Wilderness Defence – Page 65

Trashing, dashing, bashing, mashing: the new EF! Action Update

So what have you been up to the last few months? Just hanging around?
Maybe you’ve been part of human wheel-clamping aeroplanes, climbing up scaffolding tripods inconveniently placed in the road, smashing machines at open-cast mines, playing nuked-dead in the street, kayaking against borehole drill rigs in Ireland, burning mobile phone masts, resisting Tesco, camping against trashing of woodland, with some success at Titnore (& other protest camp updates), or getting in on BP’s act, spilling oil in public places.

Or have you been on holiday, taking part in indigenous blockades against logging, dams and mining, spilunking against high speed trains, slashing tuna cages, blockading Monsanto HQ, trashing GM fields, and more?

Maybe you’re in need of a break. But if you’re not, and are just champing at the bit, the return of AUntie MIffy’s problem page might help, addressing what to do if there’s no local group near you. There’s an article about the beginnings of EF! in this country, looking forwards to the next 20 years, to help inspire. If you need support to get things going where you live, do get in touch. And if all that’s not enough, here’s a quotation, from Paul Watson, the Sea Shepherd captain:

“Future generations will not have the chance and those that came before us did not have the vision nor the knowledge. It is up to us — you and I.”

Print version
Other issues and extra info

Anti-Coal Protest raft sails down River Seven

On Sunday 31st residents from the Huntington Lane Camp took their message onto the river Seven and sailed it downstream. The six person raft complete with a big “No New Coal” banner and UK Coal digger figurehead sailed down the River Seven and past EON’s Buildwas B coal fired power station which is where the coal from Huntington Lane will eventually end up. It then sailed further downstream and under the famous Iron Bridge where it was meet with cheers from a crowd of locals and tourists who had gathered on the bridge.

There was also a team on land who were raising awareness of the camp by talking to the people on the riverside and bridge about what they were doing and why they where doing it. Generally most people were supportive and positive about the campaign. The event also had a fair bit of local media overage with the Shropshire Star and Midlands Today both covering it.

The camp has now been stopping work at Huntington Lane almost six months, if you want to help then donations of food, tools and water are always appreciated as are new faces at the camp

West Midlands Climate Action
http://wmclimateaction.wordpress.com/
http://wmclimateaction.wordpress.com/2010/08/01/protest-raft-river-seven/

Waders tie down Shell testing rig in Mayo, Republic of Ireland

30.07.2010
10 people from the Rossport solidarity camp delayed Shell’s survey work for the dangerous and experimental Corrib gas pipeline yesterday. The campaigners waded out to one of the rigs drilling boreholes in the Sruwaddacon estuary the rig at high tide, fixed rope around the legs of the rig, and occupied the space underneath it to prevent the being moved to a new site. Work was delayed for around two hours.

Shell’s security guards IRMS cut the ropes around the rig, but did not try to remove the protesters so the occupation of the area under the rig continued until the Gardai arrived. Six of the waders were arrested and taken to Belmullet police station. Three others returned to the water in kayaks to make a further attempt to stop the rig but were blocked by security in speedboats – one kayaker was also arrested. All those arrested were later released without charge.

Shell is currently drilling survey boreholes to gather information to support its plan to put the gas pipeline through a tunnel running up the estuary. Campaigners from the local community and the solidarity camp have been obstructing the testing in a series of protests and actions on water and on land.

‘Beat the Boreholes’ campaign is up and running, inviting groups to the camp to take on an action against one of the estimated 80 boreholes. To get involved in the campaign, call or email the camp. The ‘Beat the Boreholes’ guide will be published soon.

Yesterday’s action coincided with Rossport Solidarity Camp member Niall Harnett’s 100th day in prison. Niall was sentenced to five months in prison on a trumped-up charge of assaulting a police officer, after making himself a thorn in Shell’s side with his work on the campaign over several years.

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

Protesters attack Russian town hall to save forest

2010-07-29
A band of 100 masked people staged a violent environmental protest in a quiet Moscow suburb, hurling Molotov cocktails and fireworks at city hall while objecting to plans for clearing a local forest for highway construction, Russian police said.

The centuries-old oak forest in Khimki has been a focus of controversy for years, as authorities plan to cut down much of the woods to make way for a major highway along the increasingly jammed route from Moscow to Sheremetyevo International Airport. In 2008, a local journalist who reported on the issue was brutally beaten and left crippled and brain-damaged.

Late Wednesday about 90 unidentified people attacked Khimki city hall, Moscow regional police said.

Russian television broadcast amateur video footage showing masked attackers throwing fireworks and bottles at the building, on which they had spray-painted “Save Russian forests” and “No to Khimki forest clearing.” Khimki officials said the attackers also threw Molotov cocktails.

City hall security officers stayed inside the building, and called police after the assailants had left, Khimki police chief Viktor Tanasiychuk said.

“Naturally, police squads did not find anyone at the scene when they arrived,” he said. Police said the attackers then left on a suburban train to Moscow.

No one was arrested at the scene, but police later detained nine environmentalists who have lived in the forest to stop loggers from clearing the trees. The activists denied any involvement in Wednesday’s attack, and a police spokesman confirmed they were not suspected in the attack. The spokesman said the activists instead are suspected of disturbing public order and resisting police, but he did not elaborate.

The head of the country’s Union of Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations, Andrey Morgulyov, accused police of detaining the activists to derail their plans to meet Thursday with the Russian deputy natural resources minister and to attend a session Friday of the Public Chamber on the Khimki forest.

Environmental protesters have become increasingly vocal in Russia in the recent years.

Thousands of people took to Moscow’s streets after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed an order this year to reopen a paper mill on Lake Baikal, the world’s oldest and deepest lake now believed to be under serious threat from industrial pollution and development. The lake holds an estimated 1,500 unique species of plants and animals.

Bruised over Teghut: Environmental pressure group defiant after protest breakup, Armenia

29.07.10
Police used force on Wednesday to break up a protest in Yerevan near a commercial bank that intends to loan a controversial mining project in northern Armenia. Activists were at VTB bank to protest its financing of Armenian Copper Programme’s (ACP) development of a mine in Teghut.

The activists demanded that VTB should stop the funding of the “anti-ecological and illegal Teghut project”, publicize the Bank’s environmental criteria [for loan programs] and the names of those who have developed these criteria. The protesters further called for an end to what they call a contemptuous attitude towards society, for honoring the principles of transparency and accountability and also demanded that clear answers be given to letters of environmental and human rights organizations.

The Government made the decision on developing the copper and molybdenum mine in Teghut in November 2007, giving ACP a license for 25 years. This is the first case when the government allows mining amid a forest site. The Teghut mine – in the lush province of Lori – is the second largest in Armenia, after the copper and molybdenum mine in Kajaran in southern Armenia. Experts estimate that the mine in Teghut contains more than 1.6 million tons of copper and 100,000 tons of molybdenum.

From the very outset environmentalists in Armenia carefully monitored the government’s decision to develop the mine, constantly voicing concerns about possible irreparable loss to the environment (damage to the eco system, disappearance of some of the rare species of flora and fauna, threats to public health because of tailings, etc.). ACP officials, meanwhile, argue that the mining industry will create new jobs for the local population and will considerably improve the social conditions in the province and generally will contribute to the country’s economic growth. Despite the perceived benefits, however, ACP seemed to be experiencing difficulties in finding a financial partner for the Teghut mine operation.

Russian-owned VTB has decided this year to provide ACP with a promised sum of about $300 million. So far only a small part of the loan has been provided, and the provision of the basic sum has been delayed because of the financial crisis.

At first, the activists demanded to see VTB management, but when nobody approached them, they sat on the bank steps, hindering customers and employees from entering. The demonstrators demanded that the bank customers should not use the services of a bank that promotes “the destruction of Armenia”.

Police arrived to disperse the protesters. In the ensuing scuffle, chairman of the Green Party of Armenia Armen Dovlatyan was among those who suffered minor scrapes.

The activists also turned to the Ombudsman’s office, whose representative heard them and said: “We will decide what to do” – and then left.

Ecologist Karine Danielyan, who in the end also joined the demonstrators, says that the economic profit from the operation of the mine will never be near enough to offset the environmental damages caused by it. According to her, it will take years to compensate for the forests now being destroyed.

“And forests not only in the territory of the mine operation will be destroyed, but also upper forests, because water will descend into that cavity and the upper forests will dry out,” says Danielyan, adding that the local water resources also get contaminated and the biodiversity of the forest is vanishing.

Urban development in Mexico attacked by elves

On the night of July 27 we made a bonfire with property belonging to destroyers of the Earth.

In the Dinamos woods in the Magdalena Contreras section of Mexico City, there is an urban expansion project that is still in the early stages of construction. It involves the creation of deep wells that would take water from the river with the goal of urban expansion and anthropocentric progress.

For that reason vegan elves are responsible for the following sabotages:
-We blocked the wells with stones, bricks, blocks and rubble, preventing the river water from flowing through its pipes.
-We graffitied the machines and the construction material with slogans such as ‘Stop urban expansion’, ‘No more civilization of wild environments’ and ‘Frente de Liberación de la Tierra’
-We burned three machines using incendiary devices, including: two bulldozers and a small machine that removes rubble; the smallest device was placed in the first one at the pedals, in the second one the window was shattered with rocks and the device was put in the cabin and in the third machine the device was placed on the cables.

We fled into the night without a trace. The damage was in the thousands of pesos. We want to make it clear that what we did was in defense of the earth, which is destroyed every day by ego-centrism and authoritarianism, but for every wild or semi-wild environment destroyed, hundreds of their machines and properties will be destroyed and left unusable. Let this serve as a lesson to the exploiters of the earth!

This action dedicated to the animal liberation warrior in the United States, Walter Bond, recently jailed for three fires against animal exploitation companies. Dedicated as well in support of Leo in Italy, and to Adrian and Abraham.

Frente de Liberación de la Tierra /Earth Liberation Front

Beat the Boreholes continues!!

27.7.10
The community campaign against Shell’s work in the estuary is going strong with regular actions happening. Last week locals viewed the borehole-drilling rigs during a walk on the strands of the estuary at low tide. Shell moved the rigs yesterday but were slowed down by kayaker action.

Security around the rigs has been massive – 6-10 security boats including a constant daylight-hours watch on the shore near the solidarity camp, plus two so-called ‘safety boats’.

Members of the local community walked close to the drilling barges at low tide and showed their opposition to Shell’s destruction of Sruwaddacon estuary. The estuary is not only a Special Area of Conservation and Special Protected Area – it has been an integral part of life in the community for generations. Despite this, Minister John Gormley has given the go-ahead for Shell to damage it.
John Gormley minister@environ.ie

Last week 8 community supporters from the Rossport Solidarity Camp took their kayaks for a spin out on the water – and were met by a dozen security boats while having a closer look at the barges.

Yesterday signs that Shell were preparing to move the rigs to a new position led to a spontaneous action by a small group of kayakers from the camp. Although they were prevented from getting near the rig by the massive security presence, work seemed to stop while the kayaks were in the water.

Both rigs have now been moved a few miles upriver towards Aghoos, and are positioned opposite the house of Rossport 5 member Willy Corduff – a move some people are viewing as provocative.

Come to support and be part of community resistance. Beat the Boreholes is up and running, sign up for your borehole or find out how you can help – get in touch with Rossport Solidarity Camp!

Beat the Borehole guide coming soon.

For more info www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org

Beat the boreholes land division – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KULXgsqD18w
Beat the boreholes water division – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsuLn6iiWuw

Earth First! Summer Gathering set-up plans announced

We can now announce that set-up will begin from around 2pm on Saturday, 31 July. Marquees, tools and construction materials will be arriving on site from Saturday morning so there will be plenty to do. You will be able to camp on the site from Saturday and there will be skeleton facilities (water, basic kitchen) from that time.

We also have a mobile number for setup which is 07766 947852. This will be on-site from Saturday lunchtime, and may well get answered in the few days beforehand but please don’t try ringing until then – e-mail will remain the main contact point until nearer the time – summergathering -{at}- earthfirst.org.uk

What we need to know:

*Please can you let us know when you are coming? – this helps us plan foods, facilities and what jobs to do when.

*It is also helpful if you can let us know if you have any particular skills or interests with respect to set-up – we might need drivers, so if you are over 25, hold a clean licence, are confident driving a 3.5 tonne Luton AND can bring along both parts of your driving licence please let us know.

*Similarly if you are arriving in a vehicle and could potentially provide lifts, transport equipment en route or run errands from site once you arrive please let us know. In this case it is very helpful if you are able/willing to supply us with a contact phone number.

How to get there

As you maybe aware that we do not announce the exact site of the gathering until one week before the main event, this means directions will be available on the website http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/ from Wednesday, 27 July. We realise this will be short notice for people arriving on the Saturday, however to make things easier we will e-mail directions to set-up crew on that day (that still 4 days to check a map!).

The nearest train station is Derby if you want to pre-book train tickets, you will also need to take a local bus service from Derby (these are frequent). We are aiming to have a vehicle on site that can assist if people have difficulties between Derby and the site, so hopefully everyone will be able to get there okay.

There may be a very small number of lifts available from the Nottingham area across the weekend of Saturday 31st July/Sunday first of August. There may also be lifts from the Leeds area first thing on 31 July. Let us know if this may be of interest to you.

What to bring

*Everything you need to the gathering, tent sleeping bags etc. and especially a torch

*It may be wise to come a bit more self-sufficient in food and snacks than you would need to for the main gathering – we will have a basic kitchen but Veggies and the tuck shop are not arriving until Wednesday

*If you are able to bring any tools, especially for basic carpentry, these are often useful

Big thanks for offering to help out

Do get in touch if you have any questions

Love & rage

The EF! Gathering crew

STOP VEDANTA’S AGM! 28th July

STOP VEDANTA’s KILLINGS, DISPLACEMENT AND DEVASTATION!
THROW THEM OUT OF INDIA AND the UK!

STOP VEDANTA’S AGM!

3pm, Wednesday, 28 July 2010,
The Institute of Civil Engineers, 1, Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA

Vedanta plc’s record in Orissa, India:

STOP VEDANTA’s KILLINGS, DISPLACEMENT AND DEVASTATION!
THROW THEM OUT OF INDIA AND the UK!

STOP VEDANTA’S AGM!

3pm, Wednesday, 28 July 2010,
The Institute of Civil Engineers, 1, Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA

Vedanta plc’s record in Orissa, India:
· More than 100 men, women and children have been killed in accidents, police firings, forced displacement, injury and illness
· More than 1000 people have been displaced and more than 8000 under threat
· More than100 square miles of land have been devastated and an equal area of forest under threat
· Rivers and streams which are the lifeline for tens of thousands of people are drying up
· Thousands of acres of fertile agricultural land have been destroyed in a region which has seen famines every year since 2007
· Drinking water sources are being contaminated by dumping of fly ash and toxic red mud into river streams
· The Niyamgiri hills – known as the most beautiful mountains in India – are under threat. The ancient civilization of the Dongria Kondh adivasi community, who regard the Niyam Dongar mountain and forests of the area as their Gods, is being wiped out
· Vedanta is causing mass unemployment and destitution as farmers, fishing communities and forest dwellers are being displaced and abandoned in shanty-towns

Why is this happening?

Mega-profits for billionaires with blood on their hands
Anil Agarwal, billionaire CEO of Vedanta is determined to mine for bauxite in Niyamgiri despite massive opposition of the local people, and a national and international campaign against it, which recently led
shareholders including the Church of England and Rowntrees, to pull out.
London –based Anil Agarwal is worth 4.1billion pounds and is currently the tenth richest person in Britain, whose personal wealth has grown even in the recession by 583%. Agarwal’s empire – Vedanta Resources – now spans four continents, with offices in London and operations in Zambia, Australia and India. Vedanta and Agarwal have been accused of ‘corruption, fraud, forgery, manipulation of share prices, and insider trading.’ as Norway’s Council of Ethics describes.

Who else is benefitting?
Anil Agarwal and Vedanta have close links with the Sangh Parivar, the umbrella group of Hindu right-wing organizations in India. These organizations have been held responsible for genocidal attacks on India’s
minority Muslim and Christian communities, in Orissa, Gujarat and elsewhere.
Vedanta has connections with many powerful figures. Its Board members have included P.Chidambaram, India’s Home Minister, Naresh Chandra, former Indian Ambassador to the US, and David Gore-Booth, former British
Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and High Commissioner of India.

What is the role of the British Government?
Vedanta was launched on the London Stock Exchange in December 2003 with the help of Britain’s Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for International Development (DfID). More recently, massive publicity of Vedanta’s crimes forced the British government to criticize it for not having a human rights policy.

BUT the British Government has continued to actively support Vedanta. For example, DfID has set up and continues to fund Business Partners for Development (Now renamed as Building Partnerships for Development) whose aim is to counter the effect of the powerful people’s movement against the company. And in 2005 DfID commissioned “Orissa Drivers for Change” a research project which urges mineral intensive industrialization of the region and supports Vedanta and other companies.

Organised by FOIL VEDANTA

Supported by: South Asia Solidarity Group, South Asian Alliance, All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Ravi Dass Human Rights Organisation (UK), Hillingdon Womens Centre, Campaign Against
Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC), Peoples Global Action, Communities Empowering Network, Globalise Resistance

Details: sasg@southasiasolidarity.org

Last resort?: Gegharkunik residents turn into live shield to protect their river, Armenia

A live shield appeared yesterday, July 19, on the Yerevan-Sevan highway, when the residents of the Gegharkunik province blocked the road to express their protest against the construction of a hydropower plant on the Gayladzor stream of the Argitchi River.

Since the morning about 500 residents from six villages blocked the Yerevan-Martouni section of the Sevan highway for about five hours paralyzing traffic for more than 1,000 cars. Later on, Gegharkunik marzpetaran (local administration body) employees arrived, and asked for ten days to settle the issue.

“Residents turned to all competent government bodies, and they had nothing else left to do in this respect. They are ready to repeat the same step in ten days unless something is changed for the better,” Lianna Asoyan, coordinator of the Aarhus Center in Armenia’s Gegharkunik province, told ArmeniaNow.

The river Argitchi is the biggest among 28 rivers flowing into Lake Sevan. It secures 12 centimeters for the rise of the lake level annually. The river provides irrigation water for more than 30,000 residents of six villages in Gegharkounik province. If the project of changing the course of the Gayladzor stream flowing to the river Argitchi is implemented, about 40 percent of Argirchi water will be directed to Vayots Dzor province, which is in the opposite side of Lake Sevan.

Asoyan says that Zangezour Eximp LLC is illegally conducting the construction of a small hydropower plant on the Argitchi River though the permit issued to this company says it is entitled to carry out construction only on the tributary of the Eghegis River in Kapuyt Berd, while construction works on the river Argitchi are illegal.

Environmentalists are sure that by means of changing the course of the river, the level of Lake Sevan – the largest sweet water basin in Armenia – will be dropped. The rise of Lake Sevan’s level influenced the lucrative businesses founded along the lakeshore during recent years. Besides, the abrupt rise of Lake Sevan’s level is considered to be one of the most important environmental issues for Armenia, where Lake Sevan is the main element of the whole ecosystem.

The RA Law on Lake Sevan, which prohibits the use of the lake’s basin water for other purposes, be it a hydro-power plant, irrigation or some other purpose, is being violated because of the construction of the hydropower plant. Besides, it is also dangerous for fish, especially trout, since they spawn at the source of the river Argitchi.