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SPAIN
IN THE ARSE When Oreha spoke at the
European Conference on Terrorism in Madrid in January last year
his government was already cracking down on Spanish citizens' civil
liberties; long before September 11th and the beginning of an international
'war on terrorism'. In the past year alone, belonging to the wrong
political party, supporting prisoners, teaching the Basque language,
publishing books and records, editing a magazine, being in a band,
running a radio station, or simply being a journalist has become
a crime in Spain. There have been mass arrests with people taken
to isolation wards where they are often tortured then released a
few days later without charge. This targeting of Basque political
activists has now spread to anarchist and other radical movements,
with raids and arrests being part of a general clampdown. Post September 11th, the European Union agreed new legislation for combating global terrorism, along with a European arrest warrant. The Spanish proposals go further, asking for a more proactive EU wide database to keep an eye on protestors. They reckon that this extension "would provide a very helpful tool in preventing and, where appropriate, prosecuting violent urban youthful radicalism, which is increasingly being used as a cat's-paw by terrorist groups in order to achieve their criminal aims." But it's not just Spain that is widening the definition of terrorism; we in the UK are 'fortunate' enough to be protected by some of the world's toughest anti-terrorist legislation. Barrister Stephanie Harrison, from the Campaign Against Criminalising Communities reckons that the Terrorist Act 2000 (SchNEWS 268), alongside its even tougher little sister, the Anti Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (see SchNews 331), are not only criminalising dissent amongst the locals, but are a direct attack on the rights of vulnerable groups - mainly immigrant communities. Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, Leader of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain told SchNEWS that the situation within the British Muslim and Arabic community is becoming unbearable. "We are the target of this legislation - there is a witch hunt going on - a fishing expedition. Innocent people are being harassed, families are being disturbed, children traumatised. there is a climate of fear in our community". And it doesn't stop there, as new legislation allows instant internment, providing the police with powers to detain people indefinitely without trial. Often based on the most circumstantial of evidence, Asians and Muslims the length and breath of this fair and pleasant land are finding themselves being detained under this new legislation. Dr Siddiqui's message is clear "The whole Muslim community is frightened, intimidated and traumatised; as a result the people are not getting involved in community activities, and people are asking 'is it worth it?'" In January Yasadigimiz Vatan, a Turkish language socialist weekly magazine had its last two issues confiscated by police who said it was "property for the use of terrorism." Vatan has been distributed in the UK for the past two years so what has changed? According to one of its workers "The Terrorism Act 2000, which is not being used to fight terrorism but to fight democrats and prevent press freedom in this country." Estella Schmidt from the Kurdish National Congress (KNK) told us that as far as UK based Kurds are concerned it is more a case of harassment than actual detention. Demonstrators are constantly being filmed, and follow up calls from police to homes of Kurds is commonplace often late at night and unannounced."These people are not from this country, and despite protesting innocently, and making it quite clear that they are not supporting terrorists, they are still harassed by police - it is similar to the way the Irish have been treated in the past." As the Spanish example shows, it's not long before the authoritarian finger starts pointing at anyone who dares to disagree. Raif, a lawyer from Coalition Against the Terror Acts, told SchNEWS "With so much police activity against refugees and Muslims, many people are becoming complacent. This new document confirms exactly what we've been warning of for ages. All effective dissent will be treated the same: you are either with them or you are a terrorist and outlaw."
BASKET
CASE After being released
5 months ago because of lack of evidence, the same judge has shoved
him back in prison again without any evidence and upped his charge
to 'membership of an armed organisation'! 'Ardibeltza' has been
banned, but a similar paper has since started on the French side
of the Basque Country called Kalegorria. www.kalegorria.net
(in Euskal/Spanish) CRAP
ARREST OF THE WEEK
THE
ITALIAN JOB On Wednesday morning, the Carabinieri (Italian paramilitary police) raided three social centres that were partly being used as offices for Indymedia. Two attorneys from Genoa gave the order for the nation-wide operation in which police seized computers, archives, and equipment as part of an ongoing enquiry investigating the events of last summers anti G8 protest in Genoa. The raid was meant to confiscate footage and info on the brutal police raid of two buildings during the protests (see SchNEWS 314/315). These were being used for accommodation, medical, media and legal services by protestors and the raids received international condemnation. Amnesty and the United Nations have each ordered independent enquiries into police conduct. One of the social centres raided was the Cobas Trade Union centre, which with over 10,000 members is the biggest of its kind in Italy. During the raids police confiscated over 160 hours of original video footage of the protests including film of the murder of Carlo Gulliani by police and the school raid. Two days ago Itallian Defence minister Skajola admitted that he did in fact give the order of 'shoot to kill' if any sizeable number of people moved into the red zone during the protests. A spokesperson from Indymedia told SchNEWS, "It's not likely that they will use the stuff they've nicked from Indymedia to properly investigate and try the police for murder and excessive violence. We reckon they'll just use it to identify and arrest more protestors.they already have loads of cctv footage of the protests, why else would they need ours too?" Indymedia was established in Seattle to cover the protests against the World Trade Organisation, and the idea has now spread across the world. In the Berlusconi controlled media world of Italy, Indymedia is one of the few independants - during the G8 demonstrations they were getting over one million hits a day. A demonstration
will take place at the Italian embassy in London on Saturday. There
will also be a demo in Rome on March, 16th. http://italy.indymedia.org
Check out www.indymedia.org.uk
for updates. POSITIVE
SchNEWS As much as 40 per cent of what households throw away in their bins is compostable, and yet the UK currently composts just 3 per cent of its total waste. So instead of being put in a compost bin and being turned into an amazing organic pick-me-up for the garden, it gets thrown into landfill sites where it produces methane, a potent 'greenhouse' gas and 'leachate', a liquid pollutant which can contaminate ground water supplies. Composted household waste - ideally home made - is an excellent alternative to using peat. Alternatively you can buy peat free compost, or get hold of some animal dung. For a guide to home composting check out www.hdra.org.uk SchNEWS
in brief ** Street Medic training weekend, essential first aid training for activists. 9-10 March at the film Akademie, overtoom 301, Amsterdam. Details cia_infocafe@disinfo.net ** The next Mayday 2002 meeting is taking place on Sunday 24th Feb at The Calthorpe Arms pub on Grays Inn Road, London 2pm ** Central America Conference with speakers from the continent, food and creche 9 March at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, Mount Street, Liverpool, and Sunday 10 March at The Casa, 29 Hope Street £12/5. Info and tickets from ruth@esnet.co.uk ** A strike at a Paris McDonalds that has been going on since October has ended in victory, with the workers winning their right to go back to work - lucky them!. This was the longest strike in McDonalds history www.ainfos.ca ** A planning meeting for possible actions during the next NATO conference in Prague at the end of the year is being held from 9-10th March For more info email: intersec@csaf.cz ** A community
conference on the proposed changes to the council system in Brighton
and Hove organised by 'Our Power' 23rd Feb 2-5pm at Brighthelm
Centre www.ourpower.org.uk AVIN'
A PEASANT TIME Taking advantage of the "War-Against-Terrorism" hysteria, the Pakistani government is once again trying to take-over the lands of Hashtnagar. They also aim to retake Okkara, Khanewal, Sargodha and Pak-pattan in other parts of the country in order to reverse gains made by the peasant movement in Pakistan over the past 10 years.. On 22nd January, 3,500 police armed with guns, tear-gas shells, armoured vehicles and jeeps attacked the village. Tractors were used to destroy peasant crops. MKP party activists and students surrounded the armoured vehicles to stop them firing into the crowd. Police attacked another village several kilometers away in the hope that they would have an easier time of it since the men of the village weren't around. The peasant women attacked the convoy and again the police had to retreat. The same night police arrested a peasant leader called Gulab Gul. In retaliation peasants attacked a police convoy, capturing some police officers, before going on to raid the police station where Gul was being held. Peasants then threatened to burn down the police station if their leader was not released! The entire area was surrounded by police arresting people who hadn't even participate in the fighting. 16 arrests were made in total, 8 of which were of people so old they couldn't even walk properly without support. The situations is very tense and may erupt into full scale armed conflict at any time. www.ptb.be/international/
Inside
SchNEWS On Monday activists stormed six UK offices, plants and peat extraction sites in protest against the destruction of rare peat bog habitats. The actions were part of the campaign against Scotts, the worlds biggest horticultural multinational. Peat Alert is a recently formed national campaign network, which aims to stop peat extraction in the UK and Europe. Danielle Locke, a spokesperson for the network explains, "Some of the most diverse and exciting habitats on this island are being systematically destroyed by the peat industry. Thorne and Hatfield Moors, Britain's two largest Peat bogs which support over 5,500 species, are being turned into grow bags by US Multinational Scotts. Once again, the call for resistance must go out to defend what little nature we have left." The Moors are home to 25 endangered species and are an essential haven for fast disappearing peat bog bio-diversity. English Nature, Peat Alert and Thorne and Hatfield Conservation Forum say that despite decades of extraction having severely degraded Hatfield Moor, regeneration is possible if peat extraction is stopped. In a few years they reckon there won't be enough peat left to allow this diverse bog ecosystem to re-establish itself. Scotts disagree, claiming that the hydrology of the peat bogs is so badly damaged by years of peat working, it can no longer be restored and is not worth protecting. So, they're gonna keep digging rather than handing the sites back to English Nature to conserve. * Easter
blockade 2002! 25-28 March. 4 days of direct action at the Scotts
Peat works, Hatfield Moor, near Doncaster. Bring tents and equipment,
food provided. 0113 2629365 www.peatalert.org.uk
And
finally... Disclaimer Cor-blimley-they’re-practically-giving-them-away book offer SchNEWS Round
issues 51 - 100 £4.50 inc. postage. In addition to 50 issues of SchNEWS, each book contains articles, photos, cartoons, subverts, a “yellow pages” list of contacts, comedy etc. All the above books are available from the Brighton Peace Centre, saving postage yer tight gits. Subscribe
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You can also pick SchNEWS up at the Brighton Peace and Environment
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