Manchester and Glastonbury, mud and rain.

Well to Manchester and back to speak at the Carnival against Climate change, good event despite the wet weather and meet some great people from Manchester Green Party, had a nice vegan meal after words, left London at 6.59 which was a mistake, lets all have an hour extra in bed if we can, this has to be good for climate change reduction, world peace, personal sanity, relationships, etc.

Gordon Brown 'The Climate change crisis is so severe that to reduce energy demand I intend to legislate for an extra hour in bed for all workers. While this will reduce competitiveness in the short run, in the medium term it will provide important gains for the British people and the British economy. It is a change that some will resist but action is necessary now if we are to have a serious effect on climate change, our example will be instrumental in providing leadership for OECD economies and the major carbon emitters in the developing world.'

We could be waiting for this statement for some time.

Well I am not just staying bed here is some of my Green Party Principal Speaker input for the last few weeks.


As well as the usual diet of Radio 4 and Sky TV, I have travelling to events up and down the country to spread the Green message, for example, speaking at the Glastonbury Festival, Croydon Green Party and the Manchester Carnival against Climate Change in the last week of June.

I have had letters about green economics in the Independent, on Blair in the Guardian

and Britain's support for terrorism in the Telegraph

My Comment is Free blog with Guardian has looked at topics from lifestyle to local elections . I have taken on Jeremy Clarkson fans over road pricing and started a monthly column in the Morning Star newspaper. Sian and I have commented on the draft Climate Change. So I am busy busy busy but still keen to visit local parties and receive feedback on how to up our profile, so feel free to contact me.

They shoved guns in my face

In answer to a comment yesterday, yes quite literally some one came up to me and said 'you are the leader of the Green Party and I claim my £5', I said we didn't have a leader (so he could not have his £5)!

Today is a wet day in Green Party office, Waterlow Road...so doing the blog between firing off letters on permaculture and nagging the press person here to get a release out supporting the post office strike.

Anyway

Got talking to this guy on the train into London. A kind of grizzled beat poet pensioner, equipped at 9.30 in the morning with his freedom pass for cheap fares in the capital and a small bottle of vodka he sucked at every now and then.

An interesting man to talk to.

He told me about being in Guatamala in the 1980s, 'They were killing the Mayan. It was all death squads, they would shoved guns in my face and thought I would be disappeared as well on a number of occassions but having a British passport made it more difficult.'

We talked of many things between Tonbridge and Archway tube station on the Northern Line...of Pat Finucane, Marx's ecology, Marlon Brando in Zapata, Northern Ireland, Wiltshire, Paul Thoreux on Africa.

He told me how after the coup in 1973 in Chile, they cut Victor Jara's hands off and said 'sing now you bastard' before killing him.

I checked and no they didn't cut off his hands but they might have as well as done.

'On the morning of September 12, Jara was taken, along with thousands others, as a prisoner to the Chile Stadium (renamed the Estadio Víctor Jara in September 2003). In the hours and days that followed, many of those detained in the stadium were tortured and killed there by the military forces. Jara was repeatedly beaten and tortured; the bones in his hands were broken as were the bones of his ribs. Reports that one of Jara's hands, or both of his hands, had been cut off, are however erroneous.[citation needed] Fellow political prisoners have testified that his captors mockingly suggested that he play guitar for them as he lay on the ground. Defiantly, he sang part of a song supporting the Popular Unity coalition.[citation needed] After further beatings, he was machine-gunned on September 15 and his body dumped on a road on the outskirts of Santiago, and then taken to a city morgue.

Jara's wife, Joan, was allowed to come and retrieve his body from the site and was able to confirm the physical damage he had endured. After holding a funeral for her husband, Joan Jara fled the country in secret.' is what the wiki says...

That's politics. It ain't about gravy trains or trivia....its about survival in dangerous times.

Brown: the death toll will rise.

a bit busy to blog so here something from Peter.

Michael Finucane's piece in the Guardian about the killing of his father by a British death squad says it all, remember in times of crisis and civil strife they will come knocking at your day.

Happens less than in El Salvador but we have our dirty wars and disappearances

The official version was that state agents were infiltrating Loyalist paramilitary organisations in order to prevent what they were planning to do. There are problems with this explanation. Firstly, the activities continued despite the existence of agents, and many people were still being murdered. Secondly, this explanation conflicts with the internal reports of one of the main agencies responsible for running the agents.
State collusion with paramilitaries remains a festering sore in the way of rehabilitation from conflict-riven wasteland to modern, autonomously governed democracy. The responsibility here lies firmly with the government, which has never accepted that the state was a participant in the conflict.

Here is Peter's comment



Time for Green, not Brown

New Prime Minister, same old policies

Brownism is a continuation of Blairism by another name

London – 27 June 2007

"Prime Minister Gordon Brown has backed every Blairite blunder," said
Peter Tatchell, the Green Party candidate for Oxford East. He was
speaking on the occasion of Mr Brown taking over the premiership from
Tony Blair.

"Brownism is a continuation of Blairism by another name. Different
Prime Minister, same old policies," added Mr Tatchell.

"It is time to move on from the tainted Blairite policies of the past,
but Gordon Brown has given no indication that he will give a lead.

"The Greens offer a progressive alternative to Brown and New Labour.
We are the anti-war party that champions public services, human
rights, social justice and environmental protection. It's time for
Green, not Brown.

"Gordon Brown is planning to waste £100 billion on Trident nuclear
missiles, ID cards, new road building, more nuclear power stations,
further privatisation of public services, and the continued occupation
of Iraq.

"This enormous sum would be far better spent on affordable housing,
improved schools and hospitals, renewable power generation, and cheap,
safe and reliable public transport.

"Climate chaos is the single biggest threat to British and
international prosperity and security. The Greens are the only party
with serious, credible policies to halt global warming.

"While Brown is making loud green noises, his policies to tackle
climate change are weak and contradictory. Carbon emissions have
increased since Labour came to power in 1997.

"Gordon Brown is supporting new motorway and airport expansion. He has
allowed huge hikes in public transport fares, which discourage people
from leaving their cars at home.

"As Chancellor, he imposed the air passenger duty but he is not using
it to fund carbon cuts. The money raised by this tax - nearly £2
billion a year - is just disappearing into the exchequer.

"The hope that Brown will return the Labour party and government to
its left-wing roots is, frankly, delusional. He has said there will be
no back-tracking on Blair's agenda. No surprise there. After all, he
was the co-architect of New Labour.


"Look at Brown's past record and his recent pledges to maintain
Blair's key policies.

"He was the prudent Chancellor who stuck with Tory spending limits at
a time when the poor and public services were crying out for action.

"He insulted our senior citizens with his miserly 75p pension
increase, at a time when the national insurance budget had a £7
billion surplus.

"Two years earlier, he abolished tax relief on dividends paid into
pensions funds, which reduced their value by a staggering £5 billion a
year. This contributed to dozens of pension schemes collapsing and
resulted in many retirees getting much lower pensions than expected.

"Brown has promoted Labour's creeping privatisation of health and
education, including foundation hospitals and city academies. In
contrast, the Greens believe public services should serve the public,
not enrich consultants and private corporations.

"The new Prime Minister has acquiesced with the biggest-ever peacetime
erosion of civil liberties. He not only endorses the police having the
right to detain people without charge for up to 28 days (the
equivalent of a two month prison sentence), he has indicated his
willingness to consider extending the detention period, perhaps up to
90 days - despite parliament less than a year ago rejecting such
draconian incarceration measures, and despite no evidence that longer
detention will be useful in curbing crime or terrorism.

"We have witnessed Brown supporting the ban on protests near
parliament without prior police permission; echoing the old Soviet
system where citizens had to get official authorisation to demonstrate
outside the Kremlin. This ban has resulted in peace campaigners being
arrested in Whitehall for reading out the names of the Iraq war dead.

"Brown also backs the inhumanity of the asylum system; whereby
innocent asylum seekers who have fled jail and torture are
incarcerated like common criminals, with fewer legal rights that
people charged with rape and murder.

"Mr Brown has reiterated his approval of the war in Iraq. He has no
exit strategy; and no plan to rebuild the country's shattered
infrastructure – a devastation that has fuelled the insurgency and
left many regions with no welfare provision for jobless and homeless
refugees, and no fully operational phone and sewage systems, and water
and electricity supplies.

"He lacks any proposals for a negotiated settlement to the
Israel-Palestine conflict. The suffering of the Palestinian people is
the major cause of violence in the Middle East and acts as a
recruiting sergeant for international terrorism. Securing a just peace
settlement is crucial for global peace and stability," said Mr
Tatchell.

Further information: Peter Tatchell 0207 403 1790

www.greenoxford.com/peter

www.petertatchell.net


--
Peter Tatchell is the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Oxford East
http://www.greenoxford.com/peter and http://www.petertatchell.net


PETER TATCHELL HUMAN RIGHTS FUND

Donations are requested to help fund Peter Tatchell's campaigns
promoting human rights, democracy and global justice.
Peter is unpaid and receives no grants.
To continue his human rights work, he depends on donations from
friends and supporters.

Please make cheques payable to: "Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund".

Send to: Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund, PO Box 35253, London E1 4YF

To download a donation form or a standing order mandate, go to Donations at:
http://www.tatchellrightsfund.org

To email PTHRF:
info@tatchellrightsfund.org

Thank you. Richard Kirker, Treasurer PTHRF

For information about Peter Tatchell's campaigns:
http://www.petertatchell.net

Tony Blair's legacy is Fallujah

Tony Blair's legacy is Fallujah. He has squandered the hopes of a generation


Well this was an event for Rose Gentle and other parents of servicemen and women killed in Iraq, as they say guns don't kill people politicians do.

To read about their protest today click here.


To support them look here.www.mfaw.org.uk/


Political parties and governments are one thing but struggle at the grassroots by people opposed to war and other injustice is the real thing. Any support to the movements is vital, ambition towards political office is the crow road, political power is necessary but.....it all tends to go a bit Gollum with the radicals seduced, to think of Brown in the Red Scotland days is to learn an essential lesson.

Incidentally a guy came up to me and said 'you are the leader of the Green Party and I claim my £5', had to put him right on that one.

Blair what a time we had, I never was a new labour fan and pretty critical of old labour, but never thought in 1997 after the end of that long tory era we would get another tory, albeit one with an added ingredient,added war.

Tony Blair Middle East envoy, the man is a fool. His legacy a mountain of burning skeletons.

Gordon Brown will carry out the wishes of the military industrial complex a little more effeciently is the long and short of my analysis.

To paraphrase John Lennon 'they are all fucking arms dealers as far as I can see'.




Greens: Blair 'a Conservative in all but name'
Wednesday, 27 Jun 2007 16:59
The Green party have offered a damning assessment of Tony Blair's decade in power, accusing him of being "a Conservative prime minister in all but name".

As Tony Blair was packing up his belongings in Downing Street, Green party principle speaker Derek Wall was on the street outside at a protest organised by military families who had lost their loved ones in the war in Iraq.

Mr Wall said: "Who would have thought that Blair would have been the best friend of George Bush, the US's most right wing and least competent president in history?

"Who would have thought that Blair would have given us war after war, House of Lords sleaze, an accelerating climate change crisis, and an out-sourced, market driven NHS?

"This organisation's members are those who lost loved ones in Iraq, and they have repeatedly been denied an audience with the former prime minister," he continued.

"They serve as a final reminder of Tony Blair's true legacy.

"Tony Blair's legacy is Fallujah. He has squandered the hopes of a generation."

Mr Wall held out little hope for Mr Blair's successor.

"Gordon Brown will press ahead with nuclear power, airport expansion, road building and full on support for the arms trade," he said.

"He has not learnt the lesson that you can't eat money."

Muslims debate carbon trading

LINE are very good and Larry Lohmann is a very inspiring activist and researcher.

The group he works with the corner house, are driving the BAE case and are very good.

all good,



Salaam, Peace -

Here's advance notice of our next monthly forum on Sunday 8th July.

With Carbon Offsetting being an attractive option, at least on the surface, at our upcoming forum we'll be exploring the subject in more depth, thus helping us to also make more informed choices. We will also be getting feedback on recent events such as the 'Islam & Environment Training Day', and we'll be looking at what lies ahead for us over the summer months. Please join us.

Also, in the week preceding the forum, is an event titled 'An Inconvenient Truth: Faith Responses to Climate Change' at St Ethelburgas, near Liverpool Street station. LINE will be represented here along with Christian Ecology Link, and the evening will include a showing of Al Gore's hard hitting documentary movie on climate change. See below for more information...

---


The London Islamic Network for the Environment (LINE) Monthly Forums:

'OFFSETTING' CARBON EMISSIONS: DOES IT HELP, OR DOES IT HURT?

Date: Sunday 8th July 2007
Time: 2.15 pm to 4.45pm
Venue: 4th Floor, Muslim World League, 46 Goodge Street, London, W1T 4LU (entrance on the corner of Charlotte Street); Nearest Tubes: Goodge Street (Northern Line) & Warren Street (Victoria Line)

Gest Speaker: Larry Lohmann, The Corner House

Selling people carbon "offsets" in order to help them compensate for their greenhouse gas emissions has become big business. But do offsets actually help or hurt the climate? And are offset projects helping or hurting local people? As more and more scandals involving carbon offset companies hit the newspapers, the debate about whether the sector has a future is heating up fast. This months forum presents us with an excellent opportunity to hear about and discuss this hot topic. This will be followed by discussions on past and planned environmental projects, with opportunities to take part for those who would like to. As usual no charge and open to all.

About the Speaker:

Larry Lohmann is a social activist and the co-author of a number of books including, 'Whose Common Future?' (1992), 'Pulping the South' (1996), and 'Carbon Trading' (2006). He works at The Corner House on land rights, racism, economics, forest conflicts, globalisation, development politics and environmental change in Thailand.

More info: LINE Website: http://www.lineonweb.org.uk ; or call LINE on tel: 0845 456 3960 (local rate)

---

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH: FAITH RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Date: Mon 2nd July 2007
Time: 6.30pm - 9pm
Venue: St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation & Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, London. EC2N 4AG

A screening of Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth' which argues that we can no longer afford to view global warming as a political issue - rather, it is the biggest moral challenge facing our global civilisation. Followed by discussion with Muzammal Hussain (Founder, LINE) & Ruth Jarman (Christian Ecology Link).

Suggested donation: £4

More info: Web: http://www.stethelburgas.org ; Tel: 020 7496 1610

__._,_.___

LINE is the UK's first local Islamic environmental group. We hold open monthly forums in central London. Our activities include educational talks and workshops, climate change campaigning, and ethically orientated food and social events. Find out more about us by visiting our website: http://www.lineonweb.org.uk

You can subscribe to LINEnotices by sending a blank email to: LINEnotices-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

After short while you will then receive an email with simple instructions that you will need to follow to complete the process.

Protest tomorrow at Downing Street against the war

Rose Gentle


who would have thought so many would have died for Tony Blair, I am supporting the military families against the war tomorrow, please come.

Protest at Downing Street on Blair's last day

Protest at Downing Street
London Wednesday 27 June
From 10am
Join Military Families Against The War
Supported By Stop The War Coalition

Military Families Against the War, supported by Stop the War Coalition, are planning to make Wednesday 27 June an anti-war day in Downing Street.
This is the day Tony Blair leaves office to be replaced by Gordon Brown.

Tony Blair will leave Downing Street in the morning and our protest will begin at 10am. Gordon Brown will enter in the afternoon (we will publicise the time as soon as we get it), when Military Families Against the War will deliver him a letter asking him to meet them, a request that Blair has turned down repeatedly over the past three years.

Please join us to make sure that Blair’s last day in office is marked by his true legacy: up to one million killed in Iraq, over four million Iraqis – one in seven of the population – now refugees and 151 British soldiers killed in an illegal and unnecessary war.

Talking about how to save the world

having escaped the mud, I got up at 12 yesterday morning, tracked into Goldsmiths college library to pick up some dvds and books from their library...including 'celebration/working with Pinter' as you know I am a big fan of his Nobel speech, Hegel's 'philosophy of history' (i like his line about 'human history not being a theatre of happiness') Marx on the Paris Commune.

This was followed by an evening meeting for Croydon Green Party where I introduced the topic of 'how to save the world'...lots of good intelligent participation from the members on how to change structures, how to make green culture popular, how to recruit activists, pitfalls of coalitions, etc....so thank you Croydon Greens.

Here is Ed's account of an earlier talk I gave on 'real alternatives to capitalism' I am trying to be ambitious in my talks!


Derek first briefly outlined some of the problems with capitalism:

- There is a built-in growth imperative to capitalism. Capitalism depends on peoples consumption and production expanding exponentially. This is obviously unsustainable. You can't have an economy that grows forever in a world of finite resources.
- Enclosure - Capitalism encloses or enfences products/land/etc that was once free for all and then tries to makes us buy it back. e.g. enclosure of the land in the UK. Another example would be the selling of mineral water in plastic bottles even though we have one of the cleanest water systems in the world.
- The exploitation of labour in many countries that capitalism depends upon e.g. Chinese sweatshops
- How capitalism absorbs everything - it takes over every area of our lives e.g. what we eat for breakfast, public spaces are covered with advertisements, etc

Read more here

Mud mud mud...Mark Thomas and Venezuela

Had a good solid three days 'networking' at the Green Futures field at Glastonbury, Mark Thomas and Nick Hildyard were particulary inspiring with their fight over the BAE corruption scandal, Nick is suing No 10 at the present...this is real serious politics.

Everybody from Brigit Strawbridge to James Marriot to Merrick were there....very useful for pushing camp against climate change (see you outside Heathrow in August) and lots of over good stuff.

Danny please send me your poems so I can pirate them!

now on to Venezuela

Hi everyone

Quite a few upcoming events to tell you about!

HOV London's regular weekly meeting will be at the usual time and place
this Wednesday 27th June (7pm, NUJ Offices, 308 Gray's Inn Rd, King's
Cross).

Before that, Movimientos is holding a special night at the Notting Hill
Arts Club tomorrow, Tuesday June 26th, featuring a screening of the
excellent Venezuelan documentary "The Old Man and Jesús", and music
including legendary Venezuelan ska band Las Palmeras Kannibales. HOV will
be present with a stall. 6pm - 2am, £5 (£6 after 11), Notting Hill Arts
Club, 21 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3JQ. More info: movimientos.org.uk.

“Permanent revolution” has a weekend programme which includes a session on
Bolivia on Saturday 30th June from 7.30pm at the Bread and Roses, Clapham
Manor St, Clapham, London SW4. Any profits made will go to BSC. Please
see whole programme at www.permanentrevolution.net

For tickets or flyers please contact: Stuart scking@gn.apc.org


“With or Without Fidel” is the latest documentary from Rice N Peas Films
the makers of the internationally acclaimed Hasta Siempre.

With contributions from Cuba's leading politicians, thinkers and
dissidents, the documentary as been described as the most insightful and
thought provoking documentary about Cuba of its time.

PREMIERE: 29th June @ 6.50pm Tricycle Cinema (£5.00) followed by Q&A

RICE N PEAS FILMS ARE ALWAYS OVER-SUBSCRIBED, SO PLEASE BOOK YOUR TICKET
EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.

TRICYCLE TICKET OFFICE: 020 7328 1000


The Rise festival is coming soon (15 July, Finsbury Park), anyone who is
able to help out on a stall, please get in touch.


And in recent news from Venezuela, Venezuela’s Minister of Communication
and Information, William Lara, Says the US is escalating its media war
against Venezuela: http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2338


See you soon!
HOV London

Jerusalem Gay Pride defies fundamentalist threats

Israeli Supreme Court rejects bid to ban gay march

Knesset vote to outlaw Gay Pride "bigoted and dangerous"

London – 21 June 2007

"We applaud the decision of the Israeli Supreme Court to reject an
application to ban the Jerusalem Gay Pride parade," said Brett Lock,
spokesperson for the London-based LGBTI human rights group, OutRage!

He was commenting on the court judgement, ahead of today's Gay Pride march.

"This is a big victory, not only for gay rights but also for the right
to protest of all Israelis - gay and straight, Jew and Arab," added Mr
Lock.

"The judges' refusal to succumb to threats of violence by homophobic
Jewish fundamentalists is a gain for all Israelis who cherish freedom
and liberty.

"The fundamentalists had been given official encouragement by the
deplorable vote in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, which sought
to ban Gay Pride marches.

"This bigoted and dangerous restriction on the right to freedom of
expression was carried on its first reading in early June by 41 votes
to 21. It was backed by a cowardly, bigoted alliance of religious and
right-wing parties, led by Shas and the National Religious Party.

Also backing the Gay Pride ban was the President-elect and former
Labour Prime Minister, Shimon Peres. The left-wing Meretz party was
the only political grouping to robustly oppose the draconian new
legislation.

"Fortunately, the legislation was not ratified in time to halt
Jerusalem Gay Pride. Following the Supreme Court decision, it is now
unlikely to reach the statute books.

"We are troubled that attempts to ban Jerusalem Gay Pride received
such widespread, cross-party support in the Israeli parliament. We
hope the Supreme Court decision will put the brakes on these attempts
to outlaw gay marches.

"The increased right-wing religious influence in Israel's parliament
is extremely bad news for gay rights and for the prospect of peace in
the Middle East and justice for the Palestinian people.

"We condemn the recent anti-gay riots by Orthodox Jews and their
blood-curdling incitements to attack the Gay Pride marchers," said Mr
Lock.

Jerusalem's Gay Pride march went ahead today, Thursday 21 June.

Despite the presence of 7,000 police officers, some Jewish
fundamentalist protesters infiltrated the route. A group of
ultra-religious teenage girls screamed "disgrace, disgrace" at the
5,000 Gay Pride marchers.

At least 19 Judaist fanatics were arrested during the parade,
including one man who poured oil on the march route, and several
people who waded in and assaulted several marchers.

Police also arrested an ultra-Orthodox Jew carrying a home-made bomb.

The Israeli Supreme Court rejected three petitions against the Gay
Pride march. The petitions argued that the march would offend the
sensibilities of religious believers. They were submitted by Trade
Minister Eli Yishai of Shas, Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupoliansky, and
Hebron Jewish activists Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Trade Minister Yishai argued that the homosexual march is a "vulgar
event that offends and violates the sanctity of Jerusalem." He said
that in approving the parade, the police had not given sufficient
weight to the "offence caused to the sensibilities of the hareidi
public."

The Marzel-Ben-Gvir petition submitted that the Gay Pride march "would
lead to public disturbances and riots on an unprecedented scale."

Deputy Supreme Court President Eliezer Rivlin, Justice Ayala Procaccia
and Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch wrote in their judgement:

"Authorizing the Gay Pride parade allows for the realization of the
right to expression and demonstration … It allows the marchers to
voice their message by virtue of their right for equality and social
recognition. Additionally, the permit affords deserving priority to
the principle of the rule of law, and to the perception that violence
is not to be rewarded nor succumbed to."

In the week before the Gay Pride march took place the Orthodox
Righteous Court of Law (Badatz) placed a curse on the parade's
organizers and participants and on police officers tasked with
protecting the march.

Prominent Orthodox rabbis published a declaration which read: "To all
those involved, sinners in spirit, and whoever helps and protects
them, may they feel a curse on their souls, may it plague them and may
evil pursue them; they will not be acquitted of their transgressions
from heavenly judgment."

In previous years, Jerusalem Gay Pride marchers have been violently
attacked by both Jewish and Muslim religious fundamentalists.

At the 2005 march, an ultra-Orthodox believer stabbed and wounded
three marchers. Last year, fears of violence from fundamentalists led
to the march being moved from the city centre to a sports stadium in a
distant suburb.

Further information:

Brett Lock – OutRage! 0770 843 5917

Peter Tatchell – OutRage! 020 7403 1790

ENDS


--
Peter Tatchell is the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Oxford East
http://www.greenoxford.com and http://www.petertatchell.net


PETER TATCHELL HUMAN RIGHTS FUND

Donations are requested to help fund Peter Tatchell's campaigns
promoting human rights, democracy and global justice.
Peter is unpaid and receives no grants.
To continue his human rights work, he depends on donations from
friends and supporters.

Please make cheques payable to: "Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund".

Send to: Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund, PO Box 35253, London E1 4YF

To download a donation form or a standing order mandate, go to Donations at:
http://www.tatchellrightsfund.org

To email PTHRF:
info@tatchellrightsfund.org

Thank you. Richard Kirker, Treasurer PTHRF

For information about Peter Tatchell's campaigns:
http://www.petertatchell.net

Sick of me and Caroline: why not buy some Green Anarchism

well if you are sick of those of us in political parties there is always the anarchist alternative, thought I would flag up the wiki on Green Anarchy, have of course posted on Murray Bookchin before....the green anarchists who range from primitivists to workerists disagree with each other as much as the left or greens or other group.

Rather liked the design of Green Anarchist in the early days by Richard Hunt (who rather depressingly move right and was always a bit of patriarchical anarchist).

Brings back happy memories of green free festivals in the 1980s.

Here is the wiki....part of the story involves GANDALF trial which saw green anarchists imprisoned in the UK, yes we have political prisoners as well, Saxon's mum has been a town councillor for the Green Party in my local party in Sandhurst!

[edit] Early years
Founded after the 1984 Stop the City protests, the magazine was launched in the summer of that year by an editorial collective consisting of Alan Albon, Richard Hunt and Marcus Christo. Albon had been an editor of Freedom newspaper, whilst Hunt had become frustrated with the more mainstream 'green' magazine Green Line for which he had been writing. The younger Christo had come from a more anarcho-punk background – he was also a member of Green CND, and had been involved in the blockade of Ronald Reagan's car at the 1984 Lancaster House summit meeting.


Cover of the first issue of 'Green Anarchist' magazine (Summer 1984), featuring artwork by then editor Richard HuntEarly issues featured a range of broadly anarchist and ecological ideas, bringing together groups and individuals as varied as Class War, veteran anarchist writer Colin Ward, anarcho-punk band Crass, as well as the Peace Convoy, anti-nuclear campaigners, animal rights activists and so on. However the diversity that many saw as the publication's greatest strength quickly led to irreconcilable arguments between the essentially pacifist approach of Albon and Christo, and the advocacy of violent confrontation with the State favoured by Hunt.

Albon and Christo left Green Anarchist shortly afterwards, and the magazine saw a succession of editorial collectives, although Hunt remained in overall control. During this period he published articles which were increasingly alienating much of the magazine's readership. Matters came to a head after Hunt wrote an editorial which expressed support for British troops in the Gulf War and extolled the virtues of patriotism. Shortly afterwards he left to start another magazine Alternative Green, which continued to promote his own particular view of 'Nationalist anarchism'.


[edit] Into the Nineties
During the 1990s Green Anarchist came under the helm of an editorial collective that included Paul Rodgers, Steve Booth and others, during which period the publication became increasingly aligned with primitivism, an anti-technological philosophy advocated by writers such as John Zerzan, Bob Black and Fredy Perlman.

During this period the magazine expressed sympathy for the Unabomber actions of Ted Kaczynski and published a notorious article entitled "The Irrationalists" that apparently supported actions such as the Oklahoma City bombing and the sarin gas attacks carried out by the Tokyo based Aum cult. This once again alienated much of the UK anarchist movement, and led to strong criticism of the magazine by Stewart Home [1], Counter Information [2], the Anarchist Communist Federation [3] and others. Steven Booth, the writer of the article, has since renounced the views expressed in it.


[edit] The GANDALF trial
Main article: GANDALF trial
Starting in 1995, Hampshire Police began a series of at least 56 raids, code named 'Operation Washington', that eventually resulted in the August to November 1997 Portsmouth trial of Green Anarchist editors Booth, Saxon Wood, Noel Molland and Paul Rodgers, as well as Animal Liberation Front (ALF) Press Officer Robin Webb and Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group (ALFSG) newsletter editor Simon Russell. The defendants organised the GANDALF Defence campaign. Three of the editors of Green Anarchist, Noel Molland, Saxon Wood and Booth were jailed for 'conspiracy to incite'. However, all three were shortly afterwards released on appeal.


[edit] Booth and Rodgers' Green Anarchists
In the late 1990s there was a further split amongst the GA collective, leading to the existence of two entirely separate magazines using the Green Anarchist title. These are respectively published by an editorial team that includes Paul Rodgers and 'John Connor' (who subtitle their version of the paper as the original and best), and Steve Booth, who has publicly renounced some of his earlier published views and expressed a wish to 'return to the magazine's roots'.

Glastonbury here we come

Well, if we get through the queues and the mud, should see you all on friday 6pm....green field of course.


Green Principal Speaker to speak at Glastonbury
20th Jun 2007


"The Green Party does thing differently from the Grey parties", says Dr Wall.

On Friday 22nd June Green Party Principal speaker Dr. Derek Wall will repeat his 1989 appearance at Glastonbury, where he spoke to the crowds from the main pyramid stage. This year he will be speaking on the need for a Green Party in British politics.

He argues that only the Greens have the vision to transform society so as to create a world which is socially just, ecologically sustainable and truly democratic. You can debate with him on the Green Field on the Friday.

Dr. Wall argues that the other political parties are driven by short termism and self-interest. "Ever increasing economic growth is impossible on a small planet," says Dr. Wall. "If we all consumed like the average American, we would need the resources of five planet earths. Only the Green Party have the courage to argue that if we are to have a future, we must respect ecological realities," he will say.

"Climate change is just the most obvious environmental problem that threatens us, but from low level nuclear waste to rainforest destruction and the pollution of the seas we are threatening delicate ecosystems in many ways."

Dr. Wall also plans to discuss Britain's role in the Iraq war. "The invasion of Iraq has killed hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians and now the fear is that George Bush's last act will be an attack on Iran. But Britain profits from war. Just look at how Tony Blair has protected the BAE arms company from investigation into corruption."

He will end his speech with emphasizing why Briton's need a Green Party. "Voters are increasingly disillusioned with Party politics but the Green Party does thing differently from the Grey parties - we have no smoke filled rooms full of career politicians. The Greens anarchy style approach to democracy is one of the Party's greatest strengths."

END

Slow

He laughs: 'I think it will be a huge achievement if in 50 years humanity even exists. The environmental destruction of our ecosystems is that dramatic. But man has a choice and I hope he will make the right one I hope he will choose virtue.'


Well here is another promising alternative that people like with a bit of an effect in terms of slowing and reversing catastrope.

More here on slow food....and look out for full analysis in my babylon blog when we get to the final chapter. here

Bill Gates FCUK off: Bolivarian computers hit the streets.

Venezuela is pushing ahead with the distribution of free software computers, these will be a massive boost to development and culture.


Does open source/free software just equal a consideration of marginal cost within the market....what is it really, is it, gasp, socialism, well 'its socialism Jim but not as we know it.'

Free software/open source is socialism in action, creative, free, based on participation....no wonder the forces of reaction hate Chavez, clunky old style 'socialism' based on nationalisation/central control is one thing but this is something rather more radical and attractive.

Read more here

and here are some details of up coming Venezuela events...from HOV, keep sending me Venezuela sol stuff and I will keep posting it.


Hi everyone

First of all, HOV London's regular weekly meeting will be at the usual
time and place this Wednesday 20th June (7pm, NUJ Offices, 308 Gray's Inn
Rd, King's Cross).

In addition, on Tuesday there is a special meeting entitled "Permanent
Revolution in Venezuela". Venezuela's revolution is in the news again
following the non-renewal of RCTV's terrestrial licence. Come and hear
what is really happening, speakers include Jorge Martin, HOV's
international secretary. 7pm, Tuesday June 19, Praxis Centre, Pott St, E2
(2 mins from Bethnal Green tube).

Movimientos is holding a special night at the Notting Hill Arts Club on
Tuesday June 26th, featuring a screening of the excellent Venezuelan
documentary "The Old Man and Jesús", and music including legendary
Venezuelan ska band Las Palmeras Kannibales. 6pm - 2am, £5 (£6 after 11),
Notting Hill Arts Club, 21 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3JQ. More info:
movimientos.org.uk.

Las Palmeras Kannibales are also playing on 25 June, 10pm til late, at
Chinawhite, 6 Air Street, London W1B 5AA.


And in recent news, Venezuela has launched the sale of Bolivarian
computers: http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2326

See you soon!
HOV London

Gobshite politicians?

The evidence is over whelming politicians of what ever colour sell out for a pension, a salary, even expenses for a day off of work.

There is very real evidence of catastrophic risk of environmental failure, possible nuclear war, etc....yet the average gobshite politician is most concerned with cash.

The difficult question is not how to win elections but how to avoid cooption. After much sober reflection I think a big mistake many Green Parties have made is to create a 'leader'....surely not a way of avoiding cooption but of making the trap spring more firmly shut.

Thank goodness for Cornerhouse, they have been fighting New Labour government over the BAE corruption scandal....impressive stuff, as they say 'guns don't kill people, politicians do'.

Here is a summary of Larry Lohmann's work for Cornerhouse on corruption, injustice and environmental destruction in Southern Thailand. more here

The Struggle of Villagers in Chana District, Southern Thailand
in Defence of Community Land and Religion against the Trans Thai-Malaysian Pipeline and Industrial Project (TTM) 2002-2007
by Chana activists and others


first published May 2007 | PDF

Since 1999, villagers in politically-troubled southern Thailand have been fighting the Trans Thai-Malaysia (TTM) gas pipeline and gas separation plant scheme. The project, promoted by Thailand's recently-ousted tycoon prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and backed by a consortium of international banks including Barclays, HSBC and ING, has illegally taken over Muslim communal 'wakaf' land and other public lands, illegally hired police as private guards, deployed violence and threats against villagers, severely damaged livelihoods and the local environment, violated human rights, and, in the words of local people, "trampled on the principles of Islam".

In words and pictures, this 165-page book (2,105 KB) recounts five years of determined struggle by local people against TTM and the forces, both local and international, ranged behind it. Most of it was written by local activists themselves and features their own voices.

There is some confusion over Cornerhouse's philosophy, I would say 'it's socialism Jim but not as we know it'.

The war on democracy

Mrs Thatcher's Latin American friends

What is ecosocialism....'its socialism Jim but not as we know it...'

Anyway 'War on Democracy' opens today go and see it.

"The footage showing how RCTV manipulated media images during the 2002 coup to help a US backed attempt to remove Chavez is particularly interesting.

"This is pretty personal to me as well. I was taken to the infamous bridge in Caracas where coup supporters shot at pro-Chavez protesters. My friend Cesar Aponte told me how his father was shot at, but the right wing media in Caracas made it look as if the coup supporter had been attacked rather than the other way around. Pilger's film looks at this episode in some detail and shows how the manipulation was done.

"MP Chris Mullin's book 'A very British coup' looked at how the US might remove a progressive British government and there are some excellent films like the Machuca which cover the same ground as Pilger but this film is just too important to miss. (2)

More here

Caroline Lucas challenges Keith Taylor for seat

Caroline Lucas at the invitation of local Brighton Green Party members is to run in the selection for the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion. I think she will win the selection and win the seat to become Britain's first Green Party MP, so watch this space.

I contested the Principal Speaker Post against Keith in November, incidentally.

On 22% Keith achieved the highest vote for the Green Party in a constituency any where in Britain, a huge achievement. He is a dogged and impressive candidate, you don't count his votes as a councillor you weigh them.

However Caroline is simply one of the most impressive politicians in the UK and one of the most impressive greens on the planet.

So history in the making breaks in the Brighton Argus.

“Green Left?” I thought. “What does that mean?”

“Green Left?” I thought. “What does that mean?”

Maybe the term had been used before, but I had never heard it — and it just seemed wrong to me. Either it was redundant (you can’t be left without being green, and vice versa) or it meant adapting socialist principles to the ecology movement, most of which seemed pretty flaky to me. The name broke with hallowed tradition — it didn’t include any proper Leninist newspaper words, like Militant or Vanguard or Worker or Socialist. It was awkward to say — it just sounded silly.

I’m glad to say that my doubts were misplaced. The new name reflected a real shift on the Australian left, a convergence of revolutionary Marxists and a leftward-moving current in the green movement.

More from Ian Angus here

'Tell Bertie to feck off unless he gives you the hills of Tara'

It is unacceptable to tell other Green Parties how to behave, it would be like second guessing the democratic choice of party members in Brighton to chose who they would like as the first green MP.

Equally coalitions, mean weakness but avoiding going to government can be even worse.

The Irish Greens have to make their own minds up, keeping allegedly 'dirty' Bertie in power is dodgy but letting him go it alone with some independents or the right wing 'progressive democrats' could be even worse.

More on the possible deal between the Irish Green Party and Ahern here

It's great the Irish Greens are king makers, like Scotland (where they fingers crossed seem to be pulling off confidence and supply) and it will be tough and they will get flack whatever they do but my gut instinct is to demand the motorway does not go ahead.

So if I was giving advice it would be 'Tell Bertie to feck off unless he gives you the hills of Tara'

What a shame that great Irish statesman Charles Haughey is no longer with us.

Education is not a competitive sport

"Education is not a competitive sport", says Green Principal Speaker Dr. Derek Wall.

We have long believed in banning SATS and are backing the recent calls, lets have education for life not for narrow tests.

More here

A contest in Brighton perhaps?

intrigue and excitement in Ireland and a contest in Brighton perhaps?

The Irish Greens are discussing coalition with Fianna Fail, this could led to positive change in Ireland but can the greens get real change in terms of stopping motorways,making sure the irish countryside isn't wrecked, keeping the US military out of Shannon and keeping this environmentally friendly without hurting the poor.

Green coalitions need to maximise the achievement of green policies but may simply lead to proping up unpopular governments, a big and interesting challenge, so the best of luck to them.

had this, a contest for Brighton seats, this will be interesting as Brighton Pavilion is where we got 22%, I am scotching rumours that I am going to stand against Keith Taylor, the principal speaker contest was fun but enough...interesting to see if any other big name figures go for it....exciting stuff, we need more contests in the party, a bit of rough and tumble democracy is always beneficial.

3. BRIGHTON & HOVE SELECTION

The Green Party in Brighton & Hove has started the selection process for
candidates for the next general elections, which will be held sometime between
now and May 2010. This process is to select candidates for the three
constituencies of Brighton & Hove, which are: Brighton Pavilion, Brighton
Kemptown and Hove. Nominations close at 6pm on 15 June. There will be a hustings
in the top floor of Community Base in Queen's Road, Brighton on Tuesday, 3 July
at 7:30pm. All nominees must attend.

A contest in Brighton perhaps?

intrigue and excitement in Ireland and a contest in Brighton perhaps?

The Irish Greens are discussing coalition with Fianna Fial, this could led to positive change in Ireland but can the greens get real change in terms of stopping motorways,making sure the irish countryside isn't wrecked, keeping the US military out of Shannon and keeping this environmentally friendly without hurting the poor.

Green coalitions need to maximise the achievement of green policies but may simply lead to proping up unpopular governments, a big and interesting challenge, so the best of luck to them.

had this, a contest for Brighton seats, this will be interesting as Brighton Pavilion is where we got 22%, I am scotching rumours that I am going to stand against Keith Taylor, the principal speaker contest was fun but enough...interesting to see if any other big name figures go for it....exciting stuff, we need more contests in the party, a bit of rough and tumble democracy is always beneficial.

3. BRIGHTON & HOVE SELECTION

The Green Party in Brighton & Hove has started the selection process for
candidates for the next general elections, which will be held sometime between
now and May 2010. This process is to select candidates for the three
constituencies of Brighton & Hove, which are: Brighton Pavilion, Brighton
Kemptown and Hove. Nominations close at 6pm on 15 June. There will be a hustings
in the top floor of Community Base in Queen's Road, Brighton on Tuesday, 3 July
at 7:30pm. All nominees must attend.

La opción por los pobres

Noticed that Kaihsu Tai had flagged up my press work on the pope and liberation theology. Kaihsu is an Oxford Green Party member and active wikipedean, who does lots of good work...his blog has lots of Catholic Worker stuff and other progressive religious material together with of course support for Peter Tatchell....


All well worth a read here.


Yesterday, our minister Susan Durber preached at Saint Columba’s saying:

Whatever you say about Jesus – it’s clear that he believed that God blesses the poor, that the rich have some hard thinking to do, and that those who are poor have plenty to teach the rest of the world about what it means to know God. There’s a theologian from Latin America called Jon Sobrino who says, ‘When the church has taken the poor seriously it has then become truly apostolic.’ If the faith the apostles’ shared was founded on Jesus’ teaching then it would have to be a faith that took the poor seriously. It’s often said in the church in Latin America – that ‘the poor evangelise us’ – and of course it makes me wonder why the ‘us’ of the church are not themselves ‘the poor’ but I think I know what they mean. The Jesus we know from the New Testament was one who said over and over again, in so many different ways, that the poor often know the truth about the real fundamentals of life and the rich are so often deceived. This is a real challenge to us of course who, mostly if not all, by definition, live the life of the rich.

SMOKEY THE BEAR SUTRA

Smokey the Bear

Once in the Jurassic about 150 million years ago, the Great Sun Buddha in this corner of the Infanite Void gave a discourse to all the assembled elements and energies: to the standing beings, the walking beings, the flying beings, and the sitting beings - even the grasses, to the number of thirteen billion, each one born from a seed, assembled there: a Discourse concerning Enlightenment on the planet Earth

"In some future time, there will be a continent called America. It will have great centers of power called such as Pyramid Lake, Walden Pond, Mt. Rainier, Big Sur, Everglades, and so forth; and powerful nerves and channels such as Columbia River, Mississippi River, and Grand Canyon. The human race in that era will get into troubles all over its head, and practically wreck everything in spite of its own strong intelligent Buddha-nature."

"The twisting strata of the great mountains and the pulsings of volcanoes are my love burning deep in the earth. My obstinate compassion is schist and basalt and granite, to be mountains, to bring down the rain. In that future American Era I shall enter a new form; to cure the world of loveless knowledge that seeks with blind hunger: and mindless rage eating food that will not fill it."

And he showed himself in his true form of


SMOKEY THE BEAR
A handsome smokey-colored brown bear standing on his hind legs, showing that he is aroused and watchful.

Bearing in his right paw the Shovel that digs to the truth beneath appearances; cuts the roots of useless attach- ments, and flings damp sand on the fires of greed and war;

His left paw in the mudra of Comradly Display-indicating that all creatures have the full right to live to their limits and that of deer, rabbits, chipmunks, snakes, dandelions, and lizards all grow in the realm of the Dharma;

Wearing the blue work overalls symbolic of slaves and laborers, the countless men oppressed by a civilization that claims to save but often destroys;

Wearing the broad-brimmed hat of the west, symbolic of the forces that guard the wilderness, which is the Natural State of the Dharma and the true path of man on Earth:

all true paths lead through mountains-

With a halo of smoke and flame behind, the forest fires of the kali-yuga, fires caused by the stupidity of those who think things can be gained and lost whereas in truth all is contained vast and free in the Blue Sky and Green Earth of One Mind;

Round-bellied to show his kind nature and that the great earth has food enough for evryone who loves her and trusts her;

Trampling underfoot wasteful freeways and needless suburbs, smashing the worms of capitalism and totalitarianism;

Indicating the task: his followers, becoming free of cars, houses, canned foods, universities, and shoes, master the Three Mysteries of their own Body, Speech, and Mind; and fearlessly chop down the rotten trees and prune out the sick limbs of this country America and then burn the leftover trash.

Wrathful but calm. Austere but Comic. Smokey the Bear will Illuminate those who would help him; but for those who would hinder or slander him...

HE WILL PUT THEM OUT.
Thus his great Mantra:

Namah samanta vajranam chanda maharoshana Sphataya hum traks ham mam

"I DEDICATE MYSELF TO THE UNIVERSAL DIAMOND BE THIS RAGING FURY BE DESTROYED"

And he will protect those who love the woods and rivers, Gods and animals, hobos and madmen, prisoners and sick people, musicians, playful women, and hopeful children:

And if anyone is threatened by advertising, air pollution, television, or the police, they should chant SMOKEY THE BEAR'S WAR SPELL:

DROWN THEIR BUTTS
CRUSH THEIR BUTTS
DROWN THEIR BUTTS
CRUSH THEIR BUTTS
And SMOKEY THE BEAR will surly appear to put the enemy out with his vsjra-shovel.

Now those who recite this Sutra and then try to put it in practice will accumulate merit as countless as the sands of Arizona and Nevada.

Will help save the planet Earth from total oil slick. Will enter the age of harmony of man and nature. Will win the tender love and caresses of men, women, and beasts. Will always have ripened blackberries to eat and a sunny spot under a pine tree to sit at.

AND IN THE END WILL WIN HIGHEST PERFECT ENLIGHTENMENT

...thus we have heard...
(may be reproduced free forever)

Sutra By GARY SNYDER

I couldn't believe I hadn't posted this before, crucial, crush their butts will be the July 1st theme tube, I am not inciting violence against Gordon Brown's war mongers, don't get me wrong.

Shed your clothes for ecosocialism

About 700 cyclists in various states of undress have cycled through central London in another leg of the World Naked Bike Ride.
The naked cyclists - and others with strategically-placed body paint, sticky tape or bum bags - were highlighting the damage caused by car dependency. read more here

Went on the Palestine demonstration, hot sticky day in central London, just right for a naked cycle ride to draw attention to climate change....which I missed shame they were on the same day.

a repertoire of delight if you ask me, certainly better than giving out bland leaflets with windmills on the front.

I suspect we are going to have make quite a bit more noise before we achieve real action on this problem of potentially catastrophic climate change.

March with us for Palestine

Palestinians in Ramallah call for boycott Read more here

Enough!

A message from Green Party of England and Wales Campaigns Coordinator, Tim Summers about the demonstration in London tomorrow:


Calling all Greens!
The Green Party is affiliated to the "Enough" coalition, who are mounting a
significant protest march and rally for Israeli withdrawal/Justice for the
Palestinians on Saturday 9th June 07, 1.30pm at Lincolns Inn Field, London
(Holborn tube). The march ends with a Rally at Trafalgar Square, where
Caroline Lucas MEP will speak. I appeal to you to come and form a visible
Green contingent by meeting up at 1pm for placards. Tim Summers, campaigns
coordinator

“Victory: The G8 has been blocked in!”

I am getting lots of interest in joining the Green Party which is extremely encouraging, click on the join logo and you can join us, lets keep the party radical, healthly leaderless and step up our game, so important given eco destruction, injustice and war.

Nice to see my letter on capitalism in the Indy. Talking of which are you following the BAE scandal, labour leader arms fundamentalist regime and of course the Labour Party members no longer get to vote on whether Gordon Brown will continue this policy.

More positively here is the news from the G8:
June 07, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Victory: The G8 has been blocked in!”

Now, with the help of the wind, one of the main goals of the anti-G8
activists will be reached. The G8 leaders have been confined inside
their own fence. German newspaper Die Zeit has reported that no ships
can land at Heiligendamm. With ten thousand protestors currently
blocking the two gates into the resort, the heads of state and their
baggage are effectively locked in.

“This is a true success,” explains Lotta Kemper from the G8
resistance-based Campinski Press group. “We have denied the legitimacy
of the G8 for us and the rest of the world. We said we would use
decentralized blockades to surround and blockade them, impede their
infrastructure and enclose them within their own fence. This strategy
has been successful for the past two days.”

All day Wednesday and today, protestors blocked entrances to
Heiligendamm, Germany where G8 leaders were meeting. Despite having to
move through fields, forests, and police lines, over 10,000 thousands of
protesters succeeded in blocking both the east and west gates, forcing
G8 organizers to call “Plan B,” moving delegates to the conference by
boat and helicopter.

Yesterday afternoon more than 5,000 protesters settled down at the
police controlled eastern “Gate 2,” successfully blocking all traffic
through the gate. Hundreds spent the night at the blockade, and as of
18:30 today more than 1,000 remain on location. “The atmosphere is very
festive,” said one activist, returning from the blockade. “People from
the neighborhood have been visiting and there are children and families
sitting down with the blockaders.”

Gate 2, which is the eastern entrance to Heiligendamm, is located at the
perimeter of the 12 kilometer long razor wire security fence and inside
of the “red zone,” an area declared illegal for protest by the German
government.

At the western “Gate 1” at least a thousand protestors also gathered
yesterday afternoon setting out from the protest camps in Wichmansdorf
and Rostock. They remained, peacefully, until finally being dispersed
by water cannons and riot police sometime in the evening. Today around
9:00 approximately 500 people left the camp in Reddilich to retake Gate
1. They succeeded for most of the day, but as of 18:40 have been
reporting violence from police, and excessive use of water cannons.

Other smaller groups of demonstrators also moved autonomously through
the region today and yesterday blockading roads with a variety of
methods. Altogether, tens of thousands of protesters participated in the
blockades, arriving from over 30 countries.

--
Media G8way does not claim responsibility for the content of the statements it
distributes on behalf of the groups or individuals who use its service. Media
G8way is an international press service for individuals, groups, networks and
(dis)organizations who understand themselves to be part of an independent
radical left movement against the G8.

Contact:
Alex Smith +49 16092437902
Jo Smith + 49 015774630348
g8-press-int@nadir.org
http://dissentnetzwerk.org/node/2669

Defending the people and environment in an oil state

from http://www.movimientos.org.uk/sitio/event/2007/jun/07thu


UPSTAIRS (From 7pm): Documentary & feature films, speakers & discussion on issues relating to Latin America, this month featuring:

From Lake Maracaibo to the Orinoco Delta, for the first time in
revolutionary Venezuela a documentary delves deep into oil and coal, examining sovereignty and self-determination through the life experiences of communities, oil workers, and indigenous people.

As part of the Native Spirit Film Festival www.nativespiritfestival.co.uk
Our Oil & Other Tales (Nuestro Petroleo y Otros Cuentos)
(Venezuela/ Germany, 2005) Subtitled in English
Directors: G.Muzio, M.Pugh,E Andreoli & S. Muzio


From Lake Maracaibo to the Orinoco Delta, for the first time in
revolutionary Venezuela a documentary delves deep into oil and coal, examining sovereignty and self-determination through the life experiences of communities, oil workers, and indigenous people.


For more info on the film www.ouroil.org

Administering apocalypse?

We have a few short years to introduce radical solutions to climate change; otherwise governmental action will be about administering apocalypse in the face of forest fires, the flooding of major cities, crop failure and millions of environmental refugees.

I talked to 'Hands off Venezuela' last night, it was so well attended we couldn't have fitted any one else and the contributions from the floor were good with a critical discussion of what is working in Venezuela and where there are big environmental challenges.

I think we need in the green movement to step links and support with people across the world involved in local environmental and social struggles, I am very wary of global governance that tells people at the grassroots what to do.

The Latin American left although like all things are imperfect are taking much more interest in ecology.

Incidentally talking of rainforests have this on the politics uk site:


Preservation of rainforests is absolutely essential on ecological grounds. One step would be to end arms exports to nation such as Indonesia and Cambodia which repress local populations in forests and support illegal clear cutting. Eco development must be based on local control and the advice of skilled local experts including figures like Benny Wenda of the Free West Papua movement. Here

Gordon Brown: let him know what you think about Iraq

Tony Blair's willing executioners: Discuss.

just had this from Ingo,

thanks Ingo.


Go to previous message | Go to next message | Delete | Inbox

Thanks for coming back
Here is what I gleaned from www.craigmurray.co.uk, a brilliant site for
anybody who wants to know stuff.



Cheers ingo

June 5, 2007
Gordon Brown London Hustings
From Stop the War Coalition

STOP THE WAR LOBBY
WEDNESDAY 6 JUNE, 4.45pm
CONGRESS HOUSE
GREAT RUSSELL STREET WC1B 3LS
Nearest tube Tottenham Court Road

Gordon Brown and the six candidates for the Labour deputy leadership are
speaking at a hustings meeting in London on Wednesday 6 June. This is
the first London hustings meeting and it is essential that there is a
large anti-war lobby calling for troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan,
opposition to any attack on Iran and a break with US foreign policy.

V is for vegan!

I was amazed to find a vegan recipe from venezuelaenezuela, astonishing, in Venezuela the advocados are as big as babies heads and vegan would be easy but it is very rare to meet vegetarians. I know more Muslims who are vegetarian or at least nearing vegeism than Venezuelans.

Originally hallacas of course contained eggs, meat or whatever the slaves could find off of the master's table.

The story is interesting and I guess it reflects the fact that the elite in Venezuela is rooted in some bad history!

Hallacas (Venezuela)
Mayela Zamora - Oxford, UK

Recipe for 20 hallacas (pronounced AH-JAC-KA).
Requires 2 days of advanced preparation.

Story:
The hallaca is the main Venezuelan Christmas dinner dish. It was created by the slaves during the colony times. They put the left-overs of their master's Christmas festivities in a bit of cornmeal dough, wrapped this with banana leaves and cooked to mix the flavors. As many things in my country, the hallaca has the influence of three cultures, the white one (European ingredients like raisins, nuts and olives), the native one (the corn meal colored with onoto seeds), and the black one (banana leaves used to cook the food). The original hallaca is made with meat (pork, poultry, beef, lard, crisp pork rind, etc) and boiled eggs. The hallaca tastes better once it has cooled. It requires hours of preparation, but it is usually prepared by the whole family. Its preparation is a celebration by itself. Music and drinks make up the festive atmosphere. Mothers nagging children as they steal bits of fillings from the table, and the guys complaining of being relegated to the leaf cleaning and last minute shopping are typical during the hallaca making party.

Please note: the banana leaves are not intended to be eaten, they are just for cooking!

Read the rest here

MARCH WITH US FOR PALESTINIAN FREEDOM!

This unlawful occupation has been going on for far too long, causing
terrible suffering and injustice. For the sake of humanitarianism, justice,
peace and democracy, it is time to end it once and for all: and we in the UK
should use the ‘stick’ of international and EU law to put pressure on Israel
to do.…

GREEN PARTY AND GREEN LEFT CONTINGENT WILL MEET AT 1PM AT LINCOLN INN FIELD MARCH WITH US FOR PALESTINIAN FREEDOM!

MEP: ISRAEL MUST END OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE

GREEN MEP LUCAS TO ADDRESS ENOUGH OCCUPATION RALLY MARKING 40 YEARS SINCE
THE SIX-DAY -WAR

Event: Green MEP to address rally against Israeli occupation of
Palestine
Place: Trafalgar Square, London – after march leaving Lincoln’s
Inn Fields
Time: Saturday, June 9th. March leaves 1.30pm – Speeches from
3pm


GREEN Party Euro-MP Caroline Lucas has called on Israel to end the
occupation of Palestine and the UK to restore full links with the
Palestinian Authority to prevent a humanitarian disaster and an escalation
of the conflict.

“Forty years after the six-day-war, in which the Israeli army took military
control of the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Palestine
is still under illegal Israeli occupation.

“The human rights of Palestinians are routinely abused: freedom of movement
and freedom from arbitrary arrest are almost non-existent for Palestine’s
Arab population.

“Schools and hospitals are chronically under-funded, there is widespread and
growing unemployment – and there has been a dramatic increase in the number
of Palestinians living in poverty in the last year alone.

“This unlawful occupation has been going on for far too long, causing
terrible suffering and injustice. For the sake of humanitarianism, justice,
peace and democracy, it is time to end it once and for all: and we in the UK
should use the ‘stick’ of international and EU law to put pressure on Israel
to do.

“Until Israel conforms to all previous security council resolutions and ends
the occupation, stops building its ‘separation barrier’ – also unlawful,
according to the International Court of Justice – and demonstrates it fully
respects the rights of Palestinians, we must suspend the EU-Israel
Association agreement, which governs political, economic and cultural links
between EU countries and Israel.”

Dr Lucas, who has just returned fro Palestine as a member of the European
Parliament’s official delegation to the occupied Palestinian territories,
made her comments ahead of a mass demonstration and rally against the
occupation in London this Saturday (June 9).

The MEP will speak alongside Palestinian Minister of Information Mustafa
Barghouti, former CND chair Bruce Kent, several MPs, Ismael Patel of the
friends of Al Aqsa and others. Full details are available on the Enough
Occupation! Website www.enoughoccupation.org.uk

She added: “Living conditions in the Palestinian occupied territories have
been deteriorating for years at the hands of the occupying Israeli forces,
and Governments in the EU are making this worse by refusing to deal directly
with democratically-elected Hamas members of the Palestinian Authority.

“This not only strikes a blow at the apparatus and legitimacy of the
Palestinian Authority, it undermines democracy in the Middle East, and sends
a clear signal to the Israeli government that it can take the same attitude.

“Israel must end the occupation, and the UK government must renormalise
relations with the Palestinian Authority – or life will get harder for
Palestinians as poverty, human rights abuses and conflict steadily worsen.”

Derek Wall at war with Jeremy Clarkson

you can vote for or against road pricing here

Essentially I not saying road pricing is perfect more that we need to be all driving a lot less.


Any attempt to replace Jeremy Clarkson as patron saint of our green and pleasant land will lead to controversy. Yet the growth in car use in Britain is simply unsustainable. Transport contributes a fifth of greenhouse gases, in London air pollution from vehicles kills 1,000 people a year, road building tears up habitats and the acceleration of car use means it is more and more difficult for children to play safely. Britain's obesity crisis is a product of increasing car use in part. Congestion means that the very freedom of the car enslaves us in queues. Tough political decisions need to be taken to tackle the climate change, denial threatens our future.

When I see opposition to congestion charging combined with calls for higher speed limits, lower petrol prices and more motorways, I don't know whether to cry or laugh. Statements such as the Association of British Drivers claim that "climate change is being used as a vehicle for an anti-human, anti-capitalist, anti-mobility agenda by groups masquerading as 'green', and others are making a living by perpetuating the global warming industry", make opponents of congestion charging appear rather foolish.

Ask an addict to cut the habit and yes they will get angry. Anger must not be an excuse for inaction. We must wean ourselves off of that rather seductive narcotic: petrol.

Between 2003 and 2004 traffic in Britain rose by 1.7% to a total 498.6 billion vehicle kilometres (the equivalent of 42 round trips to the planet Pluto). Use of cars grew by 1.3%, use of light vans by 5.1% and use of HGVs by 3.1%. Traffic on motorways grew by 3.9%. (Source: DfT 2005) Overall levels of car traffic and the numbers of cars on the road have increased tenfold since 1955. (www.transport2000.org.uk) Road traffic in England is expected to grow by 26% by 2010 (on 2000 levels), 31% by 2015 and 40% by 2025.

Ital is vital

Retail therapy they call it - the instant and fleeting rush that comes from buying and consuming. It is all more fuel for the consumerist fetish that sees the buying and selling of unnecessary products as good for the economy.

Despite his statements about 'neither left not right' which is not how I would phrase it Nandor is real example of what I want to do as a Green politician, what is rational and beautiful from Rastafarianism shines from him.

He wrote a nice piece on political economy for my book Babylon and Beyond. Read it here online.

To all those politicians more concerned with gravy trains than accessible public transport, Nandor can give you another way.

Nandor flags up from a Rasta perspective a lot of the anti-capitalist deep green politics that the rest of us get from Marx, Buddhism or even the Koran.

Read and see what you think.

Ital is Vital
Natural living is a must. The foundation of Rastafari livity is to seek a life that is natural and earth-loving.

Rastafari philosophy overstands that the most beautiful thing a person can be is one's true natural self. It is also the most powerful thing. That is why naturality is such an affront to Babylon - it is a direct challenge to the power of the empire.

Just within Aotearoa, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent teaching us that we are inadequate. We must be made dissatisfied with our lives, so we can be manipulated and sold - sold as wage slaves in order to be sold the crap we don't need to make ourselves feel better about ourselves.

Retail therapy they call it - the instant and fleeting rush that comes from buying and consuming. It is all more fuel for the consumerist fetish that sees the buying and selling of unnecessary products as good for the economy.

We must be ashamed of our humanness. Shave your face, your legs, your armpits, your bikini line, splash scented alcohol all over yourself, clog your sweat glands with anti-perspirant, dye the grey out of your hair, condition the kinks out, perm kinks in, bleach your black skin, fake tan your white skin, anything to make you look, smell and feel less like your natural self and less like a human being.

Rasta rejects all that. A dreadlock Rasta has thrown away the brush, thrown away the shampoo bottle. I&I wash our hair with water and herbs and allow our hair to be what it wants to be. If it dreads, it dreads. If it does not, it does not. It is the direct opposite of Babylon's obsession with fashion, including the fashion that cons young people into paying hundreds of dollars to a hair dresser to fake dreadlock one's hair.

Dreadlocks are DREAD-locks because they strike dread into the hearts of downpressors. They confront the artificial person with their own fakery and assert naturality. Fake dreads on the other hand warm the downpressors heart, because they mean Babylon has found a way to commercialise even that.

The interesting thing is that when chemicals, combs and razors are kept from one's hair, when the knots become nats become dreads, then an amazing thing happens. Those snaking locks become roots, or antennae, into reality. As writer Alice Walker wrote in her book "Living by the word", growing dreadlocks lifted the lid off her skull and allowed her to see a new kind of reality.

So dread is ital. The Rasta lives an ital life also through the food that I&I eat. The highest heights (ites) of the italist is strict vegan - no animal product at all. I as a Rasta have not reached that level yet, although I am strictly vegetarian. Some Rasta eat fish, and even those few who eat meat would try to avoid pork and shellfish.

It is not just about meat. Unprocessed foods are best, no refined sugars and flours, no salt. Ital is wholesome, natural and living food.

Babylon loves processed and artificial food. It keeps better on the shelf, so is good for capitalism. Food can be grown, processed, synthesised and preserved, transported, stocked and stored from one side of the globe to the other. Never mind that it is shit, for the body and for the land.

Better to grow ones own food as much as possible, or get it from a local grower. Better to use whole grains or freshly ground. Better to eat food that is freshly harvested and that still retains the vitality of its life force.

Babylon fears the natural because the natural world is uncontrollable. Every attempt to assert mans domination on the natural world ultimately ends in chaos. Today's illusion of human control is maintained by a massive entropy of ancient energy stores in the form of fossil fuels. It will not last.

The need of the empire to control and dominate has created a weird mythology. The story of "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde", the writings of Freud or the book "Lord of the Flies" demonstrate the false assumptions underlying Babylon's fear of the natural human being.

The fear is that civilisation is a thin veneer holding us in check. Take away that control, they say, and we become wild ravening beasts, murderous and rapine. In reality it is "civilised" humanity that has defined the depths of human depravity - the Catholic inquisition, the Nazi death camps, the torture houses around the world supported by the US empire and that maintain capitalist control.

Such depravity can only come from a people alienated from themselves. The natural human being is whole, one, content in themselves and with no need to exert power over another.

That's why ital is vital.

Salaams

I do like getting this LINE stuff, they are non party political, but have a good edge and an idea of green as cultural, spiritual, more than just environmental. More food for thought than the ngo environmentalist I feel.

Nice documentary on Bob Marley on tv at present, and I am backing Alice Walker for US president....green is multi-cultural.



Salaam to you -

Below are a number of upcoming events.

Please note: the Islam & Environment Training Day should be booked in advance. There is also an Environment Day @ the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, and Poetry, Islam & Ecology at the next LINE forum.

Also below are several extracts from recent articles in The Guardian relating to climate change and oil:
The first two articles report on George Bush's announcement to create an alternative global framework on greenhouse gas emissions. Whilst exact details of George Bush's great ...(ahem)... leadership, are yet to be clear, leaked documents as reported below unsurprisingly suggest that his team will object to any agreement on specific goals and timetables on emissions.

The third article, written by Naomi Klein (author of 'No Logo'), is a fascinating read and outlines how Canada is undergoing an oil boom following the US led invasion of Iraq & climbing oil prices. According to the article, in 2004 (one year after the invasion), Canada overtook Saudi Arabia as the lead provider of foreign oil to the US, and "will join George Bush in opposing all serious attempts to cap or reduce greenhouse gases" at the G8 meeting this week in Germany.

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1) LINE (London Islamic Network for the Environment) invites you to:
ISLAM & ENVIRONMENT TRAINING DAY: From Awareness to Action

Date: Sunday 24th June 2007
Time: 10.30am til 4pm
Venue: Friends of the Earth, 26-28 Underwood Street, London. N1 7JQ (nearest tube: Old Street: Northern Line)

Organised by LINE with Friends of the Earth & Tawhid Mosque.

Please book in advance.

Workshop Facilitators:

Shaykh Usama Hasan, Tawhid Mosque
David Babbs, Friends of the Earth
Dr Muzammal Hussain, Founder, LINE

In the wake of a global environmental crisis, this one-day workshop is for anyone who would like to familiarise themselves with environmental themes from an Islamic perspective with the goal of taking action in their communities.

In order to achieve this, together we will aim to explore a number of Islamic concepts such as: Tawhid (Oneness), Mizan (Balance), Fasad (Corruption), Fitra (Natural state) and Khilafah (Guardianship). We will reflect on the value of these concepts in the light of the environmental degradation taking place on the planet, and we will explore what forms a coherent Islamic response might take to this.

We will then look at ingredients that might be necessary for developing strong and sustainable environmental networks within our communities, such that the guiding principles articulated through the Qur'an and Sunna can have value through our collective action. Participants will also learn about existing groups and campaigns and there will be opportunities to network with fellow course participants.

There will be a break for lunch and we will have prayer facilities.
Tea and coffee included. Please bring a packed lunch.

Cost: £5. Open to individuals from all faiths and beliefs. Limited places - Advance booking only. Please post your cheque (made payable to: LINE ) to: LINE Eco-workshop, c/o Tawhid Mosque, 80 High Rd, Leyton. E15 2BP. Please include the following details: Your name; email address; postal address and telephone number(s).

Facilitator Bios:

Usama Hasan was trained in Theoretical Physics at Cambridge, and in the traditional Islamic sciences at home in London. He is currently Senior Lecturer in Computing Science at Middlesex University and a voluntary, part-time imam at Tawhid Mosque in East London. He is also a planetarium lecturer at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

David Babbs is the Capacity Building Team Leader for Friends of the Earth. Previously he has worked for People & Planet, has run a refugee rights campaign and anti-war groups, and has also been involved with human rights work for Palestine.

Muzammal Hussain is the founder of LINE and editor of Ecobites a UK-wide elist. He has written a paper on Islam & Climate Change for his MA in Environment, Development and Policy. Muzammal is also a medical doctor and has worked in the field of mind-body healing.

More info: LINE Website: http://www.lineonweb.org.uk ; LINE tel: 0845 456 3960 Streetmap: http://www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html#online (Please scroll down after clicking)

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2) ENVIRONMENT DAY @ the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre

Date: 5 June 2007
Time: 10am to 6pm
Venue: Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, Acklam Road, London

Based at the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, this public event will educate and inspire people about what they can do to help the environment, with a distinct local focus. The day will feature displays and information on issues such as local environmental regeneration, sustainable transport, local air quality, recycling and waste reduction. There will also be mini-tours to local sites which have been regenerated from 'Grot spots' to 'Great spots.'

More info: http://lovelondon.london21.org/page/47/show/1012;
Tel 020 8964 1496 (Abdulkarim Kubica)

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3) The London Islamic Network for the Environment (LINE) Monthly Forums:

POETRY, ISLAM & ECOLOGY

Date: Sunday 10th June 2007
Time: 2.15 pm to 4.45pm
Venue: 4th Floor, Muslim World League, 46 Goodge Street, London, W1T 4LU (entrance on the corner of Charlotte Street); Nearest Tubes: Goodge Street (Northern Line) & Warren Street (Victoria Line)
Join us for a relaxed afternoon of listening to poetry, verses from the Qur'an, and Hadith, through which we will explore the natural world, the human condition and what ecology and the environmental crisis means to us. We encourage you to bring a short piece of text (you are welcome to bring a piece written by yourself) which has a strong resonance for you and that you would like to read aloud to others. This will be followed by discussions on past and planned environmental projects, with opportunities to take part for those who would like to. As usual no charge and open to all.

More info: LINE Website: http://www.lineonweb.org.uk ; Tel: 0845 456 3960 (local rate)

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4) ROAD TO NOWHERE? BUSH SEEKS ALTERNATIVE TO UN ON CLIMATE

a) Bush kills off hopes for G8 climate change plan
Julian Borger, David Adam and Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
The Guardian, Friday June 1, 2007
For full article, see: http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2093055,00.html
George Bush yesterday threw international efforts to control climate change into confusion with a proposal to create a "new global framework" to curb greenhouse gas emissions as an alternative to a planned UN process. The proposal came less than a week before a G8 summit in Germany.

Under the Bush proposal, the 15 countries responsible for the overwhelming bulk of greenhouse gas emissions would meet in the autumn with the aim of striking a deal by the end of next year.

Tony Blair hailed the Bush initiative as an important step forward. "For the first time America's saying it wants to be part of a global deal," the prime minister told Sky News while on a tour of South Africa.

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b) President Bush says the US is now a global leader on climate change
The Guardian, Friday June 1, 2007
For full article see: http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2093000,00.html

Tony Juniper, of Friends of the Earth, said: "He's stuck two fingers up at Tony Blair and if I was in Downing Street, then I'd be furious."

There was little detail from President Bush on what the global goal would be, despite the scientists saying for several years that it would be dangerous for the planet to experience much above a 2C rise, adopted by countries including Britain and Germany as their nominal target.

It took years for international politicians to hammer out the Kyoto framework, the world's first and largely ineffective attempt to regulate carbon pollution, and there must be serious doubts about President Bush repeating the trick in fewer than 18 months.

"Given his track record on this subject, putting Bush in charge of talks on climate change is like King Herod opening a nursery," said Stephen Hale.

Leaked documents have suggested President Bush's team will object to any agreement on specific goals, timetables and carbon-trading schemes.

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5) IRAQ'S OIL BOOM ISN'T DELAYED, IT'S RELOCATED TO CANADA

As Baghdad burns, destabilising the entire region and sending the price of oil soaring, Calgary booms

by Naomi Klein
The Guardian, Friday June 1, 2007
For full article, please see: http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2092931,00.html

The invasion of Iraq has set off what could be the largest oil boom in history. All the signs are there: multinationals free to gobble up national firms at will, ship unlimited profits home, enjoy leisurely "tax holidays", and pay a laughable 1% in royalties to the government.

Albertans have always known that in the northern part of their province there are vast deposits of bitumen - black, tarlike goo that is mixed up with sand, clay, water and oil. There are approximately 2.5 trillion barrels of the stuff, the largest hydrocarbon deposits in the world.

It is possible to turn Alberta's crud into crude, but it's awfully hard. One method is to mine it in vast open pits. Another method is to separate the oil where it is. Both techniques are costly: between $18 and $23 per barrel, just in expenses. The major international players had no intention of paying more to get the oil than they could sell it for.

Then came the US invasion of Iraq. In March 2003, the price of oil reached $35 a barrel, raising the prospect of making a profit from the tar sands. That year, the US Energy Information Administration "discovered" oil in the tar sands. It announced that Alberta - previously thought to have only 5bn barrels of oil - was actually sitting on at least 174bn "economically recoverable" barrels. The next year, Canada overtook Saudi Arabia as the leading provider of foreign oil to the US.

All the majors, save BP, have rushed to northern Alberta: ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total, which alone plans to spend $9bn-$14bn.

The process of refining bitumen emits three to four times the greenhouse gases produced by extracting oil from traditional wells, making the tar sands the largest single contributor to Canada's growth in greenhouse gas emissions. The $100bn in projected investments from the tar sands have also turned Canada into a global climate renegade.

That money is the primary reason why, at next week's G8 summit in Heiligendamm, my country's oil-friendly prime minister, Stephen Harper, will join George Bush in opposing all serious attempts to cap or reduce greenhouse gases.
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