Here's your slightly late but all in 1 piece issue 349 of SchNEWS. The
pdf version of the mailing list that we've been promising for ages should
be ready by next week, no really... We'll let you know how to get yourself
on it when we've got it up and running.
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This week's SchNEWS: http://www.schnews.org.uk/
HOLY SHIT! IT'S YER FAITHFUL
SchNEWS
Friday 5th 2002 | Issue 349
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STATE OF TERROR
"History is repeating itself...This is fascism, how they [the Israeli
soldiers] are dealing with people, detaining them in big schools and
interrogating each one, writing numbers on them.people are terrified.
The Israeli soldiers are shooting everything. Life here has totally
stopped; it's dead. This is terrorism against civilians. It is organised
terrorism by the state...this is an organised war against a whole people
who have no weapons to resist tanks, and helicopters and F16s." -
Ashraf, a Palestinian imprisoned in his home in Ramallah.
It's Monday in Beit Jala, a small town near Bethlehem and 150 people
from the International Solidarity Movement and dozens of Palestinians
are marching peacefully in the deserted streets. They are attempting to
visit families besieged in their homes, before Israeli tanks block their
path. Two of the marchers start to move towards the tanks with their
hands up in order to negotiate, but soldiers open fire at both the crowd
and the reporters that are there. Eight people are injured, one
seriously.
Other activists are holed up with Yasser Arafat in his headquarters.
Mario Lill from Brazil's Landless Workers' Movement (MST) is one of
those who are acting as a human shield and has become a sort of war
correspondent broadcasting live to Brazil. Others such as
anti-globalisation French farmer Jose Bove were arrested in the compound
by Israeli troops.
Wednesday and two thousand people including internationals, Israeli and
Arab civilians gather at a checkpoint near Ramallah trying to get
humanitarian aid delivered to the besieged town. Soldiers fire tear gas
and baton charge people. One of the protestors was Yehudith Harel "Two
Israeli faces surfaced today. One is the decent and humane face of the
Israeli Anti-war movement - an alliance of Israeli citizens - Jews and
Arabs, adamant to struggle together for Justice for the two peoples. The
second is the ugly and brutal face of the Occupation mentality and
practices threatening to crush us."
CASUALTIES
People from around the world have been volunteering in the occupied
territories of the West Bank for over a year, taking non-violent direct
action like clearing roadblocks and acting as willing human shields to
protect the Palestinian people. Invited by Palestinian activists, these
international supporters live and work in solidarity with them - a
similar call out to the one made by the Zapatistas in Chiapas, Mexico.
People from abroad can often get away with a lot more when protesting,
partly because they have the eyes of the international press on them -
until Monday that was, when live ammunition was fired at the
international observers for the first time.
As for the Palestinians, even the doctors, nurses and paramedics are
being used by the Israeli army as human shields or forced to strip and
sit on their knees at gunpoint in the streets. Israeli forces have
stopped ambulances delivering aid or picking up the wounded and are
detaining the Palestinian Red Crescent society and aid workers. 120
Palestinian paramedics have been killed in the last 18 months.
As Israeli tanks roll in to Palestinian settlements, they destroy
telephone lines and cut electricity and water supplies. All men between
the ages of 16 and 50 are rounded up. Some homes are destroyed, others
have their windows blown out and walls dynamited as soldiers move from
home to home. Soldiers occupy other homes forcing the residents to live
together in a single room, with little or no access to telephone lines,
news coverage or even food and water.
An entire civilian population is being openly terrorised after over 50
years of occupation by the Israeli State.
Michael Ben-Yair, former Israel attorney general said, "The Intifada is
the Palestinian people's war of national liberation. We enthusiastically
chose to become a colonist society, ignoring international treaties,
expropriating lands, transferring settlers from Israel to the occupied
territories, engaging in theft and finding justification for all these
activities...we established an apartheid regime."
Lev Grinberg (Director of the Humphrey Institute for Social Research at
Ben Gurion University) sums up the situation: "Suicide bombs killing
innocent citizens must be unequivocally condemned; they are immoral
acts, and their perpetrators should be sent to jail. But they cannot be
compared to State terrorism carried out by the Israeli Government. The
former are individual acts of despair of a people that sees no future,
vastly ignored by an unfair and distorted international public opinion.
The latter are cold and "rational" decisions of a State and a military
apparatus of occupation, well equipped, financed and backed by the only
superpower in the world."
* Boycott Israeli goods protests happening around the country this
Saturday (6th) including: Waitrose, Western Road, Brighton 11am;
Sainsbury's, Queens St. Cardiff 10am; Marks and Spencers Oxford St,
Swansea Midday. To order boycott leaflets and stickers and find out
events happening in your area email: big@palestinecampaign.org or call
the Palestine Solidarity Campaign 020 7700 6192
* Saturday 13th April National rally and demonstration for Palestine.
Assemble 2pm, Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square. Tel 020 7272 2888.
* To find out about more about the International Solidarity Movement
www.freepalestinecampaign.org
* Bypass the corporate media
www.jerusalem.indymedia.org
www.zmag.org
www.palestinechronicle.com
www.alternet.org
* Nearly 400 Israeli Defence Forces reservists are refusing to serve in
the occupied territories. Read their reasons why www.yesh-gvul.org
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While Palestinians are being shot dead by Israeli troops
and Americans wage 'War on Terrorism' BAE Systems, the
world biggest arms trading company, are laughing all the
way to the bank as their share prices have increased by
13.8%. Why not congratulate them at their AGM on May 3rd.
To get involved, contact: Campaign Against Arms Trade
0207 2810297 www.caat.org.uk
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CRAP ARREST OF THE WEEK
For selling saucy postcards
A couple from 'Hookers for Weed' were nicked on Monday for selling
postcards at Camden in London. The Medical Marijuana Barbie cards
featured a marijuana leaf where the traditional fig leaf would cover.
This offended the Police's sensitive natures and the couple were banged
up for six hours and charged with 'Obstructing Free Passage along a
Highway' (sic). Mind you, last time the group protested, a woman
stripped off on top of a bus stop at Oxford Circus.
www.hookersforweed.com
* Bournemouth has become the latest city to open a Dutch-style cannabis
café . Police are yet to act, go down fast and leave real slowly.
www.whspliff.net/Bournemouth.html
* There will be cannabis festivals all around the world in over 200
cities on 4th May www.schmoo.co.uk/cannabis/
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OUTBACK FIGHTBACK
"Before we knew it we were all inside the perimeter fence... face to face
with the detainees, only a few metres of steel railing and razor wire
separating us. This was an incredibly emotional moment, people were
crying, reaching through to touch hands, I will never forget those
peoples' faces. ...Then quite suddenly some of the men managed to break
some of the fencing, it seemed to actually be quite weak. One by one
they clambered out, stage diving down onto the excited mob of
protesters. Still the police seemed to be paralysed, maybe they couldn't
believe what was happening. The escapees melted quickly into the throng
of people, swapping t- shirts and hats and running with us in big groups
back to camp." - Miranda.
Last weekend an asylum seekers' detention centre in the Australian
desert was broken into by 1000 protesters, 50 'detainees' managed to
escape - and a few are still unaccounted for. This was part of the
Woomera 2002 Festival Of Freedom - a tour of actions held around the
desert town of Woomera 500kms north of Adelaide which was to call in on
the detention centre, then move onto nearby uranium mines. Working with
the local Kokatha and Arabunna peoples, this 'festival' was to combine
the issues of uranium, refugees and indigenous land rights: Rebecca Bear
Wingfield of the Kokatha people said that aboriginal people did not want
the refugees to be imprisoned on their land, and also pointed out the
connections: 'the uranium mined ends up as bombs and depleted uranium
weapons is used in wars which create more refugees'.
In the days leading up to the protest a camp had built up near the
detention centre and on Friday protesters took cutting tools to the
centre and passed them to the detainees to help free themselves. That
night the campers were huddled in tents with asylum seekers and heard
horror stories about both Woomera and the places the people had come
from. The next day protesters tried to move detainees out, some
succeeded, but others were caught and are up on charges of aiding and
abetting escapees - and bizarrely found themselves sharing cells with
asylum seekers. Detainees claim that tear gas is used in the centre, and
after the breakout some who had contact with the protestors were
tortured and beaten.
Since 1994 the Australian asylum policy has been to bang up all asylum
seekers - kindly housing them mainly in remote desert centres such as
Woomera where people can wait for years for a verdict, and many are now
prepared to risk possible deportation and death rather than suffer the
conditions. Already this year Woomera has seen riots, hunger strikes,
suicide attempts and people sewing their lips together in protest about
their treatment.
Check out the following web sites for more info:
www.noborders.org
www.woomera2002.com
www.melbourne.indymedia.org
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MONEY TO BURN
Yarls Wood detention centre in Bedfordshire which was the scene of the
fire in February (see SchNEWS 348) closed this week. Unfortunately this
wasn't due to a change of asylum policy by the government, but a result
of the insurers whacking up their premiums. Just to guarantee that they
won't be out of pocket over February's incident though the insurers have
put in a claim for £97million against Bedfordshire Police Authority.
www.ncadc.org.uk
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SchNEWS in brief
* Organisers of this years Mayday Festivities are getting more than
their fair share of police attention. Police have successfully
manage to persuade web hosts not to host their site
www.ourmayday.org.uk the site is currently up and running but Met
Police are threatening to raid the current host. The May Day
Festival of Alternatives runs from 16th April-6th May.
* Mayday Meeting Sunday April 7th to discuss actions, ideas,
affinity. The London Action Resource Centre (LARC), Fieldgate and
Parfett Street, E1, 2pm, Tel 07786 716 335
festivalofalternatives@yahoo.com
* No Sweat Comedy Cabaret fundraiser for Indonesian workers featuring
Rob Newman and Atilla the Stokebroker, next Friday (10th), 7pm The
Bread and Roses, 68A Clapham Manor Street SW4 Tel 07904 431 959
www.nosweat.org.uk £10/5
* The 20th is an alternative health/healing day at the Radical Dairy,
12-6pm 47 Kynaston Road, Stoke Newington, London, N16
* 'The history of foxhunting and land ownership in Britain', which
digs all the dirt on the Countryside Alliance is a new pamphlet
available for £2.50 inc postage RPM Publications, BCM Box 3328,
London WC1N 3XX 07967 886257 www.red-star-research.org.uk
* The Council meeting to decide the future of the Brighton Station
site has been postponed. There's still a Dragon and Drums demo with
samba band this weekend against Sainsbury's meet 1:30pm Saturday
x-Harvest Forestry building New England Road
* Plans to widen the A303 road near Stonehenge are currently in the
pipeline. An alliance is now forming to try and make sure it's not
built www.savestonehenge.org.uk
* Next Monday is Roma Nation Day it will be marked in this country
with a celebration march starting at noon in Victoria Tower
Gardens, next to the the houses of Parliament. Bring refreshments
for the picnic in the park and flowers for the ceremony
ustiben.2@ntlworld.com
* End Factory Farming - before it ends us a rally and march against
factory farming. Meet Noon at the level, Brighton. Sat 13th 01273
777688
* Women, Peace and Security a meeting with speakers from
International Alert and Widows for Peace at University of London
Union building, Malet Street, 2-4.30pm, 14th April Tel:020 8467
5367 www.peacewomen.org
* Close Down Harmondsworth Detention Centre 11.30am - 1.30pm 15th
April email: closedownharmondsworth@hotmail.com
* The End Of The Road Direct action gathering to build resistance to
the new roads program and the corporate dominance it fuels. Is
happening from 19-20th April at the Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone
street, Nottingham, NG7 6HX. Info 07813
* Stop Huntington Animal Cruelty week of action 20-28th April 0845
4580630
* There's a National Day of action against Profiteering Employment
Agencies on the 24th April - the 4 anniversiary of Simon Jones
death. The Simon Jones Memorial Campaign are asking supporters
across the country to mark the anniversary of Simon's death by
demonstrating, in whatever way they see fit, at an employment
agency in their area that profits from casualisation. Phone (01273)
685913 simonjonesaprilaction@hotmail.com www.simonjones.org.uk
* To keep up-to-date with what's going on check out the party and
protest section on our website.
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Inside SchNEWS
A day of Action for Mark Barnsley is planned for Saturday April 13th
Meet at 11am at Meadowhall bus station near Sheffield. (M1 Junc:34) to
picket the Home Office Minister David Blunkett at his surgery. Mark is
currently serving 12 years in prison after being beaten up by 15 drunk
students. Now in his eighth year of his sentance h'es not been eligible
for early release because he continues to maintain his innocence.
www.freemarkbarnsley.com
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TANKS A LOT
The Kurdish New Year (Newroz) was celebrated with fires and dances in
traditional Kurdish dress towns and cities in Turkey. Millions of people
demanded the use of the Kurdish language, the abolition of the death
penalty, the recognition of their cultural identity, and universal
democratic rights and support was voiced for the national leadership of
Abdullah Ocalan and for his immediate release.
Turkey responded in its usual manner. In Istanbul and Mersin, they
outlawed Newroz, police armed with tanks, water-cannons and plastic
bullets attacked and killed two people, with more than one thousand
arrested and hundreds hurt. Threats and intimidation, house arrests,
confiscation of the Kurdish colours and arrests for talking in the
Kurdish dialect as well as obstruction of speakers were ordered in many
of the towns. In one instance police threw a hand grenade into an
apartment. Despite all this, there were a greater number of revellers
than previous years.
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FIGHTING DIRTY
36 people were nicked on the first day of the Peat Alert Protests at
Hatfield Moor which started on Monday 25th March, with more during the
next four days. The threat of the four day blockade to the Easter DIY
sales of peat was so much that US-based Scotts contacted groups to see
if there was anything they could do to stop it. Er, how about stop
digging. Scotts is due to phase out work at Hatfield and neighbouring
Thorne Moors over the next two years, but continuing extraction at
Hatfield could mean it will be too late to save the moor. Once again a
big police presence stepped in to protect corporate interests with
helicopter, vans with cops in riot gear and this time a section 14,
making it an arrestable offence to get on the road that needed to be
occupied to stop the lorries. After some scrambling over the moors, the
road was secured for a few hours stopping all traffic to and from the
works, this continued with some peat drainage filling done on the moors
for extra fun. Peat Pixies also helped delay Scott's operations after
sneaking in the end of last week and slashing and ruining thousands of
prepared peat bags. www.peatalert.org.uk
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...and finally...
Disciples of Cupid in Calcutta, India have won a victory for passion.
The Lovers Organisation for Voluntary Exhibition (LOVE) have been
protesting for more space in the city for courting couples to give each
other mutual admiration, without being disturbed by police and
passers-by. After hugging and kissing at the Mayors office for the right
to snogging space, the local mayor Subrata Mukherjee has now agreed to
let lovers enjoy each other's company in 'free love zones' along the
river Ganges The Mayor warned however that these zones are for lovers
not love makers. LOVE says their campaign will not end here, it wants a
public library and a consultancy to be set up for lovers, and legal
recognition of love letters written during courtship.
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Disclaimer
Mum's the word. Honest.
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