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War against the farmers

Not a Guardian Reader | 08.04.2001 14:21

Government plans growing ever more clear, yet murkier too.

Latest reports suggest that the pre-emptive, 'firewall' massacre in Cumbria has ostensibly failed; the disease is spreading to the nearby Peak district. Nick Brown, leader of the MAFF[IA] has now told farmers not to use such legitimate appeal procedeures as exist against this illegal slaughter.
Meanwhile, the NAVY has now been called in to bury the mounds of rotting carcasses, to which it is rumoured, family pets are being added.
The opposition to the cull in Wales continues. Across the country as a whole, the dispute looks indeed like a war; farmers have been arrested for barricading thier lands, police vehicles have been crushed and a MAFF slaughterer has been shot dead in Cumbria. [see web link]
Recalcitrant farmers have been dragged before the TV cameras to state their newfound 'support' for the senseless plans. One heartbroken man lamentably described the killing of his pedigree herd as being an opportunity and a challenge. Not for the sheep, we may sardonically add, but herein lies the clue to what is going on: Blair wants to MODERNIZE THE COUNTRYSIDE, to commercialise it, open it up for the emerging NEO-CAPITALISM. He wants to crush the agricultural community in precisely the same way as the trades unionists and urban dwellers have been, and continue to be, atomised and dissolved. We in the towns who have suffered from Thatcher/Blair (same person after all!) must not sit passively while the same happens to others. Farmers up to now have been 'loyal', but they now see where blind loyalty leads ! The Farmers Union, the NFU, has been co-opted into Blair's plans, so however unsatisfactory, that leaves Handley's Farmers For Action as the chief representative of the agricultural militants. We should try to persuade them of the left wing alternative.

Not a Guardian Reader
- Homepage: htttp://www.news-and-star.co.uk

Comments

Hide the following 8 comments

that link again

08.04.2001 14:24

its not working for some reason. its the Cumbria news and Star at:

http://.www.news-and-star.co.uk

Not Guardian
- Homepage: http://www.news-and -star.co.uk


vhj

08.04.2001 15:45

Yes this is something I have been trying to spread the word about. I hope that people will get this information onto other boards, or ideally directly into people's heads. it is good to get teh info out, but I find a ot fo it dead-ends in the IMC. People who are coming here probably already know what is going on.

pioh


gh

08.04.2001 16:35

those last 3 posts were by me. i posted, checked to seemy post was there. then left the site I retunr now sometime later to see that the post has been repeated twice in my absence. lets see if this one is too

fjh


There is resistance.

08.04.2001 16:57


The government are not getting it all there own way, grassroot resistance has lead to the saving of threatened alpacas

Check out debate at:

 http://www.smartgroups.com/message/listbydiscussion.cfm?GID=480802
or
 http://www.smartgroups.com/group/group.cfm?GID=480802

A mixed bunch of people interacting and providing solidarity in order to stop the govt. terrible policy on foot and mouth. It is interesting for the mix of views and can this be worked around to confront the pressing issue in hand.

Also:
 http://www.merinosheep.co.uk/

AC
- Homepage: http://www.smartgroups.com/message/listbydiscussion.cfm?GID=480802


Makes Sense

08.04.2001 21:25

The Masai herdsmen of Kenya, who believe they are the custodians of the Worlds cattle, are horrified by the senseless slaughter of healthy beasts in Britain. They are prepared to take these cows and treat them with herbs till they recover and become productive again. F&M is endemic in Africa, where it is no more serious than a cold.

peasant


bizarre story

09.04.2001 13:47

in the daily express [caution, obviously] yesterday, that the virus may have escaped from porton down bacteriological rsearch station.
or was it released ?

Rev O'Lushen


maybe...

10.04.2001 13:35

that rumour has been circulating for a few weeks now, the gist of it being that the ALF stole/obtained a vial of the virus which it released.

Seems a bit unlikely but there is evidence that porton down and another lab in the uk has been holding onto samples.

And given the govts claims that this is an 'extra virulent strain' of the disease it leaves open the possibility that they have been developing it for use in germ warfare.

My stance has always been that the govt is totally overreacting, but if this story is true it might explain why they're so desparate to cover things up and destroy 'healthy' animals that could be eaten.

It might go some way to explaining the ALF's inactivity over the past few months too.

Another rumour i've heard (again unconfirmed) is that foot and mouth is rife in Iraq and has killed millions of animals. Well, foot and mouth only kills very young and very old animals under normal circumstances so that is doubly suspicious.

townie
mail e-mail: cant_cope@hotmail.com


Yu Reckon?

10.04.2001 21:58

There has been about half a dozen (unlikely) possible causes of F&M suggested, the most likely is that the government unleashed it!

Cynic