A-Infos (en) SchNEWS 194, 4 December 1998

["SchNEWS" <schnews@gn.apc.org>]

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WAKE UP! WAKE UP! IT'S YER 'RUN OUT OF JOKES' (...'BIN A LONG DAY)... 
SchNEWS Published in Brighton by Justice? - Brighton's Direct Action collective
JACK BOOTS-BY-SEA
"The crime of the Nazi leaders had squalid beginnings. Once a handful of
policeman could have suppressed it. Instead it grew to its dangerous might
through the wickedness of a few and the complicity, the cowardice and the
laziness of the many."
- Daily Express, Nuremberg 1946
"They are parasites who milk the welfare system, shoplift, pick-pocket,
hang around insulting women and run brothels...While Labour luvvies dribble
on that most historic of northern pleasure outposts Blackpool, we are left
with the backdraft of a nations human sewage and NO CASH to wash it down
the drain."
- Dover Express Editorial 1998

"Most asylum seekers come here for purely selfish reasons - to escape
death."
- Advert from the Refugee Council

This Saturday (5th) the National Front will once again march through the
seaport of Dover riding on the crest of a racist wave that is sweeping
though Kent. The fascists are clearly hoping that despite their two
pathetic marches over the past year, (only 30 last time), and thanks to the
hysteria whipped up by the local press they can get a foothold in the
county. The local rags have been accusing asylum seekers from Eastern
European countries of everything from shoplifting and mugging to setting up
brothels and drug-trafficking.

Meanwhile, following the publication of a white paper 'Fairer, Faster,
Firmer' New Labour told the world just what it feels about asylum seekers.

The paper outlined:

   * Withdrawing benefit rights from all asylum seekers and introducing a
     system of cashless vouchers.
   * Compelling asylum seekers to live in designated accommodation in any
     part of the country.
   * Extending the use of immigration detention.
   * Requiring financial bonds from visitors needing a visa.
   * Granting police powers to the immigration service.
   * Reduced appeal times

Fairer? Withdrawal of benefits from all asylum seekers with food vouchers
only, leaves nothing for bus fares, writing letters, newspapers, haircuts,
toys, nothing to maintain human contact or self-respect.

Faster? Asylum seekers will only get five days to submit evidence of being
tortured. However, this is a joke as there are waiting lists of two months
to see doctors at the Medical Foundation, where you need to go to get
confirmation that you've been tortured.

Firmer? Shunting people off to sink estates hundreds of miles from legal
representatives, vulnerable to racist attack, social isolation, poverty and
despair.

As John 'O' from the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns told
SchNEWS: "It's firmer and faster but certainly not fairer."

So where will that leave people like Azad, a Kurd who in 1993 fled Turkey
to the UK to escape torture and persecution? He was persecuted for
supporting a banned political party and the rights of the Kurdish people.
During 4 years of constant harassment and intimidation by the Turkish
authorities he was detained on over 20 occasions. He said " I was subjected
to falaka (beating on the soles of the feet which sends very sharp pain up
the spine) and was beaten by truncheon and iron stick." He was lucky - he
escaped. His father didn't and died under torture. However when he arrived
here, he was initially denied asylum. Under these new proposals what chance
would Azad have of staying? People escaping persecution are hardly likely
to approach the same people for documents so they can flee the country.

"Virtually all the expert groups, from Amnesty International to the Medical
Foundation for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Victims of Torture, argue
that the vast majority of people arriving in the UK and claiming asylum are
genuine refugees. Their views are dismissed...as the ill informed opinions
of middle-class do-gooders."
- Don Flynn, 'Chartist' magazine

Whenever fascists think people are angry enough to embrace their ideas they
will rear their ugly heads and try to muster support. They've already tried
this year to recruit farmers, now its back to Kent to play on peoples fears
there again. Fears that New Labour are fanning with their racist policies.
They might talk about ethical foreign policy and human rights, but when it
comes to protecting individuals who resist tyrannical regimes then its
'sorry mate you can't stay here'.

There will be a counter demonstration against the NF on Saturday, and
transport is going from Brighton. Meet 8 am St.Peter's Church. Tickets
#3.50 from the Peace Centre.

SchNEWS rang the Dover Express to ask whether they supported the NF march.
'Of course not!' they spluttered. We then asked if any refugees have had
their say in their paper? 'We can't find any' they whinged. Funny that,
when the rag is claiming the town is 'flooded' with them.

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CRAP REQUEST OF THE WEEK

>From a letter sent out last week by Hackney Neighbourhood Offices:
Transforming Hackney...

"Many squatters are coming onto this estate to cause criminal damage to
council property while (sic) living rent free at YOUR expense. If you find
any squatter breaking into any flat please dial our emergency squatline
immediately on: 0800 622872. This is a free confidential line. A team will
attend immediately If the squatters are caught in the act they will be
arrested by the police for criminal damage".

SchNEWS says: please don't waste Hackney Council's time and money by
ringing the freephone number in a payphone and leaving it off the hook.
Certainly don't even think about ringing them up with hoax squatter
sightings. You can instead send donations to the well skint Advisory
Service for Squatters who give free legal advice and can tell you a fing or
two about Hackney's appalling record on leaving homes empty. ASS : 0171 359
8814

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"ONE BIG HAPPY COMPANY"

Some of the largest deals in history are taking place lately amid merger
mania. The mission of monopolism marches on. This week, the BIGGEST MERGER
EVER, has created the mega-oil giant Exxon Mobil, in a $75 billion deal. It
will now be the world's largest company with revenue of $182 billion!

The poor old oil companies are reeling over the financial collapse in Asia
which has cut production. Daniel Yergin author of 'The History of Oil'
(SchNEWS is rushing out to buy itself a copy now)also partly blamed a warm
winter. Is this due to global warming, partly caused by the burning of
fossil fuels like oil? We think we should be told, but Yergin just rabbits
on about the billions of people around the world still waiting for their
first car. And the likelihood remains that the car will be powered by
petroleum products."

Meanwhile Exxon Mobil chairman Lee Raymond recenly told SchNEWS "Our day is
coming when we will have refined the market until we have a pure market, a
pure monopoly, one big happy company." Actually, Lee said this in a wet
dream, probably...

   * Friday 11 December 11pm - 3am Benefit clubnight for next years
     International day of action against global capitalism, at On the
     Rocks, 25 Kingsland Rd, Shoreditich, Hackney E2. Just #2 to see
     Flippery and DJ Sci-Fly and Jane.
   * Start organising NOW for the day of action on June 18th 1999. Join the
     email discussion at J18discussion@gn.apc.org

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SWARMY ARMY

"These actions will start a campaign of direct action by farmers against
biotechnology, called Operation 'Cremation Monsanto', which will not stop
until all the corporate killers like Monsanto, Novartis, Pioneer etc leave
the country."
- Prof. Nanjunda Swamy, President Karnataka State Farmers Association

Farmers in India have come up with the ultimate way to get Monsanto 'orf
their land'. In a campaign that will 'fireball' across the country, they
are reducing Monsanto's field trials of cotton in the Karnataka area to
ashes.

Under the leadership of Prof. Swamy, members of the ten million strong
farmers union have already burnt down one GM field in front of TV cameras
in an open, pre-announced action of civil disobedience - paying the farmer
compensantion for his losses! Two more fields will be dealt with this week.

In a hard-hitting press release the Farmers Unions state "This is a very
good moment to target Monsanto, since it has run out of cash in its
megalomaniac attempt to monopolise the life industry in record time. It is
going now through a hard time of layoffs and restructuration in a desperate
effort to survive, since it cannot pay its bills. We know that stopping
biotechnology in India will not be of much help to us if it continues in
other countries, since the threats that it poses do not stop at the
borders. We think that the...actions... going on in India have the
potential not only to kick those corporate killers out of our country: if
we play our cards right at global level and co-ordinate... these actions
can also pose a major challenge to the survival of these corporations in
the stock markets. Who wants to invest in a mountain of ashes or in offices
that are constantly being squatted if necessary even destroyed by
activists? For these reasons, we are making an international call for
direct action against Monsanto and the rest of the biotech gang. This call
for action will hopefully inspire all the people who are already doing a
brilliant work against biotech to join hands in a quick, effective
worldwide effort".

And Monsanto are feeling the heat. Recent leaked company memos complain of
a hostile reaction by Europeans, despite a mega bucks advertising campaign.

   * Greed or Need? Do you know what is happening to your food? Come along
     to a public debate on GMO food, Thursday Dec. 10th, 7.30 pm@ Lewes
     Tertiary College, Mountfield Road, Lewes.

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ROAD RAGE

Security is still giving serious Paddington Bear stares to protestors
trying to stop the building of the #700 million northern relief road.
There's 24 hour security but still open access to the squats and trees. One
security guard has defected, telling GMTV he'd been 'on the wrong side of
the fence'. Meanwhile, in true surrealist stylee the cops are attending
weekly lectures by protestors, with Q and A sessions. Seriously! YOU ARE
NEEDED NOW! - and don't forget yer marmalade sarnies. Camp mobiles: 07970
301 978/07971 354045.

A camp has been set up to stop clearance work along the Avon Ring Road. The
road is due to become Bristol's M25, and is the largest Local Authority
scheme in the country. If completed it'll destroy a kilometre of Sustrans
premier cyclepath! Directions from KEBELE CAFE, 14, Robertson Road, Easton,
Bristol. Tel: 0117 9399469 / Camp mobile: 0797 999 0386

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BARRY HORNE UPDATE

Last Friday, animal rights activists dropped a banner from Brighton Town
Hall declaring:

'BARRY HORNE ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: DYING FOR CHANGE'

Barry's health is deteriorating rapidly after 59 days of hunger strike. He
wants the Government to set up a Royal Commission on vivisection,
fulfilling an election promise. Activists are on permanent 24 hour vigil
outside York District Hospital.

Horne's condition is past the point of recovery - he has suffered
irrecoverable liver damage, his eyesight is irretrievably lost, and concern
has been expressed over the condition of his heart. Despite this, the
government is refusing to back down. Contact: Animals Betrayed Coalition PO
Box 21339, London WC1X 0NJ. Tel: 0181 208 33289

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SCHNEWS IN BRIEF

   * Support the Pompey 3, End Blood-Sports, Fight Injustice!!-Benefit gig
     featuring Haywire plus DJ's Carl , Harambee Sounds Steve: Sat.
     Dec.19th @ The Oyster House, 291 Locksway Road, Milton, Portsmouth,
     Hants. #3.50/2.50 conc. The Pompey Three were charged with "conspiracy
     to commit violent disorder" after being arrested along with 42 other
     sabs at the Hursley Hambledon fox hunt. Their trial starts on 1st
     March 1999, when there'll be a National Day of Action against
     bloodsports

   * Workers aid for Kosova-Benefit gig. Sat. Dec.12th, 8pm-2am @ The Yard
     Theatre, 41 Old Birly Street, Hulme. Tel 0161 232 9801

   * End the 'Second Rape'-Men accused of rape are not asked to tell the
     courts who they have ever slept with, but rape victims are. Hear the
     views of those who are calling for an end to questioning rape victims
     on their sexual history on Tuesday 8 Dec., ??pm@Committee Room 8,
     House of Commons. (Westminster Tube)

   * KROWN (Kent Reduction Of Waste Network) are setting up a campaign
     against a proposed incinerator in Allington Quarry, Kent. More
     information from Ian Hargreaves on 01634 717287

   * Graphic Graphics! - Anarchist Graphics wants yer revolutionary
     cartoons, etc. to provide the movement with decent anti-copyright,
     easy-to-reproduce illustrations to brighten up anarchist propaganda.
     Contact: Box 5, 167 Fawcett Road, Southsea, Hants PO4 0DH
     Monkey-Wrench Graphix prints T-shirts and designs graphics for various
     campaigns - for a list of their stuff send SAE to PO Box 12802,
     Edinburgh, EH7 5ZH. E-mail: monkey@punk.org.uk

   * The Colour of Justice A play featuring the reconstruction of the major
     events in the six month inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence.
     Opening at the Tricycle Theatre, London. 6th Jan - 6 Feb 1999 More
     details 0171 636 3750

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INSIDE SCHNEWS

In 1993 Mark Barnsley was attacked by 15 people outside a Sheffield pub,
whilst walking with his 6-week old daughter. He sustained injuries
including broken bones. The (ever-reliable) British Justice System took a
firm line on people getting beaten up, by finding him guilty on 2 counts of
GBH - despite independent witnesses testifying that he was the only person
attacked. He was then sentenced to 12 years. Now call this a coincidence,
but... having been involved in anarchist politics for 20 years, Mark was on
the xmas card lists of both Special Branch and Sheffield Police, and the
Inspector in charge of the station that dealt with his prosecution had been
involved in his arrest on serious charges in 1984. Send Christmas cards of
support to Mark Barnsley WA2897, HMP Sutton, York. Contact: Mark Barnsley
Support Group, PO Box 567, Sheffield, S5 0YS.

There'll be a Mon 21 Dec - 12-3 pm- picket of the Appeal Court, The Strand,
London WC2, (nearest tube Chancery Lane).

In 1995, international protests stopped the US government executing
political acvtivist Mumia Abu-Jamal., but in October '98 the Pennsylvanian
courts ruled against a new trial, so a new death warrant will soon be
signed. This in spite of his original trial, for the murder of a cop in
1981, being totally fabricated (a panel of jurists last year ruled that it
violated 4 human rights conventions) (see SchNEWS 191). Sat 12th Dec 12-3pm
- picket of US Embassy Grosvener Square, London W1 Benefit gig Sat evening
(after picket) with Chumbawumba, poet Benjamin Zephania, Alabama 3, Mark
Thomas... and more!! @ Mean Fiddler, High Street, Harlesden, London.

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MERRY XMAS FROM THE RUC

Although the Good Friday Agreement 'provides for the provision of
acceptable policing', the RUC continues to abuse its authority. The UN
Committee Against Torture last week condemned the RUC's use of violence
during interrogations, unnecessary deployment of fire power to break up
confrontations, human-rights violations resulting from 'emergency
legislation', and the history of deaths in RUC custody.

Earlier this month, a Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) squad smashed their
way into a nationalist family home in an illegal raid, apparently searching
for arms and explosives. The squad - 16 jeeps of 60 officers , rampaged
through the house for over an hour, wrecking property and terrorising and
assaulting members of the family. "There was no warrant, no arrests and no
explanations." An RUC inspector present refused to give his name. The
family later discovered that #585 was missing from a bureau. The family had
previously received death threats as well as an RUC raid 2 years ago.

The RUC raided the house in a similar incident two years ago, and the
family has received death threats. This is just one example of the daily
violence which the RUC are administering on a regular basis in their
interpretation of "peace"!!

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FLUORO-FASCISTS

Currently 10% of the UK, the West Midlands and North East England have
fluoride, a by- product from the phosphate fertiliser industry,
automatically added to their drinking water supply. The Government wants to
extend this programme of compulsory mass dental care to the rest of the
country, starting with London, Northern Ireland, the North West and West
Scotland. The big chemical companies are happy at the idea of ridding
themselves of a useless toxic substance (deadlier than lead) and receiving
lucrative fees in return for what is, after all, a waste product.

Pros

   * An unproved connection between low-level fluoride dosage and a
     decreased incidence of tooth decay.

That's it.

Cons (here's a selection)

   * It is not know whether low-level dosing with fluoride is safe.
   * It has never been proven that low-level dosing with fluoride is
     useful.
   * Causes immune system malfunctions, behavioural changes and cognitive
     deficits.
   * There are correlations between decreasing fertility rates in humans
     and fluoride in drinking water.
   * Fluoride use has been banned in Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden,
     Portugal, Greece, Belgium and Austria - never even tried in France,
     Italy and Norway.

Contact National Pure Water Association 01924 254433

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AND FINALLY

And the award in the 'Bah Humbug' category goes to Roxburghshire DSS who
docked #50 off Ryan Hooper giro. They said he was unavailable for work
after he played at Prince Charles Buckingham Palace birthday bash. The
Palace took heart though and sent him #50 to cover his loss. Meanwhile the
Simon Jones Memorial Campaign launched its bully boss hotline this week,
calling on all down trodden workers of Brighton to ring up and nominate
their Christmas Scrooge boss. 01273 298192

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DISCLAIMER

SchNEWS warns all readers only to come from white middle class backgrounds
so they can travel all around the world, discover themselves in India, and
quickly hop on a plane and head for home if bindis go out of fashion.

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