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Issue 207, Friday 9th April 1999

WAR IS PEACE

"The first casualty of war is always the truth"
- Traditional

On 24th March, two weeks after Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined NATO, NATO launched massive air strikes against Serbia. As ever, superpower aggression was dressed up as a humanitarian exercise, this time to defend Kosovan Albanians from Serb terror. As ever, this was a lie. Since 1992 the desire of Germany, Britain and the United States to expand their influence into eastern Europe at the expense of an enfeebled Russia has brought war, genocide and 100,000 dead to the peoples of the former Yugoslavia. Those dying now in Kosovo and Serbia are the latest victims of these western powers' bid for control of the region.

There is no doubt that Milosevic is engaged in mass murder of the majority ethnic Albanian population in Kosovo. Ethnic Albanians account for over 80% of Kosovo's two million population - well over one million of these Albanian Kosovans are now refugees, either inside Kosovo or in neighbouring countries. It is still unclear how many have been killed by the Serbian army, police and fascist paramilitaries.

Until 1989 Kosovo had been an autonomous province within Yugoslavia, but with the rise of nationalist hatred fuelled by the super powers, Milosevic was able to use his assertion of Serbian nationalism in Kosovo to grab power for himself in Serbia - and lay the basis for war, ethnic cleansing and genocide in Bosnia and, now, Kosovo. There is no doubt that Milosevic's warmongering, encouraged and payrolled by western powers when it suited them, needs to be opposed.

But NATO's attacks on Serbia are nothing to do with protecting Kosovan civilians - their plight is now worse than ever. For less than a tenth of the cost of one bomber, NATO could have supplied significant amount of arms to the Kosovan Liberation Army or supported what is left of the democratic opposition in Serbia. Of course, they did neither - because they are concerned with global power struggles, not the plight of those they cynically exploit to justify their warmongering.

If the United States, Britain and the other massive military powers currently bombing the former Yugoslavia were concerned with defending "innocent civilians" they have had numerous opportunities to do so recently - and not done it. In Turkey, the Kurds have had their villages burnt, their culture outlawed, their people killed and turned into refugees by the thousand without any action from NATO - maybe because Turkey is a key strategic member of NATO. When one million Rwandans were systematically slaughtered in a hundred days Clinton did nothing to prevent it because it did not suit US global interests to do so.

The air strikes NATO are carrying out are aimed at ensuring that Serbia, with its strong economic and political links to Russia, does not get in the way of growing western influence in the region. A staggering amount of air power is being used. 80 fighter bombers and 100 cruise missiles - costing £800,000 each - were launched on the first night alone. You can only wonder at the technology contained in the B2 stealth bombers, which cost $2.1bn each.

NATO tells us that these weapons are so expensive because of their ability to minimise civilian casualties - in fact, they are designed to increase their destructive power while minimising any risk to those using them. Each cluster bomb being dropped from an RAF Harrier jets, for instance, spreads 147 small bombs over an area of up to 100 acres - many do not explode, creating unregulated minefields wherever they are dropped. The RAF is currently dropping cluster bombs on Kosovo.

For four decades following the second world war, socialist Yugoslavia was able to maintain peace amongst the various nationalities making up the country. The Balkans had always been a region where major world powers fought out their battles at the expense of the local population. The anti-fascist militias that became the Yugoslav state after the second world war were determined to prevent the rise of national tensions and fascism in the area again.

The death of Yugoslavia's President Tito and the collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 80s allowed western powers to expand their influence in the region by encouraging the national tensions that would lead to the present horrors. They consistently backed local politicians stirring up national hatred - like Serbia's Milosevic and Croatia's Tudjeman - against those trying to keep Yugoslavia united.

The powerful multinationals that NATO represents are interested in global power, profit and control of natural resources - not Kosovan refugees. The peoples of the former Yugoslavia, like so many other millions of people from South America to East Timor, can expect no help from these warmongers except for PR purposes. Organising practical support for the victims of the war in Kosovo and building serious opposition to the multinationals' war machine in Britain is the only way we can show solidarity with the millions so cynically used to justify this latest European war.

Further reading:

• The Death of Yugoslavia, by Laura Silber and Alan Little
• Kosovo - a short history, by Noel Malcolm.

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DIRTY DIGGERS

Landlessness, homelessness and poverty are nothing new. The Diggers were fighting for the right of the common person to make rent-free use of the common land way back in 1649. 350 years ago, British activists were already trying to reclaim their rights. The King, who officially owned all the land in England, had been defeated in the civil war leaving England's pastures potentially up for grabs so activist Gerrard Winstanley, with twenty of his poor and landless friends took posession of St Georges Hill at Walton on Thames. The Diggers used 'liberated' presses to produce pamphlets encouraging the poor to make use of common and waste land for cultivation and common grazing, attempting to raise consciousness of why so many go hungry while so few grow rich. SchNEWS can't argue with that - but unfortunately the government and landowners weren't impressed and got rid of them through a combination of legal actions, military intervention and mob violence. 350 years later and the Diggers are back! They have set up site on St George's Hill, ironically now a huge private estate for millionaires, and are demanding a permanent home for the Diggers' memorial stone and guaranteed public access to the hill. The squatters have now been served with an eviction notice, so try and get along this weekend. SchNEWS spoke to local resident Cliff Richard, who expressed concern over possible 'Devil Women' on site, but was keen to offer his 'congratulations and jubilations' on the memorial site.

• Location details: 0961 373385
• The Land is Ours Office: 01865 722016 Web: http://www.oneworld.org/tlio/

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GENETICS VICTORY!

The two women who faced charges of conspiracy to cause criminal damage for removing GM maize from a test site have had their charges dropped, with the Crown Prosecution Service admitting that they were unable to prove that the two women did not have 'lawful excuse' to pull up the GM maize.

After nine months of preparation for the case, the Crown Prosecution Service decided to drop the charges four days before the trial was set to begin, announcing that "for complex reasons the Crown intend to offer no evidence." They admitted in court that they actually overestimated the cost of the damage, that the figure of £605,000 was a bit exaggerated, its more like £5,000!!

Despite the pouring rain, 300 people turned up outside the court with banners and street theatre, with a bio-hazzard flag hoisted onto the Crown Courts mast.The defence solicitor stated that this was a green light for direct action…so let's get busy this summer!!!

• Totnes Genetics Group: 01803 840098 Web: http://www.togg.freeserve.co.uk/
• A genetic test site on the Scottish Agricultural College's Boghall Farm was trashed last week, despite a large police presence with horses and dogs.6 people were nicked but were released without charge
• Don't forget April 15-20: Global days of action against Monsanto & genetic engineering.

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SCHNEWS IN BRIEF

• Designer Babies - From the elimination of genetic diseases to creating the perfect child - should we be tampering with our genetic-make up? Meeting on April 15th at the Royal Institution 21 Albermarle Street, London W1 7.30 p.m.

• Thought you'd all like to know that April 29th is 'Take Our Daughters to Work Day'. Wanna know more, then check out http://www.gn.apc.org/daughtersday/

• The McLibel Two stuck another two fingers up to the BigMac corporation last week, when three appeal court judges added to the list of accusations found in the Whats Wrong With McDonalds leaflet. Already charged with being responsible for cruelty to animals, exploiting children in advertising campaigns and paying workers a pittance, they now stand accused of promoting a diet which may lead to heart diseases! Contact McLibel Support Campaign, 5 Caledonian Rd., London, N1 9DX 0171 713 1269 http://www.mcspotlight.org/

• "The End is Nigh"- an evening of Millenium Paranoia compered by Tony Allen & guests will be performed upstairs at the Hobgoblin on Sat. April 17.

• Fighting Shell in Nigeria: Ogoni and Ijaw Resistance talk and video session at Brighton Unemployed Centre, Tilbury Place (Behind the Edward Street AMEX Building) on April 14th, 7.30pm.

• Whoops! The phone number on the fliers for Brighton June 18th action group is wrong and should read: 01273 298192

• Saturday 17th - Benefit party for June 18 International Day of Action with Dead Dog Mountain, Max Pashm, Praying for the Rain. 9pm till 3am at On the Rocks, 25 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, London E2. Just £3

• Save The Shamrock Monkeys have set up a National Demo For Laboratory Animals March in Brighton and wreath laying at Shamrock on Sat 24th April.

• No More Bombings! Lift the Sanctions!(Libya & Iraq) April 17th, London: March and Rally for Peace and Justice: 1pm assemble Hyde Park Corner; 3pm Rally in Trafalgar Square. Tel: 0171 436 4636.

• Movement Against the Monarchy have had a few scenes cut from their upcoming programme "Get Rid of the Royals". Apparently the BBC's lawyers were worried that some scenes were a little treasonous (heaven forbid!). Watch it on BBC 2 on April 13th at 7.30 pm.

• The SQUALL Crew presents 'Commotion'- djs  from Squall, Exodus and Under One Sun play underground sounds of house, drum&bass and eclectic beats at the Pembury Tavern - junction of Amhurst Road and Dalston Lane london E9 Friday April 23rd. Just £1

• 'Project Censored Yearbook: Censored 1999' highlights the hot stories that the mainstream press ignored. And the top of the censored list? It's the Multilateral Agreement on Investment - that nasty little 'free trade' agreement that would have nullified human, environmental and labour protection laws in all countries that signed it.

• Don't forget Street Party outside 121 Centre,Railton Rd, Brixton 2pm Saturday 10th Info 0171-274-655

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INSIDE SCHNEWS

Write to: Lindis Percy (CF9734), HMP Highjpoint, Stradishall, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 9YG

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PENSIONER POWER!

Despite the fact that the 6 other local churches are never exactly packed with punters the C of E wants to take back the centre and rent out the rooms to raise cash. Charitable souls that they are they promise zero tolerance of other religious groups so presumably the sikhs, buddhists and krishnas will be out on their collective arse. The pensioners even offered to buy the premises but the C of E is still determined to evict them so the sagacious squatters took their tale to the top, petitioning the Archbishop of Canterbury by chaining themselves to his railings outside Lambeth Palace! Their case goes to court on April 19th. Tel. 0117 944 4401.

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AND FINALLY

Tired of hearing about massacres of people in far-away countries while you sit helplessly at home? Sick of seeing TV footage of people being shot at by the shock troops of dodgy regimes? Ever wished you could hit back at those arming such tyrants? Then read on… this year, some of the world's biggest arms dealers are handing us ample opportunities to deal them some determined blows. They don't only hang out in remote countries, these firms have events and premises in this country too. So it's open season on the industry that equips mass murderers and torturers the world over….

April 28 - Two firms, British Aerospace (BAe) and Alvis/GKN are having their Annual General Meetings in London on this Wednesday. Two for the price of one - come and play! All you need is a single share; with an offer like this, you just can't lose.

BAe is Europe's biggest arms manufacturer, and with the planned £7 billion merger with GEC-Marconi there's no better time to give them hassle. Come and meet the guys in suits who are about to sell 16 Hawk attack fighter planes to Indonesia, and who are flogging 200,000 assault rifles for the Turkish military. Or perhaps you'd like to speak to the top people at Alvis, whose Scorpion tanks have been used on the streets of Jakarta against unarmed protesting students.

No-one goes away empty handed… If you can't make it to the AGMs on that day, BAe and Alvis are giving you the chance to visit them in one of their many centres of manufacturing excellence around the country. To ensure maximum impact try to organise actions hitting them at these places at around the time of April 28. Targets at the following locations:Hampshire, Stockport, Nottingham, Bristol, Plymouth, Lancashire, Humberside, London & Coventry.

September 14-17 - the even bigger one. Defence Systems Equipment International (DSEi) is the title of the UK's one-stop bombs ' n' guns emporium, to which you can be sure many of your top torturers will be coming along. And the best gag is - we ourselves bankroll it with a cool quarter of a million of taxpayers' money. Put those dates in your diaries, May 15 (Manchester, Friends Meeting House) and May 29 (London, Conway Hall, WC1).

Take a well-aimed pot-shot or two at your favourite arms dealers this year. These not-to-be missed opportunities are brought to you by Campaign Against the Arms Trade. Call them on 0171 281 0297 http://www.gn.apc.org/caat/

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