BACK ISSUES
SchNEWS
433, 5th December, 2003
FUEL'S GOLD With Western oil supplies shrinking and reserves
declining, the petrochemical junkies must look elsewhere for their fix
- and they've got qutie a few strategies for doing just that. Also -
Sambhavna Clinic in Bhopal, positive SchNEWS from Costa Rica, anti-awards
for mining companies, and more...
SchNEWS
432, 28th November, 2003
MIAMI VICE FTAA demonstrators enjoy George Bush's "freedom
to protest" amidst a carnival atmosphere of tear gas, rubber bullets,
water cannons and worse. Also - Thessaloniki hunger strikers released,
animal vivisection in Cambridge, ESF reports, and more...
SchNEWS
431, 14th November, 2003
CARD SHARKS Blunkett announces the introduction of ID cards by
the back door despite them being massively unpopular and technologically
unfeasible. Thessaloniki Hunger Strikers In Critical Condition. Bush
bashing plans, Urgent, Bar End protest camp update, European underground
art and more.
SchNEWS
430, 7th November, 2003
POSTIE MORTEM Executives pushing to "modernise" Royal
Mail beaten by wildcat strikes, showing that despite betrayal by union
bosses, workers are still prepared to fight back.
SchNEWS
429, 31st October, 2003
SIAM OLD STORY George W Bush takes a break from Disneyland to
visit Thailand and the Philippines, neo-liberal "paradises".
The locals welcome him with less than open arms.
SchNEWS
428, 24th October, 2003
YOBSMACKED! In Manchester residents are beginning to take community
policing into their own hands after the official methods prove useless.
SchNEWS
427, 17th October, 2003
IN LOZADA TROUBLE Tens of thousands flood the streets, set up
burning barricades and hurl dynamite at a murderous military as Bolivia
teeters on the brink of full-blown revolution.
SchNEWS
426, 10th October, 2003
MUSICAL SHARES The music industry complains about falling sales,
blaming it on the punters. Their links with the arms industry should
keep their profits up though...
SchNEWS
425, 3rd October, 2003
GM CONTAMI-NATION GM debate results come through load and clear
- "We don't want it!". GM companies and anti-gm activists
responses.
SchNEWS
424, 27th September, 2003
CORPORATE PUNISHMENT Jarvis get a very poor report card for work
on privatised schools but are still laughing all the way to the bank.
SchNEWS
423, 19th September, 2003
FLUSHED DOWN THE CAN-CUN Talks at fifth ministerial WTO talks
collapse as thousands pull down the fences outside.
SchNEWS
422, 12th September, 2003
ARMLESS FUN Despite massive police operation DSEi arms fair attracts
a grand string of actions, dinghies block warships etc.
SchNEWS
421, 5th September, 2003
MoD'S 'N' WRECKERS DSEi arms fair looms, a cool £1m is
being spent to keep us out. Isn't it us who should be afraid?
SchNEWS
420, 29th August, 2003
AGRI-VULTURES WTO's ministerial meeting in Cancun - the world's
fat cats sustain environment-destroying, corporate agriculture.
SchNEWS
419, 22nd August, 2003
SHELTER SKELTER Yarl's Wood trial comes to an end with Group
4 coming out as a laughing stock.
SchNEWS
418, 15th August, 2003
THIRST FOR PROFIT The WTO's "privatise everything"
plan rumbles forward towards Cancun and a water supply near you...
SchNEWS
417, 8th August, 2003
MAI EYE! Corporate and governmental fat cats line up for another
farcical round of trade talks to 'level the trading field'.
SchNEWS
416, 25th July, 2003
I'M AN AMERICAN, GET ME OUT OF HERE! US troops queue to
get out of Iraq while US corporations queue to get in...
SchNEWS
415, 18th July, 2003
VISION CHIPS Real Freak Horrorshow Big Brother has landed.
SchNEWS
414, 11th July, 2003
GAM SHOW Massacre in Aceh, (Indonesia again pummels state wanting
independence with British arms). Plus, Victory for Arundel, rest of
country not so lucky..
SchNEWS
413, 4th July, 2003
POVERTY EXPRESS Multinational biotech companies, with full backing
from Bush and his cronies, try to save the world by shoving GM leftovers
down the throats of the worlds poor.
SchNEWS
410, 13th June, 2003
MENWITH BALLS The US spy base at Menwith Hill gets some overdure
attention. Plus Martin Shaw update; Group4 have recruitment problems;
SchNEWS
408/409,
6th June, 2003
G8
MY HAMSTER Another G8 summit; more meaningless declarations from
'our' 'great' 'leaders', more kids on the streets fighting for a better
world and more police repression.
SchNEWS
407,
30th May, 2003
Get Yer Rocks Off! America "liberate" Iraq but
keep their hands firmly on the Congo and their resources. Blunkett's
trying to push through yet more "justice bill" laws and so
much more!
SchNEWS
406,
23rd May, 2003
Bob the Bilderberg
Global
£lite take young politicians under their wing for... sensible
policy(?!)
SchNEWS
405,
16th May, 2003
Terror-ISM
Repression in Palestine increases as international observers are
targetted.
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Home
| Friday
12th December 2003 |
Issue 434 SchNEWS
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“Ours are not Western values. They are the universal values
of the human spirit and anywhere, anytime, ordinary people are given
the chance to choose, the choice is the same. Freedom not tyranny.
Democracy not dictatorship. The rule of law not the rule of the
secret police.” - Tony Blair, talking to the US Congress It was Human Rights Day on Wednesday and Bush and Blair have had
a busy year upholding these rights: locking up refugees, repressing
dissent, bombing countries in the name of peace and exporting arms
to dodgy regimes – all in the name of Freedom of course. Britain is the only European Union country to detain asylum seeker
children and practise detention without time limits. Luckily we’ve
got Group 4 security looking after those banged up for the crime
of wanting a better life. The company boasts that it has been “recognised
by the Home Office for leadership in implementation of the Human
Rights Act.” Unfortunately this week’s expose of its guards
at the Yarlswood detention centre paints a bit of a different picture.
During one session on human rights, trainees were told, “Now
they (asylum seekers) are rowing over in dinghies. Sink them, that’s
what the Navy should be doing.” And while the company talks
of the need to “establish positive relationships” the
undercover journalist was told, “Don’t befriend them.
Other officers will turn on you.” Recently at another detention centre, Campsfield, police clamped
down on a demonstration in support of the detainees by imposing
strict limits on the demonstrators and shoving them into a corner
of a car park where no one could see them (see last
week’s SchNEWS). |
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PEPPEREDOver in the states, Kathy Kelly was arrested at a demonstration
against the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation
after trespassing at their US military training camp. The Institute
has been a target of protestors for years because it teaches Latin
American soldiers all about the Western values of counter-insurgency.
The Public Relations spokespeople for the Institute claims that
the school has been reformed and now teaches these soldiers the
same standards of respect for human rights and civil law practiced
by the US military. Which is why once Kathy was arrested, she was
pushed to the floor, handcuffed, kneed while begging for relief
because she couldn’t breathe, dragged and threatened with pepper
spray if she didn’t cooperate when being fingerprinted. Meanwhile in Iraq, top military commander General Ricardo Sanchez
has been busy with his new get-tough strategy with tactics borrowed
from Israel, who we can often see on the TV practicing their own
kind of ‘freedom’ on Palestinians. After the Yanks got
fed up with attacks from the village of Abu Hishma, a 500-bomb was
dropped on one house while eight sheiks, the mayor, the police chief
and most members of the city council have been arrested. Razor wire
fencing now stretches for five miles around the whole village. “This
fence is here for your protection,” reads the sign “Do
not approach or try to cross, or you will be shot.” All men
aged 18 to 65 have been ordered to get identification cards. One
Colonel said “With a heavy dose of fear and violence, and a
lot of money for projects, I think we can convince these people
that we are here to help them.” One of the reasons given for invading Iraq was to get rid of the
brutal tyrant Saddam Hussein (and let’s forget that it was
the moral West who supported and armed him in the first place!).
So what about other brutal tyrants? Well in Uzbekistan there are
over 6,000 political and religious prisoners, and every year some
of them can look forward to being tortured to death. Sometimes they
have their ribs and then their skulls broken with hammers or have
bits of skin ripped off with pliers. Some have been left to stand
up to their knees for a fortnight in freezing water; others have
been boiled to death. But Uzbekistan, in the middle of central Asia’s
massive gas and oil fields and is seen by the US government as a
key western asset. Last year, the country received $500 million
in aid, of which $79 million went to the police and intelligence
services, who are responsible for most of the torture. Meanwhile
at the beginning of the year Tony ‘democracy not dictatorship’
Blair, gave Uzbekistan the green light to import whatever weapons
it wanted from us. Then there’s Guantanamo Bay where for the past two years 600 people have been held in small cages without trial. They eventually face a closed military tribunal, with prosecution, defence and judge all appointed by the US military. Or Belmarsh Prison, where 16 people are being held indefinitely without charge under our Terrorism laws. These are some of the shining examples of Freedom and Democracy that we are holding up as an example to dictatorships across the world. ASSAULTEDOne thing both Britain and America like is handing out weapons
around the world. Only the other day Amnesty International published
‘The Pain Merchants’ a report that showed that last year
the Bush administration approved the export of electro-shock weapons
valued at $14.7 million and restraints worth $4.4 million. 45 countries
bought the stuff, including 19 that have been cited for the use
of such weapons to torture prisoners. Take Turkey for example: in
one case a 17-year-old schoolgirl who had been detained for distributing
leaflets calling for Kurdish education was stripped, threatened
with rape and tortured with electric shocks to her feet, legs and
stomach. Every minute of every day someone is killed by conventional arms.
So International Human Rights Day this year was the day a number
of countries pledged their support for an international Arms Trade
Treaty. Unfortunately it wasn’t the world’s biggest arms
exporters, but the political leaders of Brazil, Cambodia, Mali,
Macedonia, Costa Rica, Finland and the Netherlands that made the
announcement. It will be interesting to see if any of the five permanent
members of the UN Security Council - the largest producers and traders
in weapons rush over and put their name to such a treaty. SchNEWS
warns readers not to hold their breath. * Demo Against Guantanamo Bay Saturday 13th. 1pm till 4pm outside Downing Street. Orange overalls, blind folds and handcuffs optional. Campaign Against Criminalising Communities 020 7250 1315 www.cacc.org
Crap Arrest Of The WeekFor buying a lemonade!
SchNEWS in brief
Inside SchNEWSIf you’ve ever wanted to write to a prisoner but didn’t
know what to say, now’s a good time to send a christmas card
to brighten up their day. Here’s a few long term political
prisoners who could do with a bit of support. More on writing to
prisoners see www.brightonabc.org.uk In June 2000, two US eco/anarchist activists, were found guilty
of setting fires to SUV’s at a car showroom. Craig Marshall
was sentenced to 5 years 5 months, while Jeffrey Luers was
convicted to an outrageous 22 years and 5 months. Jeffrey Luers,
#13797671, OSP, 2605 State Street, Salem Oregon 97310, USA. Craig
Marshall, #13797662, SRCI, Stanton Boulevard, Ontario Oregon, USA.
www.freefreenow.org Robert Lee Thaxton, #12112716 777, OSP, 2605 State Street,
Salem, OR 97310, USA. Long time anarchist organiser, publisher and
writer, one of the few people who faced serious charges for the
June 18 anti-capitalist actions that took place around the world
in 1999 (see SchNEWS 217), was sentenced
to over 7 years. www.defenestrator.org/roblosricos Jerome White-Bey, # 37979, South Central Correctional Centre,
255 West Highway 32,Licking, MO 65542-9069, USA. An anarchist prison
activist who set up the Missouri Prison Labour Union to fight slave
labour in prisons. Harold Thompson, #93992, NWCC, Site 1, Route 1, Box 660,
Tiptonville, Tennessee 38079, USA. In prison since 1979, serving
a life sentence plus about 90 years. He is a passionate anarchist
and jailhouse lawyer who never gives up. He has also recently been
busy suing Aryan Brotherhood scum who attacked him inside. http://membres.tripod.fr/HHTHOMPSON/welcome.html Inaki Garcia Koch serving 5 years for sabotaging construction
of the Itoiz Dam. Letters to: Carcel de Pamplona, C/san Rogue, Apdo
250, 31080 Irunez, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain. Thomas Meyer Falk, JVA Bruchsal, Zelle 3117, Schoenbornstr.
32, 76646 Bruchsal, Germany. Imprisoned for a political fundraising
and bank robbery and will be inside until at least 2010. Tomek Wilkoszewski, Zaklad Karny, ul. Orzechowa 5, 98-200
Sieradz, Poland. Sentenced to 15 years after killing a Nazi in self
defence. Fintan Lane, Limerick Prison, Mulgrave Road, Limerick, Ireland.
Sentenced to 60 days for non payment of a 750 Euro fine following
an anti war mass trespass at Shannon airport in Oct 2002. Important: cards need to be sent today (12th) for them to
get to the prisoners by Christmas. * The Campaign Against Prison Slavery are having a Xmas Picket on Saturday 20th December at Wilkinson’s 78-102 The Broadway, Stratford, London. Bring banners, Xmas fancy dress and plenty of Christmas spirit! Wilkinson’s stuff is so cheap because they get prisoners to make it for them for a pittance. More information see: www.againstprisonslavery.org
SCRUMBLEDTalk about double standards: Before the Stop Bush demo, teachers,
headmasters and police were all on telly saying kids would be suspended
or expelled for going on the march. Then last Monday for the rugby
world cup parade a senior cop said “Truanting children are
not my priority.” and before the big demo against George W
there were scare stories about how Al Qaeda would use the demo as
cover for terrorism, but no such warnings for the rugby victory
parade. Also here at SchNEWS towers we’re quite used to the cops and media getting it wrong on the “How many were there?” question but normally they say it’s well under the actual figure that attended. This time, surprise surprise, it was miles over with the media saying there were 750,000 people there. Maybe the person counting was pissed and seeing double!
WAR ON ERRORThis week a group of former terror suspects had charges against
them dropped - predictably there was no big fanfare from the media
that the justice system had messed up. Nine Algerian men were arrested
last December. They were kept in jail for four months without charge,
released on bail in March and finally had their charges dropped
on Tuesday. Rosemary McIlwhan, director of the Scottish Human Rights Centre
said: “It is interesting to see that the arrest of these people
was trumpeted and fanfared whereas when they were released it was
very quiet, and now we have had the charges dropped with next to
no comment at all. It raises the issue that the government is stirring
up hysteria about terrorism that is not really there.” Three of the men arrested have complained that the terrorism allegations
are still hanging over them. Hakim Ziem, 32, said: “We cannot
go back to our country to see our families, we cannot go to work
because everyone knows our names, we cannot do anything, our lives
have been destroyed.” The men want an official declaration
of their innocence after claiming they would face death squads if
they return to Algeria. They are also demanding answers regarding
their detention, which they said had implications for other people
arrested under terrorism laws since the World Trade Centre attacks.
Perhaps the police should investigate first and then arrest people…
or realize that not all criminals are Irish, black or Islamic. In
fact police figures show that while Irish and Black communities
are arrested more they have lower crime and drug use rates. In contravention of international law, anti-terrorist legislation
allows persecution of ethnic minorities. The government treats foreigners
accused of crimes as automatically guilty, following the lead of
human rights law specialists - the US government, who have similar
legislation, allowing any non citizen to be locked up indefinitely
for any ‘violation’ (which is not a guilty verdict). * Meanwhile the case against the six people who were arrested and
charged under anti-terror legislation in December last year for
supporting the struggle for democracy in Turkey continued at Kingston
Crown Court last Friday. The Justice system hit a new low as the
men face charges of “facilitating the retention or control
of terrorist property” which turned out to be magazines, films
and posters in support of a Turkish political party critical of
the Turkish government. These ‘terrorist’ magazines are
actually legal in “liberal” Turkey… (see SchNEWS
392) Within the last week there have been numerous arrests under the Terrorism Act and again they follow the same pattern. Politicians confirm live on television the guilt of those arrested, details of those detained splashed all over the papers and follow up arrests leading to more detentions. No quick or fair process is guaranteed for those that find themselves on the receiving end of these operations. Almost a year later and the six are still being held for having a few magazines.
...and finally...Fed up wtih Christmas already? Well you’re not the only one. Shop workers in Germany and Holland have vowed to go on strike if they have to endure anymore Christmas carols, which are played in a continuous loop all the time they are at work. Spokesman Gottfried Rieser said “Unlike the clients, the shop workers can’t escape this Christmas muzak which is boosting through the loudspeakers all day long. It arouses aggressive feelings and they are getting an aversion to all carols. They feel as if they are terrorized. Especially Jingle Bells which is the worst.” We couldn’t agree more! Bah Humbug!
Disclaimer
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