Eastleigh By-election

The Green Party in Eastleigh have decided not to stand a candidate in the forthcoming by-election brought about by the downfall of the disgraceful Chris Huhne.  The main reason is that the local Party need to concentrate on the forthcoming Council elections and do not have the funds to run in the crowded by-election field as well.

As this was a "safe" Lib Dem seat with a majority Lib Dem Council, where the main challengers are the Tories, it is safe to say we do not have a horse "likely to win" in this race.  The likely victors seem to be the Treacherous Quislings or their Dark Overlords!  However, the lack of a Green candidate and the lack of any pressure for "tactical" voting gives an opportunity to look at the other alternatives on offer.

The preferred alternative candidates of many former Green voters look likely to be either Dr Iain Maclennan of the National Health Action Party, (a former Green Party member and local election candidate)  Jim Duggan of the Peace Party (whose policies are very similar to the Greens), or Daz Procter of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) (who comes from the TU side of that coalition)

These candidates all offer a good opportunity for a meaningful protest vote highlighting the Coalition Government's continuing attacks on the NHS, their overseas warmongering and their horrendous attacks on working people, benefits and the welfare state in general.

As far as Labour is concerned, it is interesting that they are standing a comedian/humorist - one might say that they are joking if they think that people have forgotten the wars, the privatisations, and the craven crawling to corporations and banks that led us to having to suffer the current ghastly Coalition.  Truly, as far as this election is concerned, a plague on the houses of all three main parties.

Of course, the gutter media favourite contenders are UKIP.  The vote of this Party of climate change denying conspiracists, xenophobes and ill-informed bar room ranters continues to rise.  This is no coincidence.  The right-wing media barons and their attack dog commentators and journalists who are promoting them see UKIP as a useful tool to drag the Tories even further to the right.  Once this is achieved, I predict that UKIP will be very quickly cut down to size, with the right wing vote directed back home to Toryland.  The yellow press have ample dirt on Farage and co (not least the behaviour of their hypocritical MEPS) to bring them down to size when required. Consequently, expect the Thatcherite droolers to poll well, for now, in Eastleigh.  Politics - it's a dirty game.....

Mobilise Against Austerity - And For Peace!

The TUC have arranged a major UK anti-austerity demonstration for London on 20th October.  This is everyone's chance to make a stand against the Con-Dem Corporate Puppet Government and to stand with the people of Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy in their growing resistance to their own corporate puppet governments and the would-be Centralised Corporatist Empire of Europe.  It is abundantly clear that what the elites are about is removing every last one of the gains of European working people since 1945 - pensions, healthcare, workplace and union rights, free education - everything must go! The elite are about the task of creating a finance capitalist's wet dream world of cowed and impoverished workforces too busy struggling to survive to resist or organise,  workers who will be smashed with all the available force of the corporatist state (witness the behaviour of the Spanish State forces of late) if they dare to even complain politely.

And there is more - the storm clouds gathering over the Middle East could lead to horrors beyond imagining if the chain reaction of war is not able to be stopped by organised workers and the mobilised unemployed.  If the forces of opposition are in the field and mobilised it will be that much more difficult for the national ruling classes to rally their national populations, 1914 style, for the planned slaughter.  The lesson of 1914 must be learnt - there will be no excuse this time for not seeing what "rallying round the flag" will lead to.

Everyone who considers themselves an opponent of the current ruling class,  should be doing what they can to move people into action against the Cameron-Clegg Government and the forces they represent. I believe that as a generation we may be soon facing the most serious challenge since 1914 - with the possibility of even more catastrophic events than even the bloody slaughter of the First World War.  Being able to defeat, or at least challenge the current ruling class could well be a life and death matter.

The movement we must build across Europe and the world must have three key perspectives - an end to the power of the finance capitalists, the dismantling and defeat of the military-industrial complex
that is threatening and lobbying for war and a global recognition of the catastrophic climate change situation. 

The recent data on Arctic Sea Ice is truly frightening.  The prospect of runaway climate change, megadeaths and even species extinction becomes ever more realistic.  Equally, those who talk blithely about "surgical strikes", or war with Iran, and think that this could not spin out of control and plunge the whole world into slaughter are knowingly or unknowlingly gambling with all our futures.

All the available forces of humanity need to be mobilised to fight the disaster of climate change rather than be dragged into disastrous war.

Those who are planning for war, and those who are getting in the way of addressing the looming climate catastrophe must be recognised as potentially some of the most heinous criminals in the history of our planet.

It is easy to be cowed by the enormity of the challenges facing us.  It is still, just about, easy enough for many to hide in everyday life and its routines.  But the time is coming when "normal" everyday life will no longer be an option.  If we do not start to act now to halt the multiple threats that loom we may well find ourselves strapped to the runaway train as it heads for the collapsed bridge.

My thoughts and solidarity go out to all those taking up the challenge.  We truly have nothing to lose and a world to win.....

Trident Replacement?

We have yet to hear, but I guess we might hear very little now from the Lib Dems in coalition government about opposition to Trident replacement. Their policy was a little like their Iraq war policy in any case (They opposed the war until it started , then "supported our boys", whilst loudly trumpeting at subsequent elections that they had been the "anti-war party". For Lib Dems anti-war presumably means until it starts then.) They said they were anti- Trident replacement, to win the anti-nuclear and peace vote and to be seen to be making savings, whilst quietly saying that they were really interested in a "cheaper alternative". So that is alright then - Lib Dems are only in favour of cheap weapons of mass destruction.
Nevertheless, the Lib Dems policy in the election campaign (presumably now quietly dropped) launched a lot of anguished shrieking about "deterrence" in a world of dangers from the big two establishment parties and the establishment media.
I had this thought the other day about the so called "Deterrence" argument.
The argument for deterrence implies that your potential enemies must be convinced that if attacked, your country will respond with devastating nuclear force. However, anyone who would launch a nuclear attack potentially killing and maiming millions of people would be by definition a war criminal and by implication a genocidal maniac and sociopath. So an ememy must be convinced that your defence is in the hands of genocidal maniacs. And the only way you could really convince their intelligence services of this would be to have people in post who were indistinguishable from such maniacs - such that *no-one* could tell whether they were or not. Otherwise deterrence would not be credible. So in effect, deterrence means handing over your defence to genocidal maniacs - the sort of people who might launch a nuclear attack in any number of circumstances! I do not think most people realise this implication and think this would be a very scary realisation for most people, if they really thought about it.
(Although of course, the British Independent Nuclear "Deterrent" is neither fully British, Independent or a Deterrent - how do you deter suicidal terrorists?)
With the importance the British establishment places on "British" nuclear weapons, one wonders how most of the countries of the world can live from day to day, being in constant fear of nuclear attack or blackmail as they must be, "unprotected" by "their own" nukes? Or then again, perhaps they are not in constant fear, save a lot of money and do not live with expensive and redundant Imperial hangups.......

Weekly Links 16/03/2009

Just to vary things a bit I think we will have an ABC of links this week!

A is for
Airport Expansion, which will actually destroy jobs, says a new report.
B is for
Blackpool, location of the Green Party of England and Wales conference this coming weekend.
C is for
The CNT Spanish anarcho-syndicalist union now in dispute with Ryanair.
D is for
The New Depression, a word now being heard more frequently.
E is for
Evolution - elaborated by Charles Darwin, whose bi-centenary we are celebrating this year
F is for
The Israeli Far Right, who have just joined the Government coalition there.
G is for
Greece, where "Scotland Yard" have been called in to support the tottering regime.
H is for
Maura Harrington, an environmentalist protester languishing in Ireland's notorious Mountjoy Jail.
I is for
Ireland, and its' diaspora, preparing for St Patrick's Day.
J is for
Jury Team - the latest "independent" effort to shake up British Politics.
K is for
Korea, where violations of Labour Rights are increasing.
L is for
Low Carbon Lifestyle, a blog which reported on the "Age Of Stupid" film premiere.
M is for
Montreal which saw small scale rioting at the weekend, following a march against Police brutality.
N is for
Next Left Notes, always an interesting read.
O is for
Oceans, which are apparently becoming more acidic.
P is for
Paris, which will be the place where the action is on Thursday 19th March, with a General Strike in France.
Q is for
The Queen, whose website efforts have spurred Republicans to revamp their own site.
R is for
The Russians, who as ever "are coming" and in the case of the Evening Standard have arrived! Strange Days indeed!
S is for
"Squadism" which is how Andy Newman of Socialist Unity Blog describes recent events in Leigh
T is for
Terror, which brought peace protesters onto the streets of Belfast and elsewhere.
U is for
UKWIN - the UK without Incineration Network, who are holding their annual gathering in Nottingham this weekend.
V is for
The Very Public Sociologist who this week listed some "blogs you may have missed"
W is for
Wales where a story about bullying in the Army is unfolding.
X is for
X? X marks the spot, dark matter wise.... (That was a difficult one!)
Y is for
Youth unemployment - continued rises likely to be reported this Wednesday.
Z is for
Z Net, which I have not visited for a while, but looks very comprehensive these days.

Weekly Links 22/02/2009

International
Internationally the political temperature continues to rise, particularly for the Sarkozy regime in France, in Ireland, where 100,000 took to the streets and the inspiring Waterford occupation continues, in Latvia where the government has just fallen, and around the world as governments and their finances begin to look increasingly wobbly.


British Politics
The PCS union is mobilising around the proposed Labour Governmnent Welfare "reforms", with a lobby planned for next week.

Also this week, the Independent revealed the sorry tale of the possible destination of large quantities of British toxic waste.

On his Euro election blog this week, Derek Wall reports on the nasty effects of some EU policies on peasants and workers in Colombia.

There was a good turnout of Greens from London area (with some good work in achieving this from Green Left and the Campaign Against Climate Change)at the Downing Street demo last week against Heathrow expansion.

Peace
More details came out this week on the potentially disastrous crash between British and French nuclear submarines in the Atlantic. BBC report here and CND commentary here.

Gender Politics
For readers in England I have received the following about forthcoming events in Wolverhampton for International Women's Week -

A unique opportunity to listen to two prominent women leaders will take place in Wolverhampton on 12th March 2009. Ludmila Ermakova: Director and founder of the Crisis Centre “Ekaterina”, Ekaterinburg, Russia and Mavluda Shirinova: Director and founder of the Socio-Economic Development Centre “SABR”, Samarkand, Uzbekistan will be presenting their work together for the first time. You will also have the opportunity to listen to a contribution from Natalia Sukhareva, Head of the Sverdlovsk Regional Guild of Lawyers and her colleague Marina Zakharova, who were the first women in Russia to develop a training programme on domestic violence for lawyers.

The presentations will provide an opportunity to discuss the development of services for women abroad as well as debate and bring women’s issues to the forefront. The presentation is organised by The Haven Wolverhampton which has worked in partnership with the above organisations for over a decade and helped to support their work with vulnerable women and children (read more on http://www.havenrefuge.org.uk/International/International.htm).

The presentation will take place on 12th March 2009, from 1.00pm-4.00pm at the Light House Media Centre, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton. The event is free and open to anyone who wishes to learn more about women’s organisations in post-Soviet society. The presentations will be in Russian and in English. Please hurry, as places are limited.

On the same day the Light House will be hosting The Women’s Fair (11am-4pm) organised by WOW, The Haven Wolverhampton, YWCA and V Involved. This is a free event entitled ‘What Women Want’ which will include information stands, workshops covering everything from self defence and confidence building to pampering sessions, a children’s area and a large number of stalls from local groups and organisations. Free snacks and drinks will be provided. What’s more, the night will be rounded off with an evening of comedy from some of the UK best comediennes, courtesy of the Light House.

The events will take place as part of the City celebrations for International Women’s Week 2009 which was supported and managed by Wolverhampton City Council. All International Women’s Week events taking place in Wolverhampton are included in a programme which has been published by Wolverhampton City Council.

Coming Events To Raise The Political Temperature

A series of coming events should help to raise the political temperature and build the kinds of coalitions we need to see developing in the current period.

This week there is to be action on the London Underground situation - the RMT have arranged a demonstration in London against LU/TfL proposed job cuts

Wednesday 11th February 2009
Demonstrate against the proposed job cuts on LUL / TFL.

Meet outside St James Park tube station at 07:30 am to demonstrate outside 55 Broadway.

At the end of the month, various anti-poverty, environmentalist and campaigning groups have organised a discussion and "teach in" day in London entitled
6 Billion Ways -

As climate, food and financial crises start to look like a GLOBAL MELTDOWN
Come to 6 BILLION WAYS to discuss making another world possible...
Debates, films, music, workshops, art

Saturday 28 February
10am - Midnight @ Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

Including discussions on: the financial crisis and economic alternatives, conflict and liberation in Palestine and Iraq, climate catastrophe and building a green new deal, the future of feminism, the impact of Obama on race politics, when resistance is successful and how to change consumer culture.

Speakers include: Tariq Ramadan, Mark Thomas, Susan George, Karma Nabulsi, Meena Raman, Tariq Ali, Ken Livingstone, Trevor Ngwane

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
10am - 7pm. Workshops, debates and discussions FREE
7pm - 8.30pm. Final plenary with keynote speakers FREE
8.30pm -Midnight. Gig £7/£5 concessions

Organised by City Circle, Friends of the Earth, Jubilee Debt Campaign, People and Planet, Rich Mix, War on Want and the World Development Movement.

Big mobilisations are planned for March and April around the meeting of the G20 - various organisations and publications including New Internationalist have come together to form a coalition known as Put People First which is planning a mass march in London on 28th March - Unions like Unison are amongst the sponsors.

A second series of major demonstrations are planned for 2nd April - these involve the peace movement, the conclusion of a Socialist march for jobs, and potential mobilisations or radical activists from all over Europe that are planned from 28th March onwards.

Then, immediately afterwards the focus shifts to the NATO summit in Strasbourg, Kehl and Baden Baden.

And then we have Mayday, everywhere! A good head of steam of resistance, defiance and protest should have built up by then.

The ruling class must be told in no uncertain terms that we will not pay for their crisis. The demands of the rising social and political movements are non-negotiable - real democracy, real freedom, real equality - an end to militarism, the surveillance state and corporate rule. There must be a real, effective programme for combatting climate change and resource depletion on an international scale and on an egalitarian basis.

Hopefully, our would-be rulers will now see, as the failed leaders of countless regimes saw before them, that the game is up. The bribes, the threats, the "bread and circuses", the lying propaganda machines have all failed them. People have begun to believe that another world really is possible.

Weekly Links 05/01/09

Gaza
Lots of coverage of the situation in Gaza and the demonstrations against the continuing Israeli assault from my regularly linked bloggers this week including Derek, Jim (who has a helpful selection of links), Dave Osler and Matt S.
There is another demonstration arranged for this Saturday in London.


The latest eco-catastrophe
The latest eco-catastrophe in the US has not had much coverage on this side of the Atlantic - a huge coal slurry retention pond has broken its banks in Tennessee and flooded some 400 acres of 6' deep slurry (over 1.1 billion gallons) into the Tennessee Valley. It's meant evacuating people, warning others to boil water, and is dumping a huge amount of toxins into the Tennessee River, used as a drinking water source by many communities downstream. A number of people are reporting vomiting after drinking water.
Reports here and here from the regional media.
More info from United Mountain Defense

Activism and Repression
Hot on the heels of their recent attempts to spread security services propaganda about the threat of "ecoterrorism" in the UK (a story based on exaggeration, guilt by association and innuendo and very quickly demolished so that they had to issue a sheepish apology through their "readers editor") the Guardian/Observer and other sections of the media are now busy retailing the exaggerated fairy tales of the French and other security services about the threat of a new wave of "home grown leftist terror" about to sweep Europe.

The Guardian/Observer group, (in addition to continuing a stream of biased knocking copy on the South and Central American left) are fast becoming the conduit of choice for psy-ops and disinformation aimed at radical activists in the UK and Europe. This is nothing new really, some of us remember some "freelance" journalists from the 80's who were very keen to fit up parts of the British anarchist movement on behalf of elements of the secret state.

The texts that seem to have got the French state machine in a tizzy (and it seems to be these that are more the target than the small acts of sabotage that were the pretext for the paramilitary police action) are rather disappointing really, for an old leftist like myself - rehashed Situationist and Autonomist theses with an anti-globalisation flavour and some unpalatable (for me, but it takes all sorts) elements of nihilism and primitivism. Nevertheless, I am never one to avoid an opportunity to offend the powers that be, so here are some links to English Translations of two of the offending documents and you can judge for yourself -

The Coming Insurrection

20 Theses On The Subversion Of the Metropolis

For me, Kovel's analysis and programme in the last chapter of The Enemy of Nature is nearer the spot - I will post some more on this in the near future.

Nevertheless, the fact that states in Europe are "upping the ante" against even potential opposition is interesting, as is their apparent concern that the current crisis will grow so severe that currently marginalised and tiny groups and ideas might gain a larger and more effective following.

Protest Against The Israeli Attacks On Gaza

NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION: SATURDAY 3 JANUARY
HANDS OFF GAZA: STOP THE BOMBING: FREE PALESTINE
Assemble 12:30pm along Embankment, by Embankment tube station , LONDON.
Called by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative and many other organisations.

PLEASE PUBLICISE AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE.

OTHER DEMONSTRATIONS IN LONDON:

TUESDAY 30 DECEMBER, 2 - 4pm outside Israeli Embassy, Kensington High Street, London, W4. Nearest tube Kensingston High Street (turn right out of tube station and walk along the main road.

WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER, 2 - 4pm outside Israeli Embassy

THURSDAY 1 JANUARY, 2 - 4pm outside Israeli Embassy

FRIDAY 2 JANUARY 2 - 4 pm. Outside the Egyptian Embassy, 26 South Street, London, W1K 1DW. Call for Egypt to open the border immediately.

*********************************
DEMONSTRATIONS ROUND THE COUNTRY

GLASGOW
Saturday 3 January 12 noon. Outside Lloyds TSB St Vincent Street then assemble for demo at Blytheswood Square 2pm

EDINBURGH
Saturday 3 January 12 noon. Foot of the Mound, Princes Street

BRISTOL
Centre, opposite the Hippodrome, Tuesday - Friday 5.00 - 6.00 and Saturday 3.00 - 4.00.

CARDIFF
Tuesday 30 December 12 to 1pm. outside Cardiff Market/ St John's Church, the Hayes
Wednesday 31 December New Year Vigil. Nye Bevan Statue, Queen Street

NOTTINGHAM
Tuesday 30 December 12 noon, Market Square

SOUTHAMPTON
Tuesday 30 December 12 to 2pm, West Quay Entrance, High Street

PORTSMOUTH
Saturday 3 January 11am, Guildhall Square
Organised by Portsmouth Network for a Just Settlement of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, and Portsmouth Stop the War Coalition

HULL
Saturday 3 January, 11am. Queen Victoria Square.

England and Wales Green Party statement on the events in Gaza here on Derek Wall's blog Another Green World- Derek has been blogging regularly as things have developed.

Remembrance

This week sees the 90th anniversary of the Armistice at the end of the First World War. That brutal slaughter imposed on the young and workers by brutal clashing imperialisms still holds the power to shock in the awesome numbers slaughtered, even if we only count actual combatants killed often in the truly hell-like conditions such as existed in the trenches and no-mans land of the Western Front.

My own maternal grandfather joined up early and found himself in the early slaughter at Ypres. Shot in the chest (he carried the bullet to his dying day in the 1970s) he was shipped back to England, patched up and sent out again, just in time to join Churchill and Kitchener's Dardanelles adventure that led to mass casualties amongst the fresh faced ANZAC forces supported by various redeployed and newly recruited British troops. Wounded again (this time in a place that caused some ribaldry in later years, though not within his earshot!) he survived a hospital ship before returning to England. I owe my existence to the couple of centimetres that was the difference between that first bullet killing him and survival.

We should never forget what massacres our ruling classes will lead us into (and does anyone, looking at the unmissed Tony Blair and lame duck George Bush, pugilistic Putin or xenophobic demagogue Berlusconi really believe that all current leaders are less stupid, brutal and careless with the lives of others than their WW1 predecessors?) Our struggles to create a better world should go on with this in mind when tempted by the siren songs of the mainstream media that the leopard has changed its spots and that nationalism, militarism and fascism, big power rivalry and demagogic adventurers are all a thing of the past. They will only really be things of the past if we, the organised workers, youth and ordinary people of the world make them so.

Here is Chumbawamba's version of the subversively sarcastic graveyard humour song sung by the "poor bloody infantry" of that conflict - Hanging On the Old Barbed Wire.
( http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_K1BdDVvV9Q )

Weekly Links 26/10/2008

Climate Change Campaigns
Preparation is well under way for this year's global Climate Change demonstrations in December. The London demo, organised by the Campaign Against Climate Change is scheduled for Saturday 6th December and will take the form of a march on Parliament. Before then there is a meeting on the topic of "Is the Government failing us on climate change?" (7pm, Thursday 16th November, Friends House, 173 Euston Road) to be addressed by George Monbiot, Bob Crow, Zac Goldsmith, Ann Pettifor and Phil Thornhill.
There is also going to be a climate conference in Cambridge at the end of January 2009, supported by the Cambridge Climate Coalition and Workers Climate Action, who have their national gathering planned for 15th/16th November.

Unions and Work
British Public Service Union Unison has moved to get a European investigation into the situation of workers and their rights in Colombia.

Peace Movement
Stop the War have a meeting scheduled for 3rd November, just before the US elections. More here.

Weekly Links - 18/08/2008

Environmental Campaigns
Friends of The Earth in Britain have updated their anti-incineration web pages which now include a link to an interactive map showing 150 locations nominated as possible sites for the proposed 80 new incinerators around the UK, and a draft protest letter - all here
As FOE say, the incinerators will waste valuable resources and contribute to emissions. What is more, many will be energy inefficient by not making use of the heat energy in CHP arrangements.

Unions and work
The TUC's handbook for union green workplace representatives is now available online here - http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/gogreenatwork.pdf

The TUC is also supporting a World Day for Decent Work that is taking place on Tuesday 7th October.

The Institute of Employment Rights is running a conference to update activists and union lawyers on changes in employment law on 15th October in London - more here.

Blogs
The Inveresk Street Ingrate blog has some William Morris resources including a downloadable talk given in 1982 by Steve Coleman. All this here.

James at La Lutte Continue blog reported on one of the examples of over zealous policing at the climate camp last week.

Socialist Unity Blog has pics and details of the anti-fascist mobilisation in Derbyshire at the weekend, and an article by Louise on the latest from the DWP.

A Very Public Sociologist blog also has a report from the Derbyshire demo.

On his blog Nation of Duncan, Duncan Money discusses a recent IWCA document on Economics and Immigration.

The GPTU blog has a post on the actions being taken against the Mugabe regime by South African union COSATU and others.

Blue Green Earth/ESEI blog has an interesting post on Sci Fi utopias.

Dave Osler commented that the "Left doesn't have to take sides" on the Georgia/Russia conflict on his blog Daves Part and sparked a debate in his comments section.

Lenin's Tomb blog has some interesting stats on social and economic conditions in the USA.

Jim has launched another "Best Green Blogs" thing on his Daily (Maybe) blog.


The Left
The programme is now availble for The Convention of The Left, running alongside the stage managed Labour Party private-lobbying-festival, sorry, "conference", in Manchester in September. Manchester Green Party are running a session on Transport at the Convention of the Left. All the sessions are discussions so the named contributors won't be giving a talk but will be expected to lead the discussion.

Weekly Links 09/08/2008

Climate Camp Links and Commentary
Jim at Daily (Maybe) has been monitoring developments at and around the Camp For Climate Action all week. Derek reported on an amusing miniature protest at Legoland.

War and Peace
Commentary on the Georgia-Russia conflict from Andy Newman at Socialist Unity Blog here, with "full and frank debate" in the comments section as is usual on SUB!

Reactionaries
A very amusing, but unfortunately only too accurate A-Z of (right-wing) message board commenting was published by Anton Vowl on Enemies of Reason blog this week.

Green Politics
Jim at Daily Maybe has been previewing the forthcoming Autumn Conference of the Green Party of England and Wales. An encouraging development this week was the formation of a Green Left grouping amongst Scottish Greens.

Human Rights
Green Left's blog this week publicised the work of the Green Party LGBT group on Home Office approaches to LGBT asylum claims in the light of several recent high profile cases.

Unions
The Green Party Trade Union blog this week publicised the repression against workers in South Korea by publishing an appeal from Eric Lee of Labourstart.

Support Persecuted Turkish Conscientious Objectors

The following is an action alert I received regarding Turkish conscientious objectors and their treatment by the Turkish state.

Action Alert: Mehmet Bal arrested & tortured

Turkish conscientious objector Mehmet Bal was arrested on 8 June 2008. He was held in custody in Beşiktaş Military Prison where he was beaten by duty officers, and denied water and toilet facilities. The next day, he was sent to the Hasdal Military Prison, where his hair was forcibly cut; the officers in charge incited other prisoners to "do what is necessary"; prisoners beat him with sticks that were almost half a metre long and thick as a human wrist. When he passed out from the beatings, he was dragged into cold showers so that he could regain consciousness and be beaten again.
After the attacks, Mr Bal was taken to Gümüssuyu Military Hospital. Although he could not move his neck, legs and arms from the beatings, he was not admitted to hospital, but taken back to prison on a stretcher. He is now in Adana Military Prison, hundreds of kilometres from his home in Istanbul. His “crime” – refusing to kill.

Turkey has a long history of persecution and torture of political prisoners in particular, including conscientious objectors. Even after release, COs remain “deserters” and their persecution may never end. The right to conscientious objection is not legally recognized.[1]

Osman Murat Ülke was imprisoned seven times for a total of more than two years between between 1996 and 1999. Halil Savda, a Kurdish CO, has been in jail since 27 March 2008, sentenced to 11½ months for refusal. Additionally, he has been sentenced to six months under Article 318 of the civilian penal code [2] for publicly supporting two Israelis who refused to serve in the war against Lebanon in 2006.

Mehmet Tarhan, a Kurdish gay CO, was imprisoned for 11 months in 2005-6, during which time he was tortured, including by an attempted lynching. In January 2006, in Mr Ülke’s case, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against Turkey for the repeated arrests of COs and for making COs lead semi-clandestine lives, amounting to “civil death”; and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe time after time condemned Turkey for its human rights record. Due to international pressure, Mr Ülke and Mr Tarhan now are out of prison, but could be rearrested at any moment. Turkey promised to legalize conscientious objection but has done less than nothing. Michael Kalmanovitz from Payday which has campaigned with Mr Ülke, Mr Tarhan and Mr Savda said: “COs in Turkey are the tip of a huge anti-militarist iceberg, with perhaps half a million men refusing the draft. The Turkish military, backed by the US, does not hesitate to use torture to try to break their resistance; it needs men to serve in its decades-long war against Kurdish people, a war which is now spilling over into Iraq. We in the international anti-war movement must support Mehmet Bal and other COs. Soldiers’ refusal is vital to ending war. ”

Payday is asking people urgently to write to the Turkish authorities and Members of the European Parliament (see model letter ) to demand:

o Mr Bal’s torture and ill-treatment, including attacks or intimidation by staff and other prisoners, must end now;
o He must be given an independent medical examination and appropriate treatment promptly;
o There must be an immediate investigation, prosecution and punishment of prison staff and prisoners who organised and perpetrated the attacks;
o His immediate and unconditional release.

Furthermore, we demand that the EU make a precondition of any talks about Turkey’s entry into the Union the immediate end of the persecution of conscientious objectors and the recognition of the right to refuse to kill. All of us must have the right to refuse to kill, to live in a world free of war and dictatorship, a world which invests in caring, not killing. Refusing to kill is not a crime and this protection of human life must be supported, not punished.

NOTES [1] Turkey does not recognise the right to conscientious objection, in violation of article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights, and article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of which it is a signatory. [2] “Persons who give incentives or make suggestions or spread propaganda which will have the effect of discouraging people from performing military service shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of six months to two years. If the act is committed through the medium of the press and media, the penalty shall be increased by half.”

Curiouser and Curiouser

Those who have been following the curious story of the alleged Police provocateur on the recent anti-Bush demo in London will be interested to know that the story has taken a new twist with the intervention of George Galloway and a letter to the Home Secretary naming the alleged perpetrator.
The story seems to have originally emerged on the website of the Daily Mail of all places!
More from Socialist Unity Blog here.

Weekly Links - 19/04/08

I am very busy at the moment and over the next couple of weeks - hence the more infrequent nature of posting. Just time this week, then, to post a few links of interest.

The main continuing stories in the news have been the terrible disasters in Burma/Myanmar and China. In Britain the Burma aid effort is being coordinated through DEC, the Disasters Emergency Committee that links together major charities and aid organisations. The British Red Cross is coordinating a China Earthquake appeal.

Green Politics
A hard hitting new report on Climate Change was published last week and drew comment from the South East England Green Party Euro MP Caroline Lucas. Jim at Daily (Maybe)last week posted his final analysis on the London election results.

Blogging
Tim at Green Left Infoasis posted links to a range of interesting stories on Friday, including this article about John Cusack's film War Inc.

Derek Wall commented on the trials (and trial!) of infamous right wing Anglo-Irish blogger "Guido Fawkes" on the Socialist Unity Blog.

Weekly Links - 13/04/2008

Peace Movement
One of the biggest UK news stories this week has been the stunning victory at the High Court of The Corner House and the Campaign Against The Arms Trade against the Government over the dropping of the BAE-Saudi arms deal inquiry. This has excited much comment across the blogosphere and elsewhere, and is now putting pressure on Gordon Brown to answer serious questions.
CAAT have announced a demonstration outside the BAE AGM on 7th May. They also have an online petition to the Prime Minister. Here is how the High Court victory was reported on the CAAT blog.

Meanwhile, in Wales a demonstration is scheduled for Saturday 26th April about the privatised St Athan Military Academy. Assemble at 1.30pm on the lawns opposite Cardiff City Hall for a March at 2pm.

Workers' Struggles
The teacher's strike planned for 24th April is gaining momentum, and Stroppyblog lists some of the marches and rallies planned around the country on the day. The Green Party Trade Union Group blog has a report from the recent NUT conference by Phillipe Harari, which concludes "this was a great Conference, showing the NUT at its best – united in fighting for a fairer education system within a fairer society."

The Blood Service Workers' demo at the NBS HQ in Watford took place on Friday.



Here are photos from other actions during the ongoing campaign.

In Health, there is much disquiet over the behaviour of Unison representatives in the lastest negotiations, particularly New Labour candidate-to-be, Karen Jennings - more from Martin Wicks' blog here, and Gill George (Unite union NEC member) here.

Green Politics
Green Party Mayoral candidate Sian Berry has blogged her reasons for standing on her New Statesman blog. Her percentage in the opinion polls has significantly improved since the start of the campaign.



Rupert Read has recently blogged a summary of the Norwich Green Party manifesto for the local elections there, where the Greens are challenging to become the main opposition Party. The London Greens also launched their manifesto this week.

International
London Green MEP Jean Lambert this week called for action on human rights in Bangladesh to ensure free and fair elections there. Green Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has been speaking out on the situation in Zimbabwe, China and Tibet. Renegade Eye has stimulating posts on Zimbabwe and Lebanon.
Indymedia has a report that armed Canadian coastguards have stormed the Sea Shepherd ship, (in the area to obstruct the seal cull), and arrested the crew. Indymedia also has more news on the repression directed towards Mexico's indiginous community in the Oaxaca area.

Aldermaston Demo Pics and Reports

As promised on Monday here are some pics and reports from the 50th Anniversary CND demos at Aldermaston.

Here are some pics and a report from the East Midlands contingent, posted on Indymedia.

More pictures here.

From the MSM, here is the report from the Independent, and here from the Guardian.

Weekly Links - 24/03/2008

Today is the anti-nuclear demonstration at Aldermaston marking 50 years of CND (The Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament.) I will hopefully be able to post some links to reports later in the week. First here are some photographs from the 15th March anti-war demo in London posted on the Green Party Trade Union Group blog. The blog also advertises the South East London Health Rally planned for Saturday 29th March.

Around the blogs this week A Very Public Sociologist comments on the turmoil within the Labour Party in Scotland, and Jim at The Quiet Road started a discussion on CO2 emissions per barrel of various oil products here, and continued it with corrections to some dubious oil company data here.

Chicken Yoghurt and Enemies of Reason blogs have posts about the human-animal embryo debate.

Smiffy has a post on Cedar Lounge Revolution blog dissecting the latest war apologetics of Christopher Hitchens which found their way to the Irish Times after being published in Slate (Warning for those of a nervous disposition - it starts with a truly stomach churning pic of Hitchens in the shower!) Dave Osler this week looked at the Iraq War anniversary.

Louise posted on the "counter terrorism" bill at the Socialist Unity blog this week, while Charlie Marks at Rebellion Sucks commented on the failure of the Police to prosecute the Tory MP at the centre of a nepotistic corruption scandal.

Liam MacUaid reports on the experience of attending a local Catholic Mass over Easter, while Jack Ray comments on the current debate around religion, race and politics in the US started by the words of Barack Obama's associate Reverend Wright. Green Left Infoasis has comment on similar topics from Cynthia McKinney.

Lastly, Derek Wall at Another Green World over the weekend blogged on food miles and the despicable behaviour of Foreign Office Minister and Columbian regime apologist Kim Howells.

Weekly Links - 16/03/2008

Peace
Reports on the weekend peace demonstrations in London and Glasgow can be found here , here and here.
There was a good Green presence on the London demo in terms of numbers and propaganda.
More pictures from London here and here. Indymedia has a report of an incident involving a Police Forward Intelligence Team.

Human Rights
In light of recent cases, like the one I blogged on within the last fortnight, where LGBT people are being threatened with deportation from Britain to countries where they face persecution, or even execution, a petition has been started - http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Stopdeportinggay/

London Green MEP Jean Lambert has been speaking out over deportations to Iraq and also raised the case of Mehdi Kazemi who was threatened with deportation to Iran, in the European Parliament.

There was disturbing news this week of further violence and murder directed at trade unionists in Guatemala.

Pollution
Peter Tatchell, (who had a bit of a row this week with George Galloway over Galloway's comments about the Kazemi case) posted an interesting piece on Comment Is Free about pollution and the Beijing Olympics

Workplace Struggle and Climate Change
More has been posted on Notts Indymedia about the Nottingham Library uniforms dispute that I have mentioned before.

Workers' Climate Action this week alerted me to an interesting article from The Nation about US unions and climate change.

Space
On Space issues there is a piece this week on Cedar Lounge Revolution.

Activism
US IWW member and environmental activist Marie Mason has been detained after a raid on her home - more info on Indymedia here and here.

More Lefty Blog Links

There are currently over 600 blogs listed under the category "left" on the Blogarama blog directory. Now some of these are questionably or mischievously placed under that category, but there are still a lot of interesting sites to visit. Here are a few interesting (English speaking) ones that I came across in the first 15 or so pages under that category (and linking in no way shows approval of all the views of the bloggers!):

Idealistic Pragmatist is the blog of a Canadian NDP supporter describing themselves as "American by birth, Canadian by choice". This analysis of the Canadian left from a year or two ago is worth reading.

Power To the People is the blog of "an African revolutionary in America" who seems to draw on both socialist and anarchist traditions.

whenua, fenua, enua, vanua is the blog of a "revolutionary Polynesian" in "occupied Australia". Lots of good pics of actions in Australia and info on anti-colonialist and anti-capitalist struggle in the Pacific region.

extra! extra! is an Irish blog concentrating on peace and war, with the current post saying it is on hold while some health matters are sorted out - hope everything is OK.

newsoc is the blog of Len Richards from Auckland, New Zealand.

I may try and post another selection later this week.