Day of Action Against Climate Chaos?
jonnie | 29.09.2005 22:39 | Ecology
One of the proposals to be discussed at the Dissent Gathering in Sheffield (Oct 15/16) 
http://dissent.org.uk/content/view/277/108/ is for a day (or days) of action against the real causes of climate
chaos. At a number of the feed-back sessions there was support for an action camp in the summer of 2006, similar to the anti-G8 ecovillage in Stirling. The idea was to have it near potential direct action targets including oil refineries, at a time of our choosing.
http://dissent.org.uk/content/view/277/108/ is for a day (or days) of action against the real causes of climate chaos. At a number of the feed-back sessions there was support for an action camp in the summer of 2006, similar to the anti-G8 ecovillage in Stirling. The idea was to have it near potential direct action targets including oil refineries, at a time of our choosing.
It would be good if groups could discuss in advance some of the issues this would raise, and figure out if there is sufficient support to pull it off. So perhaps this message could be forwarded to various groups, and potential allies, and those interested in the issues of climate change?
Some issues to be decided assuming there is support:
1) Should the date coincide with the G8 in Russia, or the anniversary of the 2005 G8 to highlight the fact that no action has been taken.
2a) Should it be decentralized actions, or a big one (or both).
2b) Several action camps or one?
2c) A focus on public actions or affinity groups.
3) What are the potential targets?
4) What locations for an ecocamp, or convergence centers?
There is a forum for discussion at:
http://libcom.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6540
Some issues to be decided assuming there is support:
1) Should the date coincide with the G8 in Russia, or the anniversary of the 2005 G8 to highlight the fact that no action has been taken.
2a) Should it be decentralized actions, or a big one (or both).
2b) Several action camps or one?
2c) A focus on public actions or affinity groups.
3) What are the potential targets?
4) What locations for an ecocamp, or convergence centers?
There is a forum for discussion at:
http://libcom.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6540
jonnie
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
Awesome
29.09.2005 22:50
go for it! I'll be there.
Joan
Be Careful!
30.09.2005 08:18
But dont you think direct action on oil refineries is scraping the barrel?
Careful that you dont cause oil spills when taking Direct Action against oil refineries. Or would you be thinking about a blockade, aping the apparently successful fuel-price protestors
The G8 made commitments to some small increases in aid in repsonse to MPH, but they made zilcho commitments on improving the environment.
Who do we blame for this? The G8, MPH, Geldof, Bono, or maybe Nelson Mandela! It wouldn´t be fair to blame ineffectual campaigning on climate change? For example, on its own producing natty leaflets and flyers in itself is unlikely to reverse climate change, although it´s an efficient way to waste a lot of money.
Dissent should stop wasting the money that it has received in donations, if it has any left. It seems to be obsessed with vanity publisihing and producing materials that are not backed up with action, in in many cases even distributed properly or followed up with local meetings.
There needs to be accountability. What has happened to the money given to favoured social centres.
Why is there a brief monthly newsletter or report indicating what is happening, what decisions have been made, what funds are in thte bank, what´s been spent, what´s being planned, etcetera?
The reason is, I fear, because the whole thing is a complete mess.
Perhaps the Sheffield gathering can turn things around and make Dissent relevent, useful and respected. Or will the some old voices repeating again and again the same old tiresome bullshit ad nauseum.
Why is Dissent modelling itself on a cross between a democratic centralist marxist organisations - without the common sense that marxism provides and without those in positions being accountable or even having being ellected - and a secret private school society with the fun.
I belive that Dissent ought to be be something different. Two prominent democratic centralist parties who do there jobs well enough, the SWP and the Socialist Party, surely are sufficient.
So much potential and money could be - if it has not already been - wasted!
Anti-capitalist
G8+ meet in London to discuss climate in November
30.09.2005 19:03
becca