CHERNOBYL 10 YEARS ON

CHERNOBYL HORRIBLE FACTS:

*The contamination caused by the blast was equal to 500 Hiroshimas

*An estimated 70,000 affected by the accident have died, 20% of these have been suicides

*After the accident 110,000 people were evacuated; 131,000 have since been relocated

*70-80% of Chernobyl's children up to the age of fourteen are suffering from severe headaches, unusual fatigue and depression

*There has been a 62% increase in bone disorders, and 38% more malignant tumours in children

*The concrete casing around the reactor is meant to last 100,000 years. It is already seriously damaged

*Children are still banned from walking in the forest, in the rain, playing in parks and picking wild berries or flowers

*These areas will remain contaminated for an estimated 24,000 years

*Two out of the four reactors are still functioning today

"T'was a Friday in April 1986
The day when the nightmare began
When the dust it fell down on our buildings ands treets
And entered the buildings at noon
Touched the grass and the trees, bicycles, cars
Beds, books and picture frames too
We stood around, helpless, confused
Nobody knew what to do."

Lyrics from "Farewell to Pripchat (near Chernobyl)" by Christy Moore and Tim Donnehy.

Such was the scene, ten years ago today in the Ukrainain town of Chernobyl. It's residents, and consequently it's people, were subjected to what was arguably the worst environmental disaster in human history.

"This has been like a Third World War for our country. You talk about pre- and post war; we talk about before and after Chernobyl."

Professor Igor Rolevitch, Deputy Minister for Emergencies, Chernobyl.

Initially the Soviet authorities hushed up the disaster, as they had successfully done in the past, such as the horrific incident at the Chelyabinsk in 1957. However, as information as well as radiation leaked out from the devastated region, it became impossible to carry out the clear up operation in secret. Before long Western help was forthcoming, but not in time to help the initial 'Liquidator' crews of Belarussians and Ukrainaians sent in to fight the fire. The shockwave went right across Europe. In Finland 4,000 women pledged to not bear children until the Finnish government cancelled it's nuclear power programme. In polls 70-80% of Europeans said they were against the expansion of the nuclear industry. The Caesium fallout from the blast spread as far west as Ireland and down to Greece. Non-geographically, the consequences of Chernobyl went much further than that.

"Trust in science has taken a very heavy blow. The caesium is transmitted in food chains... and over to political, economic and social structures of the human world. This has the effect of dissolving the glue that holds these structures together." (P. Gould's Fire in the Rain: The Democratic Consequences of Chernobyl.)

Today, barely any of the Liquidator crew personnel are alive to tell the tale. Many of them were sent in to the reactor with only a gauze mask as protection, and have paid a heavy price for their bravery and/or ignorance.

"Most people did not even know they should take elementary precautions... I saw children running Around in shorts, women out shopping, winodws wide open in the warm air. I went off to share a bottle of vodka with a friend before going to bed." Vladimir Zabolodnikh, Power Station water monitor.

This week a fresh tragedy hit the area when fires caused by a dropped cigarette butt swept through five highly contaminated villages. Highly contaminated smoke billowed upwards. Present at the time were ex-villagers who are allowed back once a year to tend to graves. So upset were they by this, that they refused to move from the site. This was only miles from the still-burning core of Reactor Four, which is covered in dangerously cracked concrete. More than two million people in Belarus alone are still living on contaminated land. Scientists have recently found a sinister wildlife discovery: voles that thrive on radioactive pollution. Apparently the genetic make-up of the Supervoles are mutating at an incredible rate. "Two hundred years from now, we may be living with organisms that are genetically quite different from today's." John Bickham, University of Texas.

As far as the British anti-nuclear direct action movement is concerned, the halcyon days of the 1980's may have gone, but it is still coming up with storming actions. From super-gluing themselves inside power stations to locking onto the back of nuclear trains, (as well as loads of less strenuous stuff) activists continue to oppose nuclear encroachment. They have been facing similar problems as the anti-roads movement, only for many more years. For example, the Faslane Peace camp in Dumbartonshire (01436 820901), resident for 14 years, is threatened with imminent eviction.

This week a nuclear train due to travel from Dungeness to Sellafield was cancelled by BR because of a peace camp next to the tracks at Hither Green, South London. Trains carrying nuclear fuel rods and waste travel most weeks through London. This weekend millions of people around the planet will descend upon their nearest nuclear installation to register their disgust, with the main British protest will be at Sellafield. From April 12-26th in the Ukraine a Walk for a Nuclear Free Future has been going on.

Other projects have spawned to help alleviate the suffering of the people of Chernobyl. The Chernobyl Childrens Project, set up in Ireland by Adi Roche, has so far sent nearly $5 million in aid to the area. A Manchester branch of the project was launched in Manchester last year.

A group of musicians from Lancaster have come together under the name of "The Purple Zone" to produce a CD to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the accident. It will be premiered in Manchester this week. The disk is available from the Chenobyl Children's Project.

ALTERNATIVES: DO WE REALLY NEED NUCLEAR POWER?
Contacts:-

Centre for Alternative Technology. Machynlleth, Powys, Wales, SW20 9AZ
tel 01654 702400.

Chernobyl Children's Project, One World Centre, 6 Mount Street Manchester (0161 834 8176)

CND (0171 700 2393), Youth CND (0171 607 3616)

BILL FOR DECOMMISSIONING BRITISH ENERGY'S NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS: �14.6 BILLION

In SchNEWS 69, we incorrectly printed the Green Anarchist's address. You can contact them at: BCM 1715 (not BCM 1717!), London WC1N 3XX. Sorree!

It's May! It's May! Time for a holi- holiday! In our quest to bring you the truth we wanna tell you what May Day is about. A celebration of Beltane, and heralds the start of summer in the pagan calendar - signifying the death of winter and the return of the warm weather. It is a time to reflect upon people's interaction with the earth, and the importance of creating abundance for all by working and caring for the land. It was recognised by the 1st Congress of the Second International - an assembly of socialist and labour parties formed in the 1880s. Thie date was chosen in rememberance of the Haymarket Martyrs - working class Chicago anarchists killed by the state. They decreed the 1st of May to be a day of celebration of workers- and gave them the day off! Since then, May Day has also been known as International Workers /Labour Day, and recognised as such in many European countries and the US. The start of summer parties, festies, greenery and flowers, or time to honour the time held tradition of getting pissed on the beach. May is here!

The May Bank holiday Tribal Gathering is off. Cancelled. Not allowed. Cherwell District Council have refused the organisers appeal to grant a licence to hold the event, because of the traffic problems of 30,000 poeple in cars mooshing down the M40 and surrounding areas. Ian Blair, Asst. Chief Constable of Thames Valley police, said "We wish to emphasise that we have no objection to whatso-ever to music festivals. Our objections were based on the unsuitabilty of the site." SchNEWS wonders then why last years anti Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Mother festival was stopped when it was being held in the middle of nowhere; and what about the traffic choas during Henley Regatta, Ascot, Glyndebourne etc, The rich nobs gatherings are allowed to go ahead in the name of 'culture'. So what about our tradition of free gatherings?

People have been getting together at festivals since time immemorial to trade, meet and celebrate, yet over the past few years the free fun scene has been totally decimated with t he introduction of the CJA - the final nail in the coffin. As people involved in the doomed Mother festival last year would testify, the authorities are prepared to spend any amount of resources to stop us having fun without their permission.

Doors were kicked in, phone lines went dead, roadblocks set up, helicopters deployed - and Black Moon soundsystem lost their �6,000 rig in the process - confiscated then destroyed by the police.

Ten years ago the so-called 'Battle of the Beanfield' showed the direction things were going. Since the early 70's more and more people were leaving the rat-race to live on the road. The People's Free Festival at Stonehenge had become the mid-summer meet up point - and had grown too large and anarchic for the powers that be. By '85 they'd had enough and flexed their muscles, trashing travellers and their vehicles. Now it seems travellers, once the back-bone of the free party scene are not wanted anywhere - Glastonbury being a prime example.

Unless you can afford the �30 Tribal Gatherings of this world - when they are allowed- where are we meant to party? On the moon? Tribal Gathering is being promoted by the commercial Mean Fiddler crew, hardly an underground organisation. Michelle from Advance Party told SchNEWS "It just shows you that the authorities are out to crush the whole movement, be it legal, illegal, large or small." So what are we gonna do? Sit on yer arse, watching the TV, and let 'em get away with it- or get out there and 'ave some? The choice is yours!

Want some? Last year a free festival list was produced by Stone 2, 45, Westwood Hill, London SE26 6NS- send some stamps + SAE.

The new Festival Eye is OUT! chock-a-block full of dates and articles �2 from BCM 2002, London WC1N 3XX.

* Stoke Newington plods, those fine upholders of the law, investigated Club Lunacy after flyers showed an alien tokin'. They eventually closed the club down as the old bill 'didn't like the wording of the flyers'. Another examle of all out attack on the scene.
* Dance Information Network are a coalition of organisations dedicated to promoting the health and wlefare of party goers. They are also developing a network to help spread the word of good practice. contact Gary Woolvett at Release on 0171 729 5255.
* The Advance Party have a spanky new leaflet 'Sound Advice' full of spot on information about the legalitiues surrounding free parties. Available with an SAE from: the Advance Prty, Po Box3290, London NW2 3UJ 0181 450 6929 SOME DATES FOR (mostly acoustic) PARTY-PEOPLE (please note - some of these are paying events ) :

April 26 - May 5th Magic Hat Rainbow Ciricle Beltane celebration 01373 831020

... 26 - May 6th Magical Beltane Camp Somerset 01386 554283

...27th April - May 6th Beltane gathering in Gloucester 0585 327382 (�30)

April 30th Beltane celebrations at Fairmile, Exeter (possibly followed by eviction - that'll be nice with a hangover) 01404 815729

...3/4 Snelsmore Common, Newbury 01635 45544 ...

3-6 Teesdale thrash 01833 638288

5th Anarchist Picnic, 2pm , Parkers Piece, Cambridge

..5th Pagen Picnic, Butley nr.Ipswich ...People's Festival, noon, Alexandra Park, Ipswich 01473 713179

... 6th MayDay Festie, Clapham Common,London ...Free all-day festie at Loughborough University 01509 217766 ext 2607

.. 10-12 Beltane celebration and actions at Aldermaston womens peace camp 01222 396563

...11th Holistic Spring Fair, Buryfield, Goldalming 01483 810843

...17-19 Letham Free Festival, nr. Brechin, Scotland 01436 820901

...18th Devonshire Green festival 0114 253 4548... Mind, Body and Spirit Festival, Greycoat St., London 0171 938 3788...Reclaim The Streets in Norwich

....18-19 Devon Green Festival 0114 2534548

...18-28 Amazon Womens Festival, Menwith Hill Womens Peace camp - plus actions & workshops to celebrate 2nd anniversiary of the camp

23-26 Orkney Traditional Folk Festival 01856 851331

..24-26 African druming weekend in the Coltswolds 01452 812983

...24-27 Sellafield Womens Peace Camp Gathering, Cumbria 01706 371387

24th - 2nd June Hackney Anarchy Week 0171 241 0412

... 25/6/7 May Essential Music Festival in Brighton (nineteen quid a day tho' mate) 01273 888787

May 27th Kingston Green Fair 0181 546 1827

...May 27th Maidstone Green Fair (including SchLIVE!) 01622 673 413

...May 27th Festival of Natural World, Colchester 01206 793625.

STOP-PRESS Tribal Gathering re-scheduled 6th July...

Film clips and footage for the lateest Conscious Cinema production. Covering protest culture and DIY music, the video will feature Zion Train and the Levellers. Please contact Cosmo at the Justice? office, ASAP.

To Kit Sampson, who received an MBE 4 years ago for her work as a health visitor for travellers. Bad enough that it was from the Tories - but totally hyprocritical since their Criminal Justice Act makes life even harder for Britains travelling population. Her pleas to include protection for new-born babies and pregnant women in the traveller clauses went on deaf ears - so she handed the award back. Up Yours - and nice one!

John Davis from Irwin Mitchell Solicitors will be at the Corn Exchange, Market Place, Newbury on Friday 10th May to see people who want to sue the police! All welcome. * SchNEWS is interested in your thoughts on Newbury - good or bad - for a possible booklet. Get scribbling and send articles to the usual address.

LAND IS OURS

Anyone present at the end of the Valentine's Day Reclaim The Streets party in Brighton will know that the police were out of order - they even admitted as much at a recent court case. The subsequent public meeting was loud, angry and vociferous, but now what? Court cases have begun, people are getting charged and crying out for witnesses, but where are they? It's all well and good getting angry on the day, but if we don't keep the authorities on their toes, don't follow up our anger with action, don't stick up for each other - then what are we really about? Did you saw any arrests/assaults by coppers? Ring the office! Were you unfairly treated? Sue! We know a friendly solicitor, we've got hours of video footage, we'll give you any support you need. What more do you want? * London Reclaim The Streets III (Saturday 13th July - pencil it in to yer diaries now) promises to be a biggie - but they need musicians, DJ's, acrobats, clowns, caterers, artists, campaigners, speakers, magicians, etc. If you are interested call: 0171 281 4621 * And we think we're hard-core? 19 rural workers were gunned down by police after blocking an Amazon road in a land protest. Forensics found at least 10 of the dead men had been shot in the back of the neck in execution-style killings. .

Offence: Holding a placard at the BAe Brough action Charge 1: Conspiracy to commit criminal damage Charge 2: Criminal damage Charge 3: A 14th century law of Blemishing the peace. Wot?!