Home | Friday 8th October 2004 | Issue 468

WAKE UP! WAKE UP! LETS GET PERSONAL...

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UNPOPULAR STORY | Multi-Story Blackhole | Crap Arrest of the Week | SchNEWS Birthday Party | Ethics and ESFaetics | SchNEWS in brief | ...and finally...

UNPOPULAR STORY

“There are people and there are unpeople. Afghan and Iraqi victims of Blair’s wars count among the latter - lives which are expendable in the pursuit of Western power.” Mark Curtis, British historian

While the news is filled with the desperate plight of British hostage Kenneth Bigley where is the news for the suffering of the Iraqi people?

What about Zeynab Hamid Taresh who was 10 years old when a warplane devastated her home in Basra last March. A cluster bomb killed 17 members of her family, including her mother. Zeynab lost part of her leg and now walks, unevenly, with a prosthetic rubber and steel leg, a leg she’s already growing out of but is thrilled to have, a vast improvement on the battered crutches she was heaving herself around on before. She still manages to laugh and play. Whilst at her school pupils all have to sit in one huge hall as it was so badly damaged during the war and then looted afterwards. She gets incensed, she rants, launching into wild but clear tirades, on Blair, on the bombing, “No one is doing anything, no one is helping anyone in Iraq, look at Fallujah, look at Najaf. There’s no calm, there’s just danger and terrorism and the occupation hasn’t brought anything good, hasn’t done anything for my country, nothing. There’s nothing, people don’t have jobs, the wages people are getting are nothing. There’s no cash, no homes, you can’t even go out in the street without fear, its all fear.’

Zeynab has been in the UK for over three months, hoping to raise funds for a new clinic in Iraq for the 1500 plus children that have lost limbs.

There’s very little hope for Zeynab. In British occupied Basra, there is no functional clinic which can keep Zeynab or anybody else in legs. As Ewa Jasiewicz, human rights activist and friend said “Zeynab is a heroine, an ordinary, working class Iraqi young heroine and a survivor, with X-ray senses when it comes to bullshit, and a broken heart and a broken body going back to a broken country. We can help make sure she keeps walking and we can accompany her and others in their struggle by fighting and intervening by any means necessary against war, occupation, empire and the collective apathy and despair Iraqi people, like Zeynab, are fighting against every single day and will do until the occupation ends and they run their own country.”

In a strange way Zaynab is one of the lucky ones, with friends in England at least making sands of other victims of the war on terror, whose faces aren’t white and come from the wrong country, they are what British historian Mark Curtis, calls ‘Unpeople’ - those whose lives are seen as expendable in the pursuit of Britain’s economic and political goals.

In his new book ‘Unpeople’, he uses recently declassified government files to reveal history the establishment would rather us forget. Like the British support for the 1963 killings in Iraq that brought Saddam’s Ba’ath party to power. The arming of Saddam’s regime’s brutal aggression against the Kurds throughout the 1960s. The Heath government’s support for the Idi Amin coup in Uganda in 1971 and the 1973 Pinochet coup in Chile. So it goes on. Curtis calculates the number of deaths from British military interventions and at the hands of regimes strongly supported by Britain somewhere between 8-13 million deaths. Unpeople whose stories will never be told.

Multi-Story Blackhole

What about the distressing scenes at the school in Beslan, Russia? The wall to wall coverage was very different to that of the plight of Chechen people, who for the past five years has been bombed back to the stone age while torture and killings of civilians is rampant. But these unpeoples’ plight have largely been ignored by western governments who have turned a blind eye so Russia stays on board the so called war on terror.

Then there is that unpeople black hole of Guantánamo Bay. Last week Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Christino, a senior Pentagon intelligence officer who has worked at the heart of the US war on terror, said the hell hole has not prevented a single terrorist attack and that the Bush adminstration has ‘wildly exaggerated’ it’s intelligence value.

Last Sunday over 200 people protested outside Belmarsh Prison, Britain’s very own version of Guantanamo Bay, where eleven men are slowly going mad, imprisoned without trial and with no prospect of trial or release in sight, and with the supposed evidence implicating them as ‘international terrorists’ being withheld from them. Amazingly, the British government has not even questioned most of the Belmarsh detainees whilst they have been there.

Such injustice, be it against the unpeople of Iraqi, Palestine or Chechnya brings fury and despair and eventually create the very breeding grounds and ‘crucibles’ for the sorts of ‘terrorism’ Britain claims it is fighting in the first place. 11 year old Zeynab can identify with Ken Bigley as she herself has witnessed the kidnapping of two of her classmates and she has added her voice, appealing for his release. Until we can identify with the suffering of all the worlds victims, not just pick and chose, then the worlds most powerful governments will continue to wage a war of terrorism on the majority of the world.

* Mark Curtis will be speaking at the SchNEWS Direct Action Conference next Saturday. His new book ‘Unpeople: Britain’s Secret Human Rights Abuses’(Vintage) is out in November.

* For more on Christino’s revelations read ‘Guantánamo: America’s War on Human Rights’ by David Rose

* For more on Belmarsh detainees Campaign Against Crimialising Communities 0207 250 1315 www.cacc.org

Crap Arrest Of The Week

For Having an Argument!
Andrew Davies a young animal rights activist received a 28 day sentence for Section 4a of the Public Order Act - “Intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress”. He had an argument with a worker from Newchurch Guinea Pig Farm, was arrested by the police, and received a 28 day jail sentence which is very rare for Section 4a. He also received an Anti-Social Behaviour Order restricting his right to protest. www.liberation-now.org

Ethics and ESFaetics

The European Social Forum is coming to London next week. “A giant gathering for everyone opposed to war, racism and corporate power, everyone who wants to see global justice, workers’ rights and a sustainable society.” Which sounds pretty good, but behind the scenes the ESF has been hijacked by authoritarian organizations such as the Socialist Worker’s Party. Racist, war crazy corporate whores Neo Labour have even got in on the act through Ken Livingstone and the GLA, who have been involved in organizing and funding the events. And it’s not just grassroots environmental and direct actions groups that are complaining about all this. Recently a coalition of the UK trade justice and environmental NGOs wrote in a letter: “Many British NGOs are keen to get involved in the ESF but have found it difficult to do so because of the lack of transparency and openness in the UK process”.

So, instead of standing idly by while the ESF claims to be the new representative body of “sensitive, political active citizens”, we want to demonstrate “another possible world” - a world which is already here today. The world of Autonomy, Self-Organisation, Solidarity and Sustainability. There’s a whole load of free/donation events happening 13th-17th, for a full programme www.altspaces.net

BEYOND ESF is a free direct action conference and celebration of self-organised cultures of resistance. The 4 main themes are Autonomy & Struggle, No Borders & Migration, Casualisation, and Social Control & Repression. There will be food, cinema and live music each evening. Beyond ESF: at Middlesex University, Tottenham Campus, White Hart Lane, N17. www.wombles.org.uk/auto On the Friday there will be A Day of Dissent Against the G8, featuring workshops, discussions and a benefit party from 11am. Details: www.dissent.org.uk

TACTICAL MEDIA PRODUCTION 4 days of events will tackle issues around communication rights: from Community and Alternative Media to Surveillance and the Security State to Intellectual Property. An Indymedia centre will be running all week to report on the ESF, autonomous spaces events, as well as covering protests and actions. There will also be a bar with cheap food, social events film screenings, media training and public access internet computers. All this at The Camden Centre, Bidborough St ( Kings Cross), WC1 www.efcr2004.net www.indymedia.org.uk

RAMPART squatted art and social space will have film shows, music and workshops, food, internet access, audio & video editing and prop & banner making. It is also home to the Mobile Carnival Forum (www.europeancreativeforum.org) and the Lab of Insurrectionary Imagination (www.labofii.net). RampART is at 117 Rampart Street, Whitechapel E1.

SOLIDARITY VILLAGE Space for co-operative practical projects for a sustainable economy. Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn and LSE Clement House, Aldwych. www.solidarityvillage.org

WOMEN’S OPEN DAY There’s no money for subsistence farming, caring, volunteering, fighting for justice – but plenty for war. Women speak out together. 10am-10pm, 14th, Kings Cross Methodist Church, 57a Birkenhead St,WC1.

RADICAL THEORY FORUM hosts a series of discussions on the theme of “How can theory inform action?”, followed by a party with films, art, spoken word and music. 11am-late, 14th, 491 Gallery, 491 Grove Green RoadLeytonstone E11. www.491gallery.com

FAIRFORD COACH APPEAL HEARING Demonstrate against detentions without arrest –In March 2003 three coach loads on their way to protest at Fairford Airbase were turned back to London. Appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand W1. 9-10am, 14th/15th www.fairfordcoachaction.org.uk

CRITICAL MASS Bicycle Protest. 15th, Meet noon at the National Theatre (under Waterloo Bridge) for an afternoon ride, or 6pm for an evening jaunt. www.londonrisingtide.org.uk

URBAN FORUM Neo-liberal policies mean the public realm is forever decreasing. This forum will debate reclaiming the rights for citizens. 15th/16th The Bartlett, UCL, Wates House, 22 Gordon St, WC1. www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/esf/

LIFE DESPITE CAPITALISM - discussions of alternatives to capitalism for today, rather that waiting for the ‘revolution’. 16th-17th, Old Theatre and Clement House at the LSE, Aldwych. www.lifedespitecapitalism.org

* There’s a radio www.rampartradio.co.nr and Indymedia have a breakfast show during the ESF on Resonance FM 104.4 www.resonancefm.com; 8am-9am, 15th-17th.

* 20,000 copies of the Autonomous Spaces free newspaper are available now from autonomous info-points around London. It has full details about all the events happening at the autonomous spaces with a map of venues. Get copies from LARC, Fieldgate Street or RampART, and the Camden Centre (during the ESF)

SchNEWS in brief

• SchNEWS needs people to distribute flyers in London/ESF events for our tenth birthday party, if you’re interested in giving us a hand, call the SchNEWS office (01273 685913) and we’ll send you some flyers
• Want to get involved in direct action? Then get yourself along to the Rebel Alliance next Monday (11) at the Cowley Club, 12 London Road, Brighton 7pm
• Radio 4A - ‘radio for anarchy’ is back with its usual mix of music and speech, politics and piracy. 101.4 FM across Brighton www.radio4a.org.uk
• You have nothing to lose but your marbles! Mad Pride are organizing stuff around ‘World Mental Health Day’ with an all day music event this Sunday (10) 12noon-10pm@ The Ivy House, Stuart Rd, Nunhed London, SE15 01437563128 madpridelondon@hotmail.com
• Haiti - Union Struggles in the Free Trade Zones. Yannick Etienne, a union activist from Batay Ouvriye in Haiti will be speaking next Thursday (14) at the Cowley Club, 12 London Road, Brighton 6pm. www.nosweat.org.uk
• The Low Impact Roundhouse in Pembrokeshire National Park is once again under threat of demolition. Get on the phone tree to defend it 01460 249204 chapter7@tlio.demon.co.uk
• ‘Eyes on International Financial Institutions’ is a new film resource, part of the ‘Fawlty Powers’ campaign to mark 60 years of the World Bank and IMF. This unique collection of films provides the elusive ‘other side of the story’ about how these institutions’ work www.ifiwatchnet.org
• An unofficial wildcat picket-line stopped vehicles entering and leaving the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Project site and caused gridlock on Wednesday morning. Hundreds of site construction workers showed solidarity in support of Steve Hedley, an agency worker who was recently dismissed.
• (USA) Katuah Earth First locked glued and chained shut the offices of A&G Mining at the end of last month. A&G specialise in blowing up mountain tops, destroying homes, animals and rivers in the process www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/bnfl/527/

...and finally...

After their battering at the hands of the Met, The Countryside Alliance descended on Brighton last week for the Labour Party Conference. Judging by what happened they were there to remove any doubt that they are in fact a peculiar collection of toffs and inbreds whose sole rallying cry is that they be allowed to continue being cruel to animals. Has it ever occurred to them that the reason they’re in a minority is because they’re wrong?

In readiness for the occasion the CA had forked out for a 40’ high banner in the town centre. Luckily it collapsed due to freak vegan weather conditions the night before.

The day started with a piece of PR genius; dumping carcasses around town, something guaranteed to put urban noses out of joint. “The only dead animals I want round here are in my sandwiches” commented one café owner. The point of dumping a dead horse in front of the train station was lost on everybody, unless it was to illustrate the fact that the foxhunting brigade have been flogging one for years.

As the green wellied crowds slowly gathered on Madeira Drive, many were delayed by a frustrating detour to ASDA courtesy of some hunt sabs (Sorry about that, but we’ve been trying to point you in the right direction for years). South Downs Sabs, for once not heavily disguised, managed to dupe the bumpkins into buying £800 quids worth of T-Shirts with the slogan Tony Blair – Lying Bastard. “I guess they just don’t understand our townie ways -Thanks guys, that’ll buy us a new(ish) Land Rover” .

Frustrated from attacking the conference by the numbers of police, and serenaded with the “Duelling Banjos” theme from Deliverance, the marchers tried to vent their fury on the “antis”. Unfortunately for them there are far too many nose piercings and hooded tops in Brighton so they endeared themselves further to Joe Public by bellowing “Lesbian tree-huggers” at random passers-by.

The day out in the Big Smoke ended at three (You don’t want to let the sun set on you here boy - you sure have got a purtty mouth) and the bumpkins piled back onto their coaches (“Look Seth – a horseless carriage”). They left town under a hail of abuse from locals, outraged by the animal dumping, who came spilling out of pubs to give the CA a few home truths.

OUTDATED, OUTVOTED, OUTFOXED

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