Global – Page 90 – Earth First!

Eco-related arson against ministry of development offices in Greece (Athens, 21/4/2008)

A translation of the parts of a communique sent to “Eleftherotipia” newspaper and published on 25/04/2008, not mentioning any group’s name:

“Kavala, Almyros at Volos, Mantoudi at Evia, Astakos at Etoloakarnania, Elefsina: Residents mobilizations are realised against the plans of building new power plants using coal. Public Power Company (PPC) in cooperation with national or international partners promotes its investment plans, within the country as well as in the Balkans, responding to the system’s increasing needs for power consumption, something that signifies the constant amplification of economy and the wider subordination of our existance to it.”

“When capitalism is self-declared environment friendly, it is only to measure and manage the symptoms of the crisis it produced itself.”

“We don’t share any environmentalist compasion. It is impossible to fit within any green slogans that belittle any perspective of rupture in their partiality. The concern raised by the environmental destruction is disarmed through the participation of active citizens in ironic programms of beach cleaning or the ridiculous consumers preferance for “eco-friendly” enterprises.”

“The impacts of the use of coal are only a part of the symptoms of the development this world promises: climate change, species extinction, desertations, forest destruction. This is why, the way we talk and act against everything that turns our lives to a total disaster, aims at the constant subversion of the capitalist structures, the total overthrow of the authoritarian relationships.”

source: http://directactiongr.blogspot.com

Oil price rises: Nigerian militants attack & seek peace; Scottish strike; Exxon strike in Nigeria – updated

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Militants said they blew up two more oil pipelines Monday in southern Nigeria and called for former President Jimmy Carter and actor George Clooney to help mediate an end to the crisis. [27th April 2008 updated at bottom]

Military policemen patrol the creeks of the Omadino community in Warri South district of the Niger Delta.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, said in a statement that fighters hit two pipelines it believes are operated by Chevron Corp. and a Royal Dutch Shell PLC joint venture in southern Rivers state.

Shell officials had no immediate information on any attack, and the Nigerian military battle group that patrols the oil region’s waterways said it had no reports of overnight violence. Officials from Chevron could not immediately be reached for comment.

The militants last week claimed a separate attack on a pipeline operated by a Shell joint venture that the company said shut down a small amount of oil production. Video Watch how Nigeria attacks help hike gas prices »

The militants say they are stepping up their activities after the arrest of one of their leaders, Henry Okah, who is on trial for terrorism and treason.

The militants also called for mediation by Carter with the aim of ending the long-running crisis that government-led peace parleys have so far failed to control. The militants have also asked President Bush and Clooney for their involvement, but said they have received no reply.

“MEND expressed its willingness to embrace a genuine and transparent peace program without getting any response. The ripple effect of this attack will touch your economy and people one way or the other and hope we now have your attention,” it said.

The militant group emerged in early 2006, launching bombing attacks on Nigeria’s oil infrastructure that cut about one quarter of the usual oil output in Africa’s biggest crude producer. That has helped send oil prices to all-time highs.

The militants want the release of their leaders from prison, and for more oil industry revenue for their areas, which remain deeply poor despite the natural bounty.

But crime and militancy are closely interwoven in the southern Niger Delta where the crude is pumped. Many of the various armed groups in the region have had links to local politicians, who helped arm and direct the gunmen in their efforts to rig elections.

Both militants and government officials are suspected of heavy involvement in the theft and resale of crude oil, which oil industry officials brings revenues that run into the millions of dollars per day.
advertisement

Nigeria’s vast network of oil pipelines crisscross the swamps and creeks in the Niger Delta and are easily sabotaged. But the militants haven’t recently shown the sophisticated, military-style raids on staffed oil infrastructure that made them the most potent-ever militant group in southern Nigeria.

The militants’ activities appear to have moved further into the propaganda realm, with demands on international figures linked to external news events. Carter was in the Middle East on Monday.

– from mainstream media source (also below).

—–

Oil prices headed toward $117 a barrel as oil giant BP prepared to shut down a key North Sea pipeline and a strike at Exxon in Nigeria disrupted production.

BP’s Forties pipeline, which provides a third of the UK’s daily oil output, will close if a two-day strike by refinery workers goes ahead.

Rebels in Nigeria also claimed another attack on a Royal Dutch Shell pipeline.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has repeatedly tried to sabotage Shell’s production in recent weeks.

A strike by workers at Exxon Mobil, Nigeria’s biggest foreign oil producer, has further disrupted production in the African country. It said it had been forced to halt its output of crude oil, estimated at 200,000 barrels per day.

In the UK, workers at the Grangemouth plant are due to take part in a two-day strike from Sunday in a row over pensions.

The BP-run pipeline from the Forties oil fields in the North Sea, relies on steam and electricity from the Ineos refinery at Grangemouth in central Scotland.

A BP spokesman said that closing Grangemouth would cause up to 70 platforms in the North Sea to either shut down or reduce production of oil.

BP said the pipeline would close when the provision of steam and electricity from Grangemouth runs out.

The company added that it would keep the pipeline open as long as possible, but anticipated shutting it late on Saturday, if strike action goes ahead.

======
Fri Apr, 25 2008

Nigerian main rebel group, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), today said it blew up another oil pipeline belonging to Shell in it renewed attack against oil infrastructures in the region.

MEND said the late Thursday night attack occurred at Kula River in Rivers state of Nigeria.

MEND says it is fighting to force the federal government to direct more oil industry revenues to the region, which remains deeply poor despite four decades of oil production in the area.

The militant group said military officials who were supposed to protect the pipelines actually assisted the fighters when they ran into them during the attack.

“After the blast, the fighters ran into a docked joint military patrol boat but were astonished that instead of a confrontation, the soldiers in the patrol boat urged them on and lamented about having to defend what is unjust.

“MEND uses this opportunity to thank its numerous sympathizers inside the military, oil industry and oil producing communities for facilitating the success of the on-going Operation Cyclone (the
crippling of the entire Nigerian oil export industry).

“This attack is dedicated to the Rivers state governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi who boasted to the Financial Times that our past successes were attributed to the absence of patrol boats undergoing servicing. We waited for the patrol boats to return back in service before carrying
out this attack to proof a point.

“Our candid advice to the oil majors is that they should not waste their time repairing any lines as we will continue to sabotage them. We have time on our side and there is so much to be destroyed. The only time we will stop is when we receive a direct order from our Shepherd.” The
group said in an email sent by Jomo Gbomo to The Times of Nigeria.

Shell confirmed three attacks over the past week, and announced it may not be able to meet its obligations to ship some 169,000 barrels per day from Nigeria over the next few weeks. The company, one of the main operators in the country, has yet to report any production outages from
the other attacks.

Those attacks have helped send crude prices to historic highs on international markets.

The militants have stepped up activities as one of the group’s reputed leaders, Henry Okah, faces trial on terrorism and treason charges. The group emerged two years ago and quickly established itself as the region’s most effective militant organization.

Since Okah’s arrest, the group has not launched any of the coordinated, military-style armed raids on staffed facilities that originally made it notable.

Greenwash Guerrillas Pie Thomas Freedman

Providence, RI – Earth Day, 2008.
Footage available at http://www.greenwashguerrillas.org

Thomas Friedman, the author and NY Times columnist, was invited to Brown University to give a keynote speech on Earth Day, before a packed auditorium. His talk, titled “Green is the new Red, White and Blue” was about how corporate environmentalism (based on putting a price on the atmosphere, and investing in agrofuels and techno-fixes) can restore America to its “natural place in the global order.” This outrageous neoliberal capitalist propaganda was interrupted with a surprise visit from the Greenwash Guerrillas. After splattering him with two green cream pies, leaflets were thrown to the crowd, stating:

Thomas Friedman deserves a pie in the face…

* because of his sickeningly cheery applaud for free market capitalism’s conquest of the planet

* for telling the world that the free market and techno fixes can save us from climate change. From carbon trading to ethanol, these distractions are dangerous in and of themselves, while encouraging inaction with respect to the true problems at hand.

* for helping turn environmentalism into a fake plastic consumer product for the privileged

* For his long-standing support for the US Occupation of Iraq and the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Such committed support to the US War Machine and its proxy states overseas cannot be masked behind any twisted mask of “green” – the US Military is the largest single emitter of greenhouse gases in the world.

* for his pure arrogance.

On behalf of the earth and all true environmentalists — we, the Greenwash
Guerrillas, declare Thomas Friedman’s “Green” as fake and toxic to human and planetary health as the cool-whip covering his face.

Meanwhile, while the planetary clock is ticking. If there are to be truly real solutions (and not capitalist false solutions) to the many problems we face, it will come out of transformative social movements and not corporate boardrooms. For these reasons, we challenge Thomas Friedman and all other green capitalists to a duel, in which we will continue to expose their shams while pointing towards the social movements in the Majority World that are already living solutions and transforming society towards a liveable, healthy, and non-corporate future based on justice not greed.

Arsonists Torch Drilling Machine in Manawatu (NZ)

24 April 2008
Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui- Vandals stalled construction in the Manawatu River watershed by torching a $750,000 drilling machine. Multimillion-dollar construction projects in the area have sparked heated battles between current residents, environmental advocates and developers. While above ground eco-groups attempt to slog out compromises in the courts, clandestine saboteurs have been costing the construction industry millions in additional expenses each year. Malcolm Abernethy, a technical adviser to the Contractors’ Federation, has said that, small acts of arson and vandalism are a serious threat to industrial progress. “Every night something probably happens, but it’s not always reported.”

The drill, which belonged to Blackley Construction, was the only one of its kind in the country, and operations manager Kevin Bush said the drill was an integral piece of equipment and the incident would probably trigger a change in the company’s protocols. Additional expenses would likely include increased security transporting valuable heavy equipment back and forth from job sites twice a day. “We get hit about once a month I’d say. Not this big, but generally something will be targeted,” Mr Bush said.

Similar acts of vandalism and sabotage in the U.S. are seen as deadly, serious acts of terrorism. Federal law enforcement has made the disruption and apprehension of underground eco-groups like the Earth Liberation Front a greater priority than right-wing groups with a history of indiscriminate bombings, lynchings and assassinations. Environmentally motivated vandalism, while it has yet to have even injured a single person, was ranked by the FBI as “the No. 1 domestic terrorism threat” in 2005. The Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and anti-abortion fanatics were bafflingly not ranked as serious threats. Eco-saboteurs have as of yet not injured a single person, while Christian anti-abortion terrorists have murdered nearly a dozen people and maimed more than 100 in the U.S. alone. Environmentalists who are apprehended routinely face lifelong prison sentences for their actions.

http://bombsandshields.blogspot.com

1 May Day of Climate Action -only one week to go!

1 MAY: DAY OF CLIMATE ACTION
Invasion of the climate snatchers!

Only one week to go!
We’ll keep it short: contacts, resources and ideas for action, and public actions.

If you need any info or support email us!
E: mayday@daysofclimateaction.org.uk
W: http://www.daysofclimateaction.org.uk/mayday.html

1 MAY: DAY OF CLIMATE ACTION
Invasion of the climate snatchers!

Only one week to go!
We’ll keep it short: contacts, resources and ideas for action, and public actions.

If you need any info or support email us!
E: mayday@daysofclimateaction.org.uk
W: http://www.daysofclimateaction.org.uk/mayday.html

For more info and background about the day of action please see the bottom of the posting.

TELL US WHAT YOU GET UP TO – email us or phone us on the day (07880 937511) as soon as your action is underway so we can list it on the website include it in the national press release about the day, and the actions round-up the next day. Our actions are so much more powerful when they are seen on masse!

RESOURCES
Lots of information for action/explaining the issues has gone up on our website in the last few days. Check it out and pick your favourite climate red herring: from agrofuels to nuclear power, carbon-trading to hydrogen fuel cells, carbon capture and storage, genetic engineering to nanotechnology. Uncover these techno-fixes for what they are: a distraction from the root cause of climate change and a means to carry on the status quo of endless economic growth and the exploitation of people and planet.
http://daysofclimateaction.org.uk/mayday.html

There’s also a local press release that you can adapt
http://daysofclimateaction.org.uk/mayday_actionresources.html

15 ideas for action for last-minute action planners! At
http://www.risingtide.org.uk/fossilfoolsday/resources

IDEAS FOR ACTION

There are many possibilities, from direct action, publicity stunts, talks and workshops to stalls. Whether you’re in a group or whether there’s just one or two of you, there are lots of things you can do to raise the vital issues.

Some ideas to get you started!

TAKE DIRECT ACTION. Occupy the offices of you local carbon offsetting company; Blockade your local biofuels refinery; Visit your local nuclear power station or take your cows and veg to a carbon trader and set up a real market ; Protest at your local University’s GM and Nano-tech departments; Protest at your local Tesco petrol station against biofuels

SPREAD THE WORD. Hang banners in public places; Hold talks, workshops and film nights about the issues; Leaflet town on your chosen issue; Free Giveaway stalls; Produce and distribute local-based guide on alternatives to capitalism, co-ops, alternative economies, free shops etc. Co-organise events with union members to discuss the issues around employment and climate change; Write articles and letters for papers and websites.

For inspiration check out the write-up of the actions on Fossil Fools Day
– Truly amazing!
http://www.fossilfoolsdayofaction.org/category/front-page/

PUBLIC ACTIONS
Although lots of people are keeping their plans under wraps, this public demos have been announced (If you know of a publicly announced action, let us know and we’ll list it on the website):

Critical Mass and Demo at Sizewell Nuclear Power Station
Saturday 3rd May, meet at 12 noon at Saxmundham train station for a Critical Mass bike ride to Sizewell nuclear power station.
If you don’t have a bike, get to Saxmundham station anyway and we’ll get you to the power station.
Why Sizewell on this day?

See also the Camp for Climate Action (www.climatecamp.org.uk), Network for
Climate Action (www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk) and Climate Indymedia
(www.climateimc.org)

http://www.daysofclimateaction.org.uk/mayday.html

Why take action on 1 May?

May 1st, international workers day, has traditionally been a day to challenge the capitalist system and a celebration of solidarity and workers’ struggle for a more just social system.

On this day we are calling on people to make the link between capitalism, economic growth, climate change and social struggle.

As climate change is starting to hit people around the world, a huge number of techno-fixes are forming a new economic sector: from biofuels to nuclear power, carbon-trading to hydrogen fuel cells, carbon capture and storage. Everywhere corporations are seeking the elusive elixir which allows us to continue business as usual. All this whilst our planet is burning and people are loosing their homes, their livelyhoods and their lives to climate chaos.

All of these technologies are a distraction from the root cause of climate change: an economic system based on endless economic growth not only at the cost of the environment we live in but also based on an exploitative social system.

Many of these technofixes are also directly counterproductive to stopping climate chaos and pose new threats to people’s livelyhoods and the survival of the planet.

Agrofuels expansion is direcly responsible for subsistence farmers being cleared of their land, food shortages and enormous price rises, whilst doing nothing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Nuclear power is heralded as a green fuel, but the environmental hazards of uranium extraction, radiation leaks during use and storage, the danger of melt-down and fatal applications in warfare are as dangerous as they have always been.

Scientists promise genetically engineered wonder plants to cope with climate changes, but people in third world countries have yet to see any benefits and fight against the patenting of the genes of traditionally used plants, whilst multinationals are lining their pockets.

The real solution to climate change must be a massive reduction in our consumption, the end to economic growth and a society based on equality and mutual aid.

Technofixes are not the answer to climate change – what we need is far reaching social and economic change!

Crowd stops work on new coal loader, Newcastle, Australia

April 19, 2008
A crowd of around 50 protestors walked into the construction site for the third coal terminal on Kooragang Island in Newcaslte this morning, stopping work at the site in protest against the expansion of the coal industry and its contribution to climate change.

The protestors, including a number of parents and grandparents from the Hunter and other regions in NSW say they have been forced to take drastic action because they fear that too little is being done to address our major contribution to climate change – our dependence on coal for power and as an export commodity.

The protestors walked onto the site this morning and immediately informed construction crews that they were on site and that work must cease.

Georgina Woods, spokesperson for Rising Tide Newcastle, who is at he protest said, “Historically, ordinary people have achieved extraordinary things by taking direct action to prevent immoral or unsupportable actions. We are here today because we don’t want our children and grandchildren to bear witness to the terrible havoc that climate change has already begun to wreak on our world.

“We are willing to put ourselves at risk of arrest, if it will help convince the Governments of Australia that expanding the export coal industry is putting everyone’s future in jeopardy.

“We are standing together today to call on the Federal Government in particular to help this region move away from coal and stop this mad expansion that will come at such a terrible cost.

“We call on the delegates at today’s 2020 Ideas Summit to remember that coal exports is Australia’s number one contribution to climate change, as well as our fastest growing. If Australia’s response to climate change fails to include a plan to phase out coal, it will be a failure.

“Many of us here today have never done anything like this before, but we are doing it now, because we may not get another chance.”

More community direct action against coal exports will take place at the in July this year.

The protest lasted for one and a quarter hours. 16 of the protesters were arrested and charged with trespass.

SEA SHEPHERD CREW OCCUPY CONSULATE, MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA

14/04/2008 – Today 5 members and supporters ofthe Sea Shepherd crew, the ‘Steve Irwin’ occupied the offices of the Canadian consulates representative in Melbourne with over 40 activists demonstrating out the front…

Ships manager Benjamin Baldwin said, “We are standing in solidarity with our fellow crew who were mistreated and illegally detained in international waters.

‘We were here to present our concerns to the Honorary Consul, Lois Appleby. We are calling on the Canadian government to drop charges against our crew and apologise to the crew for this gross breach of international law.

‘We are relieved upon hearing this morning that charges were dropped against some of the crew, however call on the Canadian government to drop all charges against the Captain and First Officer prior to their next hearing on the 1st May – they have no jurisdiction.

‘We demand an end to the seal slaughter and call on Australians to make their views known to the Canadian consulate.

The activists were escorted from the building by police after being threatened with arrest as a result of their peaceful protest. There were manygestures of support from the general public out the front of the action with many people shocked that the hunt was still taking place.

For further information: Benjamin Baldwin on 0412 730 813 or 0422 990 040

A professional photographer was on hand and further pictures are available.

Giant Garrett pays a long overdue visit to the Upper Florentine valley, Tasmania

2008-04-14
Activists from Still Wild Still Threatened have welcomed a 6 metre tall Peter Garrett to the Upper Florentine Valley.

2008-04-14
Activists from Still Wild Still Threatened have welcomed a 6 metre tall Peter Garrett to the Upper Florentine Valley. Activists took the ‘giant Garrett’ on a tour of coupe FO42F which is due to be burnt in the immediate future and highlighted their concerns with the continued logging and burning of some of Tasmania’s most carbon dense forests. Old growth forests play an essential role in the global carbon cycle, soaking in and storing huge amounts of carbon from our atmosphere. The logging of FO42F last Summer prompted a number of protests against the continued destruction of high conservation value forests in the area.

“We are speaking out against the systematic eradication of some of our most significant carbon sinks at the hands of local climate criminals Forestry Tasmania and Gunns Ltd., and are calling on Peter Garrett to take immediate action and halt this rampant woodchipping and burning of our precious old growth forests” said Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson Ula Majewski.

“It is an environmentally criminal act to continue decimating and burning these irreplaceable ecosystems Protecting Tasmania’s ancient forests is a simple, cheap and effective climate change solution” said Ms Majewski.

It is rumoured that the ‘giant Garrett’ will be visiting a number of threatened forests during the burn season. The details of this tour will be made public in the near future. Stay tuned.

http://www.myspace.com/stillwildstillthreatened
http://campflorentine@gmail.com

Bunbury – College Grove protesters stop machines for the day

14 April 2008 – College Grove protesters stop machines for the day: Protesters accuse police of using excessive force…
The fourth day of actions by protesters brought work to a halt for the day.

The battle for the forest at College Grove is set to continue for some time to come…

14 April 2008 – College Grove protesters stop machines for the day: Protesters accuse police of using excessive force…
The fourth day of actions by protesters brought work to a halt for the day.

The battle for the forest at College Grove is set to continue for some time to come…

MORE: Protesters accuse police of using excessive force – 11 April 2008

Activists from the College Grove protest in Bunbury have lodged a formal complaint to the Bunbury police regarding an incident in the forest on 9 April 2008. STORY: http://www.radicalhack.com/gwfag/video/violence.htm

Many people have been shocked to witness on both GWN and WIN news a police officer hitting a none violent protester several times directly in front of his supervising officer.

Questions remain to be answered. Firstly, whilst acknowledging and respecting the professionalism and responsible actions of the majority of police officers present, it is only reasonable to ask; was this force applied by one of the police officers in the news footage, necessary to maintain law and order?

Secondly, will the authorities find ways to make this look like the police officer was in the right or will these bully tactics be properly and adequately addressed?

Click here to view the news footage – GWN at normal speed and WIN in slow motion: http://www.radicalhack.com/gwfag/video/violence.wmv

White Crosses bear witness to bulldozed bushland – 12 April 2008:
http://www.radicalhack.com/gwfag/media/080412cross.htm

The Bunbury community has laid dozens of white crosses on land at College Grove that has been bulldozed by LandCorp.

Simon Peterffy, a spokesperson for the College Grove Forest Rescue group said that the crosses were a symbol of the death of the forest. “The bushland at College Grove was a high conservation area, home to the endangered Western Ringtail possum and loved by many people”, he said. “LandCorp has destroyed some of the bush and are planning to destroy more”. “We have asked the community to hammer in a white cross as a symbol of respect for the bush”.

He said that people could bear witness to the destruction that had occurred to a valuable part of Bunbury’s natural heritage. ‘We must be able to show our respect’, he said.

Councillor Brendan Kelly said that the effort by protesters to try to stop the destruction was to be admired. “These rogue developers must realize that they have to stop”, he said. LandCorp has cleared about 3 acres out of 7 to date but are planning to develop nearly 100 acres.

Councillor Kelty said that the world had changed and developers needed to know that their activities are no longer acceptable.

MEDIA Contact: Simon 0422540756 Brendan 0407219515

See photos, video and more information here:
http://www.globalwarmingfg.com/

Actions against urban sprawl (Athens, 13/4/2008)

Drapetsona: After a demonstration organized by the “Initiative for a unified forest” (http://eniaioalsos.gr) protesters invaded the local city hall in the middle of a congress on the urban “reconstruction” with the presence of constructions agents and local authorities. Some protestors even turned off the power switches of the city hall.

Reports in greek: http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=856064

Eleonas: More than 500 residents participated in a tree planting action inside the “under reconstruction” area of Eleonas, against the cementing of the largest free space in Athens, after a call by the “Residents Committee for the rescue of Eleonas” (http://elaionas.wordpress.com). More photos at: http://indy.gr/newswire/o-elainas-apektise-60-elies-akoma.

http://directactiongr.blogspot.com/