Home | Friday 16th October 2009 | Issue 695
WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!! IT'S YER LIGHT THE FUSE...
SchNEWS
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Story Links : La La La Bomba | Kicking Up A Stink | Harverster Loons | Quids Pro Quo | Art Attack | Fash In The Pan | 695 Schnews In Brief | Just Deserts | And Finally
LA LA LA BOMBA
SchNEWS LOOKS TO MEXICO, WHERE BUTANE IS IN THE EYE OF THE BOMB-HOLDER
Amid the annual September celebrations of independence and revolution, a series of explosions hit symbols of capitalism across Mexico, each accompanied by anarchist graffiti. What the Mexican press have labelled the ‘Anarcho-bombings’ has since been used by the authorities to launch an attack on Mexico’s autonomous universities – hotbeds of radical politics and action.
After the first explosion on September 1st, the improvised butane bombs went off once or twice a week throughout the month, torching banks, car-showrooms, fast food restaurants and animal testing labs, causing thousands of pounds of damage but no injuries. As well as classic circled ‘A’s, the bombers daubed the targets with slogans denouncing animal rights abuses, demanding an end to prison construction and calling for an end to capitalism.
A previously unknown group called the Subversive Alliance for the Liberation of the Earth, Animals and Humans (ASLTAH) claimed responsibility for the bombings in an internet communiqué, raging, “your filthy techno-industrial system provokes our rage and hatred and we say to you now that we will not stop until we see your ashes.”
On September 30th, federal agents arrested Ramses Villareal Gomez, a 27 year-old student at the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM) in Mexico City, in connection with the bombings. Villareal Gomez claims police threatened him with a 40-year sentence and said they would rape his wife if he did not co-operate in their investigations. Cops also searched his mother’s house, reportedly stealing money and two computers. They initially claimed they found a rifle, a pistol, explosives and documentation linking him to a “subversive” movement in the search.
Police claim they arrested Villareal Gomez after a newspaper clipping of the bombs with “Ramses” was left in an anonymous tip box. Three days later, following violent protests by anarchist groups, a judge ordered the authorities to release Villareal Gomez due to a lack of evidence. After his release Police admitted that they had been “mistaken” about the weapons, explosives and incriminating documents.
Since the arrest, a case dossier has been leaked to the Mexican media. Of the suspects named in the dossier, at least 15 are students at public universities and high schools. All are under 26. The dossier links the suspects to organisations such as the People’s Front in Defence of the Land (FPDT) in Atenco (See SchNEWS 543), the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO - see SchNEWS 567), the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) General Strike Council, and “national and international insurgent organisations.”
The Mexican authorities have been engaged in a struggle with students and academics over how autonomous universities are run since the UNAM opened in 1910. The universities have control over their budgets and the appointment of rectors and regents. They also prohibit the police and the military from entering the campuses without the rector’s permission and deny the authorities access to student records and biographies.
The level of political freedom and protection from repression and harassment on autonomous campuses has created an environment where students have been able to play important roles in political struggles. As well as the groups mentioned in the dossier, students have been particularly active in the Zapatista movement (See SchNEWS 250), and the man the authorities claim is Subcomandante Marcos, Rafael Sebastián Guillén Vicente, was even a student at UNAM and a professor at UAM.
Some students have also been involved in solidarity campaigns with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), who are at the centre of Colombia’s bloody civil war (see SchNEWS 656). Last year four Mexican students were killed in the Colombian military’s airstrikes in Ecuador which killed FARC commander Raul Reyes. One Mexican student, Lucia Morett, survived the attack.
Following the bombings, the search for Morett and her associates led to increased harassment and surveillance on campus activists under the pretext of ‘combating terrorism’. Morett’s name was also in the ‘Anarcho bombings’ dossier’.
The dossier claims Morett was in contact with Villareal Gomez, a charge she denies. Not one of the newspapers which have a copy of the dossier has printed any evidence related to Morett, Villareal Gomez or any of the 15 students.
Since the bombings, the ASLTAH have been making noise about “the battle for the dissolution of civilisation”. But, in a state riven with social strife and in danger of being overwhelmed by a bloody narco war, it is unlikely anyone is taking a fringe group of pyro-enthusiasts too seriously. The radicals of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Atenco however, remain a serious challenge to the status quo and the autonomous universities a real tool in their struggle. The ‘Anarcho-bombings’ now look set to be leapt on by the Mexican authorities as another opportunity to try and repress that struggle.
* See www.narconews.com and www.counterpunch.org/ross10062009.html
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KICKING UP A STINK
Looks like hunt sabs are gonna be cleaning up this winter. Cosmetics manufacturer Lush have released a new soap called Fabulous Mrs Fox – on sale from now ‘til Boxing Day. Every penny of the profits is set to be spent on funding sab groups up and down the country as they disrupt bloodsports.
Of course the Countryside Alliance types have got themselves into a lather (copyright – all newspapers) claiming that Lush are out to support ‘dirty fighters’ and claiming that Lush will ‘pay for its politics’. But Lush maintain, “We’re on the side of the foxes!” (and perhaps they think the anti market is a big dollar right now). To capture the full thrill of a day’s sabbing in the comfort of yer own bath, the Lush aromaologists have concocted “a blend of citronella, engine oil and organic special brew”. Well, what are you waiting for?
* See www.huntsabs.org.uk
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HARVERSTER LOONS
The Mainshill protest camp has had a busy few weeks in their fight to protect the land from being turned into an open-cast coal mine (See SchNEWS 686), as earth clearing and tree-felling work goes ahead. This Tuesday (13th), they blockaded the road and stopped logging for day by placing people – and a sky-raft – in the path of the heavy machinery. One was arrested.
Last week saw some dramatic events when late on Tuesday (6th) night, the camp had a dangerous situation on its hands when a harvesting machine appeared from the darkness and began cutting through trees near to the actual camp where protesters were camped in treehouses and tunnels. The driver didn’t mind putting peoples’ lives at risk and breaking company health & safety rules, and initially tried to continue working – but after a near-miss, was chased off.
Then came another piece of heavy machinery driven by even more belligerent nutters than the first one. The driver refused to stop, with his co-driver jumping out at one point to tell protesters ‘I’m going to kill you’. Police arrived and instead of arresting the drivers for dangerous driving, claimed the campers were endangering themselves by being so close to machinery. The only concession was that Scottish Woodland agreed to stop tree felling at night.
Then the following night, pixies just so happened to sabotage three of the large machines by superglueing their locks, stopping work until late the following day.
The Mainshill camp is calling for all to get involved now. It’s off the A70 towards Douglas, South Lanarkshire
* See http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk
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QUIDS PRO QUO
A man received a £22,000 payout from the British Transport Police (BTP) this week after he was nicked for witnessing a stop and search in Seven Sisters, North London. Ken Hinds stopped to observe eight cops aggressively grab a black teenager near the tube station. “There were seven or eight officers tugging at this teenager. It caught my attention because the youth looked scared and alarmed. I wanted to watch to make sure he had a witness in case he was hurt.
“But an officer spotted me and told me to f*** off. When I told him I knew my rights, he said to his colleague, ‘I’m going to nick him’. They then put me in tight handcuffs which was very painful.” As any SchNEWS reader knows, police are quite happy to nick anybody who looks at them sideways or acts as if they know their rights, especially if they happen to be, like Mr Hinds, a big shaven-headed black guy.
Unfortunately for the ignoramuses of the BTP, our Ken is quite the respected member of the community. Not only is he an experienced community youth worker (who helped broker a truce between rival gangs in the area) but he sits on the Metropolitan Police’s Black Independent Advisory Group and (the ironies just keep coming) is chairman of a monitoring group for police stop and search in Haringey. Oops.
Originally charged with threatening and abusive behaviour, police were forced to eat humble pie, apologise and cough up. Two cops received formal warnings and one was deemed to be “not a credible witness.”
Keywords: london,
police racism,
stop and search
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ART ATTACK
The Ramparts Social Centre in East London was evicted yesterday (15th) after five years of a squatted occupation. An eyewitness inside the building – one of the people present for the eviction - said that at 5.30am they heard the front door being cut with a chainsaw. A team of 13-14 bailiffs entered the building, while outside around 50 police blocked off the three streets which lead to Ramparts, including a checkpoint further up the road. Climbers went to the roof in a similar manner to the raid during the G20 protests this April (See SchNEWS 671). Once inside, the eviction team found three people and a dog.
Afterwards police gave out a phone number for those with possessions inside to retrieve belongings, and the building is now empty, with four burly Polish blokes hired as security goons outside.
If you are able to help move stuff out, and for other info email rampart@mutualaid.org or see www.rampart.co.nr
* Also on Wednesday (14th) Sheffield squatters intending on setting up a social centre, had their second building evicted in a fortnight. Hours after the courts had granted a possession order to the owners (the NHS Trust) of the building at 10 Northumberland Rd, a team of bailiffs gave the squatters several hours to get out before sealing the building. This is the second building this crew have taken which has only lasted a week after they were evicted on the 7th from Pisgah House, a derelict, listed building owned by the University of Sheffield. Let’s hope it’s third time lucky for the crew in their plans to create an ongoing social centre. For updates see http://sheffield.indymedia.org.uk
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FASH IN THE PAN
SchNEWS was on the scene for the latest attempt by the English Defence League (See SchNEWS 693) to bring anti-Muslim extremism onto the streets, this time in Manchester.
Although the EDL’s demo wasn’t due to start until 5pm, by midday a small knot of the lardy larger louts - brandishing England flags - had gathered near Piccadilly Gardens in the city centre. Surrounded by lines of police they were confronted by a several hundred strong group from the Unite against Fascism counter-demo.
A game of push and shove followed with the cops eventually using dogs to clear a path for the EDL. Both demos were then cordoned in the centre of Piccadilly Gardens. Factions from both sides avoided the kettle and were moving around the outskirts of the demo. So far, so good but as the afternoon wore on more and more arrived to join the EDL demo. Although they were still outnumbered by counter demonstrators by around three to one, this still made it the EDLs biggest mobilisation yet with around three to four hundred present.
The stand-off inside Picadilly Gardens lasted ‘til 5pm with crowd surges and occasional bottles being lobbed. Outside the cordon the two groups eyed each other up but there were only occasional scuffles and a lot of strange conversations. One anti-fash protester told SchNEWS, “A lot of the EDL types didn’t know why they were there – I heard comments ranging from ‘Islam is a paedophile religion’ to the old NF slogan ‘There ain’t no black in the Union Jack’ What was most surprising was just how young many of them were, there seemed to be a lot of fifteen year lads out”.
Eventually police marched the EDL back to the train stations. Altogether 48 arrests were made for public order offences.
* The EDL bandwagon moves to Wales this week with demos in two cities this month – both to be responded to by counter-demos: The EDL have set up a ‘Welsh Defence League’ to spread the anti-Muslim ignorance west of the border. This Saturday (17th), they’re in Swansea – with the local community holding a counter-demo, meeting 4pm outside the YMCA, St Helen’s Road, Swansea. Then on the 24th it’s off to Newport – meet 1pm at John Frost Square.
See www.twitter.com/NewportCAR www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=158100673713&ref=mf
* Further demos on the EDL calender include October 31st in the Leeds city centre at 1pm; followed by Glasgow city centre on November 14th (not yet confirmed), and Nottingham on December 5th - details of counter-demos to follow.
* For more coverage with footage of last Saturday in Manchester see http://jasonnparkinson.blogspot.com
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695 SCHNEWS IN BRIEF
Another victory for climate campaigners this week as Heathrow’s owners BAA announced they are withdrawing their application for a third runway. With Kingsnorth power plant also shelved indefinitely (see SchNEWS 694), next up it’s Ratcliffe on Soar. Emma Jackson, a spokesperson for the Climate Camp, said: “E.ON and BAA know that the days of committing new climate crimes are over. Now we have to start shutting down existing coal-fired power stations, and that’s why we’re going to Ratcliffe-on-Soar next week.” www.climatecamp.org.uk
Fifty-five Greenpeace activists scaled the Houses of Parliament last Sunday (11th) before setting up camp on the roof. They stayed for 28 hours, making sure they were there in the morning to welcome back MPs returning from their summer hols with their climate change message. All were arrested on their descent. See www.greenpeace.org.uk
Live animal exports from Portsmouth docks look set to begin in the next two weeks. In contradiction to previous docks policy that only allowed for ten animals a week to be exported for breeding purposes only, it appears the exports will be large scale and the animals destined for slaughter. Demos against the exports are now being organised, call 07955897075 to get involved.
The trial of six activists arrested at a ‘Die-in for NATO’s victims in Afghanistan’ outside Northwood military HQ earlier this year has been scheduled for November 4th. Support is welcome, for details call 0845 458 2564 or email messageto@stopbombingafghanistan.org
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JUST DESERTS
In one of Earth's most inhospitable landscapes, tens of thousands of indigenous people live under military rule in annexed territories, a colonial power having taken control of the region's abundant natural resources, launched waves of subsidised immigrant settlement and built a series of bloody big walls to keep out hundreds of thousands living in refugee camps in a mine-filled no-man's land. Welcome to Africa's last colony: Western Sahara.
With such a story to tell you might have thought you'd have heard more about it but the media landscape on the subject is, well pretty desert-like.
Last week the UN's Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) meeting in New York heard petitions from academics, politicians, human rights campaigners and, that increasingly rare breed, indigenous Saharawi's who wanted to impress upon the international community the urgent need for action in their country.
Decades of dithering, weak resolutions and hands off treatment has following the bitter war for control between Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the home-grown Polisario Front - seeking self-government and independence – that was sparked after Spain finally pulled out of Europe's last colonial occupation in 1975.
After its other neighbours eventually dropped out for one reason or another, Moroccan armed forces eventually prevailed (helped along by shedloads of Western military kit), with human rights abuses galore against the Polisario, more or less completing the job in the early 1990s. Morrocco built walls and fortifications, shipped settlers in and native Saharawis out, they now rule the area to such an extent that the Moroccan government is the largest single employer and the Kingdom refers to the country merely as 'the Southern states'. Large numbers of displaced Saharawis have been left living in squalid refugee camps in Algeria with others eeking out life in the area to the East of the Moroccan walls, a mine-filled no-man's land they optimistically call the 'free zone', where the Polisario have maintained their existence as the political representatives of the refugees and a guerilla force still clinging on in the teeth of the program of armed suppression and incremental cultural eradication.
Despite pointedly refusing to recognise the Moroccan claims to sovereignty, the rest of the World has pretty much left them to get on with it, and shown plenty of willingness to business with them while the UN has tried and failed to get anywhere with numerous failed attempts to get Morocco to agree to engage in any sort of negotiations that don't ultimately leave them in charge.
But why would anybody be especially interested in this militarily insignificant wasteland of sand, scrub and searing heat in the day and chilling sub zero nights?
Well it's all about the money of course, stoopid! WS has one of the planet's largest deposits of phosphates, a key ingredient in the fertilisers that modern farming relies on.
This is what kept Spain in WS so long, and Spanish mining interests did deals with Moroccan counterparts to ensure their finger remained in the pie after their official withdrawal. The first thing Morroco did was secure the phosphate mines, eventually building a wall around the entire main mining town, Bou Craa, now almost entirely inhabited by Moroccan mining employees.
To ensure the smooth flowing of the profits, they have in fact built the longest conveyor belt in the World (over a 100km long – you should see their version of the Generation Game). Morocco exports at least half of the world's phosphates, dealing internationally with almost every country, in a hugely lucrative trade.
Whilst the WS mine only currently constitutes a small fraction of this, there are large known deposits to extract there, and with scientists now fearful of 'peak phosphate', as limited resources decline under the vastly increasing demand, the appeal of plundering WS is unlikely to diminish any time soon. Not mention the lure of valuable uranium, iron, and titanium deposits all ready for the exploitin'. Ever willing to make a buck, Morocco's even made a small packet exporting Saharan sand to the Canary Islands to beef up the beaches ready for the European holidaymakers jetting over for a bit of winter sun.
Also making it worth the colonisation is the potential for oil and gas development. It is suspected there are stashes of these to be found, and Morocco actually signed exploration deals with Total (one of SchNEWS favourite oil companies, see SchNEWS 611) and an US firm, Kerr-Mcgee in the early 2000s, which only stalled after a concerted campaign by pressure groups and NGO's led to the firm's shareholders getting jittery and they both eventually pulled out. Presumably, as energy becomes more and more important globally, there will be further attempts to make such deals politically palatable again.
And there's always other fish in the sea. Load of them in fact; the western coast of WS is teeming with relatively undepleted stocks of fish – which Europe is extremely keen on, it's fishermen having laid waste to so many of the other oceans of the world. In fact, the EU has recently done a deal to open up some of the waters to them, so it's unlikely they'll want to rock the boat any time soon.
Meanwhile, the Saharawi people have been left largely deserted in the desert by the West. While Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Nambia's President Pohamba and South Africa's Jacob Zuma all spoke on the issue at the UN General Assembly last month, more than a mere oasis of global support and pressure for action is going to be needed to sway Morocco from its course. And even then what price that it will be the powerful resource-hungry businesses that muscle in to make sure any resolution puts their interests above those of any remaining beleaguered native inhabitants.
On August 5th, six Sahrawi student advocates returning from a fact-finding mission from the refugee camps, and heading for a conference on conflict resolution in the UK, were stopped and arrested by Moroccan police at the Mohamed V Airport in Casablanca. Whisked off they were detained in unknown locations before being released under heavy surveillance with injuries including a broken ankle, cuts, lacerations and and severe bruising. Fears for their safety remain and any imminent threat of awareness-raising presence over here safely averted by the Moroccan authorities for the time being.
Today campaigners around the world will mark the 34th anniversary of the International Court of Justice Ruling – the UN's first ignored proclamation of the region's right to self rule.
See www.freesahara.ning.com and www.upes.org
Keywords: africa,
morocco,
resource grab,
western sahara
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AND FINALLY
...As this week farmers take their protest about dairy pricing to Brussels, where they milk it for all it’s worth...
Keywords: brussels, eu
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Disclaimer
SchNEWS warns all readers, using animals for protest stunts is an udder disgrace. Honest.
These books are mostly collections of 50 issues of SchNEWS from each year,
containing an extra 200-odd pages of extra articles, photos, cartoons, subverts,
a “yellow pages” list of contacts, comedy etc. SchNEWS At Ten is a ten-year
round-up, containing a lot of new articles.
