Monday, August 25, 2008

Send a Red Card to Mugabe

Dear friends,

This Saturday, thousands of trade unionists and citizen groups will
march on a Southern Africa leadership summit, waving red cards to
signal that Mugabe must go. Stand with the marchers and the people of
Zimbabwe -- send a red card now!

CLICK HERE TO SEND A RED CARD


Hopes are slipping away for a deal to resolve Zimbabwe's political
crisis. Yesterday, Robert Mugabe announced plans to ignore the ongoing
negotiations with the opposition MDC party, form a sham "Government of
National Unity" with a breakaway opposition faction, and open
parliament next week.

This weekend, when Southern Africa's 15 leaders, including Mugabe,
meet at a major summit in Johannesburg, they will look out upon a sea
of red. Thousands of Southern African trade unionists and other
citizens will march to the summit waving red cards -- the football
penalty symbol for expulsion -- and call for Mugabe to go. The
organisers have appealed to Avaaz for international support, and will
carry signs at the march representing the "red cards" sent by Avaaz
members.

The region's powerful trade unions have threatened that unless
Southern African leaders take action now, they will refuse to handle
goods coming to or from Zimbabwe and will squeeze Mugabe out. A
massive march this weekend backed by 100,000 supporters from around
the world will be a overwhelming signal to Southern African leaders
that they must act now before the crisis becomes even more desperate
-- to announce that the Mbeki-led negotiations have failed, and to
launch a new and fairer negotiating process immediately. Click below
to send a red card, and pass this message along to friends and family!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/red_card_for_mugabe

Four and a half months have passed since the people of Zimbabwe voted
for Morgan Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change on 29
March. Hyperinflation has exploded to an unimaginable 40,000,000%, and
millions now face starvation. The EU, US, and UK have pledged a $1.9bn
financial aid package to stabilise Zimbabwe's economy, feed the hungry
and combat hyperinflation -- but only if Mugabe is removed.

Meanwhile, distribution of food aid by local and international
humanitarian agencies has been prohibited by Mugabe's government.
Torture camps remain in operation, political violence continues in
some rural provinces, and 12 opposition MPs languish in jail on
trumped-up charges. The Mbeki-led talks are collapsing, as Mugabe and
his military high command insist on retaining control.

The people of Zimbabwe need strong allies willing to take bold action.
Already, more than 300,000 Avaaz members -- including tens of
thousands in Africa -- have signed petitions, donated funds, and
written to their leaders in global campaigns for democracy and
justice. After Avaaz flew a 280-square-metre banner over an
Mbeki-chaired United Nations meeting, South Africa finally called for
the release of elections results. In April, trade unions and civil
society groups including Avaaz led a successful campaign to block a
Chinese arms shipment to Zimbabwe. Now, as the crisis accelerates, our
voices matter more than ever -- we can send an electronic wave of red
cards to Johannesburg and bolster the efforts of on-the-ground
advocates pressing for change.

Join the global outcry now, and then pass this message along!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/red_card_for_mugabe

With hope,

Ben, Alice, Ricken, Brett, Paul, Iain, Pascal, Graziela, Veronique,
and Milena -- the Avaaz.org team

PS: For a report on Avaaz's campaigning so far, see:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/report_back_2

PSS: Here are links to sources for this alert:

Mugabe rival 'barred from travel' - BBC News, 14 August 2008:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7560954.stm

"Zimbabwe: Mugabe set to keep power amid rumours of breakaway deal" -
The Guardian, 14 August 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/14/zimbabwe

Information on the march - COSATU / SW Radio Africa
http://swradioafrica.com/pages/marchagainst130808.htm

"South Africa: Unions Bid to Halt Zimbabwe Arms Ship" - Business Day
(Johannesburg), 22 April 2008
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804220109.html

"No arms for Zimbabwe" - Avaaz campaign
http://www.avaaz.org/en/no_arms_for_zimbabwe

--------


ABOUT AVAAZ
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning
organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the
world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in
many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or
corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in London, Rio de
Janeiro, New York, Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.

Click here to learn more about our largest campaigns.

Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Myspace and Bebo pages!


You are getting this message because you signed "Rome Summit: Stop the
Food Crisis" on 2008-05-01 using the email address mgriks@gmail.com.
To ensure that Avaaz messages reach your inbox, please add
avaaz@avaaz.org to your address book. To change your email address,
language settings, or other personal information,
https://secure.avaaz.org/act/index.php?r=profile&user=5f226e589bd5e2eadecb43b31cf9c213&lang=en,
or simply go here to unsubscribe.

To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to
info@avaaz.org. You can also send postal mail to our New York office:
857 Broadway, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10003 U.S.A.

If you have technical problems, please go to http://www.avaaz.org.

Free Tibet TV

FT08.TV promo video by Jim Alario (2:30)

Live video from Beijing.

http://freetibetmantra.blogspot.com/2008/08/free-tibet-protest-in-beijing-today.html

Live video from Beijing.

Happy end of ecotopian story !!!

Bericht van deelnemer aan Ecotopia Biketour (de jaarlijkse internationale fietstocht naar het Ecotopia-kamp):

dear people

dont worry about us, everyone are fine. in fact, some of BT [Bike Tour] and ecotopia people are leaving istanbul tonight..

you probably know that after symbolic protest and arresting on wednesday
there were another massive action and arresting again on saturday. 33 of
ecotopia and BT people were captured, and total of 50 or so ecotopiand
were keept under custody for until 2 AM inside one street in sinop. i have
never experienced anything similar..
but this couple of arrestings we experienced payed in incredible and
unexpected way. we turned turkey upside down overnite.
we are on tv, in all newspapers, including covers and full page interviews
with us.. primeminister and president responded to actions and we send
them replies via newspapers. :)))) we did what turkish people were not
allowed to do.. it is amazing.. we are heroes of the day..
i think this is the greatest impact of ecotopia ever, (...)
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWW!!!

i guess we send some links soon!

TOMORROW: 10.30 press conference at place or greenpeace in istanbul
downtown (istikal caddesi, kallavi sokak nr.1)

Fwd: [Network] 30 arrested at Ecotopia action Turkey


Turkish police arrests 30 activists for peaceful anti-nuclear protest


*Sinop (Turkey), 23rd of August 2008*. *This afternoon, Turkish police
arrested 30 international and local Turkish activists who took part in a
peaceful "die-in" action in front of the house of the governor of Sinop.
The police arrested also people that were just observing or standing
nearby.
*

**
*

The protests are directed against the plans to build a Nuclear Technology
Centre in the Sinop region. Participants are members of environmentalist
movements worldwide. They want to draw attention to the fact that nuclear
energy is dangerous, polluting and expensive. Instead of investing in
nuclear technology, Turkey should use its great potential for solar and
wind power, as well as increasing energy efficiency.

"The Turkish state seems very afraid of people learning how dangerous
nuclear power is. That is why authorities do not tolerate any protest,
especially when foreigeners are involved. We are seriously concerned about
the denial of freedom of speech in Turkey. ", says Niklas Hartmann from
Germany.

For more information, please contact 0090 5384943498.

For general information on EYFA, please visit

http://eyfa.org

Find below the press release send earlier today:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Press release of the 20^th Ecotopia gathering and European Youth for
Action (EYFA)


Police threatens Ecotopia camp in Turkey with eviction


/Sinop (Turkey), 23^rd of August 2008. *In the moment, the participants of
the 20th Ecotopia international environmentalist gathering at Sarikum
nature reserve, Sinop, on the Turkish Black Sea coast, are awaiting and
preparing for forceful eviction of their camp site by the Jandarma
(Turkish Police), which are already present with undercover agents and
several cars. The 70 participants from over 30 countries will peacefully
resist this unjustified raid. The offical reason for the announced
eviction was the announcement of the intention to take part in the weekly
permitted press conference of the local anti-nuclear initiative SI.NYAD
(Sinop Nükleersiz Kent ve Yas,am Derneg(i).*/

Approximately 10 armed officers, ordered by the governor of Sinop, had
already raided the camp on Friday to threaten forceful eviction if the
site was not emptied within 3 hours. Later, this deadline was postponed to
the next morning. Two days before, six participants of the camp
together with local activists were arrested during an action in front of
the office of the Turkish Nuclear Energy Agency (TAEK) in Sinop. After
only ten minutes of spreading flyers and holding a banner, they were
physically aggressed by undercover police without any prior warning.
They were held in a police station for several hours and fined for not
obeying police orders. Police have also shown supression towards locals of
Gerze town who approached the Ecotopia gathering to request solidarity
against the Thermal Coal Plant planned for construction in their town.

"We are shocked by the behaviour of the police and local authorities who
did not allow any peaceful protest to happen. They have also been
constantly threatening participants of the camp and denying them, as well
as locals, the right to publically express their opinion. Now they have
cancelled the camp with the order of governer just because we announced
that we would like to take part in an officially permitted anti-nuclear
protest. This is not what we consider to be freedom of speech! ", says
Lenka Kukurova, representative of European Youth for Action (EYFA), the
network that supports the Ecotopia gatherings.

The protests are directed against the plans to build a Nuclear Technology
Centre in the Sinop region. The 20^th international Ecotopia gathering is
taking place in Turkey this year, to support local movements to keep
Turkey free of nuclear power. Participants of the camp are members of
environmentalist movements worldwide. They want to draw attention to the
fact that nuclear energy is dangerous, polluting and expensive. Instead of
investing in nuclear technology, Turkey should use its great potential for
solar and wind power, as well as increasing energy efficiency.


For more information, please contact the Ecotopia spokesperson, Niklas
Hartmann, on

0090 5384943498 or by e-mail at ecotopia@eyfa.org


For general information on EYFA and the Ecotopia gathering, please visit

http://eyfa.org
http://ecotopiagathering.org/

_______________________________________________
Network mailing list
Network@lists.eyfa.org
https://lists.eyfa.org/mailman/listinfo/network

Urgent call for solidarity for Ecotopia gathering Turkey

Urgent call for solidarity,

Shocking repression in Turkey!

Greens, environmentalists, peace and nature supporters, and NGO's from
all over the World gathered on the 9th of August to join the 20th
international Ecotopia gathering being held at Sarikum nature reserve in
Sinop, Turkey. Ecotopia gatherings promote sustainable ways of living,
harmony with nature, and dıscuss social justice issues. This year,
Ecotopia has supported local anti-nuclear groups, raised consciousness
of nuclear issues and promoted alternative energy sources. However, for
the last week, local police have been exerting supression on the camp by
making regular visits, and following and intimidating participants
outside of the camp.

On Wednesday 20th August, 6 internationals and 5 Turkish people were
placed under custody while staging a peaceful vigil outside the Atomic
Energy Agency (TAEK) in Sinop. Police have also shown supression
towards locals of Gerze town who approached the Ecotopia camp to request
solidarity against the Thermal Coal Plant planned for construction in
their town. Today, the 22nd August, approximately 10 armed officers,
ordered by the governor of Sinop, raided the Ecotopia camp to threaten
forceful eviction if the sıte was not emptied within 3 hours. In
summary, 2 days before our legal permit for he site ends, it has been
forcefully demanded that we shut down activities immediately.


In Turkey, where democracy is regressing, the authorities do not
tolerate the advocacy of their people to lıve a safe, sustainable and
healthy life. In addition, authorities in the Turkish state and Sinop
(where it it planned to build one nuclear technology centre and 3
Thermal Coal plants) are dısturbed by the increasing local attention on
these projects, and are reluctant to allow people's awareness and
knowledge to grow independently. As participants representing more than
30 countries, we are asking for your solidarity, and request you to send
the following text to the Turkish authorities using the contact
information given below.

*For a nuclear-free world and a more democratic Turkey, let's block the
phones and faxes of the Turkish authorities! *

**


Ecotopia 2008 participants

EYFA (European Youth For Action)

SINYAD (Sinop Nükleersiz Kent ve Yaşam Derneği)


**

To whom it may concern,

We have been informed that the Ecotopia meeting being held at Sarikum
nature reserve in Sinop, which was announced and received approval of
its permit many months ago, is now undergoing a period of intense police
suppression. This event ıs legitimate and legal, and we are demanding
that the pressure is released. We will keep ourselves informed on how
this situation develops and will follow up on this request if necessary.

Name/organization:

Country:

Signature:


CONTACTS:


*Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Sinop Valiliği ( Governership of Sinop)*

Tel : 0(368) 261 15 00 -

Faks: 0368 261 15 02 - 261 55 05 -

e-posta: *valilik@sinop.gov.tr* <mailto:valilik@sinop.gov.tr>

*Türkiye Cumhuriyeti **İçişleri Bakanlığı (Ministry of Internal Affairs) *

Telefon: +90 (312 )425 72 14

Faks: + 90 (312) 418 12 60

E-posta: *basin@icisleri.gov.tr* <mailto:basin@icisleri.gov.tr>

*Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Dışişleri Bakanlığı (M. of External Affairs)
*Telefon: (0312) 292 10 00

*Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Adalet Bakanlığı (M. of Justice)*
Telefon: 0312 417 77 70

Fax: 0312 419 33 70

*Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Çevre ve Orman Bakanlığı (M. of Nature and Forest)*
Telefon: (0312) 207 50 00

*Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Enerji ve Tabi Kaynaklar Bakanlığı (M. of Energy
and Natural Resources)*
Telefon: (312) 212 64 20
Fax: (312) 223 40 84

** <mailto:valilik@sinop.gov.tr>


_______________________________________________
Network mailing list
Network@lists.eyfa.org
https://lists.eyfa.org/mailman/listinfo/network

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Police threatens Ecotopia camp in Turkey with eviction

Press release of the 20^th Ecotopia gathering and European Youth for
Action (EYFA)

Police threatens Ecotopia camp in Turkey with eviction

/Sinop (Turkey), 23^rd of August 2008. *In** the moment, the
participants of the 20th Ecotopia international environmentalist
gathering at Sarikum nature reserve, Sinop, on the Turkish Black Sea
coast, are awaiting and preparing for forceful eviction of their camp
site by the Jandarma (Turkish Police), which are already present with
undercover agents and several cars. The 70 participants from over 30
countries will peacefully resist this unjustified raid. The offical
reason for the announced eviction was the announcement of the intention
to take part in the weekly permitted press conference of the local
anti-nuclear initiative SİNYAD (Sinop Nükleersiz Kent ve Yaşam Derneği).*/

Approximately 10 armed officers, ordered by the governor of Sinop, had
already raided the camp on Friday to threaten forceful eviction if the
site was not emptied within 3 hours. Later, this deadline was postponed
to the next morning. Two days before, six participants of the camp
together with local activists were arrested during an action in front of
the office of the Turkish Nuclear Energy Agency (TAEK) in Sinop. After
only ten minutes of spreading flyers and holding a banner, they were
physically aggressed by undercover police without any prior warning.
They were held in a police station for several hours and fined for not
obeying police orders. Police have also shown supression towards locals
of Gerze town who approached the Ecotopia gathering to request
solidarity against the Thermal Coal Plant planned for construction in
their town.

"We are shocked by the behaviour of the police and local authorities who
did not allow any peaceful protest to happen. They have also been
constantly threatening participants of the camp and denying them, as
well as locals, the right to publically express their opinion. Now they
have cancelled the camp with the order of governer just because we
announced that we would like to take part in an officially permitted
anti-nuclear protest. This is not what we consider to be freedom of
speech! ", says Lenka Kukurova, representative of European Youth for
Action (EYFA), the network that supports the Ecotopia gatherings.

The protests are directed against the plans to build a Nuclear
Technology Centre in the Sinop region. The 20^th international Ecotopia
gathering is taking place in Turkey this year, to support local
movements to keep Turkey free of nuclear power. Participants of the camp
are members of environmentalist movements worldwide. They want to draw
attention to the fact that nuclear energy is dangerous, polluting and
expensive. Instead of investing in nuclear technology, Turkey should use
its great potential for solar and wind power, as well as increasing
energy efficiency.

For more information, please contact the Ecotopia spokesperson, Niklas
Hartmann, on

0090 5384943498 or by e-mail at ecotopia@eyfa.org


For general information on EYFA and the Ecotopia gathering, please visit

http://eyfa.org
http://ecotopiagathering.org/