Stray Bullets - BP & Shell Square Up To Protesters

Protest Against Boring Shell In Ireland:
Two activists have been arrested for protesting an offshore gas pipeline and refinery [1] on the west coast of Ireland. The activists were part of a new campaign, called ‘Beat The Boreholes [2]’, aimed at protesting Shell’s drilling of boreholes to prepare the way for the pipeline. The protesters took to their kayaks to block the transport of a borehole drilling platform, but were met by over 15 boats of Shell’s private security guards. Along with arresting the activists, the guards seized three kayaks and several paddles. The pipeline will be laid in a Specially Protected Area, which is a Special Area of Conservation, protected under EU legislation. According to the ShelltoSea website, which organised the protest, “refining the gas at Ballinaboy is utterly senseless on so many levels. The words of An Bord Plenala’s Senior Planning Inspector, Kevin Moore, ring true now more than ever: ‘This is the wrong site’.”
 

Artwork Defaced In Protest of BP:
Activists have poured non-toxic oil [3] around a 2000 year old Easter Island head in the British Museum protest of the museum’s sponsorship from BP [4]. The three activists are part of group ‘Culture Beyond Oil [2]’. Culture Beyond Oil said in a statement that the head was chosen to “represent the way in which civilisations once considered indivisible can collapse in a short period of time.” Ben Cooper, part of Liberate Tate, said, “Just like the forests on the Easter Island, oil represents a resource being over-exploited despite massively increasing risks.”

‘Child Witches’ On The Rise In Africa:
According to the UN Children’s agency (UNICEF), an increasing number of children are being accused of witchcraft in Africa [5]. The report, Children Accused of Witchcraft [6], says that boys, most aged being eight to 14, who are orphans, disabled or albino, are most commonly accused of using “mystical powers”. Accused children are often attacked, and sometimes killed; exorcisms can include pouring oil into children’s eyes or ears. Accusations are most prevalent in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Joachim Theis, UNICEF Adolescent Development and Participation Specialist, said, “We want laws against accusations of witchcraft against children…it may not be possible to change attitudes, but we can raise awareness among families, legal professionals, doctors, change legislation, mobilize - all of this can have an impact.”

Words: Richard Lemmer
 

Photo: From the Indymedia Ireland site. Click here [7] for more info.