UK Iraq Feature Archive
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Iraqi Oil Workers To Strike Over Privatisation Law
11-05-2007 20:20
As efforts to secure lucrative oil privatisation contracts in Iraq for multinational companies progress, so does the resistance.
Read on for more...
Links: basraoilunion.org | handsoffiraqioil.org | carbonweb.org | iraqoccupationfocus.org | uslaboragainstwar.org
Hands Off Iraqi Oil
22-03-2007 11:25
Amidst the daily violence suffered by Iraqis, oil companies and the US and UK governments are planning to secure long-term control over Iraqi oil. Accounting for 10% of the world total and 95% of government revenue, the stakes for oil companies and the Iraqi people are incredibly high.
A Hydrocarbon Law which advocates a radical restructuring of Iraq's oil industry was approved by the Iraqi cabinet this February. It was crafted in secret over an 8 month period from July 2006, in consultation with 9 foreign oil companies, the US and UK governments and the IMF. Iraqi Parliamentarians saw it for the first time this February. Iraqi civil society has had no involvement in the process, despite lobbying for inclusion. For the past four years, contractual mechanisms such as Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) and Exploration Risk Contracts have been promoted by oil companies and occupation-installed oil ministers and advisers. Once signed, they are virtually unchangeable and will control development of Iraq's oil for decades. They will cost the Iraqi state billions in lost revenue.
This law surrenders Iraq's sovereignty and economic future to foreign interests. It has been crafted in secret, and pushed forward through war and occupation. No law should be passed, let alone contracts signed, while Iraq is subjected to a military occupation and foreign interference.
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Amnesty makes noise over 5 years Guantanamo
11-03-2007 15:37
The University of Nottingham's Amnesty International Society's held a protest against the continuing human rights abuses at Guantanamo Bay. On Saturday the 10th of March folks dressed in orange jump suits re-created a Guantanamo scene on Long Row in Nottingham with people caged in.
It is now over five years since the first detainees were transferred to the detention camp and despite widespread international condemnation, hundreds of people from more than 30 nationalities remain there: without charge and with little hope of obtaining a fair trial. Alan Simpson, MP for Nottingham South, joined in the protest about half way through.
Audio: Interview 1 (with Alan Simpson MP and Amnesty people) | Interview 2 (with Amnesty people)
Photo: Close Guantanamo Bay [Please] Photoreport | Slideshow (avi/19M)
Links: Amnesty International Society | Amnesty International | The National Guantanamo Coalition | UK Feature article: Tackle the Shackles, Close Guantanamo | Other articles: Sheffield G8 Events: Guantanamo Bay orange jump suits | The Road to Guantánamo
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Tens of Thousands Say 'NO to Trident, NO to War'
22-02-2007 12:06
Called by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, in conjunction with Stop the War Coalition and the British Muslim Initiative, tens of thousands marched in London on 24 February, 2007, to protest against the Trident and against the imperial wars in the Middle East, including Iraq and the looming one on Iran. People were there to express their opposition to militarism, the 'war on terror' and demand justice for Palestine. Scotland for Peace's "Bin the Bomb Roadshow" also ran between 16 and 24 February, culminating in a march and rally on 24 February in Glasgow.
There was a small autonomous block on the demo [photos], but was apparently the focus of most of the policing and 'intelligence gathering' (see this Met leaflet).
Reports: 1 | 2 Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 Audio: 1 | 2 | video
Links: Trident Vote Day | CND | Stop the War Coalition | Block the Builders | Greenpeace | Trident Ploughshares | Faslane 365 | Background: BASIC | Acronym | Indymedia UK's Faslane topic page
EDO CORP: 2006 Alternative Report
21-02-2007 17:45
On Thursday 22nd February the EDO Corporation released their report on the fourth quarter of 2006. The Corporation, of which the embattled Brighton based arms dealers EDO MBM are a wholly owned trading unit, has announced that it is operating below targets, (See EDO's Fourth Quarter Report)
Below is an 'Alternative Report' from the Smash EDO campaign. Brighton based EDO MBM has been the target of sustained protest and direct action since 2003. On Friday 16th Feb a group of protesters occupied EDO's car park and foyer blowing claxon horns and scattering photos of the carnage in Iraq. This was the second such action in the last month ( reports: (1) | (2) ). On Monday 19th Feb 8 students from Sussex University locked themselves to EDO's fence and gates delaying the opening of the factory and preventing deliveries ( see: Press Release | Photo Report ). On Wednesday 21st Feb protesters held a funeral procession and vigil for the victims of the US bombing of Somalia at the factory ( see: Press Release | Report ).
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Dozens of Iraqi Kurds deported.. again
12-02-2007 17:30
For the third time in less than two years, a 'charter flight' left the RAF Brize Norton military base in Oxfordshire today, carrying a number of Iraqi Kurds to Erbil, Kurdistan (Northern Iraq). The 38 'failed asylum seekers' had been arrested and detained from across the UK.
Some 60 protesters gathered at the gates of Brize Norton this morning, in a protest called by the Campaign to Close Campsfield. It followed other protests over the weekend in London, Leicester and Manchester [reports from Harmondsworth demo 1 | 2 | pics 1 | 2 | 3 | video]. But neither these protests nor the repeated warnings from national and international human rights organisations [UNHCR | Amnesty] managed to convince the Home Office of halting forced removals to unsafe Iraq.
Related: No Deportations to Unsafe Iraq | No Deportations to Iraq | New Labour's War on the Kurds
2007 Is The Year To Shut EDO Down
25-01-2007 11:54
On Tuesday 15 masked activists entered the car park and loading bay of EDO MBM, Brighton warmongers manufacturing arms for the UK, US and Israel blowing claxon horns and sounding sirens to signify that the Smash EDO campaign is not going away until EDO closes down 1 | .
View the video of the anonymous demo here .
Smash EDO plan to step up their campaign this year with weekly noise demonstrations at the factory, phone blockades, direct action and a week long protest camp this August. 2007 is the year to close EDO down.
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No Deportations to Unsafe Iraq
24-01-2007 07:03
A number of Iraqi-Kurdish asylum seekers have been detained across the UK this month as the Home Office is planning to deport more 'failed' asylum seekers to unsafe Iraqi Kurdistan. The move follows two previous deportations in September 2006 and November 2005, which sparked a lot of anger and protest [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6].
The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees and the Coalition to Stop Deportation to Iraq have called for a demonstration on January 24th in front of the Home Office in Westminster, London, to "put pressure on policy makers to stop their plans". There will also be another demo, called by the Campaign to Close Campsfield at the RAF Brize Norton military base in Oxfordshire, from where the 'charter flight' is supposed to leave (date not fixed yet).
Related: Kurdish family snatched and face deportation | Hundreds demonstrate in Leeds against Zimbabwean deportations | EU co-ordinated deportation of Afghani refugees | A More Fortress Europe | The Discriminatory Asylum Vouchers | Asylum Statistics: Q3 2006 | The truth behind the deportation statistics | Continuing conflicts that create refugees, November 2006 | Why campaign against deportation
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Victory For Fairford Coach Campaigners
13-12-2006 18:26
Campaigners have won a massive legal battle after they proved that the police violated their rights to protest when around 120 peace protestors were prevented from reaching USAF/RAF Fairford on the 22nd of March 2003. Three coaches full of protesters were first stopped and searched, then forcibly returned to London under police escort. At the start of the war with Iraq, Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire (and the B-52 bomber planes that were flying from it) had become a focus for anti-war protest and direct action.
The High Court and Court of Appeal had already ruled that the police acted unlawfully in detaining protesters on the coaches. But on Wednesday 13th Dec, in a judgement that has implications beyond the Fairford case, Law Lords ruled that the police also violated the right to freedom of expression and lawful assembly. See campaign Press Release.
Original coverage on Indymedia UK: Pics 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Video: 1 | 2
July 03: Civil Liberties and Anti-war Protest Policing | Aug 03: Judicial Review Granted | Feb 04: High Court Victory [ruling] | Dec 04: Court of Appeal Outcome [ruling]
Links: Fairford Coach Action Campaign | Full judgement from the Lords | We fought the law and... eh... we won? Fairford coaches appeal victory
Which Way The War Blows
12-12-2006 14:54
The reinvigoration of anti-militarism campaigns, with a renewed focus on direct and confrontational actions, continued this week as the first in a series of open public meetings were held in London and New York, building on calls (UK | US) to mark the fourth anniversary of the start of the war on Iraq (Monday, 19th March, 2007) with a "Global Day of Action for Iraq and Beyond".
In reaction to this, the Stop the War Coalition has called for Tuesday, 20th March 2007, to be "National Troops Out Day", with an afternoon demonstration in Central London ending with a mass die-in and Troops Out rally in Parliament Square, in place of their now traditional Embankment-to-Hyde Park march. Despite this nod to civil disobedience, past events suggest everything will be tightly stage-managed and agreed with the police in advance (reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4).
Campaigns advocating and organising anti-militarist action include: Block the Builders | Campaign Against the Arms Trade | Counter Recruitment UK | Iraq Occupation Focus | Smash EDO | State of Emergency | Stop Arming Israel
No More Fallujahs
30-10-2006 00:00
28th and 29th October saw a weekend of Nonviolent Resistance in London against the Occupation of Iraq on the 2nd anniversary of the US/UK massacre in Fallujah culminating in an unprecedented 'unauthorized' Peace Camp in Parliament Square defying the SOCPA.
Personal Accounts:here and here and Rikki’s Report
B52 disarmers on trial this week
05-10-2006 14:23
The trial of two Oxford peace activists who attempted to disarm B52 bombers on their way to Iraq is taking place all this week. Toby Olditch and Phil Pritchard went into Fairford airbase just two days before the planes were used, hoping to disable the bombers and thus save civilian lives in Iraq and inspire others to action.
They were arrested before reaching the planes but have gone on to fight a high-profile legal battle, using their case to challenge the legality of the war and raise awareness. The upshot of this has been that various courts, up to and including the House of Lords, spinelessly (but predictably) refusing to allow arguments about the legality of the war. The legal argument for the trial now focuses on Phil and Toby's reasonable belief that they were acting to prevent war crimes.
Support at court is very welcome during the trial, either to come inside or with banners etc outside; Bristol Crown Court is on Small Street, off Corn Street, in Bristol town centre. Check the trial blog for the latest updates.
Margaret Jones and Paul Milling's trial for a similiar action resulted in a hung jury recently and they are awaiting a re-trial.
Meanwhile a Peace Picnic takes place this Saturday 7th October at RAF Croughton, a local US/UK spybase.
B52two trial blog | B52two homepage | trial report | press release
Peace Camp Set to Defy Ban
19-09-2006 20:19
"We think it's because it's the Labour conference and they don't want us going and voicing our opinions" Rose Gentle, Military Families Against the War
"They have got every right to protest, and I think we will find they will protest. Whoever is responsible for this are idiots." Walter Wolfgang
A protest group is planning to defy a ban on setting up a peace camp in Albert Square imposed on them by Manchester City Council. Military Families Against the War - an organization of relatives to members of the Armed Services opposed to the war in Iraq - will be pitching camp outside the town hall in the run up to the Labour Party Conference. Come Saturday the camp will be joined by thousands of people protesting against the continuing military occupation of Iraq and British foreign policy in the Middle East.
The Council claim the ban is in place for 'logistical' and 'health and safety' reasons, a claim that is strongly disputed by MFAW, who say the council is merely doing the bidding of the Labour Party. A further claim that there were 'security issues' with the camp have been denied by GM Police.
The conference is set to meet a high level of dissent this September. Aside from the peace camp a march and rally has been called by the Stop the War Coalition on Saturday 23rd which will include an anarchist block. Also on the menu, welfare rights group, Coalition Against the Welfare Reform Bill, are planning a demonstration and lobby on Monday 25th in reaction to the punitive approach towards disabled welfare claimants outlined in the bill.
Military Families to Defy Ban [ 1 | 2 ] Demonstrate Against Welfare Reform Bill [ 1 | 2 | 3 ] | Military Families Against the War | Stop the War Coalition | Time To Go? | Anarchist Block
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No Deportations to Iraq
07-09-2006 22:21
32 Iraqi asylum seekers, who had been incarcerated in different detention centres, were deported to Arbil, northern Iraq, on 5 September, 2006, on a specially chartered flight from the RAF Brize Norton military base in Oxfordshire. There was a demonstration at the Home Office in London, called by the Coalition to Stop Deportations to Iraq and the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees, but that did not apparently stop the process, and neither did the warnings from international organisations [1 | 2 | 3] or the legal challenges.
The first forced deportation of Iraqi Kurds from the UK took place on 19 November, 2005. 15 men were taken to an airport at night, handcuffed, beaten and forced onto a military plane headed for Arbil through Cyprus. The move then sparked a lot of anger and protest [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5], and the deportation of Iraqis was halted for a while until resumed this month. Tens of Iraqi Kurds are believed to be interned in UK detention centres, while thousands more have been served notice that they will be 'removed' from the country [latest report].
Read: initial report | call-out for demo | names of deportees | Home Secretary resumes forced removals to Iraq | EU-coordinated deportation of Afghani refugees
Links: Coalition to Stop Deportations to Iraq | International Federation of Iraqi Refugees | National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns | Noborders UK communication channels
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Parliament Sq. Protest Trashed by Police
12-05-2006 10:57
Brian Haw's display was removed early in the morning of 23rd May by 50 police officers. At 2.45am they turned up and started to load a container with all the placards and banners and almost all of Brian's personal possessions. [Photos | Video]
A timeline since Monday 8th, when the state won its appeal against the decision that the SOCPA legislation could not be applied to the protest which Brian Haw appears in full article and additions below.
Final victory against EDO!
09-05-2006 22:47
IN WHAT has been hailed as a complete "surrender", Brighton arms firm EDO MBM has lost its lost-running legal battle with peace campaigners.
The firm's arrogant attempts to restrict protest outside their factory has ended in expensive failure. Their bid to secure a no-protest exclusion zone with an injunction under the Protection from Harassment Act has ended in unconditional failure after a year-long High Court battle.
Another court victory for EDO protesters
26-03-2006 16:48
A High Court judge has lifted the interim injunction on the 2 remaining protesters fighting the injunction and issued a damning indictment on EDO MBM's conduct of the trial. EDO MBM were accused of 'woeful neglect' of the issues and indemnity costs were awarded to the two protesters. The trial will go ahead at an as yet unspecified date in the summer.
Worldwide Anti-War Protests: March 18th Reports
22-03-2006 10:19
Saturday 18th March was an International Day of Mobilisation against the war and occupation in Iraq, marking the three year anniversary of the war (see call from WSF Assembly of the Movements). Over the weekend of the 18th hundreds of demonstrations took place throughout the world demanding to end to the occupation of Iraq, and protesting against a possible attack on Iran.
In London, the Stop The War coalition said 80 - 100,000 people marched through the streets, however as usual there was disagreement over numbers with the police saying the turnout was as low as 15,000 (a figure which was then printed in mainstream media across the world). See reports and pictures from London [1 | 2 | 3 | 4]. The march sparked some personal commentary about the day and the tactics [ Brian B | riot act | Jo Wilding ]. Locally protests also took place in Glasgow, Newcastle and Dublin.
In the US tens of thousands took part in protests across the country (500 demonstrations were scheduled). For news, pictures and video see the following Indymedia reports: Rallies & Marches: Akron, OH 1 2 | Albuquerque | Arlington, TX | Ashland, OR | Binghamton | Boston 1 2 | Chicago | Colorado Springs | Columbus 1 2 | Concord, NH | Connecticut | DC | Eugene | Fayetteville, AK | Fresno | Houston | Kansas City | Los Angeles | Milwaukee | Minneapolis/St.Paul | Nashville | New Hampshire | New York | Olympia | Orange County 1 2 | Pittsburgh | Phoenix | Philadelphia | Portland | Rochester | San Diego | San Francisco Bay Area | Santa Barbara | Santa Cruz | Seattle | Springfield, Mass | Tuscon, AZ | Vancouver, WA | Vermont | Worcester
Civil Disobedience: Boston, MA: Demonstrators visit several ROTC Offices | Eugene, OR: Civil Resistance activists arrested after sit-ins | Lakewood, OH: Arrests at Lakewood Military Recruitment Center | Lansing, MI: Five Arrested at Lansing Military Recruitment Center | Los Angeles, CA: Eight Arrests at Senator Feinstein's Office -1 -2 | Portland, OR: 19 Arrested while Delivering Anti-War Petitions to Senator Wyden's Office | Washington, DC protesters target Halliburton, Bechtel, and Carslyle
Indymedia Centres around the world collected reports of demonstrations from hundreds, to thousands of people. In Germany the demands were often broadened to include protests against repression and or the liberty of political prisoners.
Worldwide IMC reports: Estrecho: Sevilla, Córdoba | Maritimes: Halifax feature and photos, Fredericton | Ontario: London, Toronto, Windsor | Ottawa Video | BC Vancouver | Winnipeg Victoria | Alacant | Barcelona: 1 2 | Bruxelles: 1 2 3 4 | West-Vlaanderen | Bulgaria | Cyprus: Greek English | Euskal Herria: Ermua | Ireland: Dublin | Germany: Berlin, Duisburg, Trier, Tübingen | Italia: Roma, Palermo, Saronno and Gorizia | Nederland: Amsterdam | Norge | Polska: Warszawa English report and photos, Wrocław, Wa-wa, Poznań | Portugal: Lisboa | Scotland: Glasgow | Switzerland: Feature, Ginevra | Brasil: 1 2 3 | Peru: Lima | Puerto Rico | Aotearoa: Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland | Perth
In the Arab world, demonstrations took place in Basra and the Syrian capital Damascus. Smaller ones took place in Beirut, Cairo and other Arab cities. In the Tunisian city of Sfax, police stormed into a crowd of about 3,000 people and beat them with batons and truncheons, injuring at least 20.
See also: [Infoshop] Global Protests Mark Iraq War Anniversary | [A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition] Initial Reports on March 18 Antiwar Actions | corporate media coverage [ 1 | 2 ] | Indymedia UK March 18th Section
Freedom On Trial
19-03-2006 19:08
Thursday 16th March 2006: Milan Rai of the peace group Justice not Vengeance was on trial in Bow Street Magistrates Court for organising the two-person remembrance ceremony at which Maya Evans was arrested in October 2005. See rikki’s video of Milan & Maya’s arrest & a report of Thursday’s trial, as well as a video interview with Maya from Thursday.
The Crime: Milan was on trial for ‘organising an unauthorised demonstration in the vicinity of Parliament’. He notified the police of the demonstration over a week in advance, but he refused to ‘seek permission’ from them as required under a new law, the ‘Serious Organised Crime and Police Act’ , [SOCPA.pdf] Milan and Maya’s lawyer’s are fighting the case by suggesting that SOCPA is incompatible with the European Convention of Human Rights' Article’s 10 & 11, which gives every person freedom to speech, and freedom to peacefully assemble with others.
In October 2005, there was a mass protest against the SOCPA Exclusion Zone by Critical Mass, and many people feel that free speech in Britain is being seriously undermined, [IMC report].
Activists gather for peace conference
03-03-2006 19:18
Hundreds of people gathered on Sunday for a day of talks, information, discussion and workshops on the theme of peace.
The Nottingham Students Peace Movement's conference welcomed Sam Azad (International Federation of Iranian Refugees), author Milan Rai and Alan Simpson MP to lead a discussion on "justice not vengeance." They were followed by lecturers Richard Keeble and Beryl Aldridge and Notts Indymedia's Wietse talking about combating media bias. Both sessions welcomed extensive audience contributions. Various workshops were later held on alternative media, creative campaigning, civil rights and black activism.
Event photos
Listen to media bias debate
See full timetable