Wilderness Defence – Page 44

Coal Seam Gas Banner Drop in Australia

Protesters from the the Lock the Gate Alliance have taken part in a banner drop on Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point cliffs with seven giant banners with anti-CSG messages were attached to the cliff face.

Lock the Gate spokesman Innes Larkin said the banners were a demonstration of the depth of community opposition to CSG mining in southeast Queensland.

‘‘If the government and miners think rural communities will just take this lying down, they’re wrong,’’ Mr Larkin said. ‘‘People in the bush are angry and they are prepared to make a stand to protect where they live, their soil and their water.’’ Lock the Gate have been running a week of protests across the state, which began with a march and concert at Murwillumbah in northern NSW last Sunday.

La ZAD- Largest Protest Zone in Europe Being Evicted

Europes largest protest zone is going through multiple evictions – all through much media silence! Over the past four days La ZAD, an anti-airport protest zone, composing of over 20 occupied sites has been putting up the barricades, opposing and protesting against the harassment and the evictions by a troop of police over a 1000 strong.

Largest Protest Zone in Europe Being Evicted

La ZAD (La Zone A Défendre)

Europes largest protest zone is going through multiple evictions (because there are numerous sites) – all through much media silence! Over the past four days La ZAD, an anti-airport protest zone, composing of over 20 occupied sites has been putting up the barricades, opposing and protesting against the harassment and the evictions by a troop of police over a 1000 strong. La ZAD is in the area of Notre Dame de Lande, just north of the city of Nantes, in the north-west of France.

Video of one of the earlier Police mobilisations:

Resistance aux expulsions from Résistances nddl on Vimeo.

Sit down protest in Bel Air: http://zebuzzeo.blogspot.fr/2012/10/a-notre-dames-des-landes-l-etat-ps.html

Good series of pictures of barricades and resistance: https://picasaweb.google.com/113382718807039752437/Expulsions#slideshow/5799932948346626882

Good info in English: http://en.squat.net/tag/zad/

Tear gas has been used against the barricades and the military have been mobilised to support the evictions.

Below are summaries and translations of their FLASH INFO / UPDATES (please excuse the bad english).

THEIR MESSAGE: And most importantly: there is plenty of places occupied (land and three houses with eviction deadline until October 27), and the the occupant-es are always on site, with lots of other people coming to defend the area, and full of messages and actions of solidarity everywhere! It is not their police pressure which make our protests impotent acts of resistance will continue until the project will not be removed.

October 16th

[Places evicted : la Bellich’, Bel Air, la Gaité, les Planchettes, le Tertre, le Pré Failli, la Pré Faillite et St Jean du Tertre.]

11h18 : // in his speech, the prefect declared that the operation is finished for today, that all went fine, without arrestations and that the military occupation will continue for several days to secure the destruction of the houses

13h15 : charge et tirs de lacrymo vers le Sabot ; arrivée de nombreux fourgons de CRS // Tear gas beeing shot around the Sabot, arrival of numerous riot cop cars

15:10 : les gens dans le Sabot se font gazer, dépanneuse et tractopelle en vue, 3 camions de CRS et 10 de gendarmes se dirigent vers le Sabot // people at the Sabot getting teargased, breakdown lorry and diggers been seen, 3 cop vans of riot cops and 10 military vans heading towards Sabot

15h20 : // barricade burning at the Sabot. It’s seems to getting hot for them

15h40 : // following a exterieur information, the Military are being mobilized for more 48h to prevent new occupations

18h15 : // a digger is arriving at the way to the Sabot to enter in the garden by the side, 40 people are still at the Sabot

October 17th

[Places evicted: les Planchettes, le Tertre.]

8h20 : // a convoy with a rubbish truck, digger and a road semi-trailer are arriving at the Planchettes, under a big escort, big spots lighting on the Planchettes

10:05 : // there is the proposition to meet up in the Sabot to discuss, bring water and food, 10 cop vans seen driving to the north direction Fosse noires/ Planchettes, medias saying that the destruction of the houses started 🙁 , there is demo in Paris in front of the ministery of environment

11h12 : // there are 30 cop vans in the region around the Tertre where they actually destroy the house :(, there are positioned at the end of the Chemin de sueze and at Chênes de Perrières, the destruction of the Planchettes got confirmed by the medias :(, at the Sabot it seems quiet but the helicopter is turning over the Phare Ouest

12h20 : la destruction de Planchettes dans les medias 🙁 sadness and rage…

14h48 : // there are cops arriving in front of the Phare Ouest vers the Chêvrerie
14h58 : // the cops stopped to go forward, people are behind the barricades
15h17 : // people juste got charged by cops vers the Planchettes

15h45 : // some 20 cop vans are in front of the Sabot, the cops came out running

15h50 : // callout for support at Phare Ouest, the cops taking off the tree blocking the road

16h15 : // the convoy which cut the tree is leaving, another one seems to arriving quickly from direction Ardillières

18h55 : // the cops broke down the barricade of the Sabot, they entered but they don’t charge yet

19h11 : pigs got charged by the people south of Sabot, defending their home, brave friends of us, keep on rocking against this terroristes…

20h04 : // the militarys start back shooting teargas

20h22 : // It seems the fuckers are winning some terrain on the field on the south, there are also hiding behind the chickens, fucking lame

MESSAGE TO THE PORCS : if you hurt the chickens, we’ll call the animal protection !!!

21h35 : // the Manitou ’ some destruction machine ) is heading in the direction of Phare Ouest, the Sabot still keeps resisiting !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we love you…….

22h07 : // 10 riot cop vans part vers les Ardillières, around the Sabot, they gas a lot, lot, lot..BUT THE SABOT IS STILL RESISTING !!! fuck you cops, fuck you ayrault, you dont get your airport !!

22h06 : // the working machine left with the convoi. We got confirmed that the cries we heard are not at all cries of fear but of rage and determination!

23h00 : // cops came back to the entry of the Sabot, they get stoned and leave…

October 18th

[Places evicted: la Pointe, la cabane collective de la forêt de Rohanne.]

9:05 : // the cops go into the Saulce, riot cops come closer to the barricade of the Sabot

9h12 : // cops continue to detstroy the barricade of the Saulce. 3 cop vans going towards the chemin de suez from the Saulce barricade

[The rest done with internet translate]

9h37 : it is reported to the police that there are people in the tree-tops of la Saulce. Cloud of tear gas.

10h25 : beginning of the expulsion of the great forest (Foret Rohanne) they are destroying the house collective. people in the trees/ cabins.

10h32 : they empty the house of the collective forest. They have a team of climbing.

11h22 : WE CALL ON ALL AND ALL TO MANIFEST THEIR SOLIDARITY WITH WHAT HAPPENS HERE AND SPREAD THE NEWS MOST WIDELY AVAILABLE Locally: 19h call to rally outside the prefecture of Nantes tonight / at 18.30 in front of the town hall of Rennes Friday evening.

12h00 : Rohanne in the forest: the excavator working and almost finished destroying the communal house, the person in the tree where the climbers are mounted refuses to go down, it is covered by a rubber bullets.

12h14 : From the online press, the prefecture announced the evacuation of the place called Point and Heath Rohanne, and mentions three arrests. To be confirmed.

13h10 : there are still many people in the trees in the forest. The cops are not climbing. There would be three arrested allegedly released. We hear again the helicopter.

16h01 : the GIGN has left the forest, they could not evict people still in the trees.

17h 34 : Lande de Rohanne: since this morning, destroying the collective hut surrounded by a handful of Gendarmes Mobiles. Some people in trees, others ground support. 4 people were descended from the trees GIPN. The remains of the hut were taken by a marabout. 17h cops to head further north to a second cabin floor, releasing those who were on their way, but regardless of at least 3 comrades still in the trees.

20h08 : We have information that a person is detained in police custody in La Chapelle sur Erdre from 4:20 p.m. for refusing to give his name. She was arrested on the road near Ardillères.

23h23 : The person arrested was released this morning, she has a meeting for January 22 at St Nazaire 14h (It is not the person arrested at 16.20, who is still in GAV.)

We learn that 500 people gathered at Nantes tonight in solidarity with the Zad. People's will!

19th October

8h53 : Nothing to report except a few patrols running on the Zad, Filter and roadblocks at certain points, this morning. The cops have massively left the area last night. We remain vigilant but it could be that it is the end of the first "wave" of operation here. It may resume in the coming days, and last …

10h30 : the operation is perhaps not finished for this phase … they expelled L'Isolette, and currently runs around the Fosses Noires.

10h35 : evacuation of the pile of rubble that became Le Tertre.

10h40 : Eviction of Coin en Cours underway, thirty people are around.

14h12 : We hope that our friends in the forest are doing well. The area is expelled and destroyed. Thank you Le Coin, we will miss you!

Received by mail: For tonight rally outside the prefecture of Nantes in 19h! It is proposed that we find in red and black! It brings songs, then bring your vocal cords! Song for all print here: http://www.deljehier.levillage.org/ … Otherwise, it also offers a meeting point for you to carpool morbihannais … Visit the Rond-Point du Petit Molac Questembert at 17:30. Will print some of the world! El pueblo unido, Lalalalalala …….

15h43 : difficult time to live without news of our friends in places management, we are still trying to get out, but our communication is difficult KLAXON!

(France) Communique from the ZAD

We live here, we’ll stay here!

After two days of resistance and solidarity, only seven houses and one plot were evicted at the ZAD, a threatened area meant to make place to an airport in Notre-Dame-des-Landes. Everywhere police forces met determinated opponents, inhabitants refusing to leave their houses, their roofs. Demonstrations. direct actions took place around several locations, roads we barricaded, activists keeping joining the ZAD area, etc…

Since hours, opponents are defending several plots, the Far West, the Sabot, a cultivable land back in use since May 2011. Right now, the Sabot in drowned under a cloud of tear gas, with a drumming samba band. Outside the ZAD, many solidarity actions took place, such a demonstration in front of the main state building in Nantes tonight.

Contrary to what was announced by the highest state representative of the region tuesday morning, the area is far from being empty. Around 20 houses remain occupied, this is even not including house owners, renters and farmers still living in the area. The pressure and acts from the police, such as the destruction by fire from one wood hut, without checking if it was still occupied, won’t silent dissent.

Without trying to compete with the military arsenal deployed by a state to protect its projects of “public utility”, acts of resistance will go on as long as the project isn’t abandoned.

Not only here, but from Atenco to Val de Susa, to Chéfresne, everywhere people are struggling. We’ll refuse to conform to what is forced on us!

Coming on the agenda :

– Saturday October 20th, midday, meeting point at la Pointe (le Temple de Bretagne): gathering with opponents to the airport project.

– in the coming months, demonstration to re-occupy the ZAD, date to be announced on the ZAD website.

More Information: http://zad.nadir.org

Ongoing Protests Over Brazil’s Anti-Indigenous Decree

On July 17, Brazil’s Office of the Solicitor-General (AGU) issued Decree 303/2012, which dramatically scales back indigenous rights that are guaranteed by the country’s constitution. The law contains a provision that would permit the construction of “strategic” infrastructure projects such as roads, hydroelectric dams and mines in indigenous territory without consulting the affected peoples and communities.

In addition, the law allows military occupation of indigenous land at any time, prohibits any future designation of indigenous lands EVER, and otherwise infringes on indigenous people’s control of their own territory.

The law has sparked large protests across Brazil. According to Intercontinental Cry:

“On August 10, more than 50 indigenous leaders occupied the headquarters of the AGU to demand the revocation of Decree 303; On August 20, sixteen different Indigenous Nations in the State Mato Grosso came together to show their outrage against the Decree and the recent gutting of the FUNAI, Brazil’s Buerau of Indian Affairs; and on September 4, the Guajajara shut down BR-316, a federal highway that connects the cities of Belém in the state of Pará, and Maceió in Alagoas. …

“Most recently, on September 24, about 500 Pankararu marched against the “anti-indian” decree; and on September 28, the Tembé set fire to illegal logging machinery and trucks within their territory in the municipality of Nova Esperança do Piriá, Pará, Maranhão border. As well, on October 2, the Guajajara headed out again–this time with the Awa–to occupy the Carajás Railway[pt] which links the municipalities of Mineirinho and Auzilândia in the northern state of Maranhão. The railway is owned by mining giant Vale.

“The APIB says that many more mobilizations are on the way in the south, northeast and north of the country.”

(USA) Tar Sands day of action – Over 50 Enter Tree Blockade in Defiance of Police Repression to Defend Tree-Sitters

WINNSBORO, TEXAS – MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2012 – Following a weekend of nonviolent civil disobedience training in North Texas by Tar Sands Blockade, many dozens of protesters and supporters are rallying today at the site of the largest and longest tree sit in Texas history to stage the largest walk-on site protest and civil disobedience in the history of Keystone XL pipeline construction. Several individuals are defending the tree sitters and the trees by locking themselves to construction equipment being used in proximity to the forest blockade. Solidarity actions are also taking place in Washington DC, Boston, Austin and New York City.

Altogether more than 50 blockaders are risking arrest to stop Keystone XL construction and bring attention to TransCanada’s repression of journalists attempting to cover the blockaders’ side of the story. They are joined by dozens of supporters who are rallying on public property with colorful banners and signs alongside the easement’s closest highway crossing. A massive media team is in tow to document the day of action and any possible police repression.

As the Winnsboro tree blockade enters its fourth week, the blockaders are resupplying their friends in the trees with fresh food, water, and cameras to further document their protest despite the threat of a newly-expanded Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) by TransCanada and egregious criminal overcharges by local law enforcement. Due to the SLAPP suits’ outrageous claims, the tree sitters have by-and-large felt too threatened to safely reveal their identities, despite their protest being nonviolent. That the defiant walk-on protest is the largest yet attempted in the history of protests surrounding Keystone XL construction sends a clear signal that the blockaders will not be deterred by SLAPP suits and other legal threats to limit their civil liberties.

“Three weeks is a long time to be sitting in a tree. The training I got this weekend has me ready to rise up and join the sitters in defending Texas homes from the toxic tar sands,” shared Glenn Hobbit, 28. “They’re saying we might get sued or worse, but stopping this pipeline is too important.”

Last week, the multinational corporation opened a civil suit in which it named 19 individual defendants, 3 organizations, and 6 anonymous tree sitters for a total of 28 defendants seeking an injunction, declaratory relief, and damages. All the named defendants are former arrestees of Tar Sands Blockade actions with the exception of media spokesperson Ron Seifert, who has yet been arrested in connection with a protest, and area landowner Eleanor Fairchild, who acted independently with activist and actor Daryl Hannah. Hannah was not named in the suit.

Tar Sands Blockade is a coalition of Texas and Oklahoma landowners and climate justice organizers using peaceful and sustained civil disobedience to stop the construction of TransCanada’s Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

“In reality, Tar Sands Blockade is not trespassing on TransCanada’s property. Many of TransCanada’s easement contracts were brokered through fraud and intimidation, and their entire legal foundation is being challenged in the courts for those reasons,” explained Ron Seifert, Tar Sands Blockade spokesperson. “If anything TransCanada is trespassing on the property of landowners who never wanted anything to do with their dangerous tar sands pipeline.”

UPDATE 8:15AM – Supporters rally nearby to stop the pipeline.

UPDATE 8:20PM– A beautiful morning in what remains of our East Texas forest. TransCanada has clear-cut outside of their designated pathway and around the west side of the tree blockade leaving a muddy path of destruction in their wake.

UPDATE 8:35PM– Over 50 blockaders march through the woods toward the tree blockade

UPDATE 9:00AM – One blockader arrested after sitting down in the path of Keystone XL and refusing to leave.

UPDATE 9:06AM- Three blockaders have been arrested. We outnumber TransCanada’s police 3 to 1. Two blockaders have locked down to excavator equipment protecting the tree blockade.

UPDATE 9:20AM- Livestreamer @uneditedcamera (Lorenzo) has been detained and handcuffed, but they’re STILL STREAMING! Police are trying to flank groups of protestors. Watch the stream live NOW!

UPDATE 9:45AM- Small group of ground blockaders break through police line and enter tree blockade!

UPDATE 10:00AM- 4 arrests so far. Freelance journalist/livestreamer Lorenzo Serna has been released. The rally at the easement near the highway is going strong with chanting, singing and lots of colorful banners. TransCanada is barking orders at the police. We should have video and pictures soon.

UPDATE 11:00AM- Today’s first solidarity rally in Washington DC is beginning now outside the American Petroleum Institute!

UPDATE 11:10AM- 6 blockaders have been arrested at the Tree Blockade.

UPDATE 11:35AM- Picture from the DC solidarity rally. Over sixty people turned out over their lunch hour to stand with the Texas blockade and stop Keystone XL.

UPDATE 12:50PM-We have now confirmed that a 70-year-old woman participating in the blockade was thrown to the ground and tackled by TransCanada’s hired thugs. Video will be coming soon.

UPDATE 1:55PM – At least eight people have been arrested after walking onto the Keystone XL clear cut in defiance of recent repression. Two blockaders are still locked to huge excavator in the path of toxic pipeline.

UPDATE 3:20PM- Solidarity rally in Denton, TX has begun!

UPDATE 3:45PM– In case you missed it, Tar Sands Blockade was on Democracy Now! this morning. Our spokesperson Ron Seifert was joined by landowner Susan Scott and actress Daryl Hannah to discuss the blockade, TransCanada’s bullying and the SLAPP lawsuit against 21 people associated with stopping tar sands.

UPDATE 3:50 PM – Two blockaders who locked themselves to Keystone XL machinery have been arrested. A crowd of supporters stood by and cheered for as they were taken into police custody to the cheers. These two most recent arrests make eight total for the day.

UPDATE 4:00PM – Our first arrestee has been released without charges. He was arrested early this morning when he sat down in the Keystone XL’s pathway and refused to move. His defiant action helped delay police officers and allowed other blockaders to breach the police line and enter the tree blockade. After he was arrested he was made to lie face-down in the mud for several hours. He continued to refuse compliance with the police and siting health concerns had to eventually be removed on a stretcher. He was later released from the hospital without charges.

UPDATE 4:15PM- Solidarity photo in front of the TransCanada offices in Westborough, Massachusettes.

UPDATE 4:30PM -We’re getting sued!

As the Winnsboro, Texas tree blockade enters its fourth week, over 50 blockaders publicly demonstrated on the Keystone XL easement despite the threat of a newly-expanded Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) by TransCanada and egregious criminal overcharges by local law enforcement.

Due to the SLAPP suits’ outrageous claims, the tree blockaders have by-and-large felt too threatened to safely reveal their identities, despite their protest being nonviolent. Today’s defiant walk-on protest is the largest in the history of protests surrounding Keystone XL construction sends a clear signal that we will not be deterred by SLAPP suits and other legal threats to limit our civil liberties.

Apparently we’ve been causing some serious delays of Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

UPDATE 6:00PM- Six of the eight arrested today have been released from jail on charges of criminal trespass which is a class B misdemeanor. The bail was $1,500 each, a total of $9,000. The two blockaders who locked themselves to Keystone XL machinery will see a judge in the morning.

UPDATE 8:00PM– Today was our biggest day of action yet! More video and stories will be trickling out over the next couple of days as we try and wrap our heads around everything that happened today. In the meantime we have a ton of brilliant and beautiful photos that begin to tell the story. Check them out.

UPDATE 6:00AM – Read the excellent coverage about the blockade in today’s Washington Post.

On Monday, after a weekend of nonviolent civil disobedience training, supporters of the Tar Sands Blockade rallied in Winnsboro, Tex., where protesters were holding a “sit-in” 70 feet off the ground in a swath of trees. The trees stand in the middle of a corridor already cleared for the pipeline. The tree-climbing pipeline foes unfurled a banner that reads: “Rise Up and Defend Your Homes.”

“The only option afforded to powerless individuals who have been abused by the system is this tactic of nonviolent civil disobedience,” said Seifert, the Tar Sands Blockade spokesman. “Everything has been done to petition for justice at every level. And the institutions failed. This is a clear case of injustice, and it’s up to people to rise up and defend themselves.” Read the full story here.

UPDATE Oct 16th, 7:00AM – Watch our intense action video!

For further updates visit http://tarsandsblockade.org

logging company targetted, USA

October 17, 2012

anonymous report:

"puyallup wetlands are under attack by a private logging company that I and others have yet to identify. this attack was carried out on canyon rd. short-term damage was done to a hydraulic excavator, as a warning. if they continue – our attacks will increase."

October 17, 2012

anonymous report:

(Malaysia) Indigenous blockade expands against massive dam in Sarawak

Indigenous people have expanded their blockade against the Murum dam in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, taking over an additional road to prevent construction materials from reaching the dam site. Beginning on September 26th with 200 Penan people, the blockade has boomed to well over 300. Groups now occupy not just the main route to the dam site, but an alternative route that the dam's contractor, the China-located Three Gorges Project Corporation, had begun to use.

"The major works on the construction of the dam have been paralyzed over the last one week. The drivers have left home and let their cement tankers, lorry trucks and trailers with building materials had been hauled over and park at the road side near the blockade site," the Sarawak Conservation Alliance for Natural Environment (SCANE) said in an update on the blockade. "The access to the construction site of Murum hydroelectric dam project is totally blocked on all directions with the setting-up of second road blockade by the Penans."

The Penan are protesting what they say has been disdainful treatment from the government-owned corporation overseeing the 900 megawatt dam project, Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB). The dams construction, which will inundate 24,500 hectares of native land, will lead to the involuntary resettlement of seven indigneous communities, who still remain in the dark about many of the details of the resettlement plan. In addition, the tribe alleges that SEB has been intentionally destroying important sacred and historical sites.

"We will not remove the blockade or move out of here until our demands are resolved and fulfilled by the government," Labang Paneh, a representative from Long Wat village, said in a statement.

Families, including elderly and children, have set up makeshift camps near the blockade and appear to be in it for the long haul.

A government minister spent two days with the Penan investigating the blockade and speaking with them about their grievances.

"I went in and I saw the situation from the view of these Penans whose lives are being uprooted and whose future looks so uncertain," Liwan Lagang, Sarawak Assistant Minister for Culture and Heritage, told The Star. "I found out that indeed, they had not been properly consulted and their concerns not addressed by those handling the construction of the project."

For decades the Penan people have seen their customary forests felled for logging, plantations, dams, roads, and other big infrastructure projects with the Sarawak government refusing to recognize their land rights. Traditionally, the Penan were nomadic hunter-and-gatherers, but today most live in settled villages, but still depend on the forests for their livelihood.

Assistant Minister Lagang added that "contractors involved in the dam project are making millions of ringgit in the project. They must be considerate and exercise better social corporate responsibility and good public relations with the local affected natives."

Sarawak already produces far more energy than the state uses leading critics to allege that numerous massive dam projects are merely means for corrupt officials to siphon off state funds and collect bribes. The state recently completed the 2,400 megawatt Bakun Dam, which produces double the energy consumed by Sarawak during peak times. Bakun resulted in the forced resettlement of 10,000 people.

(USA) Lummi and Allies Unite Against Coal Exports

Lummi tribal leaders burned a mock cheque from coal companies during a protest at Cherry Point, Wa., Oct 2012 (Photo by: Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

LUMMI INDIAN RESERVATION, BELLINGHAM, Wash.—A fleet of boats piloted by Native and non-Native fishers gathered today in the waters off Xwe’chi’eXen (Cherry Point, Wash.) to stand with the Lummi Nation in opposition to the proposed Gateway Pacific coal terminal at Xwe’chi’eXen.

“We have to say ‘no’ to the coal terminal project,” said Cliff Cultee, Chairman of the Lummi Nation. “It is our Xw’ xalh Xechnging (sacred duty) to preserve and protect all of Xwe’chi’eXen.”

A ceremony of thankfulness, remembrance and unity was held on the beach during the event. Lummi Indians maintain the largest Native fishing fleet in the United States, and Lummi fishers have worked in the Cherry Point fishery for thousands of years.

If constructed, the terminal would be the largest coal terminal on the West Coast of North America. It would significantly degrade an already fragile and vulnerable crab, herring and salmon fishery, dealing a devastating blow to the economy of the fisher community.

“This is not about jobs versus the environment,” said Jewell James of the Lummi Nation’s Sovereignty and Treaty Protection Office. “It is about what type of jobs are best for the people and the environment.”

Another gathering of Lummi Indians and non-Indian residents from the local and regional community was held at Xwe’chi’eXen on Sept. 21 to call for the protection and preservation of Xwe’chi’eXen, which is the location of a 3,500 year old village site, and a landscape that is eligible for registry on the National Register of Historic Places.

A Lummi Nation Business Council Resolution declared Lummi “will continue to safeguard our ancestral and historical areas” and the ability of its members to “exercise treaty, inherent and inherited rights.”

The Lummi Nation is participating in a broad intertribal coalition to defeat the project and to ensure that the natural and cultural legacy of Xwe’chi’eXen is protected in perpetuity.

This article originally appeared on Terri Hansen’s website, Mother Earth Journal

(Brazil) Indigenous Dam Resisters Launch New Belo Monte Occupation

Construction on Brazil’s megadam, Belo Monte, has been halted again as around 150 demonstrators, most of them from nearby indigenous tribes, have occupied the main construction site at Pimental. Over a hundred indigenous people joined local fishermen who had been protesting the dam for 24 days straight. Indigenous people and local fishermen say the dam will devastate the Xingu River, upending their way of life.

“The renewed occupation of the project’s earthen cofferdams paralyzed construction works, while indigenous protestors seized the keys of trucks and tractors forcing workers to leave the strategic Pimental work camp on foot,” reads a press release from the NGO Amazon Watch. Around 900 workers were sent home.

This is the second occupation attempt in less than six months. Over the summer some 300 indigenous people sustained an occupation of the dam for 21 days, before breaking it off though little headway was made in talks with consortium building the dam, Norte Energia.

The Belo Monte dam, which would be the world's third largest, has been plagued by controversy from its origin decades ago; the battle for the dam has been fought both in Brazil's courts and on the international stage. If built, the dam will flood an estimated 40,000 hectares of present rainforest and could push some fish species to extinction. In addition, 16,000 people will be displaced according to the government, though some NGOs say the number is more likely double that.

Despite the impacts, the dam has been strongly supported by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, and every legal injunction against the dam has been overturned. Norte Energia has filed with a local court for repossession of the construction sties.

Indigenous groups say the construction of the dam is already imperiling their way of life, as the Xingu river becomes more difficult to navigate. They have also said they have no intention of leaving until Norte Energia meets their demands.

"We are witnessing the devastation of this land. The island of Pimental was completely destroyed, with a sole tree left standing, and the water is putrid. It is very shocking," an protestor told Amazon Watch.

Dams are often described as 'green' energy source, however in the tropics they actually release significant methane emissions due to rotting vegetation. Although it has a shorter life than carbon, methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas.

(USA) Updates from Ongoing Tar Sands Blockade

A second treesit has been set up at the site of the Tar Sands Blockade in Texas; both sits are ongoing. In other news:

The tar sands blockade has successfully delayed construction of the pipeline for two days by locking themselves to construction machinery and shutting down the construction sites. There have been two successful blockades at construction sites in Livingston and Saltillo, Texas.
Transcanada surveyors were also prevented from preparing for construction when landowners and community members turned them away north of Winnsboro at an ongoing vigil to protect a local vineyard which will be destroyed if construction begins.
Two journalists working for the New York Times were handcuffed, detained and then turned away from private property by local law enforcement employed as private security guards for TransCanada.
Nevertheless, the New York Times still ran a front-page article about the Tar Sands Blockade, including the first tree blockade in Texas history.
On August 19th the Transcanada corporation officially began construction of the Keystone XL pipeline which will carry poisonous tar sands from Alberta Canada to the Gulf of Mexico despite overwhelming opposition from landowners and concerned residents, but a broad coalition called the Tar Sands Blockade is organizing to stop it.