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Home | Friday 26th June 2009 | Issue 681

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KILT IN ACTION

Climate camping has, of course, established itself as the package holiday of choice for the more conscientious classes. But why wait till August 27th to get this year’s fix*? Start the summer by getting up to Scotland where a new protest camp has, quite literally, got off the ground at Mainshill in South Lanarkshire, after Scottish Coal were given permission to mine 1.7 million tonnes of the black stuff, despite a long 9-year campaign by enraged locals. In fact over 700 of the 1000 odd population were moved to object to the county authorities – meaning, again, the go-ahead is completely without community consent. 

It’s not that locals are merely being a bit nimbyish - their green and pleasant land is already despoiled by four other mines, making it one of the most heavily mined areas in the whole of Europe. And then there is the catalogue of climate chaos reasons not to be open-cast mining coal at the moment (see www.leaveitintheground.org.uk/?page_id=9). The Mainshill mine is just one of 20 such projects recently given the go-ahead in Scotland.

Last week a small number of activists secured a site in Mainshill Wood, declaring, “We have taken this autonomous and free space for those who wish to create positive, creative and egalitarian solutions to ecological collapse, climate change and environmental injustice. Profiteering companies, land owners and governments will not mine for new coal here!” Others quickly joined and tree-houses and other defences were quickly established. 

The cops have now got their arses into gear and have served papers for a June 29th hearing, after which the camp may be under threat of imminent eviction. Numbers are needed now to defend the land and enjoy the good weather.

For details on how to get there and more call 07806 926 040 and see www.coalactionedinburgh.noflag.org.uk/?page_id=415

* This year’s Camp For Climate Action (August 27th – September 2nd) is also set to make excursions into Scotland (Aug 3-6th), and Wales (Aug 13-16th), before heading back to London to “prepare for an autumn of mass action in the run up to the United Nations climate talks in Copenhagen this December”.

See www.climatecamp.org.uk

Keywords: camp for climate action, climate change, coal, direct action, mainshill woo, protest camp, scotland, south lanarkshire


 

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