30 Aug 2009

Climate camp is pure pleasure!


I am cat sitting, tough life isn't it, greedy tikes that they are! but spent the afternoon at climate camp.

Well a bit disorientating, usually I have to travel miles and miles, and then get hassled by le flic, searched for weapons etc.....just got the train to New Cross Gate, 10 minute bike ride....no cops easy.

Usually going to the climate camp seems a bit like setting off for the Paris Commune, good but edgy cause you think you might get seriously injured by the forces of law and order.

Not so this time...no police, although they seem to be hiding in the cadet centre in case of 'trouble'.

The camp is very well organised, clean and green and fun. Hung out with my Green Left amigos and met lots of other friends, gave out some information about the lucha indigena....had a quick pint in Blackheath.

Its not often I have such relaxing day. Seeing a large banner 'Capitalism is Crisis', I feel the camp really shows the message that unlimited economic growth is unsustainable and shows that another world is possible.

Tomorrow I will approach the camp in a more serious way and promote a bit of activism.

Any way lovely place to be, don't read the crap in the newspapers, if you are in south east london join us tomorrow for some bank holiday ecological fun.

Louise has very nice photos and a report here.

Merrick who I ran into today has produced some excellent strategic analysis of the camp compared to Newbury...well worth a read.

Anti-capitalism meeting at climate camp

Red Pepper at Climate Camp
10 years after Seattle: Where now for the anti-capitalist movement?
31st August, 4.30pm - 6.30pm
Check the workshop programme to find out which space it’s in when you arrive
With Derek Wall, Katherine Ainger, Ruth Tanner and James O’Nions

See you all tomorrow and may be later, just about to get on my bike down to Blackheath....stop me and claim your free information sheet on the lucha indigena in Peru!

Alan Garcia has filled too many graves!


I became a journalist to find out how they killed my father, to discover where his body is, and to take those responsible for his death to court,” Boris Ayala told IPS. “I am not going to rest until I find out the whole truth.”

There are reports today into an investigation into mass graves in Peru, during the 1980s the Garcia government fought a brutal war against Shining Path (a pretty vicious Maoist group), there were killings on both sides of civilians, the government killed 10,000s.

This is still not fully investigated.

Today Alan Garcia is in government again and is brutally suppressing the indigenous people, who are not guerilla fighters, but are using non violent protest to stop their land being stolen and the rainforests being destroyed.

On June 5th the indigenous at Bagua were massacred, many of the bodies appear to have been removed and dropped into rivers, (Alan Garcia has at least learnt to hide the bodies with greater care!).

Remember this is what it is all about. In the rush to get oil, biofuel, gold, coal, other resources, indigenous people and peasants are crushed and their land stolen by corportations who bribe governments....and green washing hypocritcs distract attention with some tree planting and calls for us to switch off lights.

Real green politics is in La Selva!

Any way rant over....workshop at climate camp today on the indigenous in Colombia and Ecuador, if I am down in time, will try and let people know about the brave lucha indigena of my friends in the Peruvian Amazon!

29 Aug 2009

Sarawak, land stolen from the people, rainforests destroyed


John Gormley flew to Indonesia and wrote anodyne rubbish on his blog about climate change.

He should have stayed at home but put his energy into supporting communties right across Indonesia whose land is being stolen, a process which when it takes rainforests wrecks our chance of dealing with climate change, while increasing poverty for local people and abusing human rights.

corruption, land seizures, the destruction of sacred and beautiful landscapes for profit, in Ireland its about bulldozing Tara

There are two types of green politics, the real one is about resisting enclosure.

This is from Al Jazeera today

In the jungles of central Borneo, loggers and native tribes, environmentalists and plantation companies, rights lawyers and government developers are now locked in an increasingly desperate battle.

The future of one of the world's last great rainforests is at stake.

The outcome of this fight could determine much beyond Borneo's borders too, as environmental scientists become increasingly alarmed at the effect deforestation taking place here is having on the world's weather.

The current front line in this confrontation lies about 160km inland from the town of Miri, in the Eastern Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo.

In recent days a string of barricades have gone up in this region, the Upper Baram river, as native tribespeople try to prevent logging and plantation companies entering what the tribesmen see as the last remnants of their land.

We hate you!


“It would be a
spark of hope if only wars were to morph in such a way as to target the
actual breeding potential of a population: young females and children, half
of whom are girls. Unless this happens, wars will mostly remain a waste of
time or even a harmful activity.” (p.173) this is from Can Life Prevail by Pentti Linkola.

What a nasty work is the Finnish writer Pentti Linkola.

I am very critical of Malthusians obssessed with cutting the population, I think our economic system that encourages us to produce, consume and waste at every increasing rates is the source of ecological ills.

However while I view population bomb rhetoric as reactionery, it generally is followed by support for womens rights, Linkola just seems consumed by blood lust.

May be in his youth he had a bad experience with women, perhaps a women throw his fish back.

Nasty, nasty.

David Orton has argued that ecofascism is more a smear term, yes often it is, but Linkola is so right wing, he would make Nick Griffin blush and Hitler's would have kept him hidden away because of the bad pr implications.

Basically he wants to kill all of us but is especially keen to exteminate women.

Occam's razor would suggest the 'we hate you, girls' approach of Linkola , works to benefit the oil corporations by painting environmentalists as psychotics.


David Orton seems rather keen on him, shocking stuff! I generally like David Orton's writings but he seems to have crossed the line into locura in his essay on Linkolaa.

I am not a deep ecologist but most of them don't advocate nuclear war as a way of creating more wilderness....like Linkola.

28 Aug 2009

good for Madonna


rock stars, dontyahatethem, I like the Bruno piss take of Madonna however fairs fair and remember I have even been nice about the liberal democrats recently(well that cool Eric Lubbock)....she has done good.

Have a look and may be we should all be praising her for a bit of anti-racism and pro-lgbt statements

David Flemming: is economics without growth possible?

David Flemming: is economics without growth possible?
Space 9, Mon, 14:30-16:00

It is widely agreed that our economy cannot continue to grow indefinitely. Environmental damage and resource depletion will see to that. And yet, if growth were to be halted, then the economy would be destroyed in another way: it is a dynamic system which (like a bicycle) depends on forward movement to maintain its stability. This is the growth curse. The market economy is damned if it grows, and damned if it doesn’t. There are solutions to this, but they are very difficult ones, extending far beyond a reform of the financial system. The workshop will explore them. David Fleming is an economist, inventor of Tradable Energy Quotas (TEQs), and author of Lean Logic: The Empowerment Dictionary (forthcoming).


I did a workshop with David, a while back, I really expected the worst, am not pro Tradable Energy Quotas, for a start.

But I was impressed, really fascinating person and very hip to commons.

You may disagree but you will I am sure enjoy...so get a long to his workshop at the climate camp.

There is certain amount of slightly flaky and poorly thoughout green economics but not from David!

I am also doing a workshop but frankly he is more interesting than me! Still not sure if mine clashes with his, which would be painful if I have to leave my own workshop to listen to him....

Must admit I love the climate camp...Wat Tyler Road is the venue....is there a Kropotkin Avenue, near a power station or an Engels Mews near an airport they can use for another gathering.

Letter to Blackheath residents from Climate Camp


Well Lord Avebury is a real hero but local lib dem councillors have been getting all 'Daily Mail' about the climate camp, if you are a local resident why not go along to the following meeting.

The local Labour big wig Mayor Sr Steve Bullock has attacked 'the patronising selfishness of the campers', i.e. carbon trading doesn't work but I am sticking with it. What an embarrassment, have a look at his website, I am waiting for animation of him tossing his gold chain.....perhaps the camp could invade his office.

I think of all the pressure that people in the rainforests are under, for example, in Peru they have been killed so that oil can be extracted. Does Sr Steve care about this, of course not...he hasn't even heard of it but the climate campers have done a lot of support for the indigenous.

The present approach to climate change based on carbon trading has failed, does he know about this, is he calling for change? The protesters are educating people but some like Sr Steve have closed minds.

They are heros, he is a big fat zero!

Any way he disgusts me but better stop ranting and deliver the letter...




Letter to Blackheath residents from Climate Camp
August 27, 2009

Dear Resident,

This letter is from the Camp for Climate Action. The camp is setting up on Blackheath from 26 August to 2 September. This letter is just to explain a little about the camp, and to invite you to come along and visit.

The Camp for Climate Action is a diverse bunch of people who want to see more action about climate change.

For the last 3 years we've organised a week long event in the summer to educate each other, demonstrate sustainable living and learn about different ways we can stop and Reverse climate change. 2 years ago you may have heard of us when we were at Heathrow Airport, arguing against the plans for a third runway there.

The camps are family friendly and open to all. There's no entrance fee, everyone works on it as volunteers. It's a very do-it-yourself kind of event and we hope we manage to combine things that are too often kept apart: politics and fun, practice and theory, Education and action...Please do come along and see for yourself, you are very welcome.

This year we are camping in London because we want to demonstrate and talk about the links between the crisis happening to our climate and the financial crisis and capitalism. We feel that at the root of both are decisions and practices that are made and enacted in centres like the city of London, and that we cannot divorce the problems of environmental damage from the economics of endless growth that is pushed by the City. That is why we have chosen this location, steeped in a history of protest and overlooking the city, to keep us focused on the source of the problem.

We're only here for a week, then we pack up, and we hope to cause minimal disruption while we are here. We have an excellent record of clearing up after ourselves; in our first year, the wildlife trust who managed the land next door to us were very complimentary about how we left it. We fully value the open spaces of London, as we're sure you do, so we don't want to see any damage to the area, or any mess left behind. We will be talking to the council about all matters to do with health, waste, parking, safety issues, etc.

We would like to hold a public meeting on Sunday 30 August, particularly for you, the local
residents, to ask any questions and find out more about the camp. Please ring us on 07529 867185 for more details.

All of the camps in previous years have attracted many members of the local community and we hope this year will be no different. You can come at any time, but if you'd like someone to show you around then come on one of our guided tours, every evening at 6pm.

We look forward to meeting you.

Best wishes,

The Camp for Climate Action.


How to get in touch with us....

Phone: 07529 867185

Tours of the camp: 6pm Every Evening from the Welcome Tent

Public Meeting: 3.30 - 5pm, Saturday 29 August,

Greenwich Community and Arts centre,

141 Greenwich high Road,

SE10 8JA

27 Aug 2009

Clinton praises Garcia and Peru


Well we all know about Monica Lewinsky but is Bill Clinton going to be proclaiming 'no I didn't fuck Peru', you guessed it 70% of the Amazon is under threat from oil exploration in Peru, the indigenous have been killed at Bagua to get them out of the way for oil exploration, sounds more like rape than a consensual activity to me.

Bill visited Peru earlier this year and is a big amigo of Alan 'grease my palm with oil profits' Garcia.

Bill is oiling the wheels with some charity and has a long history of pushing 'free trade' with Peru..

More on this from Peruanista...no wonder they shut down his you tube channel he was on to something!

See some of you tonight at the meeting on Peru indigenous solidarity.

Massacre in the Amazon: The Garcia Government vs Peru’s Indigenous

Thursday, August 27, 2009, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
The Exmouth Arms, Starcross Street (3 minutes from Euston)

On June 5, World Environment Day, Amazon Indians in Peru were massacred by the government of Alan Garcia in the latest chapter of a long war to take over common lands -- a war unleashed by the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Peru and the United States.

Come and hear about the latest developments in Peru and what we in Britain can do to help Peru’s indigenous people and the wider social and environmental struggles taking place in the country.

“The Amazon struggle must continue, demanding respect for the rain forest. The Amazonian natives know that what is at stake is their own survival. We hope that the world population becomes aware that they are fighting in defence of all humankind, the Amazon jungle is the lung of the planet.”

-- Hugo Blanco (Peruvian social activist and director of ‘Lucha Indigena’ ('Indigenous Struggle')

Speakers:

- Oscar Blanco (Son of Peruvian political figure Hugo Blanco)
- Derek Wall (Former Green Party Principal Speaker)

Free entry

More info: www.alborada.net / info@alborada.net

26 Aug 2009

LINE at the climate camp

LINE are one of my favourite environmental groups! although as a good solid non believer I have been quite impressed by the local C of E....in terms of ecology, social justice, critical thought...any way do try and get along to the LINE event at climate camp


Peace and warm greetings all,

Below are two notices of upcoming events. One is the LINE workshop at the Climate Camp, happening this Sunday. The other is for a joint event with Green Sundays, combining Islam, ecology and culture.

I'd also like to take this chance to wish you Ramadan Mubarak, on behalf of the whole of the LINE team.

Hoping to see you at camp!

Best wishes,

Wasi - on behalf of the LINE team

--------------
The Camp for Climate Action 2009 in London has been set up! The venue was not made public until today, and the full list of workshops at the camp is here:
This includes a workshop led by LINE this Sunday: details below including venue. In addition there is important legal info to be read before you join us!.. http://www.climatec amp.org.uk/ actions/london- 2009/legal

CLIMATE CAMP: MUSLIMS & THE CLIMATE MOVEMENT: VALUES & HOPES

Date: Sunday August 30th 2009
Time: 2:30pm - 4pm
Venue (confirmed): Blackheath, Greenwich, London, SE3.
The entrance to the Camp is off Hare and Billet Road. (Nearest stations: Blackheath, Greenwich, Lewisham) Google Map: Click here

A workshop at the camp, organised by LINE (London Islamic Network for the Environment)

We hope you can join us for this exciting workshop during the month of Ramadan. Within the workshop, we hope to make space to explore some of the following questions: How do Muslims and Islam view climate change? How do Muslim ecological activists view the climate movement? How does the climate movement view Muslims? What are the values that we share? How can we hope to work together?

For more info:
LINE: www.lineonweb. org.uk; Tel: 0845 456 3960 (local rate); Reading on Islam & Climate Change http://www.lineonweb.org.uk/Resources/reading.htm
Climate Camp: www.climatecamp. org.uk

------------

Green Sundays and LINE (London Islamic Network for the Environment) invite you to:

GREEN ISLAM CULTURE DAY

Date: Sunday October 4th 2009
Time: 2:30pm - 7.30pm (tbc)
Venue: Arcola Theatre, 27 Arcola St, Hackney, London, E8 2DJ.

(Nearest Stations: Dalston Kingsland; Hackney Downs;Canonbury; Hackney Central; Stoke Newington. Also served by bus including: 30, 38, 56, 67, 76, 149, 236, 242, 243, 277).

Google Map: Click here

LINE will be bringing a mix of music, workshops and short talks that will represent some of the faces of Muslims dedicated to ecology.

Including:

- A Forum Theatre Workshop, led by Elizabeth Chawdhary of LINE;
- Poetic Pilgrimage, the Muslim, female Hip-Hop & Spoken Word duo;
- SwapShop on the Arcola's Roof Garden;
- Delicious food and drink products available from ‘Mighty Veg Delights'.

Further activities to be confirmed...

* 'Green Sundays' are "events dedicated to film, music, reading, games and discussions exploring environmental and ecological themes that celebrate, question and propose different ways of viewing the state of our world."

For more information:

Tel: Wasi: 07939 686 307;
Websites: Green Sundays: www.greensundays.org.uk ;
LINE: www.lineonweb.org.uk

'Skip', Nadra and the Philadelphia Grand Jury

[col. writ. 8/13/09] (c) '09 Mumia Abu-Jamal


As the contretemps surrounding Dr. Henry Louis Gates and the Cambridge Police Dept. recedes into the roiling news flood to become fodder for the late night comedians, we learn, if anything, that even a president has limits when it comes to a "teachable moment."

For, as any schoolteacher could have taught him, learning is a two-way street. When the student is closed to the lesson, ain't nothing getting in. (And America ain't trying to hear nothing about it's racist present!).

"Skip" Gates, a man possessed of a healthy sense of humor, has even joked about the incident publicly, and in my imagination, I can even hear his distinctive chortle as he answers the questions, "Are you alright?", with the quip, "Yeah - I'm ok; the only thing hurting is my dignity."

Dr. Gates, a prolific writer, acclaimed academic and PBS broadcaster, was, precisely because of his known identity and status, spared the indignity of being beaten, or worse.

Most African-Americans are not so privileged, as shown by the beating administered to Nadra Foster, a KPFA radio producer, who was attacked, kicked in the head, handcuffed and arrested, after a station staffer called police, and told them (incorrectly) that Foster was banned from KPFA. According to witness accounts, Nadra was bum-rushed by at least eight cops.

This happened a year ago, Aug. 2008, and no network chatmeister put Nadra's story on the tube; nor did the then -Black presidential candidate announce he was a 'friend' of this Black mother, who worked for over a decade at the station as a volunteer producer, nor that her beating, kicking, handcuffing and arrest were handled 'stupidly' (as, of course, it was!) She still faces numerous charges including assault and trespass!

That's because, in America, it ain't nothing new.

Just recently, a Phila. grand jury, expertly led by a local DA, refused to indict half a dozen cops who brutally beat, kicked, bludgeoned and stomped three young Black men who were allegedly suspects in a local shooting (the 3 were later acquitted). The grand jury refused to return indictments despite videotapes from a hovering helicopter showing the men struck repeatedly by over a dozen cops as they lay face down in the street.

To add insult to injury, the grand jury report (scripted by prosecutors) insisted that the beatings were "helpful" rather than "harmful". I don't think the initial Rodney King grand jury, which cleared members of the LAPD, went that far!

But news is 'man bites dog.' It is that which is unusual. And Black people, men, women, and juveniles, being beaten by cops isn't unusual -- even if on tape.

There'll be no beer for the 3 young men beaten and battered in Phila. streets: nor for a Black Mom beaten at her radio station.

Their brutalization, it seems, isn't a 'teachable moment'.

--(c) '09 maj

Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Greenwich and Woolwich, Andy Hewett, welcomes the arrival of Climate Camp to Blackheath.

Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Greenwich and Woolwich, Andy Hewett, welcomes the arrival of Climate Camp to Blackheath. Speaking today after the site was revealed, Andy said

"I am delighted that Blackheath has been chosen as the site of this year's Climate Camp. I hope that the people of Greenwich will show their support for this event and go along to experience the atmosphere. The aims of Climate Camp are to educate, inform and peacefully demonstrate that there are alternatives to the current way of life which are leading us to potentially catastrophic climate change."

With views of Canary Wharf, the site at Blackheath will provide Climate Campers with a constant reminder of the financial system which was the focus of the Camp in Bishopsgate and the events of the G20 protests in April. Andy was unable to get into the camp itself that day, due to Police blockades, but he recounted some of his experiences of the events at the G20 protests.

"I was amongst the many who were 'kettled' for hours by the Police on April 1st, and also the following day at a peaceful vigil outside the Bank of England in memory of Ian Tomlinson who died after being beaten by Police at the demonstration on the previous day. Friends of mine suffered injury at the hands of the police over those two days, many more were detained in police cordons. I hope that the police see sense and desist from using the violent tactics evident at the London Camp in April, that they desist from hassling protestors with unnecessary searches, that they desist from invasive and intimidatory photographing of protestors, and let the Climate Camp flourish with the intended family-friendly atmosphere and communal spirit."

"Some have questioned the choice of Blackheath as a venue for Climate Camp, but it has a rich history of being a centre of protest movements over the centuries. As far back as 1381, Wat Tyler's Peasant Revolt rallied at Blackheath in protests at the third poll tax, and in 1450 it was the rallying point for Jack Cade's Kentish Rebellion. Those events and others resonate through the years to the present day, with the right to protest remaining an essential democratic right. Defending that right is essential as part of protecting our civil liberties and sustaining a healthy democracy, and is another example of why Climate Camp is so important."

Rebels camp at Blackheath


its like Henry sixth, the rebels are at Blackheath and Greenwich...the climate camp has swoopped.

I am guessing the mystery band will be radiohead....


I am at camp over the weekend and monday.

I salute the camp, most of the policy for dealing with climate change is irrelevent and useless, based on fraudulent forms of carbon trading, they have a good hold on the politics of this and some realistic ideas for solutions.

They can mobilise thousandst of people for change, their organisation is excellent, the camps I have been on have been little slices of utopia.

So do go along and see what you think...it will be quality honest.

The happy campers sent me this...gracias amigoes!

Film footage of the swoop and other camp activities are available at the dedicated online TV site: www.climatecamp.tv - all films can be embedded and it would be awesome if you could share some of he footage with your readers. A number of embed codes can be found here: http://climatecamp.tv/getting-involved

There's also a blog of latest action updates at the Climate Camp website: http://climatecamp.org.uk/blog

25 Aug 2009

Teddy Goldsmith RIP


Very sad to hear Teddy Goldsmith has died, long expected he had cancer alas

Will write more about him tomorrow....stayed with him once and met him a few times.

Both an essential thinker and pretty right wing!

The Economist noted back in 1999:
'He has never brooked any compromise with governments and big business; the “policy-wonking” has been left to his more emollient successors such as Jonathan Porritt of Friends of the Earth. Unlike the vast majority of his fellow campaigners, he is also well to the right of the Conservative Party on social and moral issues. This has made him an acquired taste even within the environmental movement. He has recently lost one editor of the Ecologist magazine, Nicholas Hildyard, for precisely these reasons.'

Which is a pretty decent summary....you can't dismiss his contribution which was important but no getting away from his negative features....must write about Godard as well (he is hale and healthy I believe).


Tricky when people are mixtures of the wonderful and the reactionery!

Much easier to simply praise or demonise.

Peru indigenous meeting this thursday, spread the word

Public Talk: Massacre in the Amazon: The Garcia Government vs Peru’s Indigenous (Thursday August 27th)

Alborada presents a public talk:

Massacre in the Amazon: The Garcia Government vs Peru’s Indigenous

On June 5, World Environment Day, Amazon Indians in Peru were massacred by the government of Alan Garcia in the latest chapter of a long war to take over common lands -- a war unleashed by the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Peru and the United States.

Come and hear about the latest developments in Peru and what we in Britain can do to help Peru’s indigenous people and the wider social and environmental struggles taking place in the country.

“The Amazon struggle must continue, demanding respect for the rain forest. The Amazonian natives know that what is at stake is their own survival. We hope that the world population becomes aware that they are fighting in defence of all humankind, the Amazon jungle is the lung of the planet.”
-- Hugo Blanco (Peruvian social activist and director of ‘Lucha Indigena’ ('Indigenous Struggle'))

Speakers:
- Oscar Blanco (Son of Peruvian political figure Hugo Blanco)
- Derek Wall (Former Green Party Principal Speaker)

Thursday August 27th, 6-8pm (Talk starts at 7pm)The Exmouth Arms (Function Room), Starcross St, Euston, NW1, London (http://www.exmouth-arms.co.uk;%203/ 3 mins from Euston underground station). Free entry

::: More info: http://www.alborada.net/ / info@alborada.net / http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/1910/76/

24 Aug 2009

EU launches attack on chickens!


EU animal abusers, boo! hiss!

good to see the Morning Star leading the charge on this one....a daily paper that promotes animal rights! excellent


Space for chickens faces chop
Monday 24 August 2009 by Adrian Roberts
Chickens reared to basic industry standards could find themselves in spaces almost 25 per cent smaller than an A4 piece of paper if the government adopts new EU legislation, the RSPCA has warned.

According to the charity, the move would constitute a "retrograde step" which would have a significant impact on the welfare of hundreds of millions of birds.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is considering the legislation, which will make it even more difficult for the animals to walk or flap their wings, the RSPCA said.

Currently, chickens reared for meat at basic industry standards are allocated 526 square centimetres - 15 per cent less space than an A4 sheet of paper.

This could be reduced by a further 8 per cent if the new guidelines are brought in.

RSPCA senior farm animal scientist Dr Marc Cooper said: "At a time when more of us are concerned about how chickens are reared, we seem to be in a position where the EU is making conditions worse, not better.

"Implementing these new provisions could have a significant impact on mortality rates, skin and leg problems as well as making it harder for these birds to perform basic natural behaviours like walking or flapping their wings.

"In England we have traditionally had some of the most progressive animal welfare laws in the world and that is why we are asking people to support us in calling on Defra to make the right decision for chicken welfare."

The RSPCA has launched an online campaign called Quash the Squash to highlight the issue. The e-petition can be found at www.giveanimalsavoice.org.uk.

23 Aug 2009

Getting ready to biff us again.....


from the Morning Star

Police notebooks show extend of G20 brutality
Sunday 23 August 2009 by Paddy McGuffin Printable Email
G20 riot officers' notebooks lodged at the High Court have shown the brutality inflicted on peaceful demonstrators during the protests in April.

The notebooks reveal how officers punched people in the face and beat others with riot shields.

The books, which have been lodged as evidence in an action brought by three protesters, also disclosed how Metropolitan Police were given no restrictions on the use of force when they were ordered to move protesters attending the Climate Change camp in the City of London on April 1.

In one notebook, a police constable recounts how when he saw a protester pushing against officers' shields: "I punched him in the jaw and he moved backwards."

Another officer describes how he hit people with "shield strikes both flat and angled," as well as "open palm strikes to a number of individuals and fist strikes as well."

The logbook revelations are included in court documents lodged in a legal challenge by Bindmans Solicitors on behalf of three Climate Camp protesters.

Frances Wright, a member of the Climate Camp's legal team, said: "Having read all the documents that the police have disclosed so far, I still don't know who ordered force to be used at 7pm or why it was needed.

"The violence that Ian Tomlinson experienced was not an isolated example and the result of a few bad apples, as the police would like us to believe.

"An attitudinal change is needed."

Bindmans solicitor John Halford said that there was a chilling absence of a single recorded instruction to those officers about when they could use force and what would be reasonable, given that this was a peaceful demonstration.

"In the absence of such instructions, many officers apparently behaved as if they had been unleashed on a rioting mob.

"If they were instructed to use violence in the way they did, that was unlawful. But the failure to prevent this from happening was an equally serious dereliction of their senior officers' duties," he said

A Met spokesman said: "Every officer is accountable under law and fully aware of the scrutiny that his action can be held open to. The decision to use force is made by the individual police officer and he must account for that."

He added that the use of "kettling" was a "recognised tactic in public order policing."

The future of food


The vampires want us to use more pesticides, more fertilizers and more oil until the world runs out.
There is no alternative they say, they may drink some of the blood but without them there would be no 'progress' and 'people would starve'.

The vampires don't want you to hear about the alternative, it involves less blood being split.

I am pleasently surprised to see that the BBC, have produced a programme on the future of food outlining somewhere where the vampires have been defeated and there is a an alternative for a healthy sustainable future.

Click here to find out more...the vampires would rather you didn't.

22 Aug 2009

In praise of the Eric Lubbock

I don't often praise the liberal democrats, Peter Tatchell is a good friend and I am less forgiving than him and they seem to have moved sharply to the free market right but credit where credit is due...just noticed that Lord Avebury has been doing some splendid work on behalf of my friends in Peru.

Good thanks, this is very important.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2009-07-06a.446.5 has the whole debate...Lord A started it off asking:

Lord Avebury (Liberal Democrat)
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the statement by the European Heads of Mission on the recent violence and loss of life in the Peruvian Amazon, the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on the Rights and Freedoms of Indigenous Peoples will investigate the background to those events.


so L Avebury if you come to the Exmouth Arms on thursday evening I will buy you a pint!

Just got this biog comment, had forgotten about the Orpington by-election, has to be said politically I am little closer to Hugo Blanco who like Lord Avebury remains an active political figure from the 60s!

Offer still stands by the way....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "In praise of the Liberal Democrats":

http://ericavebury.blogspot.com/
Lord Avebury is of course Eric Lubbock of Orpington fame. ith outstanding record of action on Human Rights:Chair, Parliamentary Civil Liberties Group 1964-70; Parliamentary Human Rights Group, 1976-1997; Traveller Law Reform Unit; Peru Support Group, 2003-; Cameroon Campaign Group 2003- Conservation Society, 1973-83; ACERT (Advisory Council for Education of Romanies & Travellers) 2001-;TAPOL (Indonesian human rights); Kurdish Human Rights Project; Patron, Angulimala (Buddhist Prison Chaplaincy), 1992-; Founder, Parliamentarians for East Timor, 1988; Vice-Chair, Parliamentary Group for Tibet;

Between the Government and the People

[col. writ. 8/16/09] (c) '09 Mumia Abu-Jamal

As democratic forces mobilize in response to the suspicions resulting from the recent Iranian presidential election, they are meeting repression from a government that is fueled by the twin forces of paranoia and theocracy.

The Iranian government is paranoid not because they are crazy, but because many remember the U.S. and British supported coup that led to the installment of the dictatorship of the Shah in 1953, and also more recent support for the Iraqis (during the time of Saddam Hussein, btw) when both countries lost nearly a million people during what came to be called 'The War of the Cities', in the '80's.

And although the corporate media has pronounced the notion 'loony' that the U.S. has supported the anti-government protests, in truth the U.S. has supported anti-government terrorism against Iran, chiefly via CIA funding and support for the Baluchis, an Iranian national minority group which comprises some 2% of the population, and which seeks independence.

Those ways of thinking informs their view of the broader, democratic movement, which may reflect the sentiments, not so much of an Iranian ethnic minority, but of Iran's youth - a percentage approaching half of the country's population.

The second force, theocracy, is the very foundation of the government, which is seen in the formal name of the country: Islamic Republic of Iran.

That feature, the rule of the clerics, makes all internal conflicts both religious and political, and therein lies the danger.

As Europe has shown for hundreds of years, few wars are more brutal than religious wars. For centuries, the Catholic Church waged wars against unbelief, against innovation, against women, and through the Crusades, against Islam. And although the church won many battles, it lost many wars, such as the war against science, where it sent the astronomer, Galileo, to prison for contending that the earth revolved around the sun -- not the reverse.

Let us not act as if we've not seen this before, when theocracies tortured bodies, brutalized people, in the name of faith. Have we not seen democracies do the same, in furtherance of the faith in profit -- as the U.S. in Iraq?

Iranians must decide the form their government will take: not the U.S., nor the British.

The Iranian people will decide whether the ungodly repression they face will stall them, or spur them on to demand more than the change of faces at the top.


--(c) '09 maj
======================

21 Aug 2009

Defending the defenceless: Peru's most wanted refuses to be silenced

Just saw this in the Independent, don't forget public meeting to support the indigenous in Peru, thursday 27th August, 6.30pm Exmouth Arms, near Euston.

From her jungle hideaway, Teresita Lopez tells Guy Adams why she won't give up fighting for her persecuted people


Amazonian Indians armed with spears set up a road block in Yurimaguas, northern Peru in June to protest government plans to let foreign firms in

More pictures
Teresita Lopez is in hiding. "Somewhere in the Amazon" is as much as she is willing to reveal about her current location now she has been placed on the Peruvian government's most-wanted list.


The authorities in Lima have charged her with inciting murder, sedition and insurrection. Nonsense, she says. All she has been doing is protecting the rights of Peru's 350,000-strong Amazonian Indian community and helping them safeguard their traditional way of life, under threat from a President keen to open the Amazon to international mining, logging and oil companies.

"The indigenous people of the Amazon don't ask anything of the government because it has never supported us," Lopez said in an interview. "All we demand is respect for our ways of life, and respect for our rights as citizens to live on our land – where we were born and where we will die."

More here

20 Aug 2009

Climate Camp swoop on the city


Did you know the global framework for dealing with climate change, hasn't reduced emissions at all, not one little bit!

If we leave it to the official framework developed at Kyoto, we are going to fry but the bankers will be able to buy some big fridges to live in when the heat rises cos the carbon market generates $150 bn a year for city types.

The Climate Camp are on the case, join them when they takeover the city of London, the financial heart of global capitalism next week...


On Wed 26th August, the Camp for Climate Action will take back the city of London in a massive public swoop. Everyone is welcome to join us, as we converge on the secret location where the camp will rise. This summer, we are swooping together, and together we will transform a part of London into the physical manifestation of our desired worlds.

More here

WhatWe'll get ready to swoop from scattered locations around London. We'll be roaming about, seeing who we can pick up along the way. There'll be twists, turns, sneaking and outreaching. Then when the time is right, you'll receive a message revealing the secret location of the camp, and the race will be on!

WhenBe ready and waiting in London, from 12 noon on Wed 26th August.

WhereWe'll gather at multiple, as yet undisclosed meeting points around the city. Subscribe to the climate camp newsletter and the SMS service to find out where the meeting points will be...

For now, we'll have to keep you in the dark a little. But it's going to be amazing, so make sure you get signed up!

18 Aug 2009

G 20 -- or More G-Money?

[col. writ. 8/10/09] (c) '09 Mumia Abu-Jamal


As the G 20 gathers again, they assemble amidst the wreckage of their own creation.

Representatives of 20 of the alleged developed economies, they are instead representatives of casino capitalism, the use, misuse and grand-theft of public wealth, to fund the bonuses of financial pirates which have looted the treasury of billions.

A few months ago, as they gathered in London, the nation's finance ministers talked about tax havens, but few had any real substantial solutions to the economic turmoil roiling in their own countries.

Much has been said about stimulus packages, and even of the enormous amounts of money being allocated for this purpose, but a modest amount has actually been spent, with the lion's share being devoted to boosting the very banks and businesses that created this disaster.

And while banks and billionaires have been rewarded for their insatiable greed, average people, working people, families struggling in the worst economic environment since the 1930's, are on their own. Millions are jobless. Many are homeless. Many more are helpless.

And while they barely survive day after day, big buck bonuses are back on track at Goldman Sachs and other such entitles in the City.

Politicians, meanwhile, talk of a 'jobless recovery'. If there are no jobs, who can really speak of a recovery?

Wall Street is recovering-- but are you?

Even the French conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy said the economic disaster of last fall spelled the end to laissez-faire (French for 'let it be'), economic theory. Governments on both sides of the Atlantic are giving various stimulus packages to banks and businesses that looks an awful lot like life support.

If this is free market, then slavery was free labor!

Only a bold, unified people's movement can put the people's interests before that of big finance. It's going to take protests -- real protests -- to break through this vampire's bite on the wealth of nations.


--(c) '09 maj
===================

The Power of Truth is Final -- Free Mumia!

URGENT Need for Petition Signatures at: http://www.iacenter.org/mumiapetition/

Audio of most of Mumia's essays are at: http://www.prisonradio.org

http://mumiapodcast.libsyn.com/
Mumia's got a podcast! Mumia Abu-Jamal's Radio Essays - Subscribe at the website or on iTunes and get Mumia's radio commentaries online.

Mumia Abu-Jamal's new book -- JAILHOUSE LAWYERS: PRISONERS DEFENDING PRISONERS V. THE USA, featuring an introduction by Angela Y. Davis -- has been released! It is available from City Lights Books: http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100448090
If you are planning to organize an event or would like to order in bulk, you can also receive a 45% discount on any bulk orders of 20 copies or more. The book retails for $16.95, for orders of 20 copies or more the discounted price would be $9.32 per book, plus shipping and handling. Prepayment would be required and books are nonreturnable. If you or your organization would like to place a bulk order, please contact Stacey Lewis at 415.362.1901 or stacey@citylights.com

Let's use the opportunity of the publication of this brilliant, moving, vintage Mumia book to build the momentum for his case, to raise the money we desperately need in these challenging economic times, to get the word out – to produce literature, flyers, posters, videos, DVD's; to send organizers out to help build new chapters and strengthen old ones, TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS … all the work that we must do in order to FREE MUMIA as he faces LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE OR EXECUTION!
Please make a contribution to help free Mumia. Donations to the grassroots work will go to both INTERNATIONAL CONCERNED FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL and the FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL COALITION (NYC).

WWW.FREEMUMIA.COM

Please mail donations/ checks to:
FREE MUMIA ABU JAMAL COALITION
PO BOX 16, NEW YORK,
NY 10030
(CHECKS FOR BOTH ORGANIZATIONS PAYABLE TO: FMAJC/IFCO)

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
215 476-8812
212-330-8029

Send our brotha some LOVE and LIGHT at:

Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI-Greene
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370

WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM CAN *NOT* REST!!

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17 Aug 2009

Chinese villagers attack poison plant

I am mainly busy with the peru stuff but worldwide there are grassroots protest against environmental damage and for social justice....China is in ferment, there are huge anti-pollution and anti-land enclosure protests and direct action, I haven't got any kind of Chinese contacts, so if you do have news, post it my way and I will blog and spread the word.

Got this from Earth First! UK, who have always been good!

17 August 2009
At least 600 children have excessive amounts of lead in their blood

Hundreds of Chinese villagers have broken into a factory that poisoned more than 600 children, reports say.

Villagers tore down fencing and smashed coal trucks at the lead smelting factory in Shaanxi Province.

Local authorities have admitted that the plant is responsible for poisoning the children. More than 150 were in hospital.

Air, soil and water pollution is common in China, which has seen rapid economic growth over the past few decades.

Toxic metal

The villagers broke into the Dongling Lead and Zinc Smelting Company, near the city of Baoji in western Shaanxi on Monday, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

About 100 police officers were sent to the plant to restore order.

The villagers are angry because medical tests revealed that at least 600 children under 14 from two villages near the plant have excessive amounts of lead in their blood.

About a quarter of them were taken to hospital for treatment.

Environmental officials from Baoji city government admitted on Sunday that the plant was "mainly to blame" for the children's lead poisoning, according to Xinhua.

Checks found that water, soil and waste from the factory - a major local employer - all met national environmental standards.

But the lead content in the air around the factory was more than six times the level found a few hundred metres away.

The smelting plant has now been closed down.

Local officials had promised to relocate all residents living within a 500m ( 550 yard ) radius of the factory within three years of its opening, but that plan stalled.

Xinhua said only 156 families had been moved; three times that number are still waiting.

Villages are also worried that the new homes are still not far enough away from the plant to prevent their children from getting sick.

Lead is a toxic metal that can get into the air and water supplies.

It can cause a range of health problems, from learning disabilities to seizures. Children under six are most at risk.

pirates!

On Monday September 28th the Barbican are hosting the UK’s first screening of the documentary “A Pirate for the Sea”. The film focuses on the life and work of Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

In its 32 years, Sea Shepherd has rammed and disabled over a dozen whaling and illegal fishing vessels on the high seas, and scuppered others in ports by sneaking aboard and opening valves to let in seawater. Other tactics include fouling propellers with entangling lines, hurling aboard nausea-inducing stink bombs and cellulose powder to make the decks slippery, and direct high-speed ramming. They run Vegan vessels and have sunk more ships than the Canadian Navy without injury or loss of human life, and all without being convicted of a crime in any court of law.

Mark Sanders-Barwick of Sea Shepherd UK will be introducing the documentary and holding an audience Q & A afterwards.

Tickets can be purchased by following the link below:

http://www.barbican.org.uk/film/event-detail.asp?ID=9431

16 Aug 2009

Today is the 190th anniversary of Peterloo


From climate and capitalism

Today is the 190th anniversary of the day when English cavalry rode attacked a peaceful crowd of 60,000 in Manchester, gathered to call for democratic rights. The event is remembered as the Peterloo, a word that combines the location of the attack, St. Peters Field, with an ironic reference to the recent British military victory at Waterloo.
In The Making of the English Working Class, the great Marxist historian E.P. Thompson writes:
“There is no term for this but class war. But it was a pitifully one-sided war. The people, closely packed and trampling upon each other in the effort to escape, made no effort at retaliation until the very edges of the field, where a few trapped remnants – finding themselves pursued into the streets and yards – threw brick-bats at their-pursuers. Eleven·were killed or died from their wounds.

“That evening, on every road out of Manchester, the injured were to be seen. The Peterloo Relief Committee had, by the end of 1819, authenticated 421 claims for relief for injuries received on the field (a further 150 cases still awaited investigation). Of these, 161 cases were of sabre wounds, the remainder were injuries sustained while lying beneath the crowd or beneath the horses’ hooves. More than 100 of the injured were women or girls.”

For many years, Peterloo was a rallying cry for working class and democratic radicals in England, a symbol of the vile nature of England’s ruling class. The lesson they drew from it, a lesson that remains valid today (witness the continuing struggle in Honduras) was summed up in The Masque of Anarchy, written by Shelley to honour those who rallied at Peterloo:
Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number,
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you -
Ye are many – they are few.

15 Aug 2009

Movimientos: Venezuelan Underground radio show

{enclose OA-MMS-EP04-090807-Venez-underground-F01.mp3}

Cal Jader talks with Alborada Films' Pablo Navarette about his new film "Inside The Revolution" and they play exclusive tracks from the Venezuelan underground music scene and the Hip Hop Revolucion movement in Latin America featuring artists La Redonda, Actitud Maria Marta, El Area 23 and ska band Palmeras Kannibales.

Posted using ShareThis

Well not sure the share worked but have a click here.

Me gusta!

Pablo está en la casa! which I find amusing for some reason.

Go on find some more about organic reggaeton from the Venezuelan underground.

Latin American Workers Association AGM



I am very pleased to have been asked to open the AGM of the Latin American Workers Association.

Latin American Workers' Association (LAWAS) Annual General Meeting ('Asamblea'

Saturday August 15 at 4pm in SOAS, University of London.

They are an organisation that has been very involved in the campaign for proper paper for cleaners including the university cleaners in London.

'The last two years our campaigns have been featured a lot in the Morning Star and other left media, around immigration raids and workers rights at places like National Physical Laboratory, Willis/Mitie, Schroders/Lancaster, and of course fighting for papers for all. We also do casework and educational activities.'

Green Party members including our GLA representatives Jenny Jones and Darren Johnson have supported their campaigns, SOAS was occupied in the summer as part of their campaign.

In a globalised world organisation such as LAWAS are vital to fighting low pay and poor working conditions.

I am also very conscious of the way in which Latin American workers in countries like Peru have supported the indigenous fighting for their rights and ecology.

British socialist, greens and trade unionists can all learn from the work of organisations like LAWAS,

14 Aug 2009

Will she run for the Green Party?


Well there are certain some very good Greens out there, despite my slight frustrations, with some who wear the colour.

looks increasingly likely that wonderful Marina da Silva will run as Green Party candidate in Brazil.

"I won't delay (the decision) as if it were a soap opera," Silva said, adding that she would contemplate the move until the middle of next week.

"The Green Party is proposing change and I'm interested in that change," she said.


She is a very solid ecosocialist and friend of Joel Kovel, the Brazilian ecosocialist network are good comrades.

oh and when her government said lets trash the Amazon she fought for it! Briliant, she could tell John Gormley a few things.

and a pretty impressive win in Scarborough from Nick Harvey, remember him being a young green in the 1980s

13/8/09 result:
GREEN, Nick Harvey, 894
Con 356
Ind 94

Turn Out 32.69%

Daniel Hannan Tory MEP attacks NHS

You can listen to the Conservative Party MEP Daniel Hannan say that the NHS has been a 60 year mistake.

dread to think what David Cameron's party will do when they get into power do to the NHS.

They should kick Hannan out, stealing expenses is one thing but stealing our NHS will really hurt all of us in Britain.

He should be ashamed of the kicking he is giving poor Americans who often lack access to proper health care and being uncritical of the huge profits made by US health corporations.

Socialism its about fair access, capitalism its about selling your grand mother.

'Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of Venezue

Hi everyone

There are two upcoming screenings of the new film "Inside the Revolution:
A Journey into the Heart of Venezuela" (Director Pablo Navarrete, 65min,
2009). The official premiere, introduced by the director, will be on
Thursday August 20th, 6.30pm-8.30pm (film starts at 7), Khalili Lecture
Theatre, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H OXG. Nearest
Tube: Russell Square London. £4 suggested donation.

The film will be previewed tonight (Friday 14th) at Movimientos @ Passing
Clouds, Richmond Road, E8 4AA (Corner of Kingsland Road). Film followed by
a live performance from Afro-Cuban salsa percussion orchestra 'NQW' and
DJs till late. Film starts at 8pm and entry is £3 before 9.

Film synopsis: February 2009 marked 10 years since Hugo Chavez took
office, following a landslide election victory, and launched his
revolution to bring radical change to Venezuela. While wildly popular with
many in the country, Chavez's policies and his outspoken criticisms of the
U.S. government have made him powerful enemies, both at home and abroad,
especially in the media. Filmed in Caracas in November 2008, on the eve of
the 10th anniversary of Chavez's controversial presidency, this
feature-length documentary takes a journey into the heart of Venezuela's
revolution to listen to the voices of the people driving the process
forward.

Best Bolivarian wishes!
HOV London

13 Aug 2009

India why the Communist Party of West Bengal lost.

The Communist Party of West Bengal, turned on its supporters, the peasants and stole their land, this article is an excellent critique of 'stagiest' forms of Marxism....socialism is opposition to enclosure, introducing capitalism as a stage towards socialism is wrong, however despite the repression the peasants won just like the indigenous of Peru.

This by the way is from the ever excellent 21st Century Socialism site.


While some loss of peasant support on account of Singur and Nandigram was anticipated in West Bengal, it was thought that the opposition’s thwarting of “development” would make the urban middle class switch to the Left as the preferred alternative (because of which pictures of the Nano car were posted all over the state as part of the CPI(M)’s campaign to remind the electorate of the opposition’s intransigence in thwarting “industrialisation”).

As a matter of fact, however, the Left lost votes both among the urban middle class and among the peasants and the rural poor. It lost votes among the urban middle class because this segment could not stomach the Left’s anti-imperialism and its fallout in the form of a distancing from the UPA; it lost votes among the peasants and the rural poor because the Left’s anti-imperialism was insufficient, in the sense that it did not extend to the formulation of an alternative economic policy.

Some context

I think we all need some time off the Green Party row but I thought this was an intelligent comment, saw it on the Guardian and I think it puts things in context, hopefully the party can move on, this kind of stuff happily is rare.



Hugh, Mark Hill isn't just 'a busy activist', he was until this week employed as a contractor by the party to co-ordinate our freepost scheme (the leaflets Royal mail deliver for us in national elections). For a contractor to abuse their position and go around smearing one of the candidates for an internal election is unacceptable, unprofessional and I think unprecedented within the Green Party. I understand he has now broken his contract and the Green Party will be looking to appoint a new contractor. Given that he ran the whole freepost scheme like his own personal fiefdom, being obstructive in his engagement with members of the elected executive, I don't think this is entirely a bad thing.

I'm afraid what we have here is a classic case of a few male egos putting their own personal agendas ahead of the wider interests of the Green Party. The level of nastiness, smears and downright misinformation that has been spread about Tracy in this internal election is horrendous, and it's a shame you chose to publicise it. She worked flat out over the past year, on a voluntary basis, to deliver an impressive European Election campaign on a shoestring budget, including a party election broadcast that the Guardian said was the best of the bunch. While we didn't make the breakthroughs we'd hoped for in Eastern and North West regions in the Euros, we held our existing seats in London and the South-East and saw a 44% increase in our vote share across the country, with 1.4 million people voting Green.

However let's be clear - there isn't a massive schism in the party, just a few disgruntled voices with over-active blogging and twittering habits. It will blow over, and we'll all get back to focussing on the task in hand - to make a breakthrough at the next general election and get our first Green MPs elected. I'm very much hoping that it will be with Tracy at the helm of our media oeprations, but that's for the membership to decide.

A disappointed Green Party activist

Public Talk: Massacre in the Amazon: The Garcia Government vs Peru’s Indigenous (Thursday August 27th)



Alborada presents a public talk:

Massacre in the Amazon: The Garcia Government vs Peru’s Indigenous

On June 5, World Environment Day, Amazon Indians in Peru were massacred by the government of Alan Garcia in the latest chapter of a long war to take over common lands — a war unleashed by the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Peru and the United States.

Come and here about the latest developments in Peru and what we in Britain can do to help Peru’s indigenous people and the wider social and environmental struggles taking place in the country.

“The Amazon struggle must continue, demanding respect for the rain forest. The Amazonian natives know that what is at stake is their own survival. We hope that the world population becomes aware that they are fighting in defence of all humankind, the Amazon jungle is the lung of the planet.”
– Hugo Blanco (Peruvian social activist and director of ‘Lucha Indigena’ (’Indigenous Struggle’))

Speakers:
- Oscar Blanco (Son of Peruvian political figure Hugo Blanco)
- Derek Wall (Former Green Party Principal Speaker)

Thursday August 27th, 6-8pm (Talk starts at 7pm)The Exmouth Arms (Function Room), Starcross St, Euston, NW1, London (http://www.exmouth-arms.co.uk;%203/ 3 mins from Euston underground station). Free entry

::: More info: http://www.alborada.net/ / info@alborada.net / http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/1910/76/

12 Aug 2009

Statement from the electoral returning officer (ERO)

Statement from the electoral returning officer (ERO)

A contractor working with the party overstepped their authority by sending a message to all local parties making allegations against one of the candidates for External Communications Co-ordinator without that candidate having any possibility of a right to reply. I am treating this as illegal canvassing by that contractor.

This situation is so serious that it has prejudiced the fairness of the postal ballot for External Communications Co-ordinator.

I refer all members to the following section in the Election rules:

5 Conduct of other party members
5.1 Rules of conduct

The ERO has no redress against members who are not candidates in the election. A candidate should not be disqualified due to the actions of another member, unless it is clear that member has acted with the approval of the candidate. However, if, in the opinion of the ERO, the actions of a third party may have materially affected the result of the election, the ERO may declare the election void.

As ERO, with the support of the Standing Orders Committee (SOC), I have taken the decision to call off the postal ballot for the position of External Communications Co-ordinator.

This was not a decision taken lightly.

The election for Chair of the Green party executive is not affected and will continue as normal.

Nominations for the position of External Communications Co-ordinator will re-open at conference, as for other GPEx positions where there were one or zero nominations.

There will be no campaigning allowed for the position of External Communications Co-ordinator until nominations close at conference.

Valid candidates' nominations already submitted will still stand, unless they withdraw, but will be treated in the same way as valid nominations for any other position being re-opened at conference.

These decisions were made with the support of SOC.

Gordon Hodgson
Electoral Returning Officer
Message from the Green Party Executive (GPEx)

A number of local parties and members yesterday received an email from Mark Hill of Living Lightly Limited regarding the party's freepost scheme.

GPEx wishes to reassure members that the claims made in this email are completely incorrect. The letter contains allegations about the actions of GPEx and individual members of GPEx that are completely unfounded.

We are taking legal advice regarding the statements Mark Hill has made.

This DOES NOT mean that the Green Party freepost scheme is ending.

The Green Party Executive is committed to providing full support to local parties who wish to take part in the freepost scheme as part of their local targeting efforts. GPEx will be making suitable arrangements to ensure that happens as a priority, and asks parties to keep their funds in the scheme.

Green Party Executive (GPex)

CLIMATE CAMP: MUSLIMS & THE CLIMATE MOVEMENT: VALUES & HOPES

CLIMATE CAMP: MUSLIMS & THE CLIMATE MOVEMENT: VALUES & HOPES

Date: Sunday August 30th 2009
Time: 2:30pm - 4pm
Venue: London: exact venue tbc: please keep an eye on www.climatecamp.org.uk - we will also send an email out on LINEnotices as soon as we know (likely the week before).

A workshop at the camp, organised by LINE (London Islamic Network for the Environment)
We hope you can join us for this exciting workshop during the month of Ramadan. Within the workshop, we hope to make space to explore some of the following questions: How do Muslims and Islam view climate change? How do Muslim ecological activists view the climate movement? How does the climate movement view Muslims? What are the values that we share? How can we hope to work together?

For more info: www.lineonweb.org.uk; Tel: 0845 456 3960 (local rate)

Gordon Brown lobby on vestas at 1pm today

if you are in Edinburgh in the next hour or so....

The Guardian, Wednesday 12 August 2009
Article history
We observe with increasing dismay the government's unwillingness to act to prevent the closure of the Vestas wind turbine factory (UK's wind industry left in doldrums, 8 August). While we are constantly being reassured about a commitment to fighting climate change and unemployment, we are asked to accept that the UK's only wind turbine factory be allowed to shut and 625 jobs lost. Gordon Brown's silence on this matter has been deafening. At 1pm today, we will ask him to speak to us at his constituency office in Cowdenbeath. We urge anyone who is concerned about climate change and job losses to join us, or to demonstrate in their local area.

Aoife Keenan and Katherine McMahon Edinburgh Vestas Solidarity Group

11 Aug 2009

Freepost facts.

The great freepost debate....skip this unless you are interested in internal green party politics....but I think it needs an airing given rumours.

The facts about Freepost

What is Freepost?

The Freepost scheme uses the Royal Mail’s provision of free postage for an election leaflet in national and European elections to reach voters. These can be either individually addressed to every voter, or delivered to households unaddressed.

How is it done?

Getting leaflets to Royal Mail according to their complex requirements, and printing them in large bulk to minimise costs, requires the use of contractor.

Who has responsibility within the Green Party executive for the scheme?

The elections co-ordinator, who reports to Gpex, which then has collective responsibility as the underwriter of the scheme.

What is my view of the scheme?

An addressed Freepost is clearly essential in our target Westminster seats, and household-delivered Freepost is essential for every serious campaign in conjunction with Target to Win (TTW).

So what’s happening now?

There are no plans to close new applicants to the freepost scheme nor refuse to proceed with applications that are already under way. Every local party that wants Freepost and has the money to pay for it will have freepost.

This is guaranteed and there has never been a suggestion from me (or anyone else at a GPEx meeting that I’m aware of) that local parties should be denied this option.

Are there misunderstandings about Freepost?

There are two issues around freepost that have come up that could be the source of the inaccurate rumours that are currently circulating;

More here

Niyam Raja: sacred mountain destroyed to make cans and nuclear weapons


Bauxite from the Dongria Kondh’s Sacred Mountain,in Orissa, India, will be most likely used to produce nuclear-capable weapons for the Indian Government.

Vedanta’s plan to rip apart the Niyamgiri Hills for bauxite has never been acceptable to the Dongria Kondh.

Ever since the mine was first proposed, the Kondh have said they will do everything in their power to protect the hills, even if it means sacrificing themselves.

It has not been a shallow threat, after all, the Dongria Kondh believe there is no life without the hills, where Niyam Raja, their god, has always lived.

It’s sacrosanct. The Kondh won’t even harvest any food or medicine plants from the hill. Everything is reserved for Niyam Raja and Niyam Raja alone.

Almost exactly one year ago today, a mountain of fear was lifted from the Kondh’s shoulders, when Anil Agarwal, the CEO of Vedanta Resources, announced to his shareholders that his company would not move ahead with the mine without the Kondh’s expressed consent.

On the occasion, Survival International commented: “it is the first time the company has made any such commitment to comply with international law, which recognises tribal peoples’ right to give or withhold consent for developments which profoundly affect their future,” adding that, “Vedanta’s Executive Director Kuldip Kaura backed up Mr Agarwal by emphasising, ‘the local people have to give their consent.’”

Sadly, Kaura’s and Agarwal’s words were quickly tossed to the wind and forgotten. To date, Vedanta has yet to take any steps to legally obtain the Kondh’s permission to mine the Niyamgiri Hills. Once though they made a video to showcase to the world how glorious and responsible they are. But whenever it came to approaching the Kondh, they’ve only done so under the proverbial cover of night, to invade the Kondh’s land.

More here.

Irish Greens to leave Fianna Fail government


Rumours from Dublin suggest that the budget cuts that FF are pushing, will lead the Greens to ditch the coalition government.

It is hoped that by bringing the government down the Greens will get some credit from Irish voters long sick of suffering under the people often described as the 'porketeriat' because of their love of pork flavoured scratchings pushed their way by property developers.

By the way bet some one got a lot of bacon for the M3 motorway!

So watch this space, I think the Irish Greens have manipulated themselves into a no win situation.

The FF coalition was going to cause embarrassement, all commentators knew this, unfortunately it looks like wipeing out the Irish Green Party for a while to come, I predict no seats in the Dail after the General Election...if it comes either in 2009 or later.

Joseph Healy has produced an excellent article on the Irish Green Party by the way.

Incidentally while Joseph and I are Green Left, it is often forgotten that the whole GPEW has a policy critical of the Irish Greens over Tara......and while the GPEW may not be Irish, greens globally are appalled.

Not that they seem to take much notice

The GPEW passed an emergency motion at its conference calling for the motorway scheme to be stopped. The motion was not even acknowledged by the Irish party.

We were deluged with requests from anti-bloodsports organisations in Ireland to try to influence the new Green ministers to ban hare coursing — a particularly bloody and barbarous activity.


The Irish Greens didn't suddenly become the 'Not the Irish Green Party' it was a process, Joseph notes:

it was also obvious that the conference was tightly controlled, including a strict dress code, and largely stage-managed.

I told people in London I had felt distinctly uncomfortable. It suggested a party seeking “professionalism” at all cost and very thin on ideology.

It was perhaps indicative that international issues were not discussed at all.

10 Aug 2009

Vestas events...get involved

Tues 11 August

• GILLINGHAM, KENT Sunlight Centre, Richmond Road, 7.30pm, Vestas support meeting organised by Kingsnorth Climate Action Medway and Medway trades union council
• LEEDS 7-8.30pm, meeting, Swarthmore Centre, next to Park Lane College
• MANCHESTER 7pm solidarity meeting with Vestas worker speaking, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, tel: 07724 139278

Wed 12 August – NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH VESTAS WORKERS

• BANGOR petitioning from 11am onwards by the clock tower; 6.30pm, public meeting in the Harp Inn, High Street, Bangor; tel: Iain, 07809 839793
• BIRMINGHAM 12.30pm rally outside the Government offices for the West Midlands (off Colmore Row, round corner from Halifax), St Philips Place, St Philips Cathedral park, Birmingham B3. Called by Birmingham CACC and supported by Birmingham TUC, tel: 07846 490 408
• BRIGHTON 12-2pm, leafleting/collecting in Churchill Square; 6pm, street meeting in Churchill Square, email: brightonvestassupporters@googlemail.com, tel: 07845 183407
• CARDIFF 7.30pm, public meeting with Vestas worker; Marianne Owens, Vice-Chair PCS Wales; Wayne Thomas, President of NUM Wales (tbc); Climate Camp Cymru speaker (tbc); and Adam Johannes, Cardiff Campaign against Climate Change, Riverside Community Centre, Brunel St (off Ninian Park Road)
• CENTRAL LONDON 12.30pm, meeting organised by PCS and RMT, The Dining Room, Civil Service Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard
• COWDENBEATH picket Gordon Brown’s constituency office, 1-3pm, 318-324 High Street, tel: 07826 517648, email: akmailie@yahoo.ie, katherine.a.mcmahon@gmail.com
• LIVERPOOL Casa (the dockers’ pub), 29 Hope St, 7pm, RMT, dockers and Merseyside TUC meeting to set up solidarity campaign, tel: 0151 709 1786/07940 244718/07930 870934, email: j.tilley@rmt.org.uk
• OXFORD 12 noon, rally, Bonn Square, called by Oxford and District TUC
• PORTSMOUTH 5.30pm, rally at The Hard
• PLYMOUTH 12.30, the Sundial, leafleting the City Centre at lunchtime, tel: Tony Staunton 07803 620390
• SHEFFIELD 1pm, rally and leafleting outside Sheffield Town Hall
• WARRINGTON 7.30-9.30am, demonstration, Vestas HQ, 302 Bridgewater Place, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6XG, tel: 07724 139278
• WREXHAM public meeting, 7.30pm Barracuda Bar, Town Hill, Wrexham LL13 8NA

Thurs 13 August

• COVENTRY 7.30pm, the Squirrel, central Coventry, public meeting with Vestas worker Seb and Socialist Party councillors, Rob Windsor and Dave Nellist

Muddy election...I suppose that's politics.

I have been amazed by how much mud has been thrown at Tracy Dighton-Brown the current External comms member of the Green Party Executive.

Unfounded rumours that she is opposed to the free post system are one example.

and I have had this 'Tracy is one of the most frightening and scary people that I have ever met. She is utterly manipulative, two-faced and has no sense of morality as far as I can see. I am personally terrified that she is in control of the Green Party's media operation. All she has done so far is to stop other people from doing things.'

Depressing. Any way I am endorsing her and so is Caroline Lucas...

Caroline Lucas MEP, Green Party Leader

“Working with Tracy over the past months has been a real privilege. I have particularly appreciated her sound political judgement and clear strategic thinking.

“Her professionalism and personal commitment have been instrumental both in ensuring the Party achieved its best ever results in the recent European Elections, as well as in laying strong foundations for the upcoming General Election.

“Her wealth of media experience has enabled her to build excellent contacts with a wide range of editors and broadcasters, with whom she now enjoys very positive links. She has also developed very strong relationships with the target constituency teams, acted as a passionate and articulate champion of their interests at every opportunity, and put in place transparent and accountable communications mechanisms.

“As we enter a General Election year, it would be very damaging to risk disrupting all the good work she has done – I hope very much she will be re-elected to GPEX.”

9 Aug 2009

Jim Killock banned from Party membership reapplication for five years

'Anger and not a little sadness among Green activists as Jim Killock, once the external communications co-ordinator on the party's national executive and candidate for party chair, is banished to the wilderness for five years. It's all a bit embarrassing. He is the executive director of the Open Rights Group and has much to say about defending the civil liberties of individuals on the internet. Yet the party believes he broke its rules by distributing the details of members to interested colleagues during the hotly contested referendum campaign as to whether the Greens should fall behind a leader. A tribunal was convened. Killock, whose membership lapsed last September, did not take up an offer to participate. In his absence, the regional council decided that there was a prima facie case and upheld it. No word from Jim, despite our calls. He can appeal, we are told, but his only reward would be a reconvened tribunal. Shades of Catch 22. Always possible, of course, that those whose details were passed around will now act against the party itself, and thus officials are keen to be seen taking a tough line against the unauthorised disclosure of data. Closing the stable doors a bit late perhaps, but closing them nonetheless.'

It was obvious in the closing stages of the Green Party referendum on having a single leader that the Party membership lists had been 'misappropriated' and were being used for systematic canvassing, by one side, which was against the rules to say the least!

Without the telephone numbers the pro leader camp would have won anyway, likewise Caroline has been an excellent leader, nevertheless this and similar murky dealings left a bad taste at the time.

After extensive investigation the Tribunal, in addition to Jim who left the party last year being refused a membership reapplication for five years.


To the credit of the pro-leader camp, when it was found out that the more enthusiastic were using the membership records without permission, they put a stop to it and the evidence to the Tribunal members was provided by people involved with the pro-leader camp who did not like this operation.

The assumption from some, at the time, was that the leadership referendum had to be won at any cost because having a leader would transform the Parties chances....this was obvious unrealistic, it was clear to me as Principal Speaker that this wasn't going to suddenly make the Party leap to success. The media like a good story they don't particular care about a different title.

There are obviously some big potential dangers with having a single leader, the symbolism is a bit scary!

Nonetheless Caroline has been excellent and the Party is making reasonable, if not spectacular progress....a fraction of the pro-leader camp disillusioned with what they perceive to be lack of progress and frustrated with Caroline are contesting the GPEX elections this time around.

If they have genuinely better ideas and come out with a statement against the excesses of the Jim era, I think members should give them a hearing....personally I am not going to be voting for them.

Very embarrasing for the Open Rights Group as well.

8 Aug 2009

Vestas rally and march today

The rally and march were magic on the isle of wight today, about 300 people turned out to inspiring words from the occupiers, we then marched on the factory and surrounded it with shouts of 'The workers united well never be defeated', 'whose factory? our factory, whose planet? our planet'?

The security guards tried to stop us but there were only about three of them....and lots of us

Very inspiring and everyone from the unions, the Vestas people have joined the RMT to the left groups and the climate camp, seem to be working hard to support the struggle in a real committed, strong and open way...

Lots of support from local people on the Island, beeping their horns in support as we marched down the duel carriageway.

La lucha continue...still lots of actions planned on the island and the climate camp are still camped by the factory in Newport and a couple of them on the root at the other factory in Cowes.

Nice to be part of a Green Party contingent today...the Green Left 'Slogan Workers for the World Unite' went down well.

Everyone in the environmental movement should be supporting the Vestas workers.

Day of Action coming up on Wednesday...

Interview with roof protesters here on wikileaks.

'The five — four of whom are members of the Climate Camp which has set up in the Isle of Wight — scaled the Cowes plant, which is located about five miles (8 kilometres) north of Vestas's main Isle of Wight plant in Newport, on August 4 and have been camping on the rooftop ever since.'

Some suggestions for solidarity....

Send messages of support from yourself or your organisation to savevestas@googlemail.com.

Send a donation from your trade-union or other organisation, or make a personal donation: cheques payable to Ryde and East Wight Trades Union Council, 22 Church Lane, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 2NB

Organise a visible demonstration of solidarity. Take a photo with a placard that reads “Save Vestas” and email the photo to savevestas@gmail.com

PETITION

Petition energy minister Ed Miliband. His e-address is ps.ed.miliband@decc.gsi.gov.uk. His phone number in his Doncaster constituency is 01302 875 462, and at Westminster, 020 7219 4778. Flood him with calls for the Government to take over the Vestas factory and keep it producing, under new management.

7 Aug 2009

Peru indigenous solidarity meeting 27th August

7pm to 8pm Exmouth Arms, near Euston, 27th August.

The main speaker will be Oscar Blanco, son of Hugo Blanco, the Peruvian revolutionary and publisher of Lucha Indigena.

Will be getting some proper publicity out soon but for now put it in your diary.

The ecosocialist struggle is stong in Peru but the government are very happy to beat, imprison and kill indigenous people who resist rainforest destruction.

Hugo Blanco will be speaking in Britain in June 2010 with support from members of Socialist Resistance, Green Left and the Green Party.

So several reasons to watch this space.

The Peruvian indigenous leader Santiago Manuin, despite his injuries seems to be slowly getting better, but Alan Garcia is still keen to repress him.

Right off to the Isle of Wight tomorrow for the Vestas workers rally....workers and the indigenous are showing the way on climate change at the moment...

Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change

Thought I better post this, its a few months old but inspiring...the indigenous in their astonishing diversity are increasingly organising to promote ecology and socialism (well collective community way of living if you don't like the s word), I think the indigenous provide the best hope of solutions to problems such as climate change...lots more here.

The Anchorage Declaration
24 April 2009

From 20-24 April, 2009, Indigenous representatives from the Arctic, North America, Asia, Pacific, Latin America, Africa, Caribbean and Russia met in Anchorage, Alaska for the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change. We thank the Ahtna and the Dena’ina Athabascan Peoples in whose lands we gathered.

We express our solidarity as Indigenous Peoples living in areas that are the most vulnerable to the impacts and root causes of climate change. We reaffirm the unbreakable and sacred connection between land, air, water, oceans, forests, sea ice, plants, animals and our human communities as the material and spiritual basis for our existence.

We are deeply alarmed by the accelerating climate devastation brought about by unsustainable development. We are experiencing profound and disproportionate adverse impacts on our cultures, human and environmental health, human rights, well-being, traditional livelihoods, food systems and food sovereignty, local infrastructure, economic viability, and our very survival as Indigenous Peoples.

Mother Earth is no longer in a period of climate change, but in climate crisis. We therefore insist on an immediate end to the destruction and desecration of the elements of life.

Through our knowledge, spirituality, sciences, practices, experiences and relationships with our traditional lands, territories, waters, air, forests, oceans, sea ice, other natural resources and all life, Indigenous Peoples have a vital role in defending and healing Mother Earth. The future of Indigenous Peoples lies in the wisdom of our elders, the restoration of the sacred position of women, the youth of today and in the generations of tomorrow.

We uphold that the inherent and fundamental human rights and status of Indigenous Peoples, affirmed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), must be fully recognized and respected in all decision-making processes and activities related to climate change. This includes our rights to our lands, territories, environment and natural resources as contained in Articles 25–30 of the UNDRIP. When specific programs and projects affect our lands, territories, environment and natural resources, the right of Self Determination of Indigenous Peoples must be recognized and respected, emphasizing our right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent, including the right to say “no”. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreements and principles must reflect the spirit and the minimum standards contained in UNDRIP.

Calls for Action

1. In order to achieve the fundamental objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), we call upon the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC to support a binding emissions reduction target for developed countries (Annex 1) of at least 45% below 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 95% by 2050. In recognizing the root causes of climate change, participants call upon States to work towards decreasing dependency on fossil fuels. We further call for a just transition to decentralized renewable energy economies, sources and systems owned and controlled by our local communities to achieve energy security and sovereignty.

In addition, the Summit participants agreed to present two options for action which were each supported by one or more of the participating regional caucuses. These were as follows:

A. We call for the phase out of fossil fuel development and a moratorium on new fossil fuel developments on or near Indigenous lands and territories.

B. We call for a process that works towards the eventual phase out of fossil fuels, without infringing on the right to development of Indigenous nations.

2. We call upon the Parties to the UNFCCC to recognize the importance of our Traditional Knowledge and practices shared by Indigenous Peoples in developing strategies to address climate change. To address climate change we also call on the UNFCCC to recognize the historical and ecological debt of the Annex 1 countries in contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. We call on these countries to pay this historical debt.

3. We call on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, and other relevant institutions to support Indigenous Peoples in carrying out Indigenous Peoples’ climate change assessments.

4. We call upon the UNFCCC’s decision-making bodies to establish formal structures and mechanisms for and with the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples. Specifically we recommend that the UNFCCC:
a. Organize regular Technical Briefings by Indigenous Peoples on Traditional Knowledge and climate change;
b. Recognize and engage the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change and its regional focal points in an advisory role;
c. Immediately establish an Indigenous focal point in the secretariat of the UNFCCC;
d. Appoint Indigenous Peoples’ representatives in UNFCCC funding mechanisms in consultation with Indigenous Peoples;
e. Take the necessary measures to ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous and local communities in formulating, implementing, and monitoring activities, mitigation, and adaptation relating to impacts of climate change.

5. All initiatives under Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) must secure the recognition and implementation of the human rights of Indigenous Peoples, including security of land tenure, ownership, recognition of land title according to traditional ways, uses and customary laws and the multiple benefits of forests for climate, ecosystems, and Peoples before taking any action.

6. We challenge States to abandon false solutions to climate change that negatively impact Indigenous Peoples’ rights, lands, air, oceans, forests, territories and waters. These include nuclear energy, large-scale dams, geo-engineering techniques, “clean coal”, agro-fuels, plantations, and market based mechanisms such as carbon trading, the Clean Development Mechanism, and forest offsets. The human rights of Indigenous Peoples to protect our forests and forest livelihoods must be recognized, respected and ensured.

7. We call for adequate and direct funding in developed and developing States and for a fund to be created to enable Indigenous Peoples’ full and effective participation in all climate processes, including adaptation, mitigation, monitoring and transfer of appropriate technologies in order to foster our empowerment, capacity-building, and education. We strongly urge relevant United Nations bodies to facilitate and fund the participation, education, and capacity building of Indigenous youth and women to ensure engagement in all international and national processes related to climate change.

8. We call on financial institutions to provide risk insurance for Indigenous Peoples to allow them to recover from extreme weather events.

9. We call upon all United Nations agencies to address climate change impacts in their strategies and action plans, in particular their impacts on Indigenous Peoples, including the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). In particular, we call upon all the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other relevant United Nations bodies to establish an Indigenous Peoples’ working group to address the impacts of climate change on food security and food sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples.

10. We call on United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to conduct a fast track assessment of short-term drivers of climate change, specifically black carbon, with a view to initiating negotiation of an international agreement to reduce emission of black carbon.

11. We call on States to recognize, respect and implement the fundamental human rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the collective rights to traditional ownership, use, access, occupancy and title to traditional lands, air, forests, waters, oceans, sea ice and sacred sites as well as to ensure that the rights affirmed in Treaties are upheld and recognized in land use planning and climate change mitigation strategies. In particular, States must ensure that Indigenous Peoples have the right to mobility and are not forcibly removed or settled away from their traditional lands and territories, and that the rights of Peoples in voluntary isolation are upheld. In the case of climate change migrants, appropriate programs and measures must address their rights, status, conditions, and vulnerabilities.

12. We call upon states to return and restore lands, territories, waters, forests, oceans, sea ice and sacred sites that have been taken from Indigenous Peoples, limiting our access to our traditional ways of living, thereby causing us to misuse and expose our lands to activities and conditions that contribute to climate change.

13. In order to provide the resources necessary for our collective survival in response to the climate crisis, we declare our communities, waters, air, forests, oceans, sea ice, traditional lands and territories to be “Food Sovereignty Areas,” defined and directed by Indigenous Peoples according to customary laws, free from extractive industries, deforestation and chemical-based industrial food production systems (i.e. contaminants, agro-fuels, genetically modified organisms).

14. We encourage our communities to exchange information while ensuring the protection and recognition of and respect for the intellectual property rights of Indigenous Peoples at the local, national and international levels pertaining to our Traditional Knowledge, innovations, and practices. These include knowledge and use of land, water and sea ice, traditional agriculture, forest management, ancestral seeds, pastoralism, food plants, animals and medicines and are essential in developing climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, restoring our food sovereignty and food independence, and strengthening our Indigenous families and nations.

We offer to share with humanity our Traditional Knowledge, innovations, and practices relevant to climate change, provided our fundamental rights as intergenerational guardians of this knowledge are fully recognized and respected. We reiterate the urgent need for collective action.


Agreed by consensus of the participants in the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change, Anchorage Alaska, April 24th 2009

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