Action Reports – Page 218

High tension electrical tower bombed in Chile, claimed by anarchist group

An anarchist group, in an e-mail sent to various media outlets, took responsibility for a bomb attack on a high tension electrical tower on the road at Farellones, where one of the major ski centers of the Metropolitan Region is located.

The message said, “Sabotage the centers of diversion of the rich” and “prepare a subversive September”.

It also mentioned Johnny Cariqueo Yañez, a youth who died March 31 from a heart-attack after he was arrested and jailed on the night of the “Day of the Young Combatant.”

The same anarchist group claimed responsibility for the May 18 bombing of the same police station the youth was jailed at.

The bomb at the electrical tower caused structural damage but didn’t cut off power.

August 11th, 2008
Source: lanacion.cl
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Mientras los ricos se divierten gracias a trabajadores explotados, una bomba en sus centros de diversion les recuerda que la Guerra Social esta Declarada

http://www.hommodolars.org/web/spip.php?article610

Kondh Tribes Determined to Fight UK Mining Firm in India

India’s Supreme Court has today dealt a devastating blow to the Dongria Kondh tribe by giving British FTSE 100 company Vedanta permission to mine their sacred mountain. The tribe say the mine will destroy their way of life forever. Vedanta’s subsidiary Sterlite plans to mine for bauxite, the raw material for aluminium, from Niyamgiri mountain in Orissa, eastern India. Vedanta is majority owned by London-based Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal. The Dongria Kondh say the huge open cast mine will destroy a vast swathe of untouched forest, and will reduce their most sacred site to an industrial wasteland. Last month, thirty Dongria Kondh men blockaded a road that is being built through their forest towards the site of the proposed mine. The tribe say they will stage mass protests if mining goes ahead.

The Dongria Kondh cannot appeal this decision by the Supreme Court, but they plan to submit another petition to the Court focusing on the ways in which the mine will violate their cultural and religious rights.

Dongria spokesperson Jitu Jakesika said, ‘We will become beggars if the company destroys our mountain and our forest so that they can make money. We will give our lives for our mountain.’

At this summer’s Earth First! Gathering Saving Iceland is organising a session on bauxite mining and heavy industry and mining in general in Orissa and around the globe, where there will be the opportunity to plan action against Vedanta in the UK.

Bardon Hit Again

Inspired by an action earlier this year we decided to hit Bardons quarry in Burto-on-trent. Bardon are part of a group responsible for the destrution of mountains at the Glensanda Quarry in Scotland. This is one of the largest quarrys in Europe and exports stone for road construction.

This can not be allowed. As the security watched TV we slashed tyres, stripped paint jobs, Glued locks and trashed convayor belts. All the earth movers were hit and many of the cement and agrregate trucks. This action cost us very little but should cost bardon thousands.

We all know lobbying gets us little, we all know that once a mountain is gone it is gone forever, we all know time for the earth is running out. We all have fear that stops us acting but we must act.

Leave it in the ground banner dropped above roadway

4.08.2008
Campaigners battling plans for an open cast mine on the edge of Telford today unfurled banners across one of Shropshire’s busiest roads. Members of Wrekin Stop War and Wrekin Anarchist Group are bidding to catch the attention of motorists travelling on the M54 past Telford and are calling for them to join their protests.

Banners were dropped from the bridge crossing the motorway at Arleston reading “Coal: Leave It in the Ground”, referring to UK Coal’s proposals to create an open cast mine in the New Works area near the Ercall.

Elsewhere, banners proclaiming Telford as “Birthplace of Industry/Womb of Climate Change” were hung from bridges crossing the motorway at the Ercall and Castle Farm Interchange.

—

It was a difficult decision for us this year as we all wanted to be at Kingsnorth but thought the week of the Climate Camp was a good time to campaign on the threat of open-cast locally.

As some of our collective also felt uneasy about the emissions generated by those travelling to the Kent, they decided to stay at home and take local direct action, whilst others are on site at Kingsnorth and fighting the good fight with the West Midlands neighbourhood.

This action was the first of a number we have planned for the week of Climate Camp and hope that others will be up on Indymedia soon. The banner drop certainly generated a lot of local interest and, along with the wider issue of climate change, has been discussed at length on local web forums. Unfortunately, some of these discussions have become a bit bogged down with discussions over the nature of anarchy but hey ho, it’s brought a variety of issues into a local forum that might not otherwise have been discussed!

For anyone not familiar with the area, ‘Birthplace of Industry’ is Telford’s tourist slogan (yes, that’s right, they use this to attract people to the town!) Ironbridge (in Telford) is seen as the home of the Industrial Revolution (although there is some debate in this regard) and has been designated a World Heritage Site. This is despite the fact that Wrekin, a nearby hill and forest (part of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) would be a far more attractive symbol for our borough.

The proposed open-cast site is in the New Works area, which adjoins the Ercall (the Wrekin’s sister hill). This is an area of ancient woodland with a huge diversity of plant and animal life, as well as ancient burial sites.

Some of our collective recently took part in direct action on open-cast in Wales and we have recently made contact with a group in Derbyshire too.

Please make contact with us if you can offer support, advice and solidarity for our campaigns.

admin@wrekinstopwar.org
wag@riseup.net
http://www.wrekinstopwar.org

Update Australia Action – woodchip arson, Tasmania

anonymous communique:

“On the morning of Thursday the 31th of July, the Earth Liberation Front attacked the Victorian office of Gunns Ltd with molotov cocktails, causing extensive fire damage. This was an act of economic sabotage and resistance against the proposed Tamar Valley Pulp Mill, an eco-cidal project which would cause disastrous and irreversible damage to the ancient and precious eco-system of Tasmania.

This mill’s hunger for woodchips would mean a doubling of the already immense current rate of wood-chipping[1], ravaging the native forests of the North-East of the state. It would bring the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed eagle, the Spotted Tail Quoll and the Giant Fresh-Water Crayfish to the brink of extinction[2]. It would spew 30 billion litres of dioxin and furan laced effluent into the Bass Straight every year[3], consume up to 40 billion litres of fresh water[4], and contribute greatly to climate change[5].

We will not accept Gunns’s continual assault on Tasmania’s old growth forests, wildlife, water supplies and carbon sinks. More extreme forms of eco-cide call for more extreme forms of protest.

We will not cease until Gunns abandons its controversial Tamar Valley Pulp Mill.

In defense of our Earth,

Earth Liberation Front.

[1] Gunns Ltd. Bell Bay Pulp Mill, Draft Integrated Impact Statement.
[2] Gunns’s referral under the EPBC Act, April 2007.
[3] University of Melbourne and Forestry Tasmania 2003: Bekessy transcripts, Wielangta court case 2006.
[4] Gunns Ltd. Bell Bay Pulp Mill, Draft Integrated Impact Statement.
[5] Trees- The forgotten solution to climate change; The Wilderness Society, 2006.”

Spirit of Freedom (August 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)

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 August 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. As people will soon see, ELP’s prisoner lists have grown yet again. If we exclude the Geek anarchist, Vaggelis Botzatzis, and the two Americans Richard Sills and Michael Sykes (all of whom are listed by ELP as ‘Other Prisoners’), there are now 40 listed animal & earth liberation prisoners in Europe & America.
There are also a number of non-listed prisoners, who are not listed either by their own choice, or because they betrayed their fellow activists and became informants. And remember these numbers do not include those people who are either under House Arrest or on Bail pending Trial. Nor do they include the activists whose locations are currently unknown and who are described by the police as “on the run”. Seeing so many good people removed from their families & loved ones for merely acting out of compassion and a desire to stop environmental destruction and animal abuse is heartbreaking.
Some of the prisoners ELP lists are very well known, others are less well known. However ALL of them deserve our love and support. ALL of the listed prisoners welcome letters of support. Even if it’s just a card saying “Hi. I’m thinking of you”. 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, SWIS #640393, Multnomah County Detention Center, 1120 S.W. 3rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97206, USA. Awaiting sentencing of six and a half years imprisonment having reached a non-cooperation plea-bargain with the authorities who accuse him of involvement in two 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 Boarder 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).

Rod Coronado – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

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).

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, FCI Terre Haute, Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 33, Terre Haute, IN 47808, 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. At the moment Daniel is in transit as he has been ordered to appear before some Grand Juries. Daniel is refusing to answer the Grand Jury questions and is gaining additional prison time because of this (Daniel is a vegetarian).

Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Briana Waters, 36432-086, FDC – Seatac, Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box 13900, Seattle, WA 98198, 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 Exeter, 30 New North Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4EX, 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).

Martin Balluch, (JA Josefstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Martin is a vegan)

Christoph, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment Christopher does not wish to have his full name published. (Christoph 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).

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. (Rod is a vegetarian).

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).

Jürgen Faulmann, Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Jurgen 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).

Felix Hnat (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Felix is a vegan).

Jan, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment Jan does not wish to have his full name published. (Jan is a vegan).

Kevin Kroemmer, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Kevin is a vegan)

Sean Kirtley WC 6977, HM Prison Blakenhurst, Hewell Lane, Redditch, B97 6QS, 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).

Leo, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment Leo does not wish to have his full name published. (Leo is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Christian Moser, Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Christian is a vegan).

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).

Sabine, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment Sabine does not wish to have their full name published. (Sabine 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).

Elmar Völkl (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Elmar 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 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

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).

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. (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, 100 East 2nd St, Monroe, Michigan 48161, 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

SAVING ICELAND BLOCKADES RIO TINTO-ALCAN’S SMELTER IN ICELAND

Aug 01 2008
“STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF ÞJÓRSÁ FOR ARMS PRODUCTION!”

HAFNARFJORDUR, ICELAND – Activists from Saving Iceland have today begun stopping traffic to and from Rio Tinto-Alcan’s aluminium smelter in Straumsvík, Hafnarfjordur, by chaining themselves to the gates of the plant. Saving Iceland is protesting against Rio Tinto-Alcan’s plans to increase their aluminium production capacity on the island, the consequences of which would would be that significant parts of Iceland’s unique environment would have to be destroyed for energy generation. The activists are also protesting against the worlds largest aluminium producer’s involvement with the arms industry.

Rio Tinto-Alcan wants to increase its production in Straumsvík by 40 thousand tons per year without enlarging the smelter building itself. At the same time the company is planning to build a second aluminium smelter in the towns of Keilisnes or Þorlákshöfn (1).

Reykjavík Energy (Orkuveita Reykjavíkur) pulled out from an energy deal with Rio Tinto-Alcan because of strong public opposition to their expansion, resulting in the geothermally active Bitra mountain being saved.(2)

At the same time, Landsvirkjun (the national energy company) is planning to go ahead with the construction of three dams in the Thjórsá river, south Iceland, as well as one in the adjoining Tungnaá river. They have already signed an energy expansion contract with Rio Tinto-Alcan (4). In December 2006, the two companies signed a contract which stated that Rio Tinto-Alcan would share the cost of the three dams in Thjórsá (5).

Corruption in Hafnarfjörður
In the end of March 2007, a public referendum took place in Hafnarfjördur, where a majority in the city voted against the enlargement of their Rio Tinto-Alcan’s smelter. Lúdvík Geirsson, mayor of Hafnarfjördur, said that the referendum was a “victory for democracy” and added that he would follow the conclusion (6). Rio Tinto-Alcan announced that they were then considering to move their production facility to to Thorlákshöfn.

Only three months later, Lúdvík sat at a meeting with Rannveig Rist, director of Alcan in Iceland, and Michael Jacques, director of Alcan Primary Metal Group, where they discussed the future of Alcan in Iceland. One idea discussed was to increase the Straumsvik smelter’s capacity into the sea, on top of a landfill mound, rather than onto a lava rock area cleared by Alcan in anticipation of a positive result from the referendum (7). Many see this as a betrayal of the referendum spirit, which was not in regards to the specificities of Alcan’s expansion but their expansion altogether.

“Is this really what Geirsson calls the ‘victory of democracy’? Broken promises?” says Snorri Páll Jónsson Úlfhildarson, from Saving Iceland. “His behaviour show clearly how much power the aluminium corporations have here in Iceland. The authorities seem to not dare to speak or act against these corporations will.”

Alcan’s links with the arms industry
August 30th, 2006, Alcan signed a long-term contract for their involvement with the production of the F-35 Jointer Strike Fighter, in collaboration with the arms producers Lockheed Martin, Nothrop-Grumman and BAE Systems (8).

“This is not a respectable company” says Sofie Larsen from Saving Iceland. “Until now, Alcoa has got the most attention here in Iceland when it comes to the links between aluminium production and the arms industry. Yet, Alcan is no better at all, since the company is contracted to several different weapon producers.”

Alcan produces aluminum for EADS (European Aerospace and Defense and Space) (9), whose line of military helicopters and fighter jets includes the Eurofighter Tycoon, Mirage F1 and EF18 Hornet. EADS is also a lead in the production of missiles (10).

“On it’s website, EADS claims that the company’s product is only sold to countries who ´guarantee a responsible approach to high-tech military air systems´” says Sofie, ”but on the same site, one can find videos which glorify Nazi Germany’s airforce (11). What kind of ethics is that?”

The damming of Thjórsá river
Despite strong local resistance from farmers unwilling to give up their land for Rio Tinto-Alcan’s expansion, Landsvirkjun have been working full time to push through the four dam project. Landsvirkjun has again and again gone up to the river, trying to get farmers to agree with the construction. When they received a letter signed by nine of the ten farmers affected by the Urridafoss waterfall Thjórsá dam, stating that they refused to participate in any further discussions with the energy agency, Landsvirkjun threatened to forcefully expropriate their land.

Recently the district council of Flóahreppur made an agreement with Landsvirkjun to include the Urridafoss dam into their district plan. Jón Árni Vignisson, a farmer who lives by Thjórsá, said that they had done so after Landsvirkjun had promised to pump funds into a variety of their minor infrastructure projects: road, water supply and mobile phone reception improvements (12). Essentially, the local government had been bribed.

The enlargement of Rio Tinto-Alcan’s capacities in Iceland and the damming of the Thjórsá river are highly corrupt projects which Saving Iceland demands the immediate halting of.

References:

(1) Mbl.is, Álframleiðsla hjá Alcan aukin um 22 prósent, http://www.mbl.is/mm/frettir/innlent/200…
(2) Mbl.is, Fyrirhugaðar framkvæmdir og orkusala haldast í hendur, http://www.mbl.is/mm/frettir/innlent/200…
(3) Mbl.is, 200 mw orkusala úr sögunni, http://www.mbl.is/mm/frettir/innlent/200…
(4) Vísir.is, Alcan keppir áfram um orku Þjórsár, http://visir.is/article/20070909/FRETTIR…
(5) Heimasíða Rio Tinto-Alcan á Íslandi, http://www.riotintoalcan.is/?PageID=12&a…
(6 )Mbl.is, Sigur fyrir lýðræðið, http://www.mbl.is/mm/frettir/innlent/200…
(7) Mbl.is, Álver á landfyllingu, http://mbl.is/mm/frettir/innlent/2007/06…
(8) Vefsíða Alcan, http://www.alcan.com/web/publishing.nsf/…(JSF
(9) Vefsíða ABC Money, http://www.abcmoney.co.uk/news/132007869…
(10) Vefsíða EADS, http://www.eads.com/1024/en/businet/defe…
(11) Myndband sem segir sögu EADS, http://www.eads.com/xml/content/OF000000…
(12) Sunnlenska Fréttablaðið, 30. tölublað, Eigum marga aðra valkosti, bls. 8-9, 24. Júlí 2008

Cobham, Surrey : Activists Blockade Cargill Europe Head Office

1.08.2008
Since 7.50 am this morning, 20 participants in this year’s Camp for Climate Action and members of Action Against Agrofuels have been blockading the only access gate to Cargill’s European regional head office in Cobham, Surrey. 8 activists have locked on to the gates closing the site down completely. Agrobusiness giant Cargill are being targeted by the protesters for their role in rainforest destruction and land-grabbing as well as for profiteering from the food crisis.

Hannah Ritchie from the group says: “Cargill is using the boom in agrofuels to expand soya, palm oil and sugar plantations, displacing communities, food crops and destroying ecosystems. Destroying rainforests and other biodiverse ecosystems, including healthy soils, is one of the quickest ways of heating the planet. This is why we are blockading the Cargill office two days before the official start of the Climate Camp at Kingsnorth.”

According to the UN World Food Programme, 100 million more people are going hungry as food prices have risen by 83% in three years. At the same time, Cargill’s profits have risen to record levels, going up by 86% in just nine months, since the company is profiteering from high food prices.

Jordan Craig says: “For companies like Cargill, agrofuels are an opportunity to make more profits from food, to take over more land from small farmers and communities and to further destroy local food production. This is why we need an immediate halt to government policies such as the mandatory blending of petrol and diesel with biofuels in the UK, as well as an end to ‘free trade’ food and agricultural policies which solely boost the power and the profits of agribusinesses like Cargill. Instead of agrofuels, we need to have policies that support Food Sovereignty, i.e. which put people’s right to food first and support small-scale, biodiverse, organic farming, instead of energy-intensive agriculture.”

Contacts:

Participants in the action can be contacted at the following numbers 07527-124478 or 07964-068147

Notes:

1. Agrofuels are biofuels made from crops and trees grown on monocultures for that purpose.

2. Cargill owns 25% of shares in the UK’s biggest biofuel supplier, Greenergy International. They have major investments in US corn ethanol, Brazilian sugar cane ethanol, as well as palm oil and soya, and they are involved in joint ventures to develop GM agrofuels. Cargill is the world’s biggest grain trader, the biggest exporter of sugar cane and soybean from Brazil, the biggest soybean crusher in Paraguay and one of the world’s five largest palm oil traders.

3. For more information about the harm which Cargill is causing to communities and ecosystems in Brazil, Paraguay and Papua New Guinea, see http://understory.ran.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/cargill_letter1.pdf

www.biofuelwatch.org.uk

Cambridge Mill Road Social Centre evicted but car-park squatted

On Friday 1st around 9AM, police and bailiffs kicked down the door to the social centre and started evicting people from the premises. No advance warning was given. It goes to show that Tesco can never be trusted, as they reneged on their promise not to take possession of the building before they needed to start building.

Tesco were obviously very confident that the previous night’s planning meeting (to allow them to build waste and airco facilities) would find in their favour. As it turned out, their application was turned down. No doubt Mill Road’s Broadway will soon sport a set of shiny metal window boards.

—

We cordoned off part of the car park behind the evicted mill road social centre, and are now squatting the site.

At 3:15pm today (Friday) we cordoned off part of the car park behind the evicted mill road social center, so at to make a clear boundary, and are now squatting the site. Please feel free to come and join us. As it is open air, accommodation is camping. If anyone has any spare tarpaulin they could give/lend us this would be useful.

Bicyclists Attack Failed Businesses With Seeds, Art

Friday, August 1st – “We don’t need another parking lot” read one of over 30 stenciled cardboard signs erected Friday evening across the fences of various failed businesses throughout Santa Cruz by a group of bicyclists as part of a “Going Out of Business & Green Futures” community ride.

Part protest against car culture, part living art project, and part prank, the group of about 20 bicyclists visited the sites of former gas stations, drive thrus, autodealerships, and more, planting wild flower seeds, and other decorations depicting a deteriorating economy and hopes for a greener, wilder future. “Property is Theft”, “My heroes carry guns in the their minds”, and “Community Garden Coming Soon!” read some of the signs posted outside fenced off buildings and pavement cracking open with weeds.

The ride was in response to a statement sent by the Corporate Rulers of America that read:

“To the people of the United States,

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we regret to inform you that we will no longer be able to continue running this country as all of our assets are no longer viable.

Effective immediately, we will no longer be providing you with low-wage meaningless jobs, cheap gasoline, or hours upon hours of infotainment. Furthermore, we cannot guarantee that the remainder of our mass produced products are of any quality beyond the value assumed by our corporate logos, nor are they environmentally safe. We also cannot guarantee that your pensions will be paid, that your savings are secure, or that you’ll be getting the best health care in the industrialized world. In fact, to be completely honest, we’ve never really meant anything we’ve said but do thank you for believing in us nonetheless.

We hereby relinquish all deeds of private property and assume no responsibility with what happens to it from here on out.

Finally, we’d like to thank you for all your years of service and sacrifice, but most of all, thank you for your obedience to our way of life, we seriously couldn’t have done it without you. We wish you the best of luck. You’re on your own.

Sincerely,
Corporate America”

By Saturday afternoon, most of the signs had been removed…But the seeds have been sown.

More words & photos