An examination of the effects of power and hierarchy on individuals, society and the world at large. It highlights the potential of online video for activists on a low budget.

Downloadable version of a Climate Camp film about Fences and how to get round, through, over or under them. Liberated from YouTube, hence quite low quality.

A lively street party celebrating the community, culture and heritage of the Canongate is to be held in Edinburghs Old Town at the end of the month, as part of this years Old Town Festival.

The street party is organised by Canongate Community Forum, of the Save Our Old Town campaign, who have been fighting against the corporate gentrification of the Canongate for nearly four years.

The Save Our Old Town street party organised in 2006 attracted hundreds of people. There were many stalls, from community groups, artists and craft-workers. The event featured performances from drummers, fire jugglers, huge puppets, folk musicians and a belly dancer. For the kids, there was even a bouncy castle.

If you wish to play music, put on entertainment, or to have a stall for your community group, charity or for yourself to sell bric a brac or crafts, contact SOOT. Volunteers to helping set up, steward, and take down are also needed; as are people available to help flyer to publicise the event.

Summer is coming and, besides the nice sunny days and good weather, this year threatens us with the occupation of the capital city of the Spanish State by a gloomy lobby.

rally for sheridan

After his 29 March election defeat and recount, Robert Mugabe has unleashed terror and violence on supporters of the opposition party, the MDC.

Hundreds of incidents of rape ,torture, murder, kidnap and arson have been reported to human rights groups and to the MDC, Movement for Democratic Change,and teachers who were presiding officers were abducted in the middle of the night. Some MDC supporters have been buried alive for days in the bush pits with self-styled war veterans demanding information on the opposition. One MDC polling agent was abducted in Uzumba and taken to a youth militia camp. He had bicycle spokes poked through his genitals and forced to drink poison.

Zimbabweans who have fled into South Africa have been met with severe violence from the resident population, and as of Monday, 19 May, 12 have been killed and thousands of refugees injured, raped and left without a safe place to sleep at night.

Those wishing to support free and fair elections in Zimbabwe are urged to come out and lend their support to the Zimbabwe Vigil. Vigils will take place each fornight until free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. So far the government in Holyrood has not made a statement. Be heard !

Next Vigil will be held in Glasgow:

 * Saturday, 24th May 2008, 2 – 6 pm. 

Venue: Argyle Street Precinct.

For more information contact: Ancilla Chifamba, 07770 291 150, Patrick Dzimba, 07990 724 137 and Jonathan Chireka, 07504 724 471.
 

Media can be found here:  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/sets/72157604332044538/

International call for actions on the 31th of May and the 1rst of June against borders, States, closed centers, prisons and their guards.

The free movement of persons doesn't form an exception to a world in which everything is subjected to control.

To the numerous laws that subject us, the States have added the migration policy. This allows them, amongst others, to know who's where and when, but also to decide where we can and cannot go. Moreover these laws serve political and economical interests and give shape to the identity of the "foreigner".

The apparatus "Europe" is being added to the weaponry of the States to justify their repressive campaigns, while they wash their hands in innocense ("it's not us, it's Europe!").

It's the migrationpolicy of this "Europe" that tends to "zero immigration" since the Seventies. But the migration was, of course never completely stopped: it has always existed and will always exist. First of all because Power doesn't control everything (yet), but also because capitalism has interests in illegal migration. The invention of the category "without papers" is not an accidental consequence, but the clear result of a political will. Confronted with this reality the leaders of today all pass on to a "more realistic" policy; one of economical migration.

On the 20th of May a new guideline will be voted by the European Parliament, in order to harmonise the migrationpolicies of the European countries. The most remarkable new measures are (amongst others): the maximum detention-time in a closed center will be 18 months; the banishment for five years of all deported people from the Schengen-countries...

This new guideline doesn't surprise us. It's not a consequence of a democratic failure, but an integral part of its functioning. A system (be it representative or not) that is based on borders cannot exist without camps, nor without a judicial apparatus.