COUNTER INFORMATION no 53

Winter 1999/ 2000


Counter Information is a free news-sheet reporting and encouraging struggles against all injustice oppression and exploitation. 13,500 copies of the paper version are distributed world-wide. This on-line version includes some up-dates and extra info not included in the paper version.
COUNTER INFORMATION, c/o 17 W. Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA, Scotland.

Telephone 0131 557 6242

http://www.autonomous.org.uk/ci (more info/updates)

ace 'at' autonomous.org.uk

CI 53 went to press October 1999.


CONTENTS of Counter Information no 53

PAINT POTS PLASTER POLIS

Glasgow residents take direct action to stop a waste disposal site being established in their street

EAST TIMOR

What is really going on? The vested interests of the major capitalist powers exposed

STRIKES ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA

A million public sector workers strike in August 1999

INSIDE INFO

Solidarity with prisoners world-wide

FLOOD OF PROTEST

Resistance to the construction of the Narmada dam in India

BIOTECH BUSTING

Direct action against genetically modified crops

UNBROKEN SPIRIT

Eviction of 121, the anarchist centre in Brixton, London

WELCOME T O THE UK

New legislation attacking asylum seekers in the UK

THE SOUTH ALSO RESISTS

Struggle and repression in Columbia and Chiapas

PUERTO REAL : NO HOLDING BACK

Shipyard workers and the CNT strike back in Cadiz, Spain

TOAST THE POSTIES

Successful unofficial strike action by postal workers in the east of Scotland in October 1999

A WORLD TO WIN

From Sweden to Scotland... from Brazil to Bristol...short snippets from the global fight-back

BANK ON GLOBAL RESISTANCE

People world-wide took part in simultaneous opposition, action and carnival against capitalism in 30 countries on June 18th 1999

GET INVOLVED!

Groups to contact

COUNTER INFORMATION

How you can get involved


paint pots plaster polis

Gartocher residents resist rubbish rat

THE residents of Gartocher Terrace in Glasgow are fighting to stop ruthless businessman William Combe establishing a waste disposal site in their quiet street.

Combe and his heavies have threatened residents with violence, tried to run over residents, photographed local children and smashed in a resident's door.

Illegal surely? But money talks. Combe has a £180,000 waste disposal contract with Glasgow City Council. The police support Combe, arresting and harrasing locals. When a mother complained about the police cutting down her children's tree swing, and when 2 parents objected to Combe photographing their 6 year old daughter, the police charged all 3 residents under the 1937 Youth and Child Protection Act!

NOXIOUS

Combe already operates a Waste Disposal site elsewhere in Glasgow, notorious for noxious smells. He is selling this site. Residents fear he plans to move to Gartocher. Combe claims he only wants a site for his mobile home! But he has cut down mature trees, built units, including one with 6 sinks, and erected CCTV, a spiked industrial fence and razor wire. Skip lorries run into the site. Diesel and oil spills from the drains. What's the Planning Department doing?

Large lorries tearing past homes, noxious waste next door - strange how it's always working class communities paying the price of profit.

But this east end street of 14 houses is mounting amazing resistance. Twice in early June cement-filled fridge freezers mysteriously appeared in the roadway, blocking Combe's lorries.

On 29 June 12-14 residents were joined by 5 supporters from Faslane Peace Camp, who blockaded the entrance to Combe's site. 202(!) police officers arrived and arrested 6 protestors, hurting one badly. At court in September police lies were exposed and all, but one who got Community Service, were acquitted.

On 29 July residents and Peace Campers again blocked Combe's lorries, for over 8 hours, a peace camper perching precariously on a rope above the road. Fire fighters showed solidarity, refusing to remove him.

In early September Combe's lorries were stopped by a strange apparition - paint pots dangling from the Gartocher Terrace trees. Police cut the ropes suspending the paint pots - and covered themselves and their cars in paint!

On 3 October new fencing sprung up along Gartocher Terrace, stopping Combe's lorries, while allowing residents' cars to pass. The struggle continues!

The Gartocher residents appeal for support, especially people to turn up.


East Timor

What is really going on?

SO, the UN peacekeeping forces have finally arrived in East Timor. Yippee. But what is really going on?

The fact is that major capitalist powers - particularly the US, UK and Australia - have so much financial interest in upholding the Indonesian Empire that an independent East Timor, let alone a revealing of western coercion in all of this, would be a bloody embarrassment if the real facts were ever to emerge. Pro-actively, the East Timorese have been an inconvenient and entirely dispensable commodity for the last twenty five years. The strategic importance of Indonesia as a linchpin of global capitalism in South East Asia is far more significant for Clinton, Blair and Howard.

HALF A MILLION DEAD

America backed General Suharto in 1965 to overthrow the president Sukarno. Half a million Indonesians died in the coup. The payback for the US were trade links and military deals, such as permission for US submarines to patrol Indonesian waters and monitor anything that wasn't pro- Uncle Sam.

The Indonesian invasion of East Timor was endorsed by many of the western powers; Gerald Ford negotiated with Suharto for the invasion to commence only after he had flown back to the US from Jakarta. In 1976, Henry Kissinger, through the US Ambassador to the UN Patrick Moynihan, prevented any UN action regarding the atrocities in East Timor- by which time tens of thousands of innocent, virtually unarmed Timorese had been murdered.

Inactivity on East Timor led to many lucrative trade deals with Indonesia, notably the Timor Gap treaty whereby Australia and Indonesia carved up the Timor Sea's vast oil and gas reserves between them. Unsurprisingly, in 1985 Australia recognised East Timor as an official province of Indonesia.

The Indonesian Special Forces, the Kopassus - the major force behind the extermination of approaching 250,000 East Timorese (population in 1975 was 600,000) have had extensive military training and arming from Britain, the US and Australia.Very recently, UK defence secretary George Robertson endorsed the Kopassus Commander, General Prabowo ('an enlightened officer (on) human rights').

Many of the Timorese Militia are, in fact, the Indonesian Army. In January 1999 the Army and the Militia launched Operation Total Clean Up, its objective to utterly wipe out the Timorese Independence Movement. CAFOD (the Catholic Association for Overseas Development) estimates 20,000 Timorese deaths this year. This is the latest move in Indonesia's 'scorched earth' policy, spearheaded by defence minister General Wiranto. In April, Admiral Dennis Blair, US commander in chief in the Pacific, assured Wiranto of continued US backing.

So what are the UN peacekeeping forces actually going to do in East Timor? On arrival in East Timor on Sunday 19th September Major-General Peter Cosgrove, the Australian overall commander of the UN force in East Timor, congratulated the Indonesian military for its 'first class' assistance. Covertly, the Indonesian and western powers need to work in tandem to preserve their mutual intention: to ensure East Timor remains sublimated to Jakarta and the west's business interests.

In the grand name of justice, democracy and, more disgustingly, human rights, a clutch of people will be scapegoated for the atrocities, but no significant broker will be held ultimately responsible- after all, that would be Jakarta, Britain, USA and Australia, and they're not going to admit to anything, are they?

Received with thanks from a contributor with particular knowledge of East Timor (edited for space by CI)

INDONESIA

RESISTANCE erupted in Indonesia itself in mid/late September. Workers, the poor and students acted to oppose the military's new repressive powers.

In Jakarta 3 protestors were killed as 5,000 clashed with riot police on 23 September.

From 13-25 September people in Bandung took direct action virtually every day, crowds occupying the local parliament buildings on several occasions.

SOLIDARITY

For more info and ways to get involved in solidarity actions and campaign work contact:


STRIKES ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA

A MILLION teachers and public employees from COSATU affiliates (Confederation of South African Trade Unions) took strike action in late August. Demonstrations agaisnt the restructuring of the public sector have been taking place around the country for 2 months, including strikes on 29th and 30th July to demand a10% pay rise against the 6.3-6.8 per cent offered by President Thobo Mbekis' Administration.

These strikes, a severe strain for the alliance between ANC (African National Congress) and Trade Unions, mark a new stage of post-apartheid South Africa. Unions target is the ANCs macro-economic programme based on "budget deficits", constraints on wage increases for public servants, cuts in public employees, privatisation of public services (in particular water and electricity), rising costs of basic necessities and services; a programme meeting more the needs of banks, managers and the rich, than those of workers.(a-infos-d@lists.ta 8-9-99 and 23-9-99).

„ Enraged by persistent inequality in South Africa, a campaign: Water for All involving unions and community groups from April '99 is pledged to pressurise the Government to supply all households with at least 50 litres per day before charges are levied


INSIDE INFO

Resistance behind bars

Mumia Must Live!

24th APRIL, Mumia's birthday, thousands gathered on the streets all around the world to stop Mumia's execution, in a demo called "MILLIONS FOR MUMIA"(Black US activist Mumia Abu-Jamal was fitted up for the murder of a cop in 82). In the States, dockers struck in every West Coast Port for 10 hours. In Brazil, 10,000 teachers struck for 2 hours. Meanwhile Mumia's health is deteriorating very fast.

STOP PRESS 13.10. Execution date for Mumia set for 2 December. National Rally 2pm 6 Nov. Trafalgar Sq., London. Act now to save Mumia!

Michal Patera Free

ON May the 18th the international Secretary of the Czech Republic and Slovak's A.I.T. (Workers International Association), confirmed that Michal Patera (charged for murder of a Skinhead-nazi) has been released after six months in jail. Michal is still facing trial next year, however the F.S.A.-A.I.T., wants to thank everybody for all the support received. Vaclaz Jez another anarchist jailed in 97 on a similar charge as Michal P. has also been released.

COMPANY POLICY

C.N.A./A.B.C has started a campaign against prisoners' exploitation in Spain where lots of prisoners are forced to work for big companies. These big companies are taking advantage of this situation to have bigger profits. If the prisoners don't want to do these jobs they get harassed and their " rights " cancelled.

JUSTICE DAY

LAST August, families friends and supporters commemorated Prisoners' Justice Day outside Woodhill prison in Milton Keynes. The event, held every year on August 10th, remembers many deaths in prison each year, through suicide or neglect by prison officers. This year had a special significance as the demonstration demanded the closure of the closed supervision centre or control unit at the jail. [ABC**]


FLOOD OF PROTEST

THE people of the Narmada Valley, India, have been fighting the now two thirds completed Narmada Dam project for twelve years. Tribal peoples, villagers, small farmers and activists have united in their struggle to resist the flooding of their communities. In August thousands of valley dwellers rallied to protest and make devotional offerings to the river. Seven people went on hunger strike in April for eleven days until taken to hospital by police to be force fed. Many people have been subjected to hundreds of repeated arrests and police violence. The Indian Govt. is refusing compensation or resettlement to anyone. Many people have vowed to stay in their homes with their children to die if the waters rise.


Biotech Busting

THE summer of 99 saw grassroots resistance to the genetix menace intensify with tactics ranging from crop trashing, office occupations and supermarket actions, combined with a successful court battle by Friends of the Earth which found crop trials of oil-seed rape illegal under the governments own guidelines.

In May biotech giants Zeneca's AGM was occupied and disrupted and the Nufffield Institute who released reports on the benefits of GM had their offices occupied with the help of the INTERCONTINENTAL CARAVAN, who also linked up with a crop squat in Essex as part of their mission to highlight global resistance to trans-national bullies.

In early June, 9 test sites in Cambridgeshire, Worcestershire and Essex were destroyed in one night, and in July 400 people destroyed over two thirds of an Agrevo oil seed rape trial in Oxfordshire. Activists also targeted an Agrevo maize trial in Lincolnshire after which 46 arrests were made, of which 22 people are currently in court for criminal damage and aggravated trespass. Also hit were sites in Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire, Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Yorkshire, with in total one third of all UK sites fully or partially destroyed.

Across the Atlantic resistance is growing with three hits in one week on California Uni., the top "educational" GM researchers in the US, by a group calling itself "Reclaim the Seeds!". While an alliance of environmentalists and farmers from 30 other countries have law suits pending accusing biotech companies of trying to impose a strangle hold on the agricultural market. Faced with this overwhelming opposition Monsanto has held consultations with the Soil Association and Greenpeace, as it watches its market shares fall and Unilever, Nestle, Cadbury and Tesco phasing GM out of their products. This potent combination of direct action and consumer pressure send a clear message to the biotech industry - WE DON'T WANT IT, WE DON'T NEED IT AND WE ARE NOT BUYING IT!


Unbroken spirit

6.30am 12 August - 150 riot cops, armed police and a helicopter, evicted 121 Railton Road, Brixton's historic anarchist centre, after 6,752 days of occupation.

On 16 September 121 was auctioned. 15 protestors handed "Good Luck" cards to potential bidders, reminding them of the squat's political history, its armed eviction, and emphasising that to buy 121 was to buy "trouble".

The spirit of South London squatters is unbroken. Buildings are being continuously opened as homes and to host info shops, cafes, cinemas and workshops. Class war is waged against gentrification. Local community links have been maintained, as struggles continue against cuts to Lambeth libraries, schools, child-care, and playgrounds.

„ Eviction also threatens Centres in Prague (zemepredevism@ecn.cz), St Etienne (tranzo@ledynamo.com) in France, Madrid (laboratorio@nodo50.org), and Florence (CPA, FI-SUD, V.dGiannotti,79, 50126 Firenze, Italy)


WELCOME TO THE UK

THE Immigration and Asylum Bill has passed its third reading in parliament. It is clearly intended to make refugees' stay in this country as unpleasant as possible.

They will be dispersed across the country and forced to live off vouchers worth only 70% of income support levels. Refusal to accept allocated accomodation will result in homelessness and destitution. The voucher system, apart from restricting their choices in spending, is like making them wear the word"asylum seeker" tattooed on their forehands and will increase discrimination.

There are many other disempowering clauses: if an asylum seeker loses their claim, the Appellate Authority can impose a fine not only on the asylum seeker but also on their representative (lawyer, immigration adviser). All too easily an asylum seeker can be detained by an immigration officer, with little opportunity to challenge this decision.

In the meantime, some Dover residents and several local rags, have done their bit to support the goverment in their aim to disperse asylum seekers. When fights broke out between locals and refugees, the BBC showed a local skinhead who claimed to have been attacked by a Yugoslavian, "totally unprovoked". No refugees were asked to comment, but Home Office Minister Lord Bassan concluded: "The town is overcrowded".

Two concessions, fought for by campaigners, have been made in the new bill. For unmarried partners, the required period of cohabitation prior to immigration has been reduced from 4 to 2 years. After immigration there is still a probationary period before independent settlement is granted. The other concerns people whose residency depends on their partner's. If they want to stay in the UK but leave their partner because of domestic violence before the probationary period is over, they may now be allowed to stay.

On May 1st, Nigerian Marcus Omofuma was killed during a forced deportation in Austria. He was chained, handcuffed and his mouth was taped shut by the escorting policemen on the plane so the other passangers wouldn't be disturbed. He suffocated.

On a more positive note: Two asylum seekers scaled an 18 foot fence topped with barbed wire to escape from Campsfield Detention Centre. Group 4 comment: "We are not f*****g amused". Well, we are!


THE SOUTH ALSO RESISTS

PEOPLE from Colombia have been struggling for decades.

The indigenous community of U'wa (North West) are resisting oil drilling on their sacred ancestral homelands. On 21 September Occidental Petroleum got permission to start exploratory drilling. As a last resort the U'wa have threatened mass suicide. World solidarity needed. www.ran.org rags@ran.org

The repression against anarchist groups has been increasing. People are murdered, jailed, harassed, searched and followed.

20 million people went on strike, in early September, against the Government's austerity plan. Despite army and paramilitary repression, strikers brought the country to a standstill, with massive disruption in all major cities and pitched battles with security forces.

President Pastrana has promised Spain, U.S.A. and Japan "total guarantees" for their businesses. Spain is denying asylum to Colombian citizens. U.S.A. is sending more troops, preparing a full scale invasion under the cover of the War on the Drugs, making Colombia "safe for democracy". Globalisation, again, is making the conflict worse, rather than creating real solutions.

CHIAPAS

IN June '99, two people walked through the gates of the Nestle factory in Fawdon (Tyneside, England) and climbed onto the roof, hanging a banner reading: "Nestle: Out of Mexico". Supporters entered the factory site to speak to workers. The entrance was blockaded with a banner reading: "Solidarity is strength". Nestle is the major investor in the food sector in Mexico.

The Easton Cowboys, a Sunday football team from Bristol, made history this May by being the first team from outside Mexico to play the Zapatista rebels in Chiapas, despite a huge army presence.

The National Autonomous University of Mexico, has been the centre of a student strike against the introduction of tuition fees. As well as 4 strikes and occupation of the campus, they have demonstrated outside the Stock Exchange. They have made links with other struggles, including the Zapatistas, the lecturers union, and electrical workers. The students have demanded changes to the curriculum. Students have been kidnapped, beaten and threatened with death.

Repression in Chiapas is still severe. On 6th February two men from La Mendoza and Diez de Abril were "disappeared" by the Mexican military. They have been kept incommunicado and tortured. The men are still in custody (as of 26-9-99). Protests to: Mexican Embassy, 27 East 39th street, New York, NY 10016, USA.

In July, the army fired on 40 EZLN (Zapatistas) support bases when they were trying to reconnect the water service cut by the army.


PUERTO REAL : NO HOLDING BACK

IN Puerto Real's Shipyard (Cadiz, Spain) the management is employing more people coming from ETTs (low wages job agencies), more inexperienced workers and sacking workers for no reason.

In April the management gave the sack to two workers and no firm response from the big unions was given. C.N.T. reacted by organising general assemblies where the workers from the auxiliary industry were also called. 3000 workers got together and decided to stop working 2 hours every Wednesday and Friday. At the start the two big unions agreed but after a while they quit and tried to stop the workers actions.

C.N.T. again proposed to continue with the actions and received the support of most of the workers. This time the stoppages have been taking place from noon until the end of the working day. The actions include blocking the traffic with burning barricades on the main access road,and leafleting.


TOAST THE POSTIES

2,500 postal workers in east Scotland took unofficial strike action on 7-8 October, demanding the reinstatement of sacked Livingston Union rep Willie Colquhoun. Royal Mail agreed to reinstate him, pending a review.


A WORLD TO WIN

War on Civilians

THE British and US governments are waging undeclared war on Iraq. Almost daily air raids hit civilians. Sanctions have killed over a million Iraqi children. Groups like Voices in the Wilderness, and Solidarity Through Active Resistance in Penzance, are opposing this state murder.

People are defying the sanctions by posting medical supplies to Iraq. Voices in the Wilderness delegates have personally visited Iraq and successfully delivered medical supplies, despite possible legal action. Voices in the Wilderness 0181 444 1605 or 0117 9026534 (info West Country Activist WCA99@HOTMAIL.COM)

Outrage

People marched in Johannesburg, South Africa on 3 October to "voice their outrage on violence against women." The march retraced the steps of a woman who 2 weeks earlier had been raped then burnt in the face with a hot iron. Meanwhile the Advertising Standards Authority banned an anti rape commercial from TV.

Swedish Police Violence

350 people participated in a Reclaim the Streets party in Stockholm on September 18th which was broken up by over 100 police. 243 were arrested and many were brutally beaten. 2000 demonstrated a week later at the same time/place against the police violence.

Activist murdered

A long-time activist in the Swedish syndicalist Union, SAC, was shot dead by fascists in Stockholm on 12 October. 3 fascists have been arrested, though not prominent fascist Robert Westerlund. The activist recently exposed Westerlund, resulting in Westerlund losing his position as a local trade union steward and then being pressured to leave the union. SAC were due to hold demonstrations across Sweden on 23 Oct.. Solidarity to SAC, Box 6507, 11383 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel+46 8 6733559 sekretariatet@sac.se

Anarchists in Parliament

On June 4th, Russian anarchists blocked the exit of the parliament chamber, displaying a banner "Sex, Money, Power" and threw leaflets to media and bystanders. [kireev @glasnet.ru] Elsewhere workers in Yasnogorsk won a long and violent struggle against their bosses, while schoolstudents in St. Petersburg occupied a school due to be shut down.

Nida Spit or polish!

Lithuanian greens are campaigning against a World Bank funded airport construction at the Nida airport in Curonian Spit national park,including an action on 19 May in Vilnius

More Gardens

Utilising a law of "eminent domain" which allows Government takeover of land on the pretense of public use, Mayor Gulliani in New York has enraged the More gardens!Coalition of 700 small community plots, united against plans to sell the sites to 'developers'.Action by the Garden Guerillas has confronted the Mayor with giant sunflowers & tomatoes.

The other Brazil

Almost 100,00 protestors beseiged government offices in Brasilia in late August. In September, landless peasants marched on the capital. Strikes and protests by metalworkers, health sevice workers, bank employees, oil workers and teachers opposed marketisation policies which impose austerity on the downtrodden.

Prince's Park

A 3 acre inner-city green space threatened by developers in Liverpool is being defended by treehouses and otherobstructionism .Info 0403-176279.

Blocking Warheads

LOCAL Buchalyvie residents & anti-nuclear protestors highlighted the delivery of Trident warheads to the Royal Naval base at Coulport on the Clyde estuary despite huge numbers of Police . This protest on the Stirling to Balloch road coincided with the July opening of the Scots Parliament . In Horsely, Northumbria on 4th July activists forced a 45 minute delay.

Mission Impossible ?

Yuppification of poor areas like the largely hispanic Mission district in San Francisco is being resisted by the Yuppie Eradication project. Inciting the local poor to vandalise yuppie cars. and property has attracted police repression

Labour's foulmouths

On 24th May,Labour offices in Falmouth, Cornwall were occupied in protest at the NATO bombings inYugoslavia.POB 19 Penzance TR18

No holiday in Cambodia

A pay protest by teachers and lecturers supported by schoolstudents set tyres alight outside the Ministry of Education in Pnom Penh in early '99.

Tykes V Adverts

Leeds Adbusters have delared war on Advertising: "the mouth of cons-umerism". 5 billboards were destroyed.

Workers Victory

Brian Higgins, UCATT activist in Northampton, is free from legal harassment after the UCATT hierarchy attempted to muzzle him. In Dublin, Limerick and elsewhere wildcatstrikes by bricklayers in winter '98/99 freed jailed activists, William Rodgers and Dave McMahon who had disobeyed a Court ruling to refrain from picketing sub-contractors.

"An end tae violence"

Hundreds of women, children & men marched through Edinburgh on 2nd October to oppose male violence against women & children, demanding that the Scottish Parliament provide proper funding for Womens Aid refuges

Sparks fly !

Daily protests have erupted in Dundee in late August, after 28 electricians were sacked after protesting against Balfour Beatty's sacking of two workers on the sick. Scabs have been recruited. Cleansing workers, in solidarity refused to uplift rubbish

Cooking the books

Skychefs, a division of Lufthansa at Heathrow airport sacked the entire workforce 6 hours into a 24 hour strike in November '98. Since then a 24 hour picket has been maintained by workers: mostly asian women. The T&G Union connived in the new pay & conditions in excess of new working guidelines.

Sacked for Chapping a Door

Two Unison Stewards in Glasgow Council have been sacked for knocking on a door. 27 other members were given final written warnings after they had been given permission to use their own time to show support to Social Work Convenor Roddy Slorach at his disciplinary hearing. Unison, have blocked any strike action in support of these workers despite a successful ballot. Meanwhile, Unison has suspended Slorach from his post of Convenor (see CI52). If only Unions could fight the ruling class with the enthusiasm they have to attack activists!

Cross and parochial

An eviction of an occupied community centre at Bishopton, Bristol was resisted by local activists against plans of the Parochial Church Council.

Scotia's Open Cast ?

A recent government white paper stated (Scotland) "has the capacity and current mineral planning climate" to produce 75% of UK output.Combine this with a history of 87% of applications being accepted in Scotland and only 11% in England, with exports over 60% of what is dug up, a damaging trend that demands fierce opposition.Contact : SOAG, 42 Cobbinshaw, West Calder, EH55 8LH


BANK ON GLOBAL RESISTANCE!

AS the leaders of the world's richest countries met at the G8 Summit in Koln, Germany on June 18th, people world-wide took part in simultaneous opposition, action and carnival in about 30 countries. This was a day for revolution. "The global capitalist system, based on the exploitation of people and the planet for the profit of a few, is at the very root of our social and ecological troubles." (June 18th leaflet)

City Rocked

June 18th in the City of London was brilliant as 10,000 people reclaimed the streets and took action against many businesses. Many fought the violent police.

Morning saw road blockades and a Critical Mass of 600 cyclists. 40 invaded the TUC to expose Union co-operation with capital. Reeds closed for the day after an anti New Deal picket. KPMG Auditors, used by Nestle, Pepsi, ICI, Zeneca, etc, were occupied .

8000 gathered at Liverpool St station for the Carnival against Capital. Upper Thames St - and other streets - were reclaimed as sound systems played.

Demonstrators broke into the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange and smashed computers, mirrors and windows. Files and furniture sailed into the street.

Two MacDonalds and a Mercedez Benz showroom suffered significant damage. Several banks were occupied or damaged. Plus lots more!

„ Glasgow , Aberdeen, Lincoln, Lancaster, Newbury, and Harrow in Essex all saw 18 June activities, plus Edinburgh and Newcastle on Tyne on 12 June. More on Glasgow and Edinburgh actions at http://burn.ucsd.edu/~lothian /j18

 

From Bangladesh to Brazil...June 18th World-wide

BANGLADESH Hundreds from the Domestic Workers Association demonstrated against the IMF, World Bank and capitalism in Dhaka.

CANADA 2,000 reclaimed Toronto's streets, plus actions in Calgary, Ottowa,Vancouver.

CZECH REPUBLIC On 5 June 7,000 people defied 1,000 police to hold a street party. The US Embassy, a police station, fast food stores and a TV station were atttacked. 114 arrests.

GERMANY10,000 defied repression to march in Koln(19.6)

NIGERIA 10,000 people brought petroleum centre Port Harcourt to a standstill. Agip company offices were stormed and 2 coffins deposited there.

PAKISTAN Demonstrators opposing Pakistan's nuclear tests broke through police lines to march through Gujerat.

URUGUAY The Banco di Montevideo and the Stock Exchange were occupied during a march in Montevideo.

USA Actions in 8 areas - clashes with police in Eugene and 500 carnivaling in New York's Financial District.

Plus action in Australia (4 cities), Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, France, Greece, Italy, Israel, Netherlands, Portugal, Senegal, S.Korea, Spain (6 cities), Switzerland.

INTERCONTINENTAL CARAVAN In the run-up to 18 June, 650 activists from India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Nepal, and Colombia participated in gatherings and actions in Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, England and France, where the Government Genetic Modification crop test site at Montpelier was destroyed.

FUTURE GLOBAL ACTION

„ 30 Nov. As the World Trade Organisation meets in Seattle, USA, there will be mass opposition locally and globally. http://go.to/n30 www.n30.org

„1st May 2000. Canadian Postal Workers Union call for a global general strike. 4 days of films, meetings, a bookfair, a Critical Mass and the Day of Action are planned for London. Mayday 2000, BM Mayday, London WC1N 3XX mayday2k@email.com www.freespeech.org/mayday2k

The August Peoples Global Action conference in Bangalore, India backed both actions. 100 participants from 25 countries agreed to build resistance to capitalism, patriarchy, racism and the caste system.. PGA: www.agp.org

PRISONERS

30 were arrested at J18 London, plus 30 since. Two defendants got 12 months. Two are on remand. Police have photos of 170 people they want to arrest. Info Legal Defence & Monitoring Group 0171 837 7557.

In Eugene, USA, Robert Thaxton has got 6 years. www.geocities.com/RainForest/Jungle/1664

In Gujerat, Pakistan, some trade unionists were charged with "treason", punishable by death.union@grt.space.net.pk

PHOTO CAPTION IN PAPER VERSION

500 participated in an unauthorised moving street carnival in Glasgow on 18 June as part of the Global Day of Action (photo Red Herring www.herringonline.com)

ADDITIONAL INFO NOT IN PAPER VERSION:

IMAGINE A WORLD

where there are no employer and employees, just people giving according to their abilities...

where animals and nature are not regarded as resources to exploit but treated with respect...

where people's needs come before profit...

where all relationships are based on freedom, equality and mutual respect...

a world without debt - a world without money...

from the Edinburgh "Stamp on the G8" leaflet - full text at http://burn.ucsd.edu/~lothian /j18

On 12th June, as part of the global actions, 70-100 occupied 2 banks and marched through Edinburgh city centre - full report at http://burn.ucsd.edu/~lothian /j18


GET INVOLVED !

Autonomous Centre/Edin.Claimants/Autonomous Women/Angry Youth c/o 17 W. Montgomery Pl., EdinburghEH7 5HA 0131-557-6242 ace 'at' autonomous.org.uk http://burn.ucsd.edu/~lothian/ „ 5th May Group POB 2474, London, N8 (Turkish/Kurdish@'s) „ Anarchist Black Cross POB 446,SheffieldS1 1NY, + londonabc@hotmail.com „ AnarchistFed. 84b Whitechapel High St,London E1 7QX acf@burn.ucsd.edu http://burn.ucsd.edu/~acf/ „Anarchist Trade Union Network,BOX EMAB, 88 Abbey Street, Derby, DE22 3SQ. Grrp7763aol.com „ Class War PO Box 467, London E8 3QX „ 56a Infoshop, 56 Crampton St., London SE17 „ Earth First! Action Update, POB 1TA, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE99 1TA. 0797 4791841, www.eco-action.org/efau <actionupdate@gn.apc.org> „ Education Worker Network, POB 29, SW PDO, Manchester M15 5HW „ Federation Anarchiste, 145 Rue Amelot, 75011 Paris, France „Haringey Solidarity Group,Box 2474, London N8. 0181 374 5027 hsg@clara.net „Industrial Workers of the World, 75 Humberstone Gate, Leicester LE1 1WB „Kate Sharpley Library, BM Hurricane, London WC1 3XX „Kommunist Kranti, Majdoor Library, Autopin Jhuggi, Faridabad-121001, India „Lancaster Anarchist Grp, c/o The Basement, 78A Penny Street, Lancaster „London Greenpeace, 5 Caledonian Rd., London N1 „SchNEWS, PO Box 2600, Brighton BN2 2DX; 01273-685913 schnews@brighton.co.uk http://www.schnews.org.uk/ „ Sheffield Anarchist Group, PO Box 446, Sheffield S1 1NY „ S.Herts Sol.Fed IWA PO Box 493, St. Albans, S. Herts AL1 5TW Distros:„Active BM Active, London WCIN 3XX „AK PO Box 12766, Edinburgh, EH8 9YE Write for listing.

Thanks to Anarchist Graphics, Box 5, 167 Fawcett Rd, Southsea, Hants PO4


COUNTER INFORMATION is produced by an independent collective, based in central Scotland, including Glasgow. We aim to assist in the struggle against all injustice, oppression and exploitation. Write for copies to distribute. Send us news. Contact us if you'd like to get involved. Donations needed - cheques to Counter Information. For CI distro in north England write CI, PO Box HP 171, Leeds LS6 1XX. For all else:*NEW ADDRESS* COUNTER INFORMATION, c/o 17 W. Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA 0131 557 6242 http://burn.ucsd.edu/~lothian/ci (more info/updates) ace 'at' autonomous.org.uk

CI 53 went to press 10 Oct.1999 (this edition updated 21Oct)


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