See present events page.
ANTI WAR DEMO
Sat 19 Oct Glasgow
contact Scottish Coalition for Justice not War 0141 423 1222
www.banthebomb.org
LEARN SELF DEFENCE!
at Edinburgh Claimants' Workshop on stopping the Sheriff's men
plus Social Night
featuring Free Food, Cheap Drink
Poetry by Sandie Craigie
Music by Freeloadin' Frank
Tango music
at CWU building, 15 Brunswick St,. Edinburgh
Sun 6th October 5 - 11pm
Workshop 5.15 - 6.15pm including news on the new law and supposed abolition
of warrant sales
Peace and Justice
Festival events flyer page 1 (jpeg of scan)
Peace and Justice Festival events flyer page 2 (jpeg of scan)
Over four years ago Simon Jones was killed by a crane on his first day as
a casual worker in the Shoreham Docks near Brighton. He was 24. He wasn't
trained properly, he wasn't wearing a hard hat.
His family tried to take the company to court, but lost their case last
November. Despite this the Simon
Jones Memorial Campaign
has gone from strength to strength and works to raise awareness of the
dangers of casualisation and the British Government's approach to health
and safety laws and corporate killing. It is a direct action campaign
- see the website for details of events held so far.
The campaign are currently holding a video tour around the UK which will be showing at the following venues:
Glasgow Sunday 4th August
7pm John MacLean Centre, 34 Clarendon Place (St George's Cross underground)
Film with campaign speaker
organised by Indymedia Scotland
Edinburgh 5th August
7pm Forest Cafe, West Port, off Grassmarket
Film with campaign speaker
organised by the Simon Jones Memorial
Campaign in Scotland
EDINBURGH CLAIMANTS MEETING
4pm Tues 30th July at Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 W Montgomery Place
Signing on? Single parent? On the sick? In part-time work and claiming housing benefit?
Fed up with benefit cuts and harassment? Sick of the propaganda against so-called scroungers?
We invite you to come along and meet Edinburgh Claimants in this short informal meeting.
Edinburgh Claimants hold open advice sessions every Tuesday at ACE from
1-4pm.
Tel 0131 557 6242 http://www.autonomous.org.uk/ec/
RISING TIDE MEETING
7pm thurs 1st August at ACE.
Discussing local action on climate change.
Refugee week
Refugee talk at ACE
On Tuesday, 18th of June at 8 pm there will be a talk and a discussion
on No-border camps and other Refugee Support Campaigns held at ACE,
Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place ( near Leith
Walk ) , tel 5576242.
The talk will be historical, about the left and their involvement
in refugee support campaigns along with the change in legislation
and human rights situation for refugees over the last decades, as
well as the militarised border regime and the Schengen Agreement.
Please come along!
We will also discuss a bit forthcoming actions, like the Strasbourg
No-border camp, and how to get involved.
Speakers:
Mohammed M A Mwas: Parent's Circle, Israeli/Palestinian Bereaved Families
for Peace Mohammed is a Palestinian teacher from Hebron, whose son
was killed by Israeli soldiers.
Ayalet Shahak: Israeli/Palestinian Bereaved Families for Peace.
Ayalet is an Israeli mother who lost her 15 year old daughter in a
suicide bomb attack.
Kathleen Cavanaugh: Amnesty International human rights lawyer currently based in the Occupied Territories, where she is compiling a report on human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, including Jenin and the devastating effect of collective punishment measures such as closures and curfews on the Palestinians.
Lior Yavne, B'TSELEM:
B'TSELEM, the Israeli Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
is the leading Israeli organisation working to stop human rights violations
in the Occupied Territories including torture of Palestinian prisoners
and the development of illegal settlements.
Bassem Eid, Director, PALESTINIAN HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING PROJECT:
The PHRMG documents human rights violations committed against Palestinians
in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
Jamil Dakwar, ADALAH (Justice)
Adalah is the leading Palestinian legal centre in Israel which serves
the Palestinian community inside the State of Israel. Adalah fights
for justice, equality and against State discrimination of the minority
Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Dr Iyad Sarraj, Director, GAZA MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT:
The Gaza Mental Health Project is one of the leading Palestinian mental
health organisations which works to address the psychological effects
of occupation on Palestinian society.
ALL WELCOME
For more details see above or email stopthekilling@amnesty.org.uk or phone
0207 417 6380
No booking necessary, but please arrive early to guarantee entry.
email: ltucrc [at] freewire.net
Anarcha-feminist meetings to be held every second Saturday at 4 pm (22nd June, 6th and 20th July 2002). (women only meeting)
Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place (near Leith Walk) in Edinburgh.
For a start, apart from socialising, we'll talk about the anarcha-feminism in past and present, aims and projects of the anarcha-feminist group and the presentation and the pamphlet we want to do about "women in resistance".
We also hope to discuss the article "Make your own tea" from final Class War
This is our second meeting (!).
At the ACE monthly meeting, we thought it was time to have another special meeting to follow up on the one we had last year. Sunday 23rd, 6pm was suggested, and a provisional agenda has been drawn up. Hopefully folk will be able to come, but if not any contributions are welcome - as well as any additions etc to the agenda list.
Provisional Agenda
1.Building we have:
Progress so far
Fundraising
Painting etc
Archive
Admin
Meeting guidelines
2. Possible bigger & better building, with space for gigs, public meetings, offices, flats. There are a couple of projects like this coming together in other cities, and some interest in trying to do it here.
Rising Tide UK is a network of small groups and individuals dedicated to taking local action and building a movement against climate change. The first meeting of Rising Tide Edinburgh is to be held on Sunday the 30th of June, at 11am at the Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh, EH7 5HA. We will be looking at a range of ways to respond to the threat of climate change, from making small changes in our everyday lives, to taking direct action. If you would like to come and hear more; share what you’re already doing; have a chance to think about what you might like to do; or get involved in any way - please come along
Woomera 2002 presentation
On Thursday, the 30th of may at 7.30 pm there will be a film and discussion about Woomera 2002 in the Forest Cafe, which is just off Grassmarket, at Westport Road 2 in Edinburgh.
Woomera is a detention centre in the desert of Australia, the next town, Adelaide is 500 km away. Over Easter, there was a no-border camp happening at Woomera, and it resulted in bringing down the fences of the camp, freeing the year long innocent imprisoned refugees fleeing torture, war, oppression in countries such as Iraq or Afghanistan.
"Woomera 2002 is one of the most extraordinary and inspiring examples of direct action anywhere in the world so far this century"
Casey Neill Trio - Wednesday 15 May 2002, 8.30pm
Nice N Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow
Tickets £7 (concessions £4) Advance tickets from 0131 664
3231
On 15 May, Casey Neill, the American singer-songwriter from Seattle who wrote 'Dancing on the Ruins of Multinational Corporations' is playing Nice N Sleazy in Glasgow. Casey is well-known in America for being one of the foremost environmental protest singers, and has appeared with many UK performers including Dick Gaughan.
It will be a benefit gig for Faslane Peace Camp and Trident Ploughshares.
Other UK tour dates include Carlisle Folk and Blues Club, Holmfirth Folk Festival, Rochester Sweeps Festival.
Casey Neill: www.caseyneill.org
Casey Neill UK agent, Emerging Music: www.emerging.demon.co.uk
Faslane Peace Camp: www.faslanepeacecamp.org
Trident Ploughshares: www.tridentploughshares.org
WORD POWER
43 West Nicolson Street
EDINBURGH EH8 9DB
Tel/Fax 0131 662 9112
www.word-power.co.uk
Palestine:
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Jerusalem indymedia (note
this site is getting heavily spammed etc.)
IMC UK
IMC
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
a grassroots network against climate change is offering a free workshop in Edinburgh as part of its national tour. There will be videos, information and time to talk about local action against climate change. The workshop will be in the library of the Quaker Meeting House, Victoria Street.
Mayday gathering, picnic, open mic, 3 sided and crab football ...
from noon onwards in western end of Princes Street Gardens.
Download A5 flyers and A4 posters, 1 and 2, in PDF format to print or pick up copies at ACE.
To celebrate International Workers Day (Wednesday 1st May), we'll be going to Princes Street Gardens for a picnic. Everyone's welcome, there'll be music, scribble boards, food to share out, games (three sided and crab football, and anything else anyone can think of), so skive work, get the day off or phone in sick and join us in the West End of Princes Street Gardens from mid day onwards, and bring what you hope to find...
Then, later on, at the Mercat, West Maitland Street
Scalplock (fast political hardcore from London)
Zillah (local deathcore types)
+infernal special guests tbc.
£3 in, doors 8.30pm.
(Glasgow folks, it's handy for buses and trains as it's close to
Haymarket)
So as you may have guess there won't be the ACE monthly meeting, which has yet to be rescheduled. But if you want to put anything to the ACE collective then get in touch.
Also of interest:
Beltane Fire Society show on Carlton Hill, Edinburgh on the eve of May
Day:
http://www.beltane.org
Traditional May Day March in Edinburgh (Sat 4th):
http://www.mayday.org.uk
Injustice - the feature length documentary film about the killings of black people by police in England - will have a run at the Filmhouse Cinema in Edinburgh following on from a sell out screening earlier on this year.
The film follows the story of the struggles for justice of the families of people that die in police custody. Between 1969 and 1999 over one thousand people died in police custody in England. Not one police officer has ever been convicted for any of these deaths.
Injustice depicts how Brian Douglas, Joy Gardner, Shiji Lapite and Ibrahima Sey all met violent deaths at the hands of police officers. This moving and personal film documents a five year period when the families of the dead began to come together to fight for the truth. They want justice and they will not stop until they get it.
After its launch in April 2001 the police tried to censor the film by threatening cinemas as well as the film makers who have refused to stop screening the film. Injustice has become a rallying point for the families who will not let the film die like their loved ones. More information can be found on http://www.injusticefilm.co.uk
Despite being banned by television broadcasters in the UK the film has gained an international reputation and has been screened in festivals around the world as well as having a run in independent cinemas across the UK which continues. Injustice has been nominated for 'The Best Circumvention of Censorship in 2001' by Index On Censorship.
Injustice has also been screened in the European Parliament in Brussels and has generated a debate by politicians there. A further session is planned for October 2002. The scandal that Injustice exposes, and opposes, has caused deep concern in the UK and has forced a political reaction to these human rights abuses. The families of victims of police brutality are using the film as a powerful weapon to demand justice.
Details of screenings:
6.15pm Tuesday 30th April 2002
2.30pm Wednesday 1st May 2002
6.15pm Thursday 2nd May 2002
Filmhouse Cinema, 88 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3. SCOTLAND
Box office: 0131 228 2688
A DAY TO REMEMBER THE WASTED ANIMAL LIVES IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE. YOU CAN MAKE YOUR VIEWS HEARD - SHOW YOUR DISGUST AT VIVISECTION BY JOINING US AT ONE OR BOTH OF THE DEMOS DETAILED BELOW.
Make your own way there; to find the campus click this for map , or meet us at 7am at the Scott Monument on Princes Street to take the LRT bus # 25 or 25a (LRT or FirstBus) which takes you right into the campus. During the day there are buses approx. every 10 mins from Princes Street. Bus journey takes approx. 25 minutes.
We will have banners, placards and whistles, but if you have your own then please take them!
If you have any queries or would like further information, please contact:
EDINBURGH ANIMAL RIGHTS
email: edinanimalrights@hotmail.com
phone: 0131 477 2969 (24hr answering machine)
On Sunday 14th April, buses will be leaving George Square, Glasgow to go to Dungavel detention centre. Asylum seekers there have started a hunger strike in protest at their inhuman treatment, suffered at the hands of the British state. flyer (rtf)
Email: :ACE:
organising meeting
Similar trials were held in the past against anarchists. But this trial is a lot more important, as it comes after a series of events: Firstly is the first trial after the 11th of September 2001 in which anarchists receive treatment from the authorities as terrorists. If the five anarchists are finally found guilty of being part of terrorist group this will mean that the all anarchist groups and individuals in turkey may be hunted down, prosecuted or even murdered! But that won't be the case only in Turkey but in the EU as well. The new Turkish terror-law and the EU terror-law don't have many differences. Furthermore a recent report of the Europol states of the existence of "Anarchist Terrorism" and makes plans for its extermination ( http://www.statewatch.org/news/2002/feb/10anarch.htm )
Thus a witch hunt will begin against us and any antiauthoritarians and radicals who make a stand against global capitalism! And the witch hunt already begun! First victim are the people who are involved in the italian indymedia raids, arrests and seizure of equipment is the brute answer of the Italian police state against our comrades.
In solidarity,
Aberdeen Anarchist Resistance <resistanceab@yahoo.co.uk>
On December 1 200, two anarchists were taken by the police in Usak (a city in Mid-West Anatolia) with the claim of distributing illegal leaflets in a meeting organised by trade-unions. Later on, 3 other were taken, and all (5) of them were arrested with the claim of "being members of an illegal terrorist organisation" namely Usak Anarchist Autonom.
Although they did nothing more than distributing their own materials / leaflets, for this terrorist state it was enough to judge them with the claim of organising in such a way "to destroy or to divide" it. They did not even find any (in their own words) "violent" or "terrorist" clues related with the group.
The trail will be held in Izmir DGM (SSC-State Security Court) on 13th of February. At the moment they are in Usak Prison; each of them in separate cells. This week they'll be sent to Izmir F-type prison. They were beaten badly and tortured by Usak police and refused the lawyers offered by the state.
For the first time Turkish anarchists will be judged by Turkish State as an "illegal organisation" and this trail will show the attitude of the state against anarchists and anarchist organisations.
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Osman Ercan
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Ozel Tip Kapali Cezaevi, C-2 Kogusu, Amasya 05100/Turkey
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Ibrahim Demir
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Ozel Tip Cezaevi,\0E\0E\0E B/1-2 Gaziantep/Turkey
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Bulent Kurt
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E Tipi Kapali Cezaevi D/8 K.Maras 46060 /Turkey
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Abbas Irmak
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E Tipi Cezaevi, B-2 Kirsehir/Turkey
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Ali Biter
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E Tipi Cezaevi, B-2 Kirsehir/Turkey
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Fri, 12 Jul 2002
Turkey; Solidarity with Usak Anarchists!
SOLIDARITY WITH USAK ANARCHISTS!
(Statement of Anarchist Black Crescent-Ankara)
On 1st of December 2001 in the meeting -organized by
(Usak) Labor Platform- named "Meeting Against Economic
Crisis" M. Ozgur Kucuktekin, S. Serkan Kazak and Onur
Ayaz were taken by the police with the claim of
distributing a leaflet titled as "No To War and
Capitalism!" and signed as Usak Anarsist Otonomu (Usak
Anarchist Autonom). Later Rahmi Tiril and A. Serkan
Tomar were also brought to Usak Security and after
spending two days under psychological and physical
torture 5 anarchists were forced to sign the
testimonies written by the cops including the claim of
'illegal terror organization'.
Anarchists were sent to DGM-SSC (State Security Court)
with the claim of 'illegal terror organization' by the
(Usak) Prosecutory of Republic. They were arrested by
decision of the Usak court on 3rd of December and
impelled to Usak E-type Prison. Prisoners spent their
first 25 days in single cells. After 2 months they
were transferred to Izmir Kiriklar F-type Prison and
put into cells. In the first trial (13th of February
2002) Prosecutor of Republic accused them with the
claim of constituting a terror organization standing
on the Act 3713 Article 7/1. However the judge decided
the release of A. Serkan Tomar and continuity of the
arrest of the others with the claim of helping
'so-called' illegal terror organization Anarsist
Genclik Federasyonu-Anarchist Youth Federation
(AGF-AYF) depending on the same Act (3713) Article
7/2.
Reporters from various newspapers and periodicals
(Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Milliyet, Yeni Asir, Kara
Mecmua) and observers from various NGOs (KESK, DISK,
Izmir War Resisters Association, IHD) and 20 lawyers
from Izmir Lawyers Association participated in the
second trial in Izmir DGM-SSC on 3 April. Tayfun Gonul
-who were claimed to be the leader (!) of the whole
anarchists in Turkey- spoke in the court as the
witness of the defense. He stated: "For years I've
been writing articles about anarchist philosophy on
various newspapers and periodicals. I do not know
these young people. I am not informed about the
existence of an illegal organization named AGF.
Anarchism is an idea, a philosophy and it is supported
by different thinkers for years; and had never been
the subject to such a claim. Anarchism is a
libertarian idea rejecting centralism. It rejects an
illegal organization which is connected to a central
authority. Anarchist thought did not organize any
terrorist action in Turkey. As a system of thought it
is against terrorism." Parallel to the defense of
the lawyers prisoners were released and the case was
postponed to 23 of May.
On the third trial (23rd of May) the Prosecutor of
Republic defined anarchism as a doctrine aiming
demolishing of the state, government, private
property, family, religion and as a whole all
organization, constitution and structures, and
defending the fight to reach this target. Asserting
that through this aim some people organized under the
name of Anarchist Youth Federation (AGF-AYF), he
stated that the actions of UAO (Usak Anarchist
Autonom) should be evaluated under the category of
helping AGF and anarchists. The prosecutor offered
that the anarchists -except A. Serkan Tomar for whom
he wanted acquittal- should be punished according to
the Act 3713 Article 7/2, and TCK (Turkish Punishment
Act) 36 and 40. The case was postponed to 25th of
July-10:15.
However there is no call of terror or even violence
neither in the leaflet which is said to be written by
them (as Usak Anarchist Autonom) nor in the
graffities. In addition according to the "information
report" which was prepared by Turkish State's own
security forces -and which was also sent to the court-
there is no armed or violent action organized by
anarchists in Turkey. In the same report there is no
evidence, clue or claim about violent or terrorist
acts of the (so-called) related organization (AGF).
The most grotesque part is that; as Tayfun Gonul
stated none has ever been questioned or judged with
the claim of being a member of AGF. It is clearly
known by Turkish State that people from Istanbul using
this name were only judged with the claim of
participating an 'illegal demonstration' and in their
own declaration they tell that "AGF is not even an
organization-it is their life". In summary this five
young man from Usak are being judged with the claim of
helping a (so-called) illegal terror organization
which is even not seen as an illegal terror
organization by the state itself.
We are in solidarity with Usak anarchists who are
judged with the assertion of helping (so-called) a
terror organization -which is not even evaluated so by
the state itself- although they had never dealt with
terror or violence in their actions and statements. We
are protesting the oppression policy of Turkish State
and Ministry of Justice against anarchists. We call
all anarchist and libertarian individuals and
organizations, and NGOs to involve our protest, spread
out this declaration and participate in the trial on
the 25th of July in Izmir DGM-SSC.
In the name of solidarity beyond borders!
In the name of a world without prisons!
To send protest messages:
TURKISH MINISTER OF JUSTICE:
HIKMET SAMI TURK
Tel: 00(90)3124196050-51
Fax: 00(90)3124173954
E-mail: hikmet.sami.turk@adalet.gov.tr
==========
Tue, 16 Jul 2002
Chomsky's letter about Usak case
Noam Chomsky wrote a letter to Turkish Justice
Minister about the case of Usak anarchists who are
facing trouble. In his words this letter is "...overly
polite, in the standard 'Amnesty International' style,
which I think is appropriate for such efforts."
Dear Minister Sami Turk,
I have learned with dismay that some Turkish
anarchists are facing trial later this month on the
charge of supporting an illegal terrorist group
that distributed a pamphlet "No To War and
Capitalism!," and have been informed that the charges
are that anarchism is a philosophy dedicated to
elimination of the state, private property, and other
institutions listed by the prosecutor, and advocating
violence to achieve these ends. The charge is partly
accurate: anarchism is dedicated to challenging
hierarchic and authoritarian institutions of social,
political, and economic life. It has deep roots in
the Enlightenment and classical liberalism, and its
contemporary form would have elicited considerable
sympathy from some of the founders of American
democracy, notably Thomas Jefferson. Anarchism covers
a wide range of opinion, and one may or may not agree
with various of the principles espoused, but it can
hardly be denied that it is a highly-valued and
respected current of modern libertarian thought. To
criminalize such ideas is wholly improper in a free
and democratic society. I hope and trust that the
plans to prosecute the anarchists will be dropped, and
that every effort will be made to secure the essential
rights of freedom of thought in expression within
Turkey.
Noam Chomsky
==========
Thu, 25 Jul 2002
Turkish Anarchists have been acquitted!
The trial of 5 Turkish anarchists from Usak has just
ended and all of them have been acquitted! The court
started on 10:15 with participation of 30 anarchists
(for solidarity) and ended about 11:35.
Thanx to all comrades for their solidarity!
In the name of a world without prisons!
Anarchist Black Crescent/Anarsist Kara Ay - Ankara