From War on Want:

Sweatshop conditions. 80-hour working weeks. 7p an hour wages. No trade union representation. We wouldn’t accept this situation in the UK, so why should they?

For years British supermarkets have used their buying power to squeeze suppliers and drive down pay and working conditions in factories abroad.

This short film showing what it means to work in overseas industries supplying supermarkets. The people who make the clothes and grow the food sold in UK supermarkets are often poorly paid, overworked and face unsafe conditions. Trade unions are often illegal or their members suffer intimidation, making it difficult for workers to protect themselves from abuse.

Find out more about War on Want’s campaign here

Official launch of the Climate9 public campaign – defending grassroots climate action in the face of political failure. Speakers include top human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce, Civil Rights and Anti Racist Activist Suresh Grover with more to be announced.

Climate9 ‘Climate Defence Is Not An Offence’ Poster To avoid disappointment RSVP ASAP to info@climate9.com

The "Climate 9"

Thursday June 3rd, 6.30-8.30pm The Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS University, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG.

The evening will feature top civil rights and climate justice advocates and lawyers, speakers from the Climate9 Defence Committee, details of the case from the lawyers, discussion on direct action and using the courts to call for real justice and a chance to meet the activists

http://www.climate9.com

Speakers Include (So far):

Gareth Peirce: Leading Human Rights Lawyer and Civil Rights Champion currently protecting the young Manchester men from torture abroad. In a career of more than 30 years, she has appeared for, among others, the Guildford Four, the Birmingham Six and the families of the victims of the Marchioness river boat disaster.

Suresh Grover: Leading Civil Rights and Anti – Racist Activist and founding member of The Monitoring Group: leading exponent of family led empowerment and justice campaigns in the UK. Over the past 25 years TMG have many led campaigns to help families including those of Blair Peach, Kuldip Singh Sekon, Ricky Reel, Micheal Menson, Stephen Lawrence, Zahid Mubarek and Victoria Climbie.

Matthew Todd: Editor of Attitude, Britain’s best selling gay magazine, and advocate for diverse action on runaway climate change.

John Stewart: The Independent’s ‘Britain’s leading environmentalist’ and spokesman for campaign group AirportWatch

Liz Hosken: Advocate for social and ecological justice, Liz co-founded and is Director of the Gaia Foundation, working with a global network of pioneers and visionaries.

Jenny Griffiths: “Climate Defence to Protect the Public Health” from the Climate and Health Council.

Dr. Geoff Meaden: Principal Geography professor and key witness at the well-renowned ‘Kingsnorth6’ climate trial.

The Climate9 Defendants: Josie Hanson, Jimmy Kerr, Bill Boggia, Dan Glass, Tilly Gifford, Mila Karwowska, Jonny Agnew, Mark Andrews, Kate Mackay

The Climate9 Family Spokesperson and defendants

Other speakers include: spokesperson for ‘Nottingham 114’: The UK’s first pre-emptive arrest charge on people before any laws are broken to protect the planet.

About the Climate9

The Climate9 Defence Committee are a wide group of organisations and individuals who support the actions of anti-aviation campaigners who took direct actionagainst airport expansion in Aberdeen in March 2009. These 9 activists now face a court case which could get them years in prison. We believe that the Climate9should be rewarded for their actions and not punished. If you agree that climate change is an urgent threat which is already costing lives and destroying ecosystems that support us, and that those in power need a radical wake-up call, please join us to stand up for those who are doing just that. We need as many statements of support as possible. Write one for yourself or your organisation now.

Solidarity with the Climate9

“In an age when political parties have almost identical domestic and foreign policies beholden to a rapacious ‘market’, direct action is the one principled course left to democrats. History celebrates many activists like the Climate9, who deserve all our support.” John Pilger

“One of the big issues of the 21st century is undoubtedly that of climate change. Not only its implications for human existence but also for global justice. I support the work of those engaged in bringing light to shine on this matter of paramount importance for our future. I offer my solidarity to the Climate 9 defence committee in their struggle for justice”. Linton Kwesi Johnson

“Civilisation has never progressed by squatting in its comfort zone. The great human breakthroughs have always been led by small clusters of brave individuals taking costly stands. History will be the ultimate court of opinion that will judge the climate protestors. In so doing, may its hand not be forced to judge our wider British society too harshly.” Professor Alastair McIntosh, Centre for Human Ecology.

“Whatever the price we have to pay for speaking the truth, the Climate9 are publicly prepared to do so, to try and bring justice for those detrimentally affected by climate change. This is supposed to be a democratic country and we can participate in political activity. The Climate9 will not uphold increasing state and police repression and camouflage the war that is climate injustice. All over the world people demanding climate justice have complained to the magistrates about magistrates, complained to the judges about judges and complained to the politicians about politicians. It’s time we did something for ourselves. Whatever happens to us, the Climate9 trial is an opportunity to spread the need for urgent action and to challenge the authorities with pride and confidence.” Dan Glass, Climate9 defendant

“The action taken by this group of individuals against airport expansion in Scotland reminds us how far from grasping some of the concerns that citizens share over the environmental and social impacts of such developments both here and abroad.” Maria Adebowale, Director of Capacity Global

Climate9 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Climate9/116442351708463?ref=ts

If you would like a stall please contact info@climate9.com Tel 075351 47478

Partner Organisations:

AirportWatch Scotland is a not-for-profit umbrella movement bringing together national environmental organisations, local communities, and individual environmentalists. We aim to campaign against airport expansion, particularly on the grounds of climate change and noise.

Plane Stupid is a network of grassroots groups that take non violent direct action against aviation expansion.

Climate Camp is a collective organising the camps for climate action, an international grassroots movement of action on climate change.

So We Stand is an emerging grassroots movement of people who consciously work for empowering social change to develop multiracial politics and self defence strategies for environmental and climate justice.

Gaia Foundation is celebrating 25 years of working with individuals organisations and networks, in Africa, South America, Asia and Europe, to regenerate healthy ecosystems, enhance traditional knowledge and practices for land, seed, food and water sovereignty, and to strengthen community self-governance. This enables communities to become more resilient to climate change and related challenges.

Platform London. PLATFORM’s work it is driven by a commitment to social and ecological justice, and is carried out in an interdisciplinary manner, combining the skills of research and analysis, creative writing and performance, listening and dialogue.

The Monitoring Group is working towards the eradication of racism, bigotry and religious hatred and their adverse impact on victims and their communities. We are committed to a pluralistic society where human rights are intrinsic and paramount and where cultural social and political diversity is valued.

Capacity Global believes that everyone has the right to live in a clean and healthy environment. Any action, item or process infringing on this right can be described as environmental injustice. We work specifically with people and communities in urban areas, who suffer most from environmental injustice, to ensure their voices get heard and fight environmental injustice to create opportunities for environmental justice.

Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga before a hearing in January (Photo: Reuters/Eldson Chagara)

Towards the end of 2009, Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga decided to openly consecrate their love for one another and make history, by becoming the first Malawian gay married couple. Two days later, they were arrested and charged with “unnatural practices between males”, they were also forced to go through a humiliating and intrusive medical examination to gather ‘evidence’ for trial.

Earlier this week, sixty-five British MPs have signed a House of Commons Early Day Motion (EDM 564), which condemns Malawi’s arrest and trial of Monjeza, 20 and Chimbalanga, 26. The two men love each other and have harmed no one. But they could be jailed for up to 14 years. According to an interview in the Times Mr Monjeza, who claimed to be beaten in jail and appeared to be disorientated — said: “I love my husband and laws should not prohibit love.”

The verdict in their trial is expected tomorrow, Monday, 22 March.

Amnesty International has adopted Steven and Tiwonge as Prisoners of Conscience:
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions_details.asp?ActionID=682

The EDM, tabled by Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming, urges the release of the two men, the dropping of all charges and the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Malawi.

See background to the Malawi arrests and trial

“Many letters of protest have been sent to the Malawian High Commissioner in London, Dr. Francis Moto, urging that Tiwonge and Steven be released and all charges dropped, on the grounds that they have harmed no one,” said Peter Tatchell of the London-based gay human rights group OutRage!

“The men’s prosecution and the ban on homosexuality violate the equality and non-discrimination provisions of the Constitution of Malawi (Article 20) and of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Articles 2, 3 and 4), which Malawi has signed and pledged to uphold.”

Mr Tatchell has been working with Malawian friends to support the men on trial and to oppose their prosecution. He helped organise the EDM in the British Parliament.

In the 1970s and 80s, Mr Tatchell campaigned for the release of political prisoners in Malawi during the dictatorship of Dr Hastings Banda and for improved wages and conditions for Malawian workers on British-owned farms and estates in the Mulanje region.

“The EDM has been communicated to the Malawian High Commissioner in London. It will hopefully add to pressure for the acquittal of Steven and Tiwonge and for the eventual decriminalisation of homosexuality by the Government of Malawi,” Mr Tatchell added.

“We hope this parliamentary motion will send a strong signal from the House of Commons to the Malawian government that the criminalisation of consenting same-sex relations is a violation of human rights. Malawi’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens have a right to privacy, equality, respect and dignity, under the country’s constitution and under international humanitarian law.

“Malawi is a sovereign nation and we respect its independence. But we hope that its government will recognise that this trial and the criminalisation of homosexuality are contrary to the human rights principles that Malawi has embraced since its transition from dictatorship to democracy.

“We appeal to the kindness and generosity of the Malawian people and government: please show mercy to Steven and Tiwonge and do not persecute your fellow Malawian citizens who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

“OutRage! supports the many Malawian people who oppose homophobia and the prosecution of these two men. It is encouraging to hear some people in Malawi say: live and let live.”

Peter Tatchell

Credit is due to Peter Tatchell who is a tireless campaigner for not only gay rights but also human rights and global justice. Homophobia is an injustice which is being deepened on the African continent with particularly odious laws being proposed in the Ugandan Parliament. TMPOnline will focus more on these struggles for liberation in Africa and the world in the coming months.

***************************** UPDATE *****************************

OutRage!, Black Gay Men’s Advisory Group, Red Room, Rukus Foundation, Gay Activists Alliance International and an informal coalition of black and African LGBT activists in London have called a demonstration to coincide with the verdict of this trial tomorrow:

Monday 22 March from 12.30pm to 2pm at Commonwealth Secretariat’s head office, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HX.

Click here for more details.

Hat/tip: Dean Atta

From Liberal Conspiracy

Campaigning group Power2010 has announced plans to target those MPs who have consistently opposed cleaning up and reforming our political system.

In their bid to rid Parliament of anti-reform MPs, the grassroots campaign is drawing up a list of culprits from all major parties wanted for “crimes against democracy” and from today is asking members of the public to nominate MPs at
www.power2010.org.uk/wanted.

Power2010 will then launch major campaigns in selected constituencies, highlighting sitting MPs’ poor records on democratic reform and civil liberties.

Ex-minister Tony McNulty is first in their sights. The former minister, who resigned in disgrace last year following allegations over his expenses, is a well-known champion of the government’s unpopular ID card scheme and an opponent of a transparent Parliament.

Power2010 volunteers and activists are planning to descend on Harrow East, beginning next week, plastering “Wanted for crimes against democracy” posters across town, whilst thousands of “swing” voters in the constituency will receive targeted campaign literature highlighting his opposition to a cleaned up reformed politics.

In the coming weeks the campaign will be targeting other MPs from all parties.

This is a guest post by James Holland, a climate camp and a local community activist.
Please add your thoughts below and join the debate.

People who want to make the world a better place usually start with the big things – war, poverty, climate change etc and they usually look to make changes on a national and global level, because surely you can have more impact more quickly that way?

But I want to convince you that in fact you change more by working on apparently very small and local issues. ‘Politics’ as it is, is simply too remote and too conservative, you could spend your whole life lobbying governments and international organisations and get absolutely nowhere, but a few days working to help local people stop their school being closed or even just making sure that someone unfairly denied benefits gets what they’re entitled to could have a much greater effect. This is because in addition to directly helping those specific people the more we give people hope that sticking together and solving our own problems actually works, the more people will have the confidence to try it. In short working on small local stuff is a virtuous cycle of empowerment and small victories, whereas the opposite is true of ‘politics’ where even success can mean that people as a whole feel less able to do things for themselves.

And of course it’s not only for strategic reasons that working locally is better – we directly benefit from the improvements we work for and perhaps most importantly we start to feel like part of a community, something I believe we all want to some extent. But surely this approach can’t work for the biggest and most urgent problem we face – climate change? Well yes, and in fact I believe that it might be our only realistic chance. Copenhagen showed us that Governments are unable to make a sufficiently ambitious deal, and I doubt whether they could enact one even if they did. The only way for rich countries to start to reduce emissions on the trajectory required is for individuals and communities to just do it themselves. In fact it looks really simple if you look at it from this point of view – you have probably reduced your own impact drastically in the last few years, partly because other people you knew were doing it and it seemed like the right thing to do, so why can’t everyone else do the same?

This is already beginning to happen in the shape of the Transition Towns’ movement. OK, so these groups are still largely middle class usual suspects who are mostly focussed on ‘the environment’ as a single issue, but if TTs themselves or other related groups start to form that add the goal of tackling immediate, everyday problems that ordinary people face and build a really feeling of the community taking responsibility for itself then social norms have a strange way of gathering weight and then going over a tipping point. I’m not claiming it’s guaranteed to work, relying on inter governmental process for so long has meant that we have very little time but even if we fail then we still have built resilient, self reliant and healthy communities, and surely that’s better than what your left with after another failed international conference or lobbying of governments?