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— Casey Neill Voices From
Earth First! Bumper Rabid Navel Gazing issue So another issue of Do or Die is out. You're probably as surprised as we are; it's been a year and a half. This is largely because DoP is written, produced and funded by activists who are more likely to be found occupying someone elses's office, than in their own doing Do or Die. It's also because people are atrocious at respecting deadlines- We got an article from a Catholic priest hased in the Phillipines a month alter requesting it. but had to wait six months to get an article about Newbury. Sort it out. This lime the deadline is for real. This issue is a bit of a departure for us. We have concentrated less on reporting action after action, more on analysing the strengths anti weaknesses of our movement. As one contributor puls il: "From the outside, the direci action movement appears to be stronger than ever. From the inside the picture is quite different". We need to talk about whai we are try ing to achieve, anti the strategy we intern) to use to get there. There is a dan ger that if we do not do this then we will be crushed by slate violence. Or worse, we could become an accept able part of the political environment—strange and a bit annoying yes. bul essentially irrelevant. The Socialist Workers' Party in trees. We've got loads of stuff from other countries because wre can learn a lot from them. For instance while British activists have only just begun sabotaging genetic fields. Germans have been doing it for years. By communicat ing with activists in other countries we can realise the strengths and weaknesses of our own tactics and ideas Do or Die: “missing deadlines and suicide attempts since 1992" A Bureaucrat Tendency EF! production Contributing Groups Orders and Submissions Ecodefense Russia. EF! Finland. DELTA. Send your articles, rants, artwork, photos, Avon Gorge EE! Melbourne FOE! Cascadia poems, letters, international news, reviews and Forest Defenders. PIANO (Prague), Green turbid pseudo-academic tracts (whoops, I for Partisans (Poland). The Anarchist Teapot, got—we take care of them...) to: Freiburg tree Camp. Naturfreundejugend, l)o or DTP collective, d o South Downs EF! Groen Front! (Holland), South Downs EF! Prior House , 6 Tilbury Place EPIC/Headwaters EE! Big Mountains Brighton. BN2 2GY EFI(Vancouver), Primitivist Network. Road Although not essential, we would prefer articles Alert! Warwick EF! East Devon EF! as text files on disk (Mac or PC) cos we’re good Umweltprojektw'erkstatt. SHAG! Reclaim the little primitivists. All hatemail gratefully Valleys! Manchester EF! Reclaim the streets, received. and various other undesirables. Thanks to the Subs £7 eheque/PO (4 issues), normal si/e is countless individuals we can’t name. And to about half the size of (his issue. For hulk orders the capitalist © freaks, fuck you. ha ha ha! contact SDEF! International rate: US$5 per issue,
Please send extra donations to enable us to distribute free copies to prisoners, groups and random Naggers. NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE November 5th 1997 Make our day —submit late! Reclaim The Streets! " We are not going to demand anything. We are not going to ask for anything. We are going to take. We are going to occupy. ” : , • _ -• ■ ' " .V \ ." ' ~ I- The direct action group Reclaim the Streets (RTS) has developed widespread recognition over the last few years. From road blockades to street parties, from strikes on oil corporations to organis ing alongside striking workers, its actions and ideas are attracting more and more people and inter national attention. Yet the apparent sudden emergence of this group, its penetration of popular alternative culture and its underlying philosophy have rarely been discussed. The Evolution of RTS RTS was originally formed in London in Autumn Criminal Justice and Public Order Act. Overnight civil 1991, around the dawn of the anti-roads movement. protesting became a criminal act, but what the govern With the battle for Twyford Down rumbling along in ment hadn't counted on was how this piece of legisla the background. a small group of individuals got tion would unite and motivate the very groups it was together to take direct action against the motor car. In aimed iit repressing. The fighi of the anti-road activists their own words they were campaigning: became synonymous with that of travellers, squatters “FOR walking cycling anil cheap, or free, public and hunt saboteurs. In particular, the suddenly politi transport, and AGAINST cars, roads and the system cised rave scene became a communal social focus for that pushes them. many people. Their work was small-scale but effective and even The M11 Link Road campaign culminated in the back then it had elements of the cheeky, surprise tactics symbolic and dramatic battle of Claremont Road. which have moulded RTS s more recent activities. Eventually, and with the repetitive beats of’ The There was the trashed car on Park Lane symbolising Prodigy in the background, police and security over the arrival of Car-mageddon. DIY cycle lanes painted powered the barricades, lock-ons and the scaffold overnight on London streets, disruption of the 1993 tower, but the war was only just beginning. The period Earls Court Motor Show and subvertising aciions on of the Mil Campaign had linked together new politi car adverts around the city. However the onset of the cal and social alliances and in the midst of the cam No Mil Link Road Campaign presented the group paign's frenzied activities strong friendships had been with a specific local focus, and RTS was absorbed tem formed, W'hen Claremont Road was lost, this collective porarily into the No M 1) campaign in East London* looked for new sources of expression and Reclaim the This period of the No M11 Campaign was significant Streets was reformed in February 1995. for a number of reasons. Whilst Twyford Dowrn was The years that followed saw the momentum of RTS predominantly an ecologies] campaign-defending a flourish. Street Panics I and li were held in rapid suc ■natural' area-the urban setting of the resistance to the cession in the summer of 1995 and there were various Ml 1 construction embodied wider social and political actions against the likes of Shell, the Nigerian issues. Beyond the anti-road and ecological arguments, Embassy and the 1995 Motor Show, More recently, in a whole urban community faced the destruction of its July 1996 there was the massive success of the M4I social environment with loss of homes, degradation to Street Puny, where for nine hours 8.000 people took its quality of life and community fragmentation. control of the M41 motorway in West London anil par- Beyond these political and social considerations, the tied and enjoyed themselves, whilst some dug up the Mil developed the direct action skills of those tarmac with jack-hammets and in its place planted involved. Phone trees were established, lots of people trees that had been rescued from the construction path were involved in site invasions, crowds of activists had of the M IL to be manoeuvred cunningly to outwit police. The pro At a base level the focus of RTS has remained anti- testers also gained experience of dealing with associat car but this has been increasingly symbolic, noi specif ed tasks such as publicity, the media and fund-raising. ic. RTS aimed initially to move debate beyond the anti Then in late 1994 a political hand-grenade was roads struggle, to highlight the social, as well as the thrown into the arena of the Mil campaign: the ecological, costs of the car system.
I Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Saturday 13 July 1996 M41 Motorway
“The cars that fill the streets have narrowed the customers at out-of-town supcrmarkets-it is all about pavements.. IIff pedestrians ... want to look at each increasing "consumption", because that is an indicator other, they see cars in the background, if they want to of “economic growth”. The greedy, short-term look at the building across the street they see cars in exploitation of dwindling resources regardless of the the foivground: there isn't a single angle o f view fm m immediate or long-term costs. Therefore RTS’s attack which cars will not be visible, from the back, in front, on cars cannot be detached from a wider attack on cap on both sides. Their omnipresent noise corrodes every italism itself. moment o f contemplation like acid. "Our streets are as full o f capitalism as o f cars and Cars dominate our citics. polluting, congesting and the pollution o f capitalism is much more insidious. ”3 dividing communities. They have isolated people from More importantly. RTS is about encouraging more one another, and our streets have become mere con people to take part in direct action. Everyone knows duits for motor vehicles to hurtle through, oblivious of the destruction which roads and cars are causing, yet the neighbourhoods they are disrupting. Cars have cre the politicians still take no notice. Hardly surprising- ated social voids: allowing people to move further and they only care about staying in power and maintaining further away from their homes, dispersing and frag their ‘authority’ over the majority of people. Direct menting daily activities and lives and increasing social action is about destroying that power and authority, anonymity. RTS believe that ridding society of the car and people taking responsibility for themselves. Direct would allow us to re-create a safer, more attractive liv action is not just a lactic: it is an end in itself. It is about ing environment, to return streets to the people that live enabling people to unite as individuals with a common on them and perhaps to rediscover a sense of 'social aim. to change things directly by their own actions. solidarity’. Street Parties I. II and III were an ingenious manifes But cars are just one piece of the jigsaw and RTS is tation of RTS's views. They embodied the above mes also about raising the wider questions behind the trans sages in an inspired formula: cunning direct action, port issue-about the political and economic forces crowd empowerment, fun. humour and raving. They which drive ‘car culture'. Governments claim that have evolved into festivals open lo all who feel exas "roads are good for the.economy". More goods travel perated by conventional society. ling on longer journeys, more petrol being burnt, more
Do or Die-Vo»ces from Earth First! No.6 2 in West London closed by 8,000 people
To some extern it is possible to (race the tactics action by the group is closely scrutinised. RTS has behind the Street Parties in RTS's history. The mobili been made very aware of this problem. Vehicles carry sation, assembly and movement of large crowds draws ing equipment have been broken into, followed and on skills from road protests. The use of sound systems impounded en route 10 Street Parties, RTS's office has draws on dominant popular culture whereas the initial been raided, telephones have been bugged and activists inspiration for Street Parties certainly reflects the par from RTS have been followed, harassed and threatened ties of the Claremont Road days. However. RTS have with heavy conspiracy charges. On top of this a secret retrospectively also realised that their roots lie deeper RTS action in December 1996 (an allcmpi to seize a in history. The great revolutionary moments have all BP tanker on the M25) was foiled by the unexpected been enormous popular festivals-the storming of the presence of two hundred police at the activists' meet Bastille, the Paris commune and the uprisings in 1968 ing point. How such information is obtained by the to name a few, A carnival celebrates temporary libera police is uncertain and can easily lead to paranoia in tion from the established order; it marks the suspension the group; fear of infiltration, anxiety and suspicion of all hierarchy, rank, privileges, norms and prohibi which can themselves be debilitating. tions. Crowds of people on the street seized by a sud Yet RTS has not been deterred, they hold open meet den awareness of their power and unification through a ings every week, they continue to expand and involve celebration of their own ideas and creations. Ii follows new people, and are also frequently approached by then that carnivals and revolutions are not spectacles other direct action groups. Alliances have sprouted seen by other people, but the very opposite in that they with other groups-the striking Liverpool Dockers and involve the active participation of the crowd itself. Tube Workers to name two-as recognition has grown Their very idea embraces all people, and the Street of common ground between these struggles. Party as an event has successfully harnessed this emo Throughout the UK and Europe new local RTS groups tion. have formed and late this summer there are likely to be The power which such activities embody inevitably Street Panics worldwide. These new groups have not challenges the state's authority, and hence ihe police been created by London RTS. they are fully and security services' attention has increasingly been autonomous London RTS has merely acted as a cata drawn to RTS, The organisation of any form of direct
3 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 lyst; stimulating individuals to replicate ideas if they spontaneity and organisation-1 ie some of the founda arc suitable for others to use as well. tions on which to build a participatory politics fora lib In many ways the evolution of RTS has been a logi erated, ecological society. cal progression which reflects its roots and experi Selling Space ences. Equally the forms of expression which RTS The words ‘street' and ‘road’ are often taken to have adopted are merely modern interpretations of age- mean the same thing, but they can be defined in oppo old protests: direct action is not a new invention. Like sition to each other, to represent different concepts of their historic revolutionary counterparts, they are a space, tn everyday usage the distinction is still com group fighting for a better society ai a lime when many mon. We talk or ‘the word on the streets’, taking to the people feel alienated from, and concerned about, the streets’ and ‘streetculture’. A street suggests dwellings, current syslcm. Their success lies in their ingenuity for people and interaction, in a word: community, A road, empowering people. their foresight to forge common in contrast, suggests the tarmac, the horizon, 'progress' ground between issues and their ability to inspire. and the private enclosure of the motorcar. We speak of The Future Street Party? *roadworks' and road rage ’.5 The road is mechanical, linear movement epitomised "From the moment o f birth we are immersed in by the car. The street, at best, is a living place of human action and can only fitfully guide it by taking thought. " movement and social intercourse, of freedom and - A.N.Whitehead, spontaneity* The car system steals the street from Tactics need to move. If they do not those involved under us and sells it back for the price of petrol. It priv become tired or bored. One way to ‘move* is to grow; ileges time over space, corrupting and reducing both to doing it all bigger and better. Relying on tighter organ an obsession with speed or, in economic lingo, isation and a more specialised activist. This can have immediate benefits that confer ‘success* on the group ‘turnover'. It doesn't matter who ‘drives' this system for its movements are already pre-determined. As using them: wider media coverage, more "subscribers’ Theodore Adorno notes in Minima Moralist to your mailouts, a certain notoriety. Another way- " dtalectically opposed to the former, though also a type Which driver is not tempted, merely by the power of his engine, to wipe out the vermin o f the street, pedes of growth-is to diffuse. Enable more and more people to experience organising the tactic or be affected by its trians, children and cyclists? The movements machines presence and possibilities directly. demand o f their users already have the violent, hard hitting jerkiness o f Fascist maltreatment." Thc Street Party ’tactic’ has. to date, been "growing* Or. as an RTS Street Party flyer put it. in both ways. Three parties in London, each more “Cars can’t organised and ‘successful’ than the last, and the erupt dance... ” 7 ing of parties around the country, locally organised and The modem city is the capitalist 'machine' extended. controlled, have shown that, as well as being a serious A factory city serving dominant elites; a transportation affair, resistance can be a festival. But what is the point hub for import and export, its ‘citizens*, as wage of the street party? What is its future ? What could it slaves, are kept in huge dormitories close to their place be, potentially? These questions should be answered if of labour. Its inhuman scale, impersonality and sacri the street party, conceived as a means to a free and eco fice of pleasure to efficiency are the very antithesis of logical 'end', is not to become a victim of its own suc a genuine community. cess. The privatisation of public space in the form of the A simple, but limiting, answer to the first question is: car continues the erosion of neighbourhood and com “to highlight the social and environmental costs o f the munity that defines the metropolis. Road schemes, car system. ”4 Which is line, as far as it goes, but the business ‘parks', shopping developments-all add to the rationale of the street party, certainly the experience, disintegration of community and the flattening of a suggests that a more organic, transformative, even locality. Everywhere becomes the same as everywhere utopian approach may bring other replies and an else. Community becomes commodity-a shopping vil answer to the last two questions-its future and potcn* lage, sedated and under constant surveillance. The desire for community is then fulfilled elsewhere, tiaJ. The concern is that the street party risks becoming a caricature of itself if it becomes too focused on the through spectacle, sold to us in simulated form. A tv spectacular and its participant—the mass. The specula soap ‘street’ or square mimicking the arena that con tion is that, inherent w ithin its praxis-its mix of desire. crete and capitalism are destroying. The real street, in this scenario, is sterile. A place to move through, not to
Oo or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 4 m be in. 1( exists only a* an aid to somewhere else- sphere, defined here as 'the street', there can be no real through a shop window, billboard or petrol tank. community. Without this sphere community is easily To rescue wh;il is left of the public arena, to enlarge identified with the nation-state, and politics-the self- and transform that arena from a selling and increasing- managemeni of the community-is reduced to the prac ly sold space lo a common, free space-from controlled tice of statecraft. locality to local control-is fundamental to the vision of The street party, in theory, suggests a dissolution of reclaiming the streets. The logic of this vision implies, centralised power structures in favour of a network of not only ending the rule of the car and recreating com self-controlled localities. The street party could easily munity, but also the liberation of the streets from the involve a public meeting or community assembly that wider rule of hierarchy and domination. From eco w orks in opposition to the slate; towards taking direct nomic, ethnic and gender oppressions. From the con control of its locality and giving all an equal voice in sumerism. surveillance, advertising and profit-making decision-making. By including and engaging with that reduces both people and planet to saleable objects. other struggles, by involving more local associations, clubs, tenants', work and community groups, by help ing others organise smaller street parties ihat bypass official channels, we extend the practice of direct aeljon and make such a politics possible. In practice that is already whal is happening, but without an understanding of where we wish the street party to go. it becomes all too easy for ‘authority’ to co-opt or sub vert its form. The participatory 'party' or ‘street* meeting could be a real objective for the future street party. For an cveni that goes beyond temporarily celebrating its autonomy to laying ihe ground for permanent social freedom. Discussion areas, decision-making bodies, delegates mandated to attend other parties: in short the formation of a ‘body politic*, could all happen within the broad er arena of the street party. Such participatory commu nities. in traditional anarchist theory, were called com munes. Based on self-government through face-to-face grassroots or street level assemblies they were the final authority for all public policy. Linked together in con federal co-ordination they formed the Commune of communes which, translated, into current terminolgy, gives us the Network of networks or. more appropri ately: ihe Street Party of street parties. That such a ‘street party' would tend to undermine centralised state and government structures, constituting a ‘dual power* in direct opposition lo them, is obvious.
'The barricade blocks the road but opens the way" The Street Party of street parties - Paris, May *68 “Revolutionary moments are carnivals in which the individual life celebrates its unification with a regen Street Party as public meeting erated society" wrote Raoul Vaneigem,8 The street That the city space presently given over to traffic and party can be read as a silu-csque reversal of this asser trafficking can be transformed into a festival site, tion; as an altcmpl to make Carnival the revolutionary 'beach' or ‘forest* is clear Hut equally important is the moment. Placing 'what could be’ in the path of ‘what potential for this space to be used for an authentic pol is' and celebrating the 'here and now* in the road of the itics. For the recreation of a public arena where rush for "there and later*, it hopes to re-energize the empowered individuals can join together lo collective* possibility of radical change. The continuing emer ly manage social affairs. Without the communal gence of street parties in Britain and increasingly in
5 Do or Die^Voices from Earth First! No.6 other countries shows that the desire for this change is For more information contact: Reclaim The Streets. not limited to economic equality, to ending injustice or PO Box 9656. London N4 4JY, UK. Telephone: 0171 ensuring survivaJ. It is an expansive desire; for free 281 4621. E-mail: rts@g^.apc.org. They have a inter dom, for creativity: to truly live. This desire, for the net web site at: http://www.hrc.wmin.ac.uk./cam- present social order, is revolutionary. paigns/rts.html While four out of five westerners live in the city, References: while two-thirds of the world's population share the 1. Reclaim The Streets leaflet. common space of its thoroughfares, it is: “On the streets that power must he dissolved: for the 2. ’Immortality' by Milan Kundcra (Faber and Faber: London 1991) - page 271. streets, where daily life is endured, suffered and erod 3. Reclaim The Streets Agit-Prop (Distributed at the ed, and where power is confronted and fought, must be M4I Street Party on Saturday 13th July 1996) turned into the domain where daily life is enjoyed, cre 4. What is Reclaim the Streets? leaflet. ated and nourished. "9 5. To take a facile example, imagine singing: “We're To 'street party- is to begin reconstructing the geog on the ’street' to nowhere” - not quite right is it? raphy of everyday life; to re-appropriate the public On the other hand, how about: ’’Our house, in the sphere; to rediscover the streets and attempt to liberate middle of our 'road’.” Trivial maybe, but indicative them. To ‘street party’ is to rescue communality from of the difference. the dissection table of capitalism: to oppose the free 6. And to ’reclaim the streets’ is to enact the transfor market with a vision of the free society. This vision, mation of the former to the latter. In this context which the street party embodies, is collective imagin the anti-roads movement is also a pro-streets move ing in practice. It radically dissolves political, cultural, ment. The struggle against the destruction of social and economic divisions in a utopian expression. ‘nature’ is also a struggle for the human-scale. the A utopia defined, not as 'no-place’, but as this-place. face-to-face, for a society in harmony with its nat here and now. ural surrounding The ultimate street party-the Street Party of street 7. Leaflet for Street Party 2; Rage against the parties-is one where each person in each street in every Machine - Saturday 23th July 1995 village, town and city, joins with every other in reject 8. ‘The Revolution of Everyday Life' by Raoul ing capitalism, its exploitation and divisions. Indeed Vaneigem. (1967) rejecting all hierarchy and domination, embracing 9. ‘Post-Scarcity Anarchism’ by Murray Bookchin. instead an ecological vision of mutual aid. freedom, (1971) complementarity and interdependence. When the 10. ‘All That Is Solid Melts into Air’ by Marshal streets are the authentic social sphere for a participato Berman. (1982) - quoted in ‘A Shout in the Street’ ry politics based on self-activity and direct action. by Peter Jukes (1990) When co-operation and solidarity are the social prac tice of society. When the ’street party’ helps make possible, and dissolves into such a future, then, we can begin... “At first the people stop and overturn the vehicles in their path... he re they are avenging themselves on the traffic by decomposing it into its inert original ele ments. Next they incoqwrate the wreck age they have created into their rising barricades: they are recombining the iso lated inanimate elements into vital new artistic and political forms. For one lumi nous moment, the multitudes o f solitudes that make the modem city1 come together in a Men' kind of encounter, to make a peo ple. The streets belong to the people': they seize contml of the city 's elemental matter and make it their own. " 10 WELL, IT'S BETTER THAN BOTTLING IT UP.
Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 6 Never Mind The Ballots... Reclaim the Streets!
"Art for all or tume at all." - graffiti on The National by individual and collective participation in social Gallery, Saturday 12th April 1997, affairs. In short - by direct action." Another leaflet pro On S;iiurda>' 12ih April iy97, there was a March For duced by RTS urged people to take to the streets; to Social Justice’ called hy the Liverpool Dockers, the forget voting and working for change inside the system Hillingdon Hospital Workers and the Magnet Strikers, but instead it to take ' direct action in the streets, in ihe This event, three weeks before the General Election on fields and in ihe workplace, to halt the destruction and 1st May. was called to signify the need for radical create a direct democracy in a free and ecological soci social change. The organising group of the march ety." extended the invitation to attend lo all people, includ As the leaflet wenl on to say. working for change ing, in their own words "the trade unionists, the unem within the system, or voting for the lesser evil, was ployed. pensioners, people with disabilities.the home pointless and disempowering. Voting is a weapon of less. refugees and asylum seekers, environmentalists government to delude people into thinking thal the> and the young." have a say in how the country is run. lo reinforce their Reclaim The Streets were already planning to do a passive role and encourage them to leave the 'politics’ massive action surrounding the issues of the election to the specialists. The alternative message that RTS and 'democracy', and because of this, and the close were pushing was one of empowerment - for people to connections that had developed over the past nine participate in direct action, not only in the political months between the sacked Liverpool Dockers and arena, but in all aspects of their lives. It was an attempt RTS, it was decided that RTS should organise and add to dissuade people from the belief that we can change their own dimension to the day’s events. From this ini things by working within the system, when it is the sys tial idea the original plan grew into a Two Day Festival tem itself that we must destroy if we are to have any of Resistance1, with a number of different events meaningful and lasting change. planned for the whole weekend. This clearly anti-election and pro-direct action event RTS publicity confirmed ihe goal of social change at first seems far removed from RTS's original mes that all participants in the march were agreed on. but sage. but in realily the practical methods thal RTS use, qualified it by stating: "Whilst sharing this aim RTS and the theory behind them, lead nalurullv into con believe that such a change will he brought about, not fronting and questioning the totality of the current through the mediation of professional politicians, but political system. The election merely provided ihe
7 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No. 6 opportunity to make explicit the links between ecolog all government remains the same-the maintenance and ical destruction, social issues and the political system. continuation of power and authority, with the end RTS were saying that all 'choices’ in the election were result of continued exploitation of both people and the false ones, and that you could vote for an alternative^ natural world. Reclaim the Streets a single issue government, but never an alternative to government, group? Well, if the overthrow of all hierarchy, domina and that the spectacle of the election was manufactured tion and exploitation is single issue, then yes, single by the state and mass media in order to give us the illu issue! As the RTS mailout had said three weeks before: sion of choice. That w hoever wins the basic function of "And you thought we were all about cars!"
Reclaim Your Streets! Sun 14 May 95 - Camden High St, London. Sal 17 Aug 96 • Walcot Street. Bath. Sun 23 July 95 - Upper Street, London. Sat 24 Aug 96 - most of Brighton! Sal 5 Aug 95 - Alcester Rd. Birmingham. Sat 31 Aug 96 - Broad Street. Oxford. Sat 21 Oct 95 - Deansgate. Manchester. Sat 14 Sept 96 - Mill Road. Cambridge. Sat 21 Oct 95 - Oxford Road. Manchester. Sat 19 Oct 96 - Oxford Road. Manchester. Sat 28 Oct 95 - College Green. Bristol Thur 31 Oct 96 - Cowley Road. Oxford. Sat 16 Dec 95 - Merrion Street, Leeds. Sat 12 Apr 97 - Trafalgar Square. London. Wed 14 Feb 96 - North Road, Brighton. Sat 19 Apr 97 - Grinstead R'bout. Colchcsier. Sal ? Apr 96 - Cross Street. Manchester. Sal 3 May 97 - Springbank. Hull. Sat 18 May 96 - Cookridgc Street. Leeds. Sat 17 May 97 - Charter Row. Sheffield. Sun 8 June 96 - A6. Leicester. Sat 31 May 97 - Bishopthorpe Road. York. Sat 13 July 96 - M4I Motorw ay, London. Sun 8 June 97 - Evington Road. Leicester Sat 17 Aug 96 - Pershore Rd. Birmingham. Sat 21 June 97 - Bristol.
Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Why Reclaim the Streets and the Liverpool Dockers? "The others talk about doing something-this tot actually Jo it, "• a Liverpool Docker. Jn linking up with the Dockers. Reclaim The Streets organised such an intense economic scramble which, has taken what for some is a surprising and yet pre far from advancing humanity, has attacked both the dictable route. Surprising in that there is no obvious planet and its population. In 200 years we have almost link between ‘anti-car activists’ and ‘sacked dockers', depleted the world’s resources, organised the most and yet predictable in that there is an obvious affinity- vicious and sophisticated methods of war. and created between them and the radical ecology movement. Both the Dockers and radical ecologists argue for some form of s
Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 a level of social inequality unprecedented throughout When RTS took action in support of the striking history. Tubeworkers in August 1996, the dockers had little left So how did we get from the car to the dockers? First to lose in asking for our support. We gladly accepted of all we haven't left car culture. Street parties will the opportunity to extend links to workers in struggle, always oppose any tyranny on our streets. The form of and the result was not just an empowering action that opposition is. however, much more than simply involved activists from all over the country, but a fas 'against' car culture. Street parties cut straight to the cinating shape-shift in the direct action movement. The alternative in the form of collective empowerment. As occupation of the gantries and office roof meant that soon as the street is taken, the rule of the state is dis the picket refused to disperse until all activists came solved and a temporary autonomous zone is creatcd. down without arrest. 150 pickets managed to storm the An active crowd celebrates its own strength and enacts port and get a docker on the roof, and throughout the its own unmediated diversity: and we all experience, day we all stood up for each other and the right to albeit briefly, moments of collective control. Whilst determine how we live. Far from sinking into oblivion, cars dominate our streets, street parties will always be the dockers showed they were prepared to take the anti-car. but the tradition of empowered crowds taking opportunity to innovate and take action inside their control in the streets has a long and interesting history. workplace, and (although only briefly), take over the RTS enters that tradition by inspiring people to take the means of production. As one docker said, ‘‘it was like initiative and maintain its momentum. We’ve seen a blood transfusion," crowds of 500 take a street for several hours. 8.000 The process was symbiotic. The dockers revitalised take a motorway for 12 hours and so far all we’ve done their struggle and made good friends in the course of is practice. collective action, and we enhanced our movement by As a new form of direct action, the street party can extending perceived boundaries for direct action. only gain in popularity as we are now seeing. After the Suddenly, direct action was not just a fringe sport for ‘Never Mind the Ballots'/ Social Justice event, where extremists, but turns out to have been around for a long 20.000 marched with the dockers for a rally plus a time, a central form of human activity. street party outside the National Gallery, the future of On days of mass action, international support for the the street party is looking healthy-despite the state dockers has now reached 140 ports worldwide, and hamming it up for the cameras. As an old form of that’s every port in Japan and Australia and most in the direct action picketing has looked like a failed method US. In uniting with the Liverpool Dockers we have of struggle for the last few years. After a year of daily laid some interesting foundations for the future growth pickets at the gates of the Port of Liverpool, the dock of a movement for radical and lasting social and eco ers were entering their second winter with little hope of logical change. How it now grows is. and always has success in their fight for reinstatement. Having been been, up to all of us to decide. cold-shouldered by their union the TGWU, (fearing !NO PASARAN! sequestration of union assets under trade union legisla For more details (and to send donations to) contact: tion), the dockers sought support outside the union Merseyside Port Shop Stewards. C/O TGWU. movement. Transport House. Islington. Liverpool. L3 8EQ. Telephone: 0151 207 3388.
Do or Die—Voices from Earth First! No.6 10 Stop Making Sense Direct Action and Action Theatre
In 1973 Jacques Camatte indicated:’It is now becom ing generally accepted that demonstrations, marches, spectacles ;ind shows don’t lead anywhere. Waving banners, putting up posters, handing out leaflets, attacking the police are all activities which perpetuate a certain ritual-a ritual wherein the police are always cast in the rote of invincible subjugators. Ihe methods of struggle therefore must be put through a thorough analysis because they present an obstacle to the cre ation of new modes of action. And i'or this to be effec* the. there has to be a refusal of the old terrain of strug- gle-both in the workplace and in the streets.'.1 The response to insights like Camatte’s has been, to a certain extent, a shift of the terrain of struggle away from demonstrations and street fighiing to the creation of autonomous zones and communities of resistance, as well of course as the development of direct action tactics. Despite this shift in emphasis, however, a ritu alistic element still remains in many direct actions. As in the forms of resistance Caniatte discusses, the ritual all too often still casts resistors as valiant, earnest pro testers set over and against stern, repressive cops and security guards, and all too frequently the rcsister.s end up playing the roles of victim and martyr-victim of police brutality and martyr to the direct action cause. This essay is intended to make some suggestions as to how this ritual-of casting resistors as victims, and cops as victim izers-can be disrupted and perhaps bro ken. I want to state though that this essay can only offer suggestions, not answers. Moreover, some of these Subversion on stilts at the Manchester RTS suggestions may already be taking place. The blos and suggest lhat direct action activists should take soming of actions means that ii is impossible to keep advantage of direct action's dramatic elements. This up with all the developments currently taking place. does not mean deliberately staging events for the No claim to originality is being made here! I also w ant media as Greenpeace, for example, have done, because lo stress lhat the proposals in this paper should not be that merely means playing for the cameras-and once regarded as an alternative to or a replacement for direct the cameras have gone, the whole momentum of the action, but as supplemental to it. action can disappear, which sometimes means that the When I spoke just now' about ritual (the scenario that whale campaign disintegrates. On the contrary', taking is set up for resisters and cops), I deliberately used a advantage of the dramatic nature of direct actions theatrical terminology. Resisters, I suggested, were means manipulating events by consciously intervening cast as victims and cops were cast as victimizers. In and shaping them in ways that are positive for the short, in ihe scenario lhat has emerged at the site of resistance. many direct actions, the participants assume particular In "Noles on Political Street Theatre, Paris 1968- roles. As a result, direct actions are already theatrical 1969". Jean-Jacques Lebel deliberately talks of ihe events in which the various players act out their parts. Paris uprising of May 1968 in iheatrical terms. He My proposals are based on a recognition of this fact, says: The first stage of an uprising ... the first stage of II Do Of Die-Voices from Earlh First! NO-6 any revolution, is always theatrical ... The May upris a means of breaking down the Berlin Wall in peoples' ing was theatrical in that it it'as a gigantic fiesta, a rev heads and helping them out o f their state o f passive elatory and sensuous explosion outside the “normal" acceptance. Hi' didn't give a shit about "art "-we were pattern of politics.,J It is in this sense thal I wish to interested in sabotaging capitalism by helping to blow propose direct action as theatre: not as a dull ritualized its arsenal of images, moods, perceptual habits and scenario with pre-formu luted roles for cops and tranquilislng illusions o f security. 's resisters, and with an almost inevitable outcome, but !n other words, political street theatre was regarded rather as an explosion, as a riot of colour and effective not as a work of an but as a weapon, an imponant tool action, tn short, 1 propose the direct action as a in the revolutionary struggle. prefiguration of uprising, as insurrection in miniature. This is an important issue, but the scripts of the twro As pan of the theatrical outburst of the May ’68 street plays from May ‘68 appended to Lebers essay uprising. Lebel refers to actual theatrical events on the now 3ppear very stagey and hackneyed. Remember street: that Camatte, writing five years after May 68. 'Street theatre as such started to pop up here and remarked that ‘demonstrations, marches, spectacles there in mass demonstrations, such as the 13th o f May, and shows don't lead anywhere'. And the reproduced which gathered more than a million people. Large scripts seem very much like spectacles and shows. effigies appeared o f the CRS (French riot police), of Conditions have changed-not least through the devel DeGaulle and other political clowns. Short, funny, the opment of direct action tactics-and although some atrical rituals were performed around them as they thing could perhaps be achieved through the kind of burned. When the officially subsidised Odeon Theatre political street theatre discussed by Lebel, it no longer was occupied by the movement, many small groups of seems particularly relevant to the needs of today. students and actors began to interpret the daily news in Nevertheless. Lebel points the way to uses of the the the street in short comic dramas followed by discus atrical lhat could be used to complement and increase sions with the passing audience. the effectiveness of direct actions. Lebel, who was directly involved in what he calls Avant-garde artists have often dreamed of demolish political slreei theatre, or "guerrilla theatre’, indicates ing the barriers between life and art. and have indicat the rationale for utilizing drama in [his way: ed that this dream is part of the revolutionary project. ‘The main problem, then as now. is to propagandise In one respect, the trajectory of political theatre in the the aims and means of the revolutionary movement twentieth century shows a progression towards pre among those millions who, while not actually being cisely that aim. hostile, have not yet taken part in the action. Since the Agit-prop theatre began the proccss by reclaiming mass media a n totally controlled by the State, all they and redefining the theatrical. Agit-prop took drama out pour out are lies befitting the State’s psychological of the private space of the theatre and into more public warfare ... /Sof tried to use street theatre as a spaces: away from professional writers and actors and means to provoke encounters and discussions among toward amateurs and activists; away from a middle people who usually shut themselves off from each class audience and toward a more popular audience: other.>J away from depoliitcised representations of bourgeois Here, Lebel is referring to an extension of agit-prop life and manners, and toward explicitly politicised rep (agitation and propaganda) theatre to the streets. In the resentations of resistance: and away from spectacu- 1920s and 1930s. radicals staged agit-prop plays iri larised, commodified forms of theatre and toward more theatres, community centres, on picket lines and dole everyday, face-to-face, interactive types of theatre. queues. These were explicitly didactic plays-i.e, they Political street theatre, as Lebel indicalcs, tix>k this had specific political messages to convey, and were process on a stage further (no pun intended !), by tak designed as a form of political agitation and propagan ing drama into the streets, and the sites of resistance. It dising. Lebel indicates that in May 1968 these agit attempted to use street theatre as a way of breaking prop productions were shifted even further away from down allegiance to capital and the State without replac- the private space of the theatre to the public space of ing that allegiance with the cosy 'answ ers' provided by Ihe streets, in order to address wider audiences. Lebel alternative political ideologies. Now. however, with the comments: ‘Our orientation was agit-prop, yet we advent of direct action, this proccss-the process of wanted to he creative and not just limited to old politi integrating art and life as part of the revolutionary pro- cal cliches-above all tie considered “theatre" only as ject-can be taken even further.
Do or Oie-Voices from Earth First! No,6 12 CONSUfAta STJUKt : NOW vs TME. HOUR TO 6 E.T VIOLENT WITH YOUR "T£l_uv . FLV tf^TO t H £ 5TR E£TS AND CRtATE. CftgNlvAU AHI> F£STfVA L- In political street theatre, allhough the script is col by the initiator, but then be won over. Maybe the ‘real' lectively written and the actors are aclivist-amateurs, customers will be drawn into the seemingly sponta the relationship between performance and audience neous debate (maybe they could be drawn in by some remains unchanged. The actors act out a play and the one turning to a 'real’ customer and asking, ‘what do audience passively watches a performance. Moreover, you think?’). Maybe they won't, but even so, they will ihe theatrical performance only plays an indireci role in be alerted to some issues. The security guards will be events. In the case of direct action, however, this need loath to get heavy with seemingly legitimate cus- not be the case. The ‘performance’ can become an inte tomers-panicularly if there seem to be many people gral component of the direct action. This is what I term involved. ‘action theatre'. The concrete achievements of ihis scenario are many: Action theatre would lake planning and preparation business will be disrupted, alternative perspectives of course, but ihere is no need to wriie a script—just a raised in public spuccs. ‘everyday’people will bo alert general scenario and a broad understanding among par ed to or even drawn into issues, and a general impres ticipants that they know what roles they are playing. sion will be given that unrest and dissatisfaction are Suppose, for example, lhat there is a small group of widespread and regarded as legitimate by many. people of different ages, races, genders, shapes* sizes Moreover, with this type of theatrical direct action, par etc-some of whom look ‘straight' or conventional. ticularly if it is terminated at the right time, arrests are They plan a scenario, the parts they will play, and what likely to he minimal or non-existent. they intend to achieve. They target a site: maybe a A variation on this scenario is to place the group of shop, a bank, a McDonalds. They enter the site sepa actors in (say) a store thal is about to be occupied. rately. at different times, and pretend not to know one Again, these ‘plants' will act as legitimate customers. another. One starts making a fuss, asks to see the man When the direct action commences, the 'plants’ can ager, and starts having a loud row with him/her. One by support the aclion, complaining to staff about security one, oihcrs join in. Some may initially appear to offer guards anti police, threatening lo report them, and counter-arguments to the politicised point-s put forward encouraging ‘real’ customers to do the same. The out
13 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No. 6 comes here would be preventing cop brutality and false tims. It could empower resisters in ways which cops arrest, as well as indicating to store managers, cops and might find it hard to cope with. customers that direct action is legitimate and widely Action theatre is not an alternative to direct action; supported. rather action theatre can complement direct action. It Alternatively, staged events (which do not look can cause disruption, but also be funny and fun to do. staged, but spontaneous) could be used to create diver- Moreover, it can get people involved who, because of sions-at a construction site, a store, or wherever a their age. fitness, criminal record, job or personal com direct action is taking place-with the aim of diverting mitments, can't engage in direct action or can’t afford cop attention, and gaining valuable time for direct to get nicked, but can provide invaluable support for action activists. Additionally-and this is where the direct action activists, as well as directly contributing ‘stop making sense’ part of the essay title comes in to the revolutionary project. action theatre activists could arrange scenarios in References which they (and other protesters) confuse cops by act 1) Jacques Camatte. “Against Domestication” (Black ing in unpredictable, absurd ways. Camatte talks about Thumb Press 1981). p. 15. changing the terrain of struggle. The terrain of the cops 2) Jean-Jacques Lebel. “Notes on Political Street is one of seriousness and rational behaviour, so shifting Theatre. Paris 1968-1969”. Drunken Boat no. I the terrain could involve emphasising the humorous (Autonomedia, n.d.). p.27. and irrational. If prepared properly, this could really 3. 4) Ibid. spook cops. It could also very directly challenge the 5) Ibid. p.28. scenario which casts resisters as earnest but also as vic
Lights! Camera! Direct Action! American activist Saul Alinsky's ‘Rules for sage to the control room that we are watching them Radicals’ has been a key inspiration for the theatre of watching us. It is also unusual and very difficult for direct action. Alinsky is part of the same tradition as police to deal with a group that is not grouped, but split all the pranksters, situationists. subvertisers. surrealists across a wide space. and absurdists, from 60s Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman Secrecy for more VIDA (Violent Indirect Direct who threw money on to the New York Stock Action) is vital as the targets for a surveillance action Exchange, to 90s comedian Mark Thomas who took are, well, obvious. Identical masks (and clothing) can drought-ridden Yorkshire Water boss a tank of water be used for protection and confusion. flown in from Ethiopia. Alinsky’s fifth rule, for exam Many cameras use microwaves to send information ple. states "ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It’s back to ihe central control room, and these can be dis almost impossible to counterattack ridicule, also it abled using reflective industrial foil strips attached to infuriates the opposition who then react to your advan helium-filled balloons at the correct height, (in theo tage.” Today, CCTVs are wide open to this approach. ry— mind the wind!). Camera pole> can be useful 'lost Much fun can be had trying to destabilise the children’ stations. Simply make a sign, and have a confidence in the relationship between the camera child with the same balloon idea. Now who would take operator and the police on the ground. For example, a balloon off a child? The great thing about getting some seafront boy racers were caught pouring from a police to come to protect the camera/find out what is petrol can onto a car in front of a CCTV camera. W’hen going on is lhat simply by being there they negate the (he police raced to the scene, the lads got out some very existence of the camera. Finally, manipulating sponges and said they were just cleaning it (the can signs and symbols by being a mental environmentalist contained water). The possibilities are limitless— can be just as effective. Several thousand yellow and breaking into your own car, fake fights, huge dope-less black stickers bearing the words “WARNING You are spliffs, fake drug dealing... Making a false weapon being watched by Closed Circuit Television’’ have from trashed circuit boards and bit.s of metal junk and been placed in hundreds of toilets and personal spaces, pointing them at the cameras has also proved effective provoking debate and outrage. Strategically placed and arrest-proof. One man in Bournemouth dressed up 'Danger! Radioactive Microwaves’ signs, with a bit of as an eight-foot alien (see Undercurrents 6) and com police and workman’s tape to cordon off the camera pletely freaked the police. Making plays in front of a will also get people asking questions. Lights! Camera! range of cameras simultaneously sends a direct mes Direct Action!
Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 14 Animal Antics Alcoholic Elephants & Rioting Polar Bears
1. Officers of North Yorkshire Police have been 5. A herd of thirsty elephants have broken through defeated hy an unexpected enemy-half a million star Indian army defences to steal the soldiers winter rum lings with a penchant for carpet bombing. The birds rations. The animals regularly break into an arniy sup have roosted at Newby Wiske Hall, the forces head ply depot in the jungle area of Bagdogra, in Northern quarters near Northallerton, alarming resident pea Bengal, to get lo the stores of food and spirit. Soldiers cocks and prompting a petition from villagers. They have tried to keep them at bay by lighting lircs around whirl around raining droppings for an hour or m i before the base and putting up electrified fences. But the they roost. Bird muck on your car has become an crafty creatures have learned to hose out the flames unofficial indicator of which officer works late, said with water stored in their trunks, and to flatten the police spokesman Tony Lidgate. The sound of the fences by dropping uprooted trees on them. Once droppings is like rain, said villager Dennis Pullan. who inside the depot, ihe huge raiders have no problem covers his cottage window with sheets at 6pm, smashing down thin steel railings and wooden win - Guardian, 23/3/94 dows to get to the rum, sugar. 2. The second largest stock markei in ihe U.S. flour and bananas inside, said was halted for 34 minutes on the 1st of an army spokesman. An August when a squirrel chewed into officer recently posted power lines near the Nasdaq Computer ihcre explained that the Centre at Trumbull, Connecticut. elephants broke the rum Though Nasdaq never lost bottles by cleverly curling power completely, automatic their trunks around the bot systems tried in vain to switch tom. Then they empty the contents over to a standby generator. down ihcir throats. They soon got - Guardian, 4/8/94 drunk, he said, and swayed around. They enjoy ihem- 3. A Russian bear was bought selve.s and ihen return to the from a Russian circus by a jungle. But woe betide any sol tourist agent after he was asked to pro dier on duty who confronts one of the vide an American visitor with a wild bear hunt. The partying pachyderms, said the officer. tourist was set up in Moscows Perdelkino forest and One elephant never forgot the man who poured hot the bear was released. As the hunter closed in on his water on him one night-and has returned regularly to prey a posiman passed by on his bike and tumbled off demolish his hul. in surprise, according to ihe local newspaper, - Daily Telegraph 14/12/91 Vecernaya Moskva. The bear, recalling his big top training, grabbed the bike and pedalled off. The 6. A few years ago Ihe cousin of a Sumairan friend of American was suing for fraud. ours was killed by a singularly pcrsisieni elephant. He -The Sun, 21/6/92. Quoted in Fortean Times #7 J came across it raiding his fruit garden, unwisely wounded it with buckshot, and was chased up a tree for 4. Jakarta, Indonesia-Termites that can tunnel his trouble. He remained there for what must have been through concrete and metal arc devouring Indonesian an anxious day and a night while the elephant returned buildings at the rate of SI 45 million a year. The domes to and from a nearby stream wiih irunkfuls of water tic news agency Anfara Wednesday quoted researchers with w hich it was finally able to loosen the roots of the as saying the country was home to about 200 different tree, push it over, ihcn trample its victim just as his types of termites. They said the insects noi only rav belated rescue parly arrived on the scene. aged wooden structures but could break through con - Ring of Fire. Lawrence and Laura.Blair. Bantam crete, brick, metal plates and plastic pipes. 1988. - Reuter 5/5/93
15 Do Or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 [This example does not mean that we take a mali cious glee in the tragic situa tion in India. Africa and else where. whereby poor humans are thrown into a desperate struggle with other creatures (tigers, elephants etc.) for diminishing resources. How is it that a tradition of thousands of years of (relatively) stable co-existence has been turned on its head in less than a cen tury? A story such as the one above is instead intended to give the lie to the scientific myth that animals arc little more than instinct driven automata.) 7. Millions o f tiny fish forced nuclear power station bosses to shut down two reactors. Sprats blocked underwater screens on a cooling water system at Dungcness power station, near Rye. Dr. Andy Spurr. station manager, said: The shoals have to be seen to be believed. This isnt the first time we have suffered through the problem-about the same time in 1994 we again lost both reactors. The sprats are drawn towards the know? Sometimes animals seem to play even with shore at this time of year at particularly high tides. them. They block screens on pipes used to pump in cooling - National Geographic. Dec 1994 water. Officials stressed there was no hazard and the reactor shutdown was a routine procedure. 9. In Ceres, California, a gopher was found on school - Sussex Evening Argus, 16/2/95 grounds by a student, who turned it over to three school janitors. The janitors attempted to kill the gopher by S. On Alaska’s North Slope in November 1993 the freezing it to death with the spray from several cans of village of Kaktovik suffered some bizarre vandalism. a freezing solvent used to clean floors. After the Dozens of lights illuminating the village airstrip were attempted extermination, one of the janitors tried to destroyed-knocked out by polar bears. Tracs in the light a cigarette, which ignited the solvent and blew the snow showed the bears were methodically moving janitors out of the utility room. Nineteen people were from one light to the next. On another occasion, wit injured by the explosion. The gopher survived, and was nesses saw them punching the lights one by one. Was later released to a field. this aggression, or were the lights just playthings glow - EF! Journal, Brigid 1996. ing irresistibly in the night? Will any scientist ever
Do or Die-Votces from Earth First! No.6 16 10. The blackbirds of Guisborough, Cleveland, have During his period, the culprit attacks one of the plants learned how to imitate car alarms. They mastered the in any way he likes. So at the end of the test hour, the foul knack after an individual bird suspccted his territory was deed has been done and one of the plants lies mortally about to be invaded. His wailings were taken up by other wounded, perhaps tom from its pot and trampled into the birds, and now the towns dawn chorus is driving many floor. But there is a witness. The surviving plant is residents up the wall. I started hearing this irritating noise attached to an electroencephalograph |EEG1 or a poly outside at 5am every day. said journalist Mark graph and each of the six subjects is brought in briefly to Topping.32. It certainly seemed to be a car alarm, but stand near the witness. To five of these, the plant shows there wasnt one close enough to be making such a row. no response... but when confronted with the guilty party, Then I saw this one particular blackbird sitting in our the plant will almost always produce a measurably dif alder tree, outside the bedroom window. It was giving it ferent response on the recording tape. everything, but instead of the usual pleasant song of the It is entirely possible that the machine, or the combina blackbird it was recreating the din made by a car alarm. tion of the plant and machine, are responding to an elec After I heard lhat one bird I began to realise others had trical signal produced by the culprits knowledge of his picked it up as well. David Hirst, a spokesman for the own guilt... But on one occasion there was a result that RSPB, explained that the birds had incorporated die seems to show lhat these are not the answers. During that sound into their song on the assumption that they were particular experiment the potted cyclamen accused two fellow birds requiring a response. of the six subjects. I called these two back and discovered They are very good imitators and very adaptable to that one was indeed the culprit, but thal the other had urban conditions. In the past Ive known them imitate spent an hour earlier that same morning mowing his trim-phones and even cats. Liz Taylor of Melrose, lawn. He came in. with no guilt feelings, but to the plant Borders, suggests that the blackbirds are enjoying a good it was apparent lhat he had blood on his hands. joke at the expense of their sleeping neighbours. When I •The Biology of Death, Lyall W'atson. Sceptre 1987. liv ed in Bombay, she said.We had a trio of large crows in 12. And Finally... an example of how NOT to do our garden, one of which could imitate exactly (and in a it-Cops in Chimps Clothing, apeing Jack Straw: take this Scots accent) my voice calling out for the bearer. When case of law enforcement, noticed among the chimps of he arrived in response to the summons, they would jump Arnhem Zoo: when two young females refused to come up and down on the wall, cackling horribly. indoors for the night, zoo rules meant that the entire - Daily Telegraph 16 and 22nd May 1996. Daily Mail colony had to wait more than two hours for supper. Next 16/5/96. quoted in Fortran Tunes #90. day the miscreants received a thrashing from their com 11. On a number of occasions I have played a botanical panions. ensuring they obeyed the rules in future. version of the parlour game called Murder. Six subjects - From Frans de Waals GoodNatured. in BBC Wildlife are chosen at random and told the rules. They draw lots July 1996. and the one who receives the marked card becomes the - Those who do not learn from /human J history are culprit, but keeps his identity secret. Two potted plants of condemned to repeat it. the same species, are set up in a room and each of the six (With thanks to the shadowy Dr.H. late of Lyonessc, subjects is allowed ten minutes alone with them. and of course not forgetting The Duchess) Symbiosis 2: Who needs Detox! Symbiosis is an ecological relationship where various organisms co-exist and co-evolve for mutual benefit. As the 19tli century anarchist, geographer and evolutionary theorist Kropotkin argued, mulual aid is as important a factor in evolution as competition. "Bluebottles (Calliphora erythroeephala) and Blowflies (Calliphora vomitoria) are the large-eyed flies lhat can often be found around dustbins and near animals. The female lays her eggs on decaying matter of all kinds (animal corpses, tainted meat or fish); anything that will provide food for the developing larvae. One of the places most favoured as an egg laying site is a festering wound. When the larvae hatch they feed only on dead tissue and pus. not on the healthy livsue surrounding the wound. They require the rich source of plasma and red blood cells found in dead tissue. The excretions of these larvae act in a similar way to a disinfectant and so also help to clean (Hit the wound. By eating infected tissue and disinfecting the wound these grubs provide the host animal with a valuable service and could often save Ihe host's life by preventing the infection spreading all over its body." -Taken from 'Symbiosis: Nature in Partnership'. Nicolette Perry, Blandford 1983 & 1990. London. p6l.
17 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Earth First!-But What Next?
From the outside, the direct action movement appears to be stronger than ever. Mainstream groups, like Friends of the Earth, are finally endorsing our actions and protest is a regular media feature. From the inside the picture is quite different: it is likely that without some serious thought about where we are going and what we are try ing to achieve, we will soon become part of environmental history. Two basic problems need to be addressed; firstly to define the major changes to society that we seek and sec ondly, do we want to build a mass movement or are we content to remain a small band of young, noisy, white, middle class, unemployed, physically able "extremists?" Our Limitations 1. Unsustainability - big campaigns like Newbury 4. Overempowermcnt - did we ever think that this and Selar are greal for inspiring people and gening us was possible? To define it, it is being so assured of your into the media. However, they are unsustainable on own capabilities and of your right to stand up for what several counts; firstly, they are cosdy - it is unlikely you believe in thal you become unable to think of the that Newbury would have survived without massive consequences of your action and w hether or not anoth inputs of cash from FOE or donations raised on the er (probably less exciting or daredevil) course of action back of FOE produced publicity. Yet this diverted cash might be more appropriate. In short, it slops people lis from other worthy campaigns; if another Newbury tening and thinking. kicked off tomorrow, would this cash be available Overempow erment has created bad protests. They again? are too often dangerous, kicking in aims and w ith too 2. They are physically unsustainable too. Burnout is many unnecessary arrests. Training on tactics is not becoming an all too frequent occurrence, with the enough, we need to start using them and we need to gel worst examples being the number of Newbury protest away from the attitude thal only pain and arrest make ers who have ended up in psychiatric hospitals or as good actions, or lhat these experiences are lo he worn alcoholics. Holocaust survivor Primo Levi has said like medals. “leaders of rebellions ... must possess moral and phys Overempowerment has created chaos, not anarchy. ical strength ... oppression deteriorates both”. Anarchy is. in the words of Germaine Greer, “subile Burnout raises the question of how we can keep forms of co-operation", li is not the “fuck you" atituidc *going into the long term. Where will current activists pervading on protests today. be in 20 years time? I fear thal those that are not teach Like unsusiainability due to burnout, overempower ers, academics or social workers will be tending their ment is a symptom of who we are recruiting. Wre are pemuiculture plots, all saying “Well, I did my bit back dominated by English, middle-class youths. Their nat in the s - but it didn't wrork". The rest will be in ural arrogance can be an asset to direct action, bin it is looney bins or night shelters. coupled w iih a lack of responsibility to others and an At present, direct action requires only the physically opposition, on principle, lo anybody who attempts to fit and alienates those who are older or less able. If this create (not impose - create) any order or siruaure to a continues, our actions will always be isolated and lim protest. Al Newbury evictions. I witnessed at least fifty ited, We also require people full-time (plus some!), people standing slaring at the climbers’ activities, unemployed and prepared to live in poverty. whilst a digger was driven past (those attempting to Direct action has to be accessible to all, otherwise we slop it w ere just stared at too) and only a few feet away will lose more and more individuals to burnout, and surveyors were working unhindered. risk losing momentum as a movement. 5. Stagnation as we lack incentive to move forward. 3. Protest camps are unsustainable environmentally This is partly because of our power base of young peo too - there is too little knowledge of living lightly (did ple, unwilling to break out from peer group pressure. I hear ihm there was human shit in a badger hole at one Too much emphasis is placed on evictions, not tin look* camp?) and because of the demands of protest it is ing at the whole sccn;irio - why are roads being built. almost impossible to live sustainably on camp, w>hich wrho wants them built, how can we damage the econo* means that we are only fighting half the battle. my that demands them? I have met road protesters w ith Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 18 no idea of these questions and of who engineers a road & those without (including the planet), who are based economy. We have to teach ourselves the facts exploited in the quest for more money & power. We and learn to strike hard at the biggest enemies. have to learn from past struggles. Oh! And can we drop the “spikey-fluffy” debate Thi s is coupled with a lack of revolutionary thought now!? it is meaningless and hinders discussions on - we need to change what is happening to the planet how groups with different limits/agendas can work and encourage all people to live sustainably. We are not together. just trying to stop the destruction of one wood or one 6. Media backlash - we have never really prepared treehouse. ourselves for this and yet it is already bubbling under. Our ultimate aim has to be the destabilising of glob The worst is not the denunciation of our actions as vio al industrial capitalism. This is the system that lent, but the revelation of our protests as useless. What demands that there are always rich people exploiting better way to render us ineffective than to tell the world the poor. If we do not challenge capitalism itself, we that we are? cannot hope to put environment and people at the top 7. Lack of connection with other struggles - of the world agenda. Thatcher's foulest achievement was to make the whole 8. We have to assess our relationship to the rest of the nation forget its social history, and that we are part of environment movement too. Why are we not an ongoing struggle between those with power/money Greenpeace or FoE, what can we do that they can’t? At present FOE is making every effort to empower its local groups more - they have resources, credibility and good networks. But they are also much more restricted and less creative than us. They have never put the destabilisation of capitalism on their agenda and hence are “reformist”. It is no coinci dence then that their member ship is the complacent middle- classes. but can they be radi calised rather than written off? If we can work with other organisations, without com promising our own opinions, we can radicalise others. We have to allow individuals the time to become empowered, but if we can build a diverse, united environmental move ment. we would become a force to be reckoned with. Our currently isolated position and attitude only plays into the hands of the politicians and multinationals. 9. Is "everybody welcome”? We hand out thousands of leaflets saying so. but it is not true. If we are to continue to Oblivious to oblivion? protest and to win. we have to
19 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 acccpt different levels of commitment and ability. a cake! We need to create a system that reduces our Those we have welcomed have not always been the dependency on capitalism and destabilises it. By work best activists and we are too nice to turn some away. ing closer with LETS schemes etc. we could create a Whole sections of road campaigns have been aban parallel economy that would make the capitalist one doned to "Brew Crew" and "acid casualties", as the irrelevant - AND make links with a wider group of rest of us find their behaviour offensive. people. Enough Whinging—Here’s Some 4. Counteract the media backlash by pointing out our successes more. Positive Ideas. 5. Criminal damage must be talked about! You don't 1. Learn how to agitate - successful movements like have to say you do it. but always say that it is under the Civil Rights movement, trade unions etc, spent lots standable. given peoples' frustrations. Criminal dam of time out in communities talking to people and offer age can be a threat, can be shown to parallel the dam ing solutions. We need to do this to build a mass age to the Earth, but it should not be unfocussed van movement, reclaim our social history and stop being an dalism. Sometimes it is inappropriate and we have to elite. Simple histories of rebellions and protest would have the intelligence to know when this is. help. 6. Learn from current “successful" organisations like Talks to community groups (Womens' Institute The Land Is Ours and Friends of the Earth, who score branches ??!) and reviving the Earth First! roadshow by being well connected, wealthy and strategic. But would be good. ECOTRIP does not, as yet, fulfill this let's not allow them to set the agenda - use their net role as it concentrates on the party-festival-veg- works and work with them on local issues. Public gieburger scene. Too many young people are cynical Inquiries arc often criticised for being undemocratic and apathetic, they need to know what sort of world and part of ‘the system*. This is true, but if we could they are inheriting, who makes it that way and how it win a few battles at this level, our work would be eas can be salvaged. I am sick to death of being told, 'there ier and unless wc stand up and point out the flaws, they is nothing for me, why should I bother?' Ours is the will go unchallenged. most materially well-off generation ever - that should 7. Should EF! develop itself? a difficult one this. We breed responsibility to care for the world and for oth are. by nature and necessity, shy of centralised struc ers. Outreach into this group is essential as they are the tures, but could we do with a little more centralisation decision-makers [??] of the future. for fund-raising, resource gathering, concentrated out 2. Remember “the Earth is not dying, it is being mur reach, access to expertise, etc? What was the role of dered and the people murdering it have names and groups like EarthARC and Road Alert! - how can we addresses”. The worst perpetrators of global destruc replicate them if we need to? Do we need to provide tion need lo be given a hard time. Use Corporate Watch more space for people who want to take a more passive for info and be persistent. role by raising money, providing subscriptions.etc? 3. Create a movement that people want to join and stay in. This means having a clear agenda and includ Think About It! ing everybody - not just asking them to bake an activist
-trw E - CQKSu^CftS tker*. I* «• »* >»S i*4iv>4«r*lif t Rijht, j t« t«X< tue caiK o»t *f tk« «Uwn*£t'*e art rvovoe in , go Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 20 The Business of Conservation, or the Conservation of Business? "In order to underline the problem [of destruction of their own redundancy/ies. Their fortunes rise or fall SSSIs], FoE has launched a campaign centring on a with lhat of the overall economic system. The eco 'Magnificent Seven' group o f threatened sites. But nomic boom lhat trickles down to them from their cor some of these may already be doomed, hi September, porate mentors is. as Fifth Estate point out, founded on for example. British Coal |now ‘Celtic Energy') began ecologic bust.1 Therefore a recession is cause for cele open-cast mining at Selar Farm in West Glamorgan, a bration— it is a temporary let-up in the economic war traditionally managed area o f meadows, which are being waged against the earth and all its peoples. It rich in wildflowers and rare butterflies such as the should not be a cause for anxiety over the potential marsh fritUlary. The mining will “totally obliterate" drying up of funds - at the loss of the RSNC's share in the SSSI." the spoils of that economic war. - From BBC Wildlife November 1994. However, ihe RSNC and others are not just implicat '"Pastures New: How to Create and Care for ed by virtue of their quiescence. As the passage from Wildflower Meadows'. by the Wildlife Trusts, support Natural World makes abundantly clear, they are ed by British Coal Opencast. - Since 1945. 97% o f beholden to capital. The “sponsorship" isn't "philan British wildflower meadows have vanished. This book thropic"—they are expected to play an active role in let aims to reverse this trend. " the waging of the war. In the realm of representation— - From the Reviews Section of the same issue of of image pressed into the serv ice of capital—they have BBC Wildlife. a job to do; like everyone else, they must “work hard "Everyone [?] in the country inevitably takes a share er". Being associated with a neutral and benevolent o f the hardship in a recession and the voluntary sector organisation like the RSNC lends an air of credibili is no exception. In fact charities today are very sensi ty—the green seal of approval—to British Coal’s activ tive lo recession ... [however] business sponsorship ities. In this context, the RSNC act as image janitors, has not fallen back and remains at approximately 40% cleaning up ‘corporate pollution'. In our upside-down o f fund-raising income, but we are having to work world, this term refers not to actual damage to the envi much harder for it. Our corporate clients have become ronment caused by the company, but to the ‘pollution’ much more demanding about what they get for their of the company’s image by such damage. The presence money and we are asked more searching questions of (for example) the RSNC in all this serves to reassure about the marketing and public relations benefits of a nervous public—in the words of Fifth Estate, it gives their involvement. Sponsorship is no longer philan- thropic-it is unambiguously linked to company perfor mance and image." - From 'Natural World' ( the magazine of the RSNC/Wildlife Trusts Partnership ). Winter 1992. The point is thal organisations such as the RSNC ( Royal Society for Nature Conservation ) are implicated in the func- tioning of the economic system, through not standing for its demise and for 21 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 “the appearance of management through the manage unions in the world of work. Both traffic in popular ment of appearances",* concerns, witholding or delivering the ‘block vote' in Of course, such ‘greenwashingM is rife. Other exam exchange for certain concessions. Like the labour ples are Greenpeace’s involvement in the development struggles of the late 19th and early 20th century (and. of fuel-efficient cars, the Shell "Better Britain’ cam to a lesser extent, those of today), environmentalism in paign4, the Ford Conservation Awards. Esso Tree its undiluted form can pose a fundamental challenge to Week. Tarmac's astonishing, sanctimonious conver the operation of capitalism— it is one of the latest ‘are sion to ■environmentalism’ (pass the sickbag)— the list nas of contestation'. As Nicaraguan environmentalist is endless. Lorenzo Cardenal has said. "The ecological movement A related problem is that of convergence—the w ay in as a form of popular mobilisation has enormous politi which NGOs have become ever more similar to the cal potential and could even be said to be revolutionary corporations in their institutional structure and needs: in the Third World, because it questions the very basis "They found themselves managing increasingly large of the social order... The influential developed world, projects and budgets. Their staff mushroomed and primary beneficiaries of the existing order, have seen demanded better employment conditions. They needed this political potential and attempted to neutralise it.”.7 people, project and finan Likewise, in the US. a cial management skills of leaked memorandum from the same kind as business. the Government's So downsizing companies Environmental Protection seconded managers to Agency described the NGOs ... And NGOs “‘environmental justice appointed people from movement'... as the great business to their boards est threat to political stabil and top management ity since the anti-war posts".* The personnel and movement of the 1960s“.« interests of NGOs and The RSNC, et al. act as companies became ever the domestic face of this more interchangeable— process of neutralisation indeed, by virtue of their and recuperation. If capi similar structures, they began to develop an affinity talism “must above all prevent a new setting out of with one another, they began to understand each oth revolutionary thought”,’ then the function of the ers' needs—they recognised, as Thatcher said of RSNC, like that of the unions, is to disarm meaningful Gorbachev, that here were people they could do ‘busi dissent and to muddy the waters—the public can rest ness’ with. Cooperation began to replace confronta easy because ‘something’ is being done—the environ tion. and the euphemistically named ‘strategic ment has its advocates, and the situation is in hand. alliances' between NGOs and particular companies They mediate and divert the environmental concern started to develop. that can be so disturbing to the status quo. channelling Likewise, as companies demanded more for their it into less antagonistic, more manageable forms. sponsorship money, the "NGO corporate sponsorship Instead of refusing the system outright, they opt for departments became almost indistinguishable from participation within it. According to Majid Rahnema, mainstream advertising or PR agencies".5 Greenpeace an ex-official of the UN Development Programme, this in particular is hailed as a master at manufacturing means that "Grassroots organisations are becoming the stunning images. W'hile we may find Greenpeace's PR infrastructure through which investment is made, or product more palatable than that of a commercial ad they help provide the human ‘software’ that makes agency, do we really want to follow the corporations other kinds of investment work ... (Participation! >s down this route? Regardless of who produces it. the now' simply perceived as one of the many ‘resources' form of media manipulation carries a message in needed to keep the economy alive. To participate is itself—as Jacques Ellul has said, “the effects of one's thus reduced to the act of partaking in the objectives of propaganda on the personality are exactly the same as the economy, and the societal arrangements related to those of enemy propaganda".** it.” 10 More generally, the RSNC and others perform a role, UK green organisations help deliver this “human albeit an unwitting one. similar to that of modem day software" too. Professor Chris Baines describes the Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 22 boom years of the 1980s. when job creation schemes would be foolish to think that all its members share the for the unemployed drafted a huge new workforce into same opinions, or that the group identity is fixed and the conservation movement.11 Yes. environmental unchanging. But to step outside the formal that such restoration work desperately needs doing, but a far less groups currently assume could liberate the members lofty political agenda fuels this approach to the proh- themselves, as well as immeasurably strengthening a lem We are about to witness a repeal performance of true green movement. this scenario—the Tories* new "Project Work” is (ini tially) intended for the voluntary sector, and one of Tony Blair’s proposed task forces for the unemployed References: is intended to focus on 'environmental work'. 1. “Revolution Against the MegaMachine”. George Basically, the problem wiib organisations such as the Bradford, Fifth Estate Winter 1989. RSNC is that they seem locked into the sinecure of the 2. Ibid. “professional environmentalist"—a position which 3. For a good insight into this process, sec the review itself represents an accomodation wilh the prevail mg of E. Bruce Harrison’s “Going Green: How to ccocidal order. It smacks of the ‘loyal opposition’, sub communicate your company’s environmental com dued witness to the horrendous works of late 20th cen mitment" in Do or Die No.5. Also. “Democracy for tury capitalism, with an interminable series of crises Hire; Public Relations and Environmental presenting themselves to the conservation ambulance Movements”, Slauber and Rampton. The Ecologist service for resolution or amelioration. It is "Once more September 1995. This article highlights the unto the breach*’, time after time after time. For them, significant threat from corporate ‘divide and rule* there appears to be little sense of urgency, immediacy strategies—co-opiing the moderates and marginal or passion—everything seems to lake place within the ising the ‘intransigent’ radicals. (In this context, slow, tortuous unfolding of ‘bureaucratic time’ ( In see also “Who are the realists*?” Editorial, The bureaucracy, no one can hear you scream’1. At their Ecologist July/August 1995.) worst, they appear little different from their counter 4. Also, what might be termed their “Better parts on the side of destruction—both mindlessly and Ogoniland" campaign: in the wake of the image mechanically toiling towards their respective ends, the crisis caused by the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa mirror-image sleep-w alking drudges of the apocalypse. and others. Shell dispatched David Bellamy’s But you can't fight business with business—regardless Conservation Foundation to Nigeria to ’do a study’ of the content, the form itself is barren, (aka. clean up the ‘corporate pollution*). Instead, one must break with it, and establish a deep 5. “Green world alliance pic", John Elkington. Links sense of acting for and with life. An unbridled, exul Supplement Guardian 20/11/96. tant. unapologetic and deeply Irrational* affirmation, 6. “Propaganda”, Jacques Ellul, Vintage 1973, p. 137, both of your own life and (if all I hat surrounds you, 7. In “500 Years of Environmental Destruction in must be set against the nullifying language of death. Latin America”. Environmental Network for This is why we have achieved so much with compara Nicaragua 1992. tively little—we are learning to give up trudging and to H. The Ecologist. July/Augusi 1992. p. 162. start dancing. This is the reason why. as Fourier says, 9. Guy Debord. quoted in "The Most Radical it lakes “workers several hours to put up a barricade Gesture” , Sadie Plant. Routlcdgc 1992. that rioters can [erect) in a few minutes*1.1- They are 10. Quoted in The Ecologist, July/August 1992, p. carrying out the same activity—it is the form, or “ani 163. See also ihe excellent review of "Conflict mus*. that differs. Resolution: Cross Cultural Perspectives’*. Ed. (Sort of) A Disclaimer. Avmeh ei al., in The Ecologist Nov/Dec. 1994. This picce is not intended to decry ihe RSNC—and Among other things this describes ‘sustainable related groups—per se. but to point out the (perhaps development’ as “perhaps the most ambitious inadvertent) niche that they occupy in this society. As conflict resolution project of all time*'. with even the most mealy-mouthed green organisa 11. The Baines Report. Chris Baines. BBC Wildlife tions, there is always a glimmering spark of wildness March 1995. within at least some of their initiatives and personnel, 12. From: “Enrages and situationists in the and their ‘rearguard action' mentality is understand Occupation Movement. France. May '68”, Rene able. if misguided. As with any grouping of people, it Vienet, Autonomediu/Rebel 1992. 23 Do or Die-Voices Irom Earth First! No.6 Newbury An adrenaline junkie's idea of heaven This is an article of limited scope— it is run intended possible. However, after the legal battles over posses as any kind of a history or analysis of Newbury. If* sion of the land covered by the camps were decided in aim is rather to give a sense of the day to day realities favour of the Department of Transport, a much more of living in that situation. As such it is bound to miss defensive attitude emerged and people became unwill out a lot of what happened at other times and places ing to leave their home camps undefended while the) within ihe campaign. hunted out the mobile chainsaw crews and generally I spent the initial clearance/evictions phase of the liv concentrated on building more defences. ing at several of around thirty camps constructed along During this first period the day would start early (4 or the route. tvery camp developed a very specific char 5ish) on site, wailing for confirmation over the C.B acter, and had a different mix of people living there, radio or mobile phone of where ihe destruction work from those who constantly built defences on site, to was taking place and sorting out transport as quickly as others who put in long hours al the office, to those liv possible, either via the office or using anything avail ing on a camp because it involved the shortest stagger able near site. Visiting journalists were always useful back from the pub. Newbury continued the road protest for this as they needed to get to where the action was tradition’ of totally unsafe climbing practice?!—people just as much as wc did .People would arrive al the leaching others to climb when they can’t do it proper worksite until we had enough numbers to begin trying ly themselves. People trying to figure out how to get to breach the security cordon. into a treehouse for the first lime, pissed, tripping or in During the first week of I attempted) work there were the dark an dodgy constructions .(one treehouse turned so many of us and so few security guards that they out to be completely suspended from one piece of 4mm were quickly reduced to asking if they could please rope with two half hitches lied in it). Fortunately the have their diggers back so (hey could lake them hack to tradition of largely gelling away with it also continued, the compound for the rest of the day. However, mas and despite some serious injuries nobody was actually sively increased security and a far greater willingness killed during the campaign (despite the efforts of some on the part of the police to get involved stion made this of the bailiffs, climbers and chainsaw operators). level of disruption very difficult to achieve. In the gaps There were two distinct periods during the clearance between attempts at breaking the cordon, people would of ihe route—the first involved taking the offensive often fuiriingue the security guards with an incredible and disrupting their cutting and bulldozing wherever variety of techniques. Some would simply play music Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 24 to them, olhers would try rational arguments about rettes with us. Also many of them realised that they road-building, or confronting them with hippyish rants only had a job at all because we were there. about raping their mother the earth, while others would As the threat of camp evictions loomed following the just stand nose to nose w'ith a guard and scream abuse court cases, many people diverted their energies into at him (there were very few female guards). About the building up defences on-site. This was done w ith such only form of interaction that most people seemed to manic enthusiasm that the actual usefulness of what agree on was throwing snowballs at them, weather per was being done was sometimes overlooked; for exam mitting. Some activists also made a hobby of stealing ple a lot of effort was put into building a moat and bar security guards' helmets while (hey stood in line—the ricade. complete with scaffold poles and barbed wire, rank and file white helmets were almost too easy to be whose only effect on invading bailiffs equipped with worth taking and the red or yellow hats of the manage diggers would have been psychological. The far sim ment became more of a target. pler action that prevented any machinery accessing the There was often a surreal feeling to events such like site was flooding the area with two dams. two people dressed as a pantomime cow being arrest With the variety of people living on site conflicts ed. or a person in a yeti costume sat up a tree sur were inevitable—one of the most persistent being rounded by grim faced police and security. Stranger between those with a strong work ethic who disap still was the local foxhunters coming down on their proved of alcohol and drug use and those who saw no horses to take direct action against the road that would problem with getting wrecked a lot. This often degen cut through their hunting land, protesting alongside erated into mutual insults (‘fascists* and ‘brew crew’) activists many of whom were hunt sabs! and general bad atmosphere. It is obviously unaccept The security guards themselves were there for a wide able to have people on site who*s behaviour is totally range of reasons. The vast majority disliked the job but selfish and anti-social people who never contribute saw it as (heir only option to earn a living A minority with either their effort or their money because they're were there on a hippy-bashing mission, and their were too pissed to care and too skint after spending all their some with bizarre justifications such as one ex-squatter money on getting that way. Such people are simply who was there to gather material for a new play he was parasites. However it is too easy to ignore the contri writing. butions thal people do make by slipping into lazy There was a marked dislike of the police amongst assumptions—just because somebody drinks more security—many of them had previous convictions than you do or takes drugs it doesn't follow that that is themselves and there were quite a few ex-miners who all that they do. An important part of this type of cam had been involved in confrontations with the police paign is thal it is often an enjoyable thing to do— during the 1984 strike. This dislike occasionally amidst constant stress a party or trip lo the pub can be extended to warning potential pixies of police teams an important relief. Very few people are attracted to lurking in the woods at night (a common police tactic live in an atmosphere of self righteous sacrifice and especially when construction machinery and fencing guilt tripping. Fortunately there were enough camps at were brought in) and advance warnings of when the Newbury for people to find one where the atmosphere police had been called in lo deal with a situation. suited them, which, to an extent at least, helped to Later in the campaign relations between security and resolve such problems. One camp for instance was the remaining activists (mostly) improved. With all exclusively vegan, while another was called ‘Camp construction work going Carnivore*. on behind razor wire Bypass Police Condemn Dangerous During the campaign, fencing, actions became Protest Tactics and especially during the first months, we were con centred around trashing "Police on the Newbury Bypass site today condemned stantly visited by the things at night. Given that ihe tactics of protesters who last night took a heavy media, both British and numbers fell dramatically tractor from roadworks unconnected with the site. international; from nation when the last of on-route They drove to a construction area off the Andover al TV to magazines for tree camps were cleared, Road, where they damaged compond fencing, lighting teenage girls. It very there was little that could equipment and a portacabin building. Police were quickly became obvious be done during the day. so called but the offenders ran away before they arrived who loved ihe attention security had an easy job at the scene.’* and who saw il as basical and nothing better to do -Thames Valley Police Press Release. 11/11/96 than chat and share ciga- ly irritating to be hassled 25 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First) No.6 by reporters while trying to do something useful. More ronmental policies, many activ ists immediately tried to welcome visitors were the anti-bypass locals who came storm the stage and prevent the meeting happening at up. often with bags of food. While this support was all. Attempts continued for the duration of the meeting, much appreciated it is unfortunate that so few locals with pauses for some of the more interesting questions felt able to become more actively involved in the cam being fielded, such as the apparently ‘genuine’ share paign, (much respcct to those who did!).On the other holder who complained that the board had no under hand some locals became actively involved in attack standing of the beauty of geometry and proceeded to ing the camps and vigilante attacks became a regular ramble on about dodecahedrons for a while. Bringing feature of the campaign—petrol bombs, guns and cat the same mixture of serious struggle and the blatantly apults were all used against camps and their vehicles. surreal which characterised the on-route actions to the Less seriously but more often, people from camps were costain meetings seemed rather appropriate. A few attacked in the town centre, especially on weekend days later hundreds of people converged on Newbury nights. The courts showed their approval of these for the reunion rampage, marking the first anniversary attacks when one man who had been arrested for petrol of the start of clearance work. The event had been pro bombing an occupied bus was found not guilty despite moted as a symbolic fence decoration and candlelit admitting making molotovs and taking them up to the vigil, but it quickly became obvious that most people camp while drunk, (too drunk, he claimed, to remem were not prepared to stand passively around a working ber what he did with them when he got there). The construction site. Quite spontaneously, many people obvious comparison that springs to mind is what the began to shake and kick the fence, and several holes same court would have thought of an activist caught appeared. Mounted and foot police intervened and throwing petrol bombs at a digger.... attempted to secure the gaps in the fence, but more and By the autumn/winter of 96 the overt on-site aspects more people were becoming involved by this stage and of the campaign had mostly ended, although a few peo it seemed likely that a large scale site invasion would ple remained near the route. Resistance continued occur. At this point, however, the crowd was encour however, and the 6th Jan saw a determined effort at aged by event stewards into a neighbouring field to disrupting Costain’s EGM in London. Like the previ hear the planned speeches, from the likes of the FoE ous two meetings infiltrated by shareholding activists, leadership, and the situation was diffused. security was heavy. After earlier experiences of the Upon returning to the compound however, people causation board's ability to completely side-step so- almost immediately began to enter the site, more and called awkward questions about their company's envi more holes being cut in the fence. The outnumbered f IJV9*CC o a K . C 9''<- ci;^ b J*- V±^p;re {z? )? o r kdC‘»t>'v' vS/jrna^V©^wL x ■+■ b**v""> © p MttipCr' tr^CK bww^5. C/P 7< W T O Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 26 police and security were unable to prevent this situa tion developing and soon retreated to a comer of the compound, leaving the crowd in control of the site. Machinery was occupied as operators retreated with their security, leaving people to vent their anger on the symbols of destruction around them. Despite the bla tant wrecking going on everywhere the police were totally impotent. The machines, supposedly safe behind hundreds of security guards and miles of razor wire turned out to be vulnerable. For many of the people attending w hat they expected to be a passive rally the day must have been a short shock of an education in what people are capa ble of doing when they act together. There have been many rational arguments about the usefulness of this action to the campaign, but to anyone who watched the route being transformed from beautiful countryside to churned mud and charred stumps, there is at least a sense of natural justice to die sight of the last tree on route silhouetted by the flames of burning machinery. The majority of those on the rally went inside the Middle Oak compound, and if not actively involved in sabotage, at least gave it their tacit support. Double decker buses hired by local FoE groups were full of cheering when the diggers went up in flames. FoE national’s condemnation showed they were out of touch with their own membership. A Critique of Newbury The campaign to prevent clearance of the 9 mile easier, hassle-free life. However there are problems in route of ihe Newbury bypass saw the bigge.vl direct the movement that I feel have always been there, but as action campaign to dale against a road scheme, and so they have not previously been dealt with, have grown could be seen as the most successful so far. However more apparent as it has grown bigger. despite all the hype, and expectations bestowed upon We didn't involve enough people in Direct Action it, (often not from activists themselves, but the media), My main problem with Newbury was its apparent it failed to stop the site being cleared (it is of course inability to gain mass involvment in direct action, A debatable if this was ever possible or expected). The poignant example of this was the mass rally in campaign has also showed limitations in the road February *96 where a coalition of various groups protest movement- both tactical and strategic that need including Friends of the Earth. Third Battle and Road to be addressed if we are to build on the many suc Alert! drewr over 6,000 people to walk the route and cesses that the campaign achieved. show their opposition to the scheme. ] wish to make it clear that 1 intend this piece as a The rally was a good thing that brought a lot of peo constructive critique of the campaign from someone ple to the area that would not have otherwise come. But that was involved throughout the clearance work. It is it was very sad that despite being heavily plugged only not a cynical winge from someone that never even about a thinieih of the rally stayed the night for the went down there. My involvement at Newbury has next day's action. In the end around 200 people trashed given me a greater encouragement to continue direct the Tarmac office in Newbury. At least two computers action, when I had been considering giving it up for an found themselves flying out of the 2nd floor windows 27 Do or Die-Voices from Earth Firsf! No.6 and FoE National, the main organisers of ihe rally, done- you’re a hero. 1 wish I could get involved, but I publicly condemned the action. It was slightly ironic can't cos I’m not able". Hearing this would make me that those who were bussed in for the rally had been feel that I was the cannon fodder for other peoples' attracted down by the media coverage of the daily environmental consciences, and apart from feeding actions, but did not stay to participate in any. Any one's own ego, there is tittle use for attitudes like that. future involvement would have been limited to joining Everyone is able to do direct action, (as the disabled their local Friends of the tiarth group or sending some direct action network has shown), and it is vital to get money. lhat message across. If everyone at lhat rally had There is a damaging division between ’activists' pledged one day off work to lake action, had that been and 'supporters' organised into a rota of 200 people available lo stop This illustrates what 1 feel to lie a major fault in the work each day. the stale would have found it extreme campaign. There was a division of labour which seri ly difficult to finish the clearance contract on lime- if ously impaired the effectiveness of the campaign, ever!1 We need to change this disempowering attitude Lines tended to be drawn between lit young activists that many of the so-called ‘respectable’ supporters who would perform direct action, and older, more have. One of die most moving and apt things I heard on respectable campaigners, who would offer moral and the rally, was when one protestor came on stage after a financial support, but not get involved in direct action. man had given him his war medals as a sign of respect. There are of course notable exceptions- those people He said something to the effect that the protestors were from the camps who spent long hours in the office not special people or heroes- all they were was very doing tedious jobs, and Newbury residents who would tired, and in need of help. try to disrupt the convoys of security coaches going The acceptance of a division of roles seems sadly all through Newbury- but these too often were the excep too apparent amongst the direct action campigners as tion rather than the rule. The fault lies on both sides of well, who are supposedly anti-hierarchical and anti this divide. elitist. There was a definite ‘hierarchy of the harness.' I became increasingly annoyed with meeting people |The 'Cabal of the Carahiner’?J. If you were not til and who, when they discovered I was involved at Newbury', able lo climb trees, then you were relegated to ground would start conversations along the lines of ‘ Oh well support - too often an implicit euphemism for merely Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No-6 28 supplying those in the tree tops with morn) and finan stay on the camps. While I have a lot of respect for cial support. This attitude must be countered becuase it people that want to live in trees threatened with put off a lot of people from getting involved. destruction, a lot of people do not have the time or ihe I would never advocate stopping all forms of tree inclination to live full-time on camp- These people are protests. I think it was an extremely effective tactic for put off by the feeling that if they are not fuil-time delaying the clearance work, as highly specialised pro activists, then they are not as 'hardcore'. Although the fessional climbers had to be recruited to evict protes D1Y culture has grown in the last few years it has tors at rates of between 700-900 a day. This resulted in become more and more of a clique because there seems eviction costs soaring, and the politicisation of much of to be a certain style which one must conform to. If the climbing community. However it is one tactic some people do not aspire to a certain lifestyle, we among many, we should never neglect the others which should respect that. I accept thai we need radical can be just as effective. Ground lock-ons often delayed change in every aspect of our lives in order to be able the bailiffs for a very long time, and if the convoy was to save the planet, but 1 sometimes wonder how radical prevented from reaching the site, then an eviction living on a camp actually is. i often felt that I was hav could not even happen. I often felt very disempowered ing more of an effect trying to gather mass support in while standing outside an eviction cordon, When there my home town rather than living full-time on a camp, were not serious attempts lo break through it would detached from the mass of society in a lifestyle that sometimes just turn into a spectacle that we were most would find too alienating. observers at, and not active participants. Personal problems get in the way of campaigning Everything should slop for Newbury? [Editor's note: The following two paragraphs pin There was also this idea that everything should stop across ideas that members of the idiotorial collective for Newbury. To give an example there were twice heavily disagreed with. Rather than not include the weekly minibuses conveying people between Brighton piece, or edit it so lhat it ‘conformed', we decided to & Newbury. Someone rang up the Justice? office hav print it with a reply ai Ihe end. We hope this aids dis ing a go at them them for giving a lift to people that cussion and debate, | wanted to go to the Valentine’s Day Reclaim the Another problem is how to deal with some peoples* Streets in Brighton. Justice? had ‘taken away 30 personal problems lhat are brought lo direct action pro- climbers who could have been at Newbury'. Newbury leisi. Whether you call them dime-bars, energy vam was an important battle, bill one of many in a diverse pires, lunch-outs, or whatever, it is undeniable lhat per war. sonal problems can often seriously hinder Our image alienates the effectiveness of a campaign.The free- On a wider level. I became increasingly worried thai living, utopian lifestyle of protest camps the cultural vanguardism of the campaign was alienat attracts all sons of people (and rightly ing people from getting involved. If we are to break so), but sometimes for the wrong rea > free from ihe media stereotype of us as hippy drop sons.There can be a conflict between the N outs, then we should not live up to it. We must not pan view that everyone should be free to live their der to their puerile attempts to shift the agenda from own individual life, and the right for a com why (he planet is being trashed lo lifestyle bollocks, If munity to exist free of disruption. This conflict we are going to even talk to them, ihen we must come should noi exist: a road protest camp is not a across as intelligent, informed, and have a message that community centre to deal with people's prob people can relate to. Being portrayed as a bunch of lems- it is neither desirable or feasible. spaced out hippies can be incredibly alienating to most Living on a protest camp can be highly stress people: and if we are going lo get mass involvement ful and demanding, and is not a suitable envi wre need lo be as all embracing as possible, f needless to ronment for helping people with drug, alcohol, or say without compromising our ideals or actions). psychological problems. I heard of at least a You’re not part of our scene, you’re not part of our dozen people sectioned as a result of movement? the protests tat least 3 people An arrogant elitist attitude was ottcn directed involved with Newbury have towards people who for one reason or another did nol also died as a resull of i* i t I ft 29 Do Or Die-Voices Irom Earth First! No.6 alchohol or drugs), and these people obviously need biggest demos at Twyford happened after the area had help. However we as protestors are not in a position to already been trashed, and the land defended at the Ml I be able to help (both because we do not have the ener could hardly be described as ecologically rich, but it gy or qualifications to do so), and I feel it is slightly was still fought for. It is sad to see thal actions have arrogant to assume that we do. We should leave ihe job been drastically reduced at Newbury, and that there are 10 those who are able, so that we can concentrate on the no longer nearly as many people disrupting work now real reasons for being there, I do not deny the need for that the trees have gone - although it is encouraging setting up proper cure networks, as it is often she opp- lhat there are still activists camping in the area. pressive nature of modem society that can unbalance We still need lo ensure thal Ihe struggle against the people, but this should be separate from ihe day to day bypass continues until the road is built and beyond. life of the direct action protests.If peoples' own per Only targeting clearance allows the companies lo plan sonal problems are causing serious disruption to cam ahead and concentrate iheir force on our weakest point. paigns. (hen they should be The security budget is asked to leave and go mainly oriented towards somewhere that is more pushing clearance work suited lo their needs.- through. When they are on Theft on ihe campaign the offensive against us was also a serious prob they have hundreds of secu lem. There is undoubtedly rity. Yet a year or even a room for communal ily of few months later you can certain resources such as go back to a site and find food, but this should not hardly any. The actions of extend to personal poses- 10 early morning surprise sions, which all too often crane climbers can be more went walkies. Having your costly than an action with harness nicked can put 100 people, in which they your life at risk, but even know you're coming and some of these were disap have accounted for it. We pearing, There was even are enabling a situation the case at Kennet where a where they don’t have lo group of climbers came guard the most expensive down to help, and one of part of a roadbuilding pro their sleeping bags went ject- the roadbuilding itself! missing from the mother We nted to go on the ship (it turned up laler after offensive some persuasive talk). A company simply cannoi There is a simple solution effectively guard a site 9 to dealing with thieves- miles long 24 hours a day anyone caught nicking people's stuff should be kicked for three years when they don’t know when you're off camp straight aw ay, and others warned aboul it. coming or whai you're going to do. How many limes I sometimes fell that ihere was a lack of any in-depih during the clcarance did we sil back ai ‘our’ camp lis thought in people's reasonings for their actions. tening to the CB and not knowing where they would Emotive feeelings towards the planet are very' strong, turn up? This stretched our resources, numbers and and it is understandable lhat anyone living on a site that sanity. When the trees fall and the cranes go up the they were attached lo would wish to defend ii lo the roles are reversed. With surprise on our side- they're limits of their abilities and beyond. However, realisa weak and we are strong. tion that the struggle against ecological destruction If you want lo break a chain you find ihe weak links. goes beyond emotive reactions is essential, otherwise, The state and the main contractors will probably never for many, the battle will end when the la_si iree is felled. back down, but subcontractors are a different kettle of Actions must continue after the trees come down lish. With the exception of chainsaw men. cherry' pick A brief look at two of the biggest anti-roads cam er firms and ihe climbers, small subcontractors don't paigns so far will show how important this is. The take part in a clearance contract. During the construc- Do or Die-Voices from Earth First I No.6 30 lion a myriad of different small firms are moved in - If we can’t sort out each other, how are who will move straight back out again at any sign of serious trouble. Doing actions against subcontractors we meant to sort out the world? really lucks a contract up. This was proved effectively Despite disagreeing wi(h its conclusions t am glad at Newbury by the campaign against the coach compa that the above article mentioned the ‘personal’ prob nies that ferried the fluorescent-jacketed army. Select lems that plague us on campaigns, as well as talking actions in Reading and elsewhere at coach company about strategy. Hoj)efully it will start off a useful terminals quickly convinced a few companies to back debate. I agree that there is a serious conflict on camps out. After that the threat worked just as well. For a between on the one hand, peoples' 'personal prob while security had to hire minibuses from Kent |!) lems*. and on the other the smooth running of the cam Simply targeting clearance and practical]) ignoring paign and the wellbeing of other activists. Such prob construction is becoming a campaign pattern- we need lems are one of the reasons why I decided at one point to break it. to totally abandon camp-based campaigns, and to con We must broaden our horizons centrate on other things. Overall, we need to develop a greater awareness of 1 have been woken by someone preaching the Old our actions if we are to be successful in further strug Testament outside my bender every morning for a week gles. Newbury was very good at waking up a lot of at Sotsbury Hill; woken up by someone wielding a people to what ecological destruction is going on in stave at my head in the dead of night at the M 11 ihis country. The sheer scale of the campaign surprised [maybe they just didn't like you’?], had to help prevent a lot of people, including the authorities. Nevertheless two onsite suicide attempts at Twyford. been puked on, the route was eventually cleared, and the protests acco pissed on. had all my eviction stash eaten by a modated. ‘nomadic druid' the day before the eviction; these are The state has learat how to deal with tree protests just the more interesting events. Not to mention the (they showed a marked improvement in tactics over the daily cold drudgery of having your campaign enthusi months of clearance work), and while 1 think it is still asm (never mind your will to live) sucked away by vital to physically defend areas under threat. we need assorted ‘energy vampires’ and ‘lunchouls*. It's a big to evolve our tactics so that we are continually one step problem, but I think the author generalises too much ahead of them. The actions in support of the Liverpool and that his solution would only exacerbate the situa dockers are a good example of how we can connect up tion. Other points also need to be made. to other people, and there should be similar Jinks made There are four distinct groups of people the above in other areas. Lois of diverse groups were brought article lumps together. Care in the community types, together by Newbury (anarchists, climbers, archaeolo drug abusers (as opposed to simply users), people suf gists, and FoE members), and wc should maintain and fering mentally as a result of campaigning, and those strengthen these links if we are ever going to start to acting like parasites. Quite often some or all four com gain the mass involvement we need to defend our bine in one person, but to generalise is to write off too earth. many people. Notes The article gives the idea that there is a clean division 1) A very suoessful direct action rota was organised at between ‘sorted campaigners’ on the one side and the Mil. under the name of Operation Roadblock . ‘lunch outs, ‘dime bars’ and 'energy vampires’ on the See ‘News from the Autonomous Zones’ p21. DoD 4 other. People with serious mental problemas are rarely 2)That is not to say that involvement in this kind of ‘useful' on campaigns. But the reality is that many of lifestyle cannnot be beneficial hi people with minor our best activists drink too much, take too many drugs, problems. They can find an outlet for their frustra go through bouts of severe depression and waver on tion and alienation from society, which they might the edge of insanity - [ know 1 do! not otherwise have found. The energy they were Though he does mention that ‘the close knit commu previously using in various anti-social activities nity can bring people together', the author's underlying can be redirected into trashing earth rapists. For assumption is that the role of camps is primarily to some, the close-knit community can bring people resist the destruction - "Ask not what the camp can do together who would otherwise never have met. for you, but what you can do for the camp." He seems to suggest fhal we should leave our emotional baggage at home and if we begin to crack up. leave the cam paign - effectively, we are discarded when we are no 3) Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 longer ‘productive'. But 1 would argue that the prima People drink, take too many drugs and sink into delu ry aim of campaigns is to rebuild communities and cre sion for a huge variety of reasons. For instance 1 know ate a movement that can really transcend industrial quite a few ‘brew crew’ who have, when given respon- capitalism as a whole. The rather minor effect we have siblity. straightened themselves out. Nobody ever told on industry is less important than the way in which our them that they could be more than they were so they campaigns affect us and our movement. In a socially never became anything else. Alcohol & drugs can real fragmented world, the mad arena of campaigning is. ly badly screw us up. For instance taking acid in a beautiful valley may be wonderful, but taking it sur rounded by destruction isn’t a good idea. If we can sup port each other then people will not need to turn to chemical crutches which may further destabilise them. In relation to those from care in the community I'm in two minds. While they can be very destructive, they can also be a good member of the communty. It depends on the individual. Though protests are not a stable place, what other 'community' is going to care for them? In most cases they are harmless, just strange. It’s less a case of getting rid of them and more of get ting a greater proportion of relatively sane people. Another reason for greater collectivity is that some people will just always take the piss. If all else fails I agree that the community needs to expel those that endanger it. Being radicals means literally looking at the root of the problem. Why does our 'community' bring in such a large amount of alcoholics, drug abusers (rather than simply users), lunch outs, freaks and the blatantly insane? Firstly, it’s a worrying fact that there are substantial ly more men on camps than women, and the gap is growing. In my experience camps with more women have usually been better able to grasp personal and frighteningly, one of the few opportunities we have for group problems. "group therapy' and individual and collective evolution. Secondly, our pathetic excuses for outreach, getting new If 'Group therapy' sounds too much to you like people involved, means that most of our 'recruitment' Alcoholics Anonymous, think again. The real ecologi comes from the British 'alternative' subculture. The sub cal and anarchist communities on this planet are tribes. culture is basically a culture of the dysfunctional. Being Tribes deal with their problems collectively, they talk dysfuctional in a society where function is so destructive about them. and warped is probably a sane move. Hey - we’re all The article above says in effect that rather than work misfits - hurrah! However, many in the subculture have on healing each other together, we should son out our been pushed out of straight- society becuse they find it problems individually. That we should keep our per difficult to act socially at all. From ’community in care' sonal and political lives separate. Even worse it pro types to people who just find it difficult relating. While poses that people 'with problems' should seek help helping each other out. the long term solution is recruting from ‘professionals’ - presumbly psychiatrists and from a wider spectrum. Of course this will bring in peo drug counsellors. While there are many good people in ple with normative types of insanity. But maybe this these professions, most of those sectioned at Newbury would be easier to rationally deal with, though less amus could point out that there are many others who’ll just ing. than two pissed people fighting each other because fuck you up more. Also, the article overlooks the ques they both believe they're King Arthur. tion of how you gain immediate access to such services We are more likely to be crushed by our own inabilty to if you are poor. Why are there so many 'care in the live with each other than by suite violence. In our constant community’ individuals on road camps in the first rush to action we usually forget to build on our greatest place? strength- each other. Revolution is Therapy. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 32 Head State Support Croup Direct Action is mu without it's casualties, at a rough estimate over 15 people were sectioned under the Menial Health Act during and after Newbury, per haps many more. As someone who was both ai Newbury and got sectioned, I am trying now to sel up some sort of support providing both letter-writing and legal advice. if you were sectioned or know someone who w was/is. I'd very much like to hear from you. It can be a nightmare for all concerned, bui stay strong and all clouds pass over. In the meantime, don’t go too a t manic when you're off protesting and remember to chill out and take breaks. Much love. Jim Write to: ‘Witches Green*. 54 Milt Road. North Lancing, W. Sussex. BNI5 OPZ. [email protected] Contractors are investing heavily to protect sensitive and confidential information from militant environmen- Uitisis hacking into company IT systems, it emerged this week. Balfour Bealty. Coslain. Mowlem and Alfred McAlpinc all recognise the threat from a smail group of hardline anti-roads acitvisis, some of whom possess advanced computer skills. The firms have taken steps lo make illegal entry as difficult as possible. Colin Dai'ch, group IT manager with Balfour Beatty., told CJ : "it is a perennial problem. We have ongoing plans against attacks by urban terrorists who want to disrupt us or use information against us." Computerisation is evolving rapidly as is the move away from mainframe systems lo personal computers. Networking is “a bolthole we are trying to shore up" said Darch. He added : “You have to work hard to make your system impenetrable". Despite the dow nturn in civil engineering, ihe number of protest groups continues to increase. Costain’s IT director, Marion Carney, said protesters could pose a threat to both physical security and company networks. "It’s not just our confidential information ihey are after." said Carney* “they just warn to cause a nuisance. We’ve made it difficult lo access information and we can monitor unwelcome attempts on our system. It’s fairly standard among other contractors," Mowlcm’s information cannot be electronically attacked by external hackers because it does not have a wide- area network system, Alfred McAlpine has done a lot to improve protection, the new arrangements having made its IT system more secure. Of all construction firms. Amec is the most bullish about its position. Asked what threat hackers pose, group IT manager Keith Rustage said: "1 don’t perceive it lo be any danger”. Bui a Computacenter survey of 140 of ihe world’s top hackers, published this week, suggests lhat Amec’s optimism could be misplaced. The verdict in the survey was thal: 759f believe company safeguards are lax. 60# believe opportunities lo access systems are increasing 55^ believe I he internet provides more opportunity to access private systems. 33 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No. 6 No Evolution Without Revolution The political ecology of wolves, beavers, sheep and deer ‘The green touchpaper has been lit. and the regener the late 1940s. he observed that “the Highlands and ation of the Great Wood is beginning. It is the most Islands are largely a devastated terrain, and ... any pol heady concept in conservation—the end of the begin icy which ignores this fact cannot hope to achieve a ning. The siege is over, the first determined sorties can rehabilitation".2 In 1997. it is even more impossible to begin. They are no longer fighting to Save the Trees: ignore the stark truth of these words. The once mighty the new target is to have the wood stretch out and Great Wood of Caledon is now down to a tiny fraction spread once again. If this project continues to work, we of its former range, an atrocity which lies at the heart can no longer see conservation as a resistance move of Scotland’s environmental crisis. Only the return of ment. It is now about re-conquest." ('Forest on the the forest—and the myriad biological functions that it March’. Simon Barnes. Guardian 25/9/93.) sustains—will set right the abuse of centuries, and The Highlands of Scotland are now at the cross allow the long journey back to ecological health to roads—the urgency of the present situation cannot be begin. Only the trees can restore a fertility ravaged by overemphasized. Whal happens now will determine centuries of soil erosion on Scotland's denuded terrain. whether the region faces an irreversible spiral of eco And yet. the dramatic potential for such a renaissance logical decline, or a transformed future in which both is held back: under an intense grazing onslaught from biological and cultural diversity can flourish once the Highlands' army of sheep and deer the forest sim more. ply cannot regenerate, and thus has steadily dwindled The great Scottish naturalist Frank Fraser Darling for the last 250 years. Behind these animals and their wrote ruefully of the “melancholy history"1 of lethal impact on the forest—and on the Highlands as a Scotland's forests. In his ‘West Highland Survey’ of whole—lurks the intransigence and profiteering of Do or Die-Votces from Earth First! No.6 those social groups with a vested interest in the ‘extrac While one could never claim that the indigenous tive economy' that the sheep and deer represent. Highland culture was perfect—for example, it too had Again, it is ‘now or never’—the remnant trees have at presided over deforestation, and helped the eradication most a scant few decades of seed-bearing life left to of such species as the wolf and beaver—its communi them—thus “we are probably the last generation with ty-based subsistence economy differed from the colo an opportunity to arrest and reverse this sad history of nial English model in one crucial respect. forest decline and Ioss."J In a nutshell, it is that the original 'social ecology’ of Who are these ‘social groups' behind Scotland’s mis the Highlands was. for all its feudal failings, what is ery? What are the patterns of land ownership and use now described as a ‘commons* regime. “Traditionally, that have led us to this predicament? Social health and clan lands were not the private property of the chief but cultural diversity are inseparable from ecological were invested in him on behalf of the clan. health—and if something is rotten in the state of Membership of the clan ... gave clan members rights human society, the corruption will leave its mark on the of use of land and water"7—from this tradition comes ecological fabric also. We must identify the social fac the Gaelic proverb that “everyone is entitled to a deer tors. or ills, at work if we are to remedy the ecological from the mountain, a tree from the wood and a fish crisis. from the river".s It was the English that brought the According to Fraser Darling, it is “the English [who] dynamic of enclosure to bear on this regime, having have been the greatest agents of destruction in Scottish recently pioneered it upon their own people. After the forests."4 This intrusion of an alien force into Scottish defeat of the clans at Culloden in 1745. the imposition affairs accelerated environmental destruction to of enclosure meant ‘‘not only the removal of land from unprecedented levels. subsistence communities, but a profound step toward First, the remaining forests were stripped for char viewing the land and its people as tradable, exploitable coal and timber, and then the glens turned over to an commodities.”9 (“Labour too became a tradable com increasingly profitable system of sheep production— modity'",’ as those Highlanders exiled to Glasgow and meanwhile, as in Ireland, the native people starved on elsewhere found to their cost.) By contrast, the com the margins. (As an aside, it is worth noting that the mons regime had a deep-rooted sense of place—so wolf “was responsible [indirectly] for a good deal of deep, in fact, that *‘a farmer would often be referred to the later history of the destruction of the forests. by the name of the farm rather than the family name.”10 Clearance of the forest by burning was doubtless the Such an affiliation with, and reliance on. a place is in easiest way of restricting the wolf's range".5) marked contrast to the ‘cut and run’ practice of enclo This process culminated in the infamous Highland sure—it is a crucial built-in safeguard against the Clearances, with the people finally and fully dispos temptation to ’externalise’ the social and environmen sessed by the new landlords and their sheep, and driven tal consequences of your actions—to pass the costs on into wage labour in the newly industrialised cities, or to someone else. The local people can afford no such onto boats bound for the ‘New World' (where they luxury—they must remain ’in place' when the compa would help to dispossess others in turn). A tremendous ny has gone. This is why commons regimes can endure haemorraging of natural and social wealth was under indefinitely, if left undisturbed. way—through the export of nutrients (in the form of For the Highlands, enclosure was a truly fundamen sheep and timber), and of people, who took the accu tal break with the past, as the “criterion for the best use mulated wisdom of an ancient, more sustainable cul of land ceased to be the number of people it could sup ture with them. Both the land and knowledge of how port. and became the amount of profit it could make’’.11 best to live on it, were under attack. Ill is radical shift in social priorities—from a land Then, when the bottom dropped out of the sheep mar ethic13 to a land grab—is the overwhelming cause of ket, tragedy turned to farce—sporting estates—the ulti the Highlands' subsequent malaise. mate colonial indulgence, a status symbol and bizarre Of course, the changes described above are by no playground for the elite (and ONLY the elite)—began means unique to Scotland, as enclosure’s dynamic now to predominate. By 1912, “an incredible 20% of blights societies all around the world. The real coloni Scotland’s land area was given over more or less sation is perhaps not that of one nation or ethnic group entirely to the hunting of red deer by a small fraction by another (although the virus is often transmitted this of the populace."6 Hot on the heels of the sheep, these way), but of a community by the market, which rup deer began to deliver the death blow to the Scottish tures the culture and the locale as it passes through. In forests. a sense, the nationalities of the encloser and the 35 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 enclosed are ulterly immaterial—’whoever you're sympathy'. To put an end to such horrors, all we need enclosed by the market wins’. The clan chiefs were do is simply extend the benefits of the ‘anthropocentric some of the most enthusiastic expropriators of their franchise’ to other creatures. Highland kin—either to save their own skins (under As leading American EF!er Mike Roselle puts it: the 1747 ‘Heritable Jurisdictions Act', they had a “What deep ecology espouses is ecological egalitarian ‘choice' of assimilating into the ‘English model" or be ism. It's really a practical and logical extension of the dispossessed themselves), or in order to cut a well- civil rights movement! Are we really better than a wolf heeled figure in English society by ‘cashing in' their or a dolphin or a microorganism in the soil? Under the clan folk. More recently, in the Third World, the initial present-day legal system they have virtually no rights promise of the national liberation movements is being whatsoever, just like blacks and American Indians not betrayed—as the new homegrown elites are reunited so long ago ... if you felt it was important for people to with the old global powers, in a transnational ’commu struggle for their rights in the civil rights movement, nity of interest’ against their own people.'1 The painful then you'll also want to do that for other organisms.”1* lesson is that ‘it doesn’t take a white skin to sell you This presumes that the bitter conflicts within human out’. society are now a thing of the past; either because Enclosure disempowers communities, deforming demands have been properly met (eg. through the dis their capacity for self-governance, their beautiful but pensation of ‘rights’)—thus permitting us to look out fragile social ecologies, and empowers narrow elites side our own species for unresolved injustices— or and the inhuman market imperatives thal they stand because any remaining conflicts must now be put on for. Hence in the Highlands today, which boasts “the ice while we address the overriding issue of ‘our' bios most concentrated pattern of private ownership in pheric misdemeanours. It ignores the ‘social deficit': Europe “V4 an incredible 608 individuals own 50% of the continuing powerlessness of most humans, the fact the land15—bastards like John Kluge (Mar Lodge), lhat the lives of many are gutted just as effectively as Schellenberg (Eigg). Lord Dulverton (Glen Feshie). ad any natural habitat, but most importantly, that the cri nauseam. Somewhere between one half and two-thirds sis we all face now was created not by the conscious of Highland estate owners can be classified as absentee efforts of the many, but at the behest of the few. landlords, spending less than four months a year on instead. 1 would argue that humanity is still riven by their estates.16 Even though the only real claim such conflicts. At the Earth Summit in 1992, grassroots people have to membership of the local community is groups rejected the establishment vision of “a world their title deeds, bccausc “the majority of people who where all humanity is united by a common interest in work directly on the land or in the rural environment survival ... in which conflicts of race, class, gender and arc |their tenants] ... it can be said that land-use prac culture are characterised as of secondary importance to tice. the pattern of settlement, indeed much of the rural humanity’s supposedly common goal.'’19 The 'com economy as a whole is in the control of this small mon interest* of humanity is an illusion, and will group of landowners’’.17 Therefore, it is this ‘small remain so until ordinary people can talk of the world as group', this power external to the community, that truly ‘belonging’ to them. Only then might the end of must carry “a great part of the responsibility for the the crisis be in sight. declines that have taken place in human populations, in Deep ecology wishes to see all species treated more agricultural productivity and in ecological balance.”.'7 like humans. While it is true that humans generally Such are the iniquities of enclosed life; this is why treat animals far worse than their own kind (although the dam of power must be broken, and control diffused as was pointed out during the 1984/5 famine, the aver back to the communities, the locales, and to each and age American pet was better fed than the average every one of us. Ethiopian), ultimately we are all viewed as animals One of the problems with Deep Ecology, in its crud (‘chattel’) by humanity's elite. For them, the most per est form, is a staggering political naivety. It evokes a tinent question is which ‘object’ yields them the most specifically human ‘community of interest', one that value at a particular time. Considerations of profitabil preys on other species by virtue solely of some sort of ity can outweigh any concern for human rights—for ‘anthropocentric closed shop'. It seems to suggests that example, during ihe Clearances, landowners made a horrors such as clearcutting or intensive meat produc clear choice between people and sheep. On the Isle of tion spring not from a warped economy, but from a Rhum. "300 people were cleared ... in 1826. The pro moral vacuum on the part of humanity as a species—a prietor. MacLean of Coll. spent five pounds and four failure to encompass other creatures in our ‘circle of teen shillings on each adult's passage to Canada. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 16 Vacated and let as a single sheep farm, it brought in an species that are threatened in Europe and extinct in the annual rent of £800, compared with just £300 previ UK. While the existence of such a law in itself is nei ously.'^0 More generally. Highlanders took to describ ther here nor there, it has provided the impetus lor ing sheep as “the laird's ‘four footed clansmen' 'l.*> Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to launch a feasibility For ail species, the only choice allowed is one of study into the potential for beaver reintroduction. This servitude or extermination (sometimes both!). In a should be completed by the end of 1997, after which sense, we have more in common with other species public consultation will take place. However, even than with the members of our own elites— we share the though wolves are undoubtedly covered by Article 22, same subordinate position. Catherine McPhee of South a similar study for them is out of the question—it Uist drew an explicit parallel in her account of the appears that SNH is wary of getting its hands burnt by Clearances: “I have seen the big strong men. the cham dealing with a far more controversial creature than the pions of the countryside, the stalwarts of the world, innocuous, herbivorous beaver. But all is not lost— being bound on Loch Boisdale quay and cast into the with no action forthcoming from SNH, the newly- ship as would be done to a batch of horses or cattle in formed Highland Wolf Fund is attempting to raise the the boat, the bail ills and the ground officers and the £40.000 required for such a study: its ultimate goal is constables and the policemen gathered behind them in to see a population of 2-400 wolves re-established in pursuit of them.”11 the Highlands. Right now. there is a very real opportunity to return As suggested earlier, it is the forest that holds the key animals such as the wolf and beaver to their rightful to any hope for a vibrant future, ft is the fulcrum of place in Ihe Highland ecosystem—the old dream is ecological and social wealth in the Highlands. Only closer to being realised than it has been for decades, if when it is no longer at the mercy of the landlord econ not centuries. omy and its sheep and deer, will the Highlands be able Article 22 of the EU Habitats Directive compels the to flourish once more. But is there a place for the wolf British government to seriously consider reintroducing and the beaver in this great project? 37 D o o r Die-Voices from Earlh Firsl! No.6 Many people—even those with a genuine interest in processes'—eg. disturbance from windblow, fire or ecological restoration -favour the ‘gradualist' grazers— free rein once more. This opens the way for a approach. Aubrey Manning of the Scottish Wildlife dynamic landscape to develop, in which natural suc Trust feels that any wolf reintroduction now would be cession is “constantly being re-started and vegetation premature, because “the Highlands are nowhere near change [is] progressing in various different directions ready for a top predator. A century of sustained work depending on the pressures acting upon it*’.19 In this lies ahead to restore the habitat to a fair part of its for landscape of constant flux, a multiplicity of habitat mer productivity. Plants, not animals, have to come configurations and their associated species are able to first."’’ He also believes, with some justification, lhat it thrive, proliferate and interact. will take time to dispel the age-old 'bogeyman' associ Beaver behaviour triggers just such a ‘natural ations of the wolf. Even Alan Watson of the wonderful process'—through tree-felling and dam building, Trees for Life says that “as it is the forest which pro beavers unleash “Successionary changes |which] ... vides the habitat for other spccies to live in. and which involve a complex pattern of wet or seasonally flooded is the support system for so much of the rest of life, it meadow, open water, marsh, bog and flooded forest is with the return of natural forest that restoration ecol formation".*0 This is a ‘dynamic landscape’, and one in ogy must begin.”24 which (in marked contrast to the present grazing by While one can understand the thinking behind such sheep and deer), soil fertility actually increases over arguments, in actual fact wolves could time. Beavers also regulate water flows and survive even in today's degraded significantly improve water quality Highlands—tree cover is not an (important, given the dire impact of soil essential prerequisite. As Robert erosion on river systems and water Moss of the Institute of Terrestrial sheds generally.) It is hardly surpris Ecology points out, “there are no ing therefore that beavers "directly biological reasons why the wolf ... |increase| fauna! diversity by their could not be introduced immedi very presence"31—otters, water voles, ately"25—there is certainly a “super hares, trout and salmon all benefit, to abundance of wild prey"26 available. name but a few. Likewise, suitable habitat already All in all. beavers could lie a force for exists for the beaver as well.27 More a deepening of Caledonian forest regener importantly, one can question the ation. taking it in unpredictable directions and assumptions that underpin such views: restoration and allowing a richer mosaic of habitat to develop. reintroduction need not be seen as two distinct, sequen Finally, in a nice piece of poetic symmetry, (and per tial processes, but, potentially, as mutually reinforcing haps a hint of the potential for co-evolution to come), parts of the same process. The forest obviously nur it has been suggested that in Mesolithic Britain, tures those species that live within it, but the traffic is “beavers had at least as great an effect on the landscape not all one way—its inhabitants can also nurture and as humans. Mesolithic human settlements near water, regulate the forest. It is a reciprocal relationship. Hence such as that at Thatcham, Berkshire [the site ‘spared* wolves and beavers can help to create the conditions by the western route of the Newbury Bypass!], may for their own existence—unlike the use of sheep or have taken advantage of areas already cleared by deer, they can enhance the forest rather than diminish beavers, which have previously been misinterpreted as ing it. the result of human activity.*'32 For example, beavers “are a keystone species ... Indeed, “there are at least two sites where humans (playing] a pivotal role in maintaining and regulating had re-used timber or brushwood cut by beavers for aquatic ecosystems’’.2* They could add significantly to their own purposes: the Mesolithic settlement at Star the revitalisation of riparian (waterside) areas, which Carr [Yorkshire] had a shoreline platform incorporat have so far often been overlooked by the Highland ing beaver-cut timber ... and the Baker platform in the reforestation projects. Somerset levels ... also incorporated beaver-cut brush This becomes an even more exciting prospect when wood".*3 In these examples, human societies were you consider the new model which is currently emerg quite literally founded on the efforts of beavers. This ing in conservation. Rather than struggling to secure synergy between human and beaver suggests that we bio-diversity with the intensive management of too can be added to the list of species that profit from beleagured small reserves, it aims to give ‘natural their presence. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 38 f lic role of wolves is perhaps more straightforward. tyranny over space (physical AND cultural) and its They could help to control dial which holds forest potential. recovery back: grazing pressure from the artificially One thing is for sure— the ultimate cruelty is to allow inflated deer population. On a grander level, their Ihe present contrived situation to continue. The deer return could herald a resumption of the saga o f evolu are now grazing even themselves out of existence, tion for the deer of the Highlands: “Wolves were the dragging other species down with them and wrecking most important predator of ungulates [hoofed animals] any chance for the renewal of the Highlands in the across the northern hemisphere and a primary' factor in process. Without predators, “red deer have poor mech ungulate evolution",'4 Toffs with guns, and their lack anisms of population control and numbers become out eys, have allegedly tried to step into the shoes—or of balance with their habitat ... they can quickly rather, paws—of wolves in this respect, with the result increase and then damage their habitat, and it is often that Highland deer “art amongst Ihe smallest, feeblest starvation that reduces them in ihe end."’9 The annual specimens in Europe".’' According to Martin Mathers death toll from winter starvation often runs into the of WWK Scotland. "In Latvia ... the presence of thousands. wolves is one of the reasons why the red deer are Some wolf advocates seem to forget that almost one and a half times as big as their Scottish ‘Conservation is 99% politics’—in the case of wolf counterparts”.3'' reintroduciion. “the barriers are sociological, not eco But there is a catch. Because deer numbers are SO logical”.** They seem to lack a readiness to confront high—having "doubled in the past 25 years to almost such ‘sociological barriers', and a political sensibility 300.000 animals*1*7- -and the situation in the forest so which can illuminate the limitless potential for ‘doing urgent, ii is unlikely that wolf predation alone would ihings differently*. Instead of envisaging a righting of make a sufficiently large dent in the problem. While the social ecology, there is an unspoken assumption there are disagreements as to exactly what wolves' that Scotland’s social framework can remain largely impaci might be. one estimate is ihal the 200 wolves unchanged, (‘unamendable in all essentials'>, iind lhat that the Highlands could comfort ably support “might ... kill 4,800 deer annually ... [which] repre sents (only] 1.6% of Ihe present Red deer population”.*8 It is therefore with great reluc tance that 1 say culling might be unavoidable—and that the role of wolves might be to regulate deer numbers after a cull. I invite a debate on this, and any sugges tions as to how to achieve the desired effect—the reduction in numbers that is so desperately needed—without culling. However, the problem has been created and maintained by us {or rather, the landlords)—it is Ihe ’natural' symptom of a social sick ness—and perhaps at this late stage only we are capable of resolving it. Some might argue that it is not so much a ‘technical' solution such as culling that is in order bui a direct attack on the 'social sick ness*—dismantling the great land holdings that exercise such a "Doing things differently"-a forest economy for the Highlands? 39 Do or Die-Voices from EaMh Firsl! No.6 wolves can simply be inserted— 'shrunk to fit’— into this these tell us that people have no inescapable need of framework that has brought Scotland to its knees. money and jobs if they are to provide for themselves— Hence respected biologist Derek Yalden's proposal to just the land and each other. establish an experimental wolf population on the Isle of It must however be acknowledged that not all of the Rhum. now a wholly-owned nature reserve and 'living “sociological barriers" to wolf reiniroduciion originate in laboratory’. Wolves must be segregated onto Rhum the entrenched interests of the large landowners. Hard- because of the threat they pose to a perceived ‘human pressed small farmers are understandably apprehensive interest' on the mainland. Pandering lo this interest, as about ihe likely impact of wolves upon their livestock— Yalden’s proposal does, could mean sacrificing Rhum’s since sheep “contribute to the livelihood of 55% of farm environmental interest, and even the study's supposed ers in the central Highlands ... |and| 15% in the Islands 'raison d’etre', the wolves themselves. Rhum is home to and the far North and West.’’43 Perhaps because of this 130.000 ground-nesting Manx Shearwaters, which, reliance upon sheep. "The Scottish Crofter’s Union will together with colonies on Skomer and Skokholm, make oppose any official proposal [to reintroduce wolves to up nearly 70%> of the entire European population.41 the Scottish mainland] vigorously”.*4 It is essential to “Manx" Shearwaters are now almost unheard of on ihe avoid a repetition of experiences in Sweden and the US. Isle of Man after rats decimated a huge colony there in where the hostility of local people towards wolves has the late 18th century—wolves would have a similarly culminated in a murderous 'direct action' campaign catastrophic impact on Rhum. Yalden seems to have an against them. In Sweden in the 1980s. this resulted in the equally cavalier attitude towards the likely fate of the near eradication of (he first population of wolves to breed wolves: “computer simulations suggest ... that wolves outside the Arctic Circle in almost a century.45 While would wipe out (he deer [on Rhum| and then die out. I do there arc no easy answers here, what can be done to not believe this myself but there is only one way to find address the legitimate concerns of the small sheep farm out—try it."« ers? Such rcintroduction proposals are jeopardised by their To begin with, there is some dispute as to the likelihood failure lo acknowledge the social dimension—the possi of wolves attacking livestock in the first place. bility, let alone the desirability, of real, comprehensive According to Roger Panaman of the Highland Wolf social change. The old 'Jobs versus the Environment’ Fund, they “have been observed in North America to debate epitomises this failure. While the phrase itself is walk right through herds of cattle w ithout taking notice an accurate description of the situation—wage labour's of them and go for wild prey instead. Biologists have alienated economy IS incompatible with life— many tried to explain this: presumably the parents pass on their environmentalists choose to interpret il differently. hunting ways to their young and if the parents hunt wild Rather than challenging the assumption that ‘jobs’ are prey their young leant this habit"4® the one true expression of ihe ‘human interest', they Livestock predation is insignificant in America, but is earnestly affirm that yes. there ARE jobs ‘in the environ far more severe in Italy. Spain and Portugal, the only ment’. and if only the policy-makers would take their countries in Western Europe that still harbour wolf pop blueprints for a sustainable economy on board, we could ulations. However, (with the possible exception of reconcile the irreconcilable (cf. “Working Future—Jobs Spain), this may well be because "nearly all large wild and the Environment", Tim Jenkins & Duncan McLaren. herbivores were killed off last century when forests were Friends of the Earth November 1995.) Hence it seems cleared for agriculture",47 thereby forcing the wolves into that reintroduction of wolves, or the refor estation of the the sheep pens. Obviously there is no such shortage of Highlands, can often only be justified if there are jobs— wild prey in the Highlands. or some other orthodox economic benefit—lobe had. not According to some sources. "Predators generally have because they replenish nature's ‘capital’. Wolves have no effect on livestock industries”,** although others—eg. been hailed as a source of eco-tourist revenue: apparent Aubrey Manning4® and wolf opponent Michael ly they must ‘pay their way'—but why should ANY MacNally*1—strongly disagree. SO ihe true picture THING (humanity included) have to pay its way? Look remains unclear. at the evidence: whether from other cultures (eg.the To return to the wider context in which today’s sheep indigenous groups beloved of the green movement), or in fanning takes place, sheep played a very minor pan in the millions of every day transactions in our own society the original culture of the Highlands. Their widespread in which money has no place, or the voluntary labour use today is largely a colonial innovation—in a sense, upon which the big green organisations themselves like crofts, they are crumbs from the colonialist table. absolutely depend, or just plain common sense. All of Dependence on them is an adaptation to the ravaged Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 40 landscape thai is the legacy of deforestation-—a land from that tradition, whilst recognising that the sort of scape lhat has become lit for nothing but sheep'. ‘social ecology' we aspire to has no exact precedent. The Highland economy must be weaned off such a The Highlands are indeed at the Crossroads, as are we dependence. Ihe real ihreal to hill farmers comes not all. Whether to march blindly on to the ‘beginning of the from wolves, but from ecological instability— the sad end', throttled by landlord and sheep and deer, or lo truth is that today's deforested, exposed and overgrazed choose a less familiar course: into the country of the wolf landscape is less and less able to support even sheep. Hill and the beaver and the young Scots pine, of autonomous farming, as practised now, is a relatively unprtHiuclive. communities re-embedded in a resurgent nature— the highly inefficient and increasingly tenuous land use. end of the beginning’— taking back our planet. "Each sheep needs about two hectares of land on which Ih e stirrings of such new life can already be found. to graze".51 and half of the estimated two million upland Prank Fraser Darling conjured up a lyrical vision of “a lambs lost each year die from exposure— which helps to forest country, a regenerating sylvan continuum which explain why the "Lambing percentage in many areas is will be an abiding wealth".** Bernard Planterose has now as low as 50%".® added loving practical substance to this vision, with the More recent figures suggest an even higher toll, with concept of a "forest matrix: an all-embracing web or net "up to four million lambs (dying] annually, mainly work of forests, woods and shelterbelts within w hich lie because of poor husbandry”.w This cycle must be bro sheltered areas of agriculture and horticulture. A forest of ken—and compared to this, any danger from wolf preda intricate design utilising natural regeneration, shelter- tion pales into insignificance, wood and small coupe felling, multi-layered forest farm Sheep need not be purged from the Highlands— ing, novel and ancient forest and agro-forestry sys Bernard Planlerose. in the hugely inspiring “Rural tems’’.^ Vandana Shiva's experiences in India anticipate Manifesto for the Highlands**, hints at ways in which the close intermingling of social forms and natural less might be more’, and sheep farming restored to a processes which would be required—in a “community more secure footing. Confining the sheep to smaller pas forestry I which] is not a technology: it is a process of tures instead of the vast ranges utilised today, more inten social change that requires the continuous participation sive management, integrating farming into an ‘agro- of whole communities in planning and problem solv forestry’ system—all could allow the sheep to take ing”.*8 She adds a cautionary note: "such a process of advantage of the milder micro-climate and increased soil cooperative behavioural change, never easy to bring fertility of a forest, meaning fewer deaths from exposure about anyway, is especially unlikely where grossly and higher productivity, on a fraction of the land area*-1 unequal land tenure and marketing systems ensure thai a The bulk of the land is thus freed up for other purposes. powerful minority will capture nearly all the benefits of The more robust and diverse community engendered by any economic gains."'1' the ‘wood economy’ Planterose envisages would be a far The spirit behind such thinking is already being trans cry from the unviable. subsidy-dependent sheep econo lated into action— albeit in an as yet embryonic form— my of today. It would also be able lo absorb any ‘wolf in a variety of exemplary projects. Some examples: in the damage’ far more easily and painlessly. Perhaps there work of Trees for Life, and the countless other reforesta fore the hysteria that greets talk of wolves can be seen tion efforts springing up all over Scotland. On the isle of partly as blaming an animal for what is really a social Eigg. in the inexplicable (but hilarious) ‘spontaneous shortfall—another example of the syndrome of predator combustion' of landlord Keith Schellenberg's Rolls paranoia*" Royce. and the community's determined struggle to buy However, there is one hitch. Even if the forest bounces the island for themselves. In the sinking of the half-mil back with great vigour once grazing pressure has been lion pound yacht of Sheikh Maktoum (ruler of Dubai and relieved, the benefits—eg. increased security—of the owner of 60.000 acres in Wester Ross), after he bull wood economy may take some time to truly make them dozed much needed housing in 1993. (Unfortunately, selves felt. How would wolves fit in with hill farming in two people an: doing time for this—their case seems to this transitional period? be little known—more information would be appreciat Many questions remain unresolved, but the broad ed. and solidarity invaluable.) Finally, there is the suc direction is dear—the necessity of a 'new settlement cessful buy-out by the West Assynt Crofter's Trust in w ith nature’, and of empowered human beings no longer 1993—they are now communally governed, and plan alienated from themselves, one another and the land. The ning ecological restoration. Many believe thai this will goal is not to resurrect some distorted, rose-tinted version come to be seen as THE turning point in (he history of of the pre-colonial past—but rather to take what is best the Highlands. Let us hope so. and let us make it so. 41 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Contacts: 5, Scottish Natural Heritage -Research and Advisory' 1. Reforesting Scotland -21 a Coates Crescent, Services Directorate, 2 Anderson Place, Edinburgh Edinburgh EH3 7AF. Tel: 0131-226-2496, E-mail: EH6 5NP. {Carrying out beaver feasibility study— reforscot @ gn.ape.org. World Wide Web: contact them for further information, and to ask http://www.scotweb.co.uk/environnicnt/rieforscot. why they're not doing the same for the wolf, as (Probably the best organisation tackling the twin required by the Habitats Directive.) issues of environmental degradation and land own 6, Pressenman Woods: To the best of my knowledge, ership.) this is the first direct action camp to be set up in 2. Trees For Life -The Park, Find horn Bay. Forres defence of one of the remaining fragments of the 1V36 OTZ. Tel: 01309-691292. E-mail: treesforlife Caledonian forest—and is therefore a really excit @ gn.apc.org. WWW: http://www.gaia.org/trees for ing development. Most of this article has been life. (Have a hand in the regeneration of the forest about restoration—preservation is at least as impor by taking part in one of their work weeks in Glen tant. For more information, ring: 0131 22B 2193 or Affrie!) 01368 R50630, 3. Highland Wolf Fund -8(B) Corrour Road, Aviemore. Inverness-shire PH22 ISS, Tel/fax: Stop Press I: Bad News 01479—811373. (Raising £40.000 fora wolf The Highland Wolf Fund has folded. The centre Environmental Impact Study—Cheques/POs piece of the project w as to have been a Wolf Centre in payable to Carnivore Wildlife Trust.) Invemessshire. to raise money for the project and to 4. Isle Of Eigg Trust -Maggie Fyffe. Trust Secretary. break down the barriers of prejudice surrounding Cruagach. Isle Of Eigg PH42 4RL. (After a succes wolves. Unfortunately, the HWF was unable to obtain sion of hopeless landlords, are trying to buy Eigg land For the Centre- it fell foul o f bad publicity, and of for the people who live on it—send a donation! Scotland's landownership problem: less than 200 peo Cheques payable to The Isle of Eigg Trust.) ple own 95% of Invemessshire. If any readers have any Alan McRae, Chair of the Assynt Crofters’ Trust, celebrates the sale of the North Lothinver Estate to 100 of its tenant crofters in December 1992. This is an historic blow which we have struck for people on the land right throughout the Highlands and Islands” he said. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 42 ideas on how to resucilatc the projcct, sources of fund meddling or restoring biodiversityT', MacDonald el al. ing, or if you happen to ‘own’ any of the remaining Mammal Review Vol.25. No.4 1995. p. 184. and “Gone Swimmingly". Isla Jones. Reforesting Scotland no. 15. 5%, get in touch with the HWF at: 35 Church St, 28. "Reintroducing the European Beaver to Britain ...". Kidlington. Oxford 0X 5 2BA. (Tel: 01865-373241). MacDonald ct al, p. 195. Good News! 29. "A Natural Method of Conserving Biodiversity in Britain". Amazingly, the Eigg residents have finally won their Whitbread & Jcnman. British Wildlife (December 1995?). long battle to buy the island! Hopefully this will mean 30. "Reintroducing the European Beaver to Britain ... ", MacDonald ct al. p. 186. a bright future for them, and a further nail in the coffin 31. Ibid. p. 195. of the large landowners. We wish them luck. 32. Ibid. p. 186. 33. "Place-name evidence for the former distribution and status of References wolves and beavers in Britain", Aybcs & Yalden. Mammal 1. “History of the Scottish Forests". Frank Fraser Darling, in Tree Review Vol. 25. No. 4 (1995). p.2I4. Planter's Guide to the Galaxy no.7. Reforesting Scotland. 34. 'Highland Wolf Fund' leaflet. Carnivore Wildlife Trust 1995. 2. Quo 43 Do or Die-Voices from Eartti First! No.6 The Joys of Travel Industrial tourism-more distance, less difference "Journeys, those m ask caskets full of dreamlike promises, will never again yield up their trea sures untarnished...the first thing we see as we travel around the world is our own filth, thrown into the face of mankind" - Claude Levi-Strauss (1974) It cannot be denied that tourism and travel issues are them in the fields; someone who thought that their way at the heart of a huge amount of environmental destruc of life was different but equal to their own . tion. and that increa.sed travel and communications It is easier to feel empathy when one is humble, and have caused a drastic reduction in cultural diversity . empathy leads to a feeling of fraternity and human However, it must be noted that the human species pos interconnectedness which is both empowering and sesses strong nomadic tendencies, and for this reason it enriching. Western culture has not. however, endowed has dispersed itself across the entire planet . Indeed, us with such a sense of humility: rather, many seem to such tendencies have at one time or another been be under the misapprehension that this culture is some essential to survival: it is therefore perhaps improper to how superior to any others they may encounter . Most condemn ''travel” or “tourism” outright; rather we would dislike being branded as racists, yet this cultur must examine what these two words have come to al fascism is perhaps the strongest possible manifesta mean, whilst also trying to define what we mean by tion of this phenomenon . Its implications are extreme “sustainable travel” (bearing in mind that such phrases ly dangerous; the highly damaging Western way of life are very much abused by those who stand to gain from is being promoted across the planet by those keen to the current socio-economic model) exploit new markets . Other peoples arc being coerced As campaigners, we must look to a situation where into adopting an increasingly centralised economic and “Progress” won’t necessitate yet another runway, social hierarchy which ill-fits their basic needs, in motorway, or other mal-development mobility scheme. which power is transferred from communities to the To do this, we need to understand what processes make Stale or to Multinationals. People are becoming less us want to travel . and less able to determine their destinies. Perhaps we In the words of one activist: “To me. outside the nor in the West would do better to question what is hap mal network of paths I follow to work, live and sleep. pening here at home, and ask who is controlling our 1 want to travel further in order to see, understand and individual destinies, rather than promoting a system learn about something different which I could not fully elsewhere which has consistently failed people and the encounter at home. This process enables me to relate environment . We need to start learning fundamental what I have experienced at home with what goes on truths about what constitutes a good quality of life outside those boundaries, so that I may return with new from other cultures . insights and with the hindsight of seeing home from far By travelling more slowly and deeply we can actual away; from a broader perspective or context.” ly leam something from these cultures and taste the If we accept that it is in our very nature to roam, it fabric of societies that live in different ways, without may well be that people have a need to travel...to go causing damage to them . The people we meet may be on what might be called a "pilgrimage” to places other living in different surroundings, growing different than their home at least a few times in their life. But crops and speaking different languages, but this can be this must be done in a way that does not advance a way of seeing and believing that the world is as large monoculture . Wherever we are travelling, it is the way and beautiful as we might imagine it to be. Indeed it is we travel and the relationships that are formed with the all pan of diversity: we are. after all. living organisms, people we meet along the way which will determine and, as a species, our adaptation through culture has whether the net disturbance we cause is positive or enabled us to live in almost every geographic region, in negative. It should at best leave the people we have vis the past in ways which were most appropriate for meet ited with a sense of pride, satisfaction and empathy; ing our basic needs in harmony with nature . that someone came and visited from afar, lived along To enable us to visualise “sustainable" methods of side them, sang and spoke in their language and helped travel we must ask ourselves why we want to travel so Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 "Look fierce and don't smite for the camera. " Those were the instructions given by this French televi sion crew to Dzu Bushmen living in the Tsodilo Hills, Today few Bushmen, if any, live as simple hunter- gatherers in the manner of their ancestors. Paid to shed their western clothes-and to pretend to stalk the crew’s helieopter-they are being used to perpetuate a commercial fantasy. True diversity perishes when made into a commodity. Tourism is the embalming fluid of culture. far and fast in the first place . People often seem to say ilar, "Progress" is creating a highly unstable, unsatisfy “1 have to fly"; this “fly” can include speeding down ing monoculture of human activity, inappropriately motorways to work or holiday destinations, as well as adapted for local environments and lacking in the catching a plane . The fad iliai we now seem to need diversity we need to experience in order to enrich our to travel further in order to satisfy our wanderlust is consciousness. Those of us who can alTord it have to one of the greatest indicators of the developing global travel thousands of miles to experience what we used monoculture. To understand why this is the case, we to have only a hundred miles away. Cornwall’s lan have to see distance as something you put between guage and culture was finally w iped out just a hundred home and a place which is dill'erent enough to satisfy years ago. We should be helping the people who are your yearning to travel . In this respect it is interesting trying to piece it together again, not supporting the to noticc how much further you will have to travel in global travel industry as it commodifies the few truly 1997 to reach such a distance than in 1897, Cobbet, at distinct cultures and unspoilt destinations that are left. the beginning of the industrial revolution, describes in Unspoilt destinations and distinctive cultures are the his travellings a Britain wonderfully rich in rural diver finite resource of the tourist industry . Independent sity, and with far more people living on the land. travellers and ‘adventurers’ 45 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 ever dwindling number of "unspoilt", "authentic" cul healthy, more invigorated, more awake, more tures. where the cycle will begin once more. Given that alive and happier now that I have given that a whole swathe of the tourism industry known as ‘des machine up. To me, comfort is nice, but on its tination development' is devoted to bringing new loca own. without some discomfort, how can you tions “online”, there is a danger of even those who enjoy it fully? Real progress for me would enable travel well serving as unpaid scouts for these cultural a balance of discomfort and comfort during each stripminers. day; some exercise followed by some rest; some If people aren’t prepared to put some time into a jour challenge followed by achievement; some getting ney, then that journey may not be worth making . If cold and wet followed by getting nice and warm people don't have such time, that is a fault of the cur and cosy.” rent work-ethic, not be a justification for the patterns of "In Ladakh a young villager described himself to consumption and travel in the present day. It is the me as being a part of the village; the village called “work society" which creates the current need to trav Shara-mo. a small village just south of the larger el; to go from 50 weeks of frenetic activity to 2 weeks village of Shara, both lying in a winding valley of enforced “leisure”, inactivity and sun-worshipping. leading down to the Indus river. He identified This ‘segregation of pleasure' is a deeply unhealthy himself in a most wonderful way: both as belong practice. Perhaps it is impossible to have a true holiday ing to the people of the village and wider com in a society where individual lives are circumscribed munity. and to the place; to the fields and houses by work. It is ironic that studies show that the average which he had helped to build, and to the wider holiday, far from providing relaxation, is one of the landscape in which the village nestled: the melt- most stressful experiences people have (it's always water streams and high pastures where nature stressful when you MUST have fun: there won’t be a could be observed as the seasons and years went chance for another year). by. I then tried my best to describe myself to him; Sustainable travel, devoid of commercialism, takes from three cities in the UK. er... four schools, time. It really is. perhaps, pilgrimage. Certainly it is always moving around you see. presently a stu spiritually rewarding; or at least much more so than jet- dent of biology..nature...though I have only ever setting around with no time to see anything in depth. spent one week observing it on a field course, With the above in mind the alternatives to ever-increas don’t know where I'll be next year, no close long ing road, rail and air travel become easier to imagine . term friends because it's so hard to keep in touch In India, for example, pilgrimage is carried out by and so expensive to visit them. I'd like to ask who thousands of people over thousands of miles each leads the most fulfilling life? Who does the World year...sustainably. People set aside time to leave their Bank define as Poor'” communities; a sort of sabbatical, and make their own way lightly, often on foot, staying for a while in com It seems that if we can learn anything from tradition munities along the way to share experiences. This also al ancient cultures, we can learn about fulfilment in life acts as a fine way to convey news of events and with simple things: relationships, places, songs, daily changes. But how to reach a place like India sustain tasks, nature. If we can learn the value of other cultures ably? The mind boggles with opportunities, adventures as case studies in sustainability; in providing basic and possibilities if only we can give each other more needs simply with appropriate technology, then per time to travel. haps we can see how to redefine progress to fit our cul One of the things that most troubles the people of the ture and particular locality in the most appropriate way. West is the notion of a fulfilling life. What is a fulfilling There is never going to be one lifestyle which is sus life? Here are a couple of personal accounts . tainable for the whole world; each region will have its own variations on the theme. “I feel liberated now that I have got rid of my car. Perhaps if we all spent more time and effort trying to OK, I get wet in the rain when cycling past all the make the place we live in more pleasant and habitable cars, and there is a feeling of vulnerability to lor rather than clamouring for more material wealth we ries. but when 1 get home and have a nice cup of wouldn't feel the need to “get away from it all" in the tea I feel more fulfilled than I used to when I trav first place . If we need a holiday (as defined by the elled by car. However, the car was very comfort tourist industry) then there is something wrong with able. was very warm and dry and had nice music. our life. (John Davies, Tarmac's Press Officer, seemed On balance, and after some thought. I feel more to confirm this when he said, with uncharacteristic Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Afi honesty: ‘‘I want to make lots of money so I can have I his article is not suggesting there should not be material possessions and go on holiday to nice places progress, but progress towards w hat? Progress towards of the world—before they arc destroyed by people like cramming even more things into our lives for the sake us. I suppose.” [!] ) It is much harder to accept this and of consuming and experiencing things, or towards do something about it rather than just think it is normal building a considerate society where human activity is . Drastic changes are needed, not only to allow other not to the detriment of the wider natural world or to people to have a chance for future happiness living in other peoples? harmony with nature, but also to free ourselves from A happy and fulfilling life must surely be possible the daily grind of boring pointless work and constant without causing all the death and misery that is so pressure to do things we don't want to do. prevalent in the world . The most disgusting argument Supporters of the status quo suggest that we have no for “progress" is that the billions who we enslave in right to interfere with the supposed “freedom" to trav order to fuel our mad consumption are somehow going el and consume. Many such people even claim that to be worse off if we stop. Perhaps this is more of a their tourism benefits the communities they visit . This threat than a fact. may be due.at least in part, to a latent sense of guilt : they know, albeit rather subcon sciously. that they are part of a damaging phenomenon and feel the need to justify their overconsumption: to shift the blame away from them as an individual . They often like to think they still have a social and environmental conscience, but fail to translate this except in the most superficial manner to their own patterns of living . People caught up in the "work society" are so weighed down by restrictions and obligations in the hulk of their lives that when it comes to their little slice of free dom on holiday, there can be no con straints. Nothing must stand in their way. everything must be laid on. Whilst this is an understandable reaction to having the fetters temporarily removed, it expresses itself as an unwillingness to confront the awkward issue of their social and environ mental responsibility in the dream destina tion. It would mar their temporary utopia— it would be ‘too much like hard work'. But their slice of freedom comes at the expense of others: the freedom of the local people who wait on holiday makers hand and foot, enabling their indolence. Maybe they’ll need a holiday themselves soon.... In these people's eyes, until we find a solution that doesn't inconvenience anyone in the rich world who is living above the poverty line, we must continue turning the world into a monocultural desert dotted with tree farms, superquarries, theme parks, toxic waste, oil slicks and mega- lopolitan prison camps from which we can escape every now and then . 47 Do or Die-Voices Irom Earth First! No.6 Farewell Fairmile Road raging in the South West Fatrmlle Tree houws crwiejMK'i ■ Trolhfltm ■ linked by aen AMercombe Hidden pipe premies aii to tunnel Entrance to tunnel Tunne*s run to a depth of son. Each has a>r supply and ante chambers with food and water. Most have concrete blocks for the protesters < "tunnel rats*) to attach themselves to with chains This interview was done in a park in Brighton, alter this issue], so it probably wouldn't have got much big bribing ihe East Devon EF! activist with a can of lager. ger. Nonetheless it was quick. Everybody thought it would last longer than a day. Allercombe was caught Living the Struggle completely off guard because they came in immediate What was the run up to the Fairmile eviction like? ly after Christmas. That was quite demoralising. As a For a long time, up to the eviction of Fairmile. there result none of us had expected Fairmile to be quite as was a huge amount of disillusionment, both at Fairmile big as it was in the end. and around the country in the movement at large. A loi The second reason for disillusionment was that of us thought that in many ways the eviction was going Fairmile had been around for a very, very long time, to be a flop. This was down to two reasons. Firstly and had in many ways brought into question a lot of what happened at the Allercombe and Trollheim evic what we do. It was the longest community we've had. tions and secondly internal politics at Fairmile. and at no point did anybody ever think that it was Contrary to the media representation of the Trollheim going to be that long. But it meant that, over that two- eviction nobody from Trollheim had actually gone to and-a-half year long period, we had the opportunity to the Newbury Reunion Rally, (one of the first and explore community living in a community of resis biggest actions this year- see the Newbury article in tance. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 At some of the camps, people grew crops on the builders. A lot of people thought that the symbolic rel land they were defending, which then fed them. evance of what they were doing was more important That’s a really strong sense of connection, isn't it. than the actual act of fucking up the roads machine. Definitely. Those gardens weren't as big as they It docs sound as if there was a lot more discussion might have been. The problem with gardening is that than at Twyford, M il, M65 and so on. For all that you need to think in terms of one year, two years: you we talk about being a tribe and so on. we rarely can't build a garden for tomorrow. It was an amazing open up to each other. thing. I wasn’t involved with it. but I got the buzz. I totally agree. At the meetings everyone was listened Herbs from the garden were put in Ihe meal we were to. What they were saying ranged a lot further than eating at the end of the day; it meant that it wasn't just whether we should leave; it was about their perceptions a protest camp, it was a community, functioning as an of why they were there and what they were doing. As experiment, an exploration of alternatives. such, it can only be seen as a positive thing. People got As I was saying before the second reason for disillu a lot out of those meetings. sionment was internal problems. Fairmile developed a A lot of questions were asked. How far would we definite elite, mainly those people that were there most take our resistance? Tunnels are a step on from what of the time, more than I*vc seen at any other camp. we were doing in the trees. The danger of death is there When there were loads of visitors, you would see less up in the trees— we’ve all taken fucking massive life- Fairmile residents about. Most of the residents went up threatening risks—but in a tunnel, if it collapses you’re to their treehouses. or down to the tunnels, which is dead. Simple as that. Have we got a bit of a martyrdom insane. It meant that the people who were there talking complex? to those who had just turned up were the people who Were we doing tunnels primarily to prove to our had less of a connection with Fairmile. who perhaps selves that what we are doing is right? If noi it was had only turned up themselves three days before. So definitely true in relation to the digging of the Fairmile whatever was needed to be said wasn't getting across. trench, which was months and months of blood, sweat There was an attitude at Fairmile. There was a certain and tears. It was something that, at the eviction, only way that things were done. It alienated a hell of a lot of served to keep us out, and didn’t prevent the stale people who would have been part of that campaign. forces from coming in at all. It looked good: ...fort More people were turned away from Fairmile than mentality...but it was quite a major waste of energy became a part of it. Many of those people ended up at carried out by people who felt they had to do it because Allercombe or Trollheim. They were the ones that got they felt they had to do something. There was an fucked off with Fairmile, went to check out the other atmosphere of guilt-tripping, which I actually think places, and fell happier there. As far as I know, no one meant that less stuff got done. Certain people did left Allercombe or Trollheim to move to Fairmile. things and then attacked the majority of the camp for except after those camps were evicted. not doing them, whereas on sites in the past, people Many of the issues brought up were related to peo walked on to site and worked on their own projects. ples’ reasons for being at Fairmile in the first place. At This was very discmpowcring. It was less D 1 Y and a meeting during the autumn, it was suggested that, more Do It Now. when the eviction kicked off. we should all leave. We'd The discussions also brought to light whether we be showing that we were still in control of the situation, wanted to make a symbolic stance which all the group and the camp would then be seen as a statement, a sym were happy with, or whether we were prepared to make bolic act, rather than another sct-piece confrontation compromises that could potentially turn it into a with the state that we've been through many times, mass/larger struggle. The KLF sound system prompted loved and hyped up by the media. a lot of discussion. We could have kicked off a massive The meetings for that lasted for about three days, festival, bringing a lot of people in that wouldn’t oth each about four or five hours long. 1 didn't go to all of erwise have been there, but people agreed that this them, but it was a massive process of discussion and could damage the land, and we morally couldn't do dialogue. And even though the suggestion was one that that. This was opposed to the point of view that we I myself found insulting. I acknowledge that the actual should fuck up the road-building programme at all process of discussion brought a lot of issues to the fore. costs. We had one of the largest sound systems in the For instance it brought into question whether what country parked up on a road-protest site, and never we were engaged in was a symbolic protest, or an really used it to its full potential. attempt to cost large amounts of money to the road 49 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 However its wasn't all black and white. There were The tree eviction was mild. Very little happened. people who came into both categories. Some thought There weren’t many people in the trees. There was still that wc should walk out of Fairmile because it was a a reliance on walkways, which I think was a tactical defensive struggle. They argued that when the stale mistake. We’d learned thal ihe only way we can resist came we should pile onto somewhere else, maybe climbers is en masse, by congregraiing on individual shutting down the present A30, trees and individual places, becausc a climber coming Fairmile had, for two-and-a-half years, been on red vertically up a tree cannot go through four people. But alert. II it had been envisaged as a two-and-a-half year Fairmile was still conducted as a spread-out eviction, project from the very' beginning, then it would have where one person was on one tree, one person on the been a very, very different place from the place it was. next tree, and they pick each person off one-by-one. The Lons awaited A30 evictions Whereas if all those four people had been on ihe same tree, the time delay would have been longer. Can you describe what happened daring (lie evic At Stanw orth [see Did) 5) there were quite a lot of tion? What kind of fitrees were pul up against the ‘tree defence gangs’, weren't there? people in the tunnels, the trees, and what strategies Yes, at Stanworth for the first few days we just spread did you have? ourselves thinly. Then on the Wednesday wc ganged up The start of the eviction was a skillful move on their on four trees. Whereas they'd mowed through most of part. Coming in at 9.30 on a Thursday evening was a ihe valley in ihe days prior to lhat. we stopped them fucking clever tactic. Not lo the extent that it was dead for an entire day on four trees. Thai was a laclic played up in the media, but hippies by and large at that lhat we leamt ihen as a movement, and that we should time on a Thursday evening are in the pub. Though in have carried on. Aiihiwgh people talk about violence fact the majority of people at Fairmile were in and non-violence, it doesn't really need to enter into Fairmile, and weren't in the pub, what is significant Ihe equation; it's just a physical fact that four people on and quite odd was that a lot of ihe people who were in top of you. above you, are fucking difficult for a the pub were the long-term Fairmile residents. climber to remove. The state used tactics they'd developed al One guy was locked on to one of ihe lock-on barrels Newbury—of sending in a snatch squad. Trevor in the trees, the climbers came up and were drilling him Coleman, the Under-Sheriff, described them as “a core oul. they then got down for (heir lunch break. He got of hand-picked men"* They were sent in prior to the out of the lock-on and removed and cut all the climb main eviction force, and crept across the fields behind ing ropes that they’d left up there. He then scaled up to the site, stormed in out of the blue, grabbing all the the lop of ihe tree. The climbers then, a bit pissed off. people they could on the ground. Then the main evic staned the operation again. They chased him all the tion force came in. But despite that, as is always their way to the top of the tree, failed to get him down weakness—and ii is something we really have to work because of the resistance he was offering. Then got at capitalising on—they were crap at throwing up down again. Al which point he ciimbed back down to perimeter cordons rapidly. Once they've got ihem up, the lock-on he’d been in before, and locked himself on. they're in control, hut anybody at Newbury must have So they'd wasted about three hours chasing somebod\ seen the chaos that often ensued when they were trying who, three hours later, was in exactly the same position to move several hundred blokes who obviously didn’t he’d been in before. I thought that was something that really want to be there, around into an orderly line. is worth remembering. Lock-ons don’t necessarily During that period mosi of the people who were in mean you have to be stationary all the lime. He had an the pub actually broke through the cordon and got into opportunity to move, so he did, and he capitalised on it. the site, and got up the trees, so in fact the slate’s What was significant about the tunnel eviction wras advantage was nullified. Then what happened, which that they were incredibly gentle. They were going so was odd, was thal they didn’t do anything for the first softly, so slowly, so over—cautious, ii took them a day- night. That’s something I’ve never seen before. It gave and-a-half to shorc-up to the first door, which is a dif us time to get our act together. It gave us brealhing ference of about six feet. 1 think in the future we have space, because although the eviction was obviously to be aware that if we’re going to use tunnels as a tac kicking off. we weren’t dealing with things happening tic. the state is not going to be anything near as nice. that second, we were able to gel our heads around the It's also worth remembering that most of the people in fact that we were about to enter into protracted evic the tunnel were either tricked out. or after giving them tion. Do or Die-Voices from Eartb First! No. 6 SO the run-around for a long period of time, gave them Partly becausc of the state’s gently-gently policy. They selves up; there was no full-on resistance in the tun didn't steam in like at Trollheim. which the media nels. That's not a comment on the people in the tun almost totally ignored. That was a much more violent nels—it would have been pretty suicidal— but it's eviction. There, they cut all the usual corners they cut something that's likely to happen in the future. when it comes to safety. The tunnels at Trollheim were One of the best things that's happened on cam evicted far more rapidly than the tunnels at Fairmile. paigns in the last year, really during Newbury, was because they just dug people out. They told people that that the eviction climbers were really heavily tar somebody was injured down there, which meant that geted by people in the climbing community. British some unlocked. They pressure-pointed people with climbing magazines were quite openly talking about Maglites. At Fairmile it took them two days to get Chese people, who'd been quite well respected in the through the first door: at Trollheim they just winched community beforehand, as being scabs, and there the door off.This was partly because of the nature of was an article in a leading climbing magazine, call ihe fort, it meant that the media was kept out, and ing for a united front between ecologists and nobody could see what the fuck was going on inside. climbers, a la ‘The Monkey Wrench Gang’, which Do you think then, the kind of barricades you was a novel about a group of highly trained wilder would put up if you were, say, street lighting are not ness types who go out and start smashing things up automatically applicable lo these situations? in quite a serious way. The barricades have both positive and negative Climbers working on evictions were banned from effects, both practically and on peoples' perceptions climbing walls. On at least two occasions physically within them. They created a real feeling of being in a chased ofT crags when out on a climbing holiday. An temporary autonomous zone. When you entered Fort amazing level of politicisation for a scene that, since Trollheim, you entered a fort. As far as I know, before the mid-80's, has become for many a yuppie acces the eviction the state wouldn't set foot in Trollheim. As sory lifestyle. It was one of the major reasons why at Fairmile. if the police turned up looking for a run evictions take as long as they do. because so many away or whatever, they could just be fucked off. The climbers were put off from going anywhere near drawbridge would be pulled up. Someone would come that money. Is that likely to happen to the pot- down and talk to the police: they were there on that holers? side and we were there on our side. Yes—the pot-holers learnt from lhat. All the pot- There were classic moments, like when the bailiffs holers had balaclavas on throughout the entire period. came to put up the eviction notices. Trollheim had this Even while they were doing TV interviews. They were huge ‘‘gunge bucket”; after locking the door and barri live on the Ten-o-clock News wearing a balaclava, cading themselves in—they poured it onto the bailiff— which was quite weird. They obviously were shit half a tonne of sewage. Trollheim was a free area, quite scared that we’d find out who they arc. I suspect that in clearly marked— you cross that line and you left the pot-holing community, as in the climbing commu British state control. If there hadn’t been such a definite nity. there is an a respect for the earth and a connection line, there would have been more of a seeping in of with the issues that we’re fighting for. We need to build capitalist thought. links with the pot holing community. But the negative side of it is that it puts people into a There have been fewer people at evictions recently, defensive mentality. Defending that spot becomes the Fairmile in particular. One of the reasons for that sole purpose of being there. Of the actions that hap that I know, is that people tend to think, “once the pened outside the area of the site in the time I was compound is up. we can't get in". there, only one involved a significant number of people Fairmile proved that was wrong: twelve people man from the site. All the pro-active actions outside were aged to get in on the first night. There were repeated done and even organised by people who'd come from attempts during the eviction to get in, including quite outside. They came down for eviction mornings, and innovative ones. Fishing wire, invisible from the with nothing to do. went off and did an action some ground was strung from inside the compound to trees where. That’s really quite sad. There was one action I outside. People tried to haul a line but were stopped. remember, where nobody from the site was on it. Lots more creativity and thought is needed. which is a shame really, because this was the A30 cam I think that overall the eviction went better than paign. and activists from all over the country were planned. It was almost certainly the fluffiest eviction. coming down and doing their actions for them. That 5! Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 defensive mentality is harmful to the movement. ;ind reviewed. At a critical Lime when media interest was something wc need to move on from. It focu ses you slacking off. putting the tunnelcrs in danger, the into a single space and nor onto the wider struggle. Oil demands got us loads of media interest. You looked at the other hand it's an amazing feeling, I fell it, a feel the demands and just thought. "Well that's pretty fuck ing of connectedness, the place has meaning, has some ing reasonable. They're just asking for a few- bits of sense of realness, you’re defending something, some paper to be made available to the public," But the real actual physical thing, rather than some abstract ity was lhal the DBFO is a cover-up by the state and thought, and that's good. making ihose documents public is something that the The Spectacularisation or Fairmile state wouldn’t be able to do. We asked for them because we knew that they would 1 think its worth nothing that, more than any other n't be able to give them to us. or if ibey did. then it eviction, Fuirmite became a media spectacle, and that would open up a can of worms for the roadbuilding was partly our own creation. Which isn'i necessarily a industry. We knew from day one that they were never bad thing; I’m not a person who hclieves in not talking going to meet the demands. We'd deliberately balanced to the press at all; I just believe that we've got to try them so that they appeared reasonable but in no way and remain in control, and know when to pull out. were actually meetable by the stale. We didn’t ask for We've gained a lot of good publicity, and have, hope a plane to Cuba, but then nor did we give them some fully. changed some consciousness in people. There thing that they could do. like “Don't arrest us” or were national press articles that copied sections of our something like that. press releases verbatim. We were able to say thai the demands were us open Pan of whai we do is try and make an issue which is ing the negotiations, and the state’s response was to cut otherwise boring sexy, make politics real, That’s what our communication lines. We managed to present our has happened, exemplified by the M il. where we selves as the reasonable ones and the stale as being the began to realise and harness the fact that our resistance nutters. We were the ones asking for negotiation, and to the ro ads was graphic, was real, and that people ihey were the ones in balaclavas! could relate to its immediacy. The tunnels were the end It was at this point that the media attempted (quite of that process—the ultimate insane thing lo do. successfully) to turn our struggle to defend life into a On the day we were going to to issue our demands, personality story. They wanted to know the back ihe Under-Sheriff cut ofF our intercom communication grounds of all the people down the tunnels, and all with the tunnel, which the press had been filming and we'd tell them was their names and age. There was using directly; "And now we go to the people down in quite a diverse range of ages there—every thing from the tunnels”. We put out these demands and they just early 40s (John) down to sixteen ( Animal). Which was cut off all the communications! In the end it was prob why we decided to say the ages, because we thought it ably better than if they hadn’t! would shatter that media-generated impression that it The demands were I) All the Design Build Finance was just young activists lhal were doing these things. Operate (state organised private road building) docu In the end they created a situation where millions knew mentation should be made open to public scrutiny; and what colour socks Swampy wore down the tunnels, but 2) All road-building should cease until they'd been not the name of the site the tunnels were in. Tunnel Defence Maoist-style. Circa 1950. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 52 Supporting Prisoners and anyone watching the news, was aware that there were people inside. The windows of the prison getting Most people don't realise how ninny of us go to broken from the outside was front-page news in the prison on quite a regular basis. It’s not news. A local paper. It highlighted why they were inside: they’d large proportion or activists in our movement have been found guilty because the state hud ordered them now been to prison quite often, for varying small to slay out of a twelve-mile long, one-mile wide sec sentences, sonic for up to three or four months tion of Devon, and they'd ignored the exclusion zone. (some longer), and it’s just never noticed. I think a loi of people can connect w ith the insanity of In the end. four people were remanded to prison, and being told lhat you can’t walk on a particular hit of two of them then went on hunger strike, resulting in land, for a crime you may or may not have committed. quite extensive publicity after the eviction. The only problem was that the asylum seekers were on hunger Support for those arrested has been one of our strike eii the same time, and there obviously was a seri weaknesses across the country. ous difference in scale between us and the asylum The system lhat w-e'd set up is one thai could be used seekers. There was a feeling on our part that we didn't elsewhere: there was one person who coordinated just warn to detract from their struggle and their hunger prison support, and nothing else. She had her own strike, which was a lot more immediate, because they phone on a differeni number, nothing to do with the were people th:ii would be killed if they were sent back main office. 'Illat phone number was given out on to their country. arrest cards. She built up a liason w ith custody officers, managing to gel round the usual problem where they Usually when people go to prison they get a Tew let don’t talk to you because you’re not someone's rela ters, a few books and that’s about it. But there were tive. She was able to coordinate sorting out bail a few pickets uutside prison weren't there? addresses, getting vehicles to people when they were The picket started off as a candlelit vigil, and pro coming out, gelling food, baccy etc. gressed into a lirv show every evening ouiside the Prison support is good for those doing Ihe support as prison. Loads of really creative stuff happened there, well as for those supported. It allowred people wilh jobs smashing the doors, people attempting to scale the side and so on lhat weren’t able to be on ihe siie lo still be of the prison building, windows gening broken. Our a part of things. Ii gave local people a role that was far fireshow w'as not jusl for the activists inside but for all less conciliatory to the state than ‘legal observe ring'. the prisoners. Legal observers were trying to create this false illusion We were ouiside the prison wall, and all throughout that they were in some way impartial, when it was bla Ihe night they were shouting out for us lo make more tantly obvious lhat they were local supporters. Bui noise. People were scaling the trees opposite the prison support was a bit more overt in bringing these prison, so they could be seen directly by the people people into a part of our struggle. Every time one of inside. The imprisoned activists, said Lhat after the one these people weni to the nick to pick someone up. night when it really went absolutely mad out there, ihey'd bear that person’s first-hand story of wrhy they’d they suddenly had a level of solidarity and understand been nicked and wrhal ihey’d done to warrant that ing from the other prisoners that hadn't existed before. arrest. And that’s obviously a g 53 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Mutant Red Herrings? Why labelling of genetically modified food is pointless ?srih - :■ -■ . - - ■ ... f Genetic Engineering is one of the most terrifying technological developments of the 20th century. We are now tampering with nature on the very smallest, molecular level, and we have no clear idea of what the consequences might be. The subject is not an easy one for the uninitiated to get to grips with, and the jargon associated with it seems almost designed to alienate people. However, it is vital that we make the effort to understand the full risks involved in this technolo gy, in order to realise the urgent need for direct action to stop it. A long time ago. manufacturers were forced by law The tactics we are using at present are based on the lo add vitamins and minerals to product* that had been assumption lhat ihe Jaw is sufficient to protect us. yet impoverished by the processing they were subjected lo an increasing number of dangerous mutated organisms (for example, margerine and com (lakes), In spile of (lie are being released every month all over the world. On fact thal the addition of a few artificial vitamins is no the rare occasions that biotech corporations do actual substitute for gtnxl fresh food, these products are now ly encounter legal difficulties they cheat, lie and bribe presented as ’fortified with vitamins and minerals' as if their way amund them, and use force to get their prod it was an improvement. ucts into the marketplace. Where they meet physical There are no limits to ihe dishonesty of the food adul opposition (for example, from Greenpeace-one of the teration industry (see die Monsanto story below), and very fewr organisations actually campaigning for a given lime the obstacle of mandatory labelling of ban), they use the violence of the state lo overcome It. groo's will be similarly overcome. Whai appears below' is not speculation to be argued It seems that the main (perhaps the only) thrust of ihe about politely w ith the representatives of corporations, current campaign about Genetically Modified but things that have actually happened. Organisms (GMOs) is about if and how they should be GMOs cannot he kept apart from their labelled. There was a time, not so long ago. when ihe debate was over whether or not any such organisms wild and cultivated relatives should be released into ihe environment at all. Transfer of (iene to Non-Gmo Crops Whilst this debate was still going on, the biotech cor Field tests with genetically engineered potatoes have porations look illegal direcl action and started field tri demonstrated both the high frequency and wide range als without even the permission of their regulatory of gene flow. When normal potato planis wrere planted poodles—the government bodies set up (ostensibly) to at distances of up to 1100 metres from modified pota consider ihe dangers involved and make decisions on toes. and the seeds of the normal potatoes were col our behalf. lected afterwards, 72% of the planis in ihe immediate The evidence presented below show* lhat GMOs neighbourhood of the transgenic (gmo) potatoes con have crossed and will continue to cross with non-gm tained the transferred gene. At greater distances an crops and their wild relatives. This wilt make it impos almost constant 35% of seeds contained the transgcnc.1 sible to have any foods that are free of ihe modified Scientists at the Scottish Crop Research Institute genes, and any of the other dangerous bils and pieces have shown thal much more pollen escapes from large that have been inserted into the organisms. fields of genetically engineered oilseed rape lhan was Other evidence shows that the vectors used to insert predicted from earlier experiments on smaller plots. the new DNA are themselves dangerous. This means They found lhat escaping pollen fertilised plants up to lhat the whole process must he slopped uniil such time 3,5 kilometres away.- as ihe scientists themselves (free of the constraints Transfer Via Human Systems imposed on them by greedy self-interested corpora Crop seeds travel hundreds of kilometres between tions) can prove conclusively that they have reached seed merchant, farmer and processing factory, there the level of expertise and knowledge that would guar fore spillage in iranspon is inevitable, and could be antee safety. more worrying than the threat of pollen spread,1 Do or Die-Votoes Irom Earth First! No.6 54 Transfer «if Foreign Gone to Micro-Organism it to a subsiance that was highly toxic to fungi. These It was reported in 1994 that gene transfer tan occur fungi - essential for soil fertility and in protecting from plants to micro-organisms. Genetically engi plants against diseases - were therefore destroyed.6 neered oilseed rape, black mustard, thorn-apple and The toxin-producing gene of the bacterium Bacillus sweet pens all containing an antibiotic-resistance gene thurigiensis is commonly engineered into crops to pro were grown together with the Fungus Aspergillus nigcr vide them with a built-in insecticide. However, the or their leaves were added to the soil. The fungus was toxin produced is known to resist degradation by bind shown to have incorporated ihe antibiotic-resistance ing itself to small soil particles wrhilst continuing its gene in all of these co-culture experiments.4 It is worth toxic activity. The long term impact of this toxin on noting that microorganisms can transfer genes through soil organisms and soil fertility is unknown.7 In spite of several mechanisms to other unrelated micro-organ !his, industry scientists assumed that the release of isms. genetically engineered biological pesticides was safe, believing that naturally occurring biological pesticides Unexpected Effects were not capable of long-term survival in the wild. A common harmless variety of a bacterium Dutch studies now reveal that the popular biological Klebsiella pi anticola, which inhabits the root-zone of pesticide Bacillus tliuringiensis (Bi) does not die with plants, had been genetically engineered to transform in a few days, but can remain active a year or more. Bi plant residues like leaves into ethanol for use as a fuel. spores were found to thrive in both dead and living The genetically engineered bacteria not only survived insects. “There are no previous examples of the spores and competed successfully with their parent strain in reproducing in living organisms." Dutch researchers differenl soil types, it proved unexpectedly to inhibit marveled.* grow th or kill off gravs in the different soil types test ed. In sandy soil, most of the grasses died from alcohol Dangers Inherent in the Process Itself poisoning. In all soil types the population of beneficial The Lise of Cauliflower Mosaic Virus soil fungi decreased. These fungi are crucial for plant "Essentially, all of the crops released after genetic health and growth as they help plants to take up nutri engineering use Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV) ents and to resist common diseases. In clay soil, the genes as switches to turn on the foreign genes that have genetically engineered bacteria also caused an increase been introduced into the crops, to make them in the number of root-feeding worms, with consequent patentable and ready for market. CaMV is a pararetro- damage to plants.-' virus related to Hepatitis B virus in humans. CaMV is The bacterium Pseudomonas putida was genetically used even though experiments show- that virus genes in engineered to degrade the herbicide 2.4-D. The engi crop plants recombine with invading viruses to make neered bacteria broke down the herbicide but degraded new strong virus strains. The danger from CaMV ):■. that it will create newer stronger plant viruses. It isn’t out of the question that CaMV will recombine with Hepatitis B to make a virus tlial lives in both plants and animals. Such a natural transmission is seri ously discussed for the scary virus. Ebola* When CaMV is used on crops it is present in every cell, thus the number of gene copies in die crop far outnumbers the genes in the environment as virus. There is a fundamental genetic law in recombination that says “too many genes mixed together are bound to produce bad news"? 55 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 In uddiiion to ihe dangerous nature of ihe muiuni solutions to the horrendous problems we face. The ‘foods', there have been numerous instances which biotech corporations are waging a war against life and show lhat the regulatory bodies are either loo unin uguinsi human freedom. We must overcome our fear formed or loo corrupted by corporate influence lo make and defend ourselves using tactics appropriate to the sensible decisions. Even if the authorities were iicling situation which we now find ourselves in. As Tolstoy on our behalf, the corporations ignore the law and go once said: "You may not be interested in war, but war ahead with their unmandated agenda regardless. is very interested in you." As Bill Mollison said; "the time for evidence is over, References there is only lime for action", or in the more eloquent 1. Skogsmyr I (1994) Gene dispersal from transgenic potatoes words of Kant: “It is often necessary to take a decision to ConspeciltCv A held trial. Thcor. Appl. < ienei 8Sr 770-774 on the basis of knowledge sufficient for action, but 2 . Timnnms AM. O'Brien ItT. Charter'. YM & Wilkinson \IJ insufficient to satisfy the intellect." In this case we may (1994) Aspects of environmental risk assessment fur even have the latter. geneiicallv modified plants with special reference 10 If we campaign wholeheartedly for a ban we are 011 oilseed rape. Scottish Crop Research Institute, Annual solid scientific ground. We can appeal directly to peo Report 1994. SCRI, Invergowrte. Dundee. Scotland. ple to help, and show them why it is important- The 3. Crawley M (1996) ‘The day of the triffids’. New Scientist f> July pp 40-41 -this was further refercnccd. campaign for labelling is making the issue of a life- 4. Hoffmann T. Gol / C & Schietler (1 (1994 1 Foreign DNA threatening technology appear to be merely an issue of sequences are received hy a wild-type strain of Aspergillus civil rights. This is not an issue that can be resolved niger after co-culture wilh transgenic higher plants. Curr. through the mechanisms of the market, or ‘consumer Genet. 27: 7(t-76. choice’ - and food is only one of the many applications 5. Holmes T M &. Ingham 1; K (1995) The effects of gcneii- of biotechnology, most of which have so far been over cally engineered microorganism.', on soil foodwehs. in looked. This is playing right into the hands of the “Supplement to Hullelin of Ecological Society of America 7 5/2 biotech corporations. We need a debate about how to 6. Doyle JD, Siniifky G. McClung G &. Hendricks C W slop ihem, not about how to allow them (o carry on. 11995) effects of Genetically Engineered Microorganisms No-one has the right to choose something that ihreat- on Microbial Populations and Processes in Natural ens the lives of others; that endangers the current life Habiiais, Advances in Applied Microbiology, Vol. 4t) of this planet. (Academic Press). These new organisms must be stopped. The democ 7. Summarised in Doyle et ;d., 1995. ratic process is being subverted by powerful corpora H. Earth Island Journal. Dec 199ft. 9. Personal communication. Professor Joe Cummins, tions who are taking direct action with mandate. 110 Emeritus Professor of Genetics. 738 Wilkins Street, How should we react? There is a fundamental right to London. Ontario. Canada N Since the first in the field planting in 1990 of geneti cally modified organisms, Germany has seen many ir's actions against the 'freiset/ung', or open air planting of gmo's. There are so tar over 40 sites where gmo's have been planted in the open air, and crops include pota toes, maize, petunias and a species of tree. Groups MAKt IT from all around the country—-mainly ‘normal people' A a . v t s r from ‘normal backgrounds' have taken action again si R e s >i T A " ' T / the multinationals. Almost in every case the g.m.o’s have been planted in areas far from roads—to protect the fields from an angry public perhaps? But this has not stopped the growing movement against gene technology in both its theory and practice. This article will concentrate on actions against the latter— its practice; and in Germany thal has meant the squatting of Helds due for planting of gmo's, the destruction of crops und the disruption of the sowing of gmo seeds. This has finally happened after four years of campaigning in—according to the government—the ‘legitimate form of protest’ ie the most ineffective. Many of ihe lields themselves have now been squatted, “wagenburgen”, protest camps ed with gmo seeds are now under permanent police made up usually of a small number of wagons—nor protection—simply because of the threat of occupation mally used by road workers, have been set up and con or destruction. At the same time at least three Helds tinually occupied by small groups of dedicated cam were not sown last year through the actions of local paigners. people against them, these were in Grapsow, Stelten The idea of squatting the lields is simple—gel there and Bansleben—all were due to be planted with before the seeds arc sown in Spring and stay there Monsanto owned herbicidc resistant Sugar beet. until I it is too late in the year tor planting. Windy Nights und Crop Circles: Every year for the last three years, lields made ready for the planting of gmo's have been squatted or occu Actions in k96. pied. This has led to much controversy (at least from Last year was definitely the most active year so far in right wing newspapers). At the same time it has the short but active campaign against gmo's in reeieved widespread support from local villagers who Germany. Wippingen, South Germany was the site of supply the camps with food arid any other materials protests against the planting of AgrEvo’s beloved thal they can—valuable support, as these camps are Mai/e— -this company has been badly hit by squatted often located far away from any such sen ices. Locals fields and its now infamous crop of Maize has faced also provide backup support by informing ihe press many alleged cases of crop desimciion. AgrEvo were and other groups of the latest news from each of the taken to the local courts in an attempt by locals to stop camps. the planting. The company unfortunately won iheir At ihe same time, many Helds of gm o's have been case and planting began in May. This did not slop pro severely damaged—at least 12 lields were destroyed in testors from hailing Ihe planting and only two thirds of 1996 alone. These have included Helds of monsanto the field could be sown. Possibly even more interesting owned maize, and gmo potatoes. These actions have was the strange affect on the local climate lhat the now led lo ihe situation lhai al least three fields plant- planting of gmo’s has had in many parts of Germany— 5? Do or Die-Voices from Earth Firsl! No.6 effects lhal could only be described as ‘destructive planted arc now under police guard—as in Uffenheini. wind patterns'. This musi surely be linked to the plant One field is squatted here as well, hut areas of crops ing of gmo’s as the wind patterns have only occured that have already been sown with seeds are now under amongst gmo crops—other crops nearby have in evey police protection—Visitors are especially welcome! ease been left undamaged— □o or Dle-Vbices from Earth First! No.6 Howzat! Mutant Potatoes all out in first UK field action In what was Britain's lirsi action on a GM-Tesl sile. nents to our diet and nobody knows fully how this will ihe Super Heroes Againsi Genelix First XI donned affect our health in the short and long term. Engineered iheir outfits yet again in their ongoing tour against the grains and vegetables can trigger allergic reactions and combined Pro-Genciix team. The game was played out cause toxic poisoning. Crops and weeds resistant to on a potato test lield site just outside Cambridge on weed-killers will increase the use of toxic chemicals, Sunday (8th June 1997). Due to the nature of a some the residues of which will accumulate in our food. what muddy and slicky-wickei—potatoes replaced the But more specifically these potatoes contain an traditional red ball- Fielders had a difficult time of it— antibiotic resistance gene, ll is because of ihe antibiot most of the batting resulted in the ’balls" being ic resistance which Ciba Geigy’s (now Novatis) Bi smashed to pieces or else being lost amongst upturned Maize contains, thal no country in ihe EU supports the soil.The entire crop of the test site was destroyed. importation or growing of the Bt maize and some are The successful action is seen as the first in a whole actively opposing it (Austria. Luxembourg. Italy and string of actions against such sites in Britain—whilst France). It is ridiculous that these crops are being similar actions have been ongoing in Europe for some planted in lest silcs all round the country when there is lime this is the first such action in Britain and marks a still so much concern about their safely," further development in the campaign against GM pro Gene Diva meanwhile said of tesl sites: "Growing duce. genetically manipulated crops releases genetic pollu A spokesperson for the Super Heroes—Captain tion into the wild. Ihe genetically manipulated plants Chromosone—said: "The Test Match proved a huge eould cross breed with wild relatives, and so pass on success if somewhat one-sided—we fielded a team of some of iheir new characteristics. Once this has hap some thirty Super Heroes whilst the Cambridge team pened. it will be impossible lo control or stop. That is didn't even show up. It simply isn't cricket." why we felt we had to take action against ihese dan When contacted about the action Norman Killiam gerous test-siies now—before they have had a chance (Development Director at PBl Cambridge) was initial to establish themselves in our food-chain.‘* ly stumped by the scoreline: "This comes as a complete For further information concerning ihe dangers of surprise lo me— I don't see how this is possible.” On genetic engineering contact: checking the site on Monday morning. Mr Killiam pre Earth First! (Manchester): 0161 224 4846 dictably denied that the destroyed potatoes had been Greenpeace UK: 0171 865 8100 Test Tube Harvest Genetically Manipulated but said instead that the pola- Campaign al WEN: 87 Worship Streel, London EC2A loes had been “normal". The use of the word “normal” 2BE or For the lalosl updates in the world of Genetics of course begs ihe question do PBl themselves consid get on the mailing list for the new Genctic Engineering er GM-potatoes to be abnormal? Network Newsletter by emailing [email protected] (if Splice Grrrl commented after the match lhat: you aren’t one of the chosen ones with all ihe comput “Genetic engineering adds completely newr compo er shit, don’t worry, it isn’t all it’s cracked up lo be.) Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Sweet Death Monsanto poisons the world for profit Nutrasweet (aspartame) is an artificial sweetener “If Weldon gets the appointment Monsanto will have added to over 9,0(X) products worldwide. It is manu its former Vice President empowered to bless dozens factured by Monsanto (now famous for its mutant of new Monsanto bioengineered chemicals and sweet soya) and contains a product of genetic engineering. eners. NutraSweet 2000 is slated for approval in 1998 Originally classified by the US Food and Drug according to the Chemical & Engineering News Administration (FDA) as a neurotoxin (nerve agent), (21/4/97). “These job swaps by FDA officials are a this chemical was developed as a chemical warfare well oiled revolving door lhat doesn't even squeak, it weapon. just stinks", says Betty Martini, founder of Mission Monsanto, like all corporations, need to be able to Possible. "Think of the FDA as Monsanto's pateni something before they market it. Sugar is no Washington branch office.” good as anyone can produce it. Aspartame happened to Monsanto researcher Margarei Milter who worked taste sweet, and was already patented. on the bovine growth hormone irBST), transferred lo None of the regulatory bodies ever performed any FDA and got the job of reviewing her own research. research on aspartame. I hey simply rubbers lamped a Miller increased the antibiotic protocol for milk to per political approval of aspartame by the FDA. All FDA mit an increase of 10,000 percent. Cows treated wilh team leaders reviewing the pre-approval studies put rBST require more antibiotics because of rampant ihem in the category of ‘"abysmal” and many suggest udder infections. Monsanto attorney Michael Taylor ed they were fradulent. (An interesting point to note on was hired to an FDA post w here he could oversee the this subject is that Industrial Biotesl Laboratories - the approval process. Martini calls these events “The American company lhat did 11 out of the 19 chronic Monsanto march on Washington," toxicology studies on Monsanto's glyphosphate (i.e. ***tn 1977 Justice Department attorneys Sam Roundup) - was denounced by the American Skinner and William Conlon were assigned to prose Environmental Protection Agency in 1983 for “serious cute Searle for submitting fraudulent tests on deficiencies and improprieties". These included NutraSweet. They switched sides to join the defense “countless deaths of rats and mice that were not report lawyers and the case died when the statute of limita ed", “fabricated data tables" and “routine falsification tions expired. On 2/7/86 the Wall Street Journal report of data”. ed the probe of these two ex-U,S. Prosecutors by Perhaps the nicest example of their efforts comes in Senate investigators, a quote from an EPA report: "It is also somewhat ***Former FDA Commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes difficult not to doubt the scientific integrity of a study who approved NutraSweet and ignored the contrary' when the IBT stated that i( look specimens from the recommendations of his own Task Force became a uteri of male rabbits for examination" In spite of all consultant lo Searle s public relations firm, Hurston ihis. Roundup is in widespread use worldwide and Marstcller. Hayes was being investigated for accepting fully approved by the FDA.) gratuities when lie quit. Dr. Virginia Weldon. VP for Public Policy at David Kessler, the FDA Commissioner who recently Monsanto Chemical is a "top candidate*’ lo become retired when questioned for padding his expense Commissioner of the FDA, reported the St. Louis Post account, gave blanket approval to NutraSweet even Dispatch Tuesday. May 20 1997, FDA approved though it has an allowable daily intake, without public Monsanto's NutraSweet, Equal and the bovine growih notification in June. He has protected Monsanto by hormone Posilac. which are under mounting interna ignoring ihe FDA register of 10,000 complaints and tional medical and consumer criticism as toxic sub their published lisi of 92 reactions lo aspartame, from stances, NutraSweet and Equal are Monsanto brands of coma and blindness to seizures and death. ihe neurotoxin aspartame. The original developer of Kessler consistently protected Monsanto by refusing NutraSweet was Searle which was acquired by to require chemical breakdown tests of the drug. An 11 Monsanto in 1985. year old, Jennifer Cohen, outclassed the highly paid Do or Die-Voices from Earlh First! No,6 W FDA scientLsis in an experiment for a school science monkeys. One died. Mrs. Martini says: "1 fail to see projcct I. She stored cans of Diet Coke in a refriger how grand mal seizures prove safety! The FDA report ator for 10 weeks. They broke down and released of symptoms list 4 different types of seizures in the formaldehyde and diketopipcrazine, a brain tumor public.'' Acting FDA Commissioner Michael Friedman agent. According to the Food Chemical News the FDA has ignored the demand. said ihey knew it all along. James Turner, Washington based attorney, explained Mission Possible has demanded FDA recall of aspar on 60 Minutes that the original studies on aspartame tame on the basis that a pivotal study of aspartame, SC never proved safety and were not replicated. The late 18862. produced grand mal seizures in 6 of 7 infant FDA toxicologist. Dr. Adrian Gross, told Congress that aspartame violated the Delaney Amendment because it triggered brain tumors, astrocy tomas (first stage of the deadly glioblastoma now said to be rampant T E R R O R T O R y in the population). The Bresslcr Report exposed mammary, uterine and ovarian tumors. Rats listed as dead appeared alive WE THE later in the report! Dr, Virginia Weldon HVM/t/0/P VJiTX V £ V ) D U S > is a pediatrician, and W X t r ^ , A B L Z T a CJfCATf INTRICATE MXT BK Pediatric Professor. Dr. Louis Elsas testified PAV A & £ tJeSTg\l£Tll/S. )J£ WMf* W I5JV before Congress in T H E AIR TVj F £ E O C L D V a S 1987 that aspartame is a neurotoxin and terato t F M l ? raw. We p*Kte Atim t s r ^ a e s gen ((riggers birth INTO EXTINCTION AS U£ SPKefr OWR defects!). If she becomes the new FDA K Contact: Betty Martini, Mission Possible 5950-M State Bridge Rd. Suite 215 Duluth. GA 30155 USA. for even more information, or if you would like to help stop Aspartame. 61 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No,6 Victory at Off ham! What... you mean we won? A strange thing happened lo us in April—wc set up up the land to plant fibre flax, for which he would get camp to defend a piece of land and won. Winning £591.16 a hectare. As if this wasn’t bad enough, he rather surprised us. we'd been kind of looking forward would he being paid as a result of the Common to a nice summer in the sun! Agricultural Policy to plant a crop of which there is Offham Valley lies near Lewes in the eastern portion already a glut. On such agriculturally marginal land the of the South Downs. A small and beautiful valley, ii crop would have been low and he'd probably have consists of a mix of species rich downland, woodland ploughed it straight back into the ground. Of course, he and scrub. Largely untouched because of its steepness wouldn't have minded, he would have already cashed it is an oasis of life surrounded by a desert of ploughed the subsidy. fields, [t is designated a SSSI. one of the highest ‘pro Brighton Friends of the Earth had organised a direct tections' available in Britain. action rota and had been keeping an eye on Harmer The land ’owner’. Farmer Banner, has been paid £40 The Mrsi day he ploughed about a third of the valley. per hectare by the Ministry of Agriculture to leave the But he was stopped by a small group ( including mem land alone. Getting £40 a year to do nothing might bers of the local Labour Party!) who went ‘tractor div seem to you like a good scam; but Harmer reckoned he ing’. Harmer hadn't expected any resistance, even could do better. He submitted an application to plough some of his beloved tractor's windows w ere broken. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 62 Early the next morning seven of us from South 7 know o f no restorative o f heart, body, and soul Downs EF! appeared, and. with trees Harmer had more effective against hopelessness than the restora handily cut down for us. barricaded the track entering tion o f the Earth. Like childbirth, like the giving and the valley. FoE held a well attended press conference receiving of gifts, like the passion and gesture of the overlooking ihe destruction and suddenly the cam various forms o f human love, it is holy,' 1 paign was big new s. (In the light of subsequent events, Meanwhile in the artificial world it was the run up to ii is interesting to note that a leading Sussex conserva the election. Tony Blair came to Brighton and was tionist stated that day that he thought there was ‘zero asked if he was against the destruction of the Oftham chance' of saving what remained.) SSSL He replied, (and 1 paraphrase), "I've always been That afternoon Adder Camp- was set up and the land against the destruction al Oftham. I don't know what officially squatted- The deadline for seeding the crop the fuck it is— but vote for me!". His statement was was approaching; despite the camp being staffed at faxed to the local Tory MP's, the Environment Minister night by only 3-4 people, we hoped lhat the eviction and his shadows. Suddenly politicians were falling process would continue until after the deadline—given over each other to be (he most committed lo ‘defend a farmer ls relatively limited funds. ing Offham'. One local Tory MP, who helped draft the Some staff at national FoE became quite worried that Criminal Justice Act—the legislation under which one the campaign would go beyond their control, niaybc uelivist was cautioned at Offham—pronounced, 'I sup ruining their precious media image. Much to the port the Un-ploughers'. annoyance of some local members, who were instru In a last minute attempt to help out ihe beleaguered mental in the campaign and one of whom was living on local Tories' re-election chances, and lo further his the camp, Brighton FoE ‘received orders' that it could own career, the Environment Minister pul a Protection nui describe Offham as a FoE campaign. In the end this Order on Offham—one of only six in the last 5 years. turned out for the better. This forbade Harmer from doing any more work, in a Our group has long had the policy of not labelling vain publicity stunt. Manner even came up and turned campaigns. Despite numerous TV interviews no-one some turf—until the cameras went away. ever mentioned they were from EF!, describing them We had won. A ‘Picnic and Turf Turning’ event was selves instead as 'local people'. This gave the illusion held three days later on the Sunday, to celebrate the that the camp was a spontaneous action taken by victory. It was an amazing sight. Lewes people of all Lewes residents. As a result, large numbers of Lew'es ages wound their way through ihe barricades and up on people did come up and get involved, who might have to the down. It was a sunny day and children were been alienated if the campaign had been labelled as everywhere. All day the turf was turned back. At one FOE or EF!—or worse still, a camp of ‘eco-w amors'. point around 250 people with spades, forks or just their The fact lhat no-one on the hill looked much like ihe hands were lined up across the hill—helping it heal. media stereotype of 'an ecowarrior1 probably helped. Everyone really fell it was their victory, and il was. In fact most of the interviews were done by two Taking on farmers is a lot easier lhan taking on road women who pui across more of an image of second building. Though the land being defended was much world war ‘land girls' than erusties. By originally giv smaller than a road site, ihe sueccss at Offham has had ing an illusion of local involvement, local involvement a knock on effect. Once one farmer successfully scams became more of a reality. Every day more and more something, others copy. Brighton FoE were expecting local people came up. a whole' pile of applications by other farmers, ready to Fanner Harmer was nowhere lo be seen—he was, dig up downland. Yet. at the time of writing, no others according lo one copper, "sitting pulling his hair out at have been submilted. the prospect of a Newbury on his farm". The tractor Even ihe local National Farmers Union branch was had cross-ploughed lois of the downland. but a sub pressuring Harmer to back down. They were worried stantial amount had only had the turf turned over. Wc lhat “this might be the Twyford Down of set about the long task of ‘unploughing'—burying our Agriculture”— eg. the opening salvo on a 'new front*. hands in die earth and turning the turf. Working so Maybe it will be. closely writh it, we noticed for the first time how At the ‘96 EF! gathering there was much discussion species rich and intricate the downland flora really about getting together a ‘farmageddon’ campaign. was. This was an amazing experience, foot by arduous While campaigns against infrastructure growth like foot wc saw what had been desolation green over. As Manchester & Newbury are essential, they give the Barry Lopez puls it: illusion thal ecological destruction mainly happens in 63 Do or Die-Voices Irom Earth Firsl! No.6 the realm of "mega-developments’. In fact the way we to him at: Farmer Harmer. Offham. nr. Lewes. East grow our food is the main cause of devastation in this Sussex, and warn him that if he tries again you'll be country. there to stop him. Don't use your real name. 'In 1940. the German Luftwaffe made an aerial sur References vey of much of Britain, especially the east and the 1 Taken from the brilliant book "Helping Nature south. "These magnificent photographs*, wrote Oliver Heal: An Introduction to Environmental Restoration'. Rackham in 1986. "record every tree, hedge, hush, Berkeley. 1991. See also ‘Tree Spirit and Earth pingo and pond in several counties’. They show that Repair*. Do or Die 5. ‘except for town expansion, almost every hedge, wood, 2 Oliver Rackham quoted in ‘Low Impact heath, fen etc. on the Ordnance Survey map of 1K70 is Development: Planning & People in a Sustainable still there on the air photographs of 1940. The seventy Countryside'. Simon Fairlie, 1996. p13. eventful years between, and even World War two itself, 3 Council for the Protection of Rural England. were less destructive than any five years since". The com monest cause of this post-war Unplough the Downs! orgy of vandalism. Rackham and help restore the chalk grassland concludes, ‘has been destruc tion by modem agriculture: the second, destruction by modern What happens when a TOP TIPS forestry.'2 field is ploughed 1 Work from grassed-over s»de; In fact, ‘since 1945 the UK 2 Work sideways along the line of has lost 30% of its rough graz the turf; ing land, 65% of song thrush es. 90% of meadows. 50% of 3 Bury flints and large chalk stones; lowland woodlands, heaths 4 Wear gloves (not essential); and fens and 140.000 miles of 5 Wear long sleeved top • turf can hedgerow.’* have small thistles in it; Maybe a coming together of 6 Put on plenty of sun cream, ‘The Land is Ours' and anti 7. Have plenty of food and water; genetics campaigns could be 8 Take your time - enjoy yourself, the catalyst for this "new Ploughing shifts underlying soil ■ this front'. is why it is necessary to scoop soil Respect the grassland! We spent nine gorgeous days back before replacing the turf at Offham. We saw adders two D enet re/now or three times a day. and once even a deer! Living there and defending the land re-inspired us. If you ever walk the South Downs Way (which crosses Offham). and you come across a beautifully vibrant valley just north of Lewes, kiss the earth Kneel on and shout to the four winds— replaced turf "Direct Action Works!”. What You can do to Scoop soil up and pull towards you to build Roll back turf Help Offham up turf you are kneeling on and pun lowands The Conservation Order is a //you /Msm affpteces oftxrf. keep them you • make fit as temporary reprieve. It is only to Mm the gaps snug as possible in force until October. Harmer still hasn't pledged not to Brush off soil and loose stones from the grass and hey, you plough the valley again. Write have unploughed a field! Repeat steps 1-3... Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 The Luddites’ War on Industry A story of machine smashing and spies This article started off as a review but soon turned into some sort of synopsis arising from the reading of two books, both written by radical ecologists. 'Rebels Against the Future’ by KirkPatrick Sale, published in 1995. This is the most recent in depth book on the subject and it’s written in an exciting, but well sourced way. Like the best novels you can’t wait to turn the pages. John Zerzan’s two essays, 'Who Killed Ned Ludd?’ and industrialisation and Domestication’ are dryer but his analysis is sharp. They were first published in book form in 1988. 'Chant no more your old rhymes about bold Robin Hood, His feats ! but little admire, 1 will sing the achievements o f General Ludd, Now the Hero o f Nottinghamshire' In fifteen months al the beginning of the second them to grow had been festering for centuries. Its con decade of the last century a movement of craft workers ception may have been long before, but its birth was a and their supporters declared war on the then emerging sudden calamity that accelerated change in society at industrial society. an unprecedented rale. The Industrial Revolution, from The movement spread across the Northern counties roughly 1780 to 1830, mutated everything. It altered of Yorkshire. Lancashire . Cheshire. Derbyshire and the way the majority of people lived, first in Britain and Nottinghamshire. It smashed thousands of machines, now all over the world. Just as societies arc being looted markets, burned down f actories and spread hope shaped all over the globe into one monoculture: so the of a way out of the bleak future being offered the life systems of the planet are also changing unrecog majority of the British people. It was a movement that, nisably. The results of the society that was born in in the words of the late radical historian E.P. those 50 years will rebound through millions of years Thompson: ‘in sheer insurrectionary fury has rarely of evolutionary change. Norman Myers, a leading bio been more w idespread in English History,". diversity scientist, has said: It is important to understand the birth of "The impending upheaval in evolution’s course could Industrialism. If we are to successfully dismantle the rank as one o f the greatest biological revolutions of present system, it is essential to know how - and why- paleontological time. Jn scale and significance, it could it was constructed. match the development o f aerobic respiration, the The Birth of the New Society & the emergence of flowering plants and the arrival of limbed animals. “ 1 Destruction of the Old Change beyond imagination. The elites that built up Industry had been growing in But change has to burst forward somewhere, and it power, and the ideas and technologies that allowed burst forward here in Britain. 65 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Lancashire, say 1780: smoke. The river upon which Manchester stands is so “The workshop o f the weaver was a rural cottage, tainted with colouring matter that the water resembles from which when he tired o f sedentary labour he could the contents of a dve-vat. ...To save wages mule Jennies sally forth into his little garden, and with the spade nr have actually been built so lhat no less than 6(H) spin the hoe tend its adinary productions. The cotton wool dles can be operated by one adult and two chil which vtvj.t to form his weft was picked clean by the dren.... in the large spinning mills machines of different fingers o f his younger children, and the yam The Lancashire Mills and the Devastation of Ihe Colonies Even at this early stage in the Industrial Society, capitalists defended Iheir interests internationally. The British mills started processing a crop which up until then was a luxury imported from the Orient; Cotton. The creation of plantations meant the eviction of millions of small farmers all over the globe. A process of enclosure already carried out in Britain. Just as the British factory owners had deliberately gone out to destroy the Lancashire outworkers, ‘In India, the British set about the deliberate destruction of the indigenous industry.... The British owned Last India Company was able to exert coercive control over India's handloom weavers, who rapidly lost dieir indepen dence as producers and in many instances became waged workers employed on terms and conditions over which they had no control..... When the East India Company’s monopoly was abolished in 1813, Indian weav ing was too debilitated to resist the Hooding of the market with inferior products from the Lancashire mills..,[This process was carried out all over the world and],..within the space of less than a hundred years, the Lancashire cotton industry had consigned to extinction countless native textile (production systems] whose techniques and designs had evolved over centuries .... In the early 20th Century, Gandhi organised a boycott of British made cloth and championed the spinning wheel as a means of reviving the local economy. In public meetings he " would ask the people to take off their foreign clothing and put it on a heap. When alt the hats, coats, shirts, trousers, underwear, socks and shoes had been heaped up high, Gandhi set a match to them"....The spinning wheel remains upon the Indian flag as a reminder of the traditional industries and markets that were consumed by the cotton industry.’ -from "Whose Common Future?'. The Ecologist, p28. Available from Dead Trees Distribution. Do or Die-Voices Irom Earth First! No.6 66 "If science was put to the service o f capital, the recalcitrant worker's docility would he assured". YORKSHIRE Factories meant regimented and unprecedented work hours, horrific pollution, dangerous working condi tions, unsanitary living space with virulent diseases, early death, a starvation diet and a total lack of free dom, Nobody entered the factory system willingly. Wutfdf-rslhiia Men. war widows, young women and very often chil dren. lived in a system one Yorkshire man described in 1830 as; "a state of slavery more horrid than ... that hellish system ■ Colonial Slavery".* These workers, CHESHIRE who one doctor surveying M anchester in IR3I described as '4a degenerate race - human beings stunt ed. enfeebled, and depraved"* . were the refugees of a destroyed society. sco ila n£ Just as small farmers had been pushed off their land by enclosure, so the crafts people were purposefully pushed from relative autonomy to a situation of depen dence. Whole regions, thousands of communities were broken up and reorganised to suit the wishes of the fac tory owners. Much of ihe populace were thrown aside to starve, or forced to become wage slaves in factories lilerally modelled after prisons.Cities and misery' mul tiplied. Petitions were handed to parliament, meetings and rallies were held but nothing came of it. With nnbody Notiingham for storage and had arranged for seven or to turn to but themselves, the weavers took direct eight of his workers and neighbours to stand watch action. with muskets over the seven frames remaining.When The Birth of Luddism the attackers approached the house they demanded that Hollingsworth let them in or surrender his frames, and 'The night of November 4th, a Monday, was cloudy when he refused a shot rang out and a fusillade of eigh but still not winter-cold. In the little village of Bulwell, teen or twenty shots was exchanged. some four miles north of Nottingham, a small band One young man. a weaver from the nearby village gathered somewhere in the darkness and ... blackened named John Westley was shot - while "tearing down [heir faces or pulled up scarves across their faces, ihe windowr shutters to obtain entrance by force" ... counted off in military style, hoisted their various before he died he “had just time to exclaim 'Proceed, weapons* hammers, axes, pistols, “swords, firelocks, my brave fellows, I die with a willing heart!’. His com and other offensive weapons” (as one report had it)- rades bore the body to the edge of a nearby wood and and marched in more or less soldierly fashion to their then returned “with a fury irresistible by ihe force destination. Outside the house that was most likely ihe opposed to them" and broke down the door while the home of a master weaver named Hollingsworth ihey family and the guards escaped by the back door. posted a guard to make sure no neighbours interfered They then smashed Ihe frames and apparendy some with their work, suddenly forced their way inside of the furniture, and set fire to the house, wrhich was a through shutters or doors, and destroyed half a dozen gutted ruin within an hour; the men dispersed into ihe frames.,.. Reassembling ai some designated spot, the night, never identified, never caught. little band responded in turn to a list of numbers called That same night just a few miles away in Kimberly, out, and when each man had accounted for himself a another group of men raided a shop and destroyed ten pistol was fired and they disbanded, heading home. or twelve frames... A week later, this time on a Sunday night, the work On Tuesday a can carrying eight or nine looms to ers attacked again: same procedure, same target, only safety from the Maltby and Brewwel firm in Suiton. this lime Hollingsworth w as ready. In preparation for a fifteen miles north of Notiingham. was slopped ... and renewed attack, he had sent some of his frames to men with their faces blackened smashed its cargo with 67 Do or Di&-Voices from Earth First! No.6 heavy hammers, bent the metal parts to uselessness, of ‘Ned Ludd’s Army' or suffer the consequences. For and made a bonfire of the wooden pieces in the middle many businessman the threat worked as well as the act. of the street. Most luddite literature makes reference to ‘General That evening a thousand men descended on Sutton Ludd' but there was no such leader. Instead it was a from nearby villages, assembling at a milestone on the reference to a (conceivably true) folktale of the time. main road to the north, and marched on the town with The story goes that a Nottingham lad at the end of the their axes and pikes and hammers; about three hundred previous ccntury had been enraged with his loom and of them were said to be armed with muskets and pis had set his hammer to it. tols. The number of machines they broke is given as Machine destruction had been a tactic of the weavers somewhere between thirty-seven and seventy, said to and their kind since at least midway through the previ be “the frames of the principal weavers" of the town, ous century. What was different about the Luddites was one of whom, named Betts, whose shop was complete exactly the opposite of how many imagine them. Read ly destroyed, was reported to have died soon after. many accounts, especially those written by supporters "deranged."5 of the trade unions, and the Luddites come across as Luddism had begun. m in d le s s and disorganised, who if bom a few centuries later would probably be kicking in bus shelters. True. Luddism was not the act of pre-organised political groups. However it was often much more powerful: a defensive reaction of communities under threat. The blackfaced figures marching over fields towards the hated factory had probably known each other since they were kids. They had played at similar ‘games' (maybe ‘hunting the French') as gangs of children. They had been brought up with stories of struggle, in which the actors were as often as not their parents, grandparents or ‘im down the pub'. Though actions in nearby villages would often be done at the same lime to stretch the soldiers, there is no evidence to suggest that there was any serious co-ordi- nation across the counties. But such co-ordination was probably unnecessary and dangerous. Many Luddite attacks included women (although unsurprisingly this was not the norm). On the 24th An Outrageous Spirit of Ttimult & Riot April 1812, a very successful attack was carried out on a mill outside Bolton only an hour or so after the sol With weavers' taverns acting as rallying points, diers sent to protect it had left. news spread from village to village. Inspired by the 'About fifty assembled near the mill...[descending on success of the first actions, communities all over the it]... they smashed through the gates and started to North started to act. At least a hundred frames were break windows in the mill, led by two young women. attacked in the last week of November, another hun Mary Motyneitx, 19. and her sister Lydia. 15, who were dred and fifty or more in December. seen, according to court papers, "with Muck Hooks "There is an outrageous spirit o f tumult and riot, " and coal Picks in their hands breaking the windows of the magistrates of Nottingham told the public in the building"... shouting “Now Lads" to encourage November 1811. “Houses are broken into by armed the men on. With the windows broken, men took straw men, many stocking frames are destroyed, the lives o f from the stables and set a series o f fires inside: “The opposers are threatened, arms are seized, haystacks whole of the Building," wrote the Annual Register cor are fired, and private property destroyed. "6 respondent, "with its valuable machinery, cambrics, The spirit of rebellion rapidly spread across the <&c. were entirely destroyed. “ '* Northern counties of Yorkshire. Lancashire, The spirit of revolt spread well beyond the confines Cheshire. Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. of the textile workers. Riots broke out in many towns Posters were pinned up on the doors of offending and food was redistributed. The whole of the north workshops, warning them to concede to the demands west was verging on insurrection. Do or Die-Vo*ces from Earth First! No.6 6S for a limited period only. We are told by the media - ihe ‘with scarves to cover their faces’, ‘march out from advance guard of the spectacle - to constantly change strong communities', to 'pull down fences and destroy so that we can continue to be news. But nothing is truly machinery'. Stringer would do well to remember what new - with the exception of the scale and complexity of happened the last time someone poured scorn on the the problem. Our struggles are recent battles in an old Luddites who roamed Cheshire, (see bottom box). war. As we dance with the ghosts of our political ances The spectacle attempts to destroy its real history and tors our struggle for life and our struggle to live illu that of its opponents while creating a sanitised version minates a future world. of the past, which it can then sell back to consumers as “Down with all kings but King Ludd!” a commodity. When we learn about OUR history, our ancestors, it is both inspiring and instructive. By look References and footnotes ing at past conflicts we can learn more about our ’new' 1 Norman Myers, ‘A W innowing For Tomorrow's W orld ". Ihe ones. By learning about the mistakes of the past we Guardian. London. 24.4.92. may avoid making them in the future. 1 Q u o ted in 'Rebels Against the Future', by Kirkpatrick As rebels, revolutionaries and romantics we arc citi Sale. Ixwdon 1995. p 25 zens of a future society we have yet to give birth to. J Ibid Feeling out of place in this society, alienation is very 4 Ibid painful. Much like realising that we arc descended * Ibid. p71 from apes, in fact are apes, gives us a feeling of innate 6 Ibid p79 connection with the rest of life. Walking the streets of 7 Ibid p97 Manchester or Leeds, knowing that you walk the same » Ibid p 143 g London Morning Chronicle. March 2nd 1812 streets as machine-destroying, free-food distributing, 10 Rebels Against the Futurc.p 149 prison-breaking crowds, gives one a feeling of being •> Ibid 161 rooted. 12 Ibid pl5l Machine haters walk again in the Luddite Tnanglc. in l} E lem en ts o f R efusal. p l4 9 fact some of our movement's most dramatic moments (?) Rebels Against the Future, p i32 have been there. The successful campaign in the early 90’s to stop peal extraction on Thorne Moors just out I)e-school Your Kids side Leeds, came to a close when saboteurs destroyed Its not just adults who need to know their history. I 100.000 worth of machinery. Two weeks later the com spent my primary school history lessons memorising pany (Fisons) sold up. The Lancashire M65 campaign the names of irrelevant kings and making little presen (see DoD 5) was a turning point in tree-based cam tations about how the police force evolved and how paigns. and before the A30 Fairmile eviction was the great cops are. It's all of our responsibility to 'de- longest eviction in British history. school' those that’ll have to deal with the future our Early this year the Director of Manchester Airport generations have created. If you have a child, relative and newly elected Labour MP Graham 'Two Sheds’ or friend of say 8-12 get them the following wonder Stringer spluttered that the anti-airport activists were fully named book from your Children's Library: ‘The ‘just Luddites’. The one thousand hectares of land that Luddites: Machine Breakers of the Early Nineteenth he wants to destroy lies in Cheshire - one of the bas Century.’, Douglas Liversedge. Published by Franklin tions of the original ‘luddite mobs'. As small groups. Watts Ltd. London 1972, NOT a good day for Coodair John Goodair had a factory in Stockport. Cheshire, the size of a city block with eight thousand spindles and two hundred looms On April the 14th IS 12 a mob of two to three thousand (in a parish of only fifteen thousand) descended on his mill and mansion after smashing the windows of other industrialists' houses. At noon, led by two men dressed as women who proclaimed they were "General Ludd's wives’, the crowd stormed his mansion. The following is part of a letter written by his wife. "‘Everything. I have since lcamt. was consumed by the fire, and nothing left but the shell. The mob next pro ceeded to the factory, where they broke the windows, destmyed the looms, and cut all the work which was in progress: and having finished this mischief, they repeated the three cheers which they gave on seeing the flames first from our dwelling. It is now nine o'clock at night, and I learn the mob are more outrageous than e v e r . (?) 7| Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 The Death of Luddism leaving the siage one by one.The final event that can be accurately named Luddite came in June 1817. A state To attempt to repeat the actions of the previous infiltrator named ‘Oliver’ convinced two hundred peo months would have been mad. Those luddites slill ple from Pentrich. Derbyshire, to march nut and join "a active (a considerable number) changed tactics. cloud of men” sweeping down from Scotland & Understanding that the rich had quite literally declared Yorkshire on their way to London. Instead they were war, Ned Ludd’s Army began to arm itself. Luddite met by two mounted magistrates and a company of gangs roamed through Ihe counties gathering, by force, soldiers. Forty six were arrested, three of which were guns from ;my source they could, executed, fourteen transported lo Ausiralia and nine “ [John Lloyd a government agent], told the Home imprisoned. Office that bodies o f a hundred and upwards ... have Luddism was the Iasi fitful struggle before, like a bro entered houses night after night and made seizures o f ken in horse, ihe English poor lay down, resigned to arms’ ... Vice-Lieutenant Wood the same month wage slavery'. The meagre struggles that followed reported that there had been 'some hundreds of cases' rarely aimed at reclaiming peoples' lives from work: ... leading him to fear it would all end 'in open rebel but merely getting a better deal for ihe slaves. lion against ihe government of the country ... ’ A The poor started to identify themselves more and Parliamentary' Committee reported in July 'consider more with the idea of work, abhorrent only 50 years able' theft of guns and ammunitions in most towns, before. Conccpls like the ‘dignity of labour' and lazi and in Huddersfield of ‘all o f the arms' ... 'every arti ness is sin’ multiplied. As Leopold Roc put it, “There cle of lead\ wrote a correspondent from the West is always a tendency to rationalise insults when Riding. ‘such as piunps. water spouts is constantly dis revenge does not take place." The strange belief appearing to he converted into bullets. ’ " 11 spread thal technologies created to bolster obedience According to one Luddite letter: and elite power were 'neutral' - and could exist in a "He [General Ludd] wishes me to slate thal though free world - in fact were the key, The idea that we his troops here are not at present making any move should organise our lives around work was the very ment that is not for want o f force - as the organisation opposite of whal the Luddites stood for. is quite strong in Yorkshire - hut thal they are at presen I The workers' internalisation of industrial logic would only devising the best means for the grand attack." be more disastrous than any army the manufacturers The turn lo openly revolutionary strategy must have could muster. Even when the ’workers’ movement put many Luddites off, who instead set their hopes seized power, iis aim became to ran industrialism oncc again on reformism. If a regional insurrection itself. Revolutions came and went but to paraphrase the wilh liitlc communication with the rest of Britain was Anti-Election Alliance. ‘Whoever you deposed, ihe unlikely to defeat the Manufactures, how much more industrial system always got in ' Party and trade union likely was it thal they would kneel before petitions to leaders easily made the transition lo factory managers. Parliament? The internalisation of industrial logic by ’liberation* Although unions were technically illegal under the movements would lead to the ’revolutionary collectivi Combination Ads. courts often held them to be legal. sation* o f ihe Soviet peasantry and its associated Many voices within the establishment saw the unions gulags, and many of ihe worsi moments of the 20th as a way to pacify the workers. When you’re talking, Century. Whole generations were held both in slavery you’re not fighting. The unions themselves (then as to industry' and in awe of iL now) told the workers to stay away from sabotage, and to negotiate with the factory owners rather than fight The Rebirth of Luddism? the system itself. In Zerzan’s words: But many of us have begun, in recent years, to see "Unionism played the critical mle in {Luddism's} ... industry for what is. To reject industrial logic and defeat, through the divisions, confusion, and deflection embrace our desires. Bolh Sale and Zerzan end on a of energies the unions engineered. positive note. Sale sees an upsurge in luddile like resis Less ihan a decade later, in 1825, the unions were tance in direct action/radical ecology, indigenous officially recognised by the repeal of the Combination struggle and in many ihird world movements, Zerzan Acts - u measure supported by the majority of ihe says that those who now reject ‘the new society’ have British state. also rejected the old ideologies of the left. The insurrection never came and Luddism slowly The ‘new society’ worships all lhat is new. Buy new died, not with a grand finale but more with die actors Ariel automatic. Buy new activist - fully body pierced Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 70 for a limited period only. We are told by the media - the 'with scarves to cover their faces', 'march out from advance guard of the spectacle - to constantly change strong communities’, to 'pull down fences and destroy so that we can continue to be news. But nothing is truly machinery’. Stringer would do well to remember what new - w-ith the exception of the scale and complexity of happened the last time someone poured scorn on the the problem. Our struggles are recent battles in an old Luddites who roamed Cheshire, (sec bottom box). war. As we dance w ith the ghosts of our political ances The spectacle attempts to destroy its real history and tors our struggle for life and our struggle to live illu that of its opponents while creating a sanitised version minates a future world. of the past, which it can then sell back to consumers as “Down with all kings but King Ludd!" a commodity. When we learn about OUR history, our ancestors, it is both inspiring and instructive. By look References and footnotes ing at past conflicts we can learn more about our 'new' * Norman Myers. 'A W innowing For Tomorrow i W o r l d ' . the ones. By learning about the mistakes of the past we Guardian. London. 24.4.92. may avoid making them in the future. 2 Quoted in 'Rebels Against the Future', by Kirkpatrick As rebels, revolutionaries and romantics we are citi Sale. London 1995, p 25 zens of a future society wre have yet to give birth to. * Ibid Feeling out of place in this society, alienation is very 4 Ibid painful. Much like realising that we are descended * Ibid. p7l from apes, in fact are apes, gives us a feeling of innate 6 Ibid p 79 connection with the rest of life. Walking the streets of 1 Ibid p97 Manchester or Leeds, knowing that you walk the same * Ibid p 143 y London Morning Chronicle, March 2nd 1812 streets as machine-destroying, free-food distributing, 10 Rebels Againsl Ihc Future.p 149 prison-breaking crowds, gives one a feeling of being " Ibid 161 rooted. Ibid p l 5 l Machine haters walk again in the Luddite Triangle, in 13 Elements of Refusal, p i49 fact some of our movement's most dramatic moments (?) Rebels Against the Future, p i32 have been there. The successful campaign in the early 90’s to stop peat extraction on Thome Moors just out De-school Your Kids side Leeds, came to a close when saboteurs destroyed Its not just adults who need to know their history. I 100.000 worth of machinery. Two weeks later the com spent my primary school history lessons memorising pany (Fisons) sold up. The Lancashire M65 campaign the names of irrelevant kings and making little presen (see DoD 5) was a turning point in tree-based cam tations about how the police force evolved and how paigns. and before the A30 Fairmile eviction was the great cops are. It’s all of our responsibility to ’de- longest eviction in British history. school’ those that'll have to deal with the future our Early this year the Director of Manchester Airport generations have created. If you have a child, relative and newly elected Labour MF Graham ‘Two Sheds' or friend of say 8-12 get them the following wonder Stringer spluttered that the anti-airport activists were fully named book from your Children’s Library: ‘The ‘just Luddites'. The one thousand hectares of land that Luddites: Machine Breakers of the Early Nineteenth he wants to destroy lies in Cheshire - one of the bas Century.’, Douglas Liversedge. Published by Franklin tions of the original 'luddite mobs*. As small groups. Watts Ltd. London 1972, NOT a good day for Goodair John Goodair had a factory in Stockport. Cheshire, the size of a city block with eight thousand spindles and two hundred looms. On April the 14th 1812a mob of two to three thousand (in a parish of only fifteen thousand) descended on his mill and mansion after smashing the windows of other industrialists' houses. At noon, led by two men dressed as women who proclaimed they were ‘General Ludd’s wives', the crowd stormed his mansion. The following is part of a letter written by his wife. “Everything. I have since learnt, was consumed by the fire, and nothing left but the shell. The mob next pro ceeded to the factory, where they broke the windows, destroyed the looms, and cut all the work which was in progress; and having finished this mischief, they repeated the three cheers which they gave on seeing the flames first from our dwelling. It is now nine o’clock at night, and I learn the mob are more outrageous than ever..." (?) 71 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Lyminge Forest The spread of syphilitic suburbia Lyminge Forest is a large area of mixed woodland keep debate low-key and portray this massive plan as a located in East Kent on the North Downs. It is home to local issue which most of the public favour, activists a vast array of wildlife, including several rare and who have set up camps, tree houses and tunnels at the internationally threatened species. Final approval was site are experiencing excellent levels of support from recently given for plans by the Rank Organisation to those who live nearby. A possession order has been build a holiday town, sorry, “Oasis Village” for 4000 served, but it is currently unclear whether the Forestry tourists in the West Wood area of the forest. It will con Commission (who are obliged to sell to Rank) is plan sist of 850 chalets, apartments and log cabins, a “trop ning to evict or not. This could of course depend to a ical waterworld". artificial rubber-lined lake, golf large extent on the number of campaigners on the site course, shops, and. of course, parking for 3600 cars. and the quality of defences. Kent already experiences a chronic water shortage and The forces behind such developments are the same as further strain will be placed on resources, to the tune of for most other destructive phenomena of course: greed I million litres per day; one percent of total consump and short-sightedness. Even the most hardened urban tion in the entire borough of Shepway. Local rivers are ites and city-slickers like to think they can appreciate currently running at less than one third of normal flow the beauty of nature, but they have a need to turn this rates. In a forest which currently sees open public "appreciation" into yet another form of consumption access, footpaths and bridleways will be closed and a (it's the only way they know). Developers sanitise wild barbed wire perimeter fence erected to prevent entry. areas for such purposes. Woods need tarmac paths, Fortunately for those lucky locals. Rank has kindly lighting and signposted “nature trails”, steep slopes purchased another area of woodland close by from require the construction of steps and the erection of Lloyd’s of London debtor, ex-Lyminge councillor, and railings, pretty flowering shrubs bearing no relation to friend of local MP Michael Howard. Christopher the characteristic local flora must be planted and so on: Ridley Day. This is to serve as the public’s “new" the site then appears tidier, safer, more like the neatly wood once they are excluded from the old one. A sim trimmed town parks and suburban gardens that these ilar “village" has already been constructed at Whinfell people are familiar with. What better form of market Forest in Penrith. Cumbria, one of the last English ing then, than the concept of the "Eco Holiday refuges for the red squirrel and pine marten.Three Village”? This provides all of the above while leaving more similar camps are planned by Rank should visitors with the illusion they want to believe: they Whinfell and Lyminge prove to be successful. have been close to nature. This is rather curious, con Ludicrously. Rank actually claims construction will sidering they will have spent their time sitting in ster have a positive effect for local wildlife. Loss of the ile pine lodges or enclosed swimming pools. It is also Nightjar (whose favoured nesting area is to be turned interesting to consider how many will actually wonder into a golf course) is considered inevitable by conser what the hell pine lodges and swimming pools are vation groups. Although Rank has consistently tried to doing in the middle of a forest in the first place. These are actual comments left last year by back "Chairlifts need to be in some places so that we can get packers on US Forest Service comment cards: lo wonderful views without having to hike to them.” “Escalators would help on steep uphill sections." "The coyotes made too much noise Iasi night and kepi “Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building me awake. Please eradicate these annoying animals." trails that go uphill.” "Reflectors need to be placed on trees every 50 feet so 'Too many bugs, leeches, spiders and spider webs. Please people can hike at night with flashlights.*’ spray the wilderness to rid the area of these pests.” "Need more signs lo keep area pristine." "Please pave the trails so they can be plowed of snow in “The places where trails do not exist are not well the winter." marked." "A McDonald's would be nice at Ihe trailhead.” "Too many rocks in the mountains.’’ Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 12 A true 'eco-holiday village’-from 'Henry’s Quest1, {see Reviews) I started on this ariiclc before ihe publication of the nization. But just as a “Wild West” theme park will 1st Oasis brochure, and I commented then that cynical teach you very little about life in the real Wild West, an marketing would show smiling children in crash hais “Eco" theme park will teach you precious little aboui riding mountain bikes through the forest while their living in harmony wilh nature. parents enjoyed a relaxing drink by the artificial lake. Tourism is being largely ignored by the mainstream Unfortunately my cynicism appears to be well found environmental movement, perhaps because tackling ed: guess what I found in the brochure? We observe their middle-class memberships over one of their images of misty glades, sunsets through the trees and favourite pastimes might be a rather thorny issue. Bui deer or badgers cavorting happily in the undergrow th, challenged it must be. The countryside is being relent Bui the propaganda begins long before this*, it begins lessly transformed into a suburb consisting of theme from (he day plans are submilted, Presentations to parks, holiday camps, executive housing estates and everyone from planning officers to the general public factory farms. emphasise dubious promises of jobs plus even more We need to expose the lies and illusions of the tourist dubious assurances that the development is "sustain industry and their government and media puppets. The able” and “in harmony with nature", as can be seen message needs to be hil home hard lhal people do not with Rank’s claims regarding the maintenance of eco have some god-given right to be a tourist, they can only logical diversity at Lyminge Forest, slay in an unfamiliar place if ii is genuinely undamag- Even though conservation groups and those who oughi ing. both culturally and environmentally. to know might disagree w ith such claims, councillors are Biggest Action Camp in UK mote than happy to just nod their beads in a concerned For over 6 months camps have been stopping the sort of fashion, then pretty much ignore what these peo development. Get down there now. for details contact ple have to say and proceed regardless. In short, they Flat Oak Society (see Contacts) need to be seen to be concerned about the environmental effects, nothing more. The authorities are all too willing to lake a “hear no evil, see no evil" altitude to a develop er's proposals, and can usually gel away with it thanks to collusion with the local press who very often have ;in interest in forcing the scheme through. These are the same sort of people who in the past tore the soul from small and large towns alike, turning diverse town centres into identikit “shopping experi ences". while transforming the edges into identikit sub urbs with no sense of community or fraternity. The destruction is continuing as they move their sights towards the few areas of unspoilt countryside left; it’s time to transform them into jusi another "leisure expe rience". lime to move on wilh Ihe process of homoge 73 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No,6 Autonomy, Resistance and Mediation The dynamics of Reclaim the Valleys! L ______ Context Capital. The Great Strike ( 1984-5) was mostly a polit Once upon a time, before the industrial revolution, ical decision to break the sort of working class power humanity was thinly scattered across the South Wales lhat had brought down the Tory Government in 1971. Valleys, Then British Capital needed a workforce to The people of the pit villages thal had powered extract/rcfine the mineral resources geological chance labour-intensive drift mining were extraneous to placed under this rocky spur of land- The country was British Capitals needs. The minerals lhat had brought raped; the population multiplied hy enclosure and them there were not. Capital-intensive opencast coal immigration. quarrying was escalated across the coalfield, regardless Obviously, living and working conditions were hell (as ever) of social or ecological cost. ish. Responding to this, traditions of resistance through Invited by local anli-opencast campaigners, an evic solidarity grew to defend beleaguered communities. tion site was set up at Sclar Harm nature reserve (laic As with any strand of history, contradictory tenden May 1995), part of a proposed 880 acre opencast. This cies existed side by side. At first there were sponta invitation of outside activists by local residents denot neous actions, In 1831 the first industrial proletarian ed an inextricable link between direct activists and the insurrection on and around Merthyr Tydfil, where for local community. weeks the working class fought the British Army to a After the above introductory passages, the focus of standstill with guerrilla warfare. As the wave ebbed, this piece will deal with the relations between direct the clamp down kicked in, but the Slate had taken the action aciivists and the people in the valleys around. hint. The issue of separation from locals arises not so much Emergent unions were soon employed to mediate in terms of accent or background, but approaches lo proletarian dissent. Working class power al the point of anti-opencast tactics. production and on the street was translated into gradual This piece concerns itself w ith ihe expectations of the reform. Effective assimilation as it was. wildcat actions role in the anti-opencast struggle lhat locals and site- still broke ihrough. Even channelled in this way. the livers had of each other, how they interacted. valleys' working cla-ss could still shake State & Obviously this i\ written in hindsight, the focus being especially on chronologically early events in the cam Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 74 paign thai became Reclaim The Valleys. Most such “eco warriors” as an environmentalist vanguard there interaction occurred then, setting the agenda for future to ‘save die trees’. Those local residents interviewed relations. To this end. narrative elements will be given, were heard expressing admiration for “ihese brave then their implications developed. young people” fighting their battle for them. With Celtic Energy given the go ahead lo opencast, Much of ihe attraction for the coverage lay in the they contracted Alaska to translocate the SSS1 water- romanticised (iwee. dare I say) perception of the most meadows, As this presaged felling mature woodland, ly youthful activists. They looked, talked and acteJ the then clearance for coal extraction, locals acted to try part in an appropriately arcadian and emotive setting. and prevent this. On coming to site, local people found many activists Honeymoon of Selar believing the hype, acting out the clich and it’s w ilful archaisms. Selar eviction site was established via a chain of The inhabitant* were, of course, shaped by the site’s communication from local invile to those with the abil agenda and the expectations of their own role. Given ities and inclination to establish an eviction site. The the personnel that set up (he siie and their experiences. objective of slopping, or at least costing time and Selar was treated as a transplant of past English road money while raising the issue was the initial focus of protesting methods. This dynamic stemmed largely the site. Protesters were a mix of seasoned veterans" of from friends lhat had protested together before, Due to previous campaigns (esp. Solsbury Hill) and first their experience and confidence their words and deeds timers from nearby alternative urban foci (Swansea, carried mitre weight than first-timers and 'weekenders, Cardiff) from EFThuntsabbing activist backgrounds. establishing an implicit hierarchy thai was hard to chal Much suspicion/derision was directed towards the lat- lenge due to its informality. leiV commitment by ihe 'hard-core'. Activists at Selar were allocated set roles. Most From the outset, Selar was viewed by the veteran important were the tree living elite—harness as a eco warriors' in a defensive framework. The main aim badge of ofike, Their perceived role being to build tree of aelivity was defined as fortification tor an apocalyp defences and prepare site for the imminent eviction tic eviction. Ironically, before much structural defence I hey would then 'front-line’. Protesters not so exalted was in place, a media blizzard descended on Selar, This were cast as 'ground support, basically the menial came in response to 3 activists (from EF! backgrounds) function of fetching, carrying, and tending to the spe stopping the plant translocating the Watermeadows. cialists. Divisive as this was, divisions were not that This work stopping action went directly against the rigid, Subject to a mate's climbing teaching and tat orders' (advice phrased wtih enough force and seem availability, most were encouraged to reach for the ing knowledge becomes this) of ihe defensively mind trees. Hierarchy, roles and empowerment existed in ed veterans. In terms of direct action it was an easy vic contradictory proximity. tory: work stopped for months, in PR terms it yielded The internal logic of such a two-tier society' was a mine of media exposure. extended by site activists to those locals who came to The amount of coverage ihe site and its inhabitants site. Just as ground support' were to tend to the 'front received stemmed partly from the nature of the Welsh line': 'local support’ were placed in the role of supply media: always eager 10 find specifically ’Welsh' slants ing site. The requirements placed on those who came on issues (eg The Western Mail's endless search for up were food, money, lools etc. celebriiies Welsh great aunts), in an attempt lo demon This became two-way traffic—locals arriving with a strate staius beyond being a mere 'regional’ media. spectacular picture of a tribal' subculture, saw this Obviously, this related to protest against opencast buttressed in practice by 'eco warriors’ on site. Hie (Welsh as leeks), with the added bonus of media locals then reciprocating such modes of behaviour friendly ’’eco warrior" exotica. Whilst this is old hat These divisions found fertile soil in the context of now. back then saw ihe flowering of its noveliy value. everyday life in this society The power of TV then proceeded to inform the Welsh At Selar tree evictions were perceived as the pre-cmi- people of the "tree village”, “eco warriors" etc., at nent form of protesting activity. The skills required are Selar. Amongst those informed were locals directly specialised, gained by repealed practice, the best train affected by opencast, vested with interest against it. ing being to live in a tree. Such an interpretation of the Many made the journey to check the site out. heading tactical lessons of past campaigns can be attributed lo there wilh media derived spectacular preconceptions of there only having been few previous tree evictions. eco protest. This depiction focused almost solely on 75 Do or Die-Voice$ from Earth First! No.6 The effect of this division of labour between full- hired, as South Wales police were more than eager land timers and those (especially locals) unable, due to efficient) at doing the job. This, then, was the crunch commitments or physical capabilities, to fully engage time: for both site living protesters and locals to turn in such activity was to sideline them to a passive role. their promises into action. It’s worth considering that listening to 'war stories The activist community responded with style. They whilst sitting al the bottom of trees being eaten by came in numbers from across Britain, kicked arse and gnats isn't just boring, but disempowering. had their arses kicked. Major confrontation on the first Since then, the physical difficulties of limited num day saw police brutality and more than 2 dozen arrests. bers disrupting inhumanly large opencast sites, Significantly, locals were involved in attempting to manned by tough working class valley boys in massive blivkade the lorries laden with translocated water- plant has been encountered. The campaign is bedev meadow. Mostly, though, it was full time protesters illed by the lack of human sized targets to disrupt by playing the role of'cannon fodder". Direct Action (DA), unless nationally mobilised num 'Watermeadows' demonstrated one of eco protests bers are involved. It’s not coincidence that Celtic perennial problem in attempting to involve those out Enemy's human sized' office has been targeted three side of an unemployed (in capitalist terms) subculture. times to date. Clearly its difficult to engage in disrupting work during 't his is in marked contrast to the way road protesters working hours when committed (jobs, family, etc) at a< the blue route in Kent got up at 7am, walked the these times. Those locals who stood observing translo route, saw work and stopped it. Leaving a handful on cation cannot be criticised, as due to the heavy polic diggers they went searching for more. ing. most site dwellers did likewise. Most of the effec Unfortunately, anti quarry ing campaigns don't have tive action during this week occurred at night (e.g. iron the option for such proactive offensive actions with bars spiking the watermeadows). Some locals engaged low numbers. in such activities. Offensive Direct Action is not only effective tactical Watermeadows was a crucible, demonstrating and ly, but radicalises and empowers. Given local enthusi amplifying tendencies in the campaign at a crisis point, asm and potential, it's a shame there were no digger serving as a microcosm for this stage of Ihe anti-opcn- diving" targets to galvanise their activity. cast protest. Even defence as a focus for interaction and empow Celtic Hnemys head offices had already been cased erment was not totally realised. The possibilities of with invasion in mind, but it took the need to hit back training aids like low practice walkways and trecbome to galvanise offensive action. On the 2nd day, locals lockons were never fully explored. This is partally loaded their vehicles full of protesters, driving them to understandable, as even eco warriors' cannot be 011 CE‘s offices. duty 24hrs, Also, many of the committed local protes It remains one of ihe campaign's most spontaneous tors were middle aged to elderly. This can perhaps be and effective actions. Despite claims from Wales accounted for by their direct experience of living Today (regional evening news), that protesters “went through the valleys' solidarity, youngsters only experi too far” by going off site and breaking laws, locals fer encing its disintegration. rying them to ihc target clearly negated this. Moving This way of operating set the pattern for future rela said this, they still took a back seat role. tions. Even the inspiring efforts at outreach like the It was wholehearted involvement. The abilities and "Teddy Bear's Picnic' open day reinforced the pattern levels of commitment, if anything, suiting the respec of locals visiting site, bringing food etc.. then going. tive parties attributes. By then the parameters of local The marked difference between this and other protest involvement were mostly delineated as support to an sites being the scale of local involvement—compared eco vanguard', and that was the way it stayed. to other campaigns this was great, especially from lib In a hotly engaged site meeting on the 2nd night, eral, single issue perspective. feathers were ruffled by the statement: “You're going Buttle of the Water meadows on about the locals turning up. but what are they gonna do? Locals are about tea and chat. We've got to stop Sclar settled into "site life as normal”. Sentimentally these bastards ourselves.” speaking, this was a sunny blissful experience to live From the standpoint of an arc ho theory, this is doubly through. Then mid July the routine was broken up as dammed as elitist militant liberalism. As a practical Celtic Enemy's contractors Alaska set about finishing appraisal of ihe tactical options, it was accurate; the PR job of translocalion. Private security wasn't depressing as that maybe. Whatever possibilities exist Do or Die-Votces from Earth First! No.6 76 ed for site/local relations at ihe start, after their consol tion is created and fostered to perpetrate the present idation into routine this was the reality ihe campaign order of things. operated under. Underpinning this is the mechanism of mediation in Wiihin the ambit of orthodox eeo protest, the week of everyday life, reinforcing alienation and lack of watermeadows was an effective period for anti-open* engagement. There are myriads of examples on a soci- east protest. The local people, for whom the site had ety-wide level, but the archetypal example is the polit lost novelty value, were re-enthused. In addition, the ical system directly affecting communities threatened drama and news worthiness of the actions gained loads by opencast. of media coverage. Some of those who then started The people in these villages are told to give over their coming up to site due to Uiis proved to he amongst the fate and that of their children to the judgement of'tech most involved and longest standing on the campaign. nical experts' employed by a county council similarly Watermeadows Aftermath placed there to channel and diffuse their urges. Bluntly pul, their potential collective power is either given or As ever, the media informed far more people than stolen away; little wonder they're 'apathetic*. would have heard by hearsay. In response to Wales Two weeks after Watermeadows a rally of hundreds Today's attempt to start a media backlash against the of people (from ihe Neaih valley and beyond) took campaign by a blatantly biased interview, the cam place. This and Watermeadows were the high point of paigns then national level of support was demonstrated site/community interaction at Selar. Afterwards, with hv more complaints before or since. These came from the lines of interaction well and truly defined the same all over Wales, not only from victims of opencast. Next tendencies manifested themselves, but on a gradually day, Wales Today were at Selar apologising; and lesser scale. they’ve kissed our arses ever since. The focus of site activities remained domestic/defen As ever, media coverage was a double-edged sword. sive—with the emphasis on just 'living really". Combined with this the imperatives of life under Numbers on site went down. Local involvement simi Capital provided the double whammy. The nature of larly decreased. By the winter these were reduced lo a work is to reinforce such specialised role playing. The handful of die-hards. Relations consisted mostly of Fordsist assembly line serves as a biting metaphor borrowing of specialised equipment, like a tractor to work partitioned into specific repetitive jobs, separated build a log cabin. from the process as a whole. Control is enforced, Watermeadows took its toll on personnel. Most expectations of empowerment lessened. arrested activists found themselves bailed out of Selar, There were also those valley people affected by while others went to crew the nearby Brynhenllys site, opencast who did nothing. This seeming apathy is used effectively splitting Ihe campaign's already dwindling by arrogant militant liberals to pour derision on the numbers. mass of the populace. This apathy’ though, isn't an Already beleaguered by years of campaign some independent datum free of social patterns. At the risk experienced activists found Watermeadows as their of being too conspiratorial, it's clear thal such a situa , T f SEEMS . _ rUK* W£ WT\J1TI> / V H Y KNOW THE &AS /BFUIND 0 # PR£SfNT Ftimi's t r o u b le s ^ Situation but me ****, ABLE TD EXPRESS IT ’"A ] LWCRt-SOf e ; w ** s&! T P/WT OF- o Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 point of burn out. This had the effect of removing crossover into equal partnership in direct action never many experienced with sustainable outside living. seemed as possible. Some activists attempted to rekindle the old level of Support lhat was gained look patient work, building relations, but inertia gripped both Itical support and site links with sympathetic individuals. That tried and test livers: an attempt al a teddy bears picnic style event in ed technique, a site openday, was utilised . A working mid September attracted only a ripple of interest. With relationship was set up with the existing local public the onset of winter harshness on a Welsh hillside, sur enquiry orientated anti-opencasters. Brynhenllvs vival took up most energy. As snow settled on the trees, almost became the DA wing of the Upper Tawe valley the commitment of the summer was just a memory, preservation committee. Brynhenllvs Eviction sites often stagnate as their initial energy is expended. While Selar fell into this cycle, Brynhciiltys site enjoyed its brief honeymoon of creative energy. As with Selar'*s early stages, much of this was geared into defensive building, initially on constant eviction alert. With low numbers and effort geared inward lo site for tifying, even BrynhenlJys most productive phase was somewhat introverted: intensive building leaving little energy for outreach into local communities. The fundaments] consideration of Brynhenllys rela tion with these ex-pit communities was lhat they never showed anything like the same level of enthusiasm Cwmgrach and Glyncath initially had for SeJar. This is difficult to account for On one level Selar's support was unprecedented by any eco DA campaign; it would be optimistic to expect the same for relocating just 20 or so miles away. It could be (and has been argued) that this came down to more opencast workers with connections living nearby; but as with all communities housing the work force for Capital-intensive opencast, these account for a fraction of the local population. More significant is that in the wake of Selars first Welsh presentation of spectacular roles, novelty value and thus interest had waned in a consumer society. Some tendencies of migrant 'protester culture' also took its toll. While some activists were briefly enthralled by the arse kicking elements of Watermeadows’ and channelled this into site prepara tion, their energy levels soon dropped. 'Hie pressures of eviction site life kicked in. Faced with this, many moved on. often to other such sites. This behaviour pattern of recovery via transience may well h a v e kept them fresh, but also made ii difficult for locals visiting site to form friendship bonds with the high turnover of personnel. From the heginning relations between supportive locals and site dwellers fell into the familiar eco war rior/local support paradigm. As there was never the ini tial enthusiasm as at Selar, the same potential of a Do or Die-Voices from Garth First! No,6 78 Such rotations were not only 11 mediation of the local to youthful exuberance. The old divisions of role were people's opposition to coal quarrying, but was chan sometimes broke down. nelled through their committees of mediators. Impure Until tiredness set in, and odds on the ground got too as this maybe as abstract theory, it kept the campaign heavy, a sizeable mobilisation of locals got stuck in and in food, building supplies and boosted site morale. disrupted uwk. The second day saw more of them Early Selar's heady expectations of breaking down arrested in confrontation on ihe ground than of specialised roles into equal partnership in action were 'imported activists in the trees. Recollections include a now a dim memory. The campaign functioned as a con 70 year man comparing rough and tumble with ventional eviction site in a now familiar vein. Reliance to his rugby career, while seeming quietly Combined with the factors above, geographically on proud of his sons arrest lor similarly mixing it. the logistical fringes of the transient DA tribe’s cir Perhaps it was being placed next to large scale envi cuit. Brynhenllys was by Autumn chronically under ronmental destruction, and experiencing bailiff and manned. Keeping site together drew almost all energy security guard brutality thai spurred on old style from those remaining, turning activity further inward. Valleys* Direct Action. Crucially, in this situation llicre Cut off. with low numbers in an attractive setting, was no possible agency to mediate for them: they had opencast and it’s evils seemed a long way away. The to do it themselves. few activists used to direct acion, were surrounded by Jusi as with Watermeadows. the eviction caused a others of different inclinations. Bry nhenllys began to media shiisiorm. Due to popular sympathy, TV and the display utopian tendencies. press were unable to be loo negative, so again the issue While experiments in sustainable living are neces was dramaiiscd Tor the nation. Granted, the usual elit sary to demonstrate alternatives to the present course ist clich’s were recycled, and duly internalised by con of human suicide, steps towards this are probably not sumers. Even nearby the media force was felt: a few best done in the path of 50() acre opencast quarries. days into the eviction, some activists from the trees Faced with this navel gazing, most locals could hard met local kids in Cwmllynfell square. After a sympa ly he expected to display much interest in an endeav thetic conversation, as a parting shot one boy, living our that seemed, at best, irreverent to their concerns. half a mile from the eviction, said hed watch the news Left lo themselves, both South Wales sites stagnated. the next day to catch up on events. It look an outside agency to jolt them back to life, com After the eviction the locals were perhaps more ready ing in the form of the old enemy and its eviction of than ever to engage in Direct Action against the open Brynhenllys. Though the anti-opencast campaign was cast threat. Unfortunately, the Brynhenlys activists neglected, it came at the end of a summer of growth were now burnt out and homeless, and those whod and potential for the movement, after quiet months lots come for the eviction had other campaigns they were turned out for the eviction. committed to. Despite briefly breaking out of their Coupled with a mix of experience and raw talent mediated roles, local energy fizzled out wiihout a Brynhenllys was an epic 4 1/2 day eviction. The con focus. frontational tactics used were effective: at no other tree Selar’s Final Days eviction have enemy climbers had such a hard lime of Many, empowered by ihe eviction went to Newbury it. Despite this, everyone was laken down and all trees for Ihe next big thing. Not just South Wales, but all felled, but ihen thats evictions. regional campaigns suffered from the haemorrhage of Superb as the commitment in the trees and buildings personnel, narrowing horizons of possible activity. was, the focus of this piece concerns itself W'ith local Selar suffered accordingly. After long months of siege involvement Some of those in the buildings were local ihe eviction in late February was an anticlimax. and they got nicked w ith the rest. There were parallels While many returned, war weary from Berkshire, the with Watermeadows. as the by now traditional role of numbers were insufficient against heavier opposition local support was extended a( a crunch point. The than Bry nhenllys. Scab climbers out for revenge and eviction was prolonged and activists’ commitment desperate to impress before the Newbury eviction fuller, as a result of provisions and hospitality extend phase went into overdrive. ed after the site lost its living structures in 70 mile hour Months of torpor lessened the local mobilisation winds and driving rain. Here, as in the irees on site, the Stale learnt its lesson So far, mi orthodox. The local kids heading up to hill from October. Media access was barred on the first day, side al night with fireworks were going less against preventing possible reportage of their brutal, almost type than their elders, though this cani all be put down 79 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 murderous tactics. Fearing replays of direct local buiions made, adding to the case made by anti-open involvement, approaches to Selar were cordoned; those cast locals. w ho tried to break the cordon, pensioners and all, were Feeling threatened, CE attempted intimidation by arrested. bringing in loads of burly opencast workers. Faccd This then was the end of thm phase of the anti open with these mobilisations {for and against the quarry) cast DA campaign. Some activists remained on Selars the County Council botlled it and postponed the deci 800 acre she, their presence keeping the embers of sion from mid August to 20th September. Fearful of protest alight until others, rested from the winter, felt public disorder police limited supporting numbers to able to resume the struggle. This was really self-refer fifty a side. ential to the activist community. With the loss of ihe Against precedent the decision went against CE. This old site, its personnel and mature oaks, the local com was mostly due to the local communities’ mobilisation. munity began to forget the possibilities of the previous Despite being bound within the mediated system, the Summer council felt upsetting the pro-opencast lobby to be the Nant Helen On April 1st, new energy focused on tak lesser of evils. ing a site in ihe path of the proposed Nani Helen On a historical angle, it is ihe case thal any reforms extension opencast. This w;is a radical departure from conceded under ihe rule of Capital have been via medi the previous tactic of occupying already ‘doomed land ated agencies to prevent escalated popular unrest. wilh the decision given for quarrying. The presence of numbers of DA activists added to In effect this was an acknowledgement of the true this. Aware of the media hype from previous actions, dynamics of opencast protest in South Wales. It tacitly and combined with this a banner drop at the council admitted eco protests role as a vociferous 'pressure offices, away from bolh coalfield and protesters usual group which dramatised ihe issues via ihe media, range, the Council cam have relished ihe prospect of affecting the mainstream decision making process. actions against them. Fluffy PR stunt that il was. the This reflected the true physical odds of a scattering of implied threat was clear DA protesters, able to cover only a handful of putative Though protesters actions would have been an irrita quarries and unable to actually STOP these. tion. more w'orrying for them were links wilh lots of Actual/proposed opencast covered a vast chunk of the pissed off locals, with little faith in ihe system any coalfield. The true struggle to prevent this devastation w ay... obviously falls to embattled local communities. Social forces could have negated it. or the forces of This is how it should be. Unfortunately, local resis law and order crushed it; but the council must have tance is still bound up in ihe mediated form of the pub considered and been unhappy with the prospect of pro lic enquiry system. From this, on-site energy found testers acting as a catalyst taking the community most of its expression as an extension of this process. beyond their mediated channels. Though organisational matters received attention, Pragmatically, ihe work around the public enquiry with much discussion of the campaigns internal was the most effective luetic to prevent Nant Helens dynamics; and ihe usual site work/tree building destruction, Direcl as the action of work disruption and occurred, for once the focus of activity was off sile. eviction would have been, they would have only Cutting across the insular tendencies that had dev el delayed 'development. oped in the late stages of Brynhenltys and Selar, site True, the decision could well be reversed us Celtic dwellers mixed socially wilh local residents, building Enemy used their right to appeal to ihe Welsh Office up affinity. Numbers of local kids, enthused by ihe site (heard in September 97). and this will |?J lead to per and ils implications, spent a lot of time at Nant Helen. mission to quarry, bul devastation was stalled for They had a laugh, but more on the training/empower longer and with less effort. ment front could have been done. The usual open day This activism represented a bizarre reversal of the also occurred ihough noi on ihe scale of Ihe teddy usual protester/local paradigm. Instead of receiving bear's picnic. 'local support in their DA endeavours, sile dwellers The main drive of activism was towards preventing provided support for respectable local efforts. A peti ihe forthcoming council decision going in favour of ihe tion was drafted by the Upper Tawe Valley Protection opencasters. To this end, energy went into door to door League. Unable to beat the mediated system on their Icafietmg and petitioning; stalls were sei up in own, unable to draw locals to w-ork outside of its para Ystradgynlais Square. The public meetings (in meters, the direct action campaign worked w ithin it. Abercraf and Ystradgynlais) were attended and coniri- Do or Die-Voices from Earth First? No.6 80 Nani Helen stands non evicted. Rather thinly damaging effect on the enemy was probably disruption manned, the site is basically hanging around until of routine (and therefore efficiency). Vast in personal future decisions are made. The focus of the campaign terms, the financial toll is a mere niggle in Celtic had shifted away sometime previously. Energys budget. The workdays lost will be balanced by Reclaim The Valleys future profit. The long term damage they sustained is on a PR level. The point for this was marked by Reclaim The On a long term level the campaigns results are more Valleys—the campaigns' first week of action. This saw in the negative sense of weakening the opencast lobby, a series of direct actions and the taking of two sites in than in the positive dimensions of catalysing a viable the path of Selars 880 acre opencast - People consoli alternative force. dating themselves on a manmade island. Though already an issue, opencast has been placed Treeless (with no topsoil), this site was never barri visibly on the agenda. Local communities in physical caded against eviction, being instead a living space and proximity may have been enthused by DA, but the the launching pad for 'RTV 2: The Sequel. majority of Valleys people will only have consumed it The island had comparatively little involvement with on TV after Neighbours. Still opencast and iis evils locals, though fresh connections were made with have been dramatised. Rhigos (the other side of the valley from Glyneath). Unfortunately, resistance remains focused on mediat RTV 2 continued from the ideas formulated in the the ed local committees geared towards the corrupt public first week of action, whereby it was felt offensive inquiry system. While people are more amenable action against opencast were only possible by drawing towards DA. it is presented and perceived as a job for in activists from the outside the area. specialised eco-warriors. RTV has to date failed to Their chief impact lay in the amount of media cover break down specific divisions of labour and failed to age generated. After a quiescent period opencast was catalyse direct mass community resistance. once again on the national news, once again on the Failure as this is, it is understandable in the circum agenda. Of course the same old elitist shit was perpet stances. The campaign opposed more than opencast, its uated by the mainstream media. backers and working class vigilantes. It fought a force This was partially accurate as. having failed to more powerful than the state and its foot soldiers. mobilise threatened communities into direct action, the Ultimately what was confronted was the crushing force campaign drew in others from its own subculture. of everyday life and the mechanisms w hich propagate it. Local contact had become increasingly rare, exasperat This engendered hierarchy within the movement and ed by the Islands geographical inaccessibility. locals readiness for their wishes to be mediated. There Except for the fits and starts of the weeks of action, are historical precedents, tying in South Wales history, this was a mostly tepid stage for the campaign. The with autonomous action channelled into trade unionism. inactive mood can be partially accounted for by Such a force far outweighs the colourful, sometimes activists recovering from the trauma of the last few inspiring, actions of a radical subculture. In the light of years, while the new blood on site didnt take it on this. RTV should be judged along side other orthodox themselves to initiate things. eco-direct action campaigns. Limited by milieu, Though mostly a regressive phase with community hemmed in by societal imperatives, RTV achieved the relations, the trusted method of a walk/openday was results it could. called at the end of RTV 2. The turnout was reasonable These were never enough, but given the opposition, including many old faces from the Selar era. The gen its always going to take more than the eco-direct action eral feeling at the time was that neither party was real movement can give. We can provide a strand of auton ly that up for it. omy. but only as a thread to be incorporated in a soci This recovery and weeks of action phase was an ety wide web of resistance. often interesting, often creative phase in RTV. Here it While not as romantic or glamorous as the spectacu is skirted over, as developments were mainly internal, lar role of swashbuckling eco-warrior. the movement falling outside the parameters of discussion. will become viable by real integration with communi Punchlines ty struggles. We can learn from our successes, but must Nant Helens devastation is stalled to this day. The also correct our mistakes. eviction sites delayed Celtic Energys opencasting by For further info and to get involved, contact months, costing them loads of money. Similarly offen Reclaim the Valleys! sive direct action also cost them, though their most SI Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Life on the Battle Star A Personal Account Good evening from Captain Battlestar. who is totally nameless and will put on a silly accent throughout this interview. The Campaign Builds Could you give us Ihe background to the campaign? The second runway had been on the cards for 25 years. After the pub lic enquiry finished in 94 EF! types joined up with activists from the Green Party & FoE forming the RunWay Coalition. We had meetings but it didn't start to escalate until *96. In May ‘96 we all walked the route of the runway. 20 of us went up to where Plywood would be a year later, and took photos of what turned out to be my tree. We went down through the willows and everything was so wild we had to slash a path through the undergrowth and into the meadow. We just thought Wow. it was totally awesome. We realised the main way to get people involved was to get them to experience the place. More & more walks were done with more and more people. One night in late ‘96 I got a phone call saying that the decision whether or not to build it would be announced the next day. We thought shit we Across the valley from the Battlestar proudly stood Zion Tree haven't got anything ready, no tree houses rigged up. Their security were already patrolling the sites looking for protesters. So a This interview was gently extracted from a war torn couple of us decided to go for it. We tatted some tarps activist three days after the eviction of the last tree at and some ply wood and joists and planned a night mis Plywood camp at Manchester Airport. There were still sion to move in. We had rekicd the site in disguise as tunnel systems being occupied, and other tree houses dog walkers with barber jackets and found the most have gone up since. This follows one persons experi strategic point. That then became Flywood. At 7pm on ence of one of the most successfully defended tree Saturday the advance party of 5 climbers ran across the houses. From the begging to the end of the Battle Star road carrying polyprop and climbing gear and disap Galuclica. peared off into the woods. An hour later the tat van turned up and managed to crash through the gates, unload and get 30 people on site, all without being Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 spotted. We managed to set up a ground camp with a a wish list which she took around the village. She col tree house 70 foot up all between 7 p.m. to 7 am. lected tat every day in her vehicle and the villagers The next morning, sitting in the bow of my tree made up sealed eviction stashes with games and drinks watching the birds play. 1 saw a police car pass w ithout and things. It was really amazing - they were thor even noticing us. We had thought they were on the oughly behind us. ball- so we took the camp the night before runway We heard that 'defencing' often ended up quite full walk. At midday 100 people turned up. The first thing on? the police knew about our camp was on the 3 o'clock The security started putting up fences between the news. Lots turned up and the camp came together real camps with razor wire. You could lose your finger on ly fast after that. it. We started resisting, they started arresting us. Soon The A30 camp was being evicted 2 days before we the security started conniving with the police to help moved in so while they were going down we were beat us so we pixied at night generally just snipping it going up. It was a really nice feeling. They could not and taking it back to camp for building material. Cliff stop us. A few weeks later the A30 refugees turned up Richard camp was mainly constructed out of the fence. on mass. It all came together so beautifully. Within a One night a large group went out to the fence and week we had another camp set up - Zion Tree a 100 started to tear it down. Some people who were heading year old beech. We got many locals from North West off down the valley looking for a lost child bumped moving their, many of them giving up their jobs. into the police who were arriving to deal with the fence Could von paint a picture o f what type o f ecology trashers. One copper got out of the car. pulled out his and landscape is being destroyed? truncheon and just started attacking people, with no Most of the site was in the beautiful Bolin Valley. The warning, laying into people with his baton; the result woodland was called Hux Bank Wood which stretched being broken knuckles from trying to block the blows, from Zion Tree to Fly Wood down to River Rats. The broken ribs, missing teeth, battered heads. The people whole valley was a grade A site of biological impor acted in self defence. The police Land rover ended up tance, just one down from a S.S.S.I. There are hun getting some of its lights and windows smashed in. As dreds and hundreds of mature trees. The river mean a result the police withdrew, the security withdrew and dering through the valley is to be encased in a massive the fences were left unguarded. 100 metres was concrete tube and. along with the rest of the valley, removed that night, flattened and destroyed. buried under rubble from a Derbyshire quarry. The On another night police starting laying into people whole thing is 4 million cubic metres- as large as the and arrests were made for ‘violent disorder*, ‘riot’ cutting al Twyford. The runway is around 300 hundred which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, and metres wide. All the woodland in that valley is to be ’using a dangerous dog as a weapon’. One person that completely annihilated, it is the removal of an entire was rescued from the police had broken ribs. He was landscape. jumped on by cops waving their batons on the way to How many people from the surrounding communi hospital. Inside the hospital they surrounding him say ties were actively involved? ing “do you want some", then they quick cuffed & Virtually everybody there wras from the N.West. apart dragged him off. Some are on remand now but as usual from the usual rent-a-mob, w hich was the beauty of it. the police’s statements are cocking up so they should We got a few from Wigan and surrounding towns. It’s be out soon. not so much that there were so many locals involved Tell us about the tree house you lived in- HattleStar but that they were new to protesting. They were Cialactica. What tactics did you use to actually keep defending their own land. your tree house pig-proof. There was an established campaign in Mobely next The logical process was: (A) get rid of the cherry door, a little town that will be right at the end of the picker. That was done with a system of tunnels strate proposed runway. One vet said after the decision was gically surrounding the trees making the ground unsta made he would start knitting a balaclava. During the ble for heavy machinery on one side, and with a steep eviction they organised that every Saturday they’d hold bank on the other side .that was too high for the Cherry a vigil by the main gates. On the Saturday that the Pickers.(B) make it climber-proof - this was quite Battlestar came down there were 400 of them. One of difficult, because the little bastards climb everywhere! the women from Mobley came up in the first week say However if you have a tree house wall which is six feet ing she was just a housewife but what could she do. or more and the edge of it is covered in barbed wire, After telling her there was no such thing she was given and grease, and razor fence, and there’s someone there. 83 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 who's not going to lei you over it, it is virtually impos I had a sun-lounger on the top. for sitting in the sun sible to climb round it. So that was the starting point: in and have breakfast on. And then came along two to make the scab-proof "battle" platform. activists who pitched a ridge tent on top it. So there We lashed these big brackets onto the tree, built the was a two man tent or top of a sun lounger on top of a frame, boarded it, and then we covered the top-side in razor wire covered tree house 65 fool up. This was razor fence, which meant that they couldn’t chain-saw ridiculous! That is when it became a proper shanty or saw through it. There was a coil of barbed wire on town, the underside of the t How long were platform, on the top, Z yoii up in the trees and right round the for? edge, so that you Well I moved in couldn't get hold of ihe and lived up there thing. It was hideously until I got taken out. difficult to get round ii, The evictions started even with no one on it, on ihe Tuesday and but of course with eight nine-days later they people running around hit Flywood. Once on il. saying "No, we were under prop you*re not coming up”, er eviction it was and being very strong three and a half days and resisting ihem, until me and basically they were were down stuffed. Then just to The Eviction make it a little bit more Can you describe fun. we decided to how ihe eviction actually stop them started? being able to gel up ihe A l 3.45am, an trunk fu 11-stop. So at a advance guard of height of about twelve Manchester cops feet above the ground, bolt-cropper’d their we put coils of barbed way into Zion camp wire, like you’d see on under ihe cover of top of a prison. Then Galactica’s collapsible platforms stopped the climbers aircraft noise - peo we thought, tree-sur- ple heard them and geons with their spiky boots will just spike up it. but went over to investigate. They were met by a large the only thing that can slop spikes is metal. So we got number of balaclved, riot-helmetcd. baton- weilding some corrugated sheet, and nailed that on the tree, then men-in-black. who charged down a path after thenv greased it just to make it even more unpleasant. They beal the campaigners on the back of the head, and And then just to make il a little bit more unpleasant, when they were either knocked to the ground or got on I pul another 10-15 feet of coiled barbed wire, this time the ground, they sat on them and told them not to say a vertically down the trunk, stapled on quite firmly, word. People up in Zion Tree couldn't see what was before I realised that I may have just put a sei of hand happening, but knew something was. They shouted holds up the tree. So we stopped there and put another "Are you alright .1 and no one could reply coz they seven fee! collar at [he top, then greased lhat. The main were gonna gel their fucking heads kicked in. thing with ihe collars is to make sure that they're real Less than quarter of an hour laler they hit Zion and ly thoroughly nailed on - you need to pul a helluva lot Jimi Hendrix, which was w here this journalist was - he of nails in, which people do not like doing to trees, was in a bender jusl before the main camp - they unfortunately. But we decided that we’d rather kill one smacked him across the face and it split quite nastily - tree and save a wood than not do it and just inevitably there was a lot of blood. It was a big mistake to start loose. A gas botile was hung amongst tile coils of whacking HTV journalists across the face, because il barbed wire, untethered so il was just sat there- a deter just backs up the stories of violence against us. rent. Do or Die-Vofces from Earth First! No.6 Largely as a result they didn't go into any of the es to cut them, and they wouldn’t be able to get a har camps in quite the same full-on manner. The original ness on the person in the noose and in theory they raiders, about ten people, went in there absolutely psy wouldn't be able to pull you off because il would hang ched to attack people. If ten anti-roads activists went you. And il did work, as I found out! 1 did it. They did piling into somewhere wearing balhes. wielding sticks, attempt to scare me. trying to get me to ihink ihcy were they’d all be done for riot, getting eight years each. The gonna come and gel me anyway. The boss climber, whole thing is totally one-sided and ridiculous. Richard Turner, reassured me thal the branch the noose What was the media pen? was tied to would snap like a carrot before it hung me. Well they fenced us off relatively early on. When This wasn’t very reassuring, coz if the branch snapped they did the Zion. Jimmy and Garlic evictions, journal like a carrot I'd fall 50-M) feet to the ground and die. ists wrere taken to a bit of field by the airport and from But in the end. eilher they decided to back down any there you could see very litile. They were deliberately way, or they were bluffing- ii wras just too much for being kepi away from good shots. This was part of the lhem_ Most of the lime I was in the noose and they whole strategy of the eviction, which was to control were below me, 1 was in front of the Press Association and limit the number of people that could see what was and the BBC. saying. “Get the fucking camera to the going on. It is ironic in a way eoz in terms of the state other side of the bank, coz I'm about to die and I want it was one of the safest and most non-violent evictions it to be on telly!” to dale. So, as other people could tell you from And haw did they actually evict you in the end? Newbury, you've got a private eviction here, and they The Battlestar really worked- it delayed them and could quite easily have trashed us. meant that they had to bring in a cherry picker rather On the whole, there was no violent resistance. We than simply use climbers. They came up late on a didn't need to, because the climbers moved so slowly. Sunday alter we’d been sitting down on the platform They wercn'i interested in rushing. It took nine days to chilling out in the sun carving chess-pieces, I sussed get through four tree camps, none of which in their what they were up to - lhal they were clearing trees to own right were particularly difficult. They just went bring a cherry-picker in. and I saw lhat they were really slowly, and generally pretty carefully. Which building a bridge. But I couldn’t really believe they doesn’t justify ii at all. but it neutralises your anger. were going to come in thal late on a Sunday. Then we When they eamc to the Battlestar they didn't even saw a bulldozer and Chief Climber Richard Turner attempt to climb up into it, but one of Ihe fir*i things said, “You’d better pack your bags. Are you coming they did was to ring bark it. They look out a section of down?", ft was lale on a Sunday, all ihe Sheriffs men bark aboul three or four inches right round, diis kills had gone. There was no press, no cameras, the police the tree. I think ii was done as a bit of a sick joke, lo evidence gatherers had gone. There were nine of us up wind us all up. They saw us as a challenge, and il did there. So everybody apart from about two or three of us shake us up. We lost our cool. Basically it was “bol went down to the battle platform and sat with all the tat locks" to fluffy - you start sawing into our tree. we*re and got ready to resist. A cherry picker delivered gonna get a bit hardcore. In ihe end we all calmed bailiffs to the platform but ii siill took ihe state the best down, but something lhal we'll all remember is the pan of an hour to dismanile the ihree platforms, and moment when the chain saw guy took a 24 inch chain throw everything out, and thoroughly smash every saw to our ireo and we didn’t actually know what he's thing up. One person went down with them which left was going to do with it. Imagine he said, “You're not eight of us up a bare tree, with no platforms. I had a going to believe this!" and then started cutting into the hammock and a rucksack, but no one else had their tree, basically we thought that lie was going to cut a slutf with them. However we'd managed lo salvage wedge out of iL. Or cut it in some seriously destabilis most of ihe bedding, biscuits, chocolate, alcohol Eind a ing wray to scare us off. If it had been a bluff it would spliff - all ihe essentials! n’t have worked bccause we'd all have stayed up no Then the climbers went home, and wished us an matter what. uncomfortable night, and ++++ absailcd oul of the tree Beyond Battlestar there were the twigs, and the and got arrested - she didn't want to stay. We had a bit branches at ihe very top. One of our crew, who's a bit of a mceling. and four of the remaining seven decided of a nuiter came up with an idea. He tied a set of hang lo try and build overnight an escape walkway system. mans* n«oses to the very top of ihe branches, you could It would have been quile amusing defending the iree just about get to them but il was pretty dangerous. for six days, causing ihem real grief, and then in the People from below wouldn't be able to get to the noos night just disappearing. They'd come back ihe next day 85 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 (o find an empty tree. I wasn't into it at all. 1 was going hadn't been in a tree eviction before. Basically it was to stay until the end, because that's what l‘d psyched one big happy family, with no stereotyped roles, sex myself up for over ihe Iasi few months. But other peo ism or whatever. We all grouped together for comfort, ple were really into the idea. So four uied. but unfortu and gave each other strength. We made most decisions nately they believed a bailiff who promised them safe as a group, and got people to decide for themselves passage off the site. They came down and goi nicked. what they wanted to do. Since our eviction we all gone So they went, and that left three of us up there. At this separate ways, We had all our different campaigns, so stage in the eviction the climbers could have started some went off to Lyminge. others to Sherwood Forest using the battle platform as a staging point. So me and and so on. **** destroyed it. We slung a hammock up the top of To the Future a tree, put in loads of bedding and fell asleep. When the What message would you like to give to other cam bailiffs came in the morning, they couldn't believe we paigns? were all cozy, with food and alcohol cradled in the Don’t put a noose round your neck unless you’re branches. With the entire tree so difficult to climb they fucking insane! There’s a lot to be said for thinking, realised they'd have to go off and get a cherry-picker. planning - rather than just throw ing yourself into the Every morning we took down the hammock—we first idea that comes to your head, tactical thinking. Gel wanted to hold out for at least seven days. came to know the people and the area you're working with. down without resisting; **** took (he remaining bed Make sure your house is big, so you can have plenty of ding and food across neighbouring walkways to a sycamore tree. food and supplies. Before you even start thinking about building, look at the terrain, the landscape, at other When the cherry-pickers came. 1 took my harness off trees. If you’re the first there, it's worth spending a and waved it at then* from the branches, i had my ruck week looking into how to deal with different types of sack full of food and my hammock and climbed to the eviction. Like in a clump of trees, where you can very top branch. I just kept climbing, ‘["he bailiff was defend each other. Battlestar was at Ihe hub of a group saying, “The tree's coming down today.” and I kept of four trees. Each or those had a Battlestar- lype plat saying, "No, the tree’s not coming down today!”. He form. S» you can have a network of trees, all intercon was going psychotic. Fortunately the cherry-pickers nected. The stronger the community, the more difficult couldn't reach me, and they knew they couldn’t reason it becomes for them to gel you. with me not wanting to risk the thirty-foot drop w ith a Another important issue to deal with tin campaigns is noose round my neck. They decided to back off. the macho, lairy. male, aggressive brew-crew culture. After a while they brought in a bulldozer to raise the At fir si there was no problem. There were as many level of the ground around the tree, after four hours the women as men. and Plywood was the vegan camp, eherry-picker was back. With the extra couple of feet, with a pretty SOfted community. But later on. the per they could reach us. So after much deliberation, I shot centage of men got higher, and things goi rather alpha- across the walkway to the sycamore, where I hoped male.Sorted people started leaving, and less experi they couldn't reach me. But they could. I was totally fucked after all this. Traumatised, I don't think I could enced people started taking over. In the end there were only ihrcc people left at Flywood ground camp, and it go through that again. My energy was completely became neatly lairy. scaring away locals. This puts sapped, and their was four in th eherrypicker basket so people off gening involved. It has to be nipped in Ihe resistance was pretty mch futiL So I absaited it down. Tell us about the Hattie star crew? hud. ______The original plan was to have about five people up there, but people kept coming up, wanting to join the Get On Down & Get Involved Battlestar. So we built the sisier-ship, the Pentagon, This was one person’s story, bul hundreds participat which was good coz it meant we had an extra tree ed in the Manchester Airport evictions, up trees, down defended, extra space and extra shit for the bailiffs to tunnels, and on the ground. More camps are being set deal with. We had a really good crew; most of us knew up and as we go to prim there is still someone in the each other, so wc tended to gel on pretty well. We had tunnel system. You can be involved in the next stage of a similar approach in many ways, but diverse back the camapign. This was just the beginning. grounds. We had a teacher, some dole activists, some For further info contact: professional climbers, long-standing campaigners thal Campaign Agaisnt Runway 2 .6 Mount St. Manchester. had been to Newbury and so on. Most people, like me. M2 5NS Tel. 0161 -834 8221 Do or Dio-Voices from Earth First! No.6 86 Wilderness & Resistance Bears, Blockades & Burning Bridges One of your humble editors asked me to write an article on what’s happening in regards to wilder ness and resistance in British Columbia. I was slacking off a bit on the deadline, which seems to be what one does when writing for DoD. But I guess it drove said editor to desperation, because the next thing I knew I was in a Welsh jail charged with Criminal Damage (Without Lawful Excuse!) of earth moving equipment, and Attempting to Pervert the Course of Justice (if destroying the land by opencast mining serves the course of public justice, then I’m proud to be a pervert). The editor then told me in no uncertain terms that I wouldn’t be getting out until I gave him an article, and that if people don’t turn in stories on time he’d make damn sure they all ended up in the nick where they’d have plenty of time to finish overdue articles. By an Expatriated Bioccntric Turtle basis in law or ethics, and 1 consid for monocultured saplings. All pns- Island Earth First !er. er it a virtual place if anything. But tine valleys with profitable timber I have lived in Canada off and on in order to describe the numerous (and while reaping government sub since the summer of 1993. I spent bioregions and peoples who live sidies. the industry can make a buck most of that summer in the there, for now we will settle with on almost any dead tree) are sched Maritimes on the East Coast, work the term. uled to be roaded and then logged ing with the Sea Shepherds on their When I try and explain what’s by 2014. the Ministry of Forest’s ■*Cod Wars” campaign. The crew happening to BC's wilderness, the Final Solution for the problem of heard on a regular basis incredible best comparison I can make is to the messy rainforests. The Wildlife stories of the forest defense in Third Reich’s Final Solution for Branch has similar plans for such Clayoquot Sound. British Columbia their “undesirables." In B.C., the troublesome critters as wolves and (BC). We also heard about the Forest Service considers old-growth bears, and BC Hydro wants to make Yukon wolf-kill. So. after the Sea forests as decadent, overmature, sure that all rivers are dammed to Shepherd gig was over, two of us and messy. The Service is doing its provide electricity for cities and left for BC to check out Clayoquot best to make way for young, pro water for the American West, which and start a BC chapter of Friends of ductive tree farms. Last summer I is drying up. the Wolf. spoke with a logger in B.C.'s interi Under the North American Free First of all. I need to explain that I or who believed that he was prepar Trade Agreement (NAFTA), once use the term British Columbia ing for a sustainable future by the level of w ater (low ing across the grudgingly, as 95% of the province removing the last 1/5 of 1% of old- border increases, the tap cannot be is unccded native land. BC is a growth in that area: huge cedars turned off. even in limes of drought colonial designation which has 110 ripped out of the earth to make way or national emergencies. Look at H7 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! N0.6 < ^ 7 1 TIHI 0 JT a= A IN the Yukon River on a map: under clerics, people came from all walks are EFIers, that summer saw a ihe North American Water and to take part. Hell, even a dozen definite change of tactics in Power Alliance plan, water will be Basques showed up who spoke no Clayoquot. one which perhaps fore diverted from all the way the flick English hut said in Spanish, shadowed the FoE/EF! conflict up there, down through the Rocky "clearcutting kills men and the here. Many years of hard work by Mountain trcnch. and ultimately to beasts.” Unfortunately, the cam FOCS. and help from international the Southern U.S. for golf courses paign was to a certain extent con groups like EF!. Greenpeace, and and cattle ranches. trolled by the “peace nazis." who Rainforest Action Network among Old-growth Rainforests were afflicted with a bad case of others, has resulted in the main log tunnel vision. Even though there ging company (Macmillan Blocdel) ( Big Trees) were often hundreds of people pulling out of Clayoquot, and the The most famous wilderness cam around, the only form of protest other company has had its cut paign in B.C. has been for allowed by FOCS was the sland-in- reduced by 45^. Clayoquot Sound, kind of like the the-road-while-they-read-you-the- In a sense. Clayoquot has been Newbury campaign but without the injunction-and-then-cart-you-off saved and should be considered a Rampage. victory. On the other hand, the gov The Friends of Clayoquot Sound ernment and timber industry are (FOCS) started as a radical group of using the tiny area of Clayoquot as various and sundry American draft- a smokescreen to cover up ihe fact dodger hippies, traditional Nuu- that they are clearcutting the rest of Chah-Nuulth natives, tree spikers. the province. and other dissident voices against For instance, according to the the clearcut logging of the largest Forest Action Network (FAN), who remaining lowland coastal temper organize a forest defense campaign ate rainforest (280.000 ha.) (located out of a remote town called Bella on BC’s Vancouver Island). In fact, Coola. "The last large pristine area one of the former directors of FOCS left on the coast is the Great Coast started the Society for the Rainforest encompassing an area Protection of Intact Kinetic larger than Wales. But lime is run Ecosystems (SPIKE), which openly ning out. Virtually every pristine advocated spiking and claimed to valley within the Great Coast have put nails into 20,000 trees. Rainforest is to have a road built Another director was convicted of into it, then togged, within the next burning a bridge to a logging site. live years.” Yet. by the summer of 1993. the It's not only old-growth rainforest campaign to save Clayoquot had that's on the chopping block. The evolved into one of massive civil vast boreal forest of Canada is disobedience; all summer long, under assault from multinational every single day, one of the main In 1890, most of Vancouver Island corporations such as Mitsubishi, the was forested. By 2000, only 2.356 logging roads was blockaded by world's biggest deforester. On the will be left—unless we stop them. crowds vary ing from perhaps 5,000 llatlands which characterize Taiga on the first day when the band demonstration: consequently, there forests, the operations are becoming Midnight Oil played, to just a hand were only a few' days all year that horrifically mechanized, with ful of folks. Over 1.000 people were the logging was actually stopped. remote-controlled machines called arrested that summer for criminal Usually, it was only a matter of a feller-bunchers plowing the trees contempt of court by defying a few minutes for the police lo like a field of grain. court injunction to stay off the road. remove the demonstrators and then Mostly these trees are used for An extraordinary diversity of peo the trucks rolled on by. pulp, but Mitsubishi also owns a ple came out and got involved: from Earth First! was definitely not mill in Northern BC which is the raging grannies to loggers, peace- welcome at that point, nor were biggest chopstick factory in the heads to saboteurs (more on that in tree-sitters. or lock-ons. or elves. world, producing several million a moment). New Agers to Anglican Even though many FOCS activists pairs of disposable chopslicks per Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 S3 7 / day using the most wasteful logging Charismatic Megafauna hunters and their guns. In addition, methods in the province. (Big critters) a series of high-profile media cam About 14% of BC's forests are paigns and protests has made trophy The image of Canada as a vast consumed by Europe, used for hunting a major issue. wilderness with infinite supplies of everything from toilet paper to gar Another development was ihe for big “game" for foreign trophy den furniture, For those interested mation of the Earth Liberation hunters is giving way to reality: in heading over, this year would be Army (ELA), and the Justice swiftly declining biodiversity due to a good time to go to catch the "sum Department (JD). The ELA resource extraction, development, mer of rage” called against the lim embarked on a series of attacks overhunting, overfishing, pollution, ber industry. against the guide/outfitting industry and climate change. But two groups EF!, FAN, and even Greenpeace by torching cabins, stink-bombing in particular have been active pro will be up lo their necks in direct offices, monkey wrenching vehicles, tecting large predators: Bear Watch action, defending the big wild. A and otherwise wreaking havoc. A and Friends of the Wolf—BC new group called Peoples Action hunting lobby group tried to link (FoW). for Threatened Habitat (PATH) will Bear Watch to these actions because Bear Watch was started in be conducting actions for a critical two convicted ALF activists were Clayoquot by forest defenders who wilderness area near Vancouver, involved with the group, but Bear became aware of guide/outfitters along with Coast Mountains HF! Watch sued and earned money and taking clients into ihe Sound to (formerly Vancouver FF!). big-time apologies from the belea shoot bears. Guide/Outfitting is an If you can spring for a licket over, guered bUfodsportsmen. The JD, extremely lucrative industry, you won't have to spend much according to the Old Bill, sent razor attracting mostly foreign thrill- ihere. as the base camps will have blade booby-trapped envelopes to killers who are happy to give thou food and shelter. every Guide/Oul litter. and appar sands of dollars to r e d n e c k s and the Directly experiencing wilderness ently some letter bombs as well. Wildlife Branch in order to snuff cannot be substituted for. and can Judging from the reaction by the out big animals. In response. Bear only make one's struggle more industry and the police, the Watch organi7ed hunt sab cam committed, even it the wildlands Guide/Outfitters seem to have had paigns first in Clayoquot and then are far away from home. the fear of God instilled in them. other areas, directly confronting the 89 Do or Die-Voices from Earth Firsl! No 6 <0 >=H= I M J j T L A N ID c ^ Wolves suffer from a persecution order to avoid ihe same things hap This may be changing; at the very unlike any other animal in North pening here. least, direct action is growing, and America, save perhaps sharks. Earth First! EF! conlinues to provide inspira Although this is changing, and a tion. experience, and knowledge. The experiences of Earth First! growing movement of wolf lovers The Earth First! Journal and have been very different between has put across the simple fact that Ecodefense uncannily make their Canada and the U.S. For one thing, no healthy wolf in the wild has ever way into remote locales and back* even though EFI's influence has attacked anyone, government “man hill hamlets. been felt strongly by all groups agers” and other biologist pests still across Canada, and though (here First Nations allow the slaughter to continue. have been effective EF! groups in The first human inhabitants of Besides official wolf-kilts where places like Toronto. Victoria, and Turtle Island (a Native name for helicopter gunships w'ipe out packs, Vancouver, it has never really North America) lived in a symbiot there are still open season hunting caught on as a movement. Last ic harmony with the land that those regulations which allow anyone to summer, while working to set up a born in civilization can never fully kill wolves in Canada without a per newr forest defense group in the realize (‘The island Within” by mit. interior mountains of BC. I added Rich.ud Nelson is a must read for The Yukon Department of an exclamation mark after ihe end primilivists and those who would Renewable Resources are shooting of the group’s name in a flyer, and rcwild Britain). Some animal right wolves with tranquilizers and steril also put the EF! fist in a comer. ists take issue with the Native use of izing the alpha males. Even though the flyer said nothing animals (a recent cover of Arkangel Guide/Outfitters advertise killing about EF! and stressed non-violent showed a vivisector, butcher, and wolves as a bonus to the regular actions, a firestorm of controversy Innuil as ihe same enemy); human hunt. erupted. Mainstream groups put out rights advocates have raised the Some of you reading this have press releases saying that American issue of the existence of slaves and perhaps heard of FoW and the cam terrorists were infiltrating their a rigid caste system among some paign against the Yukon wolf-kill. ranks and sowing Ihe seeds of vio tribes: and conservation biologists In large part due to FoW's hunt sab- lence: the government decried the point to the alleged extinction of bing and direct actions, the Yukon presence of extremists: the local various species of mammals due to government has ended the program, multinational timber company over hunting by the first peoples. and an enormous amount of atten braced itself for tree-spiking and These questions aside, a compari tion was focussed on Ihe slaughter armed attacks on its operations. son between the indigenous and of wolves. In addition. Ihe group Admiitedly. the company’s sawmill European way of life on Canada's brought a lot of people together who gelling torched a few weeks later West Coast is thal of sanily vs. went on to work together on other didn’i help matters much. But out insanity, stability vs. entropy, abun issues. However, 1 left the group side of urban areas this is often the dance vs. scarcity, and spirituality after the first winter up North reaction to EF!, and is a major rea vs. technology. Without question, because of a massive row with my son why more activists don’t orga the First Nations achieved a balance follow' co-founder, Dennis Alvey. nize under tlun label even if they with their surroundings, which Two more years passed before a let subscribe to lhat philosophy. benefited hoih them and the land. ter written by ALF activisl David There are a few reasons for this: In "Towards a Detente with Barbaresh finally brought certain public fear of American influences, History: Confronting Canada’s dealings to the light of day. media hype about eco-terrorism. the Colonial Legacy”. Joyce A. Green Apparently that letter did the rounds mantra of fluffinesss from the peace describes Canada as an evolving in England and Europe, detailing a movement, and the presence of colonial entity, created by imperial sad tale of rampant egoism, funds targe angry armed men who popu and colonial interests, for the embezzlement, sexual harassment, late the countryside and work in express purpose of extending and disempowerment of activists, anti earth-raping industries. But whereas consolidating those interests at the other crimes committed by Mr. American EF! is an acknowledged expense of the indigenous peoples Alvey, What started as an effective entity, albeit one often opposed vio and their contemporary descen grassroots group deteriorated into a lently. EF! just can’t seem lo be dants. Perhaps nowhere else in total fiasco, and it would behoove accepted as a movement in Canada. North America (another imperialist people over here to read the letter in Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 term}, exccpt for perhaps Chiapas, A major row exists between those and will only end with ihe partici is ihis truer on a grand scale lhan the Native hands who are currently pating bands in an even worse posi Canadian prov ince of BC. choosing to negotiate with the BC tion than they were before. One rea Unlike most other regions, government through a Land Claims son is that the enlirc history of provinces or states, where the origi* process, and ihose First Nations Western governments engaging in nal inhabitants were coerced into who refuse to recognize the juris treaties wilh indigenous peoples signing treaties with the European diction of BC. and will only dia ends up with those peoples losing. conquerors {which were almost logue on a nation-lo-nation level. The Alaska Native Claims without exception ;ill broken by the The former are considered by the Settlement Act. one of the great cor invaders), only a few1 tribes signed latter to be modern Uncle Toms, or porate swindles of modern times, is any kind of agreement that ceded Apples (red on the outside and a perfect anti recent example. their land or rights. This is white on the inside). Environmental Another example is the situation significant because on BCs cenlral coast from the standpoint of with regard to the international law. the neighbouring Heltsuk BC and Canadian gov and Nuxalk bands. The ernments have no Heltsuk have emered legal authority over the treaty process. those First Nations, While the process and their sovereign crawls on. the band status and rights were cannot protest against never extinguished. resource extraction In 1763. the Native and development. tribes who fought with Consequently, they the British against (he may have lo wait for French (thereby assur many years for an ing Great Brilain’s vic agreement lo be tory) demanded that reached (if ever: a dif (he British remove ferent political party (heir forts from Na(ive can come into office lands. As could be and cancel the whole guessed, Britain balked thing, which is a like ai this, so Ottawa Chief ly scenario), during Pontiac formed a which time their land Confederacy which will have been (hen torched ail of the stripped of trees, forts. King George III, tished out. developed, whose propensity for and otherwise wiped decadence and depravi out. In contrast, die ty is well known, Nuxalk are a sirong somehow managed to sovereigntist nation sober up enough (by the time of the groups have had to choose between who refuse to go along with the American Revolution lie was loo far sides, and predictably most main treaty sham, and are opposing gone) 10 issue the Royal stream groups have sided with the industrial forestry with ihe support Proclamation Act. which promised Treaty process bands. I for one, of FAN. Their future, by contrast to protect unceded Native people along with groups such as Settlers wilh the Hcllsuk. is vibrant. The and land from his Crown subjects in iri Support of Indigenous historical situation involving the the Colonies. The Act has never Sovereignly (SJ.S.I.S, which runs Royal Proclamation Act explains been repealed, and the Canadian an excellent web site on the indige why some BC Firsl Nations are cur Constitution (ratified in 19K2) nous sovereignty struggle in rently trying to communicate with upholds and reaffirms its validity. Canada) and KAN, strongly believe Li/ Windsor aboul (heir situation. thal the process is a complete scam. The British Crown has played a Do Or Die-Vo ices from Earth First! No.6 .OTH 0 JP IL= IN) D > ^ r I I major role in the assimilation of l-ake (check out the S.I.S.I.S web guessed it. The conspiratorial web Native tribes, yet currently refuses site for detailed info) confirm this. among the governmental, judicial, to recognize or take responsibility Another example is the story of and corporate worlds is truly stun for this. Joyce Green contends that: the Gilskan and Wet’suwet'en peo ning. Yet the struggle continues The Crown’s military and police ples' law suit against the provincial against the forces of destruction, as presence indicated coercion, while government of BC over the issue of it does around the world. the language used was honeyed indigenous sovereignly. The case Ya Basta! with symbolic representations of was loaded from the start: the judge. peace, mutuality, security and well Chief Justice McEachern of the being for all time... assurances of B.C. Supreme Court, was formerly continued Aboriginal autonomy employed by Russell & Dumoulin. Resources were made, together with promises a major corporate law firm with * If you want lo wrile a Idler (it won't of material gifts. some of the worst resource extrac save Ihe planet, but il will let B.C. know the world is watching), send The Queen, who never actually tion corporations as clients; the Premier Glen Clarke an epistle at participated in treaty-making, was Crown attorney was a former part Parliament Buildings, Victoria. B.C.. represented by her commissioners ner at Russell & Dumoulin: and Canada. V8V 1X4. Canada. as a deified parent: aware of and some of the Native bands' own ♦ Forest Action Network (FAN): Bo* desirous of the best interests of solicitors were from Russell & 625. Bella Coola. BC. VOT ICO. Indians; munificent, all-knowing Dumoulin! There is more evidence Canada: I-<604) 799-5800; and trustworthy. to support the conclusion of a con e-mail— [email protected]: web sile— The language shows how this spiracy. Justice McEachern ruled http://www.altemati ves.com/fan/indeK. image was manufactured: your against the rights of First Nations him / Great Mother, the Queen... her people, claiming that their lives • FAN UK (think globally, act locally). hand is also open to reward the before contact with Europeans were Box F. 42-46 Bcihcl St., Norwich, good man everywhere in her nasty, brutish and short (quoting the Norfolk. NR2 I NR . tel: 01603 Dominions; your great mother European philosopher Hobbes) and 611953: Tax: 0 1 6 0 3 666879. wishes the good of all races... wish had no redeeming features. * Coast Mountains EF!: Box 128. 1472 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC es her red children to be happy... to In the spring of 1994. FAN orga V5L 3X9. Canada: (604) 708-9660 live in comfort... adopt the habits of nized a blockade against the multi • Friends of Clayoquot Sound: Box 489. the whites... She thinks this would national timber monster Interior, in Tolino. BC. VOR 2Z0. Canada: I - be the best thing for her red chil solidarity with the sovereigntist (604)725-4218: e-mail— dren... But the Queen... has no idea LilWat people. Their ancient burial [email protected]: web site— of compelling you to do so... Your grounds and petroglyphs were hltp://www.islai*d.net/-focs Great Mother... will lay aside for being dynamited to build a logging * Bearwatch: Box 21598. 1850 Commercial Drive. Vancouver. BC you lots of land to be used by you road, and their forests were being V5N 4A0. Canada: (604) 730-6081; e- and your children forever... as long clearcut. destroying the salmon mail— [email protected]; as the sun shall shine, there shall be habitat. Salmon is the lifeblood of http://www.helix.net/-bcarwtch no Indian who has not a place that the people and the land. The Royal * P.A.T.H. (Peoples’ Action for he can call his home, where he can Canadian Mounted Police showed Threatened Habitat): 93 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 f l c f L A N - r . ~ r , m ordinarily available to citizcns to seven squatting at this site (sans the communication gear, false alarms, stop such sales. A section of this door) in front of the locked gate the sleeping Jay in am! day out on that Salvage Rider also resurrected a FS had installed in the road to keep goddammed door with a manacle host of old growth sales that had out vehicles. Expecting loggers at around my wrist (sorry). All night been legally stopped in the preced any time, the group had kept up an concrete parties, the press hiring ing 6 years. In the first of his many all-night vigil. A score more helicopters to find our base camp, far reaching decisions interpreting activists awaited signal of any trou having politicians and big-wig envi the scope of the Salvage Rider, U.S. ble at a base camp a mile away that ros walk up the road for the cam District Judge Michael Hogan on had been in operation since July. eras. But these people holding the September 6. 1995 declared that the Many more activists, hearing news borders of what was now C'ascadia sold northern portions of the Warner of the decision, were on the way Free State were the best, the burn area were clear for logging, from Eugene.That was the last time strongest. The closest family is The 4-year long legal effort to stop the Forest Serv ice was to drive past formed under tire; in 40 years I have the Warner Creek salvage plan was the gate. That night activists put never known finer. voided their own lock on it. Morrison was Weeks passed. The FS pushed and Activists, however, had been pre- activated, and from that day for- tested. On the I Oth day a road grad pared for this eventuality. Three ward there was always someone er and a few dozen representatives days before the judge made his rul- (usually myself in those first of the various branches of law- ing, a small band of Earth First!ers months) committed to locking into enforcement in a half-dozen vehi met in the moonlight on the only the dragon at any sign of FS. logger, cles came. We stayed, they left. I road into the released sale units and or hostile activity, could pile words to the moon and it placed a dragon deep into its com- In subsequent nights the blockade wouldn't be able to show. pacted, gravelly surface. A dragon grew and grew. Rock walls sprang Week after week into months we is a large amount of concrete (in this up and deep trenches spanned the kept the road; they knew a major case about a half ton) submerged in road in numerous places. Many confrontation would ensue if they people tried to move us. We could hold the swarmed over road long enough to get more peo the road, folks ple in. and support in the Willamette who’d never valley was strong. The rocks spread met each other, over the road and the trenches grew and especially deeper and deeper, taking on names not swinging a such as "Evolution Creek” and pick. “Full Moon Gorge.” Mainstream People came up every weekend enviros. Earth or whenever they had the time. First!crs. folks Some who'd met us in town at the from town who market, many had come on one of A sabbed logging road just believed the earlier educational hikes. They the middle of a narrow point of the that we couldn’t let it happen, brought us food, rain gear, coats, road, wherein is vertically mounted People from hundreds of miles blankets, firewood, and tools. a pipe in which one may lock one's away came, old friends brought Often they stayed to do a bit of arm thereby drastically impeding other old friends. Our security was work on the road and sing around traffic (hopefully). This one. named loose to nil; the bottom line was the fire. Sometimes hunters and Morrison, had a heavy steel- make sure the Forest Service didn't locals from Oakridge came up. A encased fire door off the back of our get the loggers through, we’d pay few were supportive, some just favorite Eugene pub laid on top. for our sins later, curious about the wackos on the with a hole coinciding in position It is difficult, a year and a half hill, but more than a few were w ith the pipe of the dragon. later, to recapture the constant abusive and threatening, brandish Forest Service employees arriving stress, tension, and near-panic of ing rifles and shotguns. We prayed on the morning of the 7th (they had those first weeks, expecting to gel for snow. That would give us taken to making daily inspections of rolled over by jeep-loads of black- some protection, but it wasn't the area) found a small group of clad federales at any moment, bad coming soon. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 ©THE .» JT ou A IN) D , / * , r f h r - ■ ------m _ 1 g ia & n rir> . The camp continued to evolve while the faces changed. I remem ber certain people with certain phases. Andrew and the Stuinptowners (Portlanders) when it was just my tent on the door anti everyone else was scattered in hid den camps: Sis and Kev, and the punkers from Missouri when it was Shantytown; the Dark Sisters and Peter when we raised the Wall and drawbridge. And through il all, the constants who saw it all through, rotating in for days or weeks. Some only left the Free State for actions in other places as the repercussions of v the salvage rider began to he felt in other dearly-held forest. We moved W'hile the heavy snow protected nant island of ancient forest in the into tipis made from tarps as the the camp, we now had to gel used to clearcut sea of Bureau of Land weather grew harsher ta good storm each other in close quarters. Management (BLMl lands in the can drive winds higher than 120 Snows hoe treks could only keep a Coast Range of Cascadia. With the kph. and drop rain in monsoon person away from the sleeping tipi shortage of spotted-owl housing, it quantities). Light snows came, only for so long; we read a lot of books shouldn't have been a surprise to to melt away. On New Year's peo as wc dried wet clothes and watched find and film the small, bold preda ple were still able to drive up to the our wood stores dwindle. No small tor, When the fallers came, there camp for a wild, hallucinogenic amount of time was spent planning were these dripping people standing party that ended up on the ridgcline strategy for future campaigns. In in the middle of the road in the meadow at 5400 plus feet, miles forests all around us ancient trees dawn rain. The folks from ilie val above camp. were ihreatened: from the Umpqua ley who'd stood at Warner contin But the snows...they finally came and the Siskiyous, lo the coastal ued to push their point; that there to stay, months late, and lay down a range, and from north of us near was a vast difference between what full base in the course of a week Detroit in the Willamette anti fur is legal and illegal, and what is right (which melted in a flood a month ther lo Ml. Hood friends were call and wrong, I stayed at Warner as my later that nearly took part of the ing for help. In ihe lipis and down in friends rayed out. over half of stale capitol), Not to worry, there’s our warehouse, we plotted and Roman-Dunn was clearcut. five plenty more where lhat came from. schemed and waited for the thaw pieces of Hull-Oakes’ heavy equip Reaching the camp to bring in sup that would allow ihe saws’ return. ment were damaged or destroyed, plies now look a half-day or more Keeping ihe blockade running media mildly peaked and fell. No on snowshoes. The Forest Service was an enormous effort on the part one claimed credit for ihe sabotage. snowmobiles bogged down a mile of the Caseadians; gathering sup The Caseadians roved as we kept short of camp the one time they plies, removing refuse, and just the road to Warner. We ran through attempted to reach us. They had hearing with the day in day out ten the pines and snow into the cutting been conducting weekly or bi sion and boredom of wailing. Of units of the Hoxie-Griffin timber weekly inspection/harassment visi course we couldn’t cope with it. sale with the Siskiyou Forest tations. but we wouldn’t see them When Hull-Oakes. a dinosaur of a Defenders in ihe south, on the high again until spring thaw The weight timber company, whose mill could ponderosa fiailands lhat connect the of the winter bent and shattered only process old-growth trees, Cascades with the Siskiyou, locking trees, some more than 2 meters picked up a sale through the same down across access roads, to log through. Nature threw up road Rider that had driven us to the ging trucks entering the mill, to the blocks in the form of downed trees road... well, there was a genera) tops of 10m tripods as snow closed for miles on the road leading up to gnashing of teeth. The sale was the roads, driving logger and enviro our camp. called Roman-Dunn and was a rem alike from the area, I left the hill 95 Do or Die-Voices from Earth Firsl! No.6 o n m —a D = ^ 0 = < A IN ! ©«=/* -~ with a half-dozen of the pack and endangered fish luxuriated in the mouse” exercise as the procession travelled east to help friends defend clear rivers that ran amongst these made an unexpected turn off their a roadless area in the Blue mountains; this place made me march plan and ran into the cutting Mountains of the Malhucr National plump. On the ground, the units. 30 of the protesters who'd Forest with a pick-up truck flipped Cascadians. with our friends from made the furthest progress went on its side and a tripod straddling the Siskiyous. locals and rovers limp and forced the federales to the wreck. There was Honeytree. from as far away as Alaska, tried by remove them over harsh terrain on Yellow Creek, and Olalla Wildcat, tripod, wrecked car lock-downs, stretchers. This group, which calls Horse-Byars and Red 90. We could and the now-infamous "wait. I've- itself WALL (Witnesses Against hold for a day. light for weeks lost-my-nose-ring" blockade, to Lawless Logging) has been a venue delaying for a few hours here and hold back the Forces of Darkness for cross-pollination bc(wecn (he (i.e. Roseburg Forest different watersheds, and between Products) as Watersheds the direct action groups and their pulled, bullied, badgered, more conventional cousins. The and otherwise made an Rider did more to validate direct apathetic and cynical action and civil disobedience as rea ■ administration wiggle to sonable. respectable and appropri escape the heat. After ate tactics than anything since the three weeks. 16 acres had Civil Rights movement. Suits did it. • v been clearcut and three grannies did it. sales were saved (legal By Summer. "Wamerization" had arguments rescued some become a term of common usage in of the others). the Northwest. The Siskiyou parti there, but ultimately most of these Somewhat further in the north, a sans threw up a wall of rock, logs, places died. Great ghost firs haunt site sacred to a number of the tribes and concrete, with a derelict car their stumps in the drizzling rain, in Oregon and along the River saw over a dragon ihe Cascadians had but the Salvage Rider had enraged weeks of arrests, lock-downs, pur placed 9 months before, and a Free and focused the enviro community, suits through the encampment, and State was born at Sucker Creek to and our work brought their destruc helped cement relations between defend the forests and streams tar tion to the public like nothing else. the Indians and the First!er packs. geted by the China-Left sale. In the More people became involved at Fnola Hill was a thinning cut on the roadless regions of the Cove- every level and their involvement south-west of Mt. Hood, on a site Mallard timber sale area, in the frequently broadened into other the held sacred by numerous tribes of wildest areas of the North Rockies. atres. from social justice to urban the River Peoples and others who Jack Squat sprang up in the midst of environmentalism to native land would come into the region in its the 1996 EF! Rendezvous, featuring rights. season for the medicinal and sacred walls of liberated culvert pipe plant Two campaigns of Spring '96 plants found there. After getting a ed at a facinating angle, three stand out: First and Last in the small piece of old-growth dropped tripods, a dragon under the door, Umpqua, and Enola Hill up on the from the sale, a large regional envi and fortresses and batllements that south slope of Mt. Hood. In the ro group stopped fighting to save appeared able lo withstand the Umpqua River drainage 100 Km the sacred site from being logged, charges of brontosaurii. And for a south of us. we allied with a more but the cast of partisans ran from month or two it lasted. mainstream, though not particularly early Warner Creekers, Greenpeace But in August, the raids came. moderate, group to try to save sev folks. EF! from Portland, Camps were run over in the space of eral large areas of roadless ancient Washington, and elsewhere, ciders a day; the greatest of defensive forest. The group was Umpqua from the Warm Springs structures couldn't be held without Watersheds and the sales had names Reservation, to board members of the personnel. Finally the federales like Nita, Cowboy. First, and Last. the group that had withdrawn sup moved on Cascadia Free State. The They were more than classic, they port from the campaign. A rally and lower wall was quickly overrun, but held some of the oldest remaining ritual “enlcr-the-closure-and-get- four women who’ve received an forest in Oregon, owls frolicked in arrestcd" play by 150 enviros embarrassing but deserved amount their ancient boughs, rare and turned into a large scale "cat and of attention (sound familiar?!). Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 locked into the upper baricadcs and held the road for ihe whole day, until it was obvious lhal ihe Forest Service hud built ihe means to bypass them. Ironically, this came ihe day before we were scheduled to have a public camp clean-out. The news lhal the government had made a deal with Thomas Creek Lumber lo drop ihc Warner North sale had been circulating for a week: ihe activists were only waiting for solid verification before folding up the show. The four women, another activist who had his arm broken during his arresi (case pending! and two journalists were arrested in a blatant face-saving effort by the ment site, and if you hike up FS North Cascadia (British Columbia federates, as the deal saving Warner 2408 now, you won’t sec much sign to some) later ihis summer Anyone Creek was verified. Bin the storm of the log wall, the bunkers, or with the experience of the British wouldn't clear so fasi. Denied where the great Cascadian Dragon road wars would find a warm wel access to the arraignment of ihe stood watch againsl Ihose who come to a new home. Warner women, a couple hundred would come against this forest. But Cascadia rises! town folk crowded into the jail I drank with the defenders of the For inquiries, donations and t- house, ami in what was somewhat Siskiyou last weekend, and the tight shirt orders, contact: Cascadia inaccurately described as a “riot", for the North Santiam River has Forest Defenders. 1*0 Box 11122. 38 more people were Case red, given been on for three weeks. About a Eugene, OR 97440, pain-holds. and jailed themselves. do2en of ihe Women's Warrior Trials for many of the heroes are Society blockaded the road into the still pending as the snows melt off Hull-Oakes mill a month ago, and I —"feel free to stop by for dinner of Ihe slopes above the old encamp hear of a massive road takeover in and a blockade". VNart - bibcv 97 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.S Temelin Anti-Nuclear Action Camp Temelin Power plant, Czech Republic July 6th—July 14th 1997 Since the catastrophe at Chernobyl in 1986. the Western miclcar industry has had many problems in continuing its work. Due to public opposition and finan cial problems no more new nuclear power plants (NPP) have been built in Western Europe (with France as a glowing exception) nor have new NPP’s been ordered in the United States, Thus the nuclear industry lost its market. Unsurprisingly they started to search for a new market, which they think they have found in eastern Europe. Fancy some East European radiation and radicalism?—July 6th 14th Temelin NPP is a prime example government has no money left over struggle today. They were bought of the western nuclcar industry's to make the existing brown coal out by CEZ 13 years ago, and given expansion into the East: situated planis more ecologically sound (i.e. low prices by ihe state for iheir 150 km from Prague, it is an through filter systems), because of property. Nov. thal their house is unfinished VVER 1000/320, built costs-overrun at Temelin. Thus the destined for demolition this spring, and abandoned by the Soviets, Now brown coal plants continue to heav they will Ik forced from iheir home CEZ ( the Czech cleclricity utility) ily pollute large areas of the Czech with only a fraction of the house's and Westinghouse {an American Republic and even Germany, affect value and will have lost their only multinational) are completing this ing peoples' health, life expectation trade—farming (they have been unneeded NPP. The American gov and even birth rates. “relocated" to an urban setting ernment (through its Export-Import which doesn't allow farm animals). Bank, and thus using lax-payers* A Brief History of the Reacting to these injustices, vil money) has just dccidcd lo grant Anti-Temelin Movement. lagers attempted to publicly protest- Westinghouse a loan guarantee, Public opposition to Temelin has Unfortunately, the oppressive despite high levels of public opposi quite a long history. Since the Communisi regime of the ‘80s did tion. beginning of the 1980s, when the n't allow organised movements and The mix of western and eastern construction of Temelin first began, in effect banned their protests. They technology in use at Temelin is new there have been several waves of responded by continuing to demon and not tested for safely. Besides opposition. The first protests were strate their disapproval individually. lhat ihe capacity to be created by ihe organised by locals who were the Their mosi common response was new NPP is unneeded. CEZ has run first people to be dramatically lo send letters of protest which a campaign in the last few years to affected by the construction: ihrce gained little sympathy or considera promote electrical healing. By villages were completely wiped out tion from the government. The only severely subsidising ihe electricity and v illagers resetUed. Sonic people reaction on the side of the establish prices and selling and installing the left immediately, others were forced ment was an official explanation heaters nearly for free, they have out laler. a few remained. Out of the describing how ihe plant would created an electricity demand even 60 original inhabitants in one of the play an important role in helping ihe higher than the proposed capacity villages, only 7 still live there. The future construction of socialism. for Temelin. In the meantime the Pizinger family exemplify this Soon, this local opposition was Do or Die-Voices from Earth Firstt No.6 98 C2>=r ’ l!=i) completely silenced. There was lit pressure. CEZ. the Czech electricity best solution. Studies had proven tle resistance in the years that fol utility, ignoring the desires of the that Temelin was not die least-cost lowed because villagers fell it was people, continued the construction solution to the Czech Republic’s nearly impossible to influence the of the plant, pretending its comple- energy needs, as claimed by the government's centralized decision lion was never in question. nuclear establishment and ministers making structure. It was not long before this second of government. Even though these Fortunately, a big opportunity for w ave of opposition began to with- results were published in papers and campaigners opened up after the draw and diminish, discouraged by shown on TV. the ministers were political changes in 1989. politicians who still made decisions already decided. In a formal deci- Supported by Austrians. the region regardless of public opinion. With sion in March 1993. all 18 voted in experienced its first public and mass no culture of opposition, most peo- favor of Temelin. protests. Huge gatherings took pie preferred to go back to their pri- The announcement of this deci- place at the Temelin construction vate lives rather than continue sion had a killing effect on the anti- site. As a result, a tradition of oppo resisting a government which didn't nuclear movement—almost all the sition was created. The biggest seem to be listening. groups cooperating in the coalition protest occurred in 1991— a festival In the middle of 1992. the govern- gave up, thinking that further efforts at the main gate of the plant which ment made their final decision on would be a waste of time and was attended by nearly ten thousand Temelin’s future. These decisions resources. Consequently, they Czechs and Austrians! This new again challenged opponents of the began focusing on other winnable born movement achieved some plant and in response a third wave issues. After another battle lost, notable victories—in 1990. the of opposition was created. This only a few decided to continue the regional government voted not to time, its core was formed by a w ide war against Temelin. prolong the construction Those few still bravely license for the 3rd and 4th opposing the plant realized reactors. This decision that it depended upon the meant that the plant would involvement of the Western now be half its original players, such as the US size. But despite this tri Export-Import (Ex-Im) umph. chances for initiat Bank and Westinghouse. ing a complete shut dow n Both of the project's of the project were vanish needs—technical and ing quickly. financial—were being met Although the numbers by the United States: involved in the movement Westinghouse would sup- were rising, their influence was coalition of several dozens of envi- ply the technological upgrades and decreasing due to lime pressures. ronmental organizations. Their aim the Ex-Im Bank the loan guaran- The oppostion experienced its peak was simple: to convince the govern- tees. Therefore, a holistic strategy in 1990. During this time, putting ment to reject Temelin. They organ- was adopted—using internationals the new democracy to the test with ised actions, petitions, public to pressure the Western institutions, public protests was a popular activ debates, open letters and other and a strong local civic movement ity. As a consequence, many people media events. The newly elected using direct actions to target the actively participated in the cam (1992) government, led by recent Ministers at home. paign against Temelin which, com Prime Minister Klaus, was not One of the campaign highlights bined with temporary hesitation on interested in public opinion at all. was the move to stop the Ex-Im the part of the state institutions, Most requests for debates were sim financing for Temelin in 1994. greatly influenced decision makers. ply ignored, petitions were not even Extensive lobbying at the U.S. However, numbers began decreas formally answered, and open letters Congress, whose members had the ing monthly as people lost interest were throw n into the dustbins. power to reject Ex-Im's decision. in participating in large scale By autumn 1992, despite clear took place. In February and March demonstrations. As a consequence, opposition and obvious alternative 1994. with the help of several U.S. decision makers became more self- resources, all ministers had agreed organisations, representatives of assured and less fearful of public that Temelin was necessary and the both Austrian and Czech move- Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 .<0 >=r = BH) IIJ T ^ A INI 0 ) ^ ments opposed to Temelin travelled of July. Both actions—blockades recent Chair of Senate, and Petra to the U.S. After many exhausting and camps—became the corner Buzkov, the Vice-Chair of the weeks in Washington, and despite stones of the movement. Now. House of Representatives). We ihe support of fifty Congressional every year, a blockade and protest believe that the resistance will con representatives, the Ex-Im head camp is oi^anized. As the number tinue to grow. In fact, we are quarters continued their decision to of participants at the blockades expecting at least 500 people at the provide money for Temelin. grows (1993—50. 1994—150. blockade this July 1997. Everyone Today, there is a stronger focus on 1995— 250. 1996—500), and the who wants to help and is willing to supporting the civic/direct action length of the blockades increases respect the non-violence guidelines, movement. The direct action move (in 1996. it lasted 72 hours and cov is welcome. ment. which still grows today, rep ered all II entrances of the site!) resents historically the fourth wave these actions become more and International Contacts: of opposition to Temelin. Our first more effective, making the life of •For Mother Earth Belgium Gewad blockade of the Temelin site took nuclear proponents difficult. 15 9000 Gent Belgium tel +32-9- place in May 1993. with about 50 Furthermore, the yearly protests 2334924 fax 2337302 participants blocking one of the attract a considerable amount of ♦PIANO: Praha International Anti gates for a few hours. All were public attention to the problem. Nuclear Office Chvalova 3 Praha arrested. Nevertheless, it brought The blockades have also been 3 13000 Praha Czech Republic wide media attention to the problem supported by many well-known NEW tel +42-2-90031895 of Temelin. personalities: several singers, writ *http:/w ww.ecn.cz/private/piano Then, that same summer, a protest ers. and politicians (including Petr •Contact for Britain: c/o Lune EF!. camp was organized for the month Pithart. former Prime Minister and 78a Penny St. Lancaster. It's the same story in Slovakia. A similar evil NPP construction is happening in Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau is a big financer for Slovakia, where SIEMENS is constructing the this dangerous project. This is German tax money!!! Mochovce NPP (in an earthquake zone!!!) and doing Please boycott Siemens products, like Siemens the same experimental mix of eastern and western Nixdorf computers. Bosch tools. Osram lightbulbs, technology. Siemens kitchen equipment etc.. Send leltters of The Slovaks are not ready lo have international protest to Siemens International: Dr. Karl Hermann activists on their actions in the second week of july. Baumann Hd. Guenther Wilhelm Wittelbacherplatz 2 This is mainly because their media reacts very nega 80333 Munchen Germany. For a sample letter contact tively to foreigners protesting in Slovakia. But they For Mother Earth Slovakia—Za Matku Zem. can use your help!! The German government has P.O.Box 93. Bratislava 814 99. Slovakia. Email: decided to give a Hermes loan guarantee, and the [email protected] Tel/fax: 42- 7-713 506 Acme Tyre Pressure Reducer Mark 2 You will need- • Galvanised fencing staples (from Hardware shops) • Two pairs of fencing pliers or similar. 1) Link staples together as shown. 2) Pinch just above where they meet, so they cannot come apart. 3)Bend 'spikes outwards in different directions, so that whatever way it lands there is always one spike pointing upwards. A follow-up to the ATPR in the last Dot). This is Carry and use carefully. cheaper, docs not require a workshop but is only Do not use on roads or where there may be fast mov effective for smaller vehicles. ing traffic. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 100 Green Partisans Crazy happiness-giving ideas in Poland We would like to start our short report from Poland with a piece of happy news-for a year now an ecological movement has existed in our country, with an ideology which is very close to the activ ities and philosophy of Earth First! We even identify with Earth First!, we use the same symbols and concepts of activity. The name of our organisation is: feel lonely in the never-ending fight enables them to fight with govern The Green Partisans—Earth First! with man. ment and its crazy “happiness-giv (in the name we use the title of a At present. PNRWJ leads the ing" [stupefying?] ideas. punk music group from Poland campaigns for the National Park of Wc should mention the oldest called “Ewa Braun”). So far the Bialowieza. in the southeast of Polish magazine— ‘The Green structure—the ‘network” of GP- Poland, and for the protection of the Brigades' (‘Zielone Brygady*). It EF!—has been spread across such Tatras (especially the Polish part), was founded by the people who cre cities as Kalisz. Stupsk. Warsaw, which are endangered by the ated the basis of the Polish ecologi Bielsko-Biala and Lodz. Olympic lobby, business and a cal movement. The Green Brigades We participate in many campaigns plague of tourists. PNRWJ has also are also printed in English, and in in Poland for the protection of the gotten involved in the campaign for this way it’s easier to communicate earth. For example: "The Wild is wolves and other wild beasts (“The and learn about ecology and so on. Beautiful" (protection of wolves); Wild is Beautiful"). Its latest project We're reaching the end of this “The Tatras (Polish mountains) Are is the “Network of Guards of short and imperfect report from Not a Toy in the Hands of Man!— Environmentally Valuable Places", Poland. If you are interested in any Stop Olympiad 2006!”; "Anti- and PNRWJ is instructing, teaching of our campaigns, write to a co SheU”; ‘‘Anti-Multinational’’. the people to guard and keep safe ordinator of any one. We'd like to In the summer of ‘96 we also some places with which they feel suggest (very kindly) that at present took part in the blockade of the strongly connected. They are to pro the most important is the Tatras. so power station in Temelin. in the tect their places from an offensive get in touch with PNRWJ. If we Czech Republic. of civilisation. PNRWJ also edit the happen to have made any mistakes, Although GP-EF! is a small first Polish magazine referring to please, be willing to forgive us. structure, the people who arc con bioregionalism, deep and radical Best wishes, green colours, thou nected with it have been activists ecology, called “The Wild Life” sands of kisses. for many years, in the Green (“Dzikie Zycie"). Green Partisans Earth First! Federation, the Collective “Social The most important issue for Contacts: Activity”, and The Workshop for Polish nature is “The Vistula- 1) Green Partisans EF! ( Zicloni All Beings (the Polish name for Now". led by Club-Gaja. Their aim Partyzanci Federacja Zielonych which is: Pracownia Na Rzecz is to make it impossible to ‘civilise’ "Enklawa"): C/O Igor Strapko. Wszystkich Jstot -the PNRWJ). the main and still wild river in Borkowska 9/1, 62-800 Kalisz, Till now, our role has lain in Poland. The co-ordinator of that Poland. making “background" for the campaign edits the bulletin 2) Pracownia Na R/ecz activities of PNRWJ. which is like “Vistula-Fax" (Wista-Fax). Wszystkich Jstot: PO Box 40. an engine for the radical ecologi The members of the Green 43-304 Bielsko-Biala. Poland. cal front in Poland. PNRWJ was Federation hinder the building of Tel/Fax: 033-183153. the first organisation in our coun motorways in Poland. Although the 3) KlubGaja: PO BOX 261.43- try which started to identify its people from the G.F. are for youth, 301 Bielsko-Biala. Poland. philosophy of activity with EF! vigour, energy and the anti/suh/-cul- 4) Federacja Zielonych "Zielone The PNRWJ is interested in more ture style of life, they gained legal Brygady": Stakowska 12/24 (IV than just power for humans, and it status: as the ‘Ecological Cultural p), 31- 014 Krakow. Poland. Tel: is this that enables the Earth not to Association Enklawa' in Kalis/.. It 012- 222147. 101 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Ecology in Euskadi Battles in the Basque Country 10th annual Korrika (run for the basque Language) - th e masks are Daniel Unziti s face. Daniel Unziti Condemned Although Dam didn't lake pan in tion—therefore he has to remain in to Three Years in Prison the original action, he and another prison for longer. campaigner, Patxi Gorraiz, were As you may know, the anti-con Daniel Unziti, from the village of tried on ihe 11th of October. They scription movement ('Insumision') Itoiz. has been condemned to a were arrested after a march against is very strong in ihe Spanish Stale, three year prison sentence in con ihe dam which went to the construc and especially so in ihe Basque nection wilh acts against ihe con tion site to give a letter of disagree region |for obvious reasons}. struction of the dam near his vil ment to ihe construction company. Around 500 people are jailed every lage. After a lorry drove over the demon year for refusing conscription. As you know (see the Earth First strators, the security guards and the In Dani's words: “I am complete Action Update May I99fi and police began shooting live ammuni ly innocent. It's not possible for Undercurrents #6). in April *96. tion and charging against them. anyone to be in two places at the activists sabotaged the construction People panicked and some of lliem same time. My only crime is to be of ihe Ilot7 dam in ihe Basque started throwing stones in retalia ‘insumiso' [that is, to refuse the Country to brilliant effect. tion. No one was arrested at the draft | and consequent wilh my Using circular saws, ihey were time, but a few days later both Dani ideas, to be against the militarisa able to cut the steel cables needed to and Patxi were arrested in conection tion of Itoitz and of the whole transport concrete to ihe dam wall, with the demonstration. world, to be from ltoiiz and to thereby forcing the authorities to the coincidence is that boih are defend peacefully the right to live in abandon the project at least for the members of the only two families the house and land of my ances time being. |And who says direct who still live in lioiz. and are tors," action doesn't work?!] Eight of the known anti-dam activists. Patxi was Since the day of the hearing there people who participated in ihe sentenced to two years and Dani to have been mobilisations for Dani action were imprisoned, but were three, Dani is also liable for military and the other imprisoned ‘insum- later released lhanks to impressive service and has a previous "crimi isos', and against ihe dam. On the mobilisations in support of them. nal” record for resisting conscrip day of the hearing itself two people Do or Die-Voices Irom Earth First! No.6 102 PTH 11 j r $ = > ^ N ! ^ > J T _ « went up onto the roof of the court As with previous enviromental destruction all the way through pre and hung a banner in solidarity with struggles, the project threatens to do viously untouched lands. The HST Patxi and Dani. They were evicted huge damage to the Basque enviro- will need a completely new railway with cherry pickers and arrested. ment. and mainly in areas which, network: a total of 310 kilometers After this no demonstration was bccause it’s so mountainous, have of new railways in the Basque allowed by the police. For remained intact up till now. The Country, without using the pre Christmas, a tree house was set up HST needs a flat and straight sur existing network. It will need safety in front of the prison in Pamplona face in order to reach the speeds of lighting all along the railway of where Dani remains imprisoned. 15G-250mph that it requires. This around 25,000 volts. This voltage The sentence is three years. He’ll be exceeds the eleclro-magnetic field glad to hear of your solidarity: our health is able to cope with Daniel Un/iti (imagine what it will do to ani Iruneako Gart/ela mals, especially nocturnal San Roque Kalea z/g ones). The HST also pro Irunea-Pamplona (State duces huge vibrations of Spai ii) * \ and noise on its way. In The Campaign H [; \ such a wilderness area, its speed will also Against the have a terrible effect HST Continues. on the local fauna. The environmental As with all expan ists of the Basque sions of develop Country haven’t for ment. the HST has a gotten the fight clear link with other against the destructive forms of enviromental project of the ‘High destruction. The HST Speed Train', which will is very closely linked to affect both French and nuclear power, because it Spanish sides of the border. needs a huge amount of After the summer the cam energy to reach lhat high paigners organized a camp protest speed. in Anoeta (Gipuzkoa). and a very But we know who gets the benefit: successful demonstration of about m e a n s as in the UK with the motorways, it three thousand people in Donostia building tunnels, slicing up moun is the big construction companies. (San Sebastian) on the 16th of tains and filling in the valleys: one You can imagine the budget for a January (again. check out tunnel of 5 miles, one of 4 miles, project like this, which is starting Undercurrents #6 if you want to see three of more than 2 miles, as well from scratch. The cost was initially some of the actions against it). Now as 55 bridges. put at 3,500 million, but you can be they are waiting to see how things Il will create the same effect as the sure that when [ if ! 1 it actually develop before they take the next Irunea-Donostia (Pamplona-San comes to be built, it will be three or step forwards. Sebastian) motorway: that is. four limes as much. SO Norway Spruce Larch C h « t n u t 103 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 The Philippines A Country for Sale Cordillera Peoples Alliance Chairwoman, Minnie Degawan, addresses a gathering held in the community of Fidelisan, Mountain Province. The banner in the back reads 'Tribal War Stop Genocide". Some community leaders have warned that "although mines are not tribes, the people will declare tribal war against them." While revisiting the Philippines sense of security and serenity that was during the presidency of last year I was travelling and view seemed to belie the alarming stories Corazon Aquino. We successfully ing ihe panoramic scene from a bus I’d heard from my friends —stories maintained a 5-month round-the- on my way from Pagadian City to of ihe mountains being sold off to clock picket and blocked the road to Ozamis City, in the southern island British (RTZ), Austral iantCR A), stop the illegal logging of treev in of Mindanao, t pondered what I had American and Canadian companies the only remaining forest, which is seen and heard over the last two for mining. also the watershed for the Pagadian months. The outrageous beauty, I was forced back to relive the area. The picket was eventually magnified now by the quickly reign of terror of the Marcos years, supported by all the surrounding declining sun. created myriads of which regrettably did not end there. parishes and raised the level of reflections on the waters of the rice We were inspired by the Peoples’ awareness of the environmental lields, leaving the beholder in awe. Power demonstration in Manila, issues that are central to the socio Going up the crumbling road which ultimately forced Marcus to economic life of the area. carved out through die mountains leave the country. We began our The togging company at the time by PADAP (Philippines Australian own Peoples' Power Picket to save used an armed fanatical paramili Development Assistance Plan) in trees in the parish of San Jose. tary group, the Kurotong Baleleng, the early I980‘s. the beauty of this Midsalip. in the diocese of who at gunpoint terrorised the piek- country almost lured me into a Pagadian, I remember now thal this etcers and routed the picket-line. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 104 destroying all our posters, placards Ramos, a general of the Philippine countries to penalise their poor, in and paraphernalia. It was ihc even Constabulary in the Marcos era and order lo repay the unpayable loans tual death of two Philippine Minister for Defence in the Aquino that the poor never benefited from Constabulary men—sent to bolster govern men i, has had an easy term in the firsi place. Wc should ask ihe local police force and lo ensure of office and has been able to pay a “Will there be any future for gener peace and order at the picket-line— lot of attention to the ills of ihe ations to come if wre do not take al the hands of the Philippine Army, Philippine economy. these institutions lo task now?" that forced ihe suspension of the The generation of electricity (coal Political will is what is needed to company's ‘Timber Licence and oil fired, multi-purpose change the injustice of ihis system. Agreement1 (TLA>. hydropower, gas and geothermal), It was amusing to read in a Luckily for us ihe local police the requirement of industry , is being Filipino Daily that ihe IMF force and the Provincial "fast-tracked” by the government in (International Monetary Fund) is Commander of the now defunct a craze to fuel NIC (New concerned about the environmental Philippine Constabulary supported Industrialised Country) status by impact of the macro-economic the action of ihe people, because the year 2000. "Philippines 2000” is plans of the Ramos government, they loo were concerned by the the ill defined Ramos Plan which when it is they who direct opera effects of ihe illegal logging. many feel spells disaster, not only tions and lay the ground rules in the However, the District, Regional for the people but for the integrity first place. Nor was I surprised, as I and National Offices of ihe Bureau of the very fabric of the tropical read on. to find that the IMF would of Foresl Development (Bl'Dj sided environment of soil, trees, air, not however be putting any obsta with the Logging Company. That all water. cles in the way of these government the beautiful Forestry laws were That the very survival of the plans. They play both sides; that of broken by Sunville Timber Products Philippines environment itself is at the critics and of the criticised. The Inc. (the licensees! was completely stake is well documented. The dan World Bank/IMF has also been ignored by ihe government—and ger is desertification; agri-business credited with forcing the Philippine this is no wonder, considering the eats op the best land to provide cash government to open Filipino fishing culture of corruption lhal existed crops for the world market, and puts waters to foreign trawlers in the and continues to exist in the govern bananas, pineapples anti palm oil on early iy80s, with ihe disastrous ment. our tables while ihe Filipino peasant consequences described above. The wealthy company bought a continues logo landless and hungry. I was very perturbed when I was lot of public administration and Cut flower and asparagus produc told of ihe impending invasion of media support bui ihe batiie was tion is the newest addition to the the Philippines by mining compa won by ihe persistence of ordinary export-imposed, im port-dependent nies. 1 researched what I had been people despite the intimidation, ter economy. told by the people in Midsalip, and ror and fear they were subjected to. The country is threatened enough by the Subaan'n Tribal Peoples Warrants of arrest were issued for by the other demands already being there, and realised that at leasi half me and eight i>lher leaders, includ made on its resources; not only by a the total area of the Province of ing the Chief of Police of Midsalip large and growing population, but Zamboanga del Sur has been divid [!]. for "ursurpation of public by the encroachment of foreign ed inio blocks, each containing authority”. It was another attempt al fisheries, This diminishes the food more than 8 1.000 hectares. intimidation bui the Court was supply of a population which Each of these blocks is subject lo forced to do justice to ihe long cam depends primarily on fish for pro a "Financial Technical Assistance paign thal was gaining momentum. tein, and forces the Filipino fisher Agreement" (FTAA) wilh foreign It was only in December of 1988 men lo engage in dynamite fishing, mining companies. I hc areas cov that the Timber Licence of the causing irreversible damage to ihe ered are mostly the ancestral lands offending company was finally can coral reefs. of indigenous tribal peoples, and are celled. Too often wc can blame the victim ihe last remaining tropical forests of We are now into the final year of for short sigluedness while we the country' and western Mindanao. the Presidency of Fidel Ramos. ignore the real causes of the degra In the Philippines the overall FTAA Aquino’s successor. Cory had to dation of our planet. It is the rules of scenario is devastating. Northern fight for political survival against the international financial structures Luzon is also covered as are all the several attempted military coups. lhal compel "underdeveloped* other islands of the country. 105 Oo or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 il j r o= a ini © j r We ex pec I the Third World to the actual inhabitants of ihe land kill and sow fear among the people, adhere to ‘sustainable development’ “surface dwellers”. Tropical and prevail in iheir corporate target while we send our mining magnates Exploration Philippines Inc, to maximise profits and keep their to meet in Singapore, to force Asia (TEPI). a member of the CRA western shareholders happy. In the to open its gates and liberalise its Group (which recently merged wiih process they divest local inhabitants laws. its parent company, RTZ), has of their lands and livelihood, there The Philippines have jusl made applied for a licence to explore and by violating the human righls of the this scandalous concession, opening mine in the very parish where J whole citizenry of an area. the whole country lo global rape in worked. At least 30% of the entire land 1995, Other countries in Asia, in The area is mostly the home of the mass of the Philippines is now Africa and South America are Subaanen Cultural Community, under these FTAAs, The definition expected to do the same. The finan who are alarmed at the prospect of of the inhabitants as mere “surfate cial institutions ih;u poured billions their lands being opened to mining. dwellers” enables ihe government into the Marcos coffers as he raped They are frightened of the prospect to claim total ownership of all the a nation, must at some lime take of their lands and forest being fur minerals within ihe territory of the responsibility for lhat and for the ther destroyed by the incursion of a Philippines, not only on public but greater crime now of forcing the mining company and are united in also on private lands. And only the Ramos government, hungry for defence of their lands. big foreign mining companies have money for development, to open the That il was described in Messianic the vast capital needed to undertake forests and mountains, the rivers lerms of “the mountains being laid the extraction of these minerals, and seas, and ihe indigenous peo low " is no joke lor the people hut a ostensibly ‘on behalf of the gov ples themselves, to wholesale min signal of disaster to come. As I ernment. ing operations lhat scrape the very skimmed the daily newspapers I The people of Midsalip have been bowels out of the country. could not help noticing ihe array of told lo expect only that the environ Let us consider the 1995 Mining environmental disasters in Luzon. mental “impact I when mining Code, il was, to no small exlent, tni- Negms and Mindanao already caus begins] can be minimised, if not liated from sources external to the ing havoc, poisoning rivers, seas avoided...” TEPI also claim thai Philippines. Because of Ihe coun and people with mercury and "Prior lo the conduct of any explo try's large deht. and the legitimate cyanide. ration activity, [we identify! sensi [?] desire of the post-Marcos The disaster al the Marinduque tive areas which should be protect Filipino Administrations to acquire mine of the Canadian Placer Dome ed and also adopt appropriate p ro funding to develop their economy, company in March 1996 was the cedures to minimise environmental western interests now' take unfair worst and most ominous of the Iasi disturbance and facilitate rehabilita advantage, knowing full well the couple of years; mine tailings actu tion”. stranglehold they have over the ally burst through the holding area These quotes are taken from the Philippines because of the debt and left the local river and country letter by Henry P. Aqupitan, TEPI's issue. side heavily polluted. Exploration Manager, asking for This leverage was used to ensure That the same scenario, of threats permission from the Director of the that a scandalous mining law was and intimidation and the use of Mines and Geosciences Bureau "to pushed through Congress, Pressure paramilitaries, will repeat itself, as conduct exploration and mining was used not only by the powerful TEPI press against local resistance operations in the Municipality of mining groups bui even by some of 10 (nine gold, is not beyond the Midsalip, Province of Zamboanga the international financial institu bounds of possibilty in ihe del Sur including the SCC tions and development agencies, Philippines. (Subaanen Cultural Community) who are mandated (in theory] only We need only look at the pasi areas”. They are disturbing and mis to promote and support sustainable record of multinational agri-busi leading. development. ness and other corporate incursions I have italicised ihe words ’can' The Mining Code, which became into the Philippines. British Palm and 'should' from Aqupitan’s letter, law in March of 1995. gives foreign 011 is such a ease. Backed by words which when taken literally or companies the right to 100% own money to buy off officials, and by legally belie any commitment to ership of mines. 100% repatriation government forces, paramilitary environmental protection in an area of profits and 50 year leases. It calls fanatics and lawyers, they threaten. which wholly needs protection from Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 The ore feels homesick. It wants to abandon the minting houses and the wheels that offer such a meagre life. And out of the factories and payroll boxes it wants to go back into the veins of the thrown open mountain, which will close again behind it. -Rilke to a balanced and healthful ecologyany further mechanical intrusion. to a balanced and healthful ecologyany By acceding to international pres The area still needs time to recover in accord with the rhythm and har sure to open the country to open from the impact of the illegal log mony of nature’', (Article 2 Section cast mining, the Philippine environ ging which was condoned by the 16). So. w'hy has a law not been ment. already severely degraded, government for so long. A healthy, enacted to enforce the claims of the has been placed in a terribly vulner protected forest is the best resource tribal Communities to their ances able position. for the health and economic life of tral claims? Why are the remaining But we do live in hope, and take what is still a largely rural, agricul forests and environment, so essen on the responsibility to change poli tural based community. tial to the Philippine ecology, not cies and make transparent to the The claim to ownership by the aggressively protected in the same world w'hat is going on. The State of all minerals is based on the way as the mining law was rushed Filipino Bishops wrote a Pastoral 1987 Constitution (Article XII through? letter in 1988. What Has Happened Section 2). This is the subject of the In its quest for ‘NIChood' (Newly to Our Heautiful Land?, and 1995 Mining Code. However, the Industralised Country status), the reflected on the ecological destruc same article also promises ancestral Ramos Administration is depleting tion of the country. They mentioned land to the Indigenous Cultural the resources and minerals that the efforts of Midsalip as a sign of Communities (Article XII Section could be used to benefit the Filipino hope then because of the struggle 5). people and their social, cultural and against illegal logging. State policy as laid down by the economic life. |There are many Since then thousands, indeed Constitution makes it incumbent small-scale indigenous miners who millions of Filipinos have woken upon the government to “protect will probably be squeezed out by up to a realisation of the intercon and advance the right of the people the Mining Code.) nectedness of the fragile tropical 1(17 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 I) JF Q = A , |f%sj) P , - / ’ environment. They reiilise lhal a A new way of living harmonious peoples and the environment must certain percentage of forest cover ly can be learned by listening to ihe be safeguarded in law. is essential for maintaining healthy indigenous people and absorbing Existing forest cover (12^) is less water tables and rivers. They have their understanding of the earth. We than is recognised and recommend learned—through bitter experi must learn again that it is planet ed for the sustainability and healthy ence—that there is a connection Earth that is God's cathedral. The balance of a tropical environment. between the degradation of their chirping birds and (lowing streams That the FTAAs between the natural environment and ihe praise iheir Creator. [I) The small Government and Mining increasing number of droughts and est insect and plant in all Iheir diver Companies incorporate the remain floods. They realise thal when sity tell us a story- of dependence ing forest area of Western there is balance there is fresh cool and interconnection. The various Mindanao, the Cordilleras and air and rain comes al the right sea colours of people, and diverse ways Indigenous Lands is alarming to say son, there is little suit erosion, no of speaking and knowing and ihe least, and warrants the strongest drought or floods or landslides or believing point to a beyond that is protest of individuals and organisa siltation. Diverse and Divine. tions to both the Philippine From mountain to sea there is We need to tread gently on the Government, the British and harmony as the birds fly freely and earth, to lake off our shoes and Australian Governments, and the the fresh clear mountain waters realise again that the ground on Mining magnates involved. meet the sea. kissing and mingling which we stand is holy, Thai ground with the salt water, keeping the may be an insect or a culture or a 111 Some readers may such senti mangrove trees alive and well to language, a person, a people, a sea. ments hard to accept, but the writer provide food for lish. The farmer a tree, a mountain, they are all holy. is a Catholic priest, and chooses to and fisherman is happy. However, We must bring back the sacred into express his love for ihe natural ihis now is history- and the dream of our vision of the soil, the air. every world in these terms. Does that a new story and new relationship thing. The only one who is a for lessen his commitment? I d o n ’t with ihe earth awaits. eigner on earth is the person or think so—Catholics have been al Mindanao was ssill forested in the group who dues not recognise that the forefront of ihc (often extremely 1930‘s, when people from the we are dependent on ihe earth and dangerous) battle against environ northern islands, because of the its interconnectedness. mental destruction in the continual refusal of the government Some hope remains becausc tty Phillipines. to have a genuine land reform pro Philippine Government fro/e all bui gramme, were promised settlers' two of ihe 70 mining applications For further information, contact: land on the southern island of for FTAAs last year, because of the 1) Cordillera Links - C/O 111 Mindanao—the Land of Promise— outcry from opponents of the Faringdon Rd. Slanford-in-the- Yuta nga Sand. Mining Code. However, the law has Valc. Oxfordshire SN7 8LD. So there arc many people alive not been abolished. Some cosmetic Tel/Fax: 01367- 7IK8K9. today who have actually seen with surgery or window dressing has (Produce ihe excellem newslet their own eyes die result of defor been done, by giving more aitention ter Tong-Tongan.) estation and its impact from moun to the people and the environment 2) Mtnewatch - Methodist tain lo sea. Midsalip used to have affected in the “Implementing Rules Clubland. 54 Camberwell Rd. abundant lish in her rivers and the and Regulations’" lIRR). The London SE5 OEN. Tel: 0171 climate was less hoi and humid. changes arc not nearly enough. 277-4852, E-mail: Today soil erosion is rife and ihe Now the government is set to give 'We are going to impose our agenda on the coverage by dealing with issues and subjects that we choose," Richard M. Cohen, Senior Producer of CBS political news "Our job Is to give people not what they wont, but what we decide they ought to hove,' Richard Salant, former President of CBS News Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 108 What’s on in Germany From Autonomen to Zeitgeist So you know Germany is full of old fascists getting drunk at football games, and that the Chancellor’s name is Kohl, and that he is the large fat guy whose favourite dish is sow’s stomach. But maybe you aren’t privileged with any insights into the radical ecology movement in the land of the huge Black Forest, the hilly countryside along the Rhine river and of the "progressing” industry. “GoriebeiT (in early March 1997) you can be proud of that!). There five years has recently been evicted was a huge thing lhat you may have were many attempts to build up a again and has moved on to a new seen on TV— 10,000 anti-nuclear network and get their explanation of site. You may have read in the last protestors up against 30,000 riot who they are, why they are active Du or Die of ihe “Anatopia" village police. If you take these 10.000 pro- and from which “philosophical" (which existed for 4 years up lo ils testors and deduct about 9.5(H), background together. The latter was eviction in 1995) against a planned you’re left with a bandful of ener- very well thought out but unfortu- Mercedes test track righl through getic activists that are involved with nately failed lo appeal to a wider the moor. This test track is now- radical ecology. audience, due to individuals in EF! being built in a different part of We, two German vis tors to who put others off wilh arrogant Germany. Also, the lirst tree protest Britain, will try to sum up aspects of and cliquey/exclusive airs and EF!- camps in Thueringen and Freiburg doings and activist life in Germany connections with Frontline (the ger- have emerged (see other articles!). fioin our perspective which means, man "revised” adaption of USA To mention the situation we have due to the disappointing lack of Hardline |dodgy, right-leaning with cops; camps are not flocked effective networking in our as yet punkv vegans]), EF! did not appeal wilh security guards as in Britain small movement, that we only have to many activists with radical envi- but are observed and evicted by the faint ideas of what's happening in ronmental ideas. These problems police, Actions and demonstrations other parts of the country/in some led lo ihe break-up of the EF! net- are disrupted by special units— local groups we've possibly never work at the end of 1996/beginning either the “Bundesgrcnzschuiz" heard of. This is just a personal of 1997. But its (very g«>d) main (police with military training) or ihe account of our experiences. publication. “Die Eulc” ("The anii-terror squads (“SEK’) who are The idea of radical ecology is not OwJ"> still exists and promises lo dressed up as robocops. They are unknown—hey, and there's already keep on spreading radical ecologi- usually so thoroughly protected been a green and black flag shown eal thoughts, (even iheir ankles are out of reach) on TV (well, once). Action continues nevertheless. and armed as well, which means The movement has just slarted to there is just no “national eoordina- battles with them are more or less become an independent one, only in lion” in most cases. Local groups distance lights because otherwise the process of developing a distint- tackle local issues with direct people would feel loo powerless. As live profile. It is sort of emerging action— for example with block- to repression and stale spying, from olher movements concerning ade>. of sireels, sit-ins on lields we’re nol sure how they really are partial oppressions/single issues where genetically manipulated veg- reacting, as you cannot tell exactly (animal rights, anti-nuclear, anti- etables are tested (or attacks on as the movement does not have very fascist, environmental), initiated by them), attacks on diggers, construc- much experience. aclivists who wished to combine lion sites, companies etc., bicycle Radical ecology already has made iheir revolutionary/anarchist per- demonstrations and the like. Protest its way into "left circles” but not spective with radical ecology/green camps on the other hand attract quite as the activists would have anarchism/earth liberation ideas. more activists from around the wished it lo. Many have somehow Some—mainly young activists— country: there are for example “hui got the impression it has something went on to form Earth First! groups, villages" against motorway con- to do with fascism. This critique has most of them in 1994. in many struction— one camp against the come from the kneejerk undifferen cases inspired by EF! in Britain (so A33 in Dis\et> that had existed for tiating left who often follow ihe 109 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 equation: if fascists have had any speaks of fascist biocentrism. fanat comes more from the anarchist thing to do with it. it cannot be a ic vegans and the construed connec “Autonomen” scene. left-wing issue. Narrow-minded tions. of radical ecologists to fas Well, there isn't lhat much more leftists squirm when they hear of cists. we could tell you about (except biocentric apporaches or of real In Gorleben, when she came to maybe that 1997 has seen the first concern with nature, as they fear congratulate four activists who had edition of a new green anarchist cal what they think is an inevitable stopped the Castor by climbing up ender), but we hope there soon will degradation of humans/social issues trees and put up a walkway over the be. as a result. An ex-Green Party road, the reaction of the crowd was If you are planning to visit member, Jutta Diitfuith, who is now to ironically yell: “ Hey. somebody Germany, you may want to get in involved with a left-wing environ get those ecofaseist.s out of the touch wiih some activists there or mental group, has evolved into an trees!’" Poor Jutta was received with have a look at “Die Eule”, so here is expert in slagging ofT alleged eco- Ixjos ;ind hisses and she lost her one address we can offer: fascist doings. In her new book composure and stuck her middle “Naturfreundejugend”, c/o "Enispannl in die Barbarei" finger up to everyone. Geniune sup Infoladen, Brunnenstrasse 41, ("Relaxed into barbarism”) she port of the ideas and actions usually 42105 Wuppertal. ThUringen— Thoughts and impressions about an anti-road tree camp. Alter you got a short survey about what’s happening Unfortunately this life wiihoui electricity and other in good old Germany at the moment, you're now able "benefits" of modem society lasted only three days. to read the lines I wrote in the dark and damp cellar of Then Hans-Peter. our slightly overworked local chief the DO or DIE Headquarters; not allowed to leave until of police, ordered the first of four evictions because we the article was ready. I pul all my lousy English togeth didn't ask him before building the platforms!!! Despite er and turned back lime to the beginning of autumn last the faci lhat the eviction-cops were from ihe SEK (an year. anti-terror-unil) they only managed lo gel down 3 of In September of 1996 a handful of powerful activists the 6 people up in ihe trees. Unfortunately there wasn’t started to initiate an as yet unknown kind of resistance, enough food and bedding around so the rest went down the squatting of trees to save them from the stupidity of in the night. The cops learnt from this and during the politics personified in chainsaws. The trees of the reoccupation two weeks later the baslards only threw “Beltelmanns Holz” forest are a part of the Thiiringer away all the ftxtd and blankets and waited for the cold Wald', one of the biggest still existing forests in night. One of us was prepared for this in the top of the Germany, and were expected lo give way for the most 30 m high beeches, survived the nighl and was then expensive and destructive motorway in our hisiory. joined by another one who managed to come through The motorway from Erfurt to Coburg with 160 bridges the cops who were observing on die ground. Bui also and lunneIs, 8,000,000 m3 of removed ground and these two activists were evicted again after a short thousands of killed irees should cost about time. 16,000,000.000 DM minimum. In the time when work The cops seemed to be very afraid of new occupa was supposed to begin the first platforms were set up tions and therefore watched ihe forest with more than and people not only started a new form of resistance 70 cops day and night. But this still couldn't keep us hut also chose to live a real free life close to nature. from climbing the trees again on the day that ihe result Do or Die—Voices from Earth First! No,6 110 ^ w — >-^-~»--“w~^n.^----- .T~rr —----- i *- i- ~ T ~ ~i 1 i' ~r - --** ~ ~- -■!"■ i ~ ~ ' 1 ------of a court ease about ihc ownership ed by most of the local residents in Here the first chapter of the battle of Ihe "Bettelmanns Holz" was a really unexpectedly hospitable for a better future in ihe forests of expecied. It was important no! only way. Along with warm elothes for Thuringen and life in general conies for the life of Ihe trees but also for the upcoming winter they even to its end. I think 1 have to add that us, that the court case against the cooked vegan meals after they unfortunately the whole security on building of the motorway by heard that a loi of us were vegan. the site is done by the police, which B.U.N.D.. (a German group similar A blockade of the building site means these costs didn't appear in to Green peace 1. over who owned thal lasted seven hours on Oct. 2lih ihe working bills, but the 10,000 the land, would be successful; was added to the various forms of objections against the motorway because then ihe trees would live protest. On November the 17th a shows a rising consciousness of the and all former and probably forth forbidden demonstration under the people. And last bui not least the coming oeupations would have beeches took place because a local monkey wrenching of several dig been legal. After it was sure that the priest declared it as a mass [!1 and gers in January, which caused a trial was postponed the three of us so the 100 cops with their dogs total damage of £180,000, are a sign left the trees because we did not weren't able to interfere. Only when of a growing resistance which dri have enough stuff for li longer occu people tried to climb the trees again ves ihe economic and political price pation. did the police come in. and brutally lo the point where it's impossible lo One week later the whole thing cleared the ceremony where they build any more roads and where came to an end. Again four of us also broke ihe arm of a participant. we're able to rule our own lives!!! managed to climb the trees in the Most of the media were very sym The fight continues... early morning of the 27th of pathetic to our ideas and so one of If you want to have further infor November, despite there now being the nice headlines the next day was mation on us or lo join the new ]00 cops with dogs and big flood the following: "Movie-like punch- camp in spring of 1997 just contact lights. As expected the result of the up at mass”. Also the local people us, Tel: 0171-8234846. the trial about the ownership of the organized nice agit “Bettclmanns Holz” was lost and a prop actions like few minutes later the chainsaws pretending to cut started their work. Outnumbered by the Christmas iree the Police we weren't able to do in the local market much. A number of women tried to place. The distrib break through the police line but uted leaflet said that were immediately stopped by the everything these state's marionettes. damn ecologists say Only one managed to reach a dig is rubbish, that the ger and locked herself on for five air cleans itself and minutes before she was taken away that these stupid as well, The people in the trees were trees only stop a bit desperate about the fucking sit progress. That's uation going on on the ground. All why the tree in the the trees around the lour squatted market place should ones were cut and so two of us went be cut down to down (with one of them managing ensure that the to cscape without giving his ID for traffic can flow criminalization). The two other freely. The funny stayed two days longer but under thing about that was the cold hlsinket of 20cm of new lhat the hardcore snow and the impression of the hor- pro-road dummies rible battlefield around them, they didn't understand also came down and the fifth these satires al all ocupoation ended. and tried to threaten During that period many other us (!!!) with calling things happened. We were support the police. Ill Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 OTHE 0 JT D = ^ PM Freiburg Tree Eviction Some even said if we resisted or fought back, they would help the police evict us! On Monday, wc cleared the ground camp and set off ihe phone tree lor the following morning. Up to twenty of us stayed awake in the trees all night. At 4 am they came. 4 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Go Gorleben! Word up from the anti-nuke Massive Nine percent of ihe radioactive country' roads through small vil cargo doing ils chicken run to the lages and woodland. In the few days disposal plant in Gorleben comes before ihe convoy arrived in from Scllafield in Cumbria. For ibis Dannenberg. 30.(H)0 police had reason, six eco-louts from Brighton been mobilised, the biggest mobili decided to represent the nuclear sation of police in post—war waste from our own power stations. Europe. The police had also recruit Gorleben is a small town about 50 ed several armoured personnel car miles southeast of Hamburg. It had riers, numerous water cannons and ...the sabotaged railway line been a relatively peaceful and polit up to fifty helicopters. However, The lengthy process of moving ically inactive place until recent unfortunately for them, they were the dangerous waste from rail to years. Over 20 years ago plans were up against opposition from all sec road meant that there was a day released for a nuclear w aste dispos tions of the community. Children spare to allow people to relax after al plani on the outskirts of the town. and teachers occupied school halls the previous days’ actions, and for The plant was to be used as a giant to prevent them being used as acco- more activists to arrive from around European dumping ground. As inodaiion for the drafted in police, the country' and from much of plans became public knowledge, the fire service refused to provide Northern Europe. There were two local residents began a campaign water for the water cannons that possible routes that ihe convoy against the plan and swiftly gained were to be used on protestors, and could take. Defences had. unfortu support from Germany's enormous activists lelled train power cables, nately, been concentrated so heavily environmental movement. The removed sections of railway track on one route that the other had resistance grew steadily until the and even cemented themselves to seemingly been forgotten about. poinl where the plant was opened, Ihe railway. Once these obstacles The main gales of Dannenberg around three years ago. Local peace had been overcome and the trans station were sealed by the many and anti-nuclear campaigners initi port had reached Dannenberg sta thousands of protestors who had ated a campaign of civil disobedi tion. the biggest obstacle of all still blockaded it with an enormous sit ence and direct action which remained for the convoy: the road down protest. Whichever route was involved people from all around between Dannenberg and Gorleben selected for the convoy this would Germany and much til Europe. was fully blockaded. need to be cleared and would take Protests oecured against each some lime. After this, however, the uansport of waste to Gorleben. This cargo would still have to face an year, for the third convoy, between array of burning barricades, block fifteen and twenty thousand people ades of about 70 intertwined trac gathered to ensure that if the tors, tunnels under the road, pre German stale were to succeed in felled trees across roads, and “liber using the rural town as a radioactive ated" girders from railway track dumping ground, then it would cost sunk into the road in the shape of a them as much as possible. The giant "X". This was both a symbol intention was to make the cost of of defiance from the people and also policing the event so high as to ren the campaign logo. The route was der fulure transportations unprof covered with people from all itable. around Europe, from peace, anti- The waste was first transported nuclear and environmental back across Germany by rail to a lown grounds. all clearly holding differ near Gorleben called Dannenberg. ent political views. Here it was transfered on lo trucks At around 5:30 in the morning, and driven the last 15 km down Road blocked by sleepers from... police began moving people out of 113 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 the path of (he transport route, as much as possible. The ingenuity autonomous zone, a virtual no-go armed with water cannon*, and of the protestors, however, thwarted area for the police, who were accompanied by ex-East German their efforts, as they covered them nowhere to be seen apart from those border guards, who had been draft selves with huge tarpaulin sheeting lining the route- -and even they ed in especially for the occasion. to prevent themselves being soaked only moved around in large num The peace protestors, proving diffi by the cannons on the freezing bers (for their own protection). The cult to move, became subject to March morning. It was only direct first camp was the showpiace for constant spraying by high-powered hits from the water cannons which the mass blockade of peace cam water cannons and to baton charges posed a threat at this point. paigners holding strict pacifist poli as the police worked thetr way Other actions and blockades were cies; this camp was the largest, and through the blockade. happening at each of the seven not unlike Glastonbury festival. The The water cannons were being camps, wilh individual tactics set up next camps were Gushorn and used in a desperate attempt to speed along the route. The countryside Quickborn. where you would find up the process of clearing the road around Dannenberg became an the Autonomcs (German anar Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No 6 114 chists). burning barricades of tyres (?!) keeping us in line. Groups splii they considered necessary than on and hay. The Autonomes mask up, into numbers of about 50. mainly sit arresL which is illegal in Germany, and ting in wait and complying with the Meanwhile, our side had retreated charge in lines wiih red. black or new legislation—brought in special lo the FrauenLesben Camp, where green Hags chanting "Kronstad, ly tor the Castor transport— which mil sleepers and hay carts aeled as Kronstad, Oi. Oi, Oi!”. These forbids processions of groups wiih in barricades. The police vehicles camps were not unlike Castle 50 metres of this road. Others, more pulled out under a hail of buttles, one Morton. Other camps further down adventurous, edged their way slowly platoon of about 30 cops became iso the route included the biker's field, closer. Our small affinity group got lated and surrounded by activists the FrauenLesben (anarchatemi- right up to the police line on the road; chanting and rock-throwing, until the nists j camp, and a family camp with jusl in time lo see the procession of peace campaigners pleaded with us tipis. Every camp had an efficient six cargo lorries—flanked by at least to let them go. In the end. ihey were internal communication network, an a mile of anti-riot vehicles, police air-lifted out io safety, and the deadly office, tool lock-ups. and a donation- vans and water canonns, and over cargo reached its final resting place based kitchen (much of the equip looked by about 20 helicopters— two miles into the heart of an ancient ment donated by the glorious emerge out of the forest. My English pine forest. We picked puffball Rampenplan). companion and 1 got ready to charge. mushrooms and went off on our tour Our lift took us to the camp of hun When we could sc* the whites of tlie of Belgian squats. dreds of German bikers after we had lony driver's eyes, we leapt at the On reflection, we realised there was left the blockade. Meanwhile, a police line, only to be nudged back to no love lost between anarchist gmup of climbers from the see everyone else behind us waving Autonomes and long-term peace Thuringen anti-road site in Germany fists and taking pictures. It was then campaigners. A lot of tolerance was had lowered themselves from the we remembered wc were on a peace exercised and (very efficient) pre trees in climbing harnesses to prevent action. organisation to include a spectrum of the convoy passing, with one woman Feeling the extremities of disem- radicalism in lhat week. But they alighting onto the roof of a truck powermeni we stormed oft' along the seem lo have just as many internal when the police ignored dangerous field. The police, eager lo disperse us, squabbling^ as we do. though I don't exposure levels and let the Castors tried to funnel us back. A line of think they would stoop lo public slag- pass under the climbers. And further masked up activists retaliated by offs as our more liberal organisations up the route, two families throwing stones, the riot cops formed have done in the past. They perhaps announced—jusl as the convoy was ranks and charged- The activists realised thai having a no-compromise nearly on their doorsiep—that they pulled back, formed a line and fraction in their ranks ups the ante in had dug a secret tunnel system from advanced with an artillery of rocks. I heir opposition, and helps in cosling their garden and under the road. Large numbers of the police under the authorities a cool £52 million to We received word over the radio altack broke ranks anti hand to hand execute the shipment. that Castor was approaching. About combat followed- Though Gutleben reached a critical 300 of us, peace campaigners, bikers A group of seven riot cops, having mass, it was slill a single issue sym and a few Autonomes (who had just felled a masked anarchist, proceeded bolic gesture. 2000 people could stop finished rioting on the olher side of to punch and kick his head, groin and the caigo, hold it to ransom (four the forest) crossed the battlefield. We stomach repeatedly. My attempt to hours contact is dangerous levels of were only able to get within 50 come lo his aid was greeted by a full radiation), and make demands. But metres of the road, as wc were out punch to the face. Police tactics on with an overruling of non-violent numbered by riot cops, mourned this day seemed to be focused more reformists who do the job of ihe state, police and Si. Bernards police dogs on clearing the way using any force we didn't stand a chance! 115 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No,6 B JF 0= A M Groen Front! Earth First! in Holland W Groen Front is the Dutch Earth First! We started with our first action somewere in May of last year (1996), at Schiphol airport, against a TV-protjram for flying holidays. On a critical moment we walked with banners onto the set (it was an almost live program). After a few times one of us got arrested. Eventually they managed to save their program (too bad). In June '96 we did an action police on site. The workers were Both times we were allowed to against building a road/bridge in friendly, even thanked us for a free stay for a day, to the surprise of the Amsterdam. Wc climbed with 3 day. One even explained where the English activists (“Can we lake people on a crane lhat ihey needed pumps were that keep the site dry. some of your coppers with us ?'). ' for ihe work. 6 other activists And a lot of press showed up. Now wc are very busy giving blocked (he crane by the feet. On Eventually we left at 16.00. know info-shops in different cities in this part of the workplace they were ing we that we had cost them at Holland, in the hope that other not able to work for the whole day least 50.000 guilders, but maybe activists are going to use this name. (successful for us!). We did get a lot even 300,(XX) dutch guilders, and with the principles. Besides that wc of press, because the police came with big plans for follow-up are planning new actions. We like to with so many people to take us actions. work on big protests against some away (40 policeman/women on 9 infrastructure in Holland, Like a activists!). bigger Schiphol. and local airports, In Sept *96 we did another action Nijmegen: ‘Can we take actions against the Dutch TGV and against the bridge in Amsterdam. your cops ?’ a very stupid treintraject [train We did the same as last time, but On May 26th there was another track?] that they are planning now they didn't lake us away. Later very fluffy action in Nijmegen, through some naiure-area's just for in thal month we came back again There they are building a parking the industry. You'll hear more fmrn and planted litle trees on the build- garage on a historic (Roman) and Groen Front !! ing site. On April 15th, 1997. we green site, lhat is needed because c/o Friends of the GF!. Postbus occupied the building site of an they want to forbid bicycles in the 85069. 3508 AB Utrecht, the aquaduct for the A4. near city centre. A very bad idea of Netherlands Rotterdam. By arriving very early course ! We arrived real early, at we managed to occupy the main 6.00 am. The police were waiting al gate and three building cranes with- our meeting point, and followed us out any problem. Wc were with only to ihe site. Bui ihe occupation went 18 people. The building of the A4 without any problems by the police, goes step by step. Every step gives Some British Earth First! people an argument to do the nexi one. I'm joined us. making a total of 40 peo- sure you will recognize this. In ihis pie. case, a viaduci has been standing Soon the site turned into a play- alone in the meadows for years. On ground for activists; we built a the day of the action the Parliament weird construction from scaffolding was supposed to make a decision material (‘construction-lower build- about the next part of ihis road. Of ing pipes’), a crane was decorated, course they postponed it. some optimists put some tents up. a Anyway, 1 was pretty surprised wcxxlhenge was made, and people dial we did not encounter any vio- were digging holes and traps in the lence. We saw a policeman in a civil approach slope for the sand lorries, car when we left from the secret This lime we did not get that many meeting place, but there was no press, only from the region. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 116 0 JT !L= ^ IN I iftn . RTS Amsterdam Revolutionary tourism: a good excuse to get stoned will ■ ■« ff 1 5 2 ^ T S S S b i i m a 1 Kfl, fc)0 6 w • • t p u z t Excitement was mounting on both itinerary' and enough floor space to quickly that our affinity group sides of the Channel last sleep an army! should head to the underground ter February,as Amsterdam hosted its The day drifted into evening as we minal leading south. Marshals hid very first Street Party! spent time acclimatising in coffee den in the crowd blew whistles sig Around 30 British activists took a bars, inking freely, meeting old and nalling our destination, 200 of us busmans holiday to the land of new friends (some of whom had raced to the street with orders to canals and bicycles to see how our come to actions in England), and hang a left; as we turned the comer Dutch cousins deal wilh a “public speculating on the following day's we could see a group of about 500 order situation” Wc arrived by events. protesters being driven back by coach the day before, suffering a Our only instructions were to only a handful of police. Seized by mild dose of culture shock as wc meet at the main station at midday. the moment, wc ran with drum s were led from (he art-deco station, Ahout 1 .(>00 protesters buzzed beating lo join our comrades, and through meandering cobbled streets around the station: ranging from the party began. with canals and Bauhaus bridges, to students to anarcho punks, and w ith A single sound system on a cus a secret location lhat was to house many people from France. Belgium, tomised bicycle trolly chugged out us for the event. and Germany present. The police, repetitive beats on a now descried The squat (ail old brewery ware looking more like 70*s bikers, highway ahout two miles south of house sat on the oldest canal in seemed as laid-back as the crowd. the main city. Two portacabins Amsterdam), was home to a group Wc were unobtrusively split inio acted as stages as people pretty of Dutch anarchists with a sorted two groups and rumours spread much made their own entertain- 117 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 0 > T & H ) Q = r i u a N i i'CtVy ment. iind we soon found oul about our behalf and it was time to go all the things thal didn't make il. down the road that we chose our The main sound selves. We were now heading dow n system .tripods,banners and food, all the busy shopping street of confiscated by police who didn't Amsterdam with its twee little want to play! houses; it felt more like a carnival Also there was mounting tension as we more or less ignored the about it missing 200 odd people Slate’s orders to disperse. By this who were acting as the decoy posse, lime ! had become curious about a anti who, rumour had it, were sealed unit of police that had slipped inten oil in another part of town. The cel tionally down the back of the mar ebrations licked over, though you ket place, parallel to the main street. were left with a feeling that some I followed suil, only to sec them thing else should happen as we did darting into die market place to grab n't feel that occupying an nut of city their lunch, which gave me the street was worth the excitement. wonderful opportunity to sample Sure enough, with roars of cheer the almost gypsy-like stalls (excuse ing, the once lost decoy posse my romanticism but I was a tourist charged through policc lines and after all!). By late afternoon we gave the party crowd a strong ended up in the town centre in a big enough feeling to go on the move. open square at the foot of a church, With a bit o f to-ing and fro-ing the where people lit bonfires and merry troupe of now about 1000, danced till nightfall. led by the sound system, danced its In terms of success it did manage way 2 miles to a husy roundabout u> mobilise a vast number of possi on the city border wrhere the police bly new people and as we found oul were waiting in greater numbers. laler that night we had carried oul Tension mounted as. being closer to plan B of the operation. Plan A was the city, we now posed a greater to hit a main Autobahn close to threat. where one of the biggest motor The following events happened shows in Europe was being staged, pretty much spontaneously and but this had been rumbled ihc nighi were the inspiration for others to before. So in terms of the damage follow suit. A critical mass of about limitation exercise I think we coped 30 bicycles processed round and well. round, sealing off traffic From all exits. The police, now geared up, Epilogue sealed off some of the main road A small affinity group found ihey exits and tried to shepherd us down could not leave Amsterdam without slip roads. The crowd, most of visiting the largest show of mon whom [ would say were inexperi strous death traps, and as we were enced in street tactics, soon found it in the area at the lime we found slip made sense to carry on moving. We ping in rather easy; although faced had now reached the typical situa w'iih 4 of us and 4000 of them, we tion—raised often at street par did fee) a bit intimidated, though ties—o f rising conflict or party. A not deterred. It was only slightly police cordon tempted a group of 50 ironic that it was ineffective tech or so to charge its lines; on doing so nology that beai us on the day as not the mere finger reaction of the riot a single lire alarm or sprinkler was cop’s hand on its truncheon was responding thal day. So much for enough to send the crowd scurrying health and safety! in retreat. A brief exhilaration on A shy Finnish Hawk-owl Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Earth First! Finland A movement faced by Finnish society. Disclaimer: Naturally, as for on the place. The people were ihen tion between the old radical agenda everything . I only speak for myself just dragged out of the site by only and these new' ideas was reflected in anti therefore take responsibility for a couple of dozen police officers. the argument against nature conser- my writings as my own opinions. The failure was afterwards blamed vationism that you could have heard on the inexperience of the people during the last recession or even A brief history of Finnish involved. Bui more important was nowadays: "while (here are so many nature conservation. the m edia's reaction to the block unemployed in Finland who gives a In Britain you have a lung history ade: right from ihe beginning diey damn about nature" or "the growth of civil disobedience whereas in portrayed the protestors as either of GNP and the market economy Finland our first enviromental young radical leftists (or commu will develop new jobs, so naiure movements were established only nists) or stupid anarchists. conservationism is actually all bad in the late sixties. Our radical eco- In the wake of Koijarvi the in this situation". movements dried up right at the Finnish Nature League's Forest- And (in my opinion) we did not beginning. The first (and in my action team is the only one I know have a homeless problem (if we opinion the last) really huge action of still doing serious actions these compare the magnitude of the prob was at Koijarvi. in which right from days. People have chained them lem to you or the States) so it was the beginning the media gave a neg selves to machines and blockaded jusl another invention of the wishy- ative image of the movement. logging roads many times, and washies lo blur the original agenda. Koijarvi was a small lake in the dozens of people have been arrest Nowadays the green movement is a north of Finland (we have thou ed. Such actions have saved many political party that has places in sands of lakes lhat size so you must small areas of great value from log governmeni and Parliament (and understand how pitiful il was from ging or have ensured that they are even in the FU Parliament). You our perspective even if it really is a permanently protected. can guess what is left of the original normal size lake to people in However, while I don't want lo ideas after the party decided lhat Britain). It was an important breed underestimate tile influence of their getting the votes was more impor ing place for many birds. The local actions in the protection of our old- tant then the issues they were trying farmers wanted to drain the lake growih forests, it's kind of funny to to pursue. because it flooded theiT fields every expect to save the biodiversity in A movement faced by spring. our forest ecosystem if 95% of it is When the digging of the drying- already under plantation (the Finnish society. trenchcs began the local ornitholo famous “sustainably managed Our number of movements and gists were outraged and called for Scandinavian forests, as seen on the organizations is very small if you people to gather and stop the dig back of greeting cards) and the exclude the humanitarian organiza ging- Hundreds of people gathered remaining 5% is in continuous dan tions. Of course, movements like in a Tew days, dammed ihe trenches ger of getting chopped loo. anarchists and animal-rights people and stopped the machines by chain Afier ihe Koijarvi incident the arc regarded as total loonies or dan ing themselves to them. The radi green movement became dominated gerous vandals or terrorists, but cally of the movement was really by conservative compromisers, even not-so-radical movements like reflected in an incident where the whose new agendas—such as Amnesty International or WWF are conservationists themselves had to unemployment, the lack of housing respected only so long as they don’t guard the m achin es, because the and other important but social prob give any negative news about mosi radical wing had threatened to lems—were added to the original Finland. [Not a million miles blow them up with dynamite. green agenda and have taken a great removed from the British situa After a couple of days the police deal of attention away from the tion—eg. Thatcher’s fury at got organized enough to make a hit original true issues. The contradic Amnesty for questioning the treat- Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 0 7 * ” H some part of the people and the ignorance of the rest. If you aren’t a communist then you are a fascist or terrorist or just a plain young anar chist idiot* There’s no way you can get the sympathies of the people if your agenda irritates them in any way. The police have always been the ultimate power in (inland. We rarely have demonstrations. For example, while there are 500.000 unem ployed in Finland (10% of our pop aati*- ulation) and while the government is pursuing a policy that promotes industries but not in a way that would create new jobs, the Iasi demonstration on ihis issue that I can recall w as a year ago. Apathy and ignorance are the two strongest qualities of the modem Finnish people. Authorities aren't respected so much as they are feared. It’s easy for the authorities lo intimidate people when all the media does is repeat everything lhai the police and ihe politicians say. The SUPO (police under the Ministry of Interior) has had difficulties linding "enemies” to fight after the fall of the Soviet Union. Animal rights people and nature conservationists arc an easy larget for them. When ihe media has done it's job An even more shy osprey in the midst of a Finnish forest of intimidating people and getting menl of prisoners in Northern fact one of the stongest qualities has them to fear our not-yet-so-radical Ireland—'human rights abuses’ always been the unity of people and cco-movemenLs, it is all too easy for only ever occur in other countries, respect for traditional values. SUPO to justify their illegal home of course.] Student organizations Christianity and nationalism have searches and blacklists. SUPO has arc only working within universities always kept our nation strong established a wing that concentrates and mostly under political parties so against outside threats. These val on animal rights and nature conser our ‘ intellectual sector” has always ues are good for the independence vationist people (similar to your been on the leash of industry and of our country but w ithin a peaceful MI5). The authorities arc so para government. To understand the society they turn into conservatism noid that they even keep a record of difficulties faced by an enviromen- and racism. every individial who, for example, tal movement in Finland you must It has always been utterly difficult subscribes to certain magazines or understand the Finnish society. for minorities and radical move lias shown up at a peaceful demon The general mentality of the ments to get any stand in Finnish stration. They also invent absolute Finnish people differs much from society, it you try to change some ly hilarious claims lhat— for exam your society. We have never had big thing. or even just criticise ihe soci ple—we are a throughly organized social gaps between people and in ety, you will get the hate of al least bunch of terrorists whose only pur Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 120 j O J ' T r f t H i o ini ^ > j r pose is to gel political power by getting the wishywashies out. mak Earth First! 1-inland E-mail: spreading violence and chaos... etc. ing the movement more radical and [email protected] WWW: So. you must underhand thal agreeing in our agendas (all Ihcsc http://www.sci.fi/~r5insu Address: Viivirtkalu !7 as 17, 3361(1 methods lhal are effective in Britain things aren't exactly so perfect yet) Tampere ft I FINLAND. and the US aren't necessarily any we should really concentrate our use in Finland. Actions like demon brainpower to solve this problem of For more information and contacts: strations don’t evoke any reaction methods. 1 I The Nature League: Tallbcrginkatu but laughter, and on the other hand ! D, 00180 Helsinki. Telr +358-0- radical non-violent direct action Earth First! Finland 6947 899. like road blockades would probably Earth First! Finland isn't exactly 2) Finnish Fores! Action Group : Kullcrvonkatu 2 1 2 I Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 The Last Stand For Headwaters Forest The Ancient Ri d wood Forest: endangered species and iheir habi soft, even-grained wood of fallen Going, Going ... tat. Activists and earth warriors giant trees. In the coastal ranges of northern have defended the remnant forests Hy the middle of the nineteenth California, ihe tallest of al! living with non-violent civil disobedience century, industrial civilization had beings—the ancient redwoods—are and direct action in the woods. arrived at the edge of the continent, crashing toward extinction. Myriad The majestic giant redwoods driven by its ravenous greed for creatures depend on the forest's thrived for thousands of years unaf gold and timber. As the saws dense canopies, clear streams and fected by the birth of Christ and the chewed through the great pine rich soils lor their continued sur arrival of Columbus. These ancient forests of Minnesota and Michigan, vival. redwoods lived with black bears, lumber barons began to look west Ancient forests provide some of fog larks and prehistoric tailed ward to ihe Pacific Northwest's lush ihe last refuges for endangered frogs. Native people lived on the valleys, filled wilh almost unimag species, and set the stage for raging edges o f ihe dark forest, fishing for inably giant redwoods, cedars and battles over property rights, biodi salmon in its cool, clean streams Douglas fir. The newcomers proved versity and the enforcement of envi and fashioning homes, ceremonial themselves capable of unspeakable ronmental laws designed to protect lodges and other essentials from the brutality, exterminating whole Oo or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 122 0 JT &= ^ IN! ^> JF tribes of the area’s inhabitants and swept the US during the last decade, the West Coast, and the six groves removing the survivors to distant spurred by corporate mega-mergers, of Headwaters taken together con reservations while carving their hostile takeovers and Lmbridlcd stitute one of only three nesting ancestral lands into “property.” financial speculation [and also areas left in California. Railroads drilled their iron tentacles thanks to deregulation by the Across a sea of clearcuts stand the deep into the steep river valleys, Reagan government]. The US gov other four groves: All Species and the giant trees began to fall. ernment had to bail out the savings Grove, its rich landscape criss Mostly owned by large timber and loan, a move which cost tax crossed with roads anti skid trails companies, Ihe rich forests of payers Si.6 billion. Activists are from recent “salvage" logging; ancient redwoods were converted to now calling for a “Debt for Nature Shaw Creek and Allen Creek cattle ranches and fiber plantations swap." in which the public could Groves, largely iniact stands of red with increasing speed throughout acquire title to Headwaters Forest in wood forest: and Owl Creek Grove, the 20th ccntury. By the 1990’s, exchange for the outrageous debt the site of a recent legal battle that over 96% of the 800.000-hectare Charles Hurwitz owes American resulted in a US Supreme Court vic coastal redwood forest was gone. citizens. Meanwhile, his rampage tory for the marbled murrelct and its However, a few timber companies through the forest continues. environmentalist friends. were reluctant to simply clearcut Almost overnight Maxxam trans their lands, preferring to “selective formed PL's selective logging poli Up From the Grassroots ly” cut some ancient trees while cy into one of clearcuiting the last Since the takeover, environmental leaving others to stand, holding the of the ancient redwoods, doubling activists have engaged in diverse steep, fragile soils in place and and even tripling the former rate of strategies to protect these remnant allowing the forest to recover. One cut. Now only six groves of red forests from the corporate saws. such company was Pacific Lumber woods remain, surrounded by Earth First! staged protests to awak Company (PL), a fainily-run corpo clearcut hillsides and ruined en the public to the plight of the red ration that still possessed relatively streams, providing a last refuge to woods. and mounted a decade-long large tracts of undisturbed forest the once plentiful creatures of the campaign of non-violent direct late into this century. forest. Together, these six groves action aimed at slowing the destruc In 1986. PL's remaining old and the lands around them comprise tion. Citizens look a wrench to the growth trees had become more the 24.000-hectare Headwaters bureaucratic wheels by attending valuable as their rarity increased, Forest. agency hearings, reviewing logging and the potential for a quick profit The largest unprotected stand of plans, and drafting initiatives lo from these lands attracted the atten ancient redwoods remaining on reform California forest policy. tion of corporate predator Charles Earth, Headwaters Grove covers Meanwhile, the Environmental Hurwitz, CEO of Maxxam approximately 1.200 hectares. So Protection Information Center Corporation. From his air-condi- named because il straddles the (EPIC), a watchdog grassroots tioned Houston offices, far from the upper reaches of iwo watersheds, group, began a litany of lawsuits lowering calm of Headwaters, the grove’s shady canopy cradles against Maxxam for violating envi Hurwitz leveraged $750 million in rare birds while providing cool ronmental laws, leading to a series junk bonds to buy out PL and take cover for the salmon spawning in its of court victories that have tem over its Board of Directors. To pay still-clear streams. The water in the porarily protected the ancient off the junk bond debt. Maxxam Little South Fork of the Elk River is groves. raided the PL workers' pension pure enough lo'drink without filtra Over the years, a diverse and fund and hastily began a program of tion or treatment, and tastes like no sometimes fractious coalition of liquidating ihe company's 7K.400 other nectar on Earth. The nearby environmental groups has collabo hectares of forest land. Elkhead Springs Grove is fairly rated on the Headwaters issue, In the course of financing ihe small, but every summer its canopy building on the local work done takeover, Hurwitz took actions that thickens with marbled murrelels. largely by EPIC and Earth First! caused his United Savings endangered seabirds that lay their This coalition is largely responsible Association of Texas lo go under. eggs only in ihe mossy upper limbs for organizing a massive outpouring This failure was one of the largest in of old growth trees. The murTelel of public support for Headwaters the series of thrift |US equivalent of has been driven to the brink of preservation over the past few' building socielies) collapses that extinction by industrial forestry on years. In 1995. a rally in the tiny, 123 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 -o h t i h a j r u= a ini o>=/ ’ remote timber town of Carlotta goodies. Hurwitz agrees to stay his social and environmental justice. drew over 2.000 people, the largest bogus lawsuit against the federal She brought class and gender issues forest-related pa>test in US history government (which alleges that to the forefront of what had previ at the time. 265 were arrested in a enforcement of laws protecting ously often been a male-dominated, ritual civil disobedience action endangered species on corporate elitist movement, clearing space for organized by Earth First! The rally land amount to a seizure of private women to take leadership roles and in 1996 was even more successful, property). The Clinton administra insisting on the importance of class with more than 6.000 protesters tion seems dead set on further analysis in fighting what she called converging at the end of the main rewarding this corporate criminal, the "Timber Wars.” haul road into Headwaters; 1,033 even to the point of paying him mil Most timber industry employees citizens were peacefully arrested for lions to drive endangered species to work incredibly hard under trespassing as they walked over extinction. extremely dangerous conditions. PL's property line, symbolically So. even after a decade of grass When millworkers and loggers reclaiming the forest Uiat many citi roots struggle. Headwaters Forest is attempted to organize unions zens believe they already own. still under siege. Lawsuits, direct decades ago. they were machine- President Bill Clinton, scouring action and legislation have ham gunned by local cops and beaten by the country for cosmetic environ pered logging but ultimately failed company thugs. The unions lhat mental victories that might help to to curb Maxxam’s ravenous exist now are like most others in the salvage his dismal reputation with appetite for redwood lumber. US. beholden lo industry and large environmentalists, made the Grassroots groups remain undaunt ly powerless or unwilling to defend Headwaters issue a quiet part of his ed by the dirty deal, however, and workers' rights. 1996 election campaign. His continue to work toward real pro Also, the logging industry relies cronies in the industry-friendly tection of all six ancient groves. heavily on “gyppos,” independent Department of Interior, along with limber fellers and haulers who work California Senator Dianne The Architecture of for themselves, and are paid by the Feinstein. a shrewd political manip Struggle volume of timber they cut and haul. ulator. negotiated a deal with Earth First !’s campaign in the red These workers receive no benefits, Charles Hurwitz and trumpeted to woods has been waged in strict are unemployed for months during the world that Headwaters had been accordance with a non-violence the rainy season, and own and oper saved. code inspired by Gandhian princi ate their own equipment. They are Of course, they were lying. Their ples. Our code prohibits violence, also our neighbors, sharing small bogus deal merely declares a log whether verbal or physical, forbids rural communities wilh the environ ging moratorium for Headwaters sabotage and property damage, and mental activists working for justice Grove and Elkhead Springs Grove. strongly encourages non-violence in the woods. Sabotaging their If the other conditions of the deal training for anyone taking part in equipment makes little philosophi are met, these two groves alone direct action. These principles have cal or strategic sense in this context. would be acquired along with a been controversial within the larger Judi Bari, along with other small, largely devastated buffer Earth First! movement, but those of activists, organized a chapter of the zone. In order to take effect, the us living in the redwood region for Industrial Workers of the World deal calls for quick government the most part have agreed to abide here on the North Coast, and fought approval of long-range manage by them. for the interests of millworkers ment plans that could eradicate our Earth First! icon Judi Bari, a long injured by their employers' lax hard-won legal victories and allow time resident of Northern attention to safety standards. In con the other four ancient groves to be California, was instrumental in junction with displaced timber clearcut within the next fifteen developing the philosophy behind workers, she also developed a “Jobs years. Topping it all off is the deal's these principles. With her long his and Restoration” plan thal would disgusting price tag: $380 million tory of labor and feminist organiz provide employment at good wages dollars worth of oil leases, real ing informing her efforts, she restoring local watersheds devastat estate and cash, plus almost 8.000 worked tirelessly to establish Earth ed by over a century of industrial hectares of public forest land in First! in Northern California as a forestry. California’s Sierra Nevada moun community-based movement for Just before the historic Redwood tains. In exchange for all these Summer campaign of 1990 got Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 124 0 = r i L = A M underway, Judi and fallow activist but in a much less direct way. We damage and even broken bones at Darryl Cherney were bombed as have far more to lose by adopting the hands of overzealous pigs. they drove through Oakland, violent methods than we have to Local judges have held non-violent California, The bomb, placed under gain. The principle behind a com- activists in jail on bogus charges the driver’s seal of Judi’s car, was munity-based movement for change (including conspiracy} which they meanl lu kill her. and almost suc is thai local people must work to have no intention of pursuing ceeded. Instead of investigating the understand each other and create through the courts. The average stay bombing, local law enforcemem the power necessary to determine in jail for an Earth First!er ( before and the Federal Bureau of their own collective future together. even being charged ) was about a Investigation (FBI) arrested Judi Our common enemies arc the cor week to ten days during last fall's and Dairy I. accusing them of hav porations and their governmental campaign. ing bombed themselves! The FBI's allies. They are impoverishing our This mistreatment makes some smear campaign against Earih First' communities, devastating our people wonder why we continue to represented another shameful mile region and controlling our lives, and negotiate with the cops in order to stone in this state-sponsored terror we need to find ways to build power hold our large public demonstra ist organization's years-long effort collectively rather than further tions, such as the two massive ral to discredit, disrupt and destroy widen rifts that support the corpo lies in Carlotta. We have in movements that challenge corporate rate divide-and-conquer mentality. Headwalers Forest an issue tlmt res hegemony. Judi was crippled by ihe For the most part, non-violence onates with people of all political bombing, but chose to answer with works beautifully on the front lines. persuasions and backgrounds, and a renewed commitment to non-vio By refusing to damage equipment the towering coast redwoods arc a lence; she and Darryl also initiated a or harass loggers, we have reached powerful national symbol for many major lawsuit against ihe FBI which a fragile, unspoken state of affairs Americans. Also, many children, has revealed very clearly thai Earth where very few activists are bun— elders and disabled people feel Firstlers are the targets, not the ini except by the cops. Local law strongly about the issue and wish to tiators, of terrorism 125 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 the pillage of the Earth, it is wise to provide a peaceful outlet for action so that participants don't simply run amok, provoking violence on the PRESERVE part of cops and possibly even pro testers. A mass trespass action channels this energy into a powerful WAT collective statement. Of course. Earth First! continues to focus primarily on stopping the destruction at the point of produc tion. Activists lock themselves to ,s a l \/a g e gates and heavy equipment, forcing law enforcement to cut them loose and stopping work for hours. Trec- l o g g i w« sittcrs perch high in the ancient red woods. risking their lives to defend these threatened giants. Koad block ades using tripods and other inge nious methods keep the machines of . f V r destruction from reaching die for est. On September 16, 1996. a coordi nated and simultaneous series of actions shut dow'n every road lead ing into Headwaters Forest, while deep woods crews occupied all six ancient groves. [The photo on ihe left is from one of the blockades.] A “tree village” composed of dozens of tree-sitiers and a shrimp net hold ri ing activists slowed a clearcut plan stream organizations in order to people who accuse rally organizers near Owl Creek Grove for over two organize large public rallies that all of complicity or compromise never weeks. Actions lasted until the win can attend. Safety is an issue at attended any of those meetings: pic ter rains began, culminating in a these rallies, so we meet with the ture more than 20 cops Irom every large rally on November 15, At thal police beforehand to try to ensure conceivable jurisdiction, a dozen rally, police went wild, charging that we cun hold the rally in a safe other government officials, and a into the crowd and arresting orga location that also holds political few Earth First!ers staring them all nizers, videographcrs and even significance for the issue. down until we win. journalists. We don't compromise at these Some critics have also ridiculed Even in the face of this blatant meetings. In fact, we frighten law the practice of mass civil disobedi attempt to provoke violence, rally enforcement into giving us what we ence. which also requires a level of participants remained calm, refus want by our large numbers and our coordination with law enforcement. ing to take the bait and averting refusal to compromise. year, Civil disobedience has a long and tragedy. All of our experience here with unknown thousands expected glorious tradition in the US, and in the redwood region points to the to arrive for a demonstration which many individuals feel dial they can fact lhat non-violent direct action had no legal site, the cops held out make a stronger statement by get works, and that its principles are an until the day before the rally, when ting arrested at a rally than by mere excellent guide for a community- ihey finally cracked and offered us a ly showing up. Furthermore, when based, grassroots movement strip of county land across from ever large numbers of people, focused on social as well as ecolog Pacific Lumber’s Carlotta mill. The assemble to voice their outrage al ical justice. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 126 0 JF fla. ^ INI Endgame PL’s HCP fits into a wider political considerable support for the propos The Headwaters deal announced context, namely the sleazy attempt al, even among government employ by ihc Clinlon administration, which by Clinton and his corporate friends ees working on implementation of could spell devastation for most of to line the pockets of the ruling class the deal. Headwaters Forest, continues to be at the expense of whatever or Numerous pitfalls, as well as negotiated. The process of develop whomever stands in their way. opportunities, remain on the horizon. ing the long-range plans mandated Legislation is already moving The government will likely try to by the deal is expected to take until through congress this year that find some unprincipled environmen February 1998. Although this would further institutionalize deadly tal group to back a bogus compro process is only cosmetically open to compromises like the HCP. and sup mise, selling out both grassroots public input, our coalition mobilized porters of this legislation are hoping activists and ecological integrity. well over 5.000 people to comment to use the Headwaters agreement as Such groups already exist, and some on the deal, both through the mail public relations cover for their seem to be demonstrating a willing and at public hearings held in attempt to gut the ESA. Clinton has ness to compromise. The Clinton January. proved over and over again that his administration will also likely pres The main issue is a Habitat interests lie writh further enriching sure decent people working in feder Conservation Plan, or HCP. a docu large landowners and corporate al agencies to take a weak stand on ment that allows landowners to get resource barons, not with preserving the issues so as to avoid angering around legal prohibitions on killing biodiversity or working toward a corporate interests. Finally, property endangered species. HCPs, invented future in which we can all survive. rights groups ( which already have a during Ronald Reagan’s reign large Fortunately, the process allows for sympathetic presidential ear ) will ly for the p u r p o s e (if weakening the some public input, and environmen continue their battle in the courts to federal Endangered Species Act talists are currently preparing a "citi prove that environmental laws (ESA), have resulted in destruction zen’s alternative" to the deal. This should not be enforced on private of critical endangered species habitat proposal, based on the principles of lands without compensation. from coast to coast. The Clinton deal conservation biology, watershed Although many such groups claim to calls for an HCP which would cre restoration and sustainable forestry', represent small landowners, ranchers atively ‘'redistribute" the endangered would protect biologically critical and farmers, most of these organiza species living in these ancient areas (including all remaining old tions are well-funded fronts for large groves, according to the most manip growth forest), allow for recovery of corporate interests. ulate science money can buy, so endangered species, and hire local These coming months will witness that Pacific Lumber can clearcut timber workers to restore the water the culmination of our 11 -year strug everything that the public won’t be sheds their former employers so gle to save Headwaters Forest. allowed to purchase. ruthlessly ravaged. We already have Nobody can predict what the final outcome will be. but one thing remains certain: wherever ancient forests are threatened, wherever cor porations bulldoze and ravage the land, wherever the interests of big money run rampant over people and nature alike. Earth First! will be there. No Compromise! For information contact: E arth F ir s t ! c/o Mendocino Environmental Center 106 West Stand Icy. Ukiah. Cali font ia 95482 USA earth I [email protected] Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) PO Box 397, Garbcrvillc, California 95542 USA 6,000-strong rally at Carlotta, Sept 15, 1996 [email protected] 127 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Introducing... the Unstoppable Ecodefense! Ecodefense! is an international, The ‘Save the trees!’ Campaign. authorities to refuse permission to non-govemmental. non-profit, envi 1992-1994. which succeeded in pre enter its seaport for a ship carrying ronmental organization founded in venting the clearcutting of about uranium. After two weeks of cam 1990 in Kaliningrad (former 30% of the forests in the paigning, supported by many inter Koenigsberg) Russia. We stand on Kaliningrad region. national environmental organiza principles of deep ecology and bio- An Action Camp (summer 1992). tions from the USA to Africa, we centrism. combined with social against the construction of the won: the ship did not get permission responsibility and justice. We work extremely dangerous Russian- and left Kaliningrad waters. The to inform and involve more ordi Swedish plant "Viking Raps” in nuclear industry lost at least a mil nary' citizens in environmental and Lipetsk (Russia). The construction lion dollars. social activity through the organiz was halted after different actions, A lawsuit was later iniated ing of educational events, environ including the occupation of the against us, but there was victory in mental campaigns, non-violent office of the governor of Lipetsk the court too. At the present time we direct actions and the spreading of region. are working closely with the environmental information. We arc A 1993 media campaign against Kaliningrad parliament, in order to working to stop violations of human the construction of an oil terminal persuade them to adopt a new law rights, and insists that the rights to a and new nuclear plant in the on nuclear transport. healthy environment and informa Kaliningrad region: construction on Environmental Education tion are fundamental rights that both of the projects was frozen. In must be available for every single the case of the terminal, even such Campaign person. powerful institutions as the New Since 1993 Ecodefense! has Ecodefense! urges: We have no York City Bank and British devoted large resources to educa right to any compromises in the Petroleum gave up in the struggle tional activity. Specialists in the defense of our Mother-Earth. at against the environmentalists. But organization developed and imple least because this is only Earth we now. in 1997, this project has mented an award-winning educa can live on! reemerged amongst local politi tional program for kindergartens. cians. Ecodefense! is therefore in This program is now implemented Campaigns we took part in the process of starting a new oil in 5 kindergartens in Kaliningrad Against the pulp/paper mill “NT campaign. Ecodefense! is sticking and has been published as a book. in Kaliningrad. 1990-1991, in to its own original position; oi) We are also working with school which about 10.000 of drilling is one of the most danger teachers. running year-long teachcr Kaliningrad’s citizens participated ous businesses for the marine training programs on 'game-meth- for two years, and which resulted in ecosystem— stop all the drilling in ods for environmental education'. the Baltic Sea! the mill being elosed down by the The Climate Change spring of 1991 An Action Camp (summer 1993) Against the nuclear plant in in the Samarskaya Luka National Threat Nuzhny Novgorod (Russia) in the Park, near Togliatti (Russia), where Paying attention lo the growing spring of 1991; the plant construc the construction industry was threat of climate change. tion was closed later the same year. exploding the mountains. The Ecodefense! started related activity An Action Camp in the summer of explosions were stopped. in 1994. Some months before the 1991 against the chemical plant in The 'Save the Wolves!' Campaign United Nations Climate Summit [in Zaporozhie (Ukraine); this was the (1994-1997), which is currently Berlin—see DoD 5], we organized third largest chemical plant in the working to prevent the hunting of the 'Climate Tour' in the ex-USSR, USSR. The plant was closed down wolves in the Kaliningrad region. together with other European envi after the 10-day occupation of plant In the summer o f 1996, ronmental groups. Activists trav chimneys by activists. Ecodefense! urged the Kaliningrad elled through the former Soviet Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 0 JT 1L= ^ IH I E ^ j Union, meeting different local envi C02 emissions from industrialised environmental problems, and the ronmental groups and asking them countries before 2005). actions required to solve such prob to come to Germany to support the Energy lems. AOSIS [Association of Small Ecodefense! prepared their report Chemical Weapons in the Island States - those nations rightly on the energy situation in terrified by the prospect of immi Baltic Sea Kaliningrad in late 1996. This stated nent non—existence in the 21st In 1992-1993. Ecodefense! col that Kaliningrad’s energy sector Century!) protocol, and the other lected a database on the chemical needs urgent restructuring and that documents proposed to the UN for weapons dumped in the Baltic Sea top priority must be given to alter ratification by environmentalists. In by Russia. America and the UK native sources of energy, and to the the beginning of 1995, the report on after World War II. The threat to the development of energy-efficiency (the effects of?) Climate Change flora and fauna of the Baltic is technologies rather than to tradi processes in the Kaliningrad region increadibly high, and we have been tional fossil fuels. Otherwise, the was prepared right before the UN urging the decision makers in the energy sector will face a large crisis Climate Summit in Germany took Baltics to take urgent action to pre by 2010. In late 1997 we will place. vent the danger. release a new report on the opportu An Ecodefense! representative nities for the development of alter Work with Information was working as an official NGO native energy sources in Ecodefense! has always paid a lot observer during the UN Climate Kaliningrad. of attention to collecting and Summit in Germany. Ecodcfense! spreading environmental informa took pan in the blockading of the Youth Involvement tion worldwide. It publishes elec buses of ihe UN delegates from In 1995 and 1996. in cooperation tronic newsletters in Russian. industrialised countries—because with other groups in the region, English and German. One of the they themselves were blocking Ecodefense! organised two summer focuses of its work is to spread AOSIS protocol ratification by the youth camps in the Kuronian Spit information in different languages Summit (The AOSIS protocol National Park. In these camps wc through the WorldWideWeb—par requires a 20^ reduction in the keep the focus on education about ticularly Russian, because there is a lack of information in Russian on the Internet. We also publish a jour nal 4 times per year [I think Do or Die needs some lessons from them then! Although it is obviously much more sophisticated to operate on an 18 month rather than a quarterly schedule) and. in cooperation with other environmental groups, books and other materials. To help its work with citizens and the mass media. “EcodefenseHnform” Press- Agency was formed in 1993. This agency is involved in different pro jects of cooperative environmental newspaper publishing in Kaliningrad. Contact Ecodefense!: Moskovsky prospekl 120-34, 236006 Kaliningrad. Russia. Tel/fax 7 (0012) 43-72-86. [email protected] 129 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 A* INI The Criminal Element Delta reports on the reality of Shell's role in Nigeria News of a further clampdown in est in democracy. Shell is now plan has roots in the ruihiess colonial Ogoni should come us no surprise to ning to resume its corporate piracy exploitation of people and observers and activists used to the of oil in Ogoni against the wishes of resources, tn ihe 1960s il had a role cynical disregard for environmental the people, and the Abacha regime along with BP in ensuring that the and human rights by transnationals is plotting to succeed itself in a still Biafran secessionist movement was and the governments they support born transition to democracy. defeated, in order to keep the oil Despile the deaths of 2000 Ogonis wells in the right hands and safe killed by the Shell-backed Nigerian Shell's political influence guard long-established British inter military regime, and ihe internation The laws under which Shell oper ests. At least 1.5 million people died ally-condemned executions of Ken ates in Nigeria are unjust and bru in the conflict Saro-Wiwa and his 8 colleagues, il tally repressive: military decrees With a history of supplying fuel ti> is business as usual as far as those in have removed people's fundamental the army of apartheid South Africa, power ore concerned. Another 19 human rights to land and resources, Shell is certainly no stranger to Ogonis are being held in prison on and to freedom of speech and working hand-in-hand with repres the same false charges lhal led to assembly. Shell is. and always has sive regimes wherever and whenev Ihe execution of Saro-Wiwa. and been, inextricably linked to the pol er il can profit. According to N, A. the conditions in Ogoni have wors itics of Nigeria. As part of the Acfaebe from Shell, “For a commer ened. Without any pretence of inter British establishment, the company cial company trying to make invesi- Do or Die-Voices tram Earth First! No.6 130 f e - a a a g X S 1 o j r 1 = a ini ments. you need a stable govern contribute massively to global declared persona non grata and ment. Dictatorships can give you warming. And exploratory and forced to stop all oil production in that.” And Shell provides the throne other work has devastated more Ogoni. By 1994 a confidential inter for any regime it can do business rainforest, mangrove and wetland nal memo by the head of the newly with: the company currently sup habitat, threatening the biodiversity set-up Internal Security Task Force. ports the Abacha regime with eco of the Niger Delta. The traditional, Major Okuntimo. called for "ruth nomic guidance and major invest sustainable lives of Ogoni farmers less military operations” to ensure ment. Shell managers have even and fishers are now virtually impos- that “smooth economic activities" worked in key government posi sibte. could commence. He reminded the tions: Ernest Shonekan. now head oil companies of the need for of the Shell-backed economic Colluding with the killers "prompt regular inputs as dis development project for Nigeria, The people’s mobilisation threat cussed." Four conservative Ogoni 'Vision 2010’, was even president ened the profits of Shell and chiefs were subsequently killed by of the country in 1993. To date angered the regime which saw a security agents within a mob. after Shell has accrued S30 billion from major threat to its income and secu which Okuntimo launched a geno its investment in brutal regimes and rity. particularly if other minorities cide against the Ogoni which has its theft of resources. began to emulate the Ogonis. And left a total of 2000 dead and up to so the catalyst for this peaceful and Poverty and environmen 100.000 as internal refugees. effective grassroots resistance—the Hundreds have since fled Nigeria to tal devastation Movement for the Survival of the refugee camps across West Africa. The indigenous struggle of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) and its Ogoni for environmental and president Saro-Wiwa—had to be Judicial murder human rights was precipitated by stopped. Peaceful protests at oil Saro-Wiwa and other MOSOP the poverty of the oil-producing installations were crushed by the activists were arrested on trumped- regions and Shell's devastating pol paramilitary Mobile Police Force up charges, tortured and held with lution. Oil provides over 80% of the whose presence Shell has repeated out trial. They were finally sen illegal military regime's income, ly requested, and the company con tenced to death by the Special with Shell responsible for half, and tinues to operate behind a military Military Tribunal, a ‘kangaroo yet those who live above this source shield in the Delta. Forced last year court' involving prosecution wit of wealth are amongst the poorest in to admit to having imported nesses who had been bribed by Nigeria. Environmentally. Shell weapons and paying the military in Shell and the government to give operates a clear policy of racist dou Ogoni—after years of denial—the false evidence. Despite its influence ble standards. In contrast to its per company has in fact financed mili with the regime. Shell refused to formance in areas where white tary operations throughout the help Saro-Wiwa. In 1995 the head Western shareholders tend to live, region, and supplied vehicles, boats of Shell Nigeria. Brian Anderson, the company has for forty years and a helicopter to transport sol told Saro-Wiwa's brother Owens plundered the oil from the Niger diers who have raided villages. Wiwa that he could try to secure his Delta and left a trail of neglect and Killings, beatings, rapes, large-scale release—but only if the internation indifference. looting, arbitrary arrests and torture al campaign against the company Rusting high-pressure pipelines are commonplace. The company was called off. It wasn't, and the criss-cross villages and farmlands, even has its own armed police Ogoni Nine were hanged in and the countless oil spills and force, the Shell Police, who have November of that year. Just a few blow-outs are often left unchecked. themselves been responsible for days later Shell announced the con The land, rivers and lakes are pol human rights abuses. struction of a S4 billion gas project luted with oil. Canals, or ‘slots’, in partnership with the regime. “A ‘Ruthless military opera have permanently destroyed fragile reward to the military or just a coin ecosystems and led to polluted tions'’ cidence?" asks Owens Wiwa. drinking water and deaths from The democratically-organised Shell to re-enter Ogoni cholera. Gas flaring and the con MOSOP grew in strength, and struction of flow stations near com 300.000 Ogonis rallied peacefully Huge rallies on Ogoni Day in munities have led to severe respira against Shell on Ogoni Day, 1996 and 1997 have shown thal the tory' and other health problems, and January 4, 1993. The company was Ogoni's spirit has not been broken. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Q H T D - 4 0 JT B= ^ IN! f*?L» i despite Saro-Wiwa's death. The renewed nil production in Ogoni. A Meanwhile, pro-democracy demands of the Ogoni Bill of recent Nigerian magazine covering activists both internally and exter Rights, for respect of full environ the issue showed Ogonis demon nally are building lirm foundations mental and human rights, have of strating against the plans. This has for the organised structures of resis course nut been met, and S h e l l ’s led to the latest wave of repression: tance needed to successfully replace collusion with the military contin Ogoni is still an occupied /one, and the regime wiih some form of ues. Its corporate irresponsibility any dissent is dealt with harshly. democratic representation. and arrogance is the same as ever, and against its own promises not to Militant Resistance Accepting responsibility resume operations in Ogoni without Across the rest of the Delta, recent At ihis year’s Annual General the lull support of the people, the occupations of flow stations and Meeting of Shell the board and company is violating the people’s hostage-taking have disrupted oil major shareholders rejected a wishes and prcp;iring to re-enter production by Shell jnd Chevron. motion from a number of concerned Ogoni for full oil production. These actions are a result of the investors who were calling for For this to succeed the communi continuing anger fell towards the oil greater corporate responsibility. The ties must be split: pro-Shell, pro- companies and the regime for the directors were offended that their government organisations have lack of benefits locally from the oil competence or desire to monitor been set up. local chiefs have been revenue, and the frustration that environmental and human rights bribed to toe the line and some even nothing is changing for the better. issues was being questioned. As forced at gunpoint to sign invita 'The youths are no longer afraid of Cor Herksiroter. group managing tions requesting that Shell comes death." according to a southern director, said, "There's already back to Ogoni. The company is also minorities activist. There is also someone responsible for these—it's trying to split the NGO sector, par some ethnic conflict, arising from me!" And indeed. Shell is being ticularly in Eiurope, by funding or Shell/government manipulation of sued by the family of Saro-Wiwa "consulting* certain groups- It has tribal differences and of (he local and the Cenire for Constitutional succeeded in co-opting those who political situation. Rights for conspiracy to "violently want money or are naive about the The Nigerian oil workers' unions and ruthlessly suppress any opposi corporate agenda and Shell's will have a great potential for bringing tion" to its operations in Ogoni and ingness to change. [See ‘The about major change. They have a the Niger Delta, The prosecution Conservation of Business...', note4, radical history of solidarity links also allege lhat the executions of the in this issue - Ed.] Shell's new wiih opposition movements in Ogoni Nine were carried out with improved PR machine is working apartheid South Africa, and initiat the "knowledge, consent and/or busily on many fronts to repair the ed a huge nationwide strike in 1994 support” of the company. company's image and greenwash whose demands had similar ele There is an awareness lhat the the dirt awuy. A number of journal ments to the Ogoni Bill of Rights. Ogoni issue is a test case for our ists have been taken on Shell trips lo Realising a lack of effective net response to the growing militarisa the nicer parts of the Niger Delta working with the oil producing tion of commerce and the corpo and fed propaganda about I lie com minorities during the strike, howev rate-sponsored attacks on environ pany's commitment to reconcilia er, they are nowr working towards mental and human rights activists tion and its support for the commu closer activity. worldwide. Such an awareness nities, while others seem lo fear the It is clear that the Nigerian oil demands a stepping up of our threat of legal action and are effec workers t>ecupy a strategic position organisational ability and our activ tively censored from reporting the in the Nigerian economy, and that ity. Paramount is effective network truth. Shell's ‘community pro they are becoming more conscious ing and international solidarity with jects'—which may involve taking of this. Indeed, a union official in indigenous groups at the sharp end over a project near its completion Lagos said lhat the unions will of (he corporate stick. and erecting a Shell sign—are “articulate a comprehensive agenda DELTA: News and background on clearly litlfe more than PR exercis to challenge military diclatorship in Ogoni. Shell and Nigeria es. Nigeria.’’ and that Shell “could eas Box Z. 13 Biddulph Si. Leicester LE2 IBM. UK Despite the army of occupation ily become ihe target of very serious icL/fax: 0116 255 3223 there is grassroots resistance to the political action” in the future, e-imi|: lynn&'gn ape.org Shell/government intention for Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.B 132 Zapatista! Today Chiapas—tomorrow the world! Most of these outrages have been committed by the Federal and State Authorities. Rarely is anyone brought to task for the attacks! In the heart of Chiapas. San Cristobal is still alive with tension not so much because of the presence of the S| EZLN negotiators, but more because of ihe ominous army base just outside the town. Deeper into Chiapas at Ocosingu another army base dominates the town. Ocosingo is the centre of Mexico’s biggest municipality and since it contains ihe EZLN heartlands il is the most troublesome. Across the mountains and jungle of diis area, army out- posts arc a constant reminder to vil lages of the stale's desire to smash this uprising. Recent trouble in the North of Chiapas has directed attention away from ihe EZLN and also forced ihe government to spread its iroops more thinly across the slate. The occupations of Rancheros’ cattle farms by campesinos intent on cre ating 'ejhos'. or collective farms, is a historical phenomenon in Mexico, but since the uprising, greater confidence and desperation has meant lhat these actions have gath New Model Army-Zapatista toys in a Mexican marketplace. ered momentum. At the same time a While some of the momentum has against ihe campesinos and indige "civil group” calling themselves been losl from the Zapatista upris nous peoples who live there. The Pax y Justica (Peace and Justice) ing of January 1994. the shock local human rights organisation in have violenlly expelled and waves tire still reverberating San Cristobal.'Tray Bartolome de attacked campesinos. adding to the through Mexico. Despite the gov Las Casas”, is still frequently visit tension. Pax y Justica are rumoured ernment's best attempts at side lin ed by campesinos (some of whom to be stale supported, while there is ing the ZapatistasfEZLN], the spirit walk for days to reach it) reporting much speculation about links and the people carry on with iheir arbitrary detentions, torture, unex between campcsino groups and the struggle. plained disappearances, violation of EZLN. In this game of tension both Chiapas today is scattered wilh personal security, illegal entry, sides are raising the slakes. Recent army iroops conducting what plunder, harm to persona! and com concessions by ihe government on amounts to a psychological war munal property and executions. the way negotiations wilh the 133 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 EZLN Lire to he conducted and on Across the whole of Mexico Ihe Where there have been sparks of ihe release of EZLN prisoners has spirit of Zapata has new energy. The revolution in Mexico the whole raised hopes of civil progress. The central squares and main streets of country is a dry wood pile waiting armed EZLN has developed a civil towns across the South of Mexico lo go up in flames. (See DoD No4 FZLN wing to deepen and spread have blockades and stalls of various for background information.) the spirit of the Zapatista uprising. groups opposing ihe state. This Meanwhile as government soldiers would not have been possible five occupy mountain villages the years ago. In Chiapas in late EZLN remain on Red Alert and October campesinos protested in have announced lhat they will not over 80 municipal capitals about tolerate any more human rights water and electricity prices. And abuses by the army in iheir territory. were able lo protest openly - not If you go deeper into Chiapas and because the siate has had a change turn right at the tourist site and of heart, but because it is terrified of Mayan ruins of Palenque the road ihe reaction any repression would runs along the Guatemalan border, provoke. which is punctuated with army It is hard for Europeans lo avoid checkpoints and the camps of looking at ihe insurgents in southern impoverished settlers. This is a Mexico through anything other ihan The Inter national of Hope Mayan area and split politically. Eurocentric eyes. For the Zapatistas In the Iasi twenty years people While one group of Mayans has the armed struggle is not separate around the world have been the tar sold logging rights to their land, from the civil one. Without the get of neoliberal policies, resulting those deeper in the jungle light wilh armed uprising ihe government in everything from unemployment, ihe Zapatistas lo defend iheir home would not have taken the marginalisation and poverty.to land in the last rain forest in Northern Zapatistas* challenge seriously. expropriation, pollution and neuro America. In nearby Mayan Belize a Activists, radicals, campesinos and sis. major UK-funded road threatens a indigenous peoples have been tor Against these effects people similar ‘development’ of the jungle, tured and killed with equipment around the world have responded bringing mining, logging and poor supplied by the West for decades. with strikes, riots, rebellions, occu settlers. The settlers disparately While activists in the West debate pations of land, schools and facto carve a living out of land loo steep the issue of non-violeni direct ries. squatting, lobbying, public to grow maize. It is usually no more action the peoples of Southern campaigns, demonstrations, radical than 3-4 years before the land Mexico are gambling wilh their literature, meetings, conferences, becomes little more than bare rock. lives. Many in Chiapas fail lo self organisation in communities, These slices of dead mountainside understand why Western radicals guerrilla movements, etc. can be seen from ihe road and with all their freedoms achieve so Yet. the fragmentation and isola everybody knows the jungle is little. tion of these different forms of dying. Chiapas is one small state in struggle is one of ihe main problems The signing of a peace agreement Mexico, the Zapatistas a small these movements face. in Guatemala between guerrilla insurgency movement. Wrhat they Between the 27th of July and the groups and ihe government could have achieved is beyond anything 3rd of August 1996. more than three well help the situation, by allowing they could have dreamed of before thousand people from all five conti 50,000 refuges from Guatemala to January 1994. What the Zapatistas nents met in the jungle of South- return from Chiapas. These camps and peoples in Southern Mexico East Mexico. Chiapas, in ihe territo have been supported by Lheir want is for us to create the seeds for ry held by the insurgent Zapatista Mayan cousins in Chiapas because such a situation in our own coun army, and hosted by indigenous of the shared culture and the shared tries. communities. problem of land. The Guatemalan Now as never before the world is The participants in this ‘First war was started by Indians who linked together, so that for things to Intercontinental Meeting Against make up 70% of the population but change in Mexico, things must Neoliberalism and for Humanity', have been refused rights to own change here, and if change can hap (otherwise known as ihe land by ihe Spanish speaking elite. pen in Mexico, ii can happen here. Encuentro), were coming from a Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No,6 134 large variety of social backgrounds and political affiliations.There were No Compromise in Defense of Lilly-Pillies! strikers from France, mothers of the disappeared in Argentina, exiles from Iran, squatters from Berlin, ex-guerrilas from Latin America, social centre activists from Italy, trade unionists from Brazil and community activists from the USA, All these diverse individuals met in the jungle and transcended their ghettos. Those at the Encuentro decided to set up an International Collective Network of Resistance, This net work will work "by recognising the differences and knowing the simi larities... and will be the means through which the different resis tances can support each other". 'Hie news from Australia is that other. The standard joke is thal your The Encuentro was only the start activists are back blockading in lllc machines are never so safe as when of the process of global communi forest . We have a base camp set up a load of greenies arc crawling all cation and coordination of different in an idyllic warm temperate rain- over them! resistances and struggles. The rest is forest area of East Gippsland, where The reason for the loggers* crisis up to us. By learning from and coor a resident sooty owl calls and a pris is that the Japanese company dinating with other struggles we can tine river flows. There are tree ferns Daishowa has made large inroads only become stronger. The next 35 feet high, older than science can into Australia, changing logging Encuentro is jn Barcelona from guess, hut as slender as saplings. Irom a timber industry' to a pulp 25th July to August 2nd 1997. The light through their latticed industry. It only takes seven sec fHuman is a collective of those umbrellas makes enchanting dap onds to turn a tree into chips for interested in linking struggles in ples on the leaf litter. Nearby under paper production. This combined Britain and worldwide, and partici the vines, lilly-pillics drop their edi with ‘corporate rationalisation' has pating in Ihe Encuentro network. If ble fruit. Along the river there are resulted in jubs decreasing by 40(&. you want to take pan you can con ancient granite boulders like the Unfortunately the loggers slill pub tact them at: cracked eggs of a huge serpent. licly tine up behind ihe corpora (Human, d o BM-CRL, London Like many such areas it is unpro tions, who if ihey succeed in WC1N 3XX. tected from the loggers. clearcutting ihis forest will leave for The rainforest is being felled to be another. The workers will be left turned into paper pulp for export lo crying into their beer aboul how stu Japan, So we're on the logging pid Ihey were, not to listen to roads with tripods, various lock on activists ranting aboul sustainable devices and most importantly our forestry. bodies. We don't even have to mon- Do you want a holiday in a rain keywrench! The timber industry is forest down under? Lend a hand and going down ihe gurglur and there is be a part of the growing eco- a dog eat dog climate in local lourism industry!. towns, desperate workers sabotag Contact ing their own machines—for insur Melbourne Friends of the Earth: ance money—-and others' CROEG, Bonang Highway, machines, to limit competition. Goongerah Vic 3888, Australia: Even the police acknowledge that (03) 9419-8700: loggers are monkcywrenching each fax (03) 9414-2081 135 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 u— v;-\\ iv~?— The Empire Strikes Back since the CJA was passed. They have used complex and wide ranging mclhods (and ihese are just the ones we know about) and it is beyond the scope of this article to go into all of them, so I will just cover a few of the more obvious manifestations of repression. The most prominent, widely talked about and feared of these tactics has been the growing use of conspiracy charges against people involved in direct action. Conspiracy charges arc worry ing for a number of reasons, not least being the severity of the sentence one is likely to incur if eventually convicted. “In the last five years, the Metropolitan Police has had One of the first groups in our movement to be on the to deal with 510 separate policing operations classified receiving end of such charges were people allegedly as being concerned with environmental groups—and connected with 'Green Anarchist' magazine, who. the trend is upwards." - The Police Review. 21 March together with two people from (again, allegedly!) the 1997. animal liberation movement, faced ‘Conspiracy to The Recent Past Incite Criminal Damage by Publication’ charges after a As illustrated by the above quote (it works out at an scries of raids in early 1996. The old adage that ‘the action every 3/4 days, and these figures are for London first targets of a succesful movement are its publica- alone) the last few years have seen a huge growth in. tions' proved to be true with Green Anarchist’ maga- and increasingly effective actions by. the radical eco- zine—which draws together animal liberation and rad- logical direct action movement. Now here can this be ical ecological theory and practice into a most unpalat- seen more clearly than by looking at the events of the able mix for the state—hit with these charges, last twelve to eighteen months. The success of the As well as helping to provoke an increase in militan- Whatley Quarry action in December 1995, the cy in the direct action ecology movement, what may be Newbury campaign (both early in 1996 and the more most worrying for the state in this context is the recent occurences at the anniversary rally), the M4I prospect (however distant) of the more generalised Reclaim the Streets action of July 1996. the Liverpool opposition to authority which can develop from a actions in September of the same year, and the laige widespread breakdown in respect for the forces of actions so far this year—all have seen a change, not oppression (masquerading, of course, as the forces of only in the face and direction of the movement itself, law and order). but almost as importantly, in the way the state regards Green Anarchist have by no means been the only and treats our movement. people hit with conspiracy charges. Some of those With the relative failure of the Criminal Justice and arrested after the Street Parties in the summer of 1996 Public Order Act (CJA) 1994 to halt direct action, have faced them as well—notably in London and whether it be hunt sabotage or anti-road protests, the Birmingham. After the storming of the Rio Tinto Zinc state, and the economic interests that support it. have (RTZ) offices in central London in July another activist employed a number of other methods to try to halt the was arrested and threatened w ith conspiracy charges, massive increase in direct action that has taken place In December 1996 people from the Somerset area were Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 136 raided in connection wilh the sabotaging of the Volume 28 - 7th July 1995) One of their main functions Whatley Quarry railway track in September, accused seems to be the identification of ‘key’ individuals lhat of conspiracy and subjected to very strenuous bail con are likely to provoke, and participate in, public order ditions. Finally, the run-up to the Reunion Rampage' situations, whether they be ecological direct action, at Newbury in January 1997 saw a number of people football crowds or far right gatherings, so they can pre arrested for digging up the Transport Minister's front dict. and help prevent, these situations happening. In garden— they too were threatened with “Conspiracy to practice this remit seems to translate into mainly overt Commit Criminal Damage" charges, intelligence gathering, both with video and stills cam Aldiough this may seem like an iniimidatingly long eras as well as profuse note taking, although they have list, most, if not all. of these cases have actually been also been used to point out people in crowds for snatch dropped before they have even come to court. Despite squads to arrest. They are usually in uniform, but have this they seem to have had at least some of the desired also been spotted at some events in plain cloihes, and effect of scaring people involved in direct action into even on mountain bikes! ineffectiveness. This is not helped by certain people They seem to be primarily focused on London, but wiihin ihe movement that seem to shorn “conspiracy" have also been seen at large actions and demonstra at every available opportunity, This is exactly the effect tions outside ihe capital. In London ihey have focused that the state would like these threats to have, one of a certain amount of attention on Reclaim The Streets fear and inactivity, and il is for this reason that we must and in practice this has involved having a presence on be careful not to overeact and play to their agenda. all RTS connected events, as well as the major demon Raids of private addresses, as well as offices, have strations in the city. also been on ihe increase over the last year or so. This Whilst this surveillance has not actually iranslaied has continued recently with a number of HR and ani into much action on their part there should lie no doubt mal liberation activists raided in connection with the thal the information gathered by them does, officially I6lh May 1997 action at Shoreham Harbour. Sussex. or unofficially, cross departments inlo Special Branch, These raids can be seen primarily as information gath (the largest SB department in the country is in ihe same ering exercises, both for prosecutions and general col building at Scotland Yard as the POIU/FIT). or MI5. It lation of intelligence, and also as a way to intimidate may even be possible that one of the major functions of activists into inaction. ihe POIU/FIT is in fact to act as inlelligence-gatherers The other more obvious manifestation of state repres for Special Branch/M15, (thereby freeing up their sion has been the huge growth in surveillance, both agents for more sensitive tasks), as well as the rather overt and covert, by the police and security serv ices, as more obvious one of dealing with public order situa well us by private detective agencies. The sight of tions. police Evidence Gatherer (EG) teams on actions and The Animal Rights National Index (ARNI) was set demonstrations is now commonplace, as are the green up in 1983 to monitor militant animal liberation activ halted Brays Detective Agency employees at anti-road ity. but since the early 1990s it has expanded to cover actions and evictions. Indeed there is not even any real the radical ecological direct action movement as well. pretence that this information is not for suite use with Indeed Special Branch now boasts that it has identified the state admitting lhat it has spent 700,000 on compa 1,700 activists lhat come under ihis category. (Sunday nies such as Bray's in order to identify us. (The Express, 14th January 1996) The information has most Guardian, 28th May 1996) likely been gleaned from work carried oul by private An inieresting dev elopment in this area has been the detective agencies—notably Bray's in Southampton, fairly recent formation of ihe Public Order Intelligence police (POIU/FIT especially I and Special Branch oper Unit (POIU), also known as the Forward Intelligence atives—through ov ert methods such as arrest records team (FIT) in London, Based at Scotland Yard this and monitoring attendance at actions and demonstra- unit, seemingly consisting of around ten to fifteen tions, along with more covert means such as mail and police officers, was formed after the series of riots in telephone interception. the summer of 1994 surrounding the resistance to the Tie this in with information obtained from the numer Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, **[W]orking in ous raids over the last few years and you realise lhal ii uniform, [the POIU/FlT's] job is to build a rapport is fairly easy to believe this figure. The type and detail between themselves and street activists so thal people of information held on ARNI databases is staggering: likely lo provoke disorder can be identified in an alongside the obvious name, address, date of binh and event." (The Job |A Police Newspaper] Issue 708, photographs, it records details such as known aliases. 137 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 k - 4 a haircut, vehicles driven, school reports, friends, family, the infiltrators outnumbered activists at some of all previous jobs, bank and building society details and London Greenpeace’s meetings! movements such as sightings at actions and demon Infiltrators into radical direct action groups, and even strations. A recent example of ARNI information being not so radical groups such as Greenpeace and Friends put into use was the intelligence briefing spotted on the of The Earth, seem to fall into two main categories. back seat of a police car [!] at the ’Shut Down Milford There is the classic ‘deep cover' long term infiltrator Haven!’ action on Saturday 15th February 1997. that is a very active member of the group and ‘lives the Entitled 'Earth First!: Its History, Tactics and life’, and there is the ‘shallow cover' infiltrator that is Activities' it included a chapter on the title page called more likely to just turn up at occasional meetings and ‘key activists’. actions to try and glean intelligence about individuals, Most of this information is gathered, as mentioned the group and further actions. From looking at the past before, by overt survelliance of the type employed by experiences of others, the former are more likely to be Brays, EG teams and the POIU/FIT teams. However Security Service personal (MI5) or Special Branch, some of this information cannot be obtained by these whereas the latter are far more likely to be 'normal' methods alone, thus requiring more covert methods, police, even though they may be Drug Squad officers including infiltration into groups. that are used to looking less like police when under The use of infiltrators and informers in radical groups cover than others are. is widely documented in history, and whilst often dis To the writer of this article it seems that by far the missed by the ignorant in the direct action movement bulk of information gathered by state agencies about as pure fantasy or paranoia, it is fact that some people direct action groups, and the individuals involved in have been approached by various factions of the police them, is actually freely available without need for and/or security services lo provide information on infiltration. As a start all publications that originate active direct action groups and the individuals involved from the movement will be read, analyzed and filed, as in them. Most recently someone was approached in well as related information such as articles in the main Lancashire and asked to pass on information about the stream and alternative press. Ploughshares group active in their area. They refused As a supplement to this, mites and photographs— and went public with the offer. In addition to this oth including video film— taken by cops and others at ers have been approached, including activists from actions and other gatherings will be used in building up groups in Brighton and London, with one person in comprehensive pictures of friendship networks, group London Reclaim The Streets being told that if he pro dynamics such as who is the most active, who holds vided the desired information he would ‘win' his forth what political theories and sympathises with other coming appeal. groups or causcs. These two ways of intelligence gath While this all seems optimistic, in that we know ering are the main sources for the information collated about people that have been approached and refused, by the police and security services. Occasionally we can be sure that there are some people that have boosted by telephone tapping and attendance at meet accepted the offer and are now active informants for ings and actions, il is possible to build up a fairly com the slate. Now here’s a frightening quote for you: prehensive picture of most, if not all, of the informa according to Gordon Winter, a former BOSS (South tion that they want and need. African Secret Service) agent; "British intelligence has Having said this, as we can see from the fact lhat a saying that if there is a left-wing movement in Britain some people have been approached to be informers, bigger than a football team our man is the captain or state agencies are always looking for new avenues to vice captain, and if not. he is the referee and he can enable them to gather more information that is not send any man off the field and call our man on at any freely available to all. To stop this happening we con time he likes." ( Lobster 26. December 1993.) While it stantly need to be aware of these potential weaknesses is unlikely, for various reasons, that the state has (yet?) and try and limit their ability to exploit them. achieved as deep a penetration of our milieu as it did of Telephone tapping is an oft talked about yet little the left/the unions, and it’s important not to get silly understood subject. The stereotypical image of a police about this, it IS something to bear in mind. The experi or secret service employee sitting by a tape recorder is ences of London Greenpeace, as revealed in the little more than ridiculous in the present day. Far more McLibel trial, are very relevant here— both because of likely is the use of the Key Word Recognition System the high level of cooperation between Special Branch (KWRS) developed over the past decade. This system and McDonald’s private detective agency, and because recognises selected words, scans them from conversa Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 V S ' V----- W------v v \v \ * V w *\ V m m m m m — THE COV£SNMtNT UStS ft STfi/lTE&y or TENSION TO CUR& iOCIfK. UNHE.ST — tions. records thorn and then searches through previous which we operate." They were complaining about the communications looking for similar words. routine interception of Amnesty International and Indeed, to illustrate this, look at the case of the Christian Aid's communications. The Observer wenl Kuwait City telephone exchange. When British sol on to report that by lyping in a ‘key word’ the secret diers went into the city in 1991 after the Gulf War they services were able to scan communications and home found a recently installed KWRS. put in place by in on any from of communications where this word British Telecom, that was programmed to recognise appears. 2,000 keywords. Tie this in with the fact that General Mobile phones are often seen by people as more Communications Head Quarters (GCHQ) in secure than other telephones, but in reality they are the Cheltenham, the centre of all government communica only type of phone for which a "bugging" warrant is not tions. has the ability to listen into 6 million telephone required, as they are classified as radio communica lines at any one time and you realise lhat they not only tions. In addition to this it is possible to track peoples’ do have ihe ability lo listen in lo al! our communica movements through their mobile phone signals— tions. both electronic and telephone, bul thal it is most according lo recent press coverage, this makes it possi likely lhai they do so on a regular basis. ble to track people to within 50 feet (and records of Il is not only this country’s surveillance technologymovements are kept by the phone companies for up to lhat is used—for example the presence and possible 2 years!) use of the US National Security Agency's ‘listening Bugging of houses is also another possible factor thal post’ at Menwith Hill in Yorkshire. Interestingly, the we may well have to contend wilh in the future, espe permits granted by ihe Home Office for ’legal eaves cially with the introduction of the Police Act (1997) dropping' have more than doubled over the past year. which allows police chiefs to authorise surveillance, If anyone doubts that they listen in on our telephone previously done by High Court judges. The incidence communications, you only have to listen to what they of ‘fishing trip’ coven searches of houses w ill probably diemselves say. In The Observer of 28th June 1992 it also increase under this Act. was reported thal a group of "current highly placed intelligence operatives from GCHQ” slated that they What Can We Do About It? were unable to "remain silent regarding,,, the gross To overcome these attacks on our movement the first malpractice and negligence within the establishment in obvious thing lo address is security, both of groups and 139 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 individuals, as hopefully ihis gives us ihc ability, if not The more obvious measures to protect security to thwart some of these assaults then at least to slow should be commonplace in their useagc. Disguising them down and make it harder for them to operate. your identity on actions should be second nature by Aspects of security can take many forms and it is nut now. and other simple things such as giving false possible to deal with them all in this article, but ! will names when slopped and searched (even when arrest mention a few of the more significant ones briefly. ed if you can gel away with it) and hav ing bail address The lapping of tele phones has been briefly covered es sorted out before going on an action will go a long under the previous sub-heading and although ways to way towards making life harder for ihem, Addresses get around this method of surveillance are fairly obvi thal are published for group contact points should be ous. ihey need to be repeated again and again for peo made as hard as possible to irace back to individuals ple who still make the same mistakes—do not say any and for this bookshops seem to be a heller bet than PO thing over the phone lhal you would not say to a Boxes, as ihe sc have in be registered to an address. A policeman! In addition to this, any sen stive informa monomarks box in London (called BM Boxes) is prob tion should noi even be said near a telephone, as with ably the most secure, but these do lend lo attract auto a digital exchange even when the handsel is in the cra matic attention from the authorities. dle it is possible that the phone can act as a receiver and Wilh any information that may be incriminating pick up noise w ithin a certain area. make sure il is destroyed as soon as practically possi With the growth in the use of technology such as the ble, Maps, plans, lists of telephone numbers and names internet by radical groups the danger of the state taking are, if found, likely to addd great weight to any charges advantage of these channels increases. The same rules against you or others charged, as well as being useful for telephone communication apply to the internet and intelligence for the state to have access to. Destroyed e-mail, although an encryption programme such as does not mean ripping up and putting in ihe bin. bui Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) can help wilh security of e- burning and ihcn disposing of the ashes. mail communications, (Be warned that PGP may well As said earlier, I will refrain from going into to much not be as unbreakable as often claimed, so total trust in depth about possible security measures that we can it would be misplaced.) take, as not only is there not room in this article, but Computers, as has been witnessed by numerous there are numerous well written books on ihe subject groups who have had iheirs seized in raids, are a secu thal are far more comprehensive and useful than this rity liability. Information stored on them, even when il piece can ever hope to be, (See Further Reading and has been deleted, can leave a shadow lhal il is possible Related Interest book lisl al ihe end of this article.) to ‘read'. The only way around this is not to write any Of course any look al individual and group security thing at all on computer lhal is remotely incriminating. cannot be looked at in isolation, but must be addressed It is |>ossible to obtain software thal not only deletes alongside tactical considerations. To overcome the files but also wipes them so no shadow is left. Even so measures ihai we have had levelled against us we need the most sensible suggestion seems 10 be jusi not to to be constantly thinking aboul, and then adapting to write anything that requires this treatment on any com suit, our tactics and organisation. We need to be puter if at all possible. addressing questions such as: is what we are doing Whilst talking of technology and its possible uses for effective? Is it ihe most effective way. in terms of lime us (if any) a few people are currently discussing the and energy spent, that we can do ihings or are there possibility of secure telephone communications using other ways that are belter? Arc ihe risks of imprison a software package called Pretty Good Privacy Phone ment we face worth it in comparison to the impact of (PGP Phone), This package scrambles communica the action on the target? Our tactics and way of organ tions, broadcasts them along telephone lines and then ising ourselves come into all these questions and need unscrambles ihem al ihe other end. Allhough at first to be addressed if we as a movement are lo expand our glance ihis seems to be ideal for us it is ihe opinion of size and influence and become even more successful. this writer thal the PGP phone is a wasted effort. Not There are complex and in-depih measures that the only would I feel no more secure in discussing action state uses to disrupt successful movements and one details down a PGE* phone than a normal phone, but if way lhat ihey do this is by Lhe use of the there is anything more likely to result in a bugging facilitation/repression lactic. Fhis is a two pronged dcvice being planted in your front room than you talk approach that involves the repression of lhe more rad ing to another activist using telephone encryption I ical elements of a movement whilst facilitating the have yel to think of it! moderate end by giving il small concessions and ‘vic- Do or Die-Voicos from Earth First! No.6 140 tones’. Local Agenda 21 is a prime example of this Whilst looking at tactics and strategy for the future facilitation which, whilst diverting from direct action, we must be very careful lhat we do not divide the ties up previously active groups in paperwork and movement. If some sections of the movement feel it is bureaucracy | sounds like the production of Do or Die better that they work on a different tactical level, then to me!|, and ultimately achieves nothing. At the same all the better if il is effective, but we must not allow time as ‘offering’ intiatives such as this they clamp divisions to artificially appear between us all. If there down on the more militant wing using the tried and is an active underground it is still part of the broader tested means of conspiracy cases, severe prison sen movement and we must acknowledge it as such, rather tences, raids and surveillance. The ultimate goal is to than distance ourselves from it. as is all so easy lo do divide the broad based movement into a more militant lo take pressure off the more ‘legitimate’ parts of the smaller group lhat can be easily alienated from its sup movement. port base anti then destroyed. This works, as can lie After all this talk one thing becomes clear; it is cru seen by looking at the animal liberation movement, cial thai we all realise that we are engaged in a war and now generally perceived by the public as terrorists. A we must act as such. Although we musi never lose our look at the mainstream press will show you that the sense of humour, spontaneity and feelings of love that same thing is starting to happen with the radical eco underlie every action taken in defence of the earth and logical direct action movement. its inhabitants we must treat certain aspects of the The infamous John Harlow ‘Summer of Hate' article struggle with ihe seriousness that they deserve. These in ihe Sunday 'Times (3rd July 1994} is a classic exam aspects include building a decent prisoner support net ple. On 27th March 1996 an article in The Guardian work, constantly questioning ourselves and our purported lo say howr the Association of Chief Police actions, creating solid affinity group structures, and Officers (ACPO) were asking for the anti-terrorist learning, quickly, the value of individual and group squad lo monitor the activities of militant greens. The security. If we fail to do this it will only be ourselves relevance of this article can he seen, not in the light of and our friends that suffer, with an increasingly large trying lo get us monitored by the secret services, as we number of people going to prison, and maybe, if the know we are already, but rather in try ing to create the experiences of other radical groups are anything to climate of fear and compliance amongst the population judge by. much W'orse. at large that will enable the stale to destroy us without All this talk of surveillance, security, prison and state fear of a massive backlash. The Welsh press coverage repression can engender feelings of alienation and dis- in the run-up to the Milford Haven action was a classic em powermen t in people quite easily. If] have done that example of this, with the added element of trying lo in this article I have failed in whal I set out to do. An whip up anti-’English rentamob’ sentiment. objective view of whal ihe facts are is necessary if we There are other active direct action groups that we are continue and succeed as a movement. Whilst the can learn from, especially ihe hunt saboteurs and ani powers of the system we wish to overturn can seem mal liberation groups. The way the hunt sabs organize monolithic and all encompassing, we only have to look themselves, with local affinity groups that are self- at some of the actions lhat have happened in ihe last financing and fully autonomous, with their own trans few years to realise lhat not only can we beat them, but port and communications, is a way to be looked at. that we do so very frequently! (And sometimes in the adapted and used if it is appropriate for us. One thing most absurd ways imaginable!) dial is severely lacking within our circles is, ironically, To continue doing this our movement must alw ays he transport, with the organisation of any action seeming looking to ihe future for ideas as to how we can adapt ly having a fair proportion of its time taken up with our tactics to slay one step ahead of those lhat wrant us sorting out movement of people from one place to to fail. A crucial pari of being able to do this is increas another. ing the numbers of people involved in all forms of If every active group could sort out a van with a CB direct action. Whilst small groups of people have suc radio, mobile telephone and scanner, as some hum sabs ceeded in slowing the destruction of ihe earth, as a look groups do. these problems would be much reduced. As at history illustrates, we must not be under any illu well as this we could have individual, group, regional sions that this small number of people w ill ever be able and national phone tree networks lhat could enable us to do any more than lhal. What is needed lo not only to call actions at short notice, thereby circumventing slow, but eventually stop and reverse the destruction is the recent problems of surveillance and repression of a the involvement of a large percentage of the numbers few ‘key’ organisers. of people on the earth. In the very near future, if we are Ml Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 0=T IL, A IN! BW*’ to have any sort of earth worth living on at all. we must “W ithout A Tracc: To Live Outside The I -aw You Have To Be learn to link partial (igMs and struggles against partic Honest” by Altonyimtub (Self Published I - one of the best ular aspects of techno-industrial society into a wider accounts available of state surveillance, repression and the ways around them. war that, whilst engaging in fragmentary haltles. can "O/ymandtas' Sabotage Skills Handbook: Volume I - Getting maintain the vision of, and work towards, the overall Started " (First Edition I99S| has excellent security section goal of total ecological and social change. written from a UK perspective. Find it on the internet at: “Despair is the worst betrayal, the coldest seduction http ://* ww.cafcu ndetgruund. is to believe thal the enemy will ;ii Iasi prevail," coni/f'afcsile/RiMints/Ozymandia/handbook 1 .hlntl - Marge Piercy. Further Reading And Related Interest " Agents of Repression" by Ward Churchill and Jim Vander Wall. (Smith [:.nJ Press: Boston 1W ) - very detailed account of the FBI’s war against all forms of dissem in ihe US. notably against the Black Panthers and the American Indian K ip s ' e e t h e h i t o f y o u r , p r c -t e s t c a m p , t h e b e l l e O F YCO*Z B E N E F IT G IG ! G E T M T U U U A V S HAPPENIN' Movement (AIM). o f f ic ial A N IM A L ™ MOPPET "Al War Wilh The Truth" OUR S W A M P y 7", ANP by Larry O ’Hara. (Mina DAVE MEGCHANHSE! REMEMBER - THE S P IC E GIRLS ARE Press: London 1993) An % o7£^ff£¥LKl°S ARB 17VST M A K E OUT THOSE account of an attempted E. £ 5 H: COm^>TTEP CHEQUES TV "EARTH FIRST BUT inlihralion of the Green f CELn/EGy SENWi An d a l l o w 2 8 PAYS f o r Anarchist network by V E M - O R L E S s ONCE THOSE HANDY NEW ROADS CtT BU M Tim Hcppte. "Ecodefenee: A Field G u id e To M onkcy w rcnch ing" (Third Edition) edited by Bill Haywood and Dave Foreman. (Abzugg Press: C alifo rn ia 1993 ) - e sp e cially chapter 9 on Security, "Turning Up The Heal: Ml^ After the Cold War" by Larry O’Hara. (Phoenix Press: London 1994) - especially chapter entitled The Gallery Enlarged: Green Targets Enter The Frame.' J $ A "War At Home: Covert Action Against US Activists and What We % Can Do About Ii" by Brian Glick. (South End % Press: Boston I9&9) - useful account of how in lllc FBI worked to destroy radical move WAen T'm w r ie d abemt turned into youth icortT. ask m en ts. ICfion/ 2bcot 0 8 FO. They vanish!MUPPET DAVE Do or Die-Voices from Earth Firsl! No.6 142 “Twyford Down: Road-S, Campaigning and posal for a toll tunnel through the Down - the 14 immac Environmental Law", ulate ‘Tory* solution [utilising! market forces to Barbara Bryant. E & FN Spon 1996. work for the environment” (p. 179). > Personally, and This book has a relevance far beyond the specifics of through the Winchester/Winchester College old boy ihe Twyford Down campaign. Barbara Bryant's expe network, they had contacts going up to the highest lev riences during the campaign, and the conclusions thal els - their supporters were able to send "very erudite she draws from those experiences* reflect in micro letters, from impressive [?!] addresses - to the DoT and cosm many of the questions still facing the green to ministers, often on first-name terms” (p. 142). This movement in 1997. As Peter Kunzlik puts it in his instant access to the elite, of which they made great “Lawyer's Assessment”, it is the story of a "struggle use. relies upon the disproportionate influence of the within the law to slop the desecration of (a| local land upper classes - their 'cultural capital’. (This in itself is scape and about the frustrations... encountered along a perversion of ihe ‘democracy' Bryant professes such die way.” (p.226) He believes that “Twyford Down has devotion to - what chance of the residents of say come to epitomise the failure of the system to protect Pollock being able lo draw upon such networks of the environment or to allow its citizens an effective influence?) legal role in challenging its despoil at ion” (p.225)r And yet they still got stitched up at every stage of Ihe Understanding the law -who makes it, whose interests game - by Winchester College, their erstwhile allies does it serve, what does dial tell us about our society, (largely responsible for the choice of the route through and thus what strategies for social change should we the Down - eg. see p.2K/9). in Public Inquiries, at the adopt—is the crucial question here. On the evidence of High Court and finally in Europe. (There is now strong this book, Bryant flunks the test. evidence - not explicitly referred to in the book - that There is no doubt that her feelings are genuine. She one of the main conditions for British acceptance of the says that her opposition to the DoT grew out of “an Maastricht Agreement was for the European instinciive love of ihe countryside, rather than any tech Commission to drop the Twyford case.) If somewhere nical background” tp.71). Of work starting on the as “well-connected" (p.GI) as Winchester can get Down, she says: 'That really hurt, when they first shafted, then surely nowhere is safe. stripped off' the topsoil. But I've got used to it now. Rather than opting for mass action - mobilising the You’ve got to - otherwise you'd go mud.” (“The unmak great unwashed - Bryant clung to a faith in the ‘charmed ing o f the English landscape”, Ih e Times 30/5/92, circle* of ihe elite. She at least has (he honesty to p. 16.) That level of connection to a place is very healthy, acknowledge her own mistakes in ihis regard - until the something to be cherished, nurtured and acted upon. High Court hearing she simply had no idea of the exis That love drew her to lake extraordinary action in its tence o f other anli-road grcxips (eg. Ox leas Wood, the defence, pushing her personal allegiances to ihe limit. Mil- p. 149). Likewise, due to their exclusive focus on And yet. it is a question of how that love is expressed - the Winchester clique, "It was not until the Tactical unlike David Croker, and some of the other members of Voting campaign [of 1992 - and they began fighting the ihe Twyford Down Association (TDA), she proved M3 in 1985!) that we realised how much support we had unable to take thal last step, and transcend the con in Southampton” (p.2QG). I guess it's a case of “live by straints (or rather the priviledges) of her background. the establishment, die by the establishment”. Twyford generally, and the experience of those who Given all of the above, it is hard to explain why took ihe legal route to opposing it in particular, is T H t Bryant still fails to question all lhal she had held most textbook example of howr the ‘usual channels’ simply dear, and to see through the big lie. The way in which don't work - the state will always move the goalposts she remains a prisoner of her background, despite the if you come close to bealing it al its own game.( 1) punishment inflicted on her and her beloved Down by Bryant and her colleagues were pillars of the a vindictive state, is more than just inexplicable, it is Winchester establishment (one of the wealthiest, most tragic. Barbour (strait) jacketed in the country.) Bryant talks Even now she laments the "widespread disaffection of her “well-known monetarist, free market approach with constitutional campaigning” (p.viii) post- to most issues” (p. 122), and describes their admiration Twyford, and throughoui the book one gels a strong for Thatcher’s ‘achievements’. Their message to the sense of her need to restore ‘democracy's’ tarnished 1990 Party Conference was: “We are Conservatives - image. She warns that “Conservationists in Britain are we want Twyford Down to he a winner for our in danger of falling into an over-adversarial mode. Government” (p. 146). ( Later they pul forward a pro Surely it is not a battle which is the objective, but the 143 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No,6 j 1 - 1111 * ■* , f c IS&& : i a n s w e r s securing of environmentally sensitive solutions. (Yes. blacktop surface. (See her account of how the DoT and .,.?] The view that victory is a bourgeois concept, even betrayed them over this one - p.49 and p.209.) and that glorious defeat is better than victory must not Thus they consigned themselves to the ludicrousness take hold of the conservation and cnvironment-protec- of all lobbyists - fiddling while Rome bums. tion groups" (p.viii/ix). None of this would matter, if il wasn't for the fact But why not choose a different tack if experience that, as a consequence of her own “glorious defeat", demonstrates las Bryant's surely must) that “constitu Barbara now has (pernicious) influence - peddling her tional campaigning” is largely useless? She appears to wrinkled nose distaste for direct action to new ‘leam- he suffering from 'cognitive dissonance’ - in this er-tlriver’ anli-roads groups, such as ihe A27 Action debute, SHE is the ideal Group, Lewes. Now. ist (ignoring the facts and Let’s write our own history... Barbara’s view of clinging to some rosy “We must record our history before it is forgotten, or events may be notion of hallowed someone else writes it for us!" Friends of Twyford Down enshrined as the ‘democracy’) and us the invite submissions for their book. It is intended not to be definitive historical pragmatists. the views of any one person, nor an academic analysis, but text, with direct Likewise, can she not the story of the people who were there in their own words. action largely written see the connection They want personal memories, poems, songs, photos and out of the main pic between the capitalism drawings. Send any material to the address below - photo ture and into a much she so ardently supports copies of written material, and copies or negatives of any less troublesome and the destruction of photos (black and white preferred). They can also arrange footnote. This makes ‘special places*, not jusl interviews with those who wish to contribute, but don’t the upcoming in Winchester’s backyard want to write anything down. Contact: Friends of Twyford 'Friends of Twyford but all over the world. Down. PO Box 162, Winchester. Hants S022 5ZD. Down’ book (see She was always instinc (Donations very welcome!) below) all the more tively averse to direct important, if only to action, and uncomfortable with these grubby, pungent redress the balance away from Bryant's saga of the ‘tribes people’ who were - both literally and metaphor Great and the Good. ically - muddying the controlled environment of her In one sense, reading this tmok was an education natural habitat, the committee room. Democracy is, to Much as I may pour scorn on their approach, 1 have to an extent, about keeping any issue at one remove, acknowledge the courage of their actions, as far as they abstracted, defused - let’s not get physical. Heaven for went - for example, if you are a member of Thatcher's bid that the British stilf upper lip should tremble, the ‘property-owning democracy’,then the prospect of los mandarin mask crack, and we should admit to some ing your house over court costs is probably at least as emotion, ("the campaign which [we] ... mounted was terrifying as a beating from a security guard. Without deliberately rational and measured because we wanted the herculaean efforts of Bry ant and co., it is unlikely lo avoid a repetition of the highly emotional 1970s that the Twyford campaign would ever have reached campaign" (p.26) - why, when this highly disruptive the pitch that it did. They laid solid foundations ( at the campaign actually succeeded?!) very least, in making it “An Issue" in the public con Unlike David Croker and Chris Gillham. I don't sciousness). and to mangle metaphors, wre picked up recall ever having seen her at the Dongas camp - she the baton that they fumbled. Therefore, given that other always kept her polite distance. She was one of the campaigns largely flowed from Twyford, I’d like to main figures behind the stance of the last Twyford bestow a most unwelcome title upon Babs: she is the Down Association meeting, in the summer of 1992. "Mother of all Anti-Roads Battles ”, (Swampy’s your Here, they shrank from throwing their weight behind foster son Babs!) the direct action campaign, apparently because, in the One last thought: Babs' husband - Dudley - is a char words of the TDA President, “lo become involved in tered surveyor/* Before coming to Hampshire he had anything illegal ...erodes die edges of democratic soci worked in London and been involved for many years in ety." (p.215.) Doubtless they were exhausted after their public inquiry and compulsory purchase work in long fight, but they resolved instead to go out with a London's East End." (p. 19). M IL anyone? whimper, not a bang: with the TDA relegating itself to (!) Although this isn't meant to imply a total rejec laughing-stock quibbling with the DoT over whclher tion of ‘legal’ or ‘constitutional’ routes - just handle the ‘inevitable' new road should have a tarmac or a with (extreme) caution! Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No .6 144 ■ " * "jj * ’ ■ ■m ■ * Jj* wN (fc ^l a n s w e r s V. For a more interesting read, try “A Time to Travel, an Can you decode TMe svneouc neAwirfo- OF VOU« S< M f AJVD MOOC , P C £ « e ? introduction to Britain's newer travellers” (Earle et al. ... rs ; r pfsh a ps a stj»cjjwfCioi/s Enabler Publications). ftePErirPO* O f R « I*J WOOD *■ Mil r t f « v #lC*i ?J Ultimately, 1 am glad lhat someone has tried to write a t*x>k bringing together different strands of protesting and partying. We have only ourselves to blame if this is the only written history we ever get. The incentive now should be to impart our beliefs and history in our words anti not just to ourselves, but to the mainstream, who live, largely, ignorant of the strength of our existence. If "Senseless Acts of Beauty" inspires one 16 year old lo go oul and lock on. set up a sound system or live in a bus. ‘irtTER^o&ATiwG- THC nove*ea/ t . . . ihen it has done a good job. It is just a shame that it has been done by an academic, in a verbose, uncreative style Senseless Acts of Beauty - Cultures of Resistance and not by ourselves. Since the Sixties Green Backlash George McKay (Verso 1996) Andrew Rowell (Routledge 1996) The tide is offensive. I thought of alt die people present There is a disturbing sea change away from environ at tiie Baltic of the Bean fie Id. the Moles worth eviction. mentalism spreading across America and the globe. Yellow Wednesday, the 1990 poll lax demo in Trafalgar Green Backlash is a report commissioned by Grccnpcace Square, ihc Newbury evictions and the countless other Ohough not under its editorial control), to inform and landmarks of our “cultures of resistance”. Most of these alert activists to this rather nasty turn of events. This events were not inspired by "senseless" people. Some book is nol a fund-raising effort, or a watered-down were far from beautiful. account for mass consumption but a thoroughly A book claiming to chronicle and analyse our "cul researched and highly detailed book. WTitten to be used tures" should be one of two things: a pure academic as a tool against the backlash, READ IT. analysis, or a personal account of one person's adven It describes ihe anti-environmental movement in the tures in subculture land. Unfortunately, “Senseless Acts States from ii> roots, to the advanced siage il has reached of Beauty" is neither. now. The book investigates the hugely sophisticated Dense, laboured text suggests the analytical approach, techniques of the P.R. companies, with profiles on rather an inappropriate way to chronicle people and ide Burson-Marsteller, Hill & Knowlion and others, which ologies who shun analysis and constantly re-invent them between them have represented every' earth-raping multi selves ahead of the stale and academia. However, the national and corrupt dictatorship in the. world, (see scope of the book is a bit limited for it lo fully attain this ‘Going Green’ in DoD 5). It explains the appearance of goal—there is scant mention of labour struggles, ihe corporate front groups with eco-friendly sounding names Miners Strike or Greenhorn Common, all of which have (e.g. Mothers Against Pollution. Citizens for Sensible had a profound effect on our politics and thinking. Control of Acid Rain, the National Wetlands McKay's approach is rather too biased towards his own Coalition.etc) ami how they have managed to confuse enjoyment for objective academia; many people have and influence Americans about environmentalists and the mentioned to die the extensive tracts on Crass and then issues ihey campaign on. Ii also describes the way in said, “but I’ve never heard any Crass". There is hardly which bogus anti-environmental scientists have con any mention of acts like Roy Harper or Hawk wind, stal vinced the mainstream media that there aint no ozone warts of free festivals in the 1980s. or of the current hole and climate change is gtxxJ for you. upsurge of tine musicians like Heathens All, Theo & The scariest development of all. and one that hasn't Shannon or the Space Goals, who are not {and are often even started lo touch this country, is a real grassroots anti-) commercial, but are vital to our gatherings. movement of active anti-greens called Wise Use. Wise If the book is a journal of George McKay's own expe Use was initially dismissed by U.S. activists as a corpo rience. then it is sad thal the text and layout are so boring. rate con job. but has grown into a separate and indepen There is little attempt lo reflect how full ofjoy. fun and dent entily. with most local groups getting little or no creativity “cultures of resistance" are. Reclaiming art is direct corporate funding or instructions from high-up. part of the resistance and to have all our creativity squeezed into such drab presentation seems rather tragic. 145 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 The second half of the book covers the rest of the like the old boss, except that punk is now the music of world's anti-green activity. It’s well written and informa court. Henry takes the last remaining canister of petrol tive but there is not much that will surprise you. or that back to his country, whose people swiftly appreciate you couldn't and out from other sources. Good stuff if what a waste of time it is. abandon it. and all live hap you're interested but in terms of what you need to know pily ever after. for practical use. the first seven chapters will cover it. Graham Oakley is best known for his ‘Church Mice’ Don't make the mistake of skipping straight to the series, and the artwork here is of a similarly lavish and chapter about road-protests to see if your mates are in it. impressive standard, with lots of sly visual in-jokes There is very little in it you won't know already. The only thrown in. (A hint as to the demise of the previous reason to read il is to give more credibility to the rest of civilisation is provided by a sign on a dilapidated Shell the book, because Rowell’s account is accurate and well- station - now serving as a cowshed - which reads: “One informed. gallon only per customer - our price £152.20 per quar We can't afford to ignore the issues raised here. The ter gallon".) Images of dereliction, and of the recoloni environmental movement is in danger of being reduced sation of technology by nature abound—a British to a passing fashion and we can either change or die - Airways jet transformed into an earth-bound long- GET 1'HIS BOOK! At £12.99 it isn't cheap, but you house, pylons decked with vines, the harsh outlines of could try ordering it from the library. an Esso refinery' softened by vegetation, and so on. “Henry’s Q uest'. By G raham Oakley This is a wonderful book—which is perhaps why it is Macmillan 1986. so hard to find. After all. we only want Bellamy's style You might call this a ‘fable of deindustrialisation'—a of propaganda for our kids, don't we? Favourite quote: childrens’ book that provides a refreshing antidote to “He kept his eyes peeled for petrol, but all he saw was David Bellamy's ‘The Roadside’ (see Do or Die no.5). trees." In time-honoured fairy tale fashion, the story concerns ‘Joining the Rainbow’, Bel Mooney, Mamouth, 1997 Henry, an innocent young shepherd, who must find the * Ka: has a cozy life until she joins the protesters to mysterious substance known as ‘Petrol’ if he is to win save IWybury Hill. The decision isolates her from family the hand of the fair Princess Isolde. Her father the King and friend.'-. Hut then she meets Ash. the hoy whose life believes that petrol will “bring his beautiful heirlooms has been so shockingly different from hers. Joining the (ie.cars) to life, and they (will] carry him about among Rainbow changes their lives forever.' the people who would all be terrified and really think Based largely on the Solsbury Hill campaign of 1994, he was somebody, and not just a harmless old twit." the tale of this book is of a tree eviction seen through the Henry finally tracks down petrol to the last remaining eyes of a local 14 year old: Kaz (aka the author's daugh city, where the emperor lives in luxury while his peo ter Kitty), who goes from Boyzone to Green man with ple riot. He is soon deposed when his petrol supply the help of a raggle-taggle run aw ay boy who defends her goes up in smoke, and his soldiers realise that “their tree."We’re the new Neolithic Tribe". future would be hard and lhal they would have to give All the characters in her book are cheeky composites of up all their little luxuries" They therefore make a start real people from the Hill, using actual conversations and “by giving up emperors, generals and ministers of incidents plucked from the campaign. It is aimed at state.” (And this is a childrens’ book!) young teenage girls, though she does delve openly into Unfortunately this is easier said than done - the emper the important issues of child abuse, police/state violence, or's former minstrel takes over, looking suspiciously middle class bigotry, nature and ignorance. Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 in f orxrva.feio*x a V S n o w l e - - - ...... k‘- ^ —»* “Yeah, some git thinks sabotage will persuade people hope that the ideas in "Road Raging” arc applicable to lhat this road is bad." other protest issues. She unfortunately stereotypes the ‘fluffies' and the For a copy, send al least £3 payable to Road Alert! ’spikies’. reinforcing grown-up middle class views on (This is cost price, including postage; If you can afford sabotageI and violence, forgetting childrens’ b o o k s like more, we can send free copies lo really poor NVDA the Famous Five who openly break things to catch the campaigns.) to - baddies. There is however a nice twist later when her 8 Road Alert! PO Box 5544. Newbury. Berkshire, RC.14 year old brother tries to blow up ihe security compound 5FB. with his chemistry set. Battle for the Trees: I for one am grateful for this account, as we don’t often Three Months of Responsible Ancestry experience this dimension. I was reminded with fondness by Merrick. of all the young local girls turning into hardcore digger- Godhaven Press, 1997 divers. ISBN 09529975 0 9. 132 page book £3 ‘Laura's Way*, by Beryl Kington This book is not an attempt at a general history or Another book to reach the fiction shelves, this time analysis of Newbury. In Merrick’s own words: ** What aimed at 5(>+ bored housewives. It portrays a road cam I’m writing is one yeast cell’s description of winemak paign in the style of a Mills & Boon novel. The main ing. a personal account of my time at Newbury in the character, disenchanted wiih her dead marriage finds first three months of 1996.” love in a trechousc. Murder, passion and harnesses. Some of Merrick’s ideas I feel are quite reformist and Brace yourselves for an influx of romance-seeking blue unthought through, but whether or not I agree with rinsed babes! everthing in it is beside the point. What’s really good Koad Raging : Top lips for Wrecking Road Building. about the book is it gives you a real feeling of what it This book shares experiences of Nonviolent Direct was like to be there. He really paints the picture well, Action against road building in Britain from Twyford getting you to understand just how surreal, joyful, Down in 1992 lo Newbury 1996. This is not a coffee depressing, life changing and plain weird campaigns table history- book, but a practical, illustrated guide for (and campaigners) can be. action. It covers a wide range of subjects including It’s a great read and its extreamiy difficult to put the building a campaign from scratch, action tactics, pub book down til the end. When you finish you want to licity. camps, the law, training, evictions, and much jump up and do something active. Whal more could more! The book is a total rewrite of “The Compleat you ask from a book than a few hours of cosy reading Anti-Road Protester” which was produced in 1994. We and a dose of inspiration to go and act. “The earth is not dying, it is being killed. And those who are killing il hare names and addresses" - Utah Phillips Pmimiiisnics Subsciptions Corporate Watch is a bi- Issue 4 (taw co v* ml. £1 or £1.50 is Out Now : from £6 p e r monlh*y magazine and more RiiftmrBcHTy if y o u 're importantly an Information Climate Lobby &UTKHV w aged Network. Behind most social Advertising Miin1c]ler and environmental disasters is Hillingdon I .iTktjilMV'- WucrOt.j a corporation waiting to be ex Bougainvilk Ccafflui posed. Whal companies arc you G enetics are campaigning against? Tell us Nil** Deforestation DIY Rtst arch what you know and we’ll tell Lyminge Teaeos you what wc know. Preutnciuian BNFL Corporate Watch is always in Updale Airport'. need of more help - (IT. web Airports Nci* JtoadsT designers, researchers, any End o f Oil uid nu^n.' body) Money would be nice too. Corporate Watch. H>>n Iv. I l l Magdalen Roud.Oxfonl 0X4 IR Q liel/l-a.x (call first i: niaiKfr corporaiewaich.i-way.co.uk http://www.oncworUI.ofy vw ((118651 791391 147 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 Judith Iscariot. Memo To All Environmental Activists. I deliberately do not use the word 'protest' or 'protesters’ as it is loaded with connotations of defeat—to protest at something that is going to happen. Reality is per ception. Wc campaign to stop some thing immoral. Get on the good foot. At the moment, in my opinion, we as a movement arc in danger of developing road rage. We are obsessed with the road. While attacking the roads programme is a direct attack on car culture and the very cogs of the system we aim to change, it is not the greatest threat to the environment by a long shot. We have also allowed ourselves to become regionalist. Forests in South Wales and Scotland are being felled at an alarming rate with no direct resistance. While hundreds of Do or Die editors dig their their own internal politics and com protesters’ took Wislcy Airfield in own graves petitive political correctness. (See April 1995 (Reclaim The Land) for the outrageously sectarian piece on a week (!) hundreds of four hundred Dear Do or Die. conservationists in this issue for year old beech trees fell in Glasgow I have been involved with Earth further evidence of this syndrome.] because the No M77 campaign was First! for several years and before They plan futile actions that if (after literally left out in the cold. While that was a peace and animal rights all the in-fighting) they ever come thousands of pounds are being spent activist. So. it is not without some off are totally pointless. on stopping a road in Berkshire, the consternation that I now find myself The current obsession with revo free market economy is destroying seriously doubting EF! This is not lution is not radical, but boring. If I Wales almost unchallenged. through any loss of faith in direct wanted to join a small group Opencast quarry ing, sand dredging action, but through serious disillu obsessed with discussions on over from the sea for construction, lime sionment with those who are most throwing the state, and dismissing stone quarrying, drilling for oil off acti%re in EF! - the “leaders”. 1 know the efforts of others outside the nar the Pembrokeshire coast (killing you will deny it, but there are those row margin of what is deemed dolphins and marine life), orimul- of you who set the agenda and write acceptable, then 1 would have sion being shipped to Milford the Action Update. Do or Die or joined the Revolutionary Haven. Swansea Bay being dredged Direct Action Direct. Communist Party years ago. so bigger ships can service the This leadership is drifting into the We have to embrace other envi expanding steel industry at Pori realms of Monty Python - The Life ronmental groups, otherwise we Talbot. All this and a massive road of Brian - The Peoples' Front of will always be isolated, marginal building plan. That is the tip of the Judea - the bunch of black clad sad- and pathetic. iceberg. This is not exclusive to does who huddled together spitting Otters’ noses anyone? Blessed are Wales. Look around. So much to do at the efforts of all other freedom the cheesemakers. and so few doing it. Deals are con fighters, whilst wasting time on stantly being made under our noses Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 In order to combat this wc have to In 1997 these puppets are going to themselves as toial outcasts who start thinking on our feet. Learn get the sheep to elect some of them have to face a hostile media as well from our mistakes. While building into office, that will see ihe begin as police, road builders etc. It is tree villages is effective in costing ning of the next millennia. How egotistical, self-deluding nonsense. earth abusers money, we shouldn’t much of (heir electioneering will be Most local newspapers would dear kid ourselves, in the end Joe Public aboul promotion of sustainable ly love to have a Twyford Down. foots the bill, and the road goes on. lifestyles/industries, about social Salisbury, Oxleas Wood or Besides which, the energy involved change and health care, aboul envi Newbury in their patch. m doing so. outweighs the reium. In ronmental clean up plans? They Getting publicity for a protest is as short it is inefficient.To sil and wait won’I answer questions they are noi easy as falling off a lt>g. The anii- for them to come to us and call the asked. It is up to us to force them roads movement does not help itself shots is setting ourselves up as vic into answering or admitting that by prelending otherwise. It only tims. We are empowered. We will they haven't even thought aboul it. makes certain sad people feel a bil take ihe fight to them, 'fhc idea of There is much to be done. belter about their commitment to afinnity groups brings all manner of L.M. the cause, the glamour of being an possibilities to light. i.earn from ihe YVhinging Media Tarts? outsider. If you want publicity, hunt sabs. Ten people, a van, mobile reach for the phone book or directo Dear Sir phone and a luck them and their law ry enquiries. It's that simple. I recently and belatedly read wilh attitude will have far more effect Yours faithfully interest the piece by Alex Donga in than sitting in a tTee village for a Andrew Napier Chief Reporter Do or Die number 5. He |sexist year, being totally tied down and Southern Daily Echo Winchester assumption] attacks the Ego then taking six months to get over Warriors attaching themselves to For the Wild & the Free the trauma of having your home many protests but in one phrase Dear EFiers. destroyed and your families* lives shows he Isic] too is guilty of Ihe Our movement is facing a crucial put at risk by employees of same. time and we must all mature and selfishness. This is not to say we Mr Donga writes how the Donga realize that we are not playing need to get away from the lifestyle Tribe defended Twyford Down... games. We are at war with a system angle. In my opinion living on the "we were calling out for people and thal destroys life. A system that land is our strength. There are plen publicity.,, it was hard enough to replaces untamed free nature with ty of beautiful pieces of land that gel local paj>ers to cover the story.” cold grey concrete, a system that are unlived on. Take them back. What a load of tosh. I enclose imprisons and tortures animals and Reclaim ihe land does not have lo photocopies of a liny selection of a system that through ils workings be where George Monbiot says— the stories ihe Daily Echo printed has replaced true meaningful wild this is DIY male! during the building of the M3 in lives with ones of oppression, This is also the age of paranoia. 1992-94. exploitation, domestication and Be paranoid. We are fighting the We published probably 100+ sto monotony. same people who are kiling the ries. Myself and other reporters We musl resist ihis wherever we indigenous peoples of the earth. spent days on Twyford Down, from can. We must fight back hard, not You only need to look al the history the lime when the Donga Tribe was only for ourselves, but for all living of Northern Ireland lo see ihe estab three-strong to Yellow Wednesday things. To those involved in this lishment's attitude to 'freedom when the security guards evicted fight back it should be obvious (hat fighters'. We have got away with a them. One freelance photographer, any meaningful reform of the sys. lot of things that they could have Alex McNaughton, was there for tem is impossible. Because of this had us for. Why? They are a mighiy literally days on end. We did so when we fighi il our goal must be force. Big and hard. Paranoid and because we knew it was an impor for nothing less than total and last testosterone fuelled, but we'll have tant story. None of the Dongas Tribe ing change. 'em! They cannot win. They do not sought publicity from us. ever. The tactics we use in resisting this know how to share. They are greedy [Highly doubtful] system must firstly, above all other and their greed has become ihem. My poinl in writing Ihis is that too considerations, be effective. To do Don’t let ihem fool you, ihey are as many anti-roads people including ihis wc must hil leviathan on our untogether as we are. they've just Mr [sicj Alex Donga like to see own terms, not its. The state is got more cash! 149 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 L- learning quicker than we are and are on the side of life whereas all resulting in the transformation of increasingly it is becoming more that which we oppose is a disease, one of their number into something and more capable of dealing with ihe plague of civilisation complete indistinguishable from a hedgehog the resistance thal wc have been wilh all its horrors: Bhopal, The Sea shaped lump of concrete studded presenting it with in the last few Empress, war. Chernobyl and the with two-inch nails. The other years. Bicycle locks, tree evictions countless other monstrosities, both members of the group then move and office occupations are becom spectacular tragedies and slow poi him to a strategic point in the road ing less and less effective as time sonings. thal are lost in memories of way, a couple of feet from the edge goes on. To get around this wc must all bar those directly affected by on the inside of a bend, retire to a quickly adapt our tactics if we are to them. nearby vantage point and wait. stand any chance of defeating the We must not delay our ideals until Any driver who is travelling too system. the mythical revolution in the dis fast to see the hedgehog in time, or Whilst talking of war and fights tant past like so many other so- who sees the hedgehog but doesn't we must he careful not lo glorify called ‘radical' groups. We must care, loses their front nearside tyre our roles as some heroic warrior live now as closely as is possible to (al least). If the urge to shout and resistance. W'e are not heroic, how we would wish to live in the swear can be suppressed, the driver although there are many acts of future. This is one strength that wc may hear a chuckling sound in the individual bravery, nor are we a must use as fully as possible, the hedges nearby. As there is no way to separate warrior caste. We are only ability to create the future in ihe distinguish the transformed hedge people that will not sit back and nar present: to create the shell of the hogs from the normal ones without cotize ourselves with commodities new amongst the ruins of the old. If getting out to have a closer look, and representations of life whilst not you. who? If not now. when? caution is advised when driving in daily all around us is destroyed. For the wild and free! Cornwall. We are not the only resistance, Neil Hist. It seems that the hedgehogs have indeed we are not even a significant The concrete Hedgehogs solved a problem lhat is shared by percentage of it. We arc but a small people with children in pushchairs, part of the totality, most of which of Cornwall. who are sometimes killed by care we will never hear about, save Whilst on a trip to Cornwall less motorists too. Perhaps the day through fireside stories in the future recently I heard that the hedgehogs will soon come when people and with our children and comrades. down there have evolved a clever wildlife will be safe again, in You only have to look around to see new way to deter drivers from run Cornwall at least. I hope this is not that daily millions of acts of rebel ning over them. just a pub story. lion to, and refusal to participate in, Apparently on a full moon a group -Noddy the death camp that is civilisation of hedgehogs get together and per occur worldwide. From stopping form some kind of shamanic ritual. open cast mining in South Wales to revolutionaries in Bougainville, to ramming whaling ships on the open seas to resisting evictions in the inner cities the global resistance is growing and becoming increasingly effective. Inevitably, as this resistance grows and becomes more effective, so we will experience increasing repression from those that defend leviathan. Whatever happens in the coming months and years we must never stop fighting, for where there is resistance there is hope. Even a cursory glance at history will show you that inevitably we will win. We “I tupptiv their an the <*U n r r a n n i when you nmU toy that mad rage x tu t ju xttfled " Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 150 Avon Gorge EF! Glasgow EF’ N il M 66 Upper Neiw EF! B ox 51 PO Box 180 14 E aton A venue Box £ Grccnlcaf Bookshop Glasgow G4 9AB Oldham OLB 4HR 24 Si. Michaels Avenue 82 Colston Street (1161 368 3810 Northampton NNI B ristol US I 5BB Gwynedd & Mon EF! c/o Alternatives Norfolk EF! Warwick EF! Bath EF! P.O. Bon 7 c/o U.E.A. Union of Students c/o Green Society P.O.Box 42ft L langefni N orw ich Students Union Bath BA1 2ZD Y.iys Mon LL77 1 7 J Norfolk NR4 7TJ University of Warwick 0I24‘> 713742 01248 713 604 afuOlb@ban- 01508 531635 Coventry CV4 7AI. 01249 6501)78 gor.ac.uk OI926 435I37 O ld h am E F ’ [email protected] Beal Valley Rescue Hereford Earth Acuon Uepl 110 33 Valley Rise c/o Crcslficld Cottage I Newton Street W olves EF! Rushcnoft Sutton Lakes Manchester Ml IHW c/o Wolves Hunt Sabs O ldham Sutton St.Nicholas 01497 871609 Box It Lancashire OL2 7QF Hereford HR I 3NS Wolverhampton Uni. SU Tel: 01432 880468 O xford EF! Wulfruna Street Blackburn EF! B ox E Wolverhampton 12 Balmoral Road Hull On Earth 111 Magdalen Rd D arw cn c/o PO Box 33 Oxford 0X4 IRQ York KF! Lancs BB3 2EW Hull HU I 1AA c/o York LEAF Reclaim the Streets 01254 777079. 01482 218377 Peace Centre PO BOX 9656 01482 441950 Clifford Street Cambridge EF! London N4 4JY York Box E L EA F 0171 281 4621 01904 410185 12 Mill Road Hit* 7 . rts @ gn.apc.org C am bridge 13 Biddulph St http://www.hrc.wmin.ac.uk SUPPORT GROUPS Leicester LE2 IBH /campaigns/rts.html Cardiff EF! 0116 255 3223 Corporate Watch d o Glamorgan Green Group Reclaim the Valleys B ox E U ni o f G lam organ Leeds EF! c/o Swansea Environment 111 Magdalen Rd Pontypridd 16 Sholebroke Avenue C en ter Oxford 0X4 IRQ Mid Glam CF37 IDL Chapcltown Pier Si reel 01865 791391 Leeds L57 3HB Swansea SAI IRY mail@corporatcwatchi- Cardigan Bay EF! 0113 262 9365 0385 711364 w ay.co.uk Tcmperance House [email protected] Taliesin Powys Sheffield EF' Dead Trees EF'/Do or Die M id W ales lju n e EF! c/o Shcfin c/o South Downs EF! 78a Penny Street 201 Crookes Valley Rd East Devon EF! L ancaster Sheffield SIO I BA DELTA P O Bo* 6 01524 849313 0114 2671200 Box Z Ottery St. Mary [email protected] 13 Biddulph Street D evon EX 11 I Y l. Manchester EF! Leicester LE2 IBH 01404 815729 D ept 29 South Downs EF! Tel: 0116 255 3223 http://www.fury 361. 1 Newton St c/o Prior House [email protected] demon.co.uk/a30/indcx.htm Manchester Ml IHW 6 Tilbury Place 0161 224 4846 Brighton BN2 2GY Earth First! Action Update Faslane Peace Camp [email protected] savage @ casynet.co.uk D ept 29 S handon I Newton Street Helensburgh Mid-Somerset EF! South Somerset EF! Manchester Ml IHW Dunbartonshire PO B ox 23 31 H am don C lo se Tel/Fax : 0161 224 4846 Scotland G84 8HT 5 H igh St Stokc-Sub-Hamdon actionupdatc @ gn.apc.org 01436 820901 Glastonbury Somerset TA 14 6QN Somerset BA6 9PU 01935 825074 Head State Support Group Forest Action Network 'W itch's Green' c/o Alternatives Newcastle EF! The Flat Oak Society 54 Mill Rd P.O. Box 7 4 The Cloth Market c/o 3 St Alphcgc Lane North learning L lan g efn i Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Canterbury W. Sussex BNI5 0PZ Ynys Mon LL77 77J N E l It-’A K ent [email protected] 01248 713 604 C T l 2EB afuO 1 b@ bangor.ac.uk 01227 463368 151 Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 M endip Mills not Holes Rainbow Keepers (Ukraine) 0161 834 8221 Legal Defence & Monitoring PO Box 2113 c/o Naida Shevchenko campai gn mfoe.u- G ro u p Shcplctn Mallet. BA4 Glushkavn 17-22 net.comhttp://www.gn,upc.or BM H aven Kiev 252187 g/rcsu rgenee/car2-html L o n d o n Road Alert! nadia@g!uk, apc.org W C 1 N 3X X PO Box 5544 The Ecologist 0181 5337116 N ew b u ry Rainforest In Formation Center Agriculture Mouse Berkshire RGI4 5FB PO B 368 B ath R o ad McSpollight mad;< It'll Ecodcfcnce! Pri mitivist , i/v v,; ■ V . Moskovsky prospekt 120- N e tw o rk 3 4 2 3 6 0 0 6 PO Box 252 Kid in in grad/K oeni gsbu rg Rickmans worth R u ssia Herts WD3 3AY ■■'JL'’-1* - ’ ’ ccodcfence ( Do or Die-Voices from Earth First! No.6 152 Contents Plus Reports "from our own correspondents” around the globethe around correspondents” own our "from Reports Page 153, Letters, reviews and more contacts than you can shake a wrench at. wrench a shake youcan than contacts more and reviews 153, Letters, 137- 104. Tree defence and rebellious cops in the PhiIlipincsthe in cops rebellious and 104. defence Tree Country Basque thein 102.dams Trashing Poland in First!101. Earth 136. Faced with the growing success of direct action the British slate is replying with raids, conspiracyraids, with replying isslate British the action direct of success the growing with136. Faced Lily-pillies the of defense in 135, NoCompromise world.the tomorrow Chiapas, Today 133.Zapatista! The Nigeria. Rolein Shell’sof reality theon Reports Della Element: 130.Criminal The Russia in128. Ecodefense Forest. Headwaters For Stand loist flic 122. Finland- in 118. First! Earth stoned.gel to excuse good a what Amsterdam, of streets 117.the Reclaiming Features 1.Gon rn! n Holland in116. Front! Groen Germany.in waste nuclear block activists of thousands tens of and tractors 112.welded Tunnels, 11(1.Germany to spreadhas campaigning Anli-Road Zeitgeist to Autonomen from Germany,in109. on What’s 8 aito aiaimi h zc Republic Czech the in radicalism & Radiation 98. wilderness. American the in area autonomous an creates defence forest State: Free Cascadia 93. Blockades 87. 82. A personal account of the eviction of the Manchester Airport BattleStar Galactica. BattleStar Airport Manchester the of eviction the of account personal A 82. Welshvalleys. thein chaos campaigning coalfield anti-opencast and defence Community 74. suburbia- syphilitic of spread Forest—the Lyminge 72, industry. of birth the on war luddite The burning.factory and smashing Machine 65. won". we once for and reserve nature a trashing was who farmer a on "Wetook 62, foods. our 6(J, Monsanto-poisoning match cricket aas Britaindressed lo Channel the crosses sabotage Experiment Genetic 59. sites. lest trashing &squalling are Germans engineering. genetic Tocombat 57. ispointless. food modified genetically of labelling Why 54. South-West,the in Raging Road 4K.Fairmile: Farewell lessdifference. but distance, more there's tourism Industrial With 44, 34. No Evolution without Revolution: Wolves, beavers, forests, indigenous humans—all have beenhave humans—all indigenous forests, Wolves,beavers, Revolution: without Evolution No 34. Eco-Hackers thewith grapple Contractors 33. future.the for Lessons been? have could wc as effective as weWereNewbury. of Critique A 27.Heaven. Idea of Junkie's Adrenaline -an 2-4.Newbury of description A (heinto con money environ of pouring increasinglymental is 'threat industrythe ism’ Worriedby 21. 8 Erh is!—Wa next? What — First! 18. continues. Earthunnatural the on war thecritters' bears polar rioting to elephants alcoholic From 15. better on suggestions Some roles. our playWe other.all the uson side, one on cops and Security 11, J. From road blockades to street panics, from strikes on oil corporations to organising alongside toorganising corporations oil on strikes from panics, street to blockades road From J. charges and Surveillance. Is this a taste of things to come? to things of taste a this Is Surveillance. and charges acting. purged from the Scottish Highlands. How and why they must return. must they why and How Highlands. Scottish the from purged who? using Who's movement. servation inCanada. future. the of vision their and philosophy their actions, their talkabout RTSactivists Here people.more and more attracting ideasare and actions Streets' The Reclaim workers. striking Jk bunting bridges in the stniggle lo protect lemperaie rainforest & native sovereigntynative & rainforest lemperaie protect lo stniggle the in bridges bunting Do or Die#6 Door