24 Jul 2012


LETTER OF APPEAL: Urgent action needed to stop torture of Pakistani 'prisoners of climate change crisis'

,Dear friends and comrades
Baba Jan and four comrades — all members of the Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) and the Progressive Youth Front (PYF) — have been imprisoned since September last year for standing up for the rights of his people from the Hunza Valley, in the remote province of Gilgit-Baltistan, after their villages and farmlands were flooded in 2010. Collectively they have come to be known as the Hunza Five.
A leading Pakistan newspaper, Dawn, reports that Labour Party Pakistan comrades Baba Jan and Iftikhar Hussain are being tortured by special "anti-terrorist police" unit in an undisclosed location now:
The Hunza Five are among a growing number of those who could be termed “political prisoners of the global climate crisis”.
In 2010, one fifth of Pakistan was flooded after extremely heavy monsoonal rains. Two thousand people died as a result of this extreme weather event and 20 million people suffered displacement and/or destruction of property, livelihood and infrastructure. People around the world donated millions of dollars in emergency aid but not all of that aid got to the real victioms of the devastating floods.
Baba Jan and his comrades were arrested for leading protests of victims of flooding who had been cheated of compensation and assistance by corrupt officials. The Hunza Five have been assaulted, tortured and denied their rigts (including visiting rights and medical treatment) during their imprisonment.
There has been an international campaign of solidarity and here in Australia and we organised for numerous letters of protest and concern to be sent the Pakistani government. This international campaign helped force the authorities to allow Baba Jan and his comrades visits and some medical treatment – which they had been previously denied.
Then, last month, there was word that they were finally about to be granted bail – nine months after they were arrested!
But when Baba Jan’s lawyer went to the magistrate with the bail application the public prosecutor said that the magistrate was not allowed hear this case the police has now inserted new charges under draconian anti-terrorist laws and so his case could be heard only by a special anti-terrorist court.
On July 19, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), consisting of police and intelligence officials, came to Jutial Jail, Gilgit, where Baba Jan was being held, in order to take him into their custody.
Fearing that the team had not actually obtained judicial remand from the Anti-Terrorist Court, which would authorise them to take custody of Baba Jan, and further, fearing that the intention would be torture – either as a last-ditch attempt to extract a confession from Baba Jan or as a vindictive expression of their frustration at not being able to break him so far – the ordinary prisoners rose up in solidarity with Baba Jan and resisted the attempts of the team to shift Baba Jan out of the prison.
The JIT was turned away on July 19 but they returned the following night of July 20 and Baba Jan and one of his comrades Iftikhar Hussain were removed from the Gilgit jail by JIT personnel and taken to an unknown location.
Baba Jan’s lawyers and comrades did all they could to resist any move to hand over custody of Baba Jan to the police or the JIT and demanded that Baba Jan be questioned by the JIT in Jutial Jail. His supporters, especially his family, are said to be extremely worried that giving physical custody of Baba Jan to the crime police or the JIT will inevitably lead to further torture. Given the two previous instances, in October 2011 and April/May 2012, and the fact that the Anti-Terrorism Act admits confessions of the accused as evidence and that torture is an accepted means of “investigation” in our law enforcement paradigm, this is a well-founded fear.
The JIT is composed of police and intelligence agents representating the same establishments that previously abducted and tortured Baba Jan and his comrades in violation of judicial remand.
LPP and PYF comrades in Gilgit are unanimous in their assessment that now that the ruling clique of the region know that their attempts to manipulate the judicial system to pressurise the Hunza Five have almost failed. The authorities are extremely fearful about what will happen when the Hunza Five are at liberty and free to talk of their experiences and expose the reality of the collaborationist, anti-people elite to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
On July 23 more than 800 locals demonstrated in Hunza valley breaking through the fear imposed by the authorities after they fired on protests last August. This was the first mass protest in the valley for months. The elders of the area gave three days warning to the government to release Baba Jan in three days or face a march to their offices. The younger brother of Bab Jan said they had expected only 50 to 100 to join the march and were awed by the numbers that turned out.
See open letter signed by Tariq Ali, Noam Chomsky and others here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/free-baba-jan
Please act urgently to show your solidarity to these brave political prisoners of the global climate change crisis.
Yours in solidarity
Peter Boyle
Socialist Alliance National Co-convener
* * *
Please send an urgent letter of protest to:
Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
President’s Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9207458
(Copies to)
Hon. Prime Minister of Pakistan
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Hon. Rehman Malik
Minister for Interior
R Block Pak Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9202624
Ministry of Human Rights
NAB Building
Ata-Turk Avenue
G-5/2, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +9251-9204108

19 Jul 2012

EMERGENCY PICKET COLOMBIA EMBASSY - FRIDAY 20 JULY 3.30-5pm;




EMERGENCY PICKET COLOMBIA EMBASSY - FRIDAY 20 JULY 3.30-5pm;

3 Hans Crescent, London SW1 (back of Harrods)  Knightsbridge tube

In solidarity with:

-          the indigenous people in the north of Cauca, heartland of the Minga, who are engaged in a heroic mass mobilisation to eject the army and all armed actors from their territory, for the latest news see:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtKqty5qf5w&feature=player_embedded#!

-          the people of Cajamarca, Ibague and Tolima who are resisting the takeover of their territory by Anglo Gold Ashanti.

-          the displaced indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities displaces by El Cerrejon coal mine

-          the trade unionists, human rights defenders, students, working class and all oppressed people who continue the onslaught in Colombia.

Called by Movimiento 22 and Colombia Solidarity Campaign




SOLIDARITY WITH PERU  PICKETS 1-3pm and 5pm onwards

International Rally in support to Cajamarca-Peru
PICKET AGAINST CONGA MINING PROJECT!!!
FRIDAY 20TH JULY, 2012   AT 1 PM
OUTSIDE THE PERUVIAN EMBASSY IN LONDON
52 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9SP.
Knightsbridge Tube Station, Buses: C1, 19, 22 o 137
MICAELA BASTIDAS MOVEMENT-UK
5pm picket called by Cajamarca Solidarity


Colombia Caravana UK Lawyers Group

Film night in support of Colombian Human Rights lawyers 24th July 6 -10 PM
The Old Cinema, University of Westminster, Regents Street, near Oxford Circus tube.

The first film is 'Impunity” (2010) an award winning documentarydirected by Colombian journalist Hollman Morris and Swiss-Colombian film-maker Juan Jose Lozano, which looks at the proceedings against demobilised paramilitary leaders under the “Justice and Peace” Law 2005

Maria Full of Grace was made in 2003 by American film-maker Joshua Marston. It is in Spanish with English sub-titles but being an American film you are guaranteed a happy ending!

Each film will be introduced by Peter Burbidge Senior Lecturer in the Law School, University of Westminster and author of Justice and Peace? The role of law in resolving Colombia’s conflict. [2008] ICLR 557

We are delighted to invite you to watch both of these films in an historic central London cinema. A suggested minimum donation £12 will support the work of The Colombia Caravana.


For more details contact: Colombian.caravana@googlemail.com

COLOMBIA SOLIDARITY MEETINGS

Special meeting Tuesday 28 August to discuss plans for 12 October event. All groups invited.

The Apple Tree pub, 45 Mount Pleasant, WC1 (Russell Square, Farringdon, Kings X or Angel tube)

London Branch meeting Tuesday and the third Tuesday of the month.

The Apple Tree pub, 45 Mount Pleasant, WC1 (Russell Square, Farringdon, Kings X or Angel tube)

Dayschool and AGM – Saturday 27 October (tbc)

OLYMPIC ACTIONS

Eelam Tamils to remember Black July 1983 and lead hunger-strike from 22 July.
Assembly point for march is most likely to be West Ham Park 4pm

‘Whose Games? Whose City?’ Demonstration against the Corporate Olympics to be held on July 28th 

Vote for the Greenwash Gold 2012!

Which dodgy company most deserves the Greenwash Gold medal in 2012? Who is covering up the most environmental destruction and devastating the most communities while pretending to be a good corporate citizen by sponsoring the Olympic games www.greenwashgold.org


13 Jul 2012

Paraguay anti-coup picket next wednesday in London


PARAGUAY RESISTS!! 
 On 21st june the president of paraguay, ex bishop fernando lugo mendez, was de- 
posed by a pseudo-legal inpeachment organized by the right wing dominated congress. 
In 24 hrs it concocted a case based on false accusations and no evidence . This would not 
be accepted in any respected court of the world. 

 Lugo’s government, even with the systematic attack mounted by paraguay’s most 
conservative sectors, the colorado party, the liberal party and the oviedistas (follow- 
ers of the fascist general oviedo) managed to create a new progresive movement: “the 
frente guazu” (big front)which could unite the people for the coming presidential elec- 
tions in april 2013 and defeat the candidates of the right. 

The paraguayan parliamentary coup de etat is part of usa imperial forces’ plan to 
desestabilize the new progessive tendencies predominant in latinamerica. The military 
coup in honduras was 3 years ago. After came the attempted coup in ecuador, then the 
defeat of the left in chile where more sophisticated means of propaganda and psycologi- 
cal war, were used in order to confuse part of the electorate. 
Presented with the new offensive of the old latin american oligarquies who, with the  
support of the so called “clinton democracy , try to return to the old style usa rule. 

We call all democratic and progressive organizations in britain to support action 
against the new paraguayan junta. 

Against the coup d’ etat in paraguay!! 
For the inmediate restitution of democracy!! 
 For the total international isolation of the  
paraguayan golpistas!! 
Frente de Defensa de la Democracia en el Paraguay (Britain) 
www.paraguayresiste.com/ 
www.facebook.com/ParaguayResiste 
Please come to the picket on Wednesday 18 July, 12:30 -13:30 in front of the Paraguayan 
Embassy - 344 high Street Kensington, London W14 8NS, corner with Addison Road. TUBE High 
St Kensington, a 13 minute walk west or take any bus heading towards Hammersmith and get 
off at Warwick Gardens stop, then walk on to next crossroads and it’s on the right. 
Offers of help with the picket banners and placards, etc  welcomed to FDD 
(Britain) 

10 Jul 2012

REPUDIATION OF THE RECENT REPRESSION AND MASS DETENTIONS IN PERÚ





Acts of violence are once-again transpiring in Perú, producing over the last week 4 
deaths, mass detentions and many wounded in the province of Cajamarca, all at the 
hands of repressive forces.  The aggression has been directed against people from local 
communities protesting the Conga mining project (majority owned by Denver, Colorado 
based Newmont mining), an extractive endeavor that scientists have shown to be non- 
viable due to the enormous threat it poses to water sources and human life.   
As part of this aggression on July 4th Marco Arana—a social and political leader who 
has been internationally recognized for his commitment to local communities struggling 
against mega mining projects, as well as for his peaceful fight to protect local 
resources—was brutally detained. He was released a day later to await trial for trumped 
up charges of instigating public disorder and disobeying the state of emergency declared 
by the government. 

Unfortunately, the repressive attack by the current Peruvian government is far from an 
isolated incident.  The current process of militarization is similar to the acts suffered 
less than a month earlier in the Cusco region, where resistance against destructive mega 
mining projects was met with repression, persecution and assassinations.  As the first 
year of the government of Ollanta Humala comes to a close—with already 15 deaths by 
repression against social protests and in contradiction of his electoral promises—a 
pattern has emerged of full endorsement of the extractive model of development, in 
clear alliance with transnational corporations and the military. 

As intellectuals and activists we strongly believe that the conflicts generated by mega- 
mining projects will not be resolved with repression and  additional criminalization of 
people’s right to protest; rather, by generating a genuine, democratic debate and 
decision making process—amongst equals—regarding the consequences  the extractive 
mega-mining model.  This is in line with the demands of the people of Cajamarca, and 
many other localities, provinces and countries in Latin America.    

We call on the entire international community to repudiate the acts of violence that are 
occurring in Cajamarca and we stand in solidarity with the struggle of the Peruvian 
people against the military/mining alliance that the Humala government is actively 
promoting.   


Hugo Blanco (Perú), Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Premio Nobel de la Paz (Argentina),Edgardo Lander 
(Venezuela), Raúl Zibecchi (Uruguay), Maristella Svampa (Argentina), Alberto Acosta, 
(Ecuador), Michael Löwy (Francia), Margarita Aguinaga, AMPDE (Ecuador), Dunia Mokrani 
(Bolivia), Marisol de la Cadena (Perú), Boaventura de Sousa Santos (Portugal), Enrique Viale 
(Argentina), Floresmilo Simbaña (CONAIE-Ecuador), José Seoane (Argentina), Alejandra 
Santillana, AMPDE (Ecuador) Sandra Rativa, Poder y Unidad Popular (Colombia), Javier Gómez 
(Bolivia), Alexandra Almeida, Acción Ecológica (Ecuador), Esperanza Martínez Red Oilwatch 
(Ecuador), Roberto Gargarella (Argentina), Arturo Escobar (USA), Rubén Lo Vuolo (Argentina), 
Luis Tapia (Bolivia), Fernando Pino Solanas, Proyecto Sur (Argentina), Pierre Salama (Francia), 
Nicolás Tauber (Argentina), José Onaindia (Argentina), Massimo Modonesi (México), Pablo 
Ospina (Ecuador), Mirta Antonelli (Argentina), Lucio Cuenca (Chile), Gabriela Massuh 
(Argentina), Nora Correas (Argentina),Mario Galvano (Argentina),Eduardo Gudynas (Uruguay),  
Patricia Zangaro (Argentina), Pablo Bergel, Proyecto Sur (Argentina), Claudia Korol (Argentina), 
Javier Rodríguez Pardo (Argentina), Raúl Prada (Bolivia), William Sacher (Ecuador) Gabriel 
Levinas (Argentina), Mario Blaser (Canada), Pablo Stefanoni (Argentina), Clara Algranati 
(Argentina), Emilio Taddei (Argentina), Tatiana Roa Avendaño, Amigos de la Tierra (Colombia), 
Lucy Edelman (Argentina), Gian Carlo Delgado (México), Alcira Argumedo, proyecto Sur 
(Argentina), Jorge Cardelli, Proyecto Sur (Argentina), Jaco Tiffemberg (Argentina), Manuel 
Bertoldi  (Argentina), María Inés Luchetti (Argentina), Jorge Brega (Argentina), Javier 
Lindemboin (Argentina), Teivo Teivanen (Programa Democracia y Tranformación 
Global, (Perú), Mónica Chuji (Ecuador), Hugo Villa Becerra (Perú), Alejandra Bermúdez 
(Colombia), Edna Yuranni Mena Ortega (México), Jaime Orlando Mena Ortega (México), 
Pancho Castro (Colombia) , Darío Azzelini (Austria), Dion Monteiro (Brasil), Decio Machado 
(Ecuador), Catalina Eibenschutz (México), Patricia S. Quintero Cabrales (Bélgica), Shane Greene 
(USA), Mario Unda (Ecuador), Gilberto López y Diaz (México), Alejandro Dauzá (Bolivia), Carlos 
Zorrilla (Ecuador), Claudio Katz (Argentina), Mario Pecheny (Argentina), Graciela Adriana 
Ledesma y Pablo Martín Colnaghi, ( Argentina), Franchezca Serrano (Canadá), Jurgen Schuldt 
(Perú), Lilian Celiberti (Uruguay), Margara Millan (Mexico), Jorge Escala asambleista nacional 
MPD (Ecuador), Geovanni Atarihuana. Ex constituyente. MPD (Ecuador), Luis Villacis Director 
MPD (Ecuador), Karla Calapaqui (Ecuador), Natasha Rojas (Ecuador) Manuel Rozental, Pueblos 
en Camino. Colombia-Brasil), Alfredo Serraqno (España), Alejandro Moreano (Ecuador), Edgar 
Isch L. (Ecuador), Juan Cuvi (Ecuador), Laura María Gutiérrez Escobar (USA), Adrian Pietryszyn 
(Argentina), Ruben Kotler (Argentina), Yuderkys Espinosa Miñoso (República Dominicana), 
Fabiana Li (Canadá), Martín Bergel (Argentina), Jorge Lora Cam BUAP, México), Mario Bordón 
(Argentina), Teresa Velasquez (EEUU), Micheál Ó Tuathail, Pueblos en Camino. Irlanda- 
Canadá), Danilo de Assis Clímaco (Brasil), Mariano Marcos Linari (Argentina), Danilo Quijano 
(Perú), César Padilla (Perú), Luis Corral Fierro (Ecuador) José Ángel Quintero Weir (Venezuela), 
Juan Carlos La Rosa (Venezuela), Luis González (Venzuela), Nelson Ceballos (Venezuela), 
Gabriel Gonzalez (Venezuela), Carlos Vicente (argentina), Carlos Vidales (Suecia), Carlos Beas 
Flores (México), Franck Gaudichaud (Francia), Ulrich Brandt (Austria), Mario Rodriguez, 
(Bolivia) José Cueva (Ecuador), Francisco Javier Velazco (Venezuela), Koldo Unceta 
(España), Fernando Arellano (Colombia), Gerard Cofey (Ecuador), Hugo Aboites 
(México), Elder Andrade de Paula (Brasil), Felipe Curivil, Comunidad de Historia 
Mapuche, (Chile), Mariela Fernanda Benelli (Italia), Juan B. Campos Suarez (España), 
Emiliano Teran Mantovani (Venezuela), Marcelo Larrea Cabrera (Ecuador), Julie 
Manuela (Colombia), Mónica Galán (Argentina), José Emilio Burucúa (Argentina), Diana 
Doweck (argentina), John Saxe Fernández (México), Jose Santos Caicedo, ECN-PCN, 
Héctor Alimonda (Brasil-Argentina), Daniel Funes (Perú), Jorge Lora (Perú), Mirta 
Oñate, Andrea Lopetegui (argentina), Oscar Ugarteche (México)Carlos Alberto Da Silva 
(Argentina), Alberto Chirif, Perú), Jaime Pastor (España), Virginia Vargas Valente(Perú), 
Paulino Nuñez (Venezuela), Alejandro Andreassi Cieri (argentina), Ana Esther Ceceña, 

Enrique Leff, Fernando Sánchez Cuadros, Ángel Guerra, Beatriz Stolowicz, Arantxa 
Tirado, Efraín León, Maricarmen Montes, Catalina Eibenschutz, Diana Guillén, Marcos 
López (México), Saúl Landau (Estados Unidos), Gonzalo Perera, Antonio Elías 
(Uruguay), Virginia Fontes, Gabriel Vitulo, Edelcio Vigna (Brasil), Simona Yagenova 
(Guatemala), Fabio Grobart (Cuba), Emiliano Teran Mantovani, Paulino Nuñez 
(Venezuela), Juan Carlos Monedero (España), José Luis Tagliaferro (Argentina) 

Organizations:  
Acción Ecológica (Ecuador), Red Frente a la Gran Minería Transnacional - RECLAME 
(Colombia), Colectivo Plataforma 2012 (Argentina), Unión de Asambleas Ciudadanas- 
UAC (Argentina); Proyecto Sur (Argentina), Conciencia Solidaria (Argentina), Consorcio 
Derechos Ciudadanos Desarrollo Sustentable (Salamanca, España), OCMAL 
(Observatorio de Conflictos Mineros en América Latina), Frente Darío Santillán –FDS 
(Argentina), Organización Wainjirawa por la Educación Autónoma para la Autonomía 
Indígena (Venezuela), OLCA (Observatorio Latinoamericano de Conflictos 
Ambientales), ONG española ACSUR Las Segovias (Perú), Defensa y Conservación 
Ecológica de Intag (Ecuador), Comisión Ecuménica de Derechos Humanos del Ecuador, 
CEDHU (Ecuador), Centro Ecológico Social "Bolívar en Martí" (Venezuela) , Frente 
Ecuatoriano de Derechos Humanos (Ecuador), Consejo Cívico de Organizaciones 
Populares e Indígenas de Honduras, COPINH, Red de la Diversidad (Bolivia), Centro de 
Documentación e Información (Bolivia) , Proceso de Comunidades Negras (Colombia), 
Vecinos autoconvocados de San Carlos – Mendoza (Argentina), Agrupación Traful 
Bariloche (Argentina), AMPAP - Asambleas Mendocinas por Agua Pura, UAC. Union de 
Asambleas Ciudadanas (Argentina), Frente Civico por la Vida, San Juan (Argentina) 
Vilma Rocío Almendra, Indígena del Pueblo Nasa, Colectivo Latinoamericano de 
Ecología Política (Argentina) 
  

4 Jul 2012

Derek Wall talks about rise of Green movement in Latin America


http://youtu.be/ED_ujvHbriA


(Video of last years El Sueno Existe)






Our "Festival Del Sol " on July 7th sees the return of fantastic Peruvian band Kausary to Machynlleth. Kausary means "revive" in Quechua and the band were a big hit at last year's El Sueno Existe . They play a highly charged mix of Andean folk and salsa chicha and will have everyone dancing the night away.

In the afternoon , author of " Ecosocialism ; the Rise Of The Green Left "; Derek Wall will present a talk entitles: " Ecology And Social Justice : Learning From Latin America". Wall is a former principal speaker of the Green Party and campaigns for Socialist and Environmental issues.

There will also be a presentation by Flor Rodriguez on Peruvian Marxist writer : Jose Carlos Mariategui .
José Carlos Mariátegui La Chira (14 June 1894– 16 April 1930) was a 
Peruvian journalist,political philosopher, and activist. A prolific writer before his early death at age 35, he is considered one of the most influential Latin American socialistsof the 20th century. Mariátegui's most famous work, Seven Interpretive Essays on Peruvian Reality (1928), is still widely read in South America. An avowed, self-taught Marxist, he insisted that a socialist revolution should evolve organically in Latin America on the basis of local conditions and practices, not the result of mechanically applying a European formula.
His writings have strongly influenced the " Pink Tide" of socialist revival throughout Latin America
There will also be a " Green Chile " food event with locally grown vegetarian food from the Green Isle Growers.For those arriving on the Friday evening , there will be a South American circle dance event at 8pm in Derwenlas Hall.

If you’re going to be around on Sunday morning (8 July), why not join us on a visit to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), one of the world’s leading environmental education centres, which is a couple of miles from Machynlleth? (
www.cat.org.uk). CAT began as a pioneer in the field, and has now been in existence for nearly 40 years. A member of CAT staff, Sally Carr, has offered to lead a tour for those attending the El Sueno event. The tour will begin at 11.00 and will last about an hour. It will provide a general introduction to CAT and the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look at some of the areas not on the usual visitor circuit. Places on the tour will be limited to 20, so let us know if you definitely want to come. If places are still available you will also be able to sign up on the Saturday.

So why not make a weekend of it, here in the magical 
Dyfi Valley of Mid Wales.More info : Tony : 01654 702 166. tonycorden@hotmail.com
Accomodation ; Marian : 
marian778@btinternet.com

Imperialism Is the Arsonist: Marxism’s Contribution to Ecological Literatures and Struggles

Derek Wall ’s article entitled  Imperialism Is the Arsonist: Marxism’s Contribution to Ecological Literatures and Struggles , argues that Ma...