International Day of Solidarity Action for Burmese People: Oct 6

After decades of brutal dictatorship, the people of Burma are rising up -- and they need help. On September 27, over 100,000 people are on the streets of Rangoon, with more around the country, to demand freedom from military rule. Soldiers are attacking groups of demonstrators, including shooting people in the street.

"Some people made their way to the front of the group and shouted at the soldiers to go ahead and shoot, so they did, but they were warning shots" said a local bystander on Democratic Voice of Burma. However, Burmese security forces fired directly on protesting monks and other demonstrators in Rangoon on Wednesday, reportedly killing five monks and one woman in separate Rangoon clashes, according to unconfirmed reports. On Thursday afternoon, about 10 protesters were shot by security forces trying to disperse tens of thousands of people near Sule Pagoda in Rangoon, witnesses said.

Hourly News and Photos on The Irrawaddy – Independent Burma / South East Asia News | Daily Protest Synopsis | UN Security Council Expresses Concern over Crackdown | FPIF - Monks Versus the Military | Singapore Police Target Local Burmese Demonstrators | EU should boycott Olympics | Free Burma Corporate Boycott 2 | Online Petition Stand with the Burmese Protesters | National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma – exile government | Free Burma 2 | Burma net

Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta Declares War

Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) a little understood but well equipped group recently declared full-scale war against oil companies and the government if their demands of equitable development and environmental justice are not met. Since that time the MEND has destroyed nearly 25% of Nigeria's oil producing capacity, consequently pushing up gas prices worldwide. MEND Spokesperson Jomo Gbomo sent two recent communiqu�s to Philadelphia Independent Journalist Peter Bloom declaring "With effect from 12 midnight today, Sunday 23, 2007, we will commence attacks on installations and abduction of expatriates."

Recent Communiqu�s 1 | 2

Iraq Veterans Against The War Lead March and Civil Disobedience in Washington DC

"We Are the Troops! Bring Us Home!"

On September 15th, tens of thousands of people rallied at Lafayette Park in Washington DC, in the United States, and then marched from the White House to the US Capitol to demand an immediate end to the occupation of Iraq. The march and rally were organized by the ANSWER Coalition, Iraq Veterans Against the War and many other organizations with the theme that: "Protesting is not enough. Come for the rally, stay for a week of direct action."

The protest culminated with hundreds of people participating in a "die-in" surrounding the Capitol. More than 193 protestors were individually arrested after crossing a short barrier surrounding the Capitol. Many members of the Iraq Veterans Against the War contingent were arrested, including family members of veterans and active duty soldiers, as well as veterans of the Vietnam War.

The civil disobedience was large enough that the Capitol police tried to stop arresting people and someone in charge yelled that the protestors had made their point. The police at the wall began to push back anyone trying to get arrested, and sprayed chemicals from a small red cannister on two people who tried, and finally succeeded, to get arrested. Capitol Police told the New York Times that arrestees will be charged with "illegally crossing a police line." The rights of protestors were trampled on throughout the day, especially at 67 K Street where the arrestees were being held.

Earlier, a single line on Pennsylvania Avenue of "Gathering of Eagles" and Young Republicans, a majority of whom never served in Iraq, yelled "traitor" at the Iraq Veterans Against the War contingent heading the antiwar march. The Iraq War veterans chanted, "We Are the Troops! Bring us Home!," while marching with flags printed with the names of big war contractors including Bechtel, Lockheed Martin, Blackwater and CACI.

Coverage: Radio Report and Photos Videos [1] | [2] | [3] Photos: [1] | [2] | [3] | [4] | [5]

see also: Anti-war Protest in St Paul, MN | Oklahoma Says "No to Bush's War"

Marat�n por la libertad: Magdalena Duran y el caso Atenco

Magdalena García Durán es una defensora de derechos indígenas. Como muchos otros adherentes a la Otra Campaña, ella había viajado a Atenco el 4 de mayo de 2006 para mostrar su apoyo por el Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra (FPDT), la organización bajo ataque por haber defendido con mucho valor (y éxito) sus propias tierras contra la expropiación decretada por el gobierno para construir un aeropuerto y por defender el derecho de los floristas de Texcoco a trabajar.

Magdalena es una de las 214 personas cruelmente torturadas, violadas y detenidas sin orden de aprehensión por los mismos policías que mataron a Javier Cortés Santiago y Alexis Benhumea aquel día.

De ellas, 28 presos permanecen en los campos de exterminio ––19 en Molino de Flores, 6 en Santiaguito y 3 en el penal de máxima seguridad del Altiplano, antes La Palma. Los que han salido bajo fianza permanecen bajo proceso penal, un total de 172. Se acerca su sentencia para los 19 de Molino de Flores. La mayoría, como Magdalena, están acusadas de ataques contra una carretera y secuestro equiparado aunque no hay pruebas individuales. Los cargos son genéricos.

más información: Magdalena García Duran, presa de conciencia. | Pide Amnesty International a Gobierno federal investigar abusos en Atenco

Leonard Peltier: El Silencio Grita

Leonard Peltier cumple 63 años el 12 de septiembre de 2007. Es un día internacional para exigir la libertad inmediata e incondicional de este artista, escritor y activista indígena —uno de los presos políticos más reconocidos del mundo.

Leonard ha pasado más de 31 años en unas de las prisiones más crueles de Estados Unidos, injustamente condenado a doble cadena perpetua por el asesinato de dos agentes del FBI en 1975. Ahora su situación se agrava por varios problemas de salud.

Desde su celda en el penal federal de Lewisberg, Pensilvania, sigue luchando por los derechos indígenas. Ha promovido bibliotecas, escuelas, becas y refugios para mujeres golpeadas entre muchos otros proyectos. Fue nominado por el Premio Nobel de la Paz en 2004 y de nuevo en 2007.

“Mi crimen es ser indio. ¿Cuál es el tuyo?”

Comité de Defensa de Leonard Peltier | West Philadelphia Demonstration for Leonard Peltier, The Cuban Five, The SF 8, Mumia Abu-Jamal, The MOVE 9, and all political prisoners | Foto Ensayo

Actions in Auckland against US/NZ Partnership Forum

Around 100 people marched down Queen Street in Auckland to protest against the NZ-US Partnership Forum. The forum, which brings together representatives of the two governments as well as from major US and NZ corporations to work on tightening the economic and political links between the two nations, was moved in the last minute from the Auckland Museum to the Hilton Hotel.

The protests had begun earlier in the day with a picket at the road corner by approximately 20 people. The main march started at 12 noon, with protesters taking the street, setting off flares and chanting all the way to the Hilton. Upon arrival at the Forum venue, a stand-off began with the police. Scuffles erupted when the police attempted to allow vehicles to enter and exit the hotel. Three people were arrested and several injured.

Links: Our World Is Not For Sale campaign | Protest Timeline | Our World Is Not For Sale Press Release | Pre-Protest Feature | Pre-Protest police repression | Protest Reports: 1 | 2 Images : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Video : 1

Thousands Protest APEC in Sydney despite Police Intimidation

Ten thousand people gathered in Sydney on Sept 8 to protest and march against the war in Iraq, US president Bush, climate in-action, and the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum leaders meeting. There was a heavy police presence with many streets barricaded by Police buses and police lining the approved route to Hyde Park North. Despite the heavy police presence and provocation the rally and march was largely peaceful.

Saturdays' protest was a culmination of a week of protests against the 21 heads of State of APEC, which included a student strike on Sept 5, the Bums not Bombs protest, Aboriginal Tent Embassy, solidarity protests in Melbourne, Perth, and Alice Springs near the infamous Pine Gap US base.

See also: Police Violence at a Park Meeting, Rally Numbers, Burning the US Flag, Police remove badges - more Police violence, Media Coverage

Photos: Collage of Rally, Rally photos on Perth IMC
Videos including Speeches 1, Speeches 2, Rally and March, Police at APEC, Water Cannon Inaction

48 horas: 3 golpes al pueblo paraguayo

Tres decisiones subrayan con claridad el imperio de los agronegocios, la impunidad y la injusticia en Paraguay.

En menos de 48 horas el congreso nacional rechaz� una ley de regulaci�n de agrot�xicos, al mismo tiempo, la justicia militar liber� a un ex general golpista y la justicia civil liber� a uno de los principales acusados por la muerte de 400 personas en el incendio del supermercado Ykua Bola�os. Todos estos factores, en la actual coyuntura paraguaya, culminan en el mantenimiento de las estructuras de poder dominantes, de un estado corrupto y autoritario, impuestas por una pol�tica que ya perdura por m�s de 60 a�os.

Editorial en el sitio Indymedia Paraguay || Ley de plaguicidas es bloqueada por agroexportadores en Paraguay || Paraguay: rechazo de las organizaciones sociales a la visita de Rodriguez y la Comisi�n Interamericana del Etanol || COMUNICADO: CONAMURI se dirige a la opini�n p�blica - ORE REMIANDU || COMUNICADO: Basta ya de impunidad a los agronegocios

Indymedia Newsreal Needs Your Videos

The Indymedia Newsreal is a monthly TV program that has been underway since 2000 and now needs your assistance. Each episode of the show covers actions taken in local communities, by ordinary people, to address critical issues locally and globally. This coverage is undertaken by independent videographers from around the U.S. and the world, who produce and send in segments. An editor then puts together contributed segments every month to create a thirty-minute program.

Newsreal is viewable every month in a variety of ways: via satellite to a potential 11 million subscribers on Free Speech TV, downloadable on the internet at a variety of locations, shown locally at public screenings by subscribers, and shown on various local cable access stations around the United States.

Recent episodes of Newsreal have covered a variety of issues, including anti-war protests, border activism, police brutality, labor struggles, cruelty to animals, the G8, media consolidation, endangered species, and much more, from a variety of communities including Seattle, Berlin, New York, Oaxaca, Arizona, California, Ohio, New Orleans, Portland, and many more.

September 2007 Indymedia Newsreal

Download recent episodes (these .mp4 files are over 100 MB): September | August | July | June | May | April

Climate Change protests start APEC meeting in Sydney

Climate Protests in Newcastle and regional Victoria have kicked off the 2007 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum meeting being hosted by conservative Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Sydney 2-9 September 2007, and being attended by USA President George Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao and other Pacific rim leaders. Much of the northern CBD of Sydney including the famed Opera House has been contained by a nine foot high concrete and wire security fence, dubbed unofficially the Great Wall of APEC and signals the rise of military urbanism in Australia.

An initial protest by Greenpeace in the world's biggest coal port of Newcastle has highlighted the Australian Government addiction to the coal lobby which is behind its spoiler role in international negotiations on climate change. A second action in the State of Victoria shut down the Loy Yang Coal Power plant (Video) for 5 hours on Monday as a direct action message to the leaders of APEC to take concrete action on climate change. An Aboriginal Tent Embassy has been established to highlight the genocidal policies of succeeding Australian Governments. Further protests are set to occurr over the next week.

Sydney Indymedia | Climate IMC | Perth Indymedia | Real Action on Climate Change | Greenpeace on APEC

Kenneth Foster Jr's Death Sentence Commuted

The state of Texas has commuted the sentence of Kenneth Foster Jr., also known as Haramia KiNassor, whose case has sparked a reckoning across the United States because he has never killed anyone. He was going to be executed because one of the passengers in the car he was driving committed a murder. The best friend of the victim, the confessed killer, Former Bexar County District Attorney, former US president Jimmy Carter, and South African archbishop Desmond Tutu all stepped forward to decry the execution.

The Board of Pardons and Parole was set to respond to the appeal on August 29, but they put off their decision until August 30. Subsequent to their announcement, Foster was moved to Huntsville Prison, where the executions were set to take place. Foster's supporters were unsure how to interpret these events and asked that faxes and phone call continue. Local protests wee planned at prisons in Huntsville and Livingston and at the governor's mansion in Austin.

Foster's execution was scheduled one day shy of a year after the execution of his close friend and comrade Hasan Shakur. Both Shakur and Foster became activists on death row, struggling to uplift the human dignity of those caught in a system that many liken to modern day lynching. Texas recently executed its 400th prisoner since resuming the practice of state-sponsored killing in 1982. Three other executions are scheduled for this week alone.

Read dispatches by onsite reporter Walidah Imarisha: Aug29: 4pm | Aug29: 11pm | Aug30 6pm

Kenneth Foster Jr's Death Sentence Commuted!

Past Indymedia Coverage: Aug23: Sit In | Aug12: Last Appeal Denied | Aug11: New Developments | July30: Organizing for KF | July24: Execution plans highlight Texas use of Law of Parties | July21: Statewide march for KF | July18: Stop the execution of innocent man and death row activist

Related: DRIVE movement | freekenneth.com | savekenneth.blogspot.com | How We Will Protest Our Executions by Kenneth E. Foster and John Joe Amador | 8/22 letter from Rob Will of the DRIVE movement on Foster's Case | Amnesty International Statement in Support of Kenneth | AUDIO: Kenneth's Daughter on Democracy Now | VIDEO: Protest at Gov. Perry's Church to Support Kenneth Foster, Jr. | Deutch: Mitgegangen, mitgehangen? | Francais: Au Texas, Kenneth Foster au bout du couloir de la mort | Italiano: Giovane. Nero. Innocente. Ma deve morire | Espanol: "La muerte en Tejas: El caso de Kenneth Foster, hijo" por Mumia Abu-Jamal | Espanol: Resistencia a la m�quina de muerte tejana: Kenneth Foster y John Joe Amador en huelga de hambre

Greece is on fire: Statists, capitalists, murderers!

Only a few days after the most recent wave of fires, remaining forests fell prey to yet more of them, once again set by arsonists. The country is heading to a snap election and the government's proclamations of de-commissioning forest areas (thus allowing for building construction to take place) gave a golden opportunity to private capital and its arsonists to burn whole areas down to the last leaf.

This frenzy of burned forests has already left 62 dead, tens injured, missing, homeless; hundreds of thousands of burnt acres of land in the Peloponnese, Western Greece alone. The prefectures of Ilia, Arkadia and Messinia are still being destroyed by the fire. Up to this moment there are many still raging fires in the prefectures of Korinthia, Lakonia and Evoia.

The already extremely limited and hence priceless patches of green of Attica did not escape these "accidental" fires (including the neighborhoods of Cholargos, Papagou and Galatsi). Satellite image by NASA.

For more information, see Athens IMC in English

Las luces de Xanica, Oaxaca

El camino a Xanica sube desde Huatulco en medio de un hermoso bosque. Es de brecha, pero el conductor de nuestro camión de redilas conoce bien todos los baches y curvas, hasta en la lluvia. Ha vivido ahí toda su vida. Se llama Isaías.

A las dos personas que tenemos la suerte de ir en cabina, nos platica un poco del bosque, de los venados y tlacuaches que viven ahí y luego dice: “¿Pueden ver estas luces? Son las luces de Xanica”. En el paseo de dos horas se ven muy lejos, luego más cercanas, de nuevo más distantes, pero ahí brillan tranquilamente, siempre visibles en esta región de la Sierra Sur de Oaxaca. Isaías sigue contestando nuestras preguntas y platicando un poco sobre el estado de sitio en el pueblo.

Solamente después me enteré de que él es una de las ocho personas de Xanica con órdenes de aprehensión en su contra.

Terremoto, informate y ayuda en Peru

Luego de esta visita relámpago a Chincha, una de las zonas más afectadas por el sismo, apuntamos a la volada algunas sensaciones que nos asaltaron este fin de semana.

Los problema de fondo que el terremoto desnuda son la pobreza, la exclusión, la injusticia y la desigualdad. Los desastres naturales no tienen nada de naturales. Lo único natural es que los desastres afecten principalmente a los mas pobres y muy poco a los más ricos, y que un Estado que solo sabe cautelar los intereses de los segundos no sea capaz de reaccionar oportunamente. El hecho de que existan pobres y ricos, en cambio, es enteramente artificial: eso ya es culpa nuestra. El terremoto es solo el causante de la emergencia de hoy, pero el problema de fondo es la pobreza. Pretender “solidarizarse” solo distribuyendo productos básicos hasta que todo se normalice es como contentarse con ponerle un yeso a un tuberculoso que se ha quebrado una pierna. La tuberculósis segurá matando al enfermo aunque su hueso sane. Seguir leyendo

Algunas fotos de Chincha

Gr�ve de la faim de sans papiers � Lille, France

Entre fin-avril et mi-juin le collectif de sans papier de Lille a r�alis� une campagne d'occupations de diff�rents lieux strat�giques (facult� de droit, bureau de groupement de chef d'entreprise...) � chaque fois sold�es par des expulsions violentes.

r�capitulatif des occupations (r�cits, photos, sons)

Le 15 juin dernier lors de leurs derni�re occupation la police a rafl� 60 sans papiers et les a amen�s en centre de r�tention.

Ce jour l� ils entament une gr�ve de la faim pour r�clamer une r�gulation collective. La police n'h�site pas depuis � harceler les gr�vistes: arrestation dans les hopitaux (13/7), rafle dans la maison des syndicats (1/8), tabassages dans les commissariats et centres de r�tentions, refus d'hospitalisation, d�portation dans diff�rentes villes de la r�gion et de France (Toulouse, Bordeaux, Rennes, Calais, Paris).

Ce 16 ao�t la police a violemment expuls� neuf d'entre eux vers Conakry en passant par le Maroc. et le matin du 22 ao�t la police rafla 42 sans papiers qui n'�tait pas dans les hopitaux. ils ont �t� emmen� dans les centre de r�tention de Lesquin et Paris.

Historique de la gr�ve de la faim | �missions de radio indymedia lille sp�ciales gr�ve de la faim

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

UK Camp for Climate Action Targets Aviation Industry

Between 14 and 21 August, climate activists are meeting for the 2007 Camp for Climate Action, next to London's international Heathrow airport, UK. The weak and limited injunction sought by BAA, the company that runs Heathrow, was unable to deter the gathering.

Actions so far have included the occupation of Carmel Agrexco, XL Airways, the Department of Transport, and Heathrow's World Freight Centre. Local workers at Nippon Express Cargo have also called a strike which was supported by Climate Camp activists. Solidarity actions have been launched at a number of local airports throughout the UK, including Bristol, Biggin Hill and Farnborough.

More mass actions are expected on Sunday and Monday. Besides the protests, the Climate Camp aims to be an example of a low-impact living with hot showers run by solar panels, a grey water recycling system and compost toilets. Indymedia UK reports on the latest news about the Climate Camp and have setup up a field IMC on site, powered by wind generators and solar arrays.

Check the up-to-the-minute Indymedia UK Ticker (also by SMS, mobile or phone on 0207 043 3783).

Related U.S. Climate Convergences: West Coast Convergence for Climate Action | Southeast Convergence for Climate Action | Protesters Lockdown at PacifiCorp, Demanding Energy Justice | 5 arrested protesting Bank of America’s investments in coal and climate change

Bush, Harper and Calderon meeting in Montebello, Quebec - Scrap the SPP!

From August 20-21, 2007, George Bush (President of the USA), Stephen Harper (Prime Minister of Canada) and Felipe Calderon (President of Mexico) will be in Montebello, Quebec, just 90 minutes from Montreal.

They are meeting at the Chateau Montebello, as part of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), also known as the "Three Amigos," Summit. They claim to be talking about security and prosperity, but many critics are calling the SPP “NAFTA on steroids”.

The People’s Global Action Bloc (PGA-Bloc) is a coalition of various anti-capitalist groups from Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Toronto, and Vancouver who will be organizing actions in Montebello and across Canada from August 19-21 to show their resistance to the SPP.

related links: Schedule of Events | PGA-Bloc | PGA Bloc, Ottawa | Stop the SPP Coalition, Ottawa | Block the Empire Montreal | People’s Global Action | IMC Montebello | CKUT community radio, Montreal | Centre des Medias Alternatives du Quebec

Activists Protest Occupation of Tibet on Great Wall of China

Six Tibet independence activists from the UK, US, and Canada were detained after rappelling from the top of the Great Wall of China with a 450 square foot protest banner reading "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008" in English and Chinese. The dramatic action took place on the eve of the one-year countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Chinese authorities removed the activists after two hours; their current whereabouts are unknown.

"The Chinese government is exploiting the Olympics to gain acceptance as a world leader. By protesting at the Great Wall, the most recognizable symbol of Chinese nationhood, we’re sending a clear message that China’s dream of international leadership cannot be realized as long as it continues its brutal occupation of Tibet," said Tenzin Dorjee, Deputy Director of Students for a Free Tibet. "We’re appealing to the international community to shine the light of scrutiny on China in the coming year," added Dorjee. "The Olympic dream of Tibetans is freedom by August 2008, and we call on the IOC and the global community to help us make this a reality." [Read more at SF Bay Area IMC] [UK Indymedia Report][Photos (Flikr) | Video (Youtube)]

Related:
Sydney IMC: Australian Film Crew questioned by Chinese Military in Tibet
Amnesty International: The Olympics countdown – one year left to fulfil human rights promises
Human Rights Watch: China and Tibet

We are all 129a!

Four German activists have been arrested on suspicion of being members or supporters of an alleged 'terrorist organisation' [lawyers' press release | de]. The German federal police suspect that Militante Gruppe (MG or Militant Group) was behind several arson attacks against police and army vehicles since the group surfaced in 2001 [Federal Prosecution's press release]. The direct actions are said to have included an attack on German federal police vehicles to protest against their involvement in immigration deportations and another in response to the G8 raids earlier this year. If found guilty, the four could face up to 10 years in prison. Another three men have been accused but not arrested.

Since May 2007, there have been several raids as a result of four preliminary investigations in Berlin, Hamburg, Strausberg and Bad Oldesloe, using Section 129a of the German Criminal Code, which prohibits "the founding of, membership in or support of a terrorist organisation" [background in de | special issue of the German Law Journal (pdf in en)]. Section 129a investigations are typically used by the federal police to gather information about activists and protesters, as well as to intimidate them. Only 2% of all Section 129a investigations have ever resulted in convictions.

A number of solidarity actions have already taken place, including a demo in Berlin last Wednesday (August 1st) and another at the prison where the four are held on Sunday (August 5th). A Germany-wide protest against police repression is planned for September 15th [call], while many solidarity protests and actions are expected throughout the world.

For more information, check this new solidarity blog [en] and Indymedia Germany.

RESE�A Y MATERIAL del II Encuentro entre los Pueblos Zapatistas y los Pueblos del Mundo

Tendr�an que haber muerto. En el futuro que les hab�a dise�ado el Banco Mundial, �se era su destino. Un porcentaje alt�simo debi� haber padecido diarrea, fiebres, tristeza cr�nica y todo tipo de enfermedades curables. Muchos debieron esfumarse en el olvido antes de cumplir cinco a�os. Muchas tendr�an que haber transpirado desnutrici�n por el resto de sus vidas. �se era su destino. Pero sus abuelos y sus abuelas, sus padres y sus madres, ten�an otros planes y el 1 de enero de 1994 los echaron a andar. leer m�s

Material multimedia de Oventic - Regeneraci�n Radio

Promotores y promotoras de comunicaci�n: Mesa de educaci�n | Inauguraci�n | Mesa 3 | Mesa de Mujeres | Llegada al caracol de Morelia

AUDIO: Representantes de Comunidades de Oventic - Julie Webb (grabaci�n) Warwick Fry (producci�n) | Mesa en CIDECI e inicio del Encuentro - Radio Insurgente | Entrevista con alumnos de la secundaria de Morelia - CML-DF | Reportaje sobre el Encuentro - Radio Zapatista

FOTOS: Oventic 1 | Oventic 2 | Oventic-Morelia-Realidad | Morelia | Morelia-Realidad | Realidad 1 | Realidad 2 | Realidad 3 | Realidad 4

Para m�s informaci�n visita CMI Chiapas