Unnecessary Developments – Page 26

Police say camps to be evicted this week, as 400-year-old oak felled

Contractors moved in in force on Monday (14 January) to evict the “Three Oaks” camp near the railway line opp.

Contractors moved in in force on Monday (14 January) to evict the “Three Oaks” camp near the railway line opp. Upper Wilting Farm in Crowhurst (see press release below), and police have told activists that they plan to evict the remaining two camps (“Decoy Pond Wood” and “Base Camp” – see map below) this week.

So if you want to come and help peacefully stop the felling (whether in an arrestable or non-arrestable role): now’s the time! See here for more info re. the Camp.

[Update at 12.30pm: Despite being heavily outnumbered by security and contractors, activists at the "Three Oaks" protest camp were able to delay the felling of the 400-year-old oak by 3-4 hours this morning. Two people were finally evicted from high-up in the oak, and a third person, locked-on near the base, was also removed. No arrests were made, and the trees in question are now being felled.]

Press Release
14 January 2013
Combe Haven Defenders

CHAINSAWS MOVED IN TO FELL 400-YEAR-OLD OAK AT HASTINGS TREE PROTEST

9am, Monday 14 January, Crowhurst: Contractors preparing the way for the Bexhill-Hastings Link Road (BHLR) are believed to be felling a 400-year-old Oak Tree as they evict the “Three Oaks” protest Camp near the railway line opp. Upper Wilting Farm (TN38 8EG) in Crowhurst (see map below).

Police, security, chainsaw operatives, and a digger moved in on the tree-protest Camp (one of three along the route of the BHLR) this morning, shortly after 7am. Despite being heavily outnumbered by police and security, as at 8.30am several activists were in the trees and at least one was locked-on.

According to a recent report in the Guardian: “When the landowner signed the compulsory purchase order for the land at Three Oaks, where a flyover is to be built above the railway, he persuaded the council to spare one tree thought to be 450 years old (not a promise the protesters expect to be kept).” [3]

Two more protest camps (“Decoy Pond Wood Camp” and “Base Camp”) have not yet been evicted.

The BHLR is one of over forty “zombie roads” that were declared dead years ago but have now been resuscitated as part of Britain’s largest road-building programme in 25 years [4].

[2] See map here: www.combehavendefenders.org.uk
[3] “Road protests return: a new generation takes on the bypass builders”, Guardian, 12 January 2013, http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jan/12/combe-haven-green-protesters-trees
[4] http://bettertransport.org.uk/media/26-Oct-roads-report

Self-Determination and Self-Defense in Cherán, Michoacán

On December 11, 2012, the US Justice Department announced that banking giant HSBC was immune from prosecution despite overwhelming evidence that they consistently failed to implement controls against money-laundering. Assistant attorney general Lanny Breuer said: “Had the US authorities decided to press criminal charges, HSBC would almost certainly have lost its banking license in the US, the future of the institution would have been under threat and the entire banking system would have been destabilized.”

The entire banking system would have been destabilized?

The Department of Justice opted rather to charge HSBC a record-breaking 1.9 billion dollar fine, and ordered the bank’s activities monitored for five years. The 1.9 billion is equivalent to five weeks’ worth of HSBC earnings, in other words, a drop in the bucket. The saddest part of the story in the mainstream media, is the focus on money laundered and money fined, as opposed to lives lost and crime legitimized in one of the most grotesque admissions of complicity with organized crime in the so-called war on drugs. Basically what was announced to the world by the US Justice Department was that the money ran too thick, and the criminals were too powerful. The global economic impact of prosecuting a bank where the dirty money has been going, was too dangerous to risk. “Sorry kids, but we guess the bad guys win.”

In Cheran, Michoacan, Mexico the news of HSBC’s immunity from criminal prosecution and US sanctions comes as no surprise. Organized crime has been prevalent in the community since 2000. After a 2008 mayoral race that left a PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) candidate in office, illicit activity increased substantially. The community learned that organized crime is an integral part of local politics and economics everywhere. Cheran is a beautiful small indigenous Purepecha mountain community surrounded by precious forests, that knows the true cost of those profits laundered. Immediately after the 2008 mayoral race the community began experiencing the devastating effects of dog eat dog capitalism of which organized crime is only another part.

The illegal logging industry began to ravage the community’s most precious forests, which have been traditionally respected as a spiritual connection by the Indigenous Purepecha people to their territory. The logging began to look a lot more like pillaging and when community members began to attempt to defend their forests, they were met with a real life nightmare: the loggers were not only aided and protected by government agencies and local police, the entire logging operation was being coordinated by members of a major organized crime syndicate. [To this day I am told by community members not to name the actual syndicate in anything I write or say, or risk an almost certain death.]

The first community members who began to defend their forest were simply and quickly assassinated. From 2008-2011 the situation only became worse. Criminals charged protection to run even a small business in the community of Cheran. The forest was raped and terror reigned as anyone felt at risk. The city would become a ghost town by sunset. This is a reality confronted by too many communities in Mexico every day.

Murders, disappearances, kidnappings, the criminal amounts of illegal logging and the reign of terror came to a head on the early morning of April 15th, 2011. A group of women had begun quietly organizing in the days before an action to bring the ravaging of their town to a halt. On April 15th, with children and youth at their sides, the women rose up and attempted to detain loggers traveling through town. The loggers tried to run the women over and in response the community reacted as a whole, and began burning the loggers’ vehicles and began detaining the loggers themselves.

It is at this point that the community recognized the complicity of the local police when it was police officers who guided organized crime thugs to the place where the loggers were being held, in an attempt to violently release them. The community erected “fogatas” or bonfire barricades throughout town in order to prevent violence against community members. Within days the community decided that it no longer trusted any politicians from any political party or any of the local and state police. They began to organize for self-determination and self-defense and chose to return to their traditional Purepecha forms of self governance.

A general council of community elders was elected and commissions were formed in order to carry out the community’s logistical, social, economic, and political needs. Community members simply say that they referred to their history and referred to their elders in order to return to the way the community was organized before political parties, police, and organized crime existed. The general council is legally recognized as the governing body of Cheran, Michoacan today.

The community has maintained that they only have three demands: safety, justice, and the reforestation of their territory. They have actively been reforesting the entire region and take that aspect of their struggle very seriously, and remind us that for them protecting the forest is both a traditional and a spiritual obligation. Cheran does not believe that anybody will ever be able to bring them justice for their dead, disappeared, and displaced as a result of the conflict, nor do they expect anyone in power to understand the justice they seek for the forest. Today Cheran knows that justice is something that they will have to take care of obtaining on their own from now on. When it comes to safety, the world is able to see what it looks like for a community to take responsibility for its own safety through traditional indigenous forms of self governance and self-defense.

Shortly after the 2011 uprising began, community members state that the local politicians and the police simply exiled themselves in fear from the community, warranting no need to run them out of town. Community members took the local government offices, took police trucks, took the polices’ weapons, and put them all to use. Historically, Cheran had traditionally been “policed” or defended by members from the community. In a voluntary rotation members from each of the four “barrios” or neighborhoods would patrol the community for self-defense in what is known as the “community ronda.” After the uprising the general council made a call out for volunteers to participate in the community “ronda”, or community guard. Community members maintain that police are imposed by the government, but the “ronda” is a traditional way in which community members protect themselves and their community. Today the “ronda” is separated into two parts. The “ronda comunitaria” which is responsible for patrolling and protecting the community from within its borders and the “guardabosques” or forest defenders, which patrol the outskirts of town and deep into the forests in order to protect community members living in those more rural areas and in order to protect the forest itself.

Cheran is not the first community in Mexico to return to their traditional means of community self-defense, nor is it the first place in the state of Michoacan, nor in the indigenous Purepecha region. Other communities have engaged in similar practices of self governance and self-defense, and little by little more and more communities are seeing traditional self governance and self-defense as a viable alternative to corrupt politics and submission to organized crime. Recently council members from Nurio, Michoacan, a larger community and long time practitioner of self governance and self-defense, suggested that the entire Purepecha region should begin to organize a regional “ronda” that could potentially coordinate self-defense patrols on a regional level for the indigenous Purepecha people living throughout the state of Michoacan.

It is hard not to throw your hands up in the air in resignation when you hear about criminals such as HSBC being granted immunity from prosecution and sanctions, but it is even harder not to throw a fist in the air when you see indigenous Purepechas successfully overcoming organized crime, corrupt politicians, and big business by establishing models for self-determination and self-defense, on a community level.

Simòn Sedillo

Idle No More International Day of Action – January 28, 2013

14th Jan 2012.

14th Jan 2012. Indigenous Resurgence Explodes with Idle No More Day of Action

Idle No More grassroots founders and organizers from across Canada, in solidarity with common causes – a new initiative bringing together social justice, environmental, labour and other Activist Groups…

– UNITED we are planning IDLE NO MORE WORLD DAY OF ACTION on January 28th, 2013 #J28.

This day of action will peacefully protest attacks on Democracy, Indigenous Sovereignty, Human Rights and Environmental Protections when Canadian MPs return to the House of Commons on January 28th. As a grassroots movement, clearly no political organization speaks for Idle No More. This movement is of the people… For The People! #IDLENOMOREFTP

The Vision of IDLE NO MORE revolves around Indigenous Ways of Knowing rooted in Indigenous Sovereignty to protect water, air, land and all creation for future generations.

The Conservative government bills beginning with Bill C-45 threaten Treaties and this Indigenous Vision of Sovereignty.

The Goal of the movement is education and the revitalization of Indigenous peoples through Awareness and Empowerment. IDLE NO MORE has successfully encouraged knowledge sharing of Indigenous Sovereignty and Environmental Protections.

This message has been heard around the world and the world is watching how Canada responds to the message sent by many INM Supporters.

INM urges the government of Canada to repeal all legislation; which violates Treaties, Indigenous Sovereignty and subsequently Environmental Protections of land and water.

INM is grateful to many leaders who have supported this vision and the movement of the grassroots people.

“The Treaties are the last line of defense to protect water and lands from destruction,” stated Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper Turtle Clan, Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs.

Please watch and share this video of the Idle No More action in Toronto, and organize events in solidarity with Idle No More within your local collectives:

Letter of solidarity with tree-occupations against road-buildings

During the last weeks, at two different locations in Europe, trees have been squatted that would fall prey to the construction of motorways. On December 22nd, activists in Bexhill, England occupied trees against the construction of the Bexhill-Hastings Link Road and have erected an entire camp now. In Berlin, free-spaces-activists, together with environmental-activists occupied trees against the A100 that is to be built through the middle of Berlin. We, the squatters from the Hambach Forest stand in solidarity with these struggles and call for a practical support and for the creation of a network of these emerging spaces of resistance with each other and the creation of many new spaces like these.

The anti-road movement in the UK in the 90s, which followed in response to the neoliberal infrastructure policies of Margaret Thatcher („there is no alternative“), was one of the strongest social and environmental movements of recent decades in Europe. Out of it many new forms of action developed: The tree house villages, with specialized blockading techniques at the sites where the roads should be built, the „critical masses“ and „reclaim the streets“ parties as reclaiming the cities against the car craze, and a general political understanding of „direct action“ as a self-empowering, dynamic form of politics from below. Even the radical environmental movement in Britain, that spread after the turn of the millennium and inspired climate movements all over Europe, had its roots in the anti-road movement.

Now, over 20 years later, the government in the UK is planning a new comprehensive road-building program (while massive social cuts were pushed through). 1,244 km of new roads are planned. Through the constructions, as well as improved infrastructure, they hope to push the economy out of the crisis. At the same time new roads also bring more and more traffic with it and so it’s projects like these which also push the global climate closer to the „tipping points“. For this reason, on December 22nd, activists hung platforms in trees to be felled for the Bexhill-Hastings Link Road. Bexhill is located between Dover and Brighton. There is even a „fully operational“ blockade tunnel!

Two weeks later activists occupied trees in Berlin, Neukölln, in order to resist the construction of the A100. We think the interesting thing about this action is that it was carried out by free-spaces-activists together with environmental-activists. Far too rarely the resistance against the various antagonisms of capitalism – social and environmental – combines in joint operations. Exactly where it would be needed urgently: The dominant discourse wants us to believe that climate or environmental protection is only to achieve with renunciation and personal consumer choices. The opposite is the case: By overcoming the capitalist system, much of the senseless consumption of resources would disappear, while a self-determined life and a free development would become possible. Let’s take Fordism as a triumph of the cars in the cities: Not a demand for automobiles was the beginning of mass consumption of the like, but a car favouring urban planning, that according to the concepts of the Hitlerfriend Ford, consciously put the different areas of work, housing and consumption so far apart that a life without a car has been more and more difficult . So the time that the people had to use for changing locations wasn‘t getting shorter, but at once the cities were filled with this stinking metal boxes which affected the lives in the city fundamentally – a deterioration of life with higher energy consumption was the result. An opposite trend should be the goal of emancipatory environmental struggles, the same as that of social struggles, that don‘t close their eyes in front of the acute climate problem we are facing.

We urgently need a radical and powerful climate movement all over the world. We see some positive signs. For example, the conflicts of the last months in La ZAD/France against a ‚green‘ airport to be built. In mobilizations temporarily 40 000 activists participated. We need such cristallization places where we can experience what’s possible – and then we have to spread this resistance and hundreds of other crystallization places must sprout from the ground, which in turn inspire others.

We appeal to support these new occupations in Bexhill and Berlin with practical help, just as we call to support our occupation at the edge of the Hambach forest with practical assistance. But we also call out to you, to create many new such places yourself, that it takes as focal sites of resistance. Places where people can come together, are able to plan things, but also to guess what kind of world would be possible in the new way of life and organization, beyond capitalism and domination systems.
And we call out to link those places of resistance – because the straw fires that currently flare up here and there have to connect to a wildfire – a wildfire of the unenforceability of all these destructive projects, whether roads, pipelines or open cast mines.

act – before it’s too late!

https://combehavendefenders.wordpress.com/
http://www.robinwood.de/Newsdetails.13+M5d5007d0da9.0.html
http://wirbleibenalle.org/
http://hambacherforst.blogsport.de/

Solidaritätserklärung mit Baumbesetzungen gegen Autobahn-wahn

In den letzten Wochen wurden gleich an zwei verschiedenen Orten in Europa Bäume besetzt, die dem Bau von Autobahnen zum Opfer fallen sollen. Am 22. Dezember besetzten Aktivist_innen in Bexhill, England Bäume gegen den Bau der Bexhill-Hastings Link Road und haben nun schon ein ganzes Camp errichtet. In Berlin besetzten Freiraumaktivist_innen gemeinsam mit Umweltaktivist_innen Bäume gegen die A100 die mitten durch Berlin gebaut werden soll. Wir, die Besetzer_innen vom Hambacher Forst solidarisieren uns mit diesen Kämpfen und rufen zu einer praktischen Unterstützung auf, zu einer Vernetzung der entstehenden Widerstandsorte untereinander und dazu viele neue solcher Orte zu schaffen.

Die Anti-Road Bewegung in Großbrittanien in den 90er Jahren, die als Antwort auf die neoliberale Infrastruktur-Politik von Margeret Thatcher („there is no alternative“) folgte, war eine der stärksten sozialen Umweltbewegungen der letzten Jahrzehnte in Europa. Aus ihr heraus entwickelten sich viele neue Aktionsformen: Die Baumhausdörfer, mit spezialisierten Blockadetechniken an den Orten wo die Straßen gebaut werden sollten, die „critical masses“ und „reclaim the streets“-Partys als Rückeroberung der Städte gegen den Autowahn, und generell ein Politikverständnis der „direct action“ als selbstermächtigende, dynamische Politikform von unten. Auch die radikale Klimabewegung in Großbritanien, die sich nach der Jahrtausendwende ausbreitete und Klimabewegungen in ganz Europa inspirierte, hatte ihre Wurzeln in dieser Anti-Road-Bewegung.

Nun, über 20 Jahre später, plant die Regierung in Großbrittanien ein neues umfassendes Straßenbauprogramm (während gleichzeitig massive Sozialkürzungen durchgepeitscht wurden). 1244 Kilometer neue Straßen sind geplant. Durch die Bauaufträge, sowie die verbesserte Infrastruktur wird erhofft die Wirtschaft aus der Krise zu stoßen. Gleichzeitig bringen neue Straßen aber auch immer mehr Autoverkehr mit sich, und so sind es Projekte wie dieses, die auch das globale Klima immer näher an die „tipping points“ stoßen. Aus diesem Grunde haben Aktivist_innen am 22. Dezember Plattformen in Bäume gehängt, die für die Bexhill-Hastings Link Road gerodet werden sollen. Bexhill befindet sich zwischen Dover und Brighton. Inzwischen gibt es sogar einen „fully operational“ Blockadetunnel!

Zwei Wochen später, machten es Aktivist_innen in Berlin nach, und besetzen Bäume in Neukölln um Widerstand gegen den Bau der A100 zu leisten. Interessant an dieser Aktion finden wir, dass sie von Freiraumaktivist_innen zusammen mit Umweltaktivist_innen durchgeführt wurde. Viel zu selten verbindet sich der Widerstand gegen die verschiedenen Antagonismen des Kapitalismus – den sozialen und den ökologischen – in gemeinsamen Aktionen. Wobei genau das dringend notwendig wäre: Der herrschende Diskurs will uns weis machen, dass Klima- oder Umweltschutz nur mit Verzicht zu haben sei. Das Gegenteil ist der Fall: Durch die Überwindung der kapitalistischen Wirtschaftsweise würde gleichzeitig sehr viel unsinniger Ressourcenverbrauch wegfallen, während ein selbstbestimmtes Leben und eine freie Entfaltung erst möglich würde. Nehmen wir nur einmal den Fordismus als Siegeszug des Autos in den Städten: Nicht ein Bedürfnis nach Automobilen war der Beginn des Massenkonsums dergleichen, sondern eine Auto-ritäre Stadtplanung, die nach den Konzepten des Hitler-Freundes Ford, bewusst die verschiedenen Bereiche Arbeit, Wohnen und Konsum soweit auseinanderlegte, dass ein Leben ohne Auto immer schwerer wurde. So wurde zwar nicht die Zeit kürzer, die Menschen täglich für Ortswechsel aufbringen mussten, aber die Städte waren auf einmal voll mit diesen stinkenden Blechkisten und beeinträchtigten das Leben in der Stadt fundamental – eine Beeinträchtigung des Lebens bei höherem Energieverbrauch war das Ergebnis. Eine entgegengesetzte Entwicklung muss das Ziel emanzipatorischer Umweltkämpfe sein, genauso wie dasjenige sozialer Kämpfe, die das akute Klimaproblem vor dem wir stehen nicht einfach ausblenden.

Wir brauchen dringend eine radikale und schlagkräftige Klimabewegung und zwar weltweit. Wir sehen dabei einige positive Ansätze. So zum Beispiel die Auseinandersetzungen der letzten Monate in La ZAD gegen einen „grünen“ Flughafen, der gebaut werden soll. An den Mobilisierungen beteiligten sich zeitweise 40 000 Aktive. Wir brauchen solche Kristallisationsorte, an denen erfahrbar wird, was alles möglich ist – und dann muss dieser Widerstand in die Fläche getragen werden und hunderte weitere Kristallisationsorte müssen aus dem Boden sprießen, die wiederum andere inspirieren u.s.w.

Wir rufen dazu auf diese neuen Besetzungen in Bexhill und Berlin mit praktischer Hilfe zu unterstützen, genauso wie wir dazu aufrufen unsere Besetzung am Rande des Hambacher Forstes mit praktischer Hilfe zu unterstützen. Wir rufen aber auch dazu auf selber viele neue solcher Orte zu schaffen, die es braucht als Kristallisationsorte des Widerstandes. Orte an denen Menschen zusammenkommen können, Dinge planen können, aber auch schon in der Art und Weise des Lebens und der neuen Organisierung erahnen können, was für eine Welt möglich wäre jenseits von Kapitalismus und Herrschaftssystemen.
Und wir rufen dazu auf sich unter diesen Orten stärker zu vernetzten – denn die Strohfeuer die derzeit hier und dort auflodern müssen sich verbinden zu einem Flächenbrand – ein Flächenbrand der Undurchsetzbarkeit all dieser Projekte.

act – before it’s too late!

Hambacher Forst
e-mail: hambacheforst@eiseup.net
Homepage: http://hambacherforst.blogsport.de/

World’s Longest Treesit Campaign, Update from Bilston Glen

Yesterday, people involved in the campaign to save Bilston Glen sent an update stating, “We have new information from the Midlothian Council and it would seem likely that the road is being redirected along a different route, one that does not go through Bilston Glen. We have a map of the alternative route and it makes a lot more sense than any of the plans that we had seen before. We will not know until the spring what plan has been finalized for the road. They are also planning a lot of other development in the area so it is possible that the glen might still be under threat even if the proposed development is not the road.

We should have a lot more information in the spring. They are also considering building a new open cast coal mine somewhere near Rosewell, so depending on what is going on we may be joining in with that campaign as well. Keep in touch and we’ll let everyone know what is going on.”

The tree village is open for visiting and staying. Help is always needed in a variety of ways, from donating funds and supplies to attending Sunday Free Cafes in the glen and participating in the public outreach, education and demonstrations against the development in Midlothian Scotland.

Campaign History

Since June 2002 Bilston Glen, located near Penicuik, Scotland about eight miles from the city of Edinburgh, has been occupied and fortified by an ever-expanding group of multinational environmental activists. The Bilston Glen Anti-Bypass Protest Site began when a proposal to build a road through the glen was put on the table by biotech giant Bayer. At the time, Bayer was building big dreams around commercial farming of genetically modified foods (GMOs) in the UK. While Bayer was dreaming, we were scheming. A strong anti-GMO movement in the UK attacked the biotech industry from every angle – slashing crop fields and test sights, protesting universities funding the research for further development, staging large public demonstrations outside grocery stores demanding the labeling of GMOs on consumer products, and last but not least – attacking the infrastructure of industrial development – the roads that would lead to commercial farm lands.

So far the activism exposing GMOs for the evils they are has worked in many parts of the world. To this day, commercial farming of GMOs is illegal in the UK, and by European law, food products containing more than .9% of a GM or GE ingredient must be labeled as containing GMOs. However, these victories did not get the proposal for the road off the Midlothian council agenda. After Bayer was no longer funding the road, a large “industrial estate” near to the glen where Ikea and other large “box” stores and packaging facilities reside took up the bid to fund the road. The new investors meet uproars from the community, who for many reasons feel that the road is needless and are opposed to industrial development through the ancient woodland. Bilston Glen is not only a designated “Sight of Scientific Special Interest” (SSSI) – a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the UK – it is also apart of the Green Belt. The Green Belt was designated as a cooridor for wildlife in the Midlothian area of Scotland, it’s purpose is to prevent development along the belt line. With blatent disregard to these already protected areas, the local council itself became the face of the road expansion.

Luckily, Earth warriors, forest squatters, world travelers, Earth First!ers and the like have done an amazing job at preventing road expansion through Bilston Glen for over 10 years! The tree-sit is the one of the longest standing peace and solidarity projects in the world, along side The Fasland Peace Camp, which is also located in Scotland. Intent on blocking any attempts to build a road through Bilston Glen, residents are also doing a alternative lifestyle project. Living and working together, organising ourselves and co-operatively helping each other.

Battle of Hastings

As predicted, Monday 7 January saw the chainsaws back in force on the Bexhill-Hastings Link Rd being built smack through the middle of tranquil Combe Haven.

As predicted, Monday 7 January saw the chainsaws back in force on the Bexhill-Hastings Link Rd being built smack through the middle of tranquil Combe Haven. Despite the fact that the funding for the road isn't yet in place East Sussex County Council seem determined to fell all the trees along the route. With most activity focussed on the area near the railway, just opposite Upper Wilting Farm (TN38 8EG). Activists rapidly occupied trees in the area, and then one of the excavators, also staging a sit-down protest in front of the latter.

“We were up and ready for them at six this morning, before it got light. They were trying to cut trees to the north of the second camp. There are three big oaks there that they clearly wanted to fell but we pushed through the lines of security and got people into the trees”

Two people were arrested and subsequently released: one charged, one cautioned (both for “aggravated trespass”).

“We obviously stopped a lot of what they were planning to do. They were mostly just brush-cutting all day. We were with them until it got dark. I'm not entirely sure what they brought a digger along for but they didn't really get to use it”

Further action – by both road contractors & opponents of the road – is expected to begin early Tuesday (8 January) & more people are needed for both arrestable and non-arrestable roles! And don’t forget the ongoing Camp, not far away, near Adam’s Farm.

Mass Action Targets TransCanada Offices

January 7^th, 2013

What: Tar Sands Blockade protesters take over TransCanada Keystone XL offices in Houston, demanding accountability for abuses by TransCanada

January 7^th, 2013

What: Tar Sands Blockade protesters take over TransCanada Keystone XL offices in Houston, demanding accountability for abuses by TransCanada

Where: 2700 Post Oak Blvd, Suite 400, Houston TX 77056 (next to the Houston Galleria)

When: Underway now!

Who: 100+ protesters gathered to confront pipeline company over land abuses, toxic legacy and climate change connected to TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline.

The Tar Sands Blockade is a group of environmentalists and landowners working to stop the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline through direct action.

Why: This action kicks off a new phase of the Tar Sands Blockade targeting the corporate and financial infrastructure behind the Keystone XL pipeline. TransCanada’s pipeline uses seized land to transport toxic tar sands oil through Texas and Oklahoma communities, in order to export it from Houston ports. These dangerous business practices and the backlash from communities across the country make this pipeline a toxic investment for our state and TransCanada’s corporate lenders.

Come to Camp, Defend the Trees, Celebrate 12th Night (6/7 Jan)!

[Please note: There is a replacement bus service for the train between Battle and Hastings all weekend (6 & 7 January), so check the times before you leave.]

The chainsaws have been silent over Christmas but they’ll soon be back. And when they come, they’ll come early. So: come and defend the trees, and celebrate 12th night (the evening of Sunday 6 January), all in one place!

Bring a dish to share, a song to sing, and be ready to defend the trees early the next morning (Monday 7 January – which also happens to be our best guest of when the contractors will be returning in force). (See here for directions to – and groundrules for – the Camp). Practical workshops – focussing on putting up structures to help with the peaceful defence of the trees – will also be taking place on Saturday 5 January.

Whether or not you plan to stay overnight you’ll probably want to bring a torch, wellies and some eating utensils. If you are going to stay over then you’ll also need to bring water, snacks, bedding and – ideally – a tent. If you haven’t got a tent, let us know, as there may be some spare tent space. The camp is near Adam’s Farm, Crowhurst: see here.

Finally, whether or not you’re able to make any of this weekend’s events, please try and come to the Camp as early as possible on the morning of Monday 7th January (when we anticipate the chainsaws will be back in force). We may be able to offer lifts at 5.45am from Crowhurst. If you require or can offer a lift please let us know – 07926 423 033

First Nations may engage in economic blockades if Canada refuses treaty talks

First Nations leaders have discussed plans to launch country-wide economic disruptions by the middle of January if Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn’t agree to hunger-striking Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence’s demand for a treaty meeting

During three days of meetings and teleconferences, chiefs from across the country discussed a plan setting Jan. 16 as the day to launch a campaign of indefinite economic disruptions, including railway and highway blockades, according to two chiefs who were involved in the talks who requested anonymity.

“The people are restless, they are saying enough is enough,” said one chief, who was involved in the discussions. “Economic impacts are imminent if there is no response.”

Chiefs were still finalizing details of their plans Monday evening and it remained unclear to what extent their discussed options would translate into the official position.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo is expected to write Harper a letter outlining the chiefs’ position.

Spence launched her hunger strike on Dec. 11 to force a meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Governor General David Johnston and First Nations leaders to discuss the state of the treaties. Spence said in a statement issued Monday that the aim of the meeting was to “re-establish” the treaty relationship and finally put First Nations people in their “rightful place back here in our homelands that we all call Canada.”

The plan of action comes as the Idle No More movement continues to sweep across the country through round dances, rallies along with highway and rail blockades.

The Tyendinaga Mohawks briefly blockaded a main CN rail line between Toronto and Montreal Sunday, stranding about 2,000 Via Rail passengers. The Mi’kmaq from the Listuguj First Nation, Que., continue to hold a rail blockade on a CN line along with members of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation who have shut a CN line in Sarnia, Ont. In British Columbia, the Seton Lake Indian Band ended a rail blockade on Sunday.

How the chiefs’ action plan will mesh with the Idle No More movement remains to be seen. Idle No More organizers issued a statement Monday that distanced the movement from the chiefs.

“The chiefs have called for action and anyone who chooses can join with them, however, this is not part of the Idle No More movement as the vision of this grassroots movement does not coincide with the visions of the leadership,” said the statement, posted on the Idle No More Facebook page. “While we appreciate the individual support we have received from chiefs and councillors, we have been given a clear mandate by the grassroots to work outside the systems of government and that is what we will continue to do.”

One of the chiefs involved in action plan discussion said the leadership wanted to be sensitive to the grassroots-driven movement and make clear that their plans are being developed in support and as a response to Idle No More.

“Chiefs are standing firm in support of Idle No More and grassroots citizens,” said the chief. “We now need to unify.”

Camp: wish list, tunnel(s), and groundrules January 4, 2013

The Camp in Crowhurst has been in place continuously since 21 December, and now consists of several tree houses and at least one “fully operational tunnel”!

Current wish list (as at 8am on Fri 4 Jan): personal head torch (donation offered); cooking pot; blankets (esp. ones made of wool or cotton). More info: 07926 423 033.

GROUNDRULES FOR THE CAMP

Please note that the Camp has agreed the following groundrules which it is asking participants to abide by:

1. Peaceful resistance
This Camp is about peaceful resistance to the construction of the Bexhill-Hastings Link Road (BHLR). By “peaceful resistance” we mean actions that: (1) do not harm or dehumanise any human being; and (2) Do not threaten to harm or dehumanise any human being. Campers need not subscribe to nonviolence as a life-philosophy, but we do ask that they restrict their activities to peaceful resistance while they are associated with the Camp. Because of the potential risk it poses to chainsaw operators, we do not consider tree spiking to be a form of “peaceful resistance”, and ask that Campers not engage in this practice.

2. Alcohol & drugs policy
We want to make this Camp as safe a space as possible. We have therefore agreed a policy that there be no alcohol and no illegal drugs on site. If you want a drink then go to the pub in Crowhurst and mix with the locals!

3. Anti-oppression
We want the Camp to be a welcoming, engaging and supportive space. Discrimination and oppressive behaviour (eg. racism, sexism, homophobia, prejudice based on disability, class etc…) are unacceptable and will be challenged. We also ask that campers respect each other’s physical and emotional boundaries and try to foster a spirit of mutual respect.

4. General safety
Tree protests are inherently unsafe, and all participants are responsible for their own safety. If you’re going to be climbing high into trees then best practice is to have your own harness and climbing rope, and to rig it up yourself. Do not assume that people know what they’re doing just because they project an air of confidence!

We are also asking participants to please respect the privacy of the residents of the farmhouse, not bring vehicles on-site (tat can be ferried from a near-by drop-off point) and to only use the access down the disused railway track, not the Adams Farm track.