Action Reports – Page 193

Upcoming action dates, activist gatherings, & the official meetings en route to the Copenhagen climate summit, 2009 – updated

‘Official’ meetings on the Road to Copenhagen:

31 March to 8 April 2009
First Post-Kyoto Climate Negotiations (UNFCCC Intercessional Meeting), Bonn, Germany

‘Official’ meetings on the Road to Copenhagen:

31 March to 8 April 2009
First Post-Kyoto Climate Negotiations (UNFCCC Intercessional Meeting), Bonn, Germany
The first meeting on the “road to Copenhagen” and first international climate meeting for the Obama administration. Expected Outcome: Broad discussions on respective mitigation goals for developed and developing countries. However, it is unclear whether President Obama will have a climate negotiator and under secretary in place at this time so there will real “negotiating” at this meeting. http://unfccc.int/meetings/items/2654.php

2 April 2009
G20 Meeting, London, England
This will likely be President Obama’s first large-scale meeting with other world leaders. The agenda will likely look to tackle the financial crisis, but the G20 website mentions the need to “make progress on long-term issues such as climate change and international development.” Expected Outcome: Develop a commitment that the global economic recovery will factor in carbon emissions. http://www.g20.org/

24-26 May 2009
World Business Summit on Climate Change, Copenhagen, Denmark
The Copenhagen Climate Council is organizing the World Business Summit on Climate Change, which will bring together the business community, top scientists, economists and other leading thinkers. Expected Outcome: Issue recommendations for the next international global warming agreement. http://www.copenhagenclimatecouncil.com/

1-12 June 2009
Second Post-Kyoto Climate Negotiations (UNFCCC Intercessional Meeting), Bonn, Germany
Draft negotiating text is expected to be issued before or during this meeting and will likely be very general with all the contentious items placed in brackets, but it will be the basis for actual negotiations. Expected Outcome: Draft negotiating text. http://unfccc.int/meetings/items/2654.php

8-10 July 2009
G8 Summit, La Maddalena, Italy
The host, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, does not share the commitment to addressing climate change of previous G8 hosts. Addressing climate at this meeting will be critical for keeping momentum toward Copenhagen. Expected Outcome: G8 Agreement setting the stage for Copenhagen
http://www.g8italia2009.it/G8/G8-G8_Layout_locale-1199882116809_Home.htm

31 August – 4 September 2009
World Climate Conference Three, Geneva, Switzerland
The World Climate Conferences (WCC) is the major “scientific” meeting for 2009 and is the third in a series of international meetings, organized by the World Meteorological Organization
about global climate issues. The second WCC in 1979 resulted in the creation of the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. http://www.wmo.int/pages/world_climate_conference/index_en.html Expected Outcome: Group will address climate prediction, disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change.

August 2009 (date not set)
Third Post-Kyoto Climate Negotiations (UNFCCC Intercessional Meeting), Bangkok, Thailand
This is the third meeting on the “road to Copenhagen” and, by this point, parities should have set their negotiating positions so the framework for the next international treaty can start to be crafted. Expected Outcome: Nation’s set negotiating positions. http://unfccc.int/meetings/items/2654.php

21-25 September 2009
United Nations General Assembly Climate Summit, Copenhagen
New York, New York – *UN Secretary General Bon Ki Moon has indicated that he plans to hold a special session with heads of state to address climate change. Expected Outcome: Indications of nation’s negotiating position for

October 2009 (date not set)
Fourth Post-Kyoto Climate Negotiations (UNFCCC Intercessional Meeting/Minister’s Meeting), Location to be determined
Expected Outcome: Final draft text agreed to. This is the final negotiating session before Copenhagen and may be attended only by environment ministers making it a closed door meeting designed to set the stage for COP 15.

7-18 December 2009
UNFCCC Conference of the Parties 15, Copenhagen, Denmark
If there is to be no gap between the Kyoto Protocol and a new agreement, a framework must be agreed to at this meeting. Expected Outcome: New international global warming treaty. http://www.cop15.dk/en

2010 (dates unconfirmed)
UNFCCC Conference of the Parties 16, Jamaica

=============

Old dates from this calendar:

Compiled at the recent EF! Winter Moot (scroll down for your summer of fun – dates up until December ’09):

21-22 February 2009
No Borders UK gathering, Bristol

26 February 2009
Demonstrations at UK Coal Awards (www.climaterush.co.uk) & at UK Coal HQ (www.northernclimaterush.wordpress.com)

5 March 2009
Next Climate Rush, London
> http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/22254

13-15 March 2009
EF! Treeplanting, Hebden Bridge
(trees@riseup.net > www.earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/22158)

13-15 March 2009
COP15 International Mobilisation Network meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark (www.climateaction09.org)

14-15 March
National squat meetup, Bristol
(www.squatmeet09.wordpress.com)

21-22 March 2009
Climate Camp Carbon Trading Education Weekend, London
(international@climatecamp.org.uk)

21-22 March 2009
Direct Action training, 10am at Cowley Club, Brighton
(www.cowleyclub.org.uk)

1 April 2009 Fossil/Financial Fools Day
G20 Protests + Events List + Locations Map
Squaring up to the Square Mile: the London G20 map

Climate Camp in the City, London (www.climatecamp.org.uk/g20)
G20 Meltdown at the Bank of England (www.g20meltdown.org)
Fossil Fools’ Day, everywhere (www.risingtide.org.uk/fossilfoolsday2009)
Times & resource links > http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/22258

* G20 Critical Mass
9:00 AM Meet at Bank Junction (Bank tube station) EC2

* Financial Fools Day Street Party
Assemble at Cannon Street, Moorgate, Liverpool Street or London Bridge stations 11am to form four marching blocks heading towards the Bank of England for 12-noon, in the ‘Square Mile’ of the City of London.
See: http://www.g-20meltdown.org/
Bring a portable radio!

* Climate Camp in the City
The climate camp are camping in the European Carbon Exchange, Hasilwood house, City of London 12-noon.
See: http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/g20
Final update on what to bring and what to do where at http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/22291

* Fossil Fools Day: ‘Your Party’s Over!’ *** POSTPONED by BP following police advice. ***
Climate Criminal BP is celebrating its centenary with cocktails and canapes at the British Musem. And we will be there too, between 6-7pm, to say ‘Your party’s over!’
Meet at 6pm at the British Museum’s Gt. Russell St. gate
See: http://www.fossilfoolsdayofaction.org
Bring banners, musical instruments, a sense of climate justice and a nonsense of foolery.

2 April 2009
* Crash the Stock Exchange
Eat capitalism for breakfast. Disrupt the traders whose financial egomania perpetuates global injustice: let’s shutdown trading for the day.
Meet outside the London Stock Exchange, 10 Paternoster Square, City of London, London EC4M. 7am (traders arrive at 7am, trading commencing 8am). Nearest tube: St Pauls – have a pleasant journey in… tubes might be busy.
* Excel Centre
Direct action all day against the Excel Centre, Canning Town where the G20 will be meeting
ExCeL London, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1XL
A coalition of groups including: The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, The British Muslim Initiative, and CND have called two protests at the G20; a march and rally in central London on the afternoon of April 1st, and a protest to the conference itself on April 2nd.

3-5 April 2009
Demonstrations at NATO 60TH Anniversary Summit, Baden-Baden, Germany & Strasbourg, France
http://dissent.fr/taxonomy/term/165

24 April-5 May 2009
Coal Caravan, cycling from Nottingham, through Derbyshire, Yorkshire & .
Stopping off at a variety of open-cast sites, power stations and other beautiful places! Full details of how to book, itinerary for where to join.
(caravan@climatecamp.org.uk > www.coalcaravan.org.uk)

25/26th April 2009
Sizewell anti-nuclear Camp and Demo

2-3rd May 2009
Anti-militarist conference, Brighton
(http://antimilitaristnetwork.noflag.org.uk)

4th May 2009
Smash EDO Mayday! Mayday! Street party against war and greed, Brighton.
(http://www.smashedo.org.uk)

6 May 2009
A Wake for BP at the oil behemoth’s centenary party

29 May-1 June
Rossport Solidarity Camp summer gathering

1 June
Climate Rush Pedal Power
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/22611

6 June 2009
Eco-village occupation, SW London
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/22593

6-7 June 2009
National Anarchist Gathering, London
www.conference09.org.uk

11-14 June 2009
Scottish Climate Camp Convergence
(http://climatecampscotland.org.uk)

23th-29th June 2009
Calais No Borders Camp
(http://calaisnoborder.eu.org/)

3-5 July
Forest Circus festival, Lappersfort, Belgium

8-10 July 2009
Demonstrations at G8 Summit, La Maddalena, Italy

11-12 July 2009
Anti-Militarist Network Gathering, Nottingham
(http://www.antimilitaristnetwork.org.uk)

11-19 July 2009
Danish Climate Camp, near Copenhagen
(http://camp09.dk/)

12-19 July 2009
Das Klima Workshop Festival/Le camp climatique, near Berne, Switzerland
(http://www.netzwerkzeug.org/)

18th-? July
Saving Iceland Summer Mobilisation 2009
(www.savingiceland.org)

20–26 July 2009
NO to Uranium Power – Antinuclear Climate Camp, Tervola, Finland
(http://www.hyokyaalto.org/category/english)

23rd-27th July 2009, Oxfordshire.
You are invited to Peace News’ first ever summer camp.
(http://www.peacenewscamp.info)

3-9 August 2009
French Camp Action Climat, Notre Dame des Landes, Nantes
(www.campclimat.org)

3-9 August 2009
Dutch/Belgian Climate Camp
(www.klimaatactiekamp.org)

3-10 August 2009
Scottish Camp for Climate Action
(http://climatecampscotland.org.uk)

13-16 August 2009
Climate Camp Cymru, Near Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales
(http://climatecampcymru.org)

15-23 August 2009
Irish Climate Camp
(http://www.climatecamp.ie)

18-24 August 2009
Earth First! Summer Gathering, Cumbria
(www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk)

20-23 August 2009 IN SALENTO, NUCLEAR CLIMATE CAMP, Italy – Lecce
More info

21-23 August 2009
Beyond Borders weekend, Nottingham
A weekend of skillsharing and discussion about fighting border controls and showing solidarity with migrants
(http://beyondbordersweekend.wordpress.com)

27 August-2 September 2009
UK Camp for Climate Action – convergence within the M25/London (www.climatecamp.org.uk)

September 2009 (dates unconfirmed)
Climate Camp, South Australia
(http://climatecampsa.org)

North American action camps summer 2009
international list of Convergences for Climate Action

12-20 September 2009
Bristol Co-Mutiny

18-19 September 2009
squats and autonomous spaces – 2 days of direct action around housing and the creation of more autonomous spaces at this time of crisis. See link

10-11 October
Workers’ Climate Action conference, London

12-16 October 2009
Global Mobilisation in Defence of Mother Earth and the Peoples
called by the 4th Continental Summit of Indigenous Peoples Abya Yala (”America”)
More info/resources

16-18 October 2009
COP15 International Mobilisation Network meeting
(www.climateaction09.org)

17-18 October 2009
The Great Climate Swoop, closing down Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired power station
More info

24 October 2009
London Anarchist Bookfair
(http://www.anarchistbookfair.org)

24 October 2009
International Day of Climate Action
http://www.350.org/

31 October-1 November
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/23245

31 Oct-1 Nov 2009
Gathering Against the Prison Society, Brighton
Discussions & presentations about the struggle for liberation, inside and outside of the prison walls
More info

21-22 November 2009
No New Nuclear. Planning to win strategising weekend, London

28 November-1 December 2009
Weekend of Action and Workshops at Mainshill Solidarity Camp

5 December 2009
COP15 OUT, a secret plan to take a space in the City of London away from and after the Wave. It’s time to show our ‘leaders’ how we’re going to take action to reduce emissions ourselves.

3-9 December 2009
Social and Climate Justice Caravan from the WTO Ministerial in Geneva to the COP15 summit in Copenhagen.
http://www.climatecaravan.org

7-18 December 2009
Demonstrations at COP15 Summit, Copenhagen, Denmark
(www.climateaction09.org)
See this article for background & links to Action Guide & Map

7-18 December 2009
Klimaforum: People’s Climate Summit
http://www.klimaforum09.org

11 December 2009
* Our Climate! Not Your Business! (organised direct action to stop Corporations taking part in COP process)
http://notyourbusiness.hacklab.dk/

12 December 2009
* Flood for Climate Justice (demonstration by FoE)
http://www.foei.org/en/what-we-do/un-climate-talks/global/2009/the-flood-is-coming
* Global day of Action
http://www.globalclimatecampaign.org/
* March for Climate Justice (including system change, not climate change bloc)
* Don’t Nuke the Climate! International Day of Action
http://www.dont-nuke-the-climate.org/index.php?lang=en

13 December 2009
Hit the Production of Climate Chaos
http://htp.noblogs.org/
* Farmers action (Via Campesina against agro-industry)

14 December 2009
* No Borders, No Climate Refugees! (Day of action in Copenhagen. Call to action to international no borders groups during the COP 15 in Copenhagen)
http://info.interactivist.net/node/13135
* Reparations for Climate Debt

15 December 2009
* Resistance is Ripe! Agriculture Action Day (Change the food system not the climate)
http://www.climate-justice-action.org/mobilization/agriculture-action-day/

16 December 2009
* RECLAIM POWER! – Pushing for Climate Justice! (Mass action to enter the COP15 conference area and disrupt the sessions in order to hold a People’s Summit for Climate Justice. Confrontational civil disobedience)
http://www.climate-justice-action.org

18 December 2009
* (last official day of the summit) – “Never Trust a COP” actions throughout the city
http://www.nevertrustacop.org/

Homeless campaigners and Social Centre gets eviction notice

Campaign group JUSTICE NOT CRISIS who have been campaigning for more social housing in Birmingham and helping to run a social centre in Birmingham had been served court papers. Due to the fact that there was no date or time on the papers JNC visited the Court to find out when we were to attend court. We were shocked to find that the hearing was to be held 45 minutes later and we didn’t have time to prepare or let other campaigners know what was happening.

Despite the fact that the papers were not properly served the judge continued with the hearing and awarded possesion to the owner with immediate effect. He also awarded costs against 3 named people to the tune of almost £4,000.

JUSTICE NOT CRISIS are preparing an appeal and will update this site as soon as possible.

We expect the demolition company to arrive at 9.00am on Tuesaday next week (24th Feb) to start securing the site.

WE MAY NEED HELP IN DEFENDING THIS ACTION. MORE INFO TO FOLLOW.

For more info from our web site please visit http://www.justicenotcrisis.wordpress.com

26th Feb Climate Rushes – north and south

Northern Climate Rush – Rush on UK Coal!

Fresh from their Manchester Airport incursion, Northern Climate Rush is back, and we are paying a visit to the UK’s largest coal company! We will be travelling by minibus to the headquarters of UK Coal in Doncaster. Meet in front of the Manchester University Student Union building at 1pm on Thursday Feb 26. Dress in Edwardian fashion (if you so desire) and bring food to share, banners, and musical instruments.

WHAT IS NORTHERN CLIMATE RUSH?

It’s a group of intrepid activists who, taking inspiration from the suffragettes, use civil disobedience to bring about a transition to a low-carbon economy. We believe that, given government’s total failure to take meaningful action on climate change, a campaign of civil disobedience is necessary, and in fact it is the only responsible way forward, given that the fate of all future generations rests on the decisions that are made now and in the next couple of years.

Our sister group of Climate Rushers in the South will be paying a visit to a coal industry awards ceremony in London on the same day.

WHY UK COAL?

Coal companies such as UK Coal are actively standing in the way of the necessary transition to a low-carbon economy based on renewables. They invest in new coal mines, and by lobby government against the changes needed for a transition to alternatives.

HOW CAN WE LIVE WITHOUT COAL?

Various recent scientific reports* have shown how the UK could transition from fossil fuels, to a low-carbon economy. We would have to switch to renewable power sources (mainly wind and wave) and reduce our energy consumption by flying much less, by reducing the use of private cars by creating a vastly improved public transport system, by ensuring that within the next few years all UK homes and buildings are properly insulated, and by requiring all appliances to have the highest standard of energy efficiency.

WHAT ABOUT JOBS?

During the miners’ strikes of the 70’s and 80’s most coal mines in the UK were deep pit mines, which required hundreds of miners to work them. But now most of the coal that can be deep-mined has already been dug up, and new UK coal mines are open-cast – huge diggers are used to rip the top off a hill, and then coal is sifted from the rubble. It is tremendously destructive to local ecologies, and also employs far fewer workers.

By contrast the creation of new wind and wave-power infrastructure, a program of building insulation installation, and laying on more trains, trams and buses, would all create new, sustainable jobs. We are calling for government to provide training programs so that workers from fossil fuel industries which need to be phased out can move directly into positions in the new, sustainable industries.

It’s now or never time for the climate, join us!

All genders welcome.

* See for example:
– Nicolas Stern, “Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change”, http://www.occ.gov.uk/activities/stern.htm

– Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, “Decarbonising the UK”, http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/media/news/tyndall_decarbonising_the_uk.pdf

northernclimaterush@googlemail.com
http://www.northernclimaterush.wordpress.com

————-

UK Coal will be presenting celebratory awards to the most damaging companies in the coal industry on February 26th February at the Landmark Hotel on Marylebone Road, London. Climate Rush will be in attendance to offer alternative awards based on the ecological damage that the coal industry is inflicting on the environment.

We invite you to join us in your best cocktail finery (fabulous hats a recommendation, and sooty styling a suggestion) to show UK Coal precisely what “industry players can expect to challenge them in 2009.”

NO NEW COAL AWARDS

THURSDAY 26TH FEBRUARY

THE LANDMARK HOTEL
Dress formally for cocktails in the Winter Garden at 6.30 prompt.

WHAT CLIMATE RUSH SAYS TO THE UK COAL AWARDS

No new coal to avoid runaway climate change
Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, and by far the dirtiest way to produce electricity. We must leave coal in the ground and not build any new coal fired power stations if we want to avoid runaway climate change. CCS is an unproven technology that may never be a viable option. Climate change is happening now and we must act now to stop it.

We can’t have infinite growth on a finite planet
At this outdated and fossilized awards ceremony UK Coal is celebrating the worst excesses of our failing economic system. Just like overpaid bankers these heads of corporations are receiving plaudits for plundering the planet.

A transition to a low carbon society with sustainable jobs
We must counteract any jobs losses from the coal industry with a major re-skilling program in sustainable trades. Many more jobs will be created by a huge retrofitting program of old housing stock and in the new renewable energies sector than in new coal. The German clean energy revolution has seen the creation of 250,000 new jobs.

http://climaterush.co.uk/

Urgent call for eviction solidarity tomorrow in Bath

New squat in Bath threatened with eviction tomorrow (Thursday 19th) evening by transport police

They’re threatening to evict tomorrow evening – solidarity requested. Meet at 4.30pm at the entrance to Twerton, opposite Macdonalds near the Lower Bristol Road.

New squat in Bath threatened with eviction tomorrow (Thursday 19th) evening by transport police

They’re threatening to evict tomorrow evening – solidarity requested. Meet at 4.30pm at the entrance to Twerton, opposite Macdonalds near the Lower Bristol Road.

They don’t have court papers but claim not to need to as they say it’s part of the railway. Network Rail claim to own the building despite it not having been used as a railway building since before 1920. The previous (legal) occupant is believed to have gone on the run for drug offences – the building’s been abandoned for years.

Plane Stupid turns Southampton Airport into climate refugee camp

17th January: A group of activists from local anti-aviation group Plane Stupid Southampton have just chained themselves to the entrance of Southampton airport and erected tents at the main entrance in a bid turn the regional airport into a climate refugee camp. In addition to setting up camp today, activists have formally submitted a planning application with Eastleigh Borough Council to turn the airport into refugee housing.

The planned expansion of Southampton airport, along with 34 other regional airports in the UK, will do enough damage to the climate to force an estimated 1.3 million people in impoverished parts of the world to flee raising sea levels, flooding, drought and famine.

Increased flying is one of the main culprits of climate change. While the government has committed the UK to reducing CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050, the expanding aviation industry alone would destroy any hope of hitting this target. BAA hopes to increase passenger traffic for Southampton Airport form 1.5 million passengers a year to 3 million by 2015.

In order to get flying under control, the government needs to halt all airport expansion, and encourage people to take the train. Train journeys are ten times less damaging to the climate, and Southampton has excellent rail links to the rest of the UK, making flying unnecessary.

“People in the UK fly more per capita than anyone else, so the UK aviation industry has the greatest responsibility for the consequences of climate change. It makes perfect sense for Southampton to take on the burden of housing some of the world’s climate refugees”, said Pete Barker of Plane Stupid. “It’s crazy to imagine that we can tackle the serious threat posed by runaway climate change whilst still allowing airports to expand.”

info@planestupid.com
http://www.planestupid.com

Photographers turn out in solidarity against new “terror law”.

Reposted: 16.02.2009: everyone knows Indymedia’s a copper’s favourite read, but after a couple of hundred snappers turned up outside the yard this morning they’ll be queuing up today to see whose mug’s on the wire.

Because snuck in today under the usual cover of the war against terror came Section 76 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008.

This criminalises anyone ‘eliciting, publishing or communicating information on members of the armed forces, intelligence services and police officers which is “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.

But given the police’s regular and blatant misuse of other laws such as Section 44 of the existing Terrorism Act and Section 1 of PACE, photographers feel it’s a racing certainty that it’ll get used to suppress evidence the police don’t want used against them.

“I can see it now”, wrote photographer Marc Vallee in Thursday’s Guardian ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/11/police-terrorism-photography-liberty-central) “If you don’t stop taking pictures of me hitting this protester on the head, I’m going to nick you under section 76 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008.”

At least three legal cases are currently pending relating to such police over-exuberance at last year’s Climate Camp in Kingsnorth, Kent. Almost two thousand cops from 26 forces assembled at a cost of over 6 million quid and – having first harassed and delayed the press – chose to lay in on a regular basis on campers with steel batons.

Sadly for them these attacks were nevertheless filmed and photographed and this evidence stands ready to disprove the lies they make in justification for that behaviour. Imagine how much easier life will be for them in future if those newsgatherers can be taken away from the scene under threat of a ten year stretch.

High up behind the mirrored windows of New Scotland Yard the Forward Intelligence Team will have been at work photographing the photographers for their records.

And they’ll have noticed something new – as well as the usual twenty or so photographers they always target for “reporting the news the wrong way” there were a couple of hundred new faces: working news photographers who’ve had it up to the back teeth with being pushed around illegally on threat (and sometimes the reality) of arrest.

It’s no longer just an activist minority that sees through this sham of repression presented almost as a health and safety issue (keeping us safe from the bad men). Political police intrusion is becoming ever more invasive, is affecting all our lives and fucking up the freedoms we’re supposed to believe are (were?) our right.

This new law is just one more subtle tool in the armoury of public repression and this extraordinary turnout by what is normally an apathetic and politically careless bunch of photographers sends a clear signal that the worm is finally turning.

Thousands of mink freed from cages in Italy

Local newspapers report that late on February 9 as many as 3000 mink were freed from cages at the Italo Rossi fur farm in Fossoli (Modena). Lighting and alarm systems were disabled during the raid, and “ALF” and “Close down this concentration camp” was painted at the property.

http://www.directaction.info/news_feb15_09.htm

Insurgents blockade highway with flaming barricade in Mexico

“We have blocked a major highway in Mexico State with a barricade made by the Luddites Against Domestication of Wild Nature. The fire lit up the dark night of peace and tranquility for those people who carry in large trucks ‘raw materials’ extracted directly from the earth. The chaos was again before the eyes of the police who arrived on the scene to put out the incendiary fiesta.

We break their precious social order with our wild, insurgent and radical methods of struggle.”

anonymous report – http://directaction.info

Demonstrators target Graff Diamonds in Solidarity with Kahlahari Bushmen (11.2.09)

Survival’s campaign targeting Graff Diamonds over its involvement in a diamond mine planned on the land of Kalahari Bushmen in Botswana has stepped up a gear.

Survival’s campaign targeting Graff Diamonds over its involvement in a diamond mine planned on the land of Kalahari Bushmen in Botswana has stepped up a gear. Thirty protesters gathered on the 11.2.09 outside Graff’s flagship London store holding placards saying ‘Boycott Graff’ and ‘Botswana diamonds: Bushmen despair’.

The store is based in the fashion epicentre of London surrounded by shops from Yves San Lauren, Chanel etc. The diamond industries main product is high image and thus has shown itself to be sometimes more susceptible to pressure than other resource sectors such as mining and oil. Previous pickets by Survival International and public shaming of fashion houses and top models resulted in De Beers pulling out of the planned diamond mining in the Kalahari.

There are 100,000 Bushmen in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Angola. They are the indigenous people of southern Africa, and have lived there for tens of thousands of years.

In the middle of Botswana lies the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, a reserve created both to protect the traditional territory of the 5,000 Gana, Gwi and Tsila Bushmen (and their neighbours the Bakgalagadi), and the wildlife and ecosystem of which are a part.

In the early 1980s, diamonds were discovered in the reserve. Soon after, government ministers went into the reserve to tell the Bushmen living there that they would have to leave because of the diamond finds.

In three big clearances, in 1997, 2002 and 2005, virtually all the Bushmen were forced out. Their homes were dismantled, their school and health post were closed, their water supply was destroyed and the people were threatened and trucked away.

They now live in resettlement camps outside the reserve. Rarely able to hunt, and arrested and beaten when they do, they are dependent on government handouts. They are now gripped by alcoholism, boredom, depression, and illnesses such as TB and HIV/AIDS.

Unless they can return to their ancestral lands, their unique societies and way of life will be destroyed, and many of them will die.

Although the Bushmen won the right in court to go back to their lands in 2006, the government has done everything it can to make their return impossible. It has:

Banned them from using their water borehole,
Refused to issue a single permit to hunt on their land (despite Botswana’s High Court ruling in December that its refusal to issue permits was unlawful),
Arrested more than 50 Bushmen for hunting to feed their families,
Banned them from taking their small herds of goats back to the reserve.

Its policy is clearly to intimidate and frighten the Bushmen into staying in the resettlement camps, and making the lives of those who have gone back to their ancestral land impossible.

More information on the Kalahari Bushmen can be found on their own website : www.iwant2gohome.org or the website of Survival International (which is updated more often): www.survival-international.org/tribes/bushmen

Plane Stupid activists accuse Ed Milliband of plane hypocracy

12th Feburary 2008

12th Feburary 2008
Plane Stupid Brighton Activists have interrupted a public meeting during a speech by Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, unveiling a banner highlighting the hypocritical actions of the government in relation to aviation and climate change. The action exposes the contradiction between the government’s stated aim to cut 80% of CO2 emissions by 2050 and their plans to massively expand the aviation sector in the UK. The banner accuses the government of becoming a “Hypocracy” – a democracy governed by hypocrites.

The Plane Stupid activists dressed in t-shirts reading ‘Ed’s Popular Mobilization Team’ referring to Miliband’s call late last year for ‘Popular Mobilization’ on the issue of Climate Change[2]. Flyers listing the 34 airports planned for expansion within the UK[1] were handed out to the audience, demonstrating the apparent lack of government resolve for tackling the environmental issues that are crucial for safe-guarding our future. Demonstrating their disapproval of the governments un-democratic pandering to corporate interests, the audience made paper aeroplanes, which took flight in the direction of Ed Miliband.

“It is all very well for Ed Miliband to request the public to take action but it is time for the government to provide real leadership in tackling climate change.” Said Larry from Plane Stupid, “passing the buck is not an option if we are to avoid the chaos and loss of life Climate Change is predicted to bring.” The activists feel that their actions demonstrate their willingness to take responsibility in mobilising around the issue of Climate Change, and expect the government to similarly accompany their rhetoric with strong action.

“The government’s farcical plans for airport expansion are incompatible with meeting the required targets for preventing runaway climate change. We are engaging with the democratic process in every way we know how, but at the same time the government has hypocritically supported continued airport expansion.” Said Clare, one of the activists Brighton Plane Stupid.

Last year Ed Miliband championed the Climate Change Bill, yet in January he undermined this by supporting a Third Runway at Heathrow. The actions of Plane Stupid at this meeting highlight the incompatibility of these two positions, and challenge not only Ed Miliband but the Labour government in general to be held accountable for their commitments. Their actions similarly challenge Nancy Platt, Labour Party candidate, who will potentially perpetuate this style of government which is so full of promises, and yet so devoid of conviction. The democratic structures in place have been worryingly bypassed not only during the government’s decision on Heathrow, but also on Stansted’s second runway; where BAA has had more say than both local councils and respected scientific organizations, who oppose the planned expansions. There is a concern that these rigged consultation procedures may become commonplace, and this is what the activists do not want.

Brighton Plane Stupid activist Lucy stated “Anyone with as much access to science as Ed Miliband knows that the aviation industry cannot continue to expand. Miliband and a host of other MP’s have failed us on Heathrow, proving their words to be as reliable as quicksand, the global environmental situation does not allow us enough time to see this track record of deceit and hypocrisy grow”.

Mr Milliband was interrupted but not obstructed from making his speech in support of the Labour Party candidate Nancy Platt at the Brighthelm Centre in Brighton.

Ends

———————————————————————————————————————————————

[1] Taken from the Government’s White Paper ‘The Future of Air Transport’ Decenmber 2003
http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/whitepapers/air/utureofairtransportwhite5694.pdf
Accessed Feb 1 2009

[2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/3681149/Ed-Miliband-urges-popular-mobilisation-to-tackle-climate-change.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/08/ed-miliband-climate-politics-environment
Accessed Feb 1 2009