[alternet-l] THE ALTERNET NEWS - ISSUE # 107

[Joanne Doyle]

THE ALTERNET NEWS - ISSUE # 107

This issue:

HOT SITES/
COFFEE TRADE/
TRIBAL KILLINGS/
IP RIGHTS/
WOODLAND PROTECTION/
INTERNET CENSORSHIP/
ETHICAL CONSUMERISM/
GM LIABILITY RULES/
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY/
WORLD BANK & CSO's/
CREDIT & CORRUPTION/
NOBEL PRIZES/
JOBS/
QUOTE/UNQUOTE/
DIARY/

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Back issues are on-line at:
--> www.gn.apc.org/news/alternet/index.html

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HOT SITES

A new web-based Strategic Environmental Assessment Information Service has 
been launched, supported by TRL's Centre for Sustainability (C4S):

--> www.sea-info.net

The Union of Ecoforestry in Finland Global Ban on GM-trees campaign site. 
The idea is to get people to sign a petition to present at the UN forum on 
forests:

--> http://elonmerkki.net/forestforum

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COFFEE TRADE

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have produced a report 
looking at systems of production in the coffee and cocoa industry.

The paper shows that:
'the biodiversity effects of changing prices are highly site-specific, but 
it is clear that the market is not delivering environmentally or socially 
sound outcomes.'

The paper further outlines how environmental and social sustainability can 
be enhanced.

Access the paper online at:
--> www.rspb.org.uk/Images/Sweet%20Like%20Chocolate%205%20dec_tcm5-48253.pdf

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TRIBAL KILLINGS

Survival International report on the latest killings of tribal people in 
the Chittagong Hills of Bangladesh:

'A tribal family from the Chittagong Hills of Bangladesh has been killed by 
armed settlers. Five months earlier another attack left two tribal people 
killed, nine women raped and 400 homes destroyed. The latest attack on 
Prasam Kumar Tripura, his wife and children (the youngest aged five) comes 
seven years after a peace agreement was supposed to end assaults by Bengali 
settlers on the tribal people who live in the Chittagong Hills.'

More about the Jumma tribal people here:

--> www.survival-international.org/jumma.htm

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

An Electronic Frontier Foundation Action Alert:

'Tell MEPs to Reserve Tough New IP Enforcement Tools for Real Criminals.

The European Parliament is poised to adopt a controversial directive on 
Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement that would give rights-holders 
incredibly powerful tools in the fight against intellectual property 
infringers.  While this might sound like a good idea at first, a closer 
look reveals that the directive doesn't distinguish between unintentional, 
non-commercial infringers and for-profit, criminal counterfeiting 
organizations.  If this directive is adopted, a person who unwittingly 
infringes copyright - even if it has no effect on the market - could 
potentially have her assets seized, bank accounts frozen and home invaded.

Write to your member of the European Parliament (MEPs) to urge them to 
limit these harsh enforcement measures to cases in which infringement is 
undertaken intentionally and for commercial purposes.'

Visit their Action centre for details:
--> http://action.eff.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=2873

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WOODLAND PROTECTION

Appeal to stop the destruction of Ancient Woodland, South Wales, UK:

Two activists stopped work on the first day and they have managed to stop 
work every day since with the help of a few more activists and local 
residents. However, they are still outnumbered by contractors and security 
staff.

People are needed for day actions, or to stay longer if possible. One 
volunteer's appeal:

'THIS SITE/ACTION IS INSPIRING AND DESERVES MORE SUPPORT FROM SORTED 
CAMPAIGNERS AND FIRST-TIMERS ALIKE. NOTHING LIKE STOPPING A CHAINSAW TO 
EMPOWER YOU. GET DOWN THERE AND THIS ROAD WILL BE SERIOUSLY BOGGED AND 
TREES SAVED. EVEN THOSE ON EVICTION ALERT SHOULD CONSIDER GETTING DOWN 
THERE. THIS MEANS YOU!!!'

Help is needed not only on site, but to spread the word as far as possible.

Full details, maps, photos of this protest are on Indymedia UK
--> www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285008.html

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INTERNET CENSORSHIP

Reporters Without Borders report on Internet Censorship in Iran:

'Iranian authorities have followed official harassment of pro-reformist 
newspapers with an attack against online news publications, which protested 
at the latest development.

Judge Said Mortazavi announced on 23 February that he would shortly shut 
down the pro-reformist web site:
--> www.emrooz.ws

Calling for the site to be made available again in Iran, the international 
press freedom organisation said, "The Internet is now regularly used by 
Iranians to access independent news, despite controls put in place by the 
authorities.

Other (independent) sites have been blacklisted and personal (web)blogs are 
also subjected to censorship.'

Read more here:
--> www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9373

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ETHICAL CONSUMERISM

What is ethical consumerism? The New Economics Foundation & The Cooperative 
Bank have just published the Ethical Consumerism report 2002. The report 
reviews ethical consumerism in the UK in 2003 and argues that ethics does 
come into play for the 'majority' when making their purchasing choices. 
Unfortunately, the report gives little insight into the fuller picture of 
an individuals spending pattern and we are left wondering what impact 
increases in so-called ethical shopping really make...

Yet it seems, ethical consumerism is generally on the up - report findings 
include:

* the total value of ethical consumption in the UK
   was £19.9 billion in 2002
* as part of this total, the Ethical Purchasing Index (EPI)
   recorded sales at £6.9 billion, representing a 13% increase on 2001
* there are some ethical products that are now the product of consumer choice

  Interesting  counter statistics:
* the total market share for ethical goods and services is less than 2 per cent
* for mass market adoption, supply side influences or government 
intervention may be required

(adapted from the report)

Available online at:
--> www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/tkuggjui2ngnmpvjyyi5hqrw08012004145902.pdf

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GM LIABILITY RULES

A new report on a decade of GM crop growing shows 'a decade of failure and 
urgent need for liability' say Friends of the Earth Scotland (FoE). They go 
on to say:

'According to the report, ten years after the first GM
crop appeared on market shelves, biotech corporations are still failing to
deliver their on their promises of GM crops with clear benefits for
consumers or farmers.

The 51-page report "Genetically Modified crops: a decade of
failure [1994-2004]" shows that GM crops are causing problems
especially to farmers and to the environment'

Download the report here:
--> www.foei.org/media/gmdecade

Meanwhile, in the UK, Friends of the Earth reveal that 'the Government is 
to push ahead with the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops in 
Britain despite public opposition and scientific uncertainty.'

Friends of the Earth Scotland Chief Executive Duncan McLaren said:

'Scotland ­ and the UK - deserves a genuinely precautionary approach to this
risky and unproven technology. If the Executive is determined to override
public opinion, then it must at least wait until legal protections are in
place to ensure liability for damage to health and the environment.'

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CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Despite support from over a hundred organisations and hundreds of 
individual supporters, the CORE Bill was 'talked out' by government. The 
debate however, will form the main focus of CORE's future campaigning - 
CORE report:

'It's important to remember that this campaign has been running for over 
two years and is going full steam ahead, despite the Government's decision 
to talk out the Bill.  Over the next few weeks CORE will be putting 
together a number of actions to maintain pressure on the Government.  It is 
crucial we maintain the amount of support we have both inside and outside 
Parliament.

To help with this please do the one or all of the following actions:

- Write to your MP and ask them to support EDM 576
- Ask your MP to write the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
Patricia Hewitt MP asking her when the Government intends to publish it's 
Operating and Financial Review proposals.
- Write to CORE telling us any examples of corporate irresponsibility in 
your area. This will help us to demonstrate to politicians why new, stonger 
laws are needed.
- Get your friends and family to sign up as supporters of our campaign, by 
emailing:
--> triciap at foe.co.uk

All on their website, including background information, at:
--> www.corporate-responsibility.org

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WORLD BANK & CSO's

The Bretton Woods Project has produced a report entitled:
Inside the institutions: The World Bank and civil society

The report looks at the 'chequered history' of the relationship:

'The Bank divides its history of civil society engagement into three 
phases. During the 1980s, it "opened its doors to CSOs", establishing the 
first operational directive on working with NGOs in 1981, and the Bank-NGO 
Committee in 1982.'

...and why the Bank engages with CSOs:
'Unofficially, the Bank has no choice but to seek endorsement from 
increasingly powerful civil society actors to boost the legitimacy of its 
lending activities. From within the Bank however, there continues to be 
resistance to cementing this tenuous relationship; some staff question both 
the legitimacy of CSOs and the costs of engagement. Such attitudes are 
reinforced by an optional policy framework with respect to CSO participation.'

Read the full report online at:
--> www.brettonwoodsproject.org/article.shtml?cmd%5b126%5d=x-126-27513

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CREDIT & CORRUPTION

The latest briefing from Corner House, 'Underwriting Bribery: Export Credit 
Agencies and Corruption' examines measures export credit agencies should be 
taking to tighten their anti-corruption procedures.

'The international community is adamant that corruption must be stopped. It 
is demanding that poorer countries eradicate corruption if they want to be 
considered eligible for Western aid. But there is a deep hypocrisy in the 
international community's approach, at the heart of which are the export 
credit agencies of industrialised countries. Export credit agencies use 
taxpayers' money to insure their domestic companies doing business abroad 
against risks such as the company not being paid. These agencies support 
many of the large, mainly Western, companies that continue to bribe their 
way into getting government contracts from poorer countries.'

Read the full briefing:
--> www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/briefing/30ecabribe.html

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NOBEL PRIZES

International search for 1000 women for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005
Be part of the process!

Women Living Under Muslim Laws has joined an exciting international 
initiative to nominate 1000 women for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005:

'The idea is to call the worlds attention to the vital but largely ignored 
role of women in peace making and peace building. In the 102 years of the 
Nobel Peace Prize, only 11 women have been acknowledged by the Nobel 
Committee for their peace work. Having a thousand women recognised at one 
time will more than even up this score.'

For further information, please see the initiatives (multilingual) website:
--> www.1000Peacewomen.org

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JOBS

Last week to apply for the position of Finance Officer at GreenNet.
The Finance Officer will be responsible for GreenNet's overall financial 
management and reporting. The Finance Officer will have a supervisary and 
financial planning function, alongside day to day finance duties, including 
monthly billing of customers.

Application by CV and covering letter, via email to coord at gn.apc.org

Full details online at:
--> www.gn.apc.org/jobs.shtml

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QUOTE/UNQUOTE

'We conclude that biology does not condemn humanity to war, and that 
humanity can be freed from the bondage of philosophical pessimism..Just as 
wars begin in the minds of men, peace also begins in our minds.  The same 
species who invented war, is capable of inventing peace. The responsibility 
lies with each one of us.'

- Unesco, Seville statement on violence, 1989

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DIARY DATES

MARCH

Monday, 1st & Tuesday, 2nd: Committee on Radioactive Waste Management Open 
Meeting (CoRWM)-
CoRWM was recently appointed by the Government to recommend how the UK's 
radioactive waste should be managed in the long term.  It is developing a 
public and stakeholder engagement programme that will give people a chance 
to play an active part in helping CoRWM to advise Government.

Manchester Town Hall, Albert Square, Manchester M60 2LA
Monday 1st March from 11:00am or, Tuesday 2nd of March. from 9:00am.
Members of the public are welcome to attend.
To reserve a place at this meeting or to find out more about this or future 
meetings of CoRWM, email: contact at corwm.org.uk
or visit their website:
--> www.corwm.org.uk

Tuesday, 2nd
Mayor of London's People's Question Time' at the Mermaid Theatre, Puddle 
Dock, Blackfriars, EC4V 3DB at 7pm.

Saturday, 6th
Human Rights at a Time of Conflict - Ninth Annual Birkbeck Human Rights 
Study Day.
Further details, contact: j.king at fce.bbk.ac.uk

Thursday, 11th
Taking the RACE and DIVERSITY Agenda Forward
Hammersmith Town Hall
Community groups and statutory bodies interested in setting up stalls at 
conference to profile their work and services should contact us.
For full details of our Conference programme at:
--> www.taha.org.uk/conferenceleaflet.pdf
For further information and to book a place please contact 020 8577 9747 or 
020 7737 3194, or email taha003 at aol.com or taha002 at aol.com

Wednesday 17th - Thursday 25th
Human Rights Watch International Film Festival
View the entire film festival programme and information on all of the films:
--> http://hrw.org/iff/2004/london/schedule.html

Friday, 26th
Women and Manual Trades - Tradeswomen's Fair
Full details at their website:
--> www.wamt.org

APRIL

Saturday, 3rd
Peace Builder or Warmonger? Britain's role in the 21st century

Ministry For Peace (mfp) is holding its most ambitious event so far - an
all-day conference at Friends House in Euston, London
The tickets will be £10 (£15 on the door) and £5 concessions.

More details at their website:
--> www.ministryforpeace.org.uk/

More Diary Dates on GreenNet:
--> www.gn.apc.org/calendar/calindex.shtml

Please add your events to the calendar here:
--> www.gn.apc.org/calendar/add.shtml

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The AlterNet News is edited by Joanne Doyle for GreenNet:
---> www.gn.apc.org

Please note that opinions expressed in AlterNet are those of the
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