BRISTOL STW News Supplement : 15th July 2004

To keep up to date visit Bristol's independent newswire:
(submit your own articles) http://bristol.indymedia.org/
For Bristol, Regional & U.K anti-war news, please visit:
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bristol-stop-the-war-coalition/
For Bristol activist news, events and requests, visit:
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bristol-activists/


CONTENTS

1) Open Talk: Eyewitness Colombia: 22nd July
2) Fahrenheit 9/11: Showing Until 29th July
3) Update On Gulf War Hunger Striker
4) Day Of Action Reports: 30th June
5) Local Vigils & Planning Groups


01) OPEN TALK : EYEWITNESS COLOMBIA : THU 22nd JULY
Martin Summers of Bristol-Stop-The-War & Colombia Solidarity Campaign has recently returned from Colombia, where 7000+ political assassinations are carried out every year by right-wing paramilitaries. Colombia is being pushed ever deeper into civil war, with the support of the Blair regime. Please come along as there is more that can often be communicated in person, than through a screen or paper.
DATE: Thu 22nd July. TIME: 7:00-8:30pm. FREE ENTRY. VENUE: St. Mary on the Quay Hall. City Centre. Colston Ave. (Opposite War Memorial). MAP BELOW:
 http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=358680&Y=173128&A=Y&Z=1

BACKGROUND: "Martin Summers recently participated in the 'Caravan of Life' to Colombia. This was an international delegation invited to Colombia by the CUT (the Colombian TUC) to witness for themselves the appalling human rights situation in the country. Delegates from several countries representing trade unions & other social movements visited various parts of Colombia to meet with those most affected by the violent represssion of the US (and British) backed Colombian regime of former drug lord and paramilitary death squad organiser - Alvarro Uribe Vellez. Martin visited Bogota, Barranquilla & Cali and will talk about those he met & the stories they had to tell. It is hoped that a full discussion of the sitation in Colombia and it's part in the bogus 'War on Terror' will take place."
CSC CONTACTS:  http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk
Tel: 07743 743041. UK Address: Colombia Solidarity Campaign, PO Box
8446, London N17 6NZ. Bristol Contacts: Mario.novelli (at) bristol.ac.uk



02) FAHRENHEIT 9/11 : SEE IT FOR FREE! (Or @ The Watershed)
See It For Free Here!  http://www.chasingthewind.net/index.php?p=158
WHAT MICHAEL MORE SAID: "Well, I don’t agree with the copyright laws & I don’t have a problem with people downloading the movie & sharing it with people. As long they’re not doing it to make a profit off it, as long as they’re not, you know, trying to make a profit off my labor..."

OR SEE IT @ THE WATERSHED: Showing Until 29th July In Bristol.
The Watershed is along Narrow Quay, off St. Augustines Parade. Centre.
Directions:  http://www.watershed.co.uk/info/location/index.html
Dates & Times:  http://www.watershed.co.uk/calendar/index.html
Watershed Box Office (Concessions available) Tel: 0117 927 5100
LINK:  http://www.michaelmoore.com
REVIEW: Dir: Michael Moore USA 2003 1hr 50mins. "Michael Moore's incendiary new film met with spirited pandemonium at this years Cannes Film Festival, due in particular to Disneys refusal to distribute the film. Nonetheless it went on to win the Palme d'Or, drawing a 20-minute standing ovation at its debut screening. A chilling investigation into the 4 years of US President George W Bush's time at the White House, the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 & the Iraq war, Fahrenheit 9/11 delivers a devastating blow to the Bush administration in the run-up to its re-election campaign. Put together with Moore's trademark mix of wry humour & forthright opinions – last seen in his gun-culture study Bowling For Columbine – the film is also a damning indictment of the covert relationship between the Bush family & Saudi Arabia, where 15 of the 19 Sept 11 hijackers originated from. Moore sees 9/11 as a
tragedy for America & a career move for Bush – 'war is good for business, bad for people' as one arms manufacturer wryly observes. An appalling, enthralling portrayal of what Moore sees as the Bush administrations error-strewn & hypocritical foreign policy."



03) UPDATE ON GULF WAR HUNGER STRIKER
Related Link:  http://www.refusingtokill.net/
"Scottish veteran from the 1st Gulf War, Alexander Izett, 34, went on a 40 day hunger strike from 1st May - 9th June 2004, to demand an independent public inquiry into the causes & treatment of Gulf War Syndrome. On 12th July he testified at the start of an inquiry, which claims to be independent of the MOD."
Press Release:  http://www.refusingtokill.net/disability/PressRelease10July.htm

EDITED PRESS RELEASE EXTRACT: "We hope you will take this opportunity to support Mr Izett's & his supporters' stand against the Ministry of Defence and their war of occupation. Alexander Izett, whose 40-day hunger strike brought the issue to public attention, will testify on 12th July between 11.30am & 11.50am.
In 1991, prior to the Gulf War, Mr. Izett received 9 vaccinations in 24 hours. He never went to the Gulf, but since 1993, aged 23, has suffered auto-immune osteoporosis, depression & stomach ulcers. He holds the multiple vaccinations directly responsible for these illnesses. In May 2003, after 5 years of campaigning, Mr. Izett won a war pension tribunal ruling, which acknowledged the connection between the vaccinations & his ill health. Despite this, the Ministry of Defense continues to deny the existence of Gulf War Syndrome.
In desperation Mr Izett went on hunger strike in protest at the treatment he & other veterans have suffered at the hands of the MOD. His family, supporters & fellow veterans including US veteran Ron Kovic (of Born on the 4th of July fame), urged him to suspend his hunger strike on the basis that because of his brave action, those suffering from Gulf War Syndrome could get justice. Ill though he is, he has seized on the chance to come to London from Germany to testify at this Inquiry."

ALEXANDER IZEET SAID: "Lord Morris assured me the Inquiry will be totally independent of the Ministry of Defence. If this is the case, then this is a step in the right direction. But I'm concerned that too many veterans don't know about it or don’t have the money to come or are too ill to travel. To ensure we get the whole truth, the Inquiry must: encourage veterans to come forward through the press & by writing to them directly; make funds available so that they can travel to testify; & hold other sessions of the Inquiry in the UK & abroad. Veterans' partners must be given a chance to testify, as well as carers who are not family.
We are told a lot of Inquiry time is devoted to 'medical experts' but we veterans & our carers are the real experts about Gulf War Syndrome. It is outrageous that more time is given to medical experts than to veterans. Once again we are sidelined from our own cause. Is that what they think of soldiers, fighting machines without minds?
The Ministry of Defense experimented with us & we are paying the price: suicides, homelessness, family break-ups, imprisonment as well as life-threatening illnesses. We demand justice. Crucially, no effort appears to have been made to ensure that Iraqi people, who for centuries on end will continue to live with the consequences of the war, including Depleted Uranium (DU), be called to testify.”
Related DU Link:  http://www.pandoraproject.org/index.html

FOR MORE INFO & HOW TO DONATE: Contact 'Payday', a multiracial, anti-war network of men working with the Global Women’s Strike which has co-ordinated international support for Mr Izett’s hunger strike. London: Tel 020 7209 4751
Email: payday (at) paydaynet.org Website:www.refusingtokill.net



04) DAY OF ACTION REPORTS FROM WED 30th JUNE
a) Introduction
b) Report On Morning Action
c) Report On Evening Action (Plus Film)

a) INTRODUCTION: For the June 30th Day Of Action two key protests were independently called for Bristol, amongst other smaller actions. The US & UK governments pretend the occupation of Iraq ended on June 30th, but in reality little has changed. The US & other 'western' corporations have carved up key areas of the economy, the country remains in a chaos, the death toll rises, the quaqmire deepens, and 100's of tonnes of Depleted Uranium (DU) dust, from U.S weapons, now spread, and will irradiate the country & it's people for the next 4.5 billion years.
Related DU Link:  http://www.pandoraproject.org/index.html

b) REPORT BACK ON MORNING PROTEST
"About 20 protesters answered the early morning alarm call for an anti-war action from 7.30am on the morning of June 30th. Despite their small numbers protesters made their presence felt for over 3 hours. Banners were held up, & fixed to lamp-posts, just off the roundabout on the A4174 leading to the main MOD entrance. Slogans included 'no puppets in Iraq', 'end the occupation now', 'welcome to the ministry of death', & 'fight war not wars'.
Security was heavy at all entrances, with plenty of cops on standby. After 1/2 an hour protesters, some wearing death & ghost masks, moved into the road on bike & on foot, blocking traffic for up to 1/2 an hour, despite some heavy manhandling from cops. Before the police could get re-enforcements people decided to move off & regroup at BAE, where arms & military planes and equipment are made.
Protesters headed for gate 21 at BAE, on Golf Club Lane, with one temporarily gaining access, before this & all other gates in the vicinity were closed & security alert 'black' posted. Protesters then blockaded the road & entrance to BAE for about 1.5 hours, bringing incoming traffic to a halt.
Eventually, at about 11.15am, an inspector arrived with 10 'heavy squad', & quoting the relevant point of law gave us 2 minutes to get off the road. We had made our point. As people left the video security van followed. Thanks to people knowing the territory they were soon given the slip. Everyone felt that the point was made & altogether it was an enjoyable day with no arrests." By The Anonymous...

c) REPORT BACK ON EVENING PROTEST : WATCH THE VIDEO!
Film Of Protest:  http://www.markdwatson.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/400cbr.wmv
"We initially called for a large protest at the vigil, to complement other actions for the day, so we were very pleased when enough seasoned activists turned up to assert our right to demonstrate on our terms. It's surprisingly difficult to judge numbers on protests, as people do come & go, but the vigil probably peaked at about 150+ people, with about 50+ people heading up to the TA centre at 6:30pm.
This time there was an inspector from outside Bristol on duty, & he didn't understand our Bristol way of doing things. An 'agreement' was made with him by the 'facilitators' to march up to the TA centre. He subsequently insisted we must only walk on the pavement under strict escort.
Once he realised we weren't going to be pushed around (in particular the couple at the front), we had a video camera, people in the crowd who were prepared to be arrested, & legal observers who would drag any offending officer through the courts, the inspector backed off. In this context, this protest quickly became a form of Direct Action, & was in keeping with the Day Of Action called for 30th June 2004."



05) LOCAL PEACE VIGILS & PLANNING GROUPS
a) The Daily Bristol Peace Vigil
b) The Friday Easton Vigil
c) The Saturday Bath Vigil
d) The Bath STW planning Meeting
e) The Bristol STW Planning Meeting

a) THE DAILY BRISTOL PEACE VIGIL: The Independent Bristol Peace Vigil is an open space for discussion, as well a crucial focus to Bristol's campaigns. We've kept vigil every night (except Sundays) since a few days after 11th Sept 2001, & we'll keep Vigil onwards into the future, but we do need your support to keep our flame alive. If you can only make it for 15 minutes, or a couple of times a month, please still come. Everyone's welcome at the Bristol Peace Vigil.
TIMES: MON-FRI 5:30-6:30pm & SAT 3:00-4:00pm. PLACE: City Centre.
(Opposite The Hippodrome. St. Augustines Parade). MAP BELOW:
 http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?gride=358590&gridn=172858&title

b) EASTON PEACE VIGIL: Every Friday. 5:00pm-6:00pm.
Corner of Robertson Rd & Stapleton Rd. MAP BELOW:
 http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?X=361000&Y=174500&scale=10000

c) BATH PEACE VIGIL: Every Saturday 11.30am-12.30pm. Bath Abbey. (Off York Street. From the Station walk up Manvers St) MAP BELOW:
 http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?X=375000&Y=164500&scale=10000

d) BATH-STOP-THE-WAR: Hold Regular Meetings. For details Tel: 01225 315480 Email: postmaster (at) bathstopwar.org.uk Visit:
 http://www.bathstopwar.org.uk

e) THE BRISTOL-STOP-THE-WAR PLANNING GROUP: Everyone's welcome. We hold a Bristol-Stop-The-War meeting every week, as a forum for local groups to inform each other of their intentions, of finding people to work together on projects. We don't vote at these meetings, as we're not here to force adherence to a consensus view. We do instead discuss issues until we reach broad consensus.
DATE: Every Thursday. TIME: 7:00-8:30pm. PLACE: St. Mary on the Quay Hall. City Centre. Colston Ave. (Opposite War Memorial). MAP BELOW:
 http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=358680&Y=173128&A=Y&Z=1




"... Another world is not only possible, she is on her way.
On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing." Arundhati Roy.

... SAY YES 2 PEACE ... SAY YES 2 PEACE ... SAY YES 2 PEACE