Wilderness Defence – Page 64

Solidarity needed for russian anarchist forest defenders

The Russian movement to defend the Khimki forest is a movement defending all forests. If corporations and politicians working in the interest of a global neoliberal and environmentally destructive model is able to exploit the Khimki forest and continue repressing the activists in spite of a historically broad and strong movement in Russia defending the forest, than it can be done anywhere. Solidarity with the activists is the only way to both stop repression and to save the Khimki forest more permanently. Please join the action called for by our Russian friends!

Patrick Bond, Centre for Civil Society Environmental Justice Project, Durban, South Africa

Mark Brown, Art Not Oil/Rising Tide, UK

Carmen Buerba de Comite de Defensa Ecologica Michoacana, Mexico

Nicola Bullard, Focus on the Global South, Thailand

Ellie Cijvat, Friends of the Earth Sweden

Joshua Kahn Russell, Ruckus Society, USA

Tom Kucharz, Ecologistas en Acción, Spain

Maduresh Kumar, National Alliance of People’s Movements, India

Marea Creciente Mexico

Adriana Matalonga, Miguel Valencia y Mauricio Villegas from Ecomunidades and Klimaforum10, Mexico

Uddhab Pyakurel, South Asian Dialogue on Ecological Democracy, India

Josie Riffaud, Via Campesina, France

Marko Ulvila and Thomas Wallgren, Democracy Forum Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, Finland

You find information and the call for action September 17-20 issued by Campaign for the Release of the Khimki Hostages in many languages at www.khimkibattle.org. Below you find the text in English, Spanish, and French and more links on the issue.

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A Call for International Days of Action in Support of Alexei Gaskarov and Maxim Solopov

September 1720, 2010

On July 28, 2010, more than two hundred young antifascists and anarchists carried out a spontaneous demonstration outside the town administration building in Khimki, a suburb of Moscow. They demonstrated in defence of the Khimki Forest, which was at that time in the process of beings cutting down
for the needs of big business. The demonstration, during which several windows were broken, received a great deal of public attention. The authorities responded with a wave of repressions. The day after the demonstration, two well-known social activists, Alexei Gaskarov and Maxim Solopov, were arrested. They are now threatened with up to seven years in
prison for disorderly conduct, although there is no evidence of their complicity in illegal activities. Meanwhile, the police continue to hunt down and harass other activists, especially those involved in the antifascist movement.

The campaign to save the Khimki Forest has been going on for the past three years. The authorities had decided to build a segment of a planned MoscowSaint Petersburg toll highway, the first of its kind in Russia, through the forest. This would lead to the deterioration of environmental conditions in the region, and local residents and Muscovites would be deprived of yet another recreation zone. Despite the availability of alternative routes that would not require clear-cutting the forest and
vigorous protests by environmentalists and ordinary citizens against the planned route, the authorities f0r a long time ignored the voice of society and on several occasions took measures to suppress their critics.

Khimki authorities and the highway project contractor have used violence and other tactics against Khimki Forest defenders. They refused to give permission for protest demonstrations, recruited nationalist thugs to break
up a peaceful protest camp organized by environmentalists and local residents, and illegally arrested and beat up journalists covering the story. Nearly two years ago, Mikhail Beketov, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Khimkinskaya Pravda and a critic of the local administration, was severely beaten by persons unknown; the attack left Beketov permanently
disabled. Sergei Protozanov, the layout designer of another local opposition paper, was murdered in similar circumstances six months later.

After the July 28 demonstration, the Russian police and secret services unleashed an unprecedented dragnet against antifascists. People who had even just once come to the attention of the Center for Extremism Prevention and
FSB for their involvement with the antifascist movement have been forcibly taken in for questioning. In several cases they have been subjected to harsh physical coercion in order to compel them to give the testimony required by investigators. In addition, illegal searches have been carried out in their apartments. All these actions on the part of law enforcement
authorities are violations of Russian and international law.

Frightened by the numerous and growing protests against the clear-cutting of the Khimki Forest, the authorities have finally made concessions by agreeing to review the advisability of the planned route for the toll highway. But this does not mean victory. Alexei Gaskarov and Maxim Solopov are still in
police custody for no reason at all. They are hostages of the authorities.

In late September, the next hearing in their case will take place. The judge will decide whether to keep them in police custody pending completion of the investigation and trial. Everyone who cares about the fate of these two young men must do everything in their power to see that they are set free.
The Campaign for the Release of the Khimki Hostages calls on people around the world to organize days of action on September 17, 18, 19, and 20 to pressure the Russian authorities to release Alexei and Maxim.

We ask you to hold protests outside of Russian Federation embassies, consulates, trade missions, and cultural centers, as well as at public events and concerts connected to Russia. We also ask you to send faxes,e-mails, and protest letters to the court, the prosecutor¹s office, and the country¹s political leadership. In the very nearfuture we will inform you of
addresses where you can send these protests as well as more details about the ongoing repressions in Russia. Look for this information on our website

http://khimkibattle.org in English, German, Russian, and French.

Join our campaign!

Campaign for the Release of the Khimki Hostages

+7 (915) 053-5912 * info@khimkibattle.org * http://khimkibattle.org

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Back ground information:

Chtodelat news, Khimki Territory of Lawlessness
http://chtodelat.wordpress.com/2010/08/02/khimki-territory-of-lawlessness/

Why we need solidarity with Russian environmentalists and antifascists
http://www.aktivism.info/socialforumjourney/?p=1748

40 years since Laxá Dam was sabotaged, Iceland

Yesterday, August 25th, 300 people celebrated that 40 years ago, people opposed to the building of dams in Laxá in Mývatnssveit, sabotaged a
smaller dam that had already been built.

The local people had opposed this project through legal means but it did not seem to be working. August 25th 1970, most of them were in a funeral, where the rumour was spread amongst people – the dam was going to be sabotaged. The original plan was to destroy it with tools but shortly after the work started, people realized they would need something stronger. They knew of dynamite, owned by the energy company
Laxávirkjun… so, what a better way to use that dynamite!? “We borrowed it” was the answer of one of the bombers, in the evening news yesterday.

More then 120 people claimed their participation in the sabotage – 65 of them were later sentenced to prison on probation.

Yesterday, a memorial statue was put up by the river, where the dam used to stand. The local church choir sang some songs and speeches were held. The sabotage is remembered as a very important event in Iceland’s history
of nature conservation.

Not everybody agrees with this; Jakob Björnsson, ex-energy director of Iceland, said that the celebration is shameful. Well, fuck him!

Here is a video from the evening news, showing photos from the day of the sabotage: http://dagskra.ruv.is/sjonvarpid/4498095/2010/08/25/14

People Unite in Opposition to Scottish Coal’s Open Cast Plans in Midlothian

22/08/2010
Yesterday around 185 people gathered in Cousland, Midlothian, to show their united opposition to Scottish Coal’s plans to mine 2 million tonnes of coal from the 154-hectare site at Airfield Farm – the size of Edinburgh’s old and new towns combined – just 500 metres from the village. Many villagers and their families came to the Village Hall and were met by 20 cyclists who cycled from Climate Camp in Gogar and a further 60 from the Climate Camp and beyond who came to show their support for the campaign.

The protest started in the Village Hall, with people gathering for a speech and welcome by CAAOC Chairperson Dougie McKenzie. The group then marched through the village the short distance to the proposed open cast site, set in Midlothian’s beautiful countryside, and through the right of way to the centre of the open cast area. Community members explained the extent of the boundaries of the site and the devastation that would be caused by it.

Fiona Reed, of Coal Action Scotland, speaking to the congregated crowd, said: “We’ve come here today to continue our long term commitment to support and stand in solidarity with this community and their struggle against open cast coal. Across Scotland communities are blighted by companies like Scottish Coal, whether its the health impacts, economic degradation or the destruction of their local environment they suffer. Together we are stronger!”

Dougie McKenzie, chair of the campaigning group, Communities Against Airfield Open Cast (CAAOC), said, “We are delighted that Coal Action Scotland is supporting our campaign. Local people have real concerns not only about the impact this mine will have on local businesses, but also on our safety, particularly that of our children – the area surrounding the village of Cousland is riddled with old limestone mine workings, and we have serious concerns about the impact blasting will have on the already unstable ground. Already this year we believe there have been 2 land collapses into old mine workings in the fields around Airfield, and a few years previously a 15-year old boy narrowly escaped death when the ground in the local playing field collapsed beneath him .”

“We hope this rural protest march will raise awareness of our campaign and will encourage more people to object to Scottish Coal’s application. We suspect that there will be many people in Edinburgh unaware of this proposed blot on the beautiful landscape so close to the city.”

Huntington Lane needs YOU!

UPDATE ON THE HUNTINGTON LANE OPEN CAST COAL MINE PROTEST SITE
It’s approaching six months since camp was set up at Huntington Lane open cast coal mine site and as the ‘anniversary’ approaches things are beginning to speed up. With a lot of defensive work being carried out on site by protesters, UK Coal have been been making preparations of their own; it has been confirmed that an Environmental License will be issued by the end of the month to allow UK Coal to begin work, the water supply has been connected and farmers are being asked to remove stock from the southern site. It has also been discovered that jobs at the mine site are being advertised/allocated and local firm McPhilips will begin working on the site infrastructure very soon.
Time is fast running out before an eviction notice is served and the camp would like to issue a call out for people, tools, lock on gear of all kinds (padlocks,D-locks etc), water and food. If you’re unable to offer any of these things but would like to support the camp, words of solidarity and support are also very gratefully received 🙂

OPEN CAST COAL IN THE SHADOW OF THE WREKIN
In October of 2009 UK Coal were granted permission by the then Secretary of State, John Denham to mine 900,000 tonnes of coal from a site called ‘Huntington Lane Surface Mine Site’ near Telford, Shropshire – this beautiful 230 acre site near The Wrekin encompasses part of the Shropshire Hills AONB and is home to a sceduled ancient monument. At least one County Wildlife Site and the flora and fauna of the borough’s largest and most valuable areas of ancient woodland are threatened by the surface mine. The development also involves the disturbance of four badger setts and the foraging territories of a further two badger clans.

Not only does the proposed mine represent a major blot on the beautiful rural landscape, being clearly visible from the Wrekin and many other local areas, and also create three years of noise and dust for local residents – the subsequent burning of the mined coal will release a minimum of 2,430,000 tonnes of climate changing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

In March 2010 protesters moved onto the site in an effort to resist this destruction at the hands of UK Coal.

HOW TO GET THERE
The entry point is actually on New Works Lane, New Works, Telford, Shropshire. The nearest train station is Wellington (Telford West).

For a map view go to:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tf6+5bs&sll=52.675432,-2.498875&sspn=0.005738,0.013797&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Telford+TF6+5BS,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.675174,-2.499985&spn=0.000724,0.001725&t=h&z=19

The marker on the map is not quite in the right place but is very close to the entry point for camp – the stile is actually on the other side of New Works Lane, just before the houses begin, in the bushes to the right of a shonky old gate! (Please don’t block the gate if you’re coming by car/van as it’s still in use by the farmer – park at the side of the road if you can. There is more space to park heading north up New Works Lane) If you zoom right in on the map you can see the entrance on Streetview, but be warned – the greenery around the stile has grown substancially since this picture was taken! Once over the stile just follow the path; it breaks off to the left behind the houses and also to the right a little further along; ignore these turnings and follow the straight path which bears to the left after them. Continue to follow the path until you reach the sign directing you to camp.

HOW TO CONTACT THE CAMP
Tel: 07503 583419 or 07727 295232
Email: defendhuntingtonlane@hushmail.com
Web: http://defendhuntingtonlane.wordpress.com

*PLEASE PASS THIS INFOMATION ON TO ANY PERSONS OR GROUPS YOU THINK MAY BE INTERESTED*

Many Thanks!

Growing Resistance – trip to Cousland – Saturday 21st August 2010

Growing Resistance is an event organised by Coal Action Scotland, in solidarity with Communities Against Airfield Open Cast, taking place during the Camp For Climate Action, which this year is in Edinburgh.

For two years the community surrounding Airfield Farm have been objecting to Scottish Coals plans to open cast the area in order to remove two million tons of coal. In an independent survey 95% of local residents object to the planned mine. Despite this, Scottish Coal is pushing ahead with the plans, and the very real fear is that Midlothian Council will give them the go ahead. To show the local people that they are not alone in this struggle we are asking people to join us on Saturday the 21st on the threatened land.

We will have information from Coal Action Scotland and the Coal Action Network, speakers from the local community and other communities in Scotland plagued by the coal industry and a tour of the land under threat. There will be a bike caravan setting of from Climate Camp, via Edinburgh, arriving about 3pm, and minibus shuttles from Climate Camp and the nearby town of Dalkieth. For travel directions see here.

If you want up to date information about travel or get lost call our Transport Line number: 07984706188 (only available from Saturday morning onwards)

If you have any questions please email us at coalactionscotland [at] riseup.net

If you can’t make the event but still want to help the Cousland community then please send an objection letter.

Climate Camp Cymru invades Nant Helen opencast site

17th August 2010
Activists from Climate Camp Cymru invaded Nant Helen open cast coal mine in south Wales earlier today.

Despite disproportionate policing at the 2010 camp, groups of activists persisted in their objectives to witness the destructive operations at Nant Helen open cast mine, owned by Celtic Energy.

17th August 2010
Activists from Climate Camp Cymru invaded Nant Helen open cast coal mine in south Wales earlier today.

Despite disproportionate policing at the 2010 camp, groups of activists persisted in their objectives to witness the destructive operations at Nant Helen open cast mine, owned by Celtic Energy.

The activists entered the coal hole at Nant Helen, where 450,000 tonnes of coal per year are dug out of a hole approximately 150m deep and 1.5 x 1 km wide. Celtic Energy have applied for planning permission for the mine to expand.

This coal is mostly destined for Aberthaw Power Station, to be burnt for electricity, which is one of the dirtiest and most carbon
intensive industrial processes.

Activist Ffion Dafys said “ripping up mountains to dig holes hundreds of meters deep destroys the landscape and the local
environment. The coal removed and burnt will generate millions of
tonnes of CO2 over the next four years.”

“Coal seams in Glynn Neath will continue to be exploited and extended by open cast mining corporations like Celtic Energy, causing environmental destruction until these operations cease. Observing from the bottom of the coal hole really brought home the enormity of the destruction.”

Climate Camp Cymru is evicted long live Climate Camp Cymru

* * * IMPORTANT UPDATE * * *

15-08-2010 20:55 CLIMATE CAMP CYMRU UP AND RUNNING AGAIN. Having been evicted by South Wales police from a site near Glyn-Neath (see below), Climate Camp Cymru is now established on a new site on the Gower Peninsula near Swansea.
If you fancy joining the camp, give site a call on 07040909147 and they’ll give you directions and a warm welcome.

* * * IMPORTANT UPDATE * * *

CLIMATE CAMP CYMRU EVICTED

Climate Camp Cymru, which was due to continue until Tuesday 17th August at Glyn-Neath in South Wales, was evicted by the police on its second day (Saturday 14th) over alleged complaints about possible damage to the site chosen by the campers, a Roman Hill Fort.

SPURIOUS GROUNDS FOR EVICTION

Having stood by uselessly for years while the beautiful landscape of the Welsh Valleys has been systematically trashed by opencast mining companies, South Wales Police seem to have suddenly developed a touching concern for the environment, moving in en masse with riot vans and on horseback to evict the campers on these spurious grounds. While Climate Campers have a deserved reputation for clearing up after themselves and are unlikely to have done more damage than stick a few tent pegs in the sacred soil, opencast mining companies destroy whole mountains | 1 | 2 | and important wildlife habitats without the cops appearing to notice or care.

We are still awaiting first-hand reports from campers, but Climate Camp Cymru has issued a press release which states that Cadw, the government body responsible for the site and whose aims, incidentally, are ‘to protect and sustain, encourage community engagement in and improve access to the historic environment of Wales’, had ‘visited the site and accepted that the camp could go ahead with police monitoring.’ It seems likely that the cops interpreted this to mean they could stop the camp whenever they wanted. A spokesperson for the camp said: ‘This just goes to show the priorities of the current government, who are more interested in protecting climate criminals like Celtic Energy and in repressing those taking action on climate change, than on actually tackling the climate crisis themselves.’

Ffos y fran coal train verdict + action snaps

13 of us were in court today (13.8.10) to be sentenced for blockading the railway at Ffos y fran mine back in April, when several people locked on to the tracks in order to stop a train carrying coal to Aberthaw, the dirtiest power station in Wales.

We received conditional discharges and restraining orders away from the mine and the power station. Four people were ordered to pay compensation costs to Miller Argent, the company who owns the mine, The judge acknowledged that the action had been carried out carefully to ensure there would be no danger to anyone.

With their hands in the pockets of corporations, it’s not surprising that governments failed us at the Copenhagen climate summit. We can’t rely on their false solutions anymore. It’s up to ordinary people taking direct action to stop climate chaos. Fossil fuel extraction devastates communities and is being resisted around the world, from opencast mining in Merthyr to tar sands oil in Alberta, Canada.

Meanwhile, Climate Camp Cymru set up camp today near Nant Helen and Seler opencast mines, elsewhere in south Wales.

http://www.risingtide.org.uk

More cool photos

Climate Camp Cymru meetup point announced

*Climate Camp Cymru*
*13 – 17 August*

Opencast is trashing the south Wales landscape – it’s time to take action…

From midday on Friday 13th August you are invited to a convergence space in central Cardiff. The location of this space is Cardiff Quaker Meeting House, 43 Charles Street, Cardiff.

*Climate Camp Cymru*
*13 – 17 August*

Opencast is trashing the south Wales landscape – it’s time to take action…

From midday on Friday 13th August you are invited to a convergence space in central Cardiff. The location of this space is Cardiff Quaker Meeting House, 43 Charles Street, Cardiff.

From here people will be directed to a train station, where minibuses will be available to transport people to the the site. Experienced cyclists may wish to bring bikes and cycle to the site.
NB: you will need £4.50 each way for the train fare.

The location of the site will be announced at approximately 2pm on Friday 13th August.

At 2pm on 13th August people will be sentenced at Merthyr Crown Court for the lock-on to the railway line between Ffos-y-Fran and Aberthaw power station. It would be great if people could go to the court to support them. Transport will be arranged to the site after.

The convergence space in Cardiff will be open until 5pm. We encourage everyone who can to reach the site on Friday night, although the minibuses will be available throughout Saturday from the train station.

Please watch this space for more detail.

Things to bring:
Tent
Sleeping bag
Warm clothes and waterproofs
Plate, bowl, mug and cutlery
Loo roll

and a bike could be useful too

www.climatecampcymru.org
info@climatecampcymru.org
07040 909 147

Legal support phone contact during the camp will be 07587 220197

3 days of action for Beat the Boreholes in Rossport

Shell drilling stopped for an hour and a half

6.08.2010
Rossport Solidarity Campers go out before 7am and successfully prevent workers from accessing the drilling platforms.

Shell drilling stopped for an hour and a half

6.08.2010
Rossport Solidarity Campers go out before 7am and successfully prevent workers from accessing the drilling platforms.

9 Campers wadded and kayaked out to the platforms this morning and halted work for 1 and half hours. IRMS workers eventually secured the area by pushing people away and dragging their kayaks down the estuary. Kayaks were deflated by security and some people were dangerously forced to swim in high currents. There were no arrests.

We really need more people to come and take part in actions over the next two months. Please get in touch if you think you would be able to come down and help stop Shell.

http://www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org

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Shell drilling stopped for 5 hours – as Beat the Boreholes continues

05.08.2010
Yesterday morning 11 people from Rossport Solidarity Camp waded and kayaked out from the camp to again delay Shell’s survey work in Sruwaddacon Estuary. Overall drilling work was stopped for over 5 hours, with one person climbing up one of the legs of the drilling platforms. Several people also attached themselves to the 2 outer drilling poles which are under the platforms.

The campers went out before 7am to prevent workers getting access to the platform and held the platform for about 4 hours before being removed by IRMS security. Despite only 11 protesters being present, it took 50 IRMS to come before they could secure the area. After about 5 hours the drilling workers got on board and started preparing the drilling operation. Eventually they started drilling at around 1pm, despite the climber still being perched at the side of the platform. They drilled for approximately an hour before the climber came down and swam back to shore.

The drilling platforms are currently in a vital part of the SAC; close to bird feeding and nesting sites. At this time the estuary is also used as a migration route for Atlantic Salmon which are an Annex 1 species (the most protected EU category). They are very vulnerable to suffocation by suspended solids in the water clogging their gills and today we saw evidence of sediment spewing into the estuary from the boreholes. Movement of the platforms will also release suspended solids; endangering the supposedly protected salmon. This directly contravenes the purpose of the SAC which Minister Gormley seems to conveniently forget when it comes to facilitating big business here in Mayo but likes to remind us at other times such as on 2nd August in relation to restricting leisure activities to protect SAC’s, the Minister said;
“Along with other EU States, Ireland has designated certain areas for nature protection and, in those areas, that must be our priority. Many people, indeed, find recreation in the enjoyment of undisturbed nature,” he concluded .
Indeed Gormley, that is what the people of Erris have been saying for 10 years; its time to protect this SAC from Shell!

John Gormley’s recent press release:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Heritage/NationalParksandWildl…n.htm

rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com
http://www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org, www.shelltosea.com

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Shell disrupted – Beat the Boreholes continues

9.8.2010
Yesterday at about 2.30pm Shell began to lower “Jack – 1” – one of two survey barges currently in Sruth Fhada Chonn estuary SAC (Special Area of Protection) – in order to tug it to another part of the estuary.

The Rossport Solidarity Camp was ready and willing to claim free passage of the public estuary and in the process upset the operation. Over a dozen Shell security boats and two Garda RIBS couldn’t keep the 6 kaykers out, with two of them reaching the moving barge after an hour and a half of chase.

Shell’s jack-up barges are damaging Sruth Fhada Chonn estuary SAC (Special Area of Conservation) by drilling survey boreholes for the proposed Onshore Corrib Gas Pipeline tunnel – the latest route offered by Shell as a means to hook up the refinery to the well. At each new location the barges massive legs are lowered into the estuary crushing life beneath the sand. Estuary water is being used to lubricate the work, and and outfall pipe is discharging it back in to the supposedly protected waters.

The Gardaí seemed happy to let IRMS do as they pleased on the water, with kayakers being unlawfully rammed, grabbed, towed against their will – all on a public waterway. At one stage an IRMS boat stole one kayak from under its owner, capsizing him into the water. The Gardaí issued many Section 8 warning under the public order act (to the kaykers) but no arrests were made, despite one kayaker making it onto the moving rig.

Beat the boreholes continues, now both rigs are in the upper estuary – on the sand at low tide and accessible by walking.

rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com
www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org, www.shelltosea.com