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Story Links:
Heartbreak Hotel | Chapel of Love | Crap Arrest of the Week | Positive SchNEWS | RAF America | War Briefs | SchNEWS in Brief | Murder by Degree | RIP | DEMO CALL | ...and finally...

HEARTBREAK HOTEL

CHAPEL OF LOVE

There were 100,000 people and a mind boggling 1,714 events. They were crammed into a Catholic University, football stadiums, a gymnasium, five marquees and some dockside warehouses. Described by some as the “People’s UN,” this was the World Social Forum (WSF) which happened in Porto Alegre, Brazil last week.
Since the very first WSF three years ago, the event has become, according to Noam Chomsky, “unparallelled in world history.”

So what is the WSF? Conceived as a direct alternative to the corporate knees up globalisation ball known as the World Economic Forum, the WSF is a week of workshops, discussions, and brainstorming for social change without profiteering and neoliberalism—and it runs at exactly the same time every year as the World Economic Forum.

In addition to WSF workshops, several “parallel conferences” sprang up around the city, including an anarchist convention and a youth camp in a nearby park where about 10,000 people pitched camp, including representatives of Indymedia from around the world.

The choice of Porto Alegre is symbolic too. For 15 years the city’s governing Worker’s Party - which now rules Brazil through the leftwing President Lula - has been deciding the budget through a process of popular participation, redistributing wealth, reducing poverty and eliminating corruption as a result.

One SchNEWS hack sorting through the myraid of events and opinions said that three issues seemed to stand out: Palestine, opposition to the war on Iraq, and the Latin American issue of the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas, which Bolivian Indian leader Evo Morales described as a charter for “transnational pirates.”

This year, Brazalian President Lula went to both the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre AND the World Economic Forum in Davos. Many weren’t happy with that – the leader of Lula’s Worker’s Party, José Genoino, received a pie in the face as a protest.

As the Confectioners without Borders who delivered the pie-ing said in their communique, “The wave that carries Lula’s Worker´s Party to electoral success is not, in any form, the same wave that supports the movement against capitalist globalization. Our movement is without leaders or representatives. No one can speak in our name. If someone in Davos ‘represents’ the movement, it is ourselves, the thousands that occupy the roads of Geneva in protest against the reunion of bankers, businessman, and governments that the Worker´s Party legitimates. The hope for change that we carry cannot one more time be co-opted and frustrated by politicians and political parties that wish to promote themselves at our expense. This time we are going to do things differently.” http://www.portoalegre2003.org/publique/

Crap Arrest of the Week

For writing about Cuba on the internet.
When his friends attended an unsanctioned conference in Cuba and attracted the attention of the Treasury Department, Tom Warner, the 77-year-old secretary of the Seattle / Cuba Friends Committee was unsurprised. What did surprise him was when a letter arrived accusing him of ‘organising’ the event and threatening to fine him $20,000. This was all the more surprising due to the fact that he wasn’t even AT the conference! Tom’s major mistake was to put details of the conference on his website. Making his mark on history, Tom’s nefarious actions have made him the first man to be arrested by the Bush Administration for using the internet to promote something against government policy.

Positive SchNEWS

The government has just announced they have £10 million in grants for households and communities to develop their own renewable energy projects. Free info service availabe from the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), for individuals and groups who would like advice about participating in the renewable revolution. 01654-705950 www.cat.org.uk

RAF America

On Wednesday, the Defence Select Commitee agreed to the use of Menwith Hill and RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire for U.S. Ballistic Missile Defence systems otherwise known as the ‘Son of Star Wars’ (see SchNEWS 307). Fylingdales will house an early warning system and Menwith Hill will process the data. A public discussion paper on upgrading the facilities at these two sites was released in December, but even then it was clear that the decision to use the bases had already been made. Minister of War Geoff Hoon has come under severe attack from peace campaigners and even from his own backbenchers for the speed at which he has handed the bases over to America. His decision was of course in no way swayed by the promise of lucrative new contracts for UK arms dealers. In order to ease concerns, Hoon stressed there would be no change to the appearance of Fylingdales or its power output and that the upgrade would be paid for by the US – phew, so we can all sleep easily after all!

There are ongoing peace camps at Menwith Hill and Fylingdales. For more information contact Yorkshire CND on 01274 730795 or cndyorks@gn.apc.org www.cndyorks.gn.apc.org For more info on the ‘Son of Star Wars’ see SchNEWS 307.

War Briefs

• It was another busy weekend last weekend for anti-war demonstrations around the world. On Saturday there were protests in Genoa, Istanbul, Greece and closer to home Norwich was brought to a standstill, as well as protests in Edinburgh and Colchester.
• On Saturday over 200 protesters marched on RAF St Athans, in Wales and demanded to search for weapons of mass destruction www.icwi.org
• Over 1,500 people took part in a demonstration last Sunday at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and 50 people managed to get into the base www.gwi.org.uk
• On Monday the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior, along with other boats, entered Marchwood Military port in Southampton and blocked the departure of UK military supply vessels heading for Iraq. www.greenpeace.org.uk
• On Tuesday Trident Ploughshares activists locked themselves to the gates of Rolls Royce in Derby and prevented workers getting to work. The factory produces nuclear fuel components for trident submarines. 0845 4588366 www.tridentploughshares.org
• On Wednesday a peace activist was arrested at Shannon airport, Ireland after she was found causing damage to an American military plane parked there. Although she didn’t manage to disarm the plane, she did manage to cause 500,000 Euros worth of damage. There is now a permanent peace camp outside Shannon Airport. Contact 061-365871 www.shannonpeacecamp.org
• Cambridge peace march, Sat 1st,12 noon, Market Square
• Demonstration at USAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, used by US jets to bomb Iraq in the past and currently housing nuclear weapons, 12 noon Monday 3rd, Gate 1, USAF Lakenheath - Just off the A1065. Non-violence workshop the day before. 01508 550 446, www.lakenheathaction.org
• Sussex Action for Peace meeting, 4th Feb, 7.30pm, Brighthelm Centre Tel: 01273 706820 www.safp.org.uk
• Worthing against War demo next Saturday 8th 1pm in Montague Place. worthingagainstwar@yahoo.co.uk
• Hands off Iraq, a morning of speakers, discussion, videos, banner making and children’s activities. Sat 8 Feb, Brighthelm Centre, North Road, Brighton 9.30am–1pm.
• The D10 affinity group, who helped organise the weekend of action at Northwood earlier this month, are producing a free news sheet on nonviolent action against the war for distribution at the big march in London on the 15th February. If you want to help distribute them on the day contact d10northwood@gmx.net

SchNEWS in brief

• The Brighton Station site plans are on hold! This week the Government Office for the South-East ordered that no work could start until requests for a Public Inquiry were considered. It’s time to keep up the pressure and save the Station site from rampant development! www.buddbrighton.org
• Things go from bad to worse for vivisectors Huntingdon Life Sciences. Two of their key directors recently resigned and were replaced by a paper-merchant who promptly resigned a couple of weeks later. HLS has also lost the services of Cambridge Pet Crematorium who were disposing of dead animals for them. www.shac.net
• Yesterday protesters invaded the Papua New Guinea High Commission in London. Papua New Guinea are ordering the OPM (Free Papua Movement) to return to West Papua and have threatened to forcibly return all West Papuans living in the Vanimo refugee camp. Those deported to West Papua face torture and death at the hands of the murderous Indonesian military. www.fPcN-global.org
• Since 1998, there have been 4,000,000 people killed in the Congo, largely over resources for the West. However the BBC have ignored this genocide. Picket the BBC, Bush House (Africa Service), The Strand, London, 5 Feb. - 7.30pm. Organised by Stop All Imperialist Wars Against Africa And Africans, 020-82651731/020-89680113.
• A ‘Save Live Music!’ group has been established to oppose the Government’s proposed Licensing Bill (see SchNEWS 388). Join the discussion list by sending a blank email to savelivemusic-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
• Imbolc Pagan Cabaret this Sat (1st), 7pm at the Ray Tindle Centre, North Laines, £4.
• Green Architecture Day 2003, learn about self-building, renewable and waste-material buildings. 1 Feb 9.30am-5.30pm, Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, South Laines, Brighton.
• The Cowley Club, a co-operative social centre run by volunteers in Brighton, has finally opened! The bar is open in the evenings from 7-11pm as a private members’ club. During the day, the club will be open to the public as a cafe and bookshop starting from Feb 11th. It’s located at 12 London Road, opposite Somerfield. Wednesday night video showings will start Feb 5th at 8pm. All members and their guests are welcome.
• On Tuesday 28th, Dartmoor National Park Authority lost an appeal in the highcourt which could have removed the temporary planning permission won for Steward Community Woodland. The judge said that the “...DNPA could not see the wood for the trees.” This give the sustainable living project at least 4 1/2 years. www.stewardwood.org 01647 440233

Murder by Degree

As Bush blunders on with his “War on Terrorism”, the US courts are busying themselves handing out draconian sentences to scores of Human Rights activists who dare to oppose the training of terrorists on their own soil. The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Co-operation (see SchNEWS 382), formerly the School of the Americas, has spent the last 57 years spewing out 60,000 paramilitary graduates with honours in coercion and repression, ready for export to Latin America. SOA graduates include some of the region’s most notorious dictators, like Norriega, Galtieri and Suarez.

This isn’t just for fun. The school is an integral part of US foreign policy - influencing Latin American politics and economics in order to protect US interests by aiding and influencing South American militaries.

Last November 10,000 activists gathered peacefully at the school in Fort Benning to demand its closure. 43 were nicked for the hideous crime of ‘repeated line-crossing’ and have been sentenced this week with up to 6 months in federal jail, with a $2,000 fine to boot! Many of these dangerous criminals were nuns.

One activist managed to get the last word. Addressing Judge Mallon Faircloth after getting 3 months, Eloy Garcia said, “Thank you Judge. These harsh sentences will only make our movement, our opposition to this unjust war which is shared by millions across the globe, even stronger.” www.soaw.org/new/

* Last weekend a group of 150 Colombian paramilitaries assassinated 4 Kuna indigenous leaders in an attack on a remote mountain community in Paya. Doing the dirty work for the US-backed (often trained) Colombian military, the paramilitaries systematically terrorise rural populations and ‘silence’ any opposition. www.zNet.org; www.lasolidarity.org;

RIP

Kathleen Jannaway has died peacefully in her sleep. She was co-founder of Movement for Compassionate Living, author of the inspiring book, ‘Abundant Living in the Coming Age of the Tree’, an early vegan pioneer, and former secretary of the Vegan Society (UK). The Movement for Compassionate Living promotes simple living and self-reliance as a remedy against the exploitation of humans, animals and the Earth. More about Kathleen’s message can be seen at www.mclveganway.org.uk/

* There will be a tree planting ceremony next Saturday (8) for ‘Mad Pride’ Pete Shaunghnessy at Moulsecoomb Forest Garden and Wildlife Project, Brighton at 11.30 am. Everyone who knew Pete is welcome - email info@forestgarden.fsnet.co.uk for directions or call the SchNEWS office.

...and finally...

More Crapita! CAPITA, the “outsourcing specialists” (running public services as a private business), who’ve been dubbed crapita after cocking up everything they touch from housing benefit to passports, have now taken over the running of TV licensing in Bristol. They sent out tens of thousands of leaflets to homes inviting punters to call a hotline. Only problem is that they printed the phone number of a tyre wholesaler, who then received over 500 TV licensing enquiries a day. The tyre company may now sue Crapita for loss of earnings.
(Stolen from Bristol’s local newsheet, The Bristolian - www.bristolian.freeservers.com)

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SchNEWS warns all Mail readers to beware of premature immigration. Honest.

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