Market. Visitors to the World Biofuels Market were met by activists, a group of international drummers, banners, and flyers entitled “Agrofuels ? No Solution for Oil Addiction”.
The human blockade is a protest against the blatant promotion of agrofuels by the World Biofuels Market and the corporations taking part in it. “Massive expansion, reaching into many millions of hectares, of monoculture plantations will cause further damage to biodiversity, human rights and livelihoods”, says activist Remy de Boer. “Agrofuels will exacerbate climate change and will certainly not help to combat it. It is immoral to keep promoting the use of
agrofuels like the World Biofuels Market does”, he added.
The World Biofuels Market describes itself on its website as a great place for business to ‘network’ with decision makers and “structured to maximise business opportunities”. Meanwhile, agrofuels are being legitimised by claims of environmental benefits. That, however, is a pure greenwash exercise. “The corporations push for agrofuel production, pretending they care about the climate. While in reality agrofuels will help them to ensure that our oil addiction continues, that the car industry can keep selling more and heavier cars, and that the unequal access to resources in the world remains unchanged”, says De Boer.
There have already been many declarations and moratorium calls from movements and organisations from North and South denouncing new targets for agrofuel use, such as the 10% target by 2020 proposed by the EU. One such call by African organisations states that “.. the reality is that the gold rush is firmly controlled by giant transnational companies which are taking over Africa’s land at an incredible pace, and are bringing about disastrous socio-economic and environmental impacts on our communities, food security, forests and water resources”.
‘Second generation’ agrofuels, like cellulose ethanol, are often said to deal with problems such as competition for land for food production and targets are set, based on expectations that these will become available soon. But the large amounts of cellulose needed to produce them can lead to the expansion of large scale monoculture (GM) tree plantations, with all problems involved. These plantations have already invoked strong resistance from local communities. On March 4th this year, nearly 900 women of La Via Campesina occupied Stora Enso’s Taruma estate in Rosario do Sul municipality, near the border with Uruguay. They entered the land -of nearly 2,100 hectares- and cut
eucalyptus trees and planted native trees instead. This action was responded to by police forces with repression and violence. Overall, the North must stop exporting its over-consumption problems to the South and begin to solve its own problems. We need a strong reduction of consumption of energy use especially in industrialised countries. We say no more roads, no more promotion of individual motorised transport; but a cheap, sustainable collective transport system. The production and use of food, feed and energy should take place as locally or regionally as possible. Industrial agriculture
must be replaced by more small scale, diverse community supported agriculture.
For more information:
Press contact: 0471/ 37.35.01 and 0495/ 31.76.46 [english and dutch] High resolution pictures can be sent to you on request. Send an email to
———————————-END PRESS
RELEASE———————————————————————
Facts for the editor:
* Deforestation and other types of land use change is estimated by the Stern Review (2006) to be responsible for 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions globally. Peat drainage accounts for even more carbon emissions than deforestation worldwide. Monoculture expansion is a leading cause for both land use change and peat destruction worldwide. Large amounts of fossil fuels are needed to produce the fertilizers, running agricultural machinery, transporting feedstocks and fuels, and refining agrofuels. NOx emissions from fertilizer use are also a major greenhouse gas.
* The European Union is already the largest importer of palm oil products in the world and the Netherlands is the main importer within the EU. Crude Palm Oil imports grew from 1.7 million tons (Mt) in 1995 to 5 Mt in 2007. The EU imports of soy meal from Argentina and Brazil combined added up to 24 Mt in 2007, in addition to 14 Mt of soy from which oil is produced in the EU. Use of soy oil as agrofuel will be another added value to the product, which is likely to increase its production.
* A collection of calls for a moratorium on targets and incentives for agrofuel use and trade can be found on www.biofuelwatch.org.uk
Axion video of the succesful blockade of the world biofuels market
13.03.2008
The M3 Motorway is cutting through one of the most beautiful ancient places in Europe.
13.03.2008
The M3 Motorway is cutting through one of the most beautiful ancient places in Europe.
Help is needed to support the protesters in County Meath, Ireland who are currently sitting in tunnels, after an illegal dawn raid on the direct action camp this morning!!
UK activists going to Tara this Saturday, for more info contact schnews@brighton.co.uk,
Week of solidarity action starts Paddys Day 17th March, read more….
The intense battle between protesters and the M3 Motorway, carving through the archaeological landscape, surrounding the ancient hill of Tara in County Meath in Ireland continues…….
This morning at 6.30am there was a dawn raid on the direct action camp on top of the Rath Lugh National Monument, only four hours before an injunction was due to be placed at 10.30am.
During the raid clueless construction workers were acting like the police, throwing their weight around, whilst dismantling the camp.
Protesters inside the tunnel network are vulnerable and need legal observers to protect them, the bulldozers are continuing to work on top of them, knowing full well that the ground is mainly sand and silt.
“The eviction is blatantly not being done with any care or proper training to remove the tunnel inhabitants” All tunnel veterans from the 90’s please get over to Tara to help with skills and advice ASAP!
This part of the M3 route is where Halliburton (owned by Dick Cheyney) are planning to build the tolls for the motorway, the construction workers are using C.P.O’s, compulsory purchase order’s to access the area, where they’ve started to cut into the esker / foundation.
This will result in lowering the water table, preventing water reaching the roots of the forest situated on top of the monument, gradually destroying hundreds of ancient oak’s and beech trees.
The National Roads Authority and the Irish Gov’t are choosing to ignore the fact that Rath Lugh is protected under the National Monuments act 2004 and are continuing to break EU Laws left, right and centre.
Further along the route tarmac is being laid at Soldiers Hill for the massive three acre interchange, as the concrete flyovers are going up.
Developers have plans for the surrounding area which will include shopping centres, hotel complexes and the usual Star Bucks and Mc Shite everywhere!!
People are desperately needed to go to Tara now, to build a new direct action camp, activists are meeting at Holyhead ferry port between 12noon -1pm Saturday 15th March, we have some money to contribute towards tickets, if folk want to come, get in touch with schNEWS.
If you can’t come to Ireland but want to take action here in the UK see below SIAC companies:
SIAC are an Irish company (South Ireland Asphalt Company) who have a 5% stake in the construction of the Irish M3 on it’s contested route in co Meath Ireland, and are also involved in the construction of an onshore gas refinery terminal at Rossport co Mayo.
along with their croneys FERROVIAL (Owners of Climate criminal company BAA and. 7 U. K airports) They are instrumental in the desecration and destruction of the sacred Tara valley in Ireland, Activists have called for solidarity against SIAC, and there will be ongoing actions against them and ferrovial internationally, with the formulation of international affinity groups.
Activists say there will be Actions against SIAC on and around March 17th 08, with dates for an international day of action against FERROVIAL to be announced shortly, SIAC have operations throughout the UK and Ireland in many fields ranging from construction to pharmaceutical research so there are plenty of opportunity to make you objections to them felt, so please publicise and organize in your local community, (see link’s bellow) TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERANCE!
Howell James, Managing Director, SIAC Construction (UK) Ltd
Bond’s Mill
The Counting House
Stonehouse
Gloucestershire
GL10 3RF
Tel: 00 44 145 382 8888
Fax: 00 44 145 382 4188
Sales enquiries E-mail: bob.abraham@siac.co.uk
Structural Steel
Richard Cooper, Managing Director, SIAC Tetbury Steel Ltd
London Road
Tetbury
Gloucestershire
GL8 8HH
Tel: 00 44 1666 502792
Fax: 00 44 1666 504246
E-mail: richard.cooper@siac.co.uk
Russell Thomson, Managing Director, Graham Wood Structural Limited
Chartwell Road
Lancing Business Park
Lancing
West Sussex
BN15 8TY
Tel: 00 44 (0) 1903 755991
Fax: 00 44 (0)1903 755384
E-mail: r.thomson@grahamwoodstructural.co.uk
Website : www.grahamwoodstructural.co.uk
FOR UP-DATES AND INFO HOW TO GET TO TARA CHK OUT :
www.tarapixie.net
www.savetara.com
www.tarataratara.net
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Approx 80 personnel including several Gardai not displaying their numbers have descended on Rath Lugh.
There are 3 vehicles on the esker and a tractor half way up. This is seriously jeopardising the life of the girl pictured above who is locked into the tunnel by the neck. The Gardai are aware of this and are paying no heed!!!!
There is also a tractor heavy laden with steel works approaching from the Baronstown side and 22 jeeps have been counted.
The situatuion is extremely delicate and extremely tense.
Please go there if you can. Bring video equipment and phone credit. Go Now!!!
Please spread the word, contact all media, ring the Dept of the Environment, Tansport , Museum all…..
No coincidence that this is happening before a Court Order was made to stop them.
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3pm
A protester has been arrested – she has been released. She is not the same woman as that in the tunnel.
Straight from the protest site: things have calmed down. The Fire Brigade are well gone, will not make any attempt to remove the girl from the tunnel.
A tent will be erected at the entrance so that one other protester can communicate with her.
No effort was or will be made to remove her.
There are still 5 other people locked on with cement.
There is a small digger and steam roller as well as 18 jeeps at the site.
Nothing is driving on the esker.
They are tripping over media and cameras!
There are flood lights being brought in.
Court case being heard again at 2pm.
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4pm
Two more protesters arrested, dragged down the esker. A dump truck, a bulldozer in the area. Search and Rescue have arrived, – Civil Defence.
They need the garda ombudsman there –
They are hammering into the esker to erect the fence …………………..
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4:30
The construction workers with the aid of the Gardai have fenced off the sensitive area surrounding the tunnel entrance, separating it from the rest of the camp and the protesters. They are in the process of driving posts into the ground, endangering the stability of the area. The protesters onsite have backed away as the presence of Gardai, security, workers and activity around the area is also posing a threat and they do not wish to add further to the human element of possible damage due to an excess of bodies on the mound. Contact with the protester underground is being maintained by one other supporter inside the fence. An agreement has been reached which keeps the Machines at a safe distance.
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The injunction was refused by the court. Watch a video of today here
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Breaking news at www.indymedia.ie
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Background & new camp wish-list:
Here’s some background history and up-dates on what’s happening at Tara, Ireland.
Whatever you dream you can do begin it.
Boldness has genius,power & magic in it.
Begin it now.
Goethe
The idea that the land can be owned by a few at the expense of the many, is comparatively new in Ireland, when compared to the lovingly sculpted perfectly astronomically aligned hills of theTara/Skryne valley.
These are monuments from a time when the land was loved and honoured by the tribes that lived upon it, these days however a few morally bankrupt individuals feel it more advantageous to impose a tarmac coated nightmare on the once sacrosanct fields and hills of Tara/ Skryne.
A handful of Fianna Fail (the Irish ruling party) supporters and local property developers have brought land along an area that has SINCE become the route of the planned four lane M3 motorway, which would dissect 44 ancient sites, comprising a complex of pre-historic monuments, hillforts, and henges which make up one of the richest
archaeological sites anywhere in the world.
The highly respected world monuments fund have placed the entire valley on its list of one hundred most endangered world heritage sites, all this is bad for business you might think?
Especially if you’re one of the corrupt politicians or builders who want to destroy this valley with their developments so these people have become stubborn in there refusal to listen to a few academics, much less 70% of the Irish people who wished to see the road re-routed, the millions of euros the developers are going to make on the back of their dodgy dealing must have blocked their ears to the calm voice of reason. And so the diggers moved in attempting to build a massive 52 acre interchange at the foot of Tara hill itself.
On the 16th October 07 the last of the sites that exist on the proposed route of the M3 was reported to campaigners by a worried anonymous local, so concerned citizens on the ground went to see if there was any substance to reports that poorly trained polish archaeologists had been working in secret over previous weeks to excavate something at a site near soldiers hill (itself a site of major historical importance) relating to a decisive battle from the Irish 1798 up-rising which was recently bulldozed.
It would be nigh on impossible to express the history and significance of every site mentioned as the area Surrounding Tara/Skryne is so steeped in History so rich in archaeology that it would take page upon page to give an outline of each one and their relationship to one another.
There are ten sites of importance at the proposed interchange alone, only one other interchange of this size and type exists in Europe (it’s in Lithuania) the sheer size of it has prompted great fear amongst locals that more and more motorways are planned to criss-cross the area around Tara. (Tara hill it’s self is a site equivalent to Stonehenge in UK as a focus for the neo-pagan community).
Of course there’s been an outcry naturally there would be, after all through successive generations of Irish history Tara hill has stood as one of the most emblematic geographic symbols of the struggle that everyday people have had to overcome in order to secure a life not dominated by the greed of the few oppressing the happiness of the many.
Time and time again through the pages of Irelands history Tara and her environs emerge as the stage for an epic play that has mirrored the struggle of all the peoples of the Earth to live a life of worth and meaning.
In ancient times the high king or Ard Ri’ was chosen from amongst the Irish tribes, the Ard Ri’ lived at Tara and although their immediate lands were comparatively small it fell to the Ard Ri to have the final say in matters of judgement between the various tribal representatives of ancient Ireland.
Some may disagree with the notion of Kings and rulers imposing their will on the land and people from some distant hill,but notions of Kingship landownership and chieftainship where in entirely different under brehon law, than those that we in the UK have inherited as a result of nearly a thousand years of subjugation by a small elite of Norman robber Barons and their decendents.
St Patrick first preached his Gospel at Tara to the then Ard Ri’ (leoghiaire son of Na’ial) in mid 400 AD and Brian Mac Kennady (Brian Buru) was the last Ard Ri’ at Tara until 1041
In 1798 three hundred poorly armed “united Irish men” were massacred there, at site now called soldiers hill (the proposed location of the Blundellstown interchange) It’s also where O’connell addressed a crowd believed to be up to a million supporters from the top of tara hill when he led the movement for catholic emancipation in the 1830s from the laws penalising Catholics that had been passed by Cromwell in the 1650’s.
The Spainish company Ferrovial along with smaller operators, Wills Brothers and SIAC have taken on the Public Private Partnership alongside the national roads authority to build this road along it’s ridiculous crooked route through this complex of world heritage sites , and although they have been repeatedly ordered by the E U commission to stop all work on the site, all three companies and the Irish Gov’t have stubbornly refused to cease the work they have been compared by local MEP Kathy Sinnot to a small child who when asked to share a desert with a sibbling, stubbornly stuffs the whole thing in their mouths and petulantly replies ” I can’t it’s all gone” except this is nothing so trivial as that of course, because the land in question is one of the most archaeologically rich landscapes anywhere on earth , with an unbroken record of 6000 years of human habitation, the mind boggles at the potential significance of the archaeology in the area.
Incidently multinational giant Ferrovial helping to carry out this attack was founded (circa 1953) to porovide hardware for the Spainish rail system but was soon in financial difficulty and was eventually bailed out by Spain’s fascist dictator Franco, these links and others within Ferrovials board of directors have led many people to believe that its vindictive actions have been prompted by the right wing Spanish Catholic cult “Opus Dei” who incidently have their headquarters in Ireland, right in the centre of the ancient temple complex of the Tara/ Skryne valley.
Some things however, we can be absolutely certain of, Ferrovial were involved in a project (successfully resisted by locals) that had been intended to bulldoze a mountain, ancestoral graveyard, and sacred precinct,in Mexico, not to mention similar attrocities in Chile.
They also own 7 U.K airports, and are involved with with the forthcoming planned expansion of Dublin airport, plus the on going attempt to expand Heathrow etc, having purchased the British aviation authority for £10.31billion sterling last year.
At present they are trying another route to get there grubby little tenticles in the till by obtaining a slice of London’s underground system.
Of course there was outcry in Ireland when the idea of putting a motorway through Tara was first vaunted, but as Aldous Huxley once said “in the future it will be possible for the powers that be to controll the masses by providing endless amounts of distraction and propaganda” the Irish spin machine has shown it’s self to be as manipulative as any other in the developed world.
First word went out that a motorway was proposed at Tara, then as you would expect there was an uproar, so the Irish national roads authority put masses of funding into an awareness campaign “explaining” that they were not after all proposing a road through Tara, in fact they had merely suggested putting a road “around” Tara, an obvious ploy one might think, but one the Irish people have been expected to swallow hook line and sinker.
As the people of Ireland breathed their initial collective sigh of relief it was expected by the NRA that the public would overlook all the things that were not mentioned, issues like the 52 acre interchange at the foot of tara hill, the bulldozing of 44 (yes 44) archaeological sites, the demolition of a wooden henge with cannine and human internments in its original context (believed to be unique) the human burials include a high status female internment (which with proper analysis may well have provided useful commentary on the possible bias of the early christian scribes toward male kingship etc) the partial demolition of a unique hillfort, the bulldozing of a graveyard full of 60 french “celtic” style internments, the list goes on and on and on graves and sites and temples all sacred to the living soul of the land and her people, torn out so a handful of greedy selfish philistines can make a quick buck.
Meanwhile with the ongoing and wholesale destruction underway the Irish powers that be repeat their mantra, it’s not going through Tara hill they say, the living are more important than the dead and the living need that motorway, and on and on they repeat their patronsing oversights as if the people are so stupid as to not know that there is a better route to the west of Tara hill, that route would follow the flat level gradient of a disused railway track, or that all the best development land of the linked towns lays to the west, or that the shortest and best crossing of the Boyne river is to the west, in fact the only logical reason why anyone would build a road on the present proposed route is because a few crony’s of the Irish ruling party have brought up masses of land in the Tara/skryne valley and they alone stand to profit from this route.
So the politicians and road builders keep their heads in the sand, vainly repeating their mantra against reality, my hands are tied, we need a road, it’s not going through Tara, etc etc.
The Rath Lugh direct action camp was evicted yesterday,and people are still locked on in the tunnels we need people to come and help build a new camp along the M3.
Every visitor makes a difference to the protest.
Activities so far have included limited use of tripods, most recently at an iron age fort complex discovered in october near soldiers hill where protesters locked on to to obstruct the shoddy practices of badly trained and unprofessional polish archaeologists drafted in, to rush the dig through in secret, also tree houses have been placed on route, but work has been mainly stopped sporadicly by concerned E.U citizens upholding the law by physically standing in front of bulldozers,.
“The tactics and actions vary as we continue to shut down all work on this road once and for all” said one protestor ” the one thing that will never change is that we will defy this road to the last sod, and continue to protest as long as those responsible try to destroy our sacred land”
But greater numbers are urgently needed, anyone who cares is urged to visit and lend physical, moral or other support, everyone has something they can offer, the main thing is just to go to Tara hill and meet other people who care, it’s not about “protesters” or “activists” doing their demo , it’s about YOU caring enough to do something before it’s too late, don’t leave it to someone else.
HOW TO GET THERE.
National express funfares from £15 one way from the U.K (inc ferry) or £52 for a months open return on the train from most U.K rail stations.
Once you get to Dublin city center, get a 109 bus from Busaurus (central bus station) going north to Navan, and ask to be let off at Tara. It’s a short well signposted walk from the bus stop to Tara hill and the vigil site, this should cost about 11 euros return.
WISH LIST FOR THE NEW CAMP BEING SET UP!!!
Tarps, carpets, digital cameras and memory cards, old C.B. Rigs aerials etc, Mobile phones and credit, Large tents and tarpaulins, rope, climbing equipment and harness, Locks, chains, waterproof warm dry and durable clothing, serviceable welly boots and wax jacket, and all other types and sizes of serviceable boots, clean and warm blankets and bedding, Lighting equipment, security lights, and 12volt spotlights, scaffolding bars and clamps, welding equipment, pic’s shovels, mic’s and recording equipment, pic’s shovel’s etc, etc, but especially we need individuals with their own innitiative, the protest belongs to no one,, it’s up to you, if not you then who? If not now then when?
There are big events planned for may 1st, june 21st, aug 1st, sept 21st, oct 31st dec 21st feb 1st and march 31st,
The resistance will be ongoing against ferrovial regardless, and against the road until it is re routed, and let’s face it there’s nothing like a surprise visit to cheer folks up, so come on down to Tara and celebrate our love of the land and the strength of our unity and defiance.
Donations toward direct action gratefully received at www.tarapixie.net (direct action website, excellent films and up to the minute info from the ground)
And legal costs direct action and campaigning at www.savetara.com
Ongoing campaigning and corruption info and refs can be found at www.tarawatch.org
WEEK OF ACTION AGAINST SIAC STARTS MON 17th MARCH 2008
CONTACT: HEADMEN AT SIAC
Country code (0035)
Mark Cleary 08681 90323
Liam Shorthall 0868274419
Wills Headman 0879101759
Ciaran Feieghery Chairman of SIAC
Hank Fugarty is the director of SIAC Operations
GRUPO FERROVIAL S.A.
Principe de Vergara 135
28002 Madrid Spain
Tel no.+34-91 586- 2500
Fax no. +34-91-586-2677
Barrick Gold Secretly Building Roads to Attack Mt. Famatina in La Rioja
12th March 2008
Barrick Gold Secretly Building Roads to Attack Mt. Famatina in La Rioja
12th March 2008
On the one-year anniversary of the road blockade in Peña Negra and “ouster” of Barrick Gold from the Famatina mountain range, it has been confirmed that Barrick Gold, with the complicity of the national and provincial government, has been secretly constructing a new entry road into the backside of the mountain. This new road enters through Potrero Grande near Vinchina, avoiding the widespread public resistance on the east side of the range, and links Barrick Gold’s Famatina project with the uranium projects under exploration along the southern border of the neighboring province of Catamarca.
Barrick’s Famatina project was an open-pit gold mine to be located upon the higher flanks of the Famatina Range. Barrick’s insertion into the beloved mountain was carried out silently and secretly during the past few years until 2006, when residents found out and began a grassroots campaign of education, outreach and resistance. In March 2007, residents began a round the clock peaceful blockade of the only road entering into the mountain and Barrick’s mining camp. In an astonishing turn of events, widespread anti-mining public opinion led to the ouster of corrupt provincial Governor Angel Maza, a province-wide “prohibition” of open-pit mining, and the scheduling of a public referendum. Confronted with turmoil and resistance, Barrick Gold announced their “withdrawal” from the Famatina project in April 2007.
Owing to Barrick Gold’s history of lies and misrepresentations, nobody believed them. Sure enough, in the past year, new governor Luis Beder-Herrera reneged on his promises to stop the mining exploitation: First he blocked the scheduled public referendum, claiming that it was unnecessary because there were already laws in place to prohibit open-pit mining — months later he claimed that these very laws he had signed were non-binding because they had never been subject to a public referendum! The Governor has been negotiating secretly with mining companies, including Barrick Gold, to pave the way for their return.
The access road to Famatina has remained steadfastly blockaded by neighbors throughout the year. And now, Barrick Gold and the province of La Rioja are confirmed to be constructing a new road to try and insert out the view of the firmly anti-mining residents. The truth came out in February when a truck carrying unknown chemicals plunged off a cliff near Potrero Grande, killing the driver contracted by a subsidiary Barrick Gold. It still remains unannounced what chemicals were spilled in the tragic accident.
One thing remains certain: The Famatina mountain range provides the water which supports the lives of all the people and ecosystems in the region. La Rioja is an arid province which depends upon the runoff from the mountain peaks, their only source of water and life. And the people of this region remain steadfast in their opposition to large-scale mining projects, be they gold or uranium.
The “self-organized neighbors” (vecinos autoconvocados) of Famatina, Chilecito, and La Rioja have called upon their neighbors on the other side of the mountain range (in the towns of Vinchina, Jague, and Potrero Grande) to come forth and prevent further construction of Barrick Gold’s cowardly rear access road. Sure enough, on March 12, 2008, neighbors have followed their example, carrying out a first blockade of the highway in the town of Patquía.
Self-Organized Neighbors of Famatina In Defense of Life
Coordination of Citizen Assemblies of Chilecito
Self-Organized Neighbors of Pituil,
Self-Organized Neighbors of Chañarmuyo
Self-Organized Neighbors of North Famatina
Self-Organized Neighbors of La Rioja capital
For More Information:
www.ciudadanosporlavida.com.ar
Free, informal access to continue
The last 10 months may have seemed the quietest since 2002, when the City Academy’s plans to develop Packers Field first became public knowledge.
Free, informal access to continue
The last 10 months may have seemed the quietest since 2002, when the City Academy’s plans to develop Packers Field first became public knowledge.
In fact, the work of local campaigners trying to maintain free public access to Packers has continued throughout this period, and is to be rewarded with the implementation of a Community Use Agreement, or CUA. This CUA should uphold the right of local people to continue to use the site for informal sport and leisure, as they have done for generations. This is good news for local residents of all ages and backgrounds, in advance of the field re-opening in April or May.
What is a CUA?
A CUA is a document that is required when councils and government give funding to develop sports facilities. It is a signed legal document that makes it clear who can use the facilities and who is responsible for managing them. In the case of Packers, the CUA will be signed by the City Academy and Bristol City Council.
History of the Packers Field CUA
The implementation of a CUA was one of the conditions attached to planning permission granted to the Academy. However, this does not tell the whole story. ‘Community use’ refers primarily to official, organised groups of people who book the facilities (sports clubs, schools, etc). The rights of informal users (e.g. walkers, kite-flyers, children having a ‘kickabout’) are not automatically covered by a CUA. Indeed, the Academy stated from the beginning that its commitment was only to organised sport. The original CUA proposed by the Academy in 2005 consisted of just a few paragraphs, with no meaningful content regarding public use or the Academy’s responsibilities. It was understandably rejected by local people. The new agreement that has been agreed and signed is a robust, meaningful document, WRITTEN AND PROPOSED BY MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. Both of these documents are available to view at www.packersfield.org.uk.
The CUA now allows the local community and the school to enjoy the benefits of this green space, as has always been the intention of campaigners. However, the management of the CUA by the Academy will need to be monitored closely by all parties, as some questions remain over how the Academy can be held to account to do what it says it will do.
What does the Packers CUA mean for local people?
The CUA sets out a number of important guarantees for informal users of the field. These include:
– Free public access to the site at all times between 7.30am and dusk.
– The City Academy to be responsible for maintenance and safety of site.
– Annual consultation meetings with the Academy to discuss progress of informal use of the site, including grievances /
concerns. Local residents are strongly encouraged to attend these public meetings.
Informal users of Packers also have responsibilities under the terms of the CUA. These include:
– Not interfering with formal sports activities on the field or posing a health and safety risk to other users.
– Moving to other parts of the site if reasonably requested to do so by ground staff.
– Not walking dogs on the site.
This is only a brief summary of the agreed CUA. For a more detailed understanding of its content, please consult the original document at
www.packersfield.org.uk/news/cua2.htm or by contacting the City Academy.
Future development of Packers Field?
It has long been public knowledge that the Academy and Bristol City Council are keen to develop an athletics facility on Packers Field. A previous plan for a stadium and artificial running track was quickly retracted following public opposition, but both parties have since made clear their desire to see an athletics facility on the site. This poses some very serious challenges for the future, not least to the validity of the CUA itself. If an athletics facility were to be located on the site, any free space for informal use would undoubtedly be lost. It is also a very real possibility that floodlights will be part of the plan, which would affect many people in Whitehall and Greenbank. This may well become the next part of the campaign and will again need popular local support to stop it form happening.
Let’s end on a positive note! The Academy has made considerable concessions on its original vision for Packers Field, due to the strength and initiative of the local community. These concessions are a tribute to every person who has signed a petition, written a letter, attended a meeting or just supported the campaign with words of encouragement. The future of the field is still a long way from certain, but what we have achieved so far should give us the belief that we can further influence events and decisions.
To celebrate this positive development in the campaign, there will be a social evening at the White Hart pub on Whitehall Road on Sunday 30th March from 8 till late. There will be live bands, DJs and the chance to catch up with people who have supported the campaign over the last few years. Entry is free, although donations towards the ongoing costs of the campaign are appreciated. All welcome, please come along.
Protesters will be picketing Shell garages in Bristol on St Patrick’s Day. The actions are part of an international day of action in solidarity with residents of Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland who are fighting the oil company’s plan to build a potentially devastating onshore oil refinery and high pressure pipeline in their remote and environmentally sensitive region.
Protesters will be picketing Shell garages in Bristol on St Patrick’s Day. The actions are part of an international day of action in solidarity with residents of Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland who are fighting the oil company’s plan to build a potentially devastating onshore oil refinery and high pressure pipeline in their remote and environmentally sensitive region.
The pickets are taking place on Monday 17th March, at the York Road Shell garage in Bedminister, from 7.30am until 9.30am and the Muller Road Shell garage, junction 2, of the M32, from 5pm until 7pm to coincide with rush hour. Please do come along. Musicians who play Irish music and Irish dancers will be particularly welcome. If you cannot dance brief lessons will be available at the Muller Road Shell on the day.
For more information text Rising Tide on 07917383517
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
This year´s St Paddy´s day (Ireland’s national day), the 17th March, has been called as an International day of action against shell, in solidarity with the people of Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland.
Since 2000 the small rural community of Rossport, have been engaged in an epic battle trying to prevent Shell, Statoil, and Marathon from building a potentially devastating toxic onshore gas refinery and high pressure pipeline in their remote and environmentally sensitive region.
People from all over Ireland are set to join forces and show their united strength by going all the way to London to demonstrate on shell´s front door step. Gluaiseacht, the Irish environmental network organising the trip, are calling for people to join them at the shell head office in London, or there is also a call out to take solidarity actions at shell garages and offices, St Paddy´s day parades and Irish embassies all over the world to coincide with the visit from 15th-17th March.
The London shell centre is located on the South Bank in front of Jubilee Gardens (SE1) right next to Waterloo train station and across from the London Eye.
What´s Wrong With shell? – The Corrib Pipeline Project
Shell are the biggest stakeholder and beneficiary of the project to build this potentially devastating toxic onshore gas refinery and high pressure pipeline, so have therefore been the main target of protest.
Community Strength
From the summer of 2005 mass pickets shut down the refinery construction site after five Rossport residents were imprisoned for refusing to allow Shell’s sub-contractors access to their and their neighbours’ small farms which the pipeline is to go through. But in October 2006 the Irish state came to the aid of shell by bringing in a massive two hundred strong police unit to physically force a path for Shell to commence work. A large police presence, consisting of Gardai (Irish police) from all over Ireland, has stayed at the site to aid the work to continue undisrupted.
The costs to the Environment, Community & Health
Since shell started building the refinery, Carrowmore Lake, which is a Special Area of Conservation as well as the local water supply to 10,000 people, has been polluted with dangerously high levels of aluminium coming from the building site.
The gas pipeline is to operate at such high pressure that according to the government’s safety study if ruptured could potentially kill people and destroy buildings for hundreds of metres around.
The waste from the refinery is to be dumped into Broadhaven bay, where 220 sightings of seven whale and dolphin species, plus sightings of two seal species have been recorded.
This is all not to mention the irreparable damage fossil fuels, like gas, are having on destabilising the global climate and the devastation shell projects have caused around the world.
Although the resistance to shell in County Mayo is strong, the Irish state & shell´s tactics of brutality, repression and intimidation has paid a price on the people fighting the pipeline project.
So mark St Paddy´s day by showing solidarity with their fight!
For more info:
http://www.indymedia.ie/mayo – Reports of news and actions about the pipeline
http://www.struggle.ws/rsc – Rossport Solidarity Camp setup to aid the campaign against shell
http://www.corribsos.com – Campaign group Shell to Sea
