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Published in Brighton by Justice? - Brighton's Direct Action collective

Published in Brighton by Justice? - Brighton's Direct Action collective

ISSUE 307, FRIDAY 1st June, 2001

LOST IN SPACE

"Space is being opened for business - the war business and commercial business. Will humanity be able to prevent the armed conflict and rampant greed that has marked human history on Earth from extending into the heavens?" - Karl Grossman, author and professor of journalism at the State University of New York.

"It is time for new consciousness about space - it is not a junkyard or a playground for high-tech toys. It is a place of wonder and life." - Dr.Caroline Lucas, Green MEP

Star Wars is back - but with a new twist. Back in 1983 under President Ronald Reagan we were told it was the Soviet Union, dubbed the "evil empire", whom the world needed to be defended against. Problem is the Soviet Union is no more, so in order to justify spending billions of dollars the States needs to find a new bogeyman. 'Rogue states' come on down.

The plan is to build a National Missile Defence 'protective shield' against the rogues - to shoot their missiles out of the sky before they ever reach American soil. But this is described in US space documents as merely a "layer" in a broader program. And that program is part of a cunning plan for the US to continue to militarize space and so dominate the global economy.

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STAR CRAZY

Two documents by the US Space Command "Vision For 2020" and "Long Range Plan" - spell out what America have got up their sleeves: "The United States will remain a global power and exert global leadership. Widespread communications will highlight disparities in resources and quality of life - contributing to unrest in developing countries. The global economy will continue to become more interdependent. Economic alliances, as well as the growth and influence of multi-national corporations, will blur security agreements. The gap between 'have' and 'have-not' nations will widen - creating regional unrest. One of the commonly understood advantages of space-based platforms is no restriction or country clearances to overfly a nation from space."

Their "Vision for 2020" goes on to compare the U.S. effort to "control space" to centuries ago when "nations built navies to protect and enhance their commercial interests," referring to the great empires of Europe that ruled the waves and thus the Earth to maintain their imperial economies.

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COST IN SPACE

"National Missile Defence is not driven by common sense, but by corporate greed. In essence, the Space Command will become the military instrument by which corporations maintain their global control." - Dr.Caroline Lucas, Green MEP

Working closely behind the scenes with the U.S. military are major aerospace corporations. Four large corporations - Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and TRW stand to gain over 60 per-cent of the National Missile Defence contracts. And would you believe it, board members of those companies are on 'independent' advisory councils to help George Bush make up his mind on security issues!

Not that Star Wars, with such powerful backers, ever really went away. Funding at $6 billion-a-year plus continued through the Clinton administration. Last December, Clinton's Department of Defence cleared the way for development of the "Space Based Laser Readiness Demonstrator" that has a "lifecycle budget" of $20 to $30 billion. A second space-based laser weapon on which development continued through the Clinton years is the "Alpha High-Energy Laser," now test-fired more than 20 times. The problem is the weapons the U.S. military wants to deploy in space - especially lasers - will need large amounts of power. And nuclear energy is seen by the U.S. military as the "natural" power source for them.

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YANK IT OFF

In their book "The Future of War: Power, Technology and American World Dominance in the 2lst Century," George and Meredith Friedman, conclude: "Just as by the year 1500 it was apparent that the European experience of power would be its domination of the global seas, it does not take much to see that the American experience of power will rest on the domination of space. Just as Europe expanded war and its power to the global oceans, the United States is expanding war and its power into space. Just as Europe shaped the world for half a millennium, so too the United States will shape the world for at least that length of time. For better or worse, America has seized hold of the future of war, and with it - for a time - the future of humanity." Surely the USA in starting a new arms race is the real rogue state.

* If the UK gives its approval to Star Wars it would involve upgrading the early warning station at Fylingdales and Menwith Hill Spy Base. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has admitted that doing this would make Britain a target of the so-called 'rogue' states.

* The Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases holds regular pickets outside Menwith Hill Spy Base, near Harrogate every Tuesday 7-9pm Tel 01943 466405 www.caab.org.uk

* 22 June Stop Star Wars-blockade the Ministry of Defence. ARROW 020 7607 2302

*13 October is International Day of Action against Star Wars and people are being asked to protest outside their nearest American base. In the UK there will also be a demo outside the US Embassy. CND 0207 700 2393 www.cnduk.org

* Star Wars Returns - new video by EnviroVideo. www.envirovideo.com

* Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power In Space. www.space4peace.org

* Susan van der Hijden and Martin Newell received one year prison sentences for disabling nuclear convoy trucks, but walked free as they'd already spent 6 months on remand.

SchWOOPS!

Couple of mistakes in last week's front page. The World Bank are trying to set up www.developmentgateway.org , sponsored by the Financial Times and other corporations who get to sit on the board and select editors who can tell the poor what they need. It's part of a wider initiative of the Bank to repackage itself as the 'knowledge bank' with tactics like bunging money to think tanks and academics etc. To find out more check out www.realworldbank.org

And just cos the bankers aren't going to Barcelona anymore, doesn't mean the protests won't continue. There'll be a counter conference, actions and occupations from 16-25 June. www.j25.org

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Imagine a double issue of SchNEWS with details for June from our Party & Protest site in the middle pages... Well that's what there is this week. Were we willing to copy it all into this page for the web, bearing in mind that it's there already? Nope. So you'll have to use your imagination. Or alternatively check out the pdf, print it out, copy it up and give it to all yer mates.

Oh, and we've got a new book out...

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Teknival Hitch

The French free party scene is under attack by the government over there. They're amending the new Public Safety bill, mirroring our 1994 Criminal Justice Act, which criminalised but didn't crush the UK's scene. One day after the start of April's massive 5 day teknival in Marigny outside Paris, which drew systems and crowds from all over Europe, the amendment to the act was passed and this week put before the senate. Under its powers the authorities will be able to fine and imprison organisers as well as confiscate their sound systems and records. It's not only the big teknivals that have been targetted, small house parties have also experienced the wrath of the law.

Sound familiar? Sound system crews and party goers are not taking it lying down though, and across France demonstrations have taken place in all major cities. Whilst over 2,000 demonstrators organised a silent sit-down protest outside Paris town hall, truncheon happy riot police clashed with people in Toulouse, leaving 2 demonstrators injured. This is not unusual, the right-wing CRS riot police regularly have running battles with party-goers. With teknivals often attracting tens of thousands of people - there were 25,000 at Marigny - the authorities feel threatened by so many people coming together. Unfortunately many of the organisers and party goers don't tidy up after themselves, and farmers' crops and the countryside have been trashed. One teknival goer told SchNEWS, "this [amendment] is totally unacceptable as the principle is free music for all.but it is difficult to defend this movement if they can't be responsible and respect the environment." Like over here, many responsible party people get caught in the crossfire and are often subject to the same over the top laws and the clampdown on autonomous free creative space.

Further simultaneous festivals/demonstrations are planned for June 16 in Paris and Marseille, to urge the retraction of the amendment and the return of confiscated systems.

* Check out the new SchNEWS and Squall Yearbook 2001 for more on teknivals. For (French) reports: www.imaginet.fr/kanyar Teknival info: www.defocore.net and www.freetekno.org

* Despite the recent crackdown on parties over here, last week a big party went off outside Bristol with no problems and quite a few rigs (okay, so we don't know how many).

* Three evictions later and the [c]ounter [i]nformation [a]gency (CIA) Infocafe has a new location in the heart of Amsterdam. The squatted, open public space aims to counter corporate and government control of information (production, distribution, censorship, copyright, etc.), providing a platform for non-mainstream information and a space for groups to present their projects and information. It can be found at Vijzelstraat 5, 1017 HD, Amsterdam, for forthcoming events check out www.squat.net/cia or phone +31-20-6831021

* In Brighton the 'Food for Freaks' info café has been open for a week, with music and cheap, healthy vegan food served up daily. Juice and smoothies have quenched thirsts while the coffee direct from cooperatives in Chiapas and Ecuador have kept everyone buzzing. There's a library of info for action, and events are planned for next week. Come and check out this antidote to profit making at 4 Prince Albert St (between Ship St and Bartholomew Sq).4

POSITIVE SchNEWS

Author and radical farmer Jose Bove is on a UK speaking tour to promote his new book, 'The World is Not For Sale,' written with co-author Francois Dufour. Bove is best known for his spectacular dismantling of a McDonalds, but by no means is that all he's done. He's been involved in direct action since the 70's, when he and other student activists squatted a deserted village near the Larzac plateau to protest against the French army's plans to build a huge military base there. After ten-years of almost daily pitched battles with the police, they won their fight - the Larzac is now a national Park. Bove's book is a fascinating and easy to read account of his infamous McDonalds escapade and the issues behind the campaign: the industrialization of agriculture in a global economy, the massive environmental damage this is causing, and the tasteless, unhealthy food that results. The book is £16 in hardbook at the moment (ISBN 1-85984-614-9). Order it from your local library or buy it for only £10 at Bove's London speaking date, June 12th, 7:30pm, Camden Centre, Judd Street, near King's Cross Station. Bove will be in Glasgow on the 13th (Anya Lyngbaek at isecuk@gn.apc.org for more info), and Norwich on the 14th, 6:30pm at University of East Anglia, Lecture Theatre 2, admission free, contact tel: 01953 889100, or email flink@gn.apc.org

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Oldham Press

"When Oldham erupted on Saturday, it was not a riot. That word does no justice to the desperation and righteousness of young Asians. What happened was an uprising - an intifada against persecution by media, police and fascists, and self-defence is no offence. There will be no peace in Oldham without justice." - Ally Fogg, activist and journalist.

The problems in Oldham go back at least thirty years when Oldham council decided, unlike Manchester, to keep the Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white communities apart, and in ghettos. There's always been a history of conflict between the groups, but guess whose side the local media and police force have usually been on?

The Oldham Evening Chronicle was fire-bombed on the weekend. Random vandalism? Well the paper has always towed the police line about racism in the town, and published bigoted letters from BNP members. In 1998 Chief Superintendent Eric Hewitt gave an interview saying that "the majority" of racist attacks in Oldham were by Asians on whites. Last year they published the figures that 60% of racist attacks, that were reported, were on whites. Asians claim that they have given up reporting attacks because the police either don't arrive, or if they do, the complaints are dismissed.

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Recent escalations go back to April when pensioner Walter Chamberlain was severely beaten in Glodwick, and the police told the media that it was a racist attack by Asians, making "a No-Go area for whites". Mr. Chamberlain's family insisted it wasn't race related but police still charged four youths with racially motivated offences (as opposed to the Leeds footballers who attacked an Asian lad some months ago - and the word 'racism' wasn't allowed to be mentioned in court). The attack gave the NF and BNP an excuse to 'reclaim the territory', and there were reports of numerous racist attacks on Asians, but no arrests. Things were getting worse last week when a group of ex-pupils arrived at Breeze Hill school to chant slogans and intimidate Asian pupils, but despite appeals from teachers, the police refused to intervene. The following day a group of Asian pupils fought back and the police arrived immediately, and there were four arrests - all were Asian.

For four weeks police had attempted to keep a lid on the cauldron of anger in Oldham. Despite their claims that they 'had no idea' that anything on the scale of last weekend was likely, they have been throwing around Section 60 stop and search orders like confetti in anticipation of 'serious public disorder.' Furthermore, on four consecutive Saturdays, when fascists have threatened to gather in town, residents of whole estates have been restricted to their ghettoes under public order legislation. A group of 30 anti-Nazi activists travelling from Manchester to leaflet on Saturday 19th were stopped on the outskirts of town, searched, photographed, videoed and then escorted to a back street behind a disused bus station where they were told they could have 'a rally'. Attempts to hand leaflets to members of the public were blocked on the basis that it was 'behaviour liable to cause a breach of the peace.' This was only two weeks after a group of 50-70 fascists were allowed to march unhindered through the town centre in flagrant defiance of a Home Office ban.

Whatever started the violence, the fact is that by Wednesday, 33 whites and 16 Asians had been arrested and given the police bias this speaks for itself. Meanwhile Nick Griffin, is standing as BNP candidate in Oldham West in the coming election.

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SchNEWS in Brief

• Agricultural biotechnology is probably the most contentious food issue facing the UK and Europe today. Despite every effort of industry and their 'scientists' people all around the world continue to resist this threat to the environment. Even before it wipes out biological diversity, it's going to wipe out the lives of millions of small farmers, their land and their independence. A hastily organised counter-conference 'Seeds of Opportunity' has been organised (SchNEWS 225) in response. It's on today (sorry about short notice) 2-8pm ULU, Malet St, Room 3c. 020-76900626 www.geneticsaction.org.uk
• Percy Schmeiser, the farmer sued by Monsanto for having his crops contaminated (SchNEWS 300) has raised enough money for an appeal, www.percyschmeiser.com
• The Polish secret police have shut down the No-Borders two-day multicultural festival after initial permission was granted. Camp plans will now be made in top secret and the camp will take on a more confrontational attitude than the peaceful, communitarian one previously adopted. www.noborder.org
• A No Borders Close Campsfield Camp has been set up outside the Detention Centre, they hope to be there for a few weeks. Bring camping stuff, food, music, ideas and creativity. Camp mobile - 0781 355 2570.
• A website for African anarchism has seen massive expansion in response to totalitarian African governments supported and armed by 'developed nations'. Check out the reports of fledgling anarchist movements at www.struggle.ws/africa
• The monsoon season in India is approaching and the waters will be rising again behind the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River. half a million indigenous peasants have resolved to stay in their homes to drown rather than see their livelihoods washed away in return for false promises of nonexistent resettlement. They are calling for international supporters to go to the valley during summer to show solidarity and to relate the struggle to globalisation. www.narmada.org
• U'wa families resisting oil drilling by Occidental Petroleum in Colombia have been told they must evacuate their area due to a risk of landslides, which has been increased by oil drilling and road building! www.ran.org
• The Moving on from MayDay meeting in London we mentioned last week has been cancelled
• There's a day of action for Mark Barnsley. Picket the Home Office, 8 June, 1pm, 50 Queen Anne's Gate . Transport from Brighton courtesy of the ABC, meet at St. Peter's Church at 10am. Donations for petrol will be welcome.

McDEATH

McDonalds once again demonstrated their (lack of) compassion recently in South Africa. Despite regular muggings and rapes, McDonalds employees are not entitled to transport when they finish work late, often after 2am. One waitress was gang raped in February, and is now so terrified of going home after work that she spends her nights hiding in the local mall and leaves after sunrise. Despite an unsuccessful appeal to Mucky D's for help to buy anti-retroviral drugs, the megacorp did offer her a short-term loan. She declined the offer, knowing she wouldn't be able to pay it back, but help finally arrived when she contacted a community-based anti-rape organisation. The woman, who is too afraid to be named, said, "If I do end up getting HIV, McDonald's will have helped sign my death warrant." McDonald's still has not provided the trauma counselling it promises employees, and has not even offered the waitress the option of day shifts.

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PILLS THAT KILL

Four thousand people bleed to death each year after being prescribed cheap painkillers such as aspirin and diclofenac, which can cause stomach bleeding that is fatal in extreme cases. This is just one example of pills that kill - medicines supposedly safe following animal testing. To counter vivisection propaganda, Seriously Ill Against Vivisection (SIAV) held their first demo outside the Research Defence Society (a pro-vivisection 'charity' bankrolled by pharmaceutical companies). SIAV are a group of people who are ill or have disabilities and are challenging the vivisection industry over claims that vivisection saves lives and promotes human health. All welcome at the next demo: Animals in Medicine Research Information Centre, 12 Whitehall, noon, 6th June. 0845-4581720. www.siav.org

* Join a march of people dressed as killer drugs through Harrogate as part of the campaign to close down Covance vivisection labs. 23rd June, noon at Harrogate train station: 07960-900401.

*Animal rights campaigners are often portrayed as violent thugs, when in reality it's animal abusers who get their kicks from killing animals and beating up protestors (or just letting the police do that for them). A campaign has been launched to try and shed some light on these facts. www.violenceinanimalrights.co.uk was launched at a press conference with victims of animal abusers, including Steve Christmas (nearly killed by Hunt followers, see SchNEWS 274) and three coffins representing Jill Phipps, Tom Worby and Mike Hill. The website shows what animal rights campaigners suffer on a daily basis from attacks by hunt supporters to assaults and crap arrests by the police. While the state supports violent attacks on animal rights protestors, it introduces more legislation to crack down on protests. The new Police Act gives police powers to stop demonstrations in the vicinity of anyone's dwelling if they (un)reasonably believe harassment may be taking place. This has already affected the Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs Campaign as at one of the Guinea Pig 'farms' someone lives there (how convenient). Undeterred they're having another demo on 7th July, phone 01902-564734 for details.

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POOLING RESOURCES

Glasgow Council owned Govanhill swimming pool has been occupied since the Spring Equinox. A dynamic protest with 24-hour pickets has kept the pressure on. It's the usual Council 'lack of consultation' story all done in the name of saving money. The Council wants to 'bung' a local businessman £500k to get rid of the pool whose last 'community' act was to convert the old Post Office into a 5 star Hotel and sixty luxury apartments that he wants to flog for £0.5 million each. No wonder the community has rebelled, forfeiting the best of the summer to stay indoors to keep their pool. Help needed: 07000-752752.

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...and finally...

"THIS UNIVERSE
AIN'T BIG ENOUGH
FOR THE BOTH OF US"

Cor-blimley-they’re-practically-giving-them-away book offer SchNEWS Round issues 51 - 100 £4.50 inc. postage. SchNEWS Annual issues 101 - 150 £4.50 inc. postage. SchNEWS Survival Guide issues 151 - 200 and a whole lot more £5.50 inc. postage (US Postage £4.00 for individual books, £13 for all four). The SchQUALL book at only £6.50 inc postage. In the UK you can get 2, 3, 4 & 5 for £20 inc. postage. In addition to 50 issues of SchNEWS, each book contains articles, photos, cartoons, a “yellow pages” list of contacts, comedy etc. All the above books are available from the Brighton Peace Centre, saving postage yer tight gits. SchNEWS and SQUALL's YEARBOOK 2001 is out soon. 280 pages of adventures from the direct action frontline. With issues 251-300 of SchNEWS, the best of SQUALL, lots of photos, cartoons, subverts and a comprehensive contacts database. Copies of Yearbook 2001 can be ordered from SchNEWS for £7 + £1.50 p&p. You can order the book from a bookshop or your library, quote the ISBN 09529748 4 3. Available from the beginning of June.

Subscribe to SchNEWS: Send 1st Class stamps (e.g. 10 for next 9 issues) or donations (payable to Justice?). Or £15 for a year's subscription, or the SchNEWS supporter's rate, £1 a week. Ask for "originals" if you plan to copy and distribute. SchNEWS is post-free to prisoners. You can also pick SchNEWS up at the Brighton Peace and Environment Centre at 43 Gardner Street, Brighton.

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Last updated 1st June 2001
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