Monday, September 26, 2011

Protest on the HILL

I just arrived on the hill for the Tar Sands protest. Music and speeches fill the air along with a large police presence. There have been several moderated and almost planned arrests. All people arrested have been handled with a gentle hand and without any undue aggression from what I can see and hear. I am currently in the arrest zone but feel no immediate threat. The Peace Tower chimes are being drowned out by a drum circle. The media are all standing by ready for Something, anything to happen. For now the speeches have stopped and there is a sense of disorder as the tension begins to mount. One gentleman is screaming for Harper to emerge from Parliament as a few RCMP officers pay close attention to him. The drumming has stopped and an eerie silence has settled on the hill. Another arrest.

They have just announced that if would like to be arrested, to sign up at the table located beside the flame. You will be briefed on the legal ramifications of your actions by the protest organizers legal team. There is no one lined up! The drumming has resumed. There are four people with hands joined marching past the police to be arrested. They are being read their rights and taken to a secure location. There have 60 to 70 folks that have crossed the line to be arrested according to an RCMP officer I spoke to. The is the most organized resistance movement I have seen.  It lacks something.

There is a lone NDP member on the steps. I missed his name, bit he was just acknowledged by the MC. He is clearly a supporter and after being mentioned, proceeded to chant and wave to the crowd. A loud cheer.

PROTEST cont...

CHECK out a live Webcam, of Parliament Hill here.  The media as begun to arrive.

http://www.tdc.ca/parliamentwebcam.htm

Sunday, September 25, 2011

MONDAY'S ALBERTA TAR SANDS PROTEST

My eyes and ears on the hill informed me of a mass demonstration to take place at Parliament Hill early Monday morning.  Byron told me that on Friday morning the Ottawa Police, RCMP and Canadian Military converged on Parliament hill to run through security logistics and detail.  The protest is not an underground movement and has been well pressed and documented.  

The press release is as follows:  Canadian and U.S. environmental and civil society leaders today endorsed a call from the Indigenous Environmental Network, the Council of Canadians and Greenpeace Canada for people in Canada to join a mass protest featuring a civil disobedience sit-in against the tar sands in Ottawa on September 26th.

Mondays 'sit-in' is somewhat of a continuation of a protest at the White House in August and September where 1200 people were arrested including notable Hollywood stars.  Reuters continues to cover the story and the follow up in Ottawa.  The list of participants and supporters is vast, from the union that represents the Tar Sands Workers, to the Council of Canadians, the Indigenous Environmental Network and Greenpeace Canada (click on each to see their platforms) and has been endorsed by prominent U.S. and Canadian scientists, Order of Canada members, authors and environmentalists including Maude Barlow, Shirley Douglas, George Poitras, James Hansen, Graeme Gibson, Dr. John O'Connor, Clayton Ruby, Judy Rebick, Naomi Klein, Tom Goldtooth, Bill McKibben, Gordon Laxer, Tony Clarke, Bruce Cox and Joe Uehlein.

The topic is two fold: the Alberta Oils sands and the proposed Keystone XL pipeline that would carry the crude oil out of Canada to the US.  The Tar Sands are Canada's largest source of Industrial green house gas emissions and have been the subject of much scrutiny and have put Canada and our Conservative government in disfavor with environmentalist and the International community.  What interests me as well is the two prong fight that will take place on the Hill on Monday morning.  The Oil Sands workers are likely fighting the proposed pipeline as it takes refining work out of Canada, but may not be opposed to the ethical and environmental issues that will dominate Mondays' protest.  This may lead to on the hill bickering the could prove to dismantle the efforts on both sides.  Just a suspicion. We'll have to wait and see.  I will of course be there and hopefully not get arrested.  Stay tuned for more!

Byron tells me he spoke with one of the Green peace organizers and there is a planned storming of Parliament.  I will also be following Hannah McKinnon's editorial 'Why I will be risking arrest tomorrow' on rabble.ca.

If you would like to get information about Mondays call to action, or would like to sign up, you can visit the official Ottawa Action Webpage.

FURTHER READING

TAR SANDS WATCH
WIKI
OILS SANDS TRUTH
The PEMBINA INSTITUTE
CLIMATE and CAPITALISM




This Week - AND NEXT

I was at the Hill every day this week, talking with people who spend there days hoisting flags, placards and distributing their little white business cards that tell their story. I have met most of the regulars; however, I find I am drawn to Byron. I am compelled by the honesty and humility by which he shares his story.  I am enraged by the injustice that has done him and his family so much harm and discredit.  I am convinced I can help - I am naive. 

There is no question to the truth of his tale, well not in these eyes. The RCMP have suggested no less than 30 charges be laid; however, his voice has been mitigated by a government so desperate to protect their own they have successfully suppressed the truth through a publication ban. His innocence stolen from him by his mother when he was a child. He is a victim of rape in every form imaginable and the government of Canada, Harper's government, have shut him out and stripped him of his basic human rights, justice and dignity. 

As we stand there, politicians of the red and orange variety all pause to say hi to Byron. He is well known and well liked. Everyone knows his story and everyone wants to help, but their hands are tied.  There are a few MP's that have taken up his cause and offer updates when they can.  There is little to be optimistic about.  The Conservative government has been sitting on the case for five years and have not shown any inclination to address the file and damning evidence within.  Reporters it seems support him, but can not tell the story.  CBC did a story on the broken bells of the Peace Tower and they were sure to interview Byron about his thoughts on the chimes.  During the royal visit, they placed him and his Newfoundland flag in the frame.  Important nods of support and confidence from the public and private media sustain Byron.  They seem to respect him and furthermore, want to help.  Token TV appearances is the most they can offer, and Byron is appreciative.

So each day we discuss ways to lift the ban.  The best angle.  The frustration.  He shares with me the graphic details of his upbringing and I turn of the camera and we just talk.  Byron informs me of the days events. There was a large Ottawa Police, RCMP and Military presence there on Friday, preparing for a large demonstration on Monday morning. It apparently could get fairly radical.



Wednesday, September 21, 2011

BLACK JAILS in CHINA

Since December of 2010, Wujun Sun has been coming to Parliament Hill almost every work day and setting up his yellow signs and photographs at the bottom of the centre steps.  He is originally from Zhejiang province just south of Shanghai, but has been studying in Montreal for the past 6 years. As with most of those who protest outside parliament, Mr. Sun's story is personal and has had serious consequences for him and his family.
 

Wujun Sun
In June of last year, Mr. Sun's family were evicted from there home; a home that had legally been in the family for generations.  Wujun tells me this is common practice as the government continues to pursue economic growth and prosperity - often without concern for its people.  His families homes were demolished in order that the Chinese government could build commercial development.  No compensation is offered.  Expansion at all costs! 

He is on the hill to make people aware of the forced evictions, and the fallout for those who dare challenge the communist government.  Namely, imprisonment in the Black Jails.

China's black Jails are a growing phenom and are essentially holding cells for dissidents, protestors and petitioners.  People are held for indetermined amounts of time, without trial, medical attention, food, water, sleep and are subject to theft and extortion by officials.  Although the Chinese government denies there existence, there is growing evidence of there use and in May 2010, a Black Jail  Guard was sentenced to 8 years in prison for his part.


Wujun explained to me that his relatives were placed in a Black Jail and tortured, beaten and raped all because they fought for something that was legally theirs - there home.  Mr. Sun simply wants people to explore the issue and to be able to explore his own anger through petition - something the Peoples Republic of China strictly forbids.  Here, in Canada, his voice may be heard.

You can read Human Rights Watch's 2009 report An Alleyway in Hell which explores the background, Human Rights abuses and subsequent recommendations to address the problem of Black Jails

WATCH this video about the Black Jails

WATCH this video about forced Eviction in China.



FURTHER READING

Check out this Epoch Times article about about Wujun Sun
Read this account of one arrest and imprisonment in a Black Jail



Tuesday, September 20, 2011

THE HAT TRICK

Well, it is the second post and already a divergence from the cause, but this is too good to pass up. See Mr. Harper's 'HAT TRICK' speech.