Action Reports – Page 210

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For comment, contact: Christo Mills 0447 631 735

—–

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

Anti-RBS Action, London – Fri 10 Oct 08

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

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

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

THE OIL BANK OF SCOTLAND

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

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

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

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

WANNA WORK FOR CLIMATE CRIMINALS?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tim Dalinian Jones

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

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

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

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

Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

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

Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

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

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

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

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

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

ANTIFA PRISONERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

OTHER PRISONERS

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

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

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

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

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

MOVE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

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

North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CAMPESINOS FIGHT AGAINST GM SOY – PARAGUAY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Penan mount logging road blockade

Penan mount logging road blockade
8 October 2008

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

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

Penan mount logging road blockade
8 October 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Bruno Manser Fund

Background info: www.survival-international.org

Halloween land squat, Birmingham – housing crisis

POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN FIELD SITES FOR HOUSING

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

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

POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN FIELD SITES FOR HOUSING

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

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

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

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

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

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

We are campaigning for:

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

UK No Borders Gathering 8-9 November

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

newcastle planning group
whydontyou@post.com

Earth First! Winter Moot – last update

Brighton, February 6-7-8th 2009

The Earth First! Winter moot is an opportunity for people who feel affiliation with the ideas behind Earth First! to network, discuss and reflect on the ecological direct action movement and to plan for the future. In contrast with the yearly EF! Summer Gathering, which is held outside for around five days, the winter moot is a shorter weekend meeting, inside, less aimed at skill sharing and more at looking where we are at as movement and where we want to be going.

Brighton, February 6-7-8th 2009

Earth First! is not an organisation, but a banner for non-hierarchical organising and the use of direct action to confront, stop and eventually reverse the forces that are responsible for the destruction of the Earth and its inhabitants.

Topics that have been raised include (Updated):
– the Copenhagen climate summit with a number of people from Denmark coming over to talk about logistics, tactics and mobilisation
– the G20 summit in London
– Leave it in the ground / coal
– GM
– Rossport
– Strengthening the EF network: communication and security, actionupdate and gatherings
– Implications of the crisis
– Climate and migration / eco-activism and Noborder networks
– Heathrow expansion
– UK Biofuels
– Nanotechnology
– Water-based actions

There will not be workshops on any of these topics – please inform yourself on topics of your interest before the moot. We will be focusing on discussing strategy and action planning.

There will be a Saving Iceland meeting on the Friday afternoon before the gathering.

Please contact the organizing collective (moot2009@earthfirst.org.uk) know if you want to add anything, want to help with facilitation or have any other queries. You are welcome to use our PGP key below.
Suggestion: read the activist security guide on http://www.activistsecurity.org/

There will be sleeping places arranged and food available at cost price from Friday evening. The program will start on Saturday at 10 AM. Please be on time.

Venue: Cowley Club, 12 London Road.
http://www.cowleyclub.org.uk/
(Please do not contact the Cowley Club phone nr. with information requests).
Click for directions

Please note:
– No dogs please
– The weekend is not open to journalists

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So, here’s the lowdown on what the Danish people coming over for the EF! Winter Moot will be talking about.

*Copenhagen Climate Summit*
Do we cheer them on, block them in, or close them down?

*When?*
*Where?*
*What?* Danish Klimax activists will kick off a discussion about the movement to stop climate change.
*Why?* The UN talks in Copenhagen this December are supposed to be the place where world leaders agree a new international deal to stop climate change.
But progress so far has been undermined by corporate lobbying and false, market-based solutions. When activists from across Europe hit the streets of Copenhagen, should we be calling on governments to do better, blockading them in until they come up with a good deal, or be saying they are so flawed we should try to close them down?

Most people now agree that we need to do something about climate change. But there isn’t agreement on what. For corporations and most governments its a form of green (or maybe greenwashed) capitalism and before we even get there it will probably be too late. In opposition to this corporate agenda, social movements in the South have proposed ‘climate justice’, a transition to a sustainable world which sees the rich minority who caused climate change pay to put it right, not try and push the costs onto the poor majority.

Within this more progressive agenda proposals range from a ‘green new deal’ of state-led investment for social and environmental goals, to those who argue that only a grassroots anti-capitalism can get us out of this mess. This is the political background to the mobilisation around the Copenhagen climate talks and the strategic and tactical decisions activists are trying to make about it.

This is a chance for activists who are less and more involved in climate campaigning to come together and discuss all these issues. We can also talk about how we mobilise for what may be one of the most important events since the ‘battle’ of Seattle exactly 10 years previously.

SWOMP – A freestate in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Introduction

It is the fourth time activists have squatted a piece of land in the Pijp (an area of Amsterdam) and by far the most succesful action. They are protesting against unnecessary demolition and speculation as well as taking action in support of local neighbourhoods for a sustainable future.

Introduction

Some history

On July 11, 2008, a group of people from the Pijp squatting group and Groenfront! Amsterdam squatted a vacant lot at Rustenbergerstraat 438-440. A school had previously stood on the land and was demolished against the wishes of the neighbourhood, probably to prevent it being squatted. There are currently no plans for the site, which has a tree which is protected by permits. Previous land squats had been evicted quite brutally by police so this time the activists were prepared – they were in large numbers, had the support of local residents and made sure their caravans were well secured in the ground!

After one month, the project declared itself a free state and the residents pledged to live in a carbon neutral fashion on the site. Instead of waiting for local government to decide what to do with the land they decided to take action themselves! Permaculture gardens were set up and solar panels were installed. Local squat cafes are doing benefits in support of the project. In September an open day was held with a tour speakers and discussions

Living at SWOMP (in the words of one resident)

The whole thing has grown into a climate friendly experimental garden. Every day we are learning more about the problems you encounter when having to provide for yourself (doing it in a way which means in the future you can keep providing yourself). These are the same problems society / the community will faces soon. We are experimenting with permacultures, we have a groundwaterpump and a solarcell and are planning to build our own eco toilet.

Being busy with this I’m meeting a lot of other people being busy with similar stuff, and suddenly the feeling of being an activist calling out in the land of the deaf is changing. More and more people seem to be realising something has to be done, and most importantly, we can do it (we are going to win)!

We stumbled across the concept of transition towns. Apparently others are doing the same as us. Others, not activists just communities. Communities that stop and think: how are we going to deal with the upcoming (unavoidable) oil-crisis and climate change? What happens when the trucks stop driving and bringing us food and produce from all over the world? Looting, only the fittest will survive? Or can we as a community prepare ourselves and equip ourselves with workable solutions. We should start preparing: Where do we get food? Who heals the sick, how do we transport? How do make tools without our current technology? And most important of all how do we prevent future crisis? How can we find a balanced way of living without wearing out our own surroundings?

New ethics will have to be developed. This all might seem a distant dream or fantasy but it is already happening all over the world. With 33 transition towns in England and 77 worldwide. And four times more being set up worldwide. It is actually a very accessible way of changing, it’s realising that we ourselves need to do it and nobody else. It starts with creating consciousness. Not about the upcoming crisis, everybody knows about that by now and activists all over the world feel frustrated about everybody knowing but nobody acting on it.

We need to grow consciousnes about self-determination, and about the possibilties that you have as an individual and a community. Of course the government and corporations won’t change by themselves. We don’t need to wait for them, we should even exclude them. The steps seem so big but are actually small and achievable. It starts with growing consciousness, its almost like a sect man! Wherever some people start being busy with transition towns, all the people around them get infected and enthusiasm soon grows a network. A network starts having meetings, and in the meeting realistic goals will be set. “In however many years we should be able to get at least 50% of our food from our own lands, by then we need to have reduced our oil-dependence, at least by the year of XXXX, we shall be totally independent”.

Stuff like that, read it, it’s inspiring. In England ther are some towns, villages, dwellings, but also neighbourhoods that started thinking about the future. These towns or dwellings will be the pioneers in the time of transition which pretty soon everybody is going to experience. We can wait till our wallets force us to change, or we can be the ones who will later have the advantages of having started off early. It’s just a logical step to take in a time like this.

Links

In”>http://www.steenbreek.org/img/pers/DeMorgen_20080906.pdf>In the Belgian press

Indigenous group occupies Bukidnon ranch in Phillipines

1st October 2008
MARAMAG, Bukidnon – Members of an indigenous group in the villages of Panalsalan and Dagumbaan in Maramag, Bukidnon, occupied and planted crops on a 520-hectare land that used to be the cattle ranch of former Kibawe Mayor Ernesto Villalon.

Saying they have to avert food shortage in their communities, 100 members of the Panalsalan Dagumbaan Tribal Association (Padata) planted fruit trees and corn in the ranch pending the approval of their Community-based Forest Management (CBFM) application for property.

Villalon’s Forest Land Grazing Lease Agreement (FLGLA) No. 1816 expired on December 1997. Its control thus technically reverted to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Since the place is mountainous and is part of the Kulkul Range and classified as timberland, the new settlers claimed it is viable for the CBFM program.

Padata chief Datu Henry Aslag had applied for a CBFM at the office of the DENR but the department has not acted on the matter yet.

CBFM is a strategy for sustainable forest development that addresses rural poverty and promoting social justice. Under this program, the community or actual residents in a production forest are the de facto managers of the land, allowing them to develop, utilize and conserve specific portions of the forest lands within a 25-year production-sharing agreement.

The growing poverty incidence in these two villages caused the indigenous group to apply for CBFM and occuppy the timberland that had been under DENR supervision since 1997.

Aslag justified this, saying: “In order to survive, 70 percent of our members eke out a living as seasonal agri-workers of a nearby banana plantation earning a meager P70-100 daily. We must start planting before we run out of budget to buy NFA rice.”

DENR data show that the total forest land area in Bukidnon is 669,576 hectares, comprised of 187,548 hectares of production forest and 481,978 hectares of protection forest.

To date, only 15 percent or 26,977.9 hectares of the total production forest has CBFM application. When approved, Padata would be the 48th CBFM holder in the province.

“Embracing the spirit of CBFM which promotes social justice, we appeal to Secretary Atienza to grant our CBFM application the earliest time possible,” said Aslag, a leader of the Talaandig tribe.

He also urged the office of the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) to expedite the Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) process which is a requirement before DENR shall approve their CBFM application.

Padata also submitted to Secretary Atienza a petition for denial of Villalon’s lease renewal after the DENR regional office endorsed the said application despite the absence of a certification from the NCIP.

“We actually question the action of DENR Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso. We do not want to believe that there is a connivance between Villalon and the DENR regional office behind Secretary Atienza’s watch,” said Aslag.

He argued that it will be unreasonable for DENR to retain Villalon’s ranch because of his failure to develop the land for cattle grazing by giving up his control over around 150 hectares to farmers.

Aslag said that the most effective approach to revive the productivity of the land and conserve the forest is to rather distribute the land to landless farmers through CBFM