Date sent: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 10:11:40 GMT
Send reply to: schnews-l@gn.apc.org
From: "Jo Makepeace"
Subject: SchNEWS 298, Friday 23rd March, 2001 2
This is SchNEWS, the weekly direct action newsletter published by Justice?
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Wake up! Wake up! It's yer chat up
SchNEWS
Published in Brighton by Justice? - Brighton's Direct Action collective
ISSUE 298, FRIDAY 23rd March, 2001
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TRADE JAZZ
"The World Trade Organisation's position at present amounts to asking poor
nations to trust them as honest brokers. Given their record, this is a bit
like the big bad wolf telling Little Red Riding Hood, 'Sorry about your
granny. Why don't you pop over for lunch?'" - Gary Younge
This week politicians and corporations were bigging up more trade
agreements as ways of helping the poor of the world get a bigger slice of
the cake. But not everyone in the so-called global village is having the
(global) village idiot wool pulled over their eyes.
GENEVA: Protestors dressed as businessmen an d waving butterfly nets were
seen chasing other demonstrators dressed as giant taps, mobile phones and
first aid kits on the lawns of the World Trade Organisation headquarters
on Monday. They were marking the opening of the next round of trade talks
- the General Agreement on Trades in Services or GATS (see SchNEWS 286).
Everything from water to housing, education to hospitals could go under
the corporate hammer with the World Development Movement describing GATS
as 'an agreement set to privatise the world's public services in the
interests of big business.' Even World Trade Organisation officials have
described GATS as a means of locking countries into 'liberalisation' - and
once a country's privatised any service there's no going back on the
decision. Unless they're willing to face trade sanctions. www.wdm.org.uk
NEW DELHI: 100,000 farmers gathered in New Delhi in a last ditch battle
against plans by the World Trade Organisation to liberalise agriculture.
Farmers are worried amongst other things about highly subsidised imports
of agricultural goods from rich countries flooding their country. Mahendra
Singh Tikait from the Bharatiya Kisan Union's said, "Unless you organise
and come into the streets, nobody will listen to you." swamy.krrs@vsnl.com
QUEBEC: From the 20-22 April Quebec City has the 'honour' of hosting the
Summit of the Americas. One of the Summit's major goals is putting the
final touches on the Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement which aims
to establish a "free trade" zone that would extend NAFTA (the North
American Free Trade Agreement - see SchNEWS 200) to the tip of South
America. As usual the main purpose of this trade area is to allow
corporations to reap greater profits by getting rid of what they perceive
as barriers to trade - silly things like environmental regulations,
unionised workplaces, restrictions on child labour etc. Demonstrations are
planned and the police are promising the largest security operation in
Canadian history. www.quebec2001.net
NAPLES: Twenty thousand anti-globalisation protestors clashed with six
thousand police on Saturday at the end of a Global Forum Conference on
e-government. A security cordon ringed the conference, which discussed
things like Italy's first electronic ID card. TV footage showed isolated
demonstrators, as well as journalists, TV cameramen and two of their own
plainclothes being beaten by cops! Father Vitaliano Della Sala who took
part in the Zapatista march to Mexico City last week (see SchNEWS 297)
said, "It was easier for sub-commandante Marcos to reach Mexico City than
for these kids to reach Piazza Plebiscito." www.noglobal.org
ARGENTINA: Cuts of nearly $4.5 billion over the next two years have
plunged Argentina into economic and political crisis. The austerity
package is in order to receive loans from the International Monetary Fund.
Two finance ministers as well as government officials have walked out in
protest, unions announced a series of general strikes, students are
planning protests at cuts in education while opposition leaders said they
would not support the measures. The President has asked Congress to grant
him special emergency powers to push through the cuts.
GENOA: Support is building for the demonstrations against the G8 - leaders
of the seven richest industrialised countries plus Russia - Summit in
Genoa on 20-23rd July. Maybe that's why there are rumours that events
could turn into a real life Water World with delegates stuck aboard luxury
cruisers anchored in Genoa Bay in an effort to foil protesters. Anyone got
a submarine? www.genoa-g8.org
BRUSSELS: The European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT) have told
European governments to stop dragging their feet over their proposals to
enhance 'competitiveness'. ERT, made up of 46 of Europe's top business
leaders with a combined annual turnover of £600 billion, has sent 10
recommendations to the European Union heads of state ahead of this
weekend's summit in Stockholm. Among some of the things they want to see
de-regulated and up for grabs are the European energy market, postal
services, financial markets and air traffic control. And they are used to
getting their own way with one newspaper describing them as "a shadowy
lobby group that has for the past 15 years exerted an iron grip on
policymaking in Brussels." www.xs4all.nl/~ceo
GOTHENBURG: The next big European Union meeting takes place in the
picturesque city of Gothenburg, Sweden. Resplendent with cobbled streets
and a proud history of mass mobilisations this'll rock! Throughout the
Scandinavian region anti-EU feelings are running high with both Denmark
and Sweden entering the EU on very small referendum margins. Events
planned so far include a counter conference from 13-15th June, a mass
blockade on Friday followed by another big demo Saturday.
http://motkraft.net/gbg2001/ www.forumgoteborg.org
LONDON: Monopoly disOwn it all. Celebrate MayDay by playing Monopoly. Get
involved by organising yer own autonomous actions, choose a Monopoly
theme: housing, debt, railways, privatised utilities, prisons, etc.
Followed by a Carnival-stylee celebration of the day's events in Oxford
Street at 4pm. Bring white overalls, padding, helmets, inflatable toys and
a sense of fun and adventure. www.maydaymonopoly.net or
www.mayday2001.org, or call the action line 07960-973-847
* There is a rally to make Brighton the first GATS free zone, 29th
March, 3.30pm, Bartholomew Square.
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Total so far raised by this year's Comic Relief: £25 million. Total of
Africa's Debt: £261billion - not so funny.
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CRAP ARREST OF THE WEEK
For crossing a road! It's good to walk. At a demo in Spain last summer
against The National Telemarketing Collective Trade Agreement - which wins
the SchNEWS award for dullest treaty of the week - 4 people were nicked
for strolling across a street when the red man was showing. Luckily the
situation is being monitored, although rumours that the police have to
make 37 arrests every hour or face the sack remain unconfirmed.
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TICKET TO RISE
"Oh we do love to be beside the seaside" (just as well, really)! As part
of Rising Tide's ongoing campaign against climate chaos, 25 people went on
an outing by train last weekend. Refusing to pay more than 10% of the cost
of the ticket from Manchester to Blackpool, they called for a 90% decrease
in train fares to make public transport affordable and get people out of
their cars - they are a major producer of carbon emissions, which cause
global warming. Passengers were given free chocolate cake and leaflets
about climate change. Despite the hot air emitted by "Two jags" Prescott
and the other delegates at last year's Climate Conference in The Hague
(SchNEWS 285), what's really required is a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions
worldwide.
Top tip: If you try this action yourselves, talk to the guard first -
they'll be more likely to support you if you're upfront with them. The
guard on Rising Tide's day out agreed that train fares are extortionate,
adding that only a revolution will sort out our problems!
www.risingtide.org.uk
* While footpaths are closed to the public due to foot and mouth disease
(even in unaffected areas), work is continuing on the Birmingham Northern
Relief Road, even though a large part of the route is within exclusion
zones in Staffordshire. Public meetings are taking place along the route
this weekend, call 0121 643 9117 for details. Oh, and the Highways Agency
has admitted that the new road will do nothing to reduce congestion when
it opens in 2004. Er, so what's the point of it then?
www.bnrr.co.uk/home.htm
* Bradford Critical Mass bike ride is springing back into action on the
last Friday of the month - meet at 5.15pm, Centenary Square. Check out the
SchNEWS party and protest site to find out if there's a Critical Mass in
your area.
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KOREA OPPORTUNITIES
Over a month ago 1,751 Korean workers were laid off at the Daewoo factory
in Bupyong, this has been imposed by the IMF "restructuring" plans to make
it more attractive for sale to the American car giant General Motors. But
they didn't take it lying down. Workers held a sit in at the factory, and
were joined by their friends and families, after three days they were
evicted by 2,000 police in full riot gear, with one pregnant woman losing
her baby. There then followed four days of riots on the streets, workers
and students joined forces attacking the police with metal poles and
petrol bombs. Protests are now continuing on a daily basis, all protest in
Bupyong has been outlawed and the protests have spread to the capital
Seoul. The workers message is "We've nothing more to lose, what can we do
but protest?" See http://dwtubon.nodong.net/english for more details and
how you can help.
* Korean Anarchists have started a (highly illegal in Korea) anti-military
service campaign, and are now being investigated by the Cyber Crimes Squad
of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. http://anarclan.net
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SchNEWS in brief
* 'Crowd Bites Wolf - S26 the Czech Connection' is an excellent new
film
from the guerillavision crew all about last year's Prague protests.
Copies available from the SchNEWS office £5 plus 80p large SAE.
guerillavision@angelfire.com or catch it at Bristol's Cube Cinema
next Tues (27th) 8pm. £2/free depending on ability to pay. Also
showing is Bougainville's 'The Coconut Revolution'
www.videonetwork.org
* Corporations are always on the look out for ways to keep on buying -
but one problem is while we're sleeping we're not consuming. What's
to be done? Check out 'The Abolition of Sleep as a Corporate
Imperative' by Cattleprod for a good tongue in cheek look at some
solutions. It costs 50p + SAE and ask 'em for a list of their other
publications: c/o MERCi, 22a Beswick St., Ancoats, Manchester, M4 7HS
e-mail: cattleprod99@hotmail.com
* When SchNEWS wants something hot and spicy we usually pop down to our
local curry house. But we could now just ask our friendly local
bobby, as Sussex Police have become the first force in the country to
arm their officers with dangerous pepper spray.
* Protest Against Genetics Field Trial in Sussex. 12 pm Quintiles
Shopping Centre Car Park, Hailsham for rally and march. Transport
from Brighton, meet 10.30am Brighton Station car park 01273-628441
* We've got to mention the festival benefit for the Czechoslovak
Anarchist Federation/Anarchist Black Cross in Mladkov - Vlckovice on
the 7th April just for the description of some of the music being
played. Sicher Hate System (crust punk), Noise Shit (crust grind) and
the best one Malignant Tumor who apparently play mincecore!
abc@csaf.cz
* "Elections - What Do They Achieve?" Ex wannabe MP Chris Hare will
tell
of his disillusionment with the party political charade at Worthing
Eco-Action. 3rd April 7.45pm, 42 Marine Parade, Worthing.
* Discussion on 21st Century Anarchy at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square,
London, 7th April 10am-5pm, £2/free. London Anarchist Federation
07946 214 590 www.afed.org.uk
* Mary Robinson, the UN Human Rights Commissioner, is quitting as she
is
frustrated by lack of funds and progress. It might have something to
do with the commission having members from Algeria, Saudi Arabia and
the "Democratic Republic" of Congo, who of course know all about
human rights!
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Positive SchNEWS
As processed monoculture, fast food continues to dish up dross, a group of
Italian chefs have for the past twelve years been fighting back with the
Slow Food Movement. The aims include to "savour and rediscover the
flavours of regional cooking and banish the degrading effects of fast
food" and "slow food for the defence of and the right to pleasure." The
group will be in London this week hosting workshops on using local, fresh
produce cooked in simple regional ways. The chefs, who come from the
Italian regions of Cervere, Bruzzio and Lombardia, lack Michelin stars and
city glamour but make up for it easily with their knowledge of rare foods
including the growing and picking of their own produce. Make yer mouth
water at www.slow-food.com (although we'll give the snails a miss).
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Inside SchNEWS
Late on Friday 16 March, Delroy Lindo was arrested for the 38th time in
eight years (see SchNews 260, 265). Delroy, a black community worker, was
nicked at a shopping centre in London after cops driving pass on the other
side claimed he mouthed the words 'wanker' at them. The real reason is
that Delroy's been a thorn in the side of the establishmentat for the last
16 years, including organising a campaign to free Winston Silcott, who was
wrongly sent down for the murder of P.C. Blakelock in the riots on
Broadwater Farm, London in 1985.
This time Delroy, who suffered injuries during the arrest, was held for 6
hours at the infamous Hornsey police station - infamous for the death of
Joy Gardener, which kicked-off the riot on Broadwater Farm. After holding
Delroy all night, he was offered a caution which was flatly refused. He
was once again released without charge.
An internal report by the Met published six weeks ago concluded that
Delroy has been unduly harassed - it seems the cops who arrested him
didn't read the report. Lindo is suing the Met for £1 million after years
of stress for him and his family. For more info contact Haringey Racial
Equality Council, Tel 0973 313139 e-mail hassm80@hotmail.com
* Lee Himlin has been on remand for six weeks for criminal damage to
quarrying equipment at Nine Ladies. He's been moved to Nottingham and is
not allowed any stamps, parcels or anarchist filth like this. Letters to:
Lee Himlin EX7748, HMP Perry Road, Sherwood, Nottingham N65 3AG. * The
Nine Ladies Campaign is waiting for the final decision about the quarry on
25th May. http://pages.zoom.co.uk/~nineladies/ Tel: 0777 943 1820
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MUMBO JUMBO
Part of the Muhlenberg Loch in Germany, one Europe's largest freshwater
tidal flats, home to migrating birds, including a number of endangered
species, and a number of extremely rare plants is supposedly protected by
three international environmental protection agreements. This hasn't
stopped the German court ruling that one fifth of it should be filled in
to make way for a factory for the EU-subsidised "super-jumbo". But, the
real jumbo sized threat to the tidal flats is sea level rise, flooding the
area with salt water. Sea level rise is caused by global warming and the
fastest growing source is air traffic. www.spectrezine.org (See SchNEWS
283)
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...and finally...
An ex-dope smuggler from the U.S, who's just done ten years for possessing
75 tons of pot, has decided to go straight and get a 'proper job'. What's
wrong with that, you might say, until you hear that this cunning
entrepeneur put a quarter page advert in the Toronto Financial Post
telling how he masterminded a $100 million a year busines. As he says in
his "work wanted" ad: "I owned and operated a successful 'fishing
business' including some boats, one air plane, an island (!) and a
processing facility. I also participated in the executive level management
of 120 people involved in the firm." He goes on to list his attributes as
being an "expert in all aspects of security, well educated, reliable and
sober," finishing by listing his references as his 'friends and family and
the U.S. District Attorney.' Which all proves this guy is no dope.
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disclaimer
SchNEWS warns all high flying activists to come back down to earth. Honest
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