Magazine Issue 10 - Spring 2000
Campaign News

WWW.SUBVERTISE.ORG
Created by a global network of artists and campaigners, the new website www.subvertise.org exists to document, develop and promote the artform of the post-corporate millennium - subvertising. Displaying hundreds of images, photos, banners, billboards it covers a spectrum of issues including transport, war, climate-change, racism, genetix, corporations, sexuality and globalisation. Many images are anti-copyright and can be downloaded at high-resolution.

Subvertising is the art of cultural resistance. It is the 'writing on the wall', the sticker on the lamppost, the corrected rewording of billboards, the spoof T-shirt; but it is also the mass act of defiance of a street protest. The key process involves redefining or even reclaiming our environment from the corporate beast.


MAP OF EUROPEAN TRANSPORT PLANS
ASEED Europe has now completed the MATE map, showing both infrastructure plans throughout Europe and groups active on transport issues. The map is also a booklet explaining why these developments are happening, how they are happening and who is behind their implementation.
     
Order (cost is equivalent currency to 7.5 – 15 ecus depending on your financial status) from ASEED Europe, PO Box 92066, 1090 AB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The MATE map website can be found at www.antenna.nl/aseed/ from May 2000.


PREMIER OIL AGM
Calling all UK spiders: Premier Oil AGM will be on Monday 15th May. All those who would like to own a share in Premier Oil and enter their AGM please contact Rachel or Ko Aung IMMEDIATELY on 07931 753 138 or email khinkhin@breathemail.net


ANIMAL CRUELTY AT HUNTINGDON LIFE SCIENCES
Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS)’ share price is extremely unstable after receiving fierce criticism for its animal experimentation practice. Phillips and Drew, who owned 11% of HLS, sold all their shares for a staggering 1p. The two main shareholders are the Bank of New York of 30 Cannon Street, London. Tel 02075701784 and Stephens Inc. of 63 St.James’ St London SW1A 1LY. Tel 0171 355 3377.

The campaign against HLS is holding regular City of London demonstrations which have led to them being sent valuable inside information, while confidence in the company, which is so essential to sustained profits, has been undermined.
     
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) officially completed a takeover of HLS bankers NatWest on March 6th. The campaign has asked the RBS to give a straight answer by April 6th as to whether or not they will sever inherited ties with HLS.
     
Meanwhile NatWest demonstrations continue all over the country and a regular presence is held at HLS.

The last national demo attracted over 1200 people - the next BIG demo is planned for the 22nd of April, marking World Day for Laboratory Animals.

Contact Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty at PO Box 381, Cheltenham,Glos,GL50 1YN 0121 632 6460 email:info@shac.u-net.com


RIO TINTO AND ITS ANNUAL GUFF MARKET
Partizans (People Against Rio TInto [Zinc] ANd its Subsidiaries) is gearing up for its millennial AGM confrontation with corporate mining monster Rio Tinto (formerly RTZ).
     
Implicated in so many instances of destructive activity around the world, it is always difficult to know what concerns to focus on come the company’s AGM, or indeed what is the best way to ensure that shareholders actually hear and understand the legitimacy of those concerns. In recent years – usually because of the presence of indigenous representatives from communities around the world which are being wrecked thanks to Rio Tinto – our activity has consisted of asking questions in the place allotted to them in the agenda. The company’s response has varied from the patronising to the plain rude. What is clear from all our years of experience is this: the proper place for airing communities’ concerns is in public. The proper way to do so is in the presence of representatives of affected communities or, failing that, of people mandated by those communities to put across views to the company. Cosy chit-chat between the company and NGOs without a mandate from affected communities, at closed-door discussions initiated by the company, achieves nothing other than the legitimisation of corporate greenwash.
     
The exact date of Rio Tinto’s AGM has not yet been made public, but it is almost certain to be in the first half of May. Among the concerns that Partizans will raise will certainly be the poisoning of workers and residents by emissions from the company’s Capper Pass smelter on Humberside over many years - in pursuing the issue we hope to be working with community activists from the area.
Contact 0171 700 6189 partizans@gn.apc.org.


BRITISH AEROSPACE AGM & DAY OF ACTION 4th May 2000
The Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) is organising a day of protest against Britain's largest arms exporter and fixer of dodgy deals to human rights abusing-regimes in Indonesia and Turkey, on the day its shareholders meet for the BAe Annual General Meeting. Protests have been going on at BAe's AGM since 1994 (you can get in if you have a token share) with nonviolent direct action taking place both in and outside of the meeting itself.

This year there are plans to take the protests to BAe sites around the country, making actions accessible to more people. Actions are already planned at sites in Scotland, the North and the South West.
 
Some groups may also try to target institutional shareholders such as universities and pension funds.
For more info on the day of action, including advice on how to get a share, general background on BAe and a list of local sites and institutional shareholders in BAe contact CAAT 0171 281 0297, enquiries@caat.demon.co.uk.


RESISTANCE IS FERTILE - A WEEK OF ACTION 1–10 April
Genetic engineering is taking over every aspect of life: from the food we eat and the clothes we wear to the medicines we swallow. Beyond ethical, environmental and health implications, there is a global system of production and trade that is forcing this untested, unwanted and unnecessary technology on us.
     
Should we accept a system of food production controlled by a few profit-driven multinationals, who enforce a monoculture of food and mind? Or can we find ways to support and nurture local food systems that are not only environmentally sustainable, but also strengthen and empower local communities?
     
This global week of activities is not just against genetic engineering, but to celebrate the diversity of our local agricultural systems, of alternative approaches to health and of our communities.
Start getting organised, creating inspiration. Spread the word –Resistance is Fertile !
Contact: GEN 0181 3749516


McBAN
The McLibel Support Campaign is calling on the Independent Television Commision (ITC) to ban McDonald’s advertising allegedly aimed at mobilising children’s pester power to make their parents go to the restaurant.

Dave Morris, one of the defendants in the landmark McLibel case, argues that the ads contravene ITC guidelines in the light of the High Court judgement that McDonald’s exploits children and promotes an unhealthy diet. ITC rules state: "Advertisements must not exhort children to purchase or to ask their parents or others to make enquiries or purchases". In the McLibel trial Judge Bell ruled that McDonald’s "exploit children by using them, as more susceptible subjects of advertising, to pressurise their parents into going to McDonalds" and McDonald’s accepted this as true. McDonald’s are also charged with promoting excessive consumption of their food (deceptively advertised as nutritious), and employing tactics that exploit children’s natural credulity and sense of loyalty – both of which are banned by the ITC. More information and a sample letter to the ITC available from McLibel Support Campaign 5 Caledonian Rd, London N1 or www.mcspotlight.org.


VICTIMISATION ON THE PRIVATISED RAILWAYS
South West Trains (SWT) workers at London Waterloo are fighting to win the reinstatement of sacked Health and Safety rep Sarah Friday.
     
Sarah, a driver and member of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT), was sacked in February. During a 30-minute gap in her driving duties she approached a manager to try and resolve informally an issue concerning safety inspections to be carried out the following day. The manager made the meeting formal by calling in a minute taker and, it is claimed, acted in an intimidatory manner. Sarah said she needed to call a union official and left saying she was going to use the toilet and was then going to drive her train.
     
She was sacked a few days later on charges of (i) delaying the departure of her train by 12 minutes; (ii) not asking her supervisors permission to go to the toilet and (iii) not returning her Personal Track Safety (PTS) card when she was initially suspended.
     
Rumours abound that management on SWT has been keen to sack Sarah since she exposed shoddy Health and Safety practices last year. Activists are determined to force SWT to reinstate Sarah and are planning protests to coincide with the disruption of train services out of Waterloo when strike action is called.


JI8 PRISONERS
The Legal Defence & Monitoring Group (LDMG) was set up to form legal back up on demonstrations, especially in the light of the Criminal Justice Act which attempted to criminalise many forms of protest. LDMG's main roles are monitoring police actions on demonstrations & pickets, providing support to people arrested or injured on demonstrations and help with finding sympathetic solicitors, and to monitor court cases arising from such protests. They are currently working with protesters who were injured, beaten up or arrested at the June 18th Carnival Against Capitalism in the City of London. LDMG is funded by donations and fundraising events, and has no paid workers - only volunteers. Contact 0181 533 7116.
     
List of current addresses for J18 prisoners who would appreciate letters (but please remember that letters to prisoners are opened and read by prison officers so don't write anything that could jeopardize anyone's freedom):
 
Jeff Booker (21/1/00 sentenced 21 months) DN7071 HMP Elmley, Church Road, Eastchurch. Sheerness. Kent ME12 4AY
  Stuart Tokam (21/1/00 sent. 12 months) DN7072 HMP Standford Hill Church Road, Eastchurch, Sheerness. Kent. ME12 4AA
  Thomas Wall (4/2/00 sent. 18 months) FF4431HMP Belmarsh, Western Way, Thamesmead. London. SE28 0EB
  Kuldip Bajwa (7/2/00 sent. 21 months) DN7230 HM Prison Highpoint, Stradishall, Newmarket. Suffolk. CB8 9YG
  Jon Barnett (11/2/00 sent. 6 months) FB5538 HMYOI Bedfont Road, Feltham. Middx. TW13 4ND


GM CAMPAIGNING UPDATE -GM ANIMAL FEED
While the public remains blissfully unaware of the GM animal feed issue, industry players from seed producers to supermakets continue to profit from GM-fed animal products.
     
The ‘chicken and egg’ situation of most people remaining unaware of what they are eating, and public concern about GM animal feed therefore not registering in food surveys, means that the media will not cover the issue. Government and industry continue to exploit a situation of public ignorance and little media interest.

Meanwhile the four NO’s of GM animal feed remain: NO Research, NO Consent, NO Choice and NO Need.

As for the industry’s position, the world’s 80 million acres of GM crops, mostly for animal feed, now produces a significant chunk of the cashflow which maintains genetic engineering in agriculture. Greater public awareness of GM based animal products will force supermarkets to accelerate and expand their (limited) programmes to remove GMO’s from the production of meat and dairy produce. Removing GMO’s from animal feed will undermine, if not devastate, the GE industry’s cash flow.
Contact the GMO Campaign 01865 513 224


GM COTTON
The largest Marks & Spencer in the world opened in Manchester last autumn to be greeted by campaigners with large Y-fronts and leaflets raising concerns over GM cotton. A briefing (excuse the pun) on GM cotton is available from the Genetic Engineering Network 0181 374 9516.


GM FARM-SCALE SITES
The Hemel Hempstead GM Action Group, campaigning against the farm-scale site in its area, has had cause for celebration since the crop was found to have failed. In an astounding ‘crop flop’ the 25-acre field is mostly brown mud. However, those running the trial refuse to concede defeat and so plan to continue to measure effects of the weedkillers used on the GM crop on a few selected organisms. The farmer is also likely to grow further GM crops soon and so the Hemel group is going ahead with plans for a big Garden Party in the summer.
    
 The two other farm-scale trials planted last autumn are in Lincolnshire: West Lindsay Council, covering the area where both the trials are being held, has passed a motion raising concern over the crops.

Despite massive public opposition, further planting of GM farm-scale trials has gone ahead this spring.

For site locations and further info contact the Genetic Engineering Network 0181 374 9516.


UNITED STUDENTS AGAINST SWEATSHOPS
‘Niketown’ in Seattle was a focus for protestors against the World Trade Organisation meeting last November. This was not the first time that Nike had come under scrutiny in the States. US college students spend $360 million a month on clothing alone: this is an invaluable market for Nike and other clothing companies who produce the clothes under licence; but US students are now questioning where their clothes are being made.
     
United Students Against Sweatshops, formed last year, has highlighted the use of sweated labour in the production of ‘college apparel’ and pressured for greater accountability and access to the factories in Asia and Central America where the clothes are made. One notable success has been at Duke University which agreed to write a code of conduct to include safe and healthy working conditions and freedom from forced labour for garment workers who produce university clothing. Campaigns have been organised in many campuses across the country (sit-ins, petitioning etc.) and enjoy considerable support, more importantly the actions are likely to bring about some progress in ending inhumane clothes production. Check out http://www.umich.edu/~sole/usas/




REVENGE IS SWEET – MONSANTO AND COKE UNDER FIRE FROM ASPARTAME
Coke recently shed 6000 jobs and Monsanto is busily morphing into something else in a desperate attempt to shed its blighted image – can these facts be in some way related?
     
Both have struggled under the weight of sustained criticism of their role in the production and marketing of a confirmed toxin: aspartame, known under its brand name NutraSweet. Campaigners, backed up by doctors, allege that aspartame, a sweetener used in diet drinks and a huge range of processed foods has damaged the health of thousands of consumers and is implicated as a cause of Multiple Scelerosis, lupus and symptoms such as muscle pain, headaches and seizures (see www.dorway.com).
     
The Aspartame Survivors’ Network (UK) has launched a campaign to raise awareness and pressure for an independent enquiry into food additives such as aspartame. The US and UK networks are supporting victims and gaining and disseminating knowledge on symptoms and the relevant science. Worldwide consumer action has exposed aspartame, especially its presence in Diet Coke. Coke’s profits have collapsed and Monsanto spent many months trying to flog the NutraSweet Company. Now they face a $71 million lawsuit from the buyer for misrepresenting projected profits. Oh dear!
Contact Aspartame Survivors’ Network 01380 728059 / 01376 519847 email <geoff.brewer@clara.net>


US TOBACCO CAMPAIGN
INFACT’S tobacco campaign in the US challenges Philip Morris and RJR Nabisco to stop addicting young people, and to manipulating public policy in the interest of tobacco profits.
     
Each year three million people around the world die from tobacco-related illnesses. The World Health Organization projects that this yearly death toll will rise to 10 million by the 2020s–with seven million of those deaths striking economically poor countries. Philip Morris and the other tobacco companies spend on average $5 billion annually in the US alone to advertise and promote their deadly products - most of this promotion is aimed at young people.

Tobacco is a key crop in just six US states, but the tobacco industry's power is thoroughly entrenched in the US political process. Although Philip Morris has not yet officially announced its bid for the presidency, the world’s largest transnational tobacco corporation certainly appears to be running! With an army of lobbyists and an enormous campaign treasure-chest, Philip Morris made $7,449,090 in soft money contributions to the Democratic and Republican parties between 1991 and 1999.
     
Furthermore, Philip Morris continues its attempts to convince the public it is a caring and responsible corporation. In a $100 million per year advertising campaign that began in the US lst autumn, Philip Morris boasted about the work that it does to help victims of domestic violence, natural disasters, and hunger.

The Tobacco Industry Boycott run by INFACT is a growing liability for Philip Morris's Kraft brands. One of the campaign’s initiatives, the Human Toll of Tobacco Project, a collection of photos and stories from all around the world in memory of loved ones lost to tobacco, has proved a powerful tool for community-based organizing and educational outreach.
For more info contact infact@igc.apc.org or see www.infact.org


UCI CINEMA BOYCOTT
For more than two and a half years the Crystal Palace Campaign has been fighting to prevent a commercial development in a Grade II listed park on Metropolitan Open Land (the urban equivalent of Green Belt Land) and adjoining conservation area. Crystal Palace Park is at the highest point in south London and was home to Joseph Paxton's famous Crystal Palace from 1852 until 1936.
     
The local council has brought in developers to create a £58million, 12-acre scheme with a roof top car park for 950 cars. This would house an 18 cinema screen multiplex, nine large restaurants and various (undefined) ‘leisure boxes’. The building would be a floodlit edifice the size of two football stadiums which could be seen from as far away as Hampstead in the north.
     
Since the council has already granted planning permission, the campaign is putting pressure on the prospective tenants, UCI Cinemas. The multiplex is not needed and not wanted by most of the local people - a 20,000-signature petition supports this claim. For nearly a year local groups have demonstrated against UCI twice weekly outside their Leicester Square and Surrey Quays cinemas in London. Recently the management has removed the UCI logo from the facades in an attempt at damage limitation.
     
For more info and a list of UCI sites in the UK contact 0171 274 7566 or check out the campaign website at www.crystal.dircon.co.uk.


TERRORISM BILL
"…if we lose in Belfast we may have to fight in Brixton or Birmingham… Perhaps what is happening in Northern Ireland is a rehearsal for urban guerrilla war…" – John Briggs MP, 1973

An extension of repressive terrorist legislation from the traditional confines of Northern Ireland to its new home on the mainland is likely this year, in the form of the Prevention of Terrorism Bill. This has passed almost unnoticed to an advanced committee stage in Parliament. It aims to create a culture of fear within political activities. A brief look at the effect of terrorist legislation in Northern Ireland shows that the law became characterised by the criminalisation of political dissidents, the militarisation of the police and the politicisation of the courts.
     
The most frightening proposal within this bill is the broadening of the definition of terrorism to "the use of serious violence against persons or property, to intimidate or coerce a government, the public or any section of the public for political, religious or ideological ends." The term serious violence includes serious disruption. This bill also criminalises support for organisations that have been proscribed as terrorists, including terrorist organisations abroad, e.g. the Zapatistas.
     
Most forms of political activity can be classed as terrorist under the new definition proposed by this bill. However groups have been formed all over the country with the intention of delaying/stopping this bill and creating a public climate in which its implementation becomes political suicide. There have been a series of public meetings throughout the country, which resulted in a call for action.
Ideas for actions have included:
     
Fly-posting and leaflets informing people of activities which will become terrorist offences.
A pledge of support from organisations to hand themselves in as supporters of a proscribed organisation/individual arrested under the new act (punishable by 10 years).
Handing out leaflets/emailing politicians with information useful to terrorists, possession of which will be an offence, punishable by 10 years.
     
Sunday 30th April – A30 event. Celebrate radical action past and present in a show of strength that pledges to defend dissent and real democracy. Dress as you would for direct action and stand shoulder to shoulder with sabs ‘n’ suffragettes, ramblers ‘n’ Robin Hood, etc. A ‘class of 2000-style’ photo will be taken to record this gathering.
     
Contact details: Website, www.blagged.freeserve.co.uk/terrorbill, E-mail list http://tb-campaogn.listbot.com/ or for the A30 event phone 0161 226 6814


LAING SOLIDARITY ACTION
Gorse Wood in Essex was the site of a protest camp set up to oppose road-building by the construction company Laing. After the camp was evicted in February a solidarity action took place at a Laing site in Surrey. Workers were leafleted; diggers and unfinished buildings occupied; a banner reading "More roads? Don’t even try it!" was hung from a huge crane and another banner hung from a bridge over the M25. The only person to be arrested was de-arrested as soon as the 30 or so other people finally left.
     
Construction workers on site gratefully seized the opportunity to sit around drinking tea rather than building a massive complex for pharmaceutical nasties, Pfizer. A Laing director was not so happy. He threatened to take a much more severe attitude to any further actions.
     
The camp at Gorse Wood was on the route of a planned 6-lane bypass, one of several roads designed to create an M25 relief road.


COSTING THE CASINO – THE TOBIN TAX CAMPAIGN
War on Want has launched a report linking currency speculation with poverty and hardship, outlining the disastrous outcome for vulnerable people from the kind of speculation that led to the financial collapses in Asia, Latin America and Russia. The report advocates consigning the ‘casino economy’ to thedustbin of history and launches the charity’s campaign for a ‘Tobin Tax’ to be levied on all foreign exchange transactions, the proceeds of which would be spent on poverty eradication programmes

Contact War on Want 0171 620 1111 stibbett@waronwant.org


BNFL AND LOCKHEED MARTIN TO TAKEOVER AWE ALDERMASTON - HEART OF BRITAIN'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS PRODUCTION
From April 1st, Lockheed, BNFL and SERCO take over the management of Trident warhead production, maintenance and (eventual) decommissioning at Aldermaston. This consortium aims to profit from producing nukes and chucking radioactive waste into the environment.
     
Lockheed's greatest claim to fame (other than the ‘Stealth’ bomber) is the fact that they have at least 3 court actions being taken against them in the US for health and safety breaches. Presumably what endeared them to the British government was their boast that they "cut costs [on US contracts] by 30%". Lucky us. And as for BNFL, well!!!!!
     
There will be a rolling programme of direct action at AWE from 11am on Saturday, April 1st but also a peace camp from the night before.

For more information phone 07808 553778 or email aprilfool2000@hotmail.com. NB This is a women-only event


BIRMINGHAM ROAD BANKERS’ SHORTLIST
Eight banks have been shortlisted to fund the Birmingham Northern Relief Road, the UK’s first modern toll road. The three groups of banks in the running are Dai Ichi Kangyo Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland with Halifax; Abbey National & Bank of America and West LB, ABN-Amro & Lloyds.
     
Midland Expressway Limited, the operating company for the planned 27-mile road to nowhere, is seeking to raise £650 - £700m, as opposed to an original budget of £350m. The final figure depends on renegotiation of the construction contract that expired last year because of a 3-year delay during a legal challenge by campaigners against the road.

Whether the increased costs will be recouped by the toll is uncertain – and to cap it all the road looks unlikely to ease congestion around Birmingham. The Alliance Against the Birmingham Northern Relief Road is putting pressure on the banks which had until this month to prepare their bids.
     
Contact: West Midlands FoE Transport Campaign 01922 636601.
BNRR campaign website: www.beep. dial.pipex.com/bnrr/index.htm


BUS HIJACK IN PROTEST AGAINST SECTION 28
On 7th February the House of Lords met to defeat the government’s attempt to repeal Section 28 – the infamous piece of legislation which prevents the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality in our schools. Earlier in the day the Lesbian Avengers did their bit to end this discrimination by stopping a Stagecoach bus, covering it in pink paint, draping banners from the roof and handing out explanatory leaflets to the passengers apologising for the inconvenience! The hijacking was in response to Stagecoach boss Brian Souter’s donation of £500,000 to the Scottish campaign to keep Section 28. Said a spokeswoman, "It is vital that we all challenge homophobia and hatred wherever it appears - whether it's bullying in the playground or rich businessmen like Souter throwing their weight around. Those adults who promote fear, oppression and silence ought to be exposed and shamed …Section 28 created a climate of fear, which stifles discussion of sexuality amongst young people. In contrast, we want to live in a society where children grow up free of hatred and prejudice. This action celebrates love and the diversity of sexuality and personal choice, which all should be free to enjoy."


Nestle 16 innocent : Nestle guilty
This February the ‘Nestle 16’, who had been arrested for ‘conspiracy to burgle’ had their charges dropped. Last November the group leafletted workers and hung banners at the Nestle factory in Halifax to co-incide with the November 30th global day of action against the World Trade Organisation. Nestle was chosen because as president of the International Chamber of Commerce, Nestlé supremo Helmet Maucher used his influence to push for greater trade liberalisation.
     
In a shock revelation recently former employee of Nestlé, Syed Aamar Raza, rattled the company by publicising internal documents which he says provide evidence that Nestle breached the international code on marketing breast milk substitutes. These documents refer to the outlawed practice of making donations or gifts to doctors as a reward for promoting Nestle products, and also refer to the direct marketing of products to mothers and the provision of free supplies of breast milk substitutes.
     
Contact: Baby Milk Action 01223 464420 www.babymilkaction.org
Photo: "Members of the Anti-Globalisation Network celebrating the dropping of the charges against the Nestle 16 next to the Nescafe advert in Piccadilly Circus. Contact 01268 682820.


Photo: Jennifer Bates, Anti-Globalisation Network

OIL LICENSING HALT UNTIL GOVERNMENT CHANGES WILDLIFE POLICY
This January it was announced that the Government would not be appealing last November’s landmark legal ruling that all future offshore oil licensing is illegal until the Government properly applies the EU Habitats Directive.

Concluding November’s hearing Justice Kay told the court that the Government had "clearly" not applied the Habitats Directive in initiating the next round of oil licensing in Britain’s North East Atlantic. A Greenpeace spokesperson described this legal victory as forcing the Government to put wildlife conservation ahead of oil exploration. Greenpeace also claimed that this breathing space created an opportunity "to think again about the merits of further oil exploration…We've already found four times more oil coal and gas than we can afford to burn if we are to avoid dangerous climate change."
     
Greenpeace volunteers saw in this month (March) by setting up camp on the frozen Arctic Ocean to investigate and monitor the construction of BP Amoco's 'Northstar', the first offshore oil rig to be built in the Alaskan Arctic. The Arctic is heating up faster than anywhere else on the planet with an area of ice bigger than Wales disappearing every year.

Contact Greenpeace 020 7865 8100 info@uk.greenpeace.org


JUST SAY NO’ TO A CORPORATION ON GRADUATION
The milk round is the season when blue chip companies tour the universities appealing to the crème de la crème of students to come and join them. Fortunately these corporate puff sessions are often not as boring as they sound – thanks to a number of groups who threw a spanner in the works during the autumn 1999 round.

Nestlé’s corporate yak in Leeds was interrupted by 40 people - the company was also hassled in Warwick, Cambridge and Oxford
     
Arms peddlers are a favourite target and Rolls Royce was hit in Swansea while British Aerospace (Bae) presentations were closed down in both Sheffield and Manchester.
Shell and BAe were put under pressure in Oxford as People & Planet students asked pertinent questions about their ethical stance. The Manchester Earth First! group took action at the Shell presentation at Manchester Unversity offering students 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire', with a carrot, a tenner and even £20 available for the correct answers about Shell's ethical policies! The video lead made a break for freedom, disappearing into the night, while other students read out a poem by Ken Saro-Wiwa.
     
Careers fairs have also been targetted by anti-corporate activists – the Bae stall at an autumn fair in Manchester was shut down for 40 minutes by one person who locked himself to it while others gave out leaflets and talked to people about dodgy BAe activities. This March, activists were on BAe’s case again when a banner drop and die-in took place at an engineering fair at the Birmingham NEC. BAe were one of six arms companies present at the fair.


GLOBAL SHOW OF SOLIDARITY WITH U’WA INDIANS OF COLOMBIA
The U'wa threatened to commit mass suicide in 1997 when their ancestral lands were first targeted for oil exploration by US oil giant Occidental. Towards the end of 1999, the U'wa re-occupied one of the drill sites and held it until a government military force kicked them off with customary brutality. An U'wa spokesperson said "we ask that our brothers and sisters from other races and cultures unite in the struggle that we are undertaking... this struggle has to become a global crusade to defend life."
     
The US Vice President Al Gore has a $500,000 stake in Occidental but the company’s biggest worldwide shareholder is Fidelity Investments (owning about 10%). Fidelity’s UK base in the City of London was targetted by Reclaim the Streets (RTS) on February 3rd when a small but resolute group of people distributed around 1000 leaflets. The police were out in force and the doors and windows of the office were boarded up (to stop the employees having a good view of events?).
     
An RTS spokesperson said "The U'wa are not a threatened tribe to be pitied by the world, they are strong and in their actions we can see the seeds of a sustainable, socially just future. The machine they are taking on - also known as capitalism - has its heart right here in the Square Mile. Fidelity Investments' advertising offers an illusion of security when in reality its products can be directly linked to environmental destruction (especially climate change) and appalling abuses of human rights."
     
On part of their website Fidelity lists phone numbers to allow free calls to their US offices from almost every country in the world. The site address is http://www100.fidelity.com/about/contact/inter.html


Berkeley Homes
Housing campaigners remind Berkeley Homes that the proposed executive housing development on the Oxford canalside is not welcome. Each Monday morning all the artwork on the site hoardings has been whitewashed over and each Saturday night a new crop of slogans and pictures has appeared.
     
Local residents' associations managed to extend through February the deadline for comments on the second phase of Berkeley’s plans.


Photo: Hugh Warwick

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
March 8th has been earmarked worldwide as a day to inspire women since 1907, when women garment-makers of New York went on strike on this date for a living wage and a 10-hour day.
     
A strike called by the National Women’s Council of Ireland this year went global. Actions were due to take place in over 30 countries including: the women of Madhya Pradesh in India doing no housework or other work; strikes in Ireland, Burkino Faso and Mexico; a ‘No Shopping Day’ in the Philippines in protest at the consumer industry’s profits at women’s expense and parties in the US with the slogan "If you don’t pay us for our work, we’d rather party instead!"

For details of what happened contact Crossroads Womens Centre 0171 482 2496.


CAMBRIDGE TWO
Ruth Wyner and John Brock recently received prison sentences of 4 and 5 years. They were jailed for ‘condoning’ the use of drugs at the Wintercomfort homeless shelter in Cambridge following their refusal to give people details of suspected dealers.
     
A demonstration took place in London on March 25th and a website has been set up: www.wintercomfort-justice.org