A-Infos (en) SchNEWS 411/412, Friday 20th June, 2003

[Jo Makepeace <webmaster@schnews.org.uk>]

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WAKE UP! WAKE UP! IT'S YER DOUBLE ISSUE... SchNEWS
 > TERROR FRIED BRAINS
"Every ten years or so, the United States needs to pick up some small crappy
little country and throw it against the wall, just to show the world we mean
business."-Michael Ledden, holder of the 'Freedom Chair' at the American
Enterprise Institute.
Last week a poll revealed that a third of Americans believe that weapons of
mass destruction have been found in Iraq, while 22 per cent reckon Iraq
actually used them! Even before the war, half of those polled said the Iraq
regime was responsible for September 11th. But no one's found any weapons of
mass destruction let alone used them (well apart from the Americans and
British) and no Iraqis were on the planes that hit the twin towers. So how
could people be so misinformed?

"Most people get little whiffs and fragments of news, not in any organized
way," says Thomas Mann of Brookings Institution "And there have been a lot
of conflicting reports on the weapons." But for conflicting reports read
lies - a constant drip feed of false rumours (like alleged weapons factories
and mobile labs) which if later proved wrong don't seem to register so
highly on the media Richter scale. This sort of media sensationalism is what
author Noam Chomsky (see SchNEWS 386) describes as 'manufacturing consent' -
getting us so damn scared of the enemy out there that we will swallow
anything and ignore what's really happening on our doorstep. In President
Bush's case it was the mid term congressional campaign, which his campaign
manager, Karl Rove, very clearly explained could not be won by focusing on
social and economic issues. Slashing public medical assistance, education
and social security, while giving huge tax cuts for the rich, sharp
increases in military spending and increasing state power is not a vote
winner. As Rove pointed out, if they can make national security the main
issue then people will forget all this and instead rally round the troops.

In Britain Prime Sinister Blair said we were only 45 minutes from an Iraqi
attack; a few days before the biggest anti-war demonstration in British
history tanks were stationed outside Heathrow airport, and only this week
the head of MI5 said it was only a matter of time before those terrorists
got themselves a 'dirty bomb' and used it on the West (SchNEWS would like to
point out that this is totally different to a nice 'clean bomb' which is
what Britain and America dropped on the Iraqi people).

POACHED RIGHTS

Switch on the news and you hear about more terrorists being arrested. But
who are they? In December, five Turks and a Briton were charged under the
Terrorism Act 2000 for supporting the Turkish Revolutionary People's
Liberation Party-Front, or DHKP-C. They were nicked because DHKP-C has been
banned by the UK government and the six arrestees were supposedly
"facilitating the retention or control of terrorist property." Guns? Bombs?
Er, no, the people arrested were simply in possession of magazines, videos
and posters that supported the DHKP-C. At a pre-trial hearing, the judge
ordered all the defendants to surrender their passports and banned them from
selling or distributing copies of 'Vatan' and 'Ekmek ve Adalet' both radical
Turkish-based magazines that has the bare faced cheek to criticise that
bastion of human rights, Turkey.

One of those nicked was Rory O'Driscoll, who had recently visited Turkish
hunger strikers protesting about prison conditions. His house was raided and
he was held for two weeks at Paddington Green police station where every
hour someone would open up the hatch to his cell and ask if he was 'alright'
(a friendly way to deny a prisoner of sleep, don't you reckon?). If found
guilty of the 'crime' of possessing magazines and supporting Turkish hunger
strikers, Rory could face up to 10 years in prison.

In February at 5.20am, Ali Serir and his pregnant wife's house were raided
by armed terrorist police - part of an anti-terrorist operation mounted
across the UK. Seven were arrested in the raids and the media had a field
day. Ali and his wife had their front door smashed in, before being
handcuffed at gunpoint and driven to Govan Police Station. Their house was
searched for two days while Karen was held for 36 hours and Ali for four
months under the Immigration Act because they didn't believe his marriage
was valid. He was very nearly deported back to Algeria before finally being
released a fortnight ago, without being charged with any terrorism offences.

Leading barrister Mike Mansfield says that by using the atrocities in the US
as an excuse, Neo-Labour has effectively declared war on Britons' civil
liberties "Anti terror legislation introduced by the Government has done
more to attack people in Britain than defend them from terrorists."

These anti-terror laws came in very handy for stifling protest when the war
started.

As B-52 planes left Fairford to drop 'clean' bombs on the grateful Iraqi
people the police imposed an anti-terrorist cordon over the whole of
Gloucestershire and Wiltshire giving them the power to stop and search
anyone without any excuse. People had terrorist objects like toothbrushes
confiscated and sandwiches were searched for weapons!

As Noam Chomsky put it "The bewildered herd is a problem. We've got to
prevent their rage and trampling. We've got to distract them. They should be
watching the Superbowl or sitcoms or violent movies. Every once in a while
you call on them to chant meaningless slogans like "Support our troops."
You've got to keep them pretty scared, because unless they're properly
scared and frightened of all kinds of devils that are going to destroy them
from outside or inside or somewhere, they may start to think, which is very
dangerous, because they're not competent to think. Therefore it's important
to distract them and marginalize them."

Recommended reading: John Pilger - The New Rulers of the World (Verso 2002).
Noam Chomsky & Edward S. Herman - Manufacturing Consent. The Political
Economy of the Mass Media (Pantheon Books).

For an indepth analysis of world events see www.zmag.org

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CRAP ARREST OF THE WEEK

For reading the paper!
An American anti-war prisoner serving time for protesting at a military base
was put into solitary confinement for eight days after he got sent and
distributed anti-war articles from such radical publications as the New York
Times, Readers' Digest, Newsweek, and The Guardian! Better not send him this
week's SchNEWS then. www.naplesnews.com/03/06/florida/d939395a.htm

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Earth First Summer Gathering

If you fancy a week hanging out in a field talking about lock-on's, office
occupations and tree houses then this may be just your thing - those
involved or interested in getting involved in radical ecological direct
action, get together to share ideas and find out what's going on. Everyone
is expected to help in running the event, £10 on the gate. Food £3 per day.
No dogs except by prior arrangement. 13-17 August. Venue in North Yorkshire
to be announced. Info: EF! Summer Gathering c/o Cornerstone Resource Centre,
16 Sholebroke Avenue, Leeds LS7 3HB. www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk

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SHAC ATTACK

The Protection from Harassment Act was introduced in 1997 to give women
protection against domestic violence and stalking by strangers. But now poor
Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), that nasty pharmaceutical testing company,
are feeling so harassed by protestors that they want to hijack the Act to
issue a temporary injunction against animal rights activists which will
allow them to continue torturing and murdering animals undisturbed.

At present the temporary injunction permits only one demo every 30 days in
exclusion zones around the company's sites and a 50-metre exclusion zone has
been set up around the home of every employee. SHAC (Stop Huntingdon Animal
Cruelty) told SchNEWS that this makes no difference to their campaign of
targeting people who do business with Huntingdon.

The injunction also states that the use of hooters and klaxons could be
deemed 'harassment'! But it wasn't harassment that killed baboon W201m who
died of a stroke after two days of suffering from limb spasms and paralysis,
or baboon W205m who had to be 'sacrificed' after 21 days. A genetically
modified pig's heart had been welded to the vital arteries within its neck.
Researchers noted the heart was swelling way beyond its natural size.
Strange yellow fluid was seen seeping from the organ.

But this 're-application' of the Protection from Harassment Act goes far
beyond the death labs of HLS and the homes of its corporate slaves - their
30 day injunction is yet another shiny nail in the 'right to demonstrate'
coffin. The decision on whether HLS are granted their extension is due next
week. As women's rights campaigner Rahila Gupta, commented: "The central
irony of the Huntingdon case is that a law which was, in part, the product
of political activism is being used to clamp down on political activism."
Now there's a surprise.

For more on the campaign to close down Hungtingdon Tel: 0845 458 0630
www.shac.net

For more on shockingly sick science and government collusion
www.xenodiaries.org * Anti-vivisection campaigners Uncaged are holding a
London-wide street collection on19th July and help is needed. Tel: 0114 272
2220 max@uncaged.co.uk

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TWYFORD DOWNER

10 years ago Twyford Down in Hampshire became the battleground that spawned
the anti-roads movement. The extension of the M3 through Twyford was
eventually built but as some sort of compensation former Tory Transport
Minister Malcom Rifkind promised that the old Winchester by-pass would be
allowed to return to fields. This area now supports over 200 flowering plant
species, is easily accessible, particularly to children and people with
limited mobility, and is well used by the local community. But now
Neo-Labour has given permission for Hampshire County Council to redevelop
part of the land for a park and ride. Attempts to fight this proposal in
court have so far been unsuccessful, a footpath across the land is due to
close on 23 June, and work on the car park needs to start by October
otherwise planning permission lapses.

A meeting is being held at the site on Sunday from 11am to 1pm to discuss
what else might be done. It's off Bar End Road, (an extension of Chesil
Street) about a mile and half from the railway station. Call Keith Story on
01962 854 880 if you need a lift. Or, leave the M3 at junction 10 and head
for St Catherine's park and ride site, which is next to the proposed new
site.

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SchNEWS in Brief

Last month Poland saw it's largest ever critical mass bike ride, when over
1,000 people took to the streets of Warsaw. Critical mass is becoming
increasingly popular in Poland www.fz.eco.pl/2002/masa.htm. For a full list
of critical masses in the UK see the party and protest section of our
website** For a history of critical mass check out 'Critical Mass-
Bicycling's Defiant Celebration' by Chris Carlsson, available from AK Press,
PO Box 12766, Edinburgh, Scotland. EH8 9YE www.akuk.com ** The Italian
Minister for Reform, Umberto Bossi, this week voiced his opinion on how to
deal with " the problem of illegal immigrants" - let the Italian navy open
fire on boats carrying them! And he may soon be able to get away with it if
the Italian Parliament approves a law being pushed through by dodgy Prime
Minister Berlusconi (who's currently facing corruption charges) which will
ensure that the five most senior members of the Italian government will be
immune from prosecution as long as they hold their posts ** 'The Trials of
Arthur' by CJ Stone is a new book all about the adventures of the new King
Arthur Pendragon at Stonhenge, Newbury and elsewhere. Published by Element
Books.** Next Wednesday (25) George Monbiot will be appearing at the Odeon
in Brighton. The night includes a screening of Bowling for Columbine.
Tickets £5 from Borders, Churchill Square ** Keep up to date with the
protests at the Greece EU Summit taking place this weekend at
www.thessaloniki.indymedia.org/ ** Check out the new look UK indymedia
website at its new location http://www.indymedia.org.uk/ ** Brighton's
Alliance of Sound Systems (BASS) are holding their annual Solstice Burning
of the Rigs this Sunday (22) 7.30pm on Brighton Beach, just past the
Concorde 2. Followed by a party at the Concorde 2 at 10pm- 2am £3 **Problems
at work? Regular free, confidential advice on pay, health & safety,
redundancy, harassment or anything work-related. Every Tuesday at the Cowley
Club 5-7pm. www.iww.org.uk / brightoniww@yahoo.co.uk **Brighton ISM in
solidarity with the Palestinian people is campaigning to force Caterpillar
to withdraw from its involvement with the Israeli army. Make potential
customers aware of their profitable involvement in ethnic cleansing at
Hillhead 2003, the biggest UK exhibition of earthmoving equipment. Transport
from Brighton on June 25th. Contact Chris on 07977 204334.

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NEW SchNEWS ANNUAL OUT FOR GLASTONBURY...

'As the Forces of Darkness gather for a new attack on Iraq, they're shaken
by an unexpected explosion of resistance. US airbases are invaded; military
convoys are blockaded; schoolkids stage mass walkouts from Manchester to
Melbourne; roads are occupied, embassies besieged, and cities all over the
world are brought to a standstill by the biggest mass demonstrations ever
seen. Read about the efforts to sabotage the war machine that the corporate
media ignored: not just the mass demos, but Tornado-trashing in Scotland,
riots across the Middle East, and train blockades in Europe. Featuring
SchNEWS 351-401, this book also covers many of the past year's other stories
from the rebel frontlines, including GM crop-trashing, international
activists in Palestine, and the 10th anniversary of Castlemorton. All that
plus loads of new articles, photos, cartoons, subverts, satire, a
comprehensive contacts list, and more...'

ISBN 09529748 7 8
£8.00 or £9.70 inc. p&p direct from JUSTICE?

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Positive SchNEWS

The Sambhavna Trust is planting an organic Ayurvedic herbal medicine garden
at its new clinic in Bhopal - the place where thousands were killed by
poisonous gas from a nearby chemical factory 19 years ago. The garden
project will produce the fresh herbs needed to make Ayurvedic medicines
dispensed by the clinic, train people in organic gardening techniques,
educate community members about growing and using medicinal herbs, and
demonstrate a home-grown alternative to expensive, often harmful drug-store
variety health care. They are keen to make contact with organic seed
suppliers in India and could definitely do with a hand. Contact them at
sambavna@sancharnet.in and take a look at www.bhopal.org.

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ALCOA-KICKS

Alcoa, the US-owned transnational aluminium giant has got the go-ahead from
the Conservative Icelandic government to trash one of Europe's largest
remaining areas of natural wilderness.  The profit hungry vandals will flood
large swathes of the Icelandic highlands - currently a centre of eco-tourism
with loads of fantastic waterfalls, glaciers, geothermal springs, unique
plants and animals - to build a massive dam to provide electricity for the
giant aluminium smelter they intend to build smack bang in the middle of one
of the country's most beautiful fjords.

Icelanders are totally baffled as to why their government ignored the advice
of their own planning agency - which rejected Alcoa's plans out of hand on
ecological grounds - and the desperate protests of national and
international environmental campaigners, just to line the pockets of
corporate fat cats from another planet.

Preliminary work has already begun but Icelandic campaigners say it's still
not too late to join in the direct action protests. www.inca.is

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PARTY LINE

Keep up to date with what's happening with our Party and Protest guide on
the web. www.schnews.org.uk/pap/guide.htm and submit your events. And here's
some more useful resources...

Festival Eye. £3.50 (postal order/cheque to Festival Eye) plus an A4
addressed envelope from BCM 2002, London, WC1N 3XX. www.festivaleye.com

* Free parties happen up and down the country despite the best efforts  of
the authorities. Track them down at www.headfuk.org  www.guilfin.net and
http://bass23.org

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Inside SchNEWS

It's really important for people who are imprisoned for acts of resistance
to be kept informed about what's happening on the outside. It can be scary
writing to somebody you don't know, but a short letter and a magazine can do
a lot to cheer up an otherwise dull day.

In March this year Trident Ploughshares peace activist Ulla Roder was
arrested and charged with causing £25 million of damage to a tornado plane
at RAF Leuchars, Scotland. Tornados from the base were involved in the
bombing of Iraq. She has been on remand ever since. Her trial was due to
start on the 30th June but has now been adjourned until at least the end of
July. Letters of support can be sent to her ·  Ulla Roder, HMP Cornton Vale,
Cornton Road, Stiling, FK9 5NY www.free-ulla.org/

In February this year 5 Pitstop Ploughshares Activists disarmed a US
Warplane docked at Shannon Airport, Ireland. They're are appearing in court
on 24th June (see party&protest on the website). For a full list of people
serving time for their beliefs and who'd appreciate support see
www.brightonabc.org.uk/

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WORLD TURNED OVER

The World Trade Organisation (WTO - SchNEWS 240 / 327) is gearing up for its
next ministerial meeting, taking place in Cancun, Mexico from September
10th - 14th, and SchNEWS predicts massive protests along the lines of those
seen in Seattle in 1999. To keep up to date with developments leading up to
Cancun, check out www.investmentwatch.org Or read WDM's report
www.wdm.org.uk and this month's Ecologist

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...and finally...

You'd have thought there would be enough bullshit within the confines of the
White House without America having to import any more of the stuff,
especially from as far away as India. But that is what is happening.
Authorities in New Delhi are planning to send all of their cows' dung and
urine to the States to be made into compost and bio-pesticide, because it
seems that, despite there being no shortage of cows in the U.S., Indian cow
dung has a much higher organic content. Proof, if we needed any, that even
the Yanks bullshit is a bit iffy.

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WEAPON OF DISCLAIMER MASSIVE
SchNEWS warns all readers we're off to digest chemicals and go nuclear with
dirty puns about biological weapons. Honest!

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SchNEWS Of The World - issues 301-350 for £7!! Past books are goin' cheap...
SchNEWSround issues 51-100 - SOLD OUT; SchNEWS annual issues 101-150 - going
for £3!! Survival Handbook issues 151-200 - also at £3; SchQUALL issues
201-250 - almost sold out - £7; Yearbook 2001 issues 251-300 - bargain £5.
Add £1.50 p&p for each book, cheques to Justice? Honest!

In addition to 50 issues of SchNEWS, each book contains articles,
photos, cartoons, subverts, a "yellow pages" list of contacts, comedy
etc. You can also order the books from a bookshop or library.

Subscribe to SchNEWS: Send 1st Class stamps (e.g. 10 for next 9 issues)or
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SchNEWS supporter's rate, £1 a week. Ask for "originals" if you plan to copy
and distribute. SchNEWS is post-free to prisoners.

SchNEWS, PO Box 2600, Brighton, BN2 0EF, England
Phone/Fax: +44 (0)1273 685913
email: schnews@brighton.co.uk

@nti copyright - information for action - copy and distribute!

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Sorry everyone about last week's being so late, my mistake. And we're off
next week so make the most of this one!...

PLEASE DON'T REPLY TO THIS EMAIL
FOR CORRESPONDENCE USE schnews@brighton.co.uk  THANK YOU.
This week's SchNEWS: http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news410.htm


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