From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #115 Reply-To: abolition-usa-digest Sender: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk abolition-usa-digest Monday, April 19 1999 Volume 01 : Number 115 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 11:56:14 -0700 From: "David Crockett Williams" Subject: (abolition-usa) WILL THE TRUE OPPRESSORS PLEASE STAND UP! A truly significant resource for the global anti-nuclear, peace, environment, and justice movement exists in the website of the White House Peace Park Vigil, which has ongoing continually since 1981 on the Lafayette Park sidewalk across the street from the White House, http://www.prop1.org A recent article distilled from information presented in recent public demonstrations regarding the war in Yugoslavia is copied below. The article on the webpage referenced contains several useful links and graphics not reproduced in the ascii format below and are worth checking out. http://www.prop1.org/protest/serbia/9904.serbialv.htm WILL THE TRUE OPPRESSORS PLEASE STAND UP! PUBLIC EXPRESSIONS ALBANIAN MESSAGE ---------------------- SERBIAN MESSAGE [links] PEACE & FREEDOM-LOVING ANTAGONISTS On the First Amendment front lines in Lafayette Park we are privileged to witness a daily stream of supplicants bringing their pleas to the White House, the seat of World Domination. Thus, regarding the present Serbian/Albanian/Kosovar disturbance, in Lafayette Park we've had an opportunity to listen to both sides in the field. THE AGREEMENT TO DISAGREE IN THE BALKANS If there is one thing which President Clinton, Serbian President Milosevic, as well as the head of every NATO member-state agree upon, it is the concept of national sovereignty. Moreover, each of the aforementioned heads of state also pays lip service to "the rule of law." In fact, the UN Charter, an act of "International Law" to which the USA, Serbia, and all NATO members are signatory, provides that "The (UN) is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members." Under these universally-accepted political fictions, a sovereign nation is a free, independent entity entitled to administer the territory within its domestic control. Thus, from the perspective of people who subscribe to the political fiction of the nation state, determining who the real Nazis are must begin from the question: "Who is the actual aggressor upon whose national sovereignty?" On the other hand, "fighting words," in a legal sense, refers to language intended to incite violence. Today US news media reports are using "Hitler," "Nazi," "genocide," "ethnic cleansing," and "free Kosovo" as fighting words. Meanwhile, news media in Serbia and many other countries are likening US President Clinton to "Hitler," referring to NATO as the "Nazi American Terrorist Organization," and claiming that NATO military actions against Serbia have nothing to do with a "free Kosovo," but are actually genocide as a means of ethnic cleansing intended to subjugate Europe to the economic interests of the United States. Two Illustrative Examples of Sovereign States Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 1 depicts the sovereign state known as USA, the black lines represent domestic political fictions known as the "various separate states." Together, these various domestic states form the the greater national sovereign state. The lines separating the USA from the sovereign states of Mexico and Canada represent the demarcation points between "the rule of law" of each sovereign state. In the case of the USA there is (1) Federal Law [operating under authority of the U.S. Constitution], which regulates the entire sovereign state, and (2) State Law, which is subservient to Federal Law, but which regulates the territory within each of the separate domestic states. Similarly, in Figure 2 the red line depicts the territorial area which is internationally recognized as the sovereign state of Serbia. As with the USA, Serbia is composed of various separate states, highlighted in yellow and orange. As in the USA, while maintaining a certain degree of autonomy, the various separate Serbian states are ultimately ruled by provisions of the Serbian Constitution. For a thousand years Serbians have considered the territory of Kosovo to be the cradle of Serbian culture, oriented toward the Greek Orthodox Church. In the late 14th century armies of the Ottoman Turk empire, oriented toward Islam, defeated Serbian forces at the Battle of Pristina. Nontheless, Serbs continued to comprise the majority of the Kosovar population ... until after World War II, when Albanians seeking a better life began streaming northward into Kosovo. Since the breakup of Yugoslavia into the separate sovereign states of Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro, age-old Albanian/Serbian ethnic unrest has resurfaced in Kosovo. Albanians, with an average of seven children per marriage, versus two per Serbian marriage, have become a majority of the population. Because they were the minority, Serbian Kosovars suffered the brunt of Albanian Kosovar persecution, with instances of deadly violence and forced removal from their homes. Anti-Serb persecution was mainly carried out by a loose confederation of armed Albanian groups calling itself the "Kosovan Liberation Army" (KLA). After Serbian Kosovars complained to the federal government about their treatment at the hands of the KLA, the Serbian government declared the KLA to be "terrorists," and increased its police forces in Kosovo. As the KLA escalated its campaign to secede from Serbia, Serbia deployed military troops to the area. In contrast, as can be seen from Figure 1, the USA wasn't always all the territory it is today. For example California, Arizona, Nevada, and most of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas were taken by military force from Mexico or Native Americans. Although there has always been a considerable Mexican population, lately northward migration has increased the number of Mexicans living in California. It is estimated that Mexicans will be the majority in California sometime in the not so distant future. Imagine that, angered by perceptions of economic, police, and linguistic oppression, the Latino majority decides that they want to be recognized as "Mexicans," and demand "freedom for California." As evidenced by its Civil War, US history teaches that the federal government will use sufficient deadly force to "protect the Union." Given those considerations, it is reasonable to assume that the US government would not permit a simple state majority of Latinos to secede California from the Union. As can be seen in a comparison of Figures 1 & 2, the US state of California abuts the foreign sovereign state of Mexico, much as the Serbian state of Kosovo abuts the foreign sovereign state of Albania. By way of analogy, let's hypothesize that elements of the Latino majority of California, disgruntled by the Federal refusal to concede an independent sovereign state of "California," organize a Californian Liberation Army (CLA) to "fight" for the "liberation of California." The CLA will be working on a shoestring budget, therefore, CLA actions are likely to be low cost bombings, attacks on police officers and the like, because that's about all terrorists can afford. Unfortunately, when sovereign states are forced to confront terrorism, things tend to get messy. How would the peace-loving, democratic government of the USA meet a campaign of CLA terrorism? Perhaps it would begin with local law enforcement agencies, as with MOVE in Philadelphia, 1984. Probably, once the insurrection proved beyond control of local forces, the government would escalate, first sending in crack ATF and FBI SWAT teams, as in Wounded Knee (Native Americans), Waco ("extremist" Christians), or Ruby Ridge. Finally, if absolutely necessary, the national guard, Delta Force, attack helicopters, and military hardware sufficient to quell the disturbance would be deployed. Although those tactics are essentially the same as those used by the Serbian government in Kosovo, it is unlikely that if confronted by a CLA uprising in California the US would welcome NATO airstrikes on Washington, DC, or Sacramento. GENOCIDE Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines "genocide" as "the use of deliberate, systematic measures toward the extermination of a racial, political, or cultural group." Genocide was an apt description of the Hutu/Tutsi conflicts in Rwanda, where hundreds of thousands were killed, but, of course, NATO did nothing to resolve that disagreement. Notwithstanding the fact that both Serbian and KLA fighters have been involved in the killing of military and civilian opponents, simply because not enough people have died, the word "genocide" is not an appropriate description of either Serbian nor Albanian actions in Kosovo. Many Serbians claim that NATO's deliberate, systematic bombing of both Serbia and Kosovo qualifies as an act of genocide, particularly if NATO is using depleted uranium weapons. NATO probably disagrees with that assessment. ETHNIC CLEANSING Comparing the Albanians bent on seceding from Serbia to the hypothetical revolt of Mexicans in California, one can only expect that at the "peace talks," the US government would take a position to the effect, "Sure, you're free to be Mexicans, but if you want to be Mexicans you have to go across the line into Mexico, but you have to leave California here, because California is US territory." Maybe the CLA would not accept the US offer to let them return to Mexico in peace. Perhaps the CLA would insist that California was "Mexican," and that they were committed to a "Free California." In that event, perhaps, rather than just killing any Californian who no longer wished to be a US citizen, the US would be pursuing a more humanitarian solution by just giving them free transportation to Mexico. Certainly, such a "humanitarian" solution might be protrayed as "ethnic cleansing." Absent any clear examples of "genocide," in the present Serbian/Albanian conflict, the most terrible accusation is "ethnic cleansing" -- wherein the Serbians are putting dissatisfied Albanians on trains to Albania. One Serbian wag asked, "Would you rather have them walk?" - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---- An impartial assessment of the NATO/Serb/Kosovar conflict To emphasize the impartiality of these observations on the NATO/Serbia/Kosovar conflict, the author hereby declares a firm personal commitment to the belief that the world would be a much more pleasant place if humanity would abandon its faith in the political fiction of national boundaries, and purge itself of any notion that military and/or police force might be a "good" idea. This assessment begins from the premises that all human beings are members of the human race, and concepts of ethnicity are merely shortsighted, ego-centric misperceptions of reality. This declaration is necessary to insure that the reader does not confuse "national sovereignty," "military and/or police action," or "ethnic superiority" as concepts endorsed by the author. Thomas, April 8, 1999, Peace Park Other Kosovo Demonstrations - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 16:13:09 EDT From: DavidMcR@aol.com Subject: (abolition-usa) KOSOVO / STATEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN NGOs << Date:=094/16/99 10:27:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time From:=09sbiesemans@clong.be (sbiesemans) To:=09heike@aprodev.net (APRODEV / Heike Schneider), rob@aprodev.net=20 (APRODEV/ Rob van Drimmelen), postmaster@caritas-europa.be (CARITAS-EUROPA /=20 Anita vd Eynde), nscentre@gn.apc.org (Centre Nord Sud, Lisbonne),=20 vandillen@cidse.be (CIDSE/ Bob van Dillen), cocis.bxl@euronet.be (COCIS=20 Bxl/Marzia Rezzin), eurodad@agoranet.be (eurodad@agoranet.be),=20 c.muller@euronaid.nl (Euronaid / C=E9cile Muller), admin@eurostep.org=20 (Eurostep/main address), sstocker@eurostep.org (Eurostep/Simon Stocker),=20 youthforum@youthforum.org (Forum Jeunesse UE), marisa.atienza@youthforum.org=20 (Forum Jeunesse/Marisa Atienza), imartinho@infonie.be (Isabel Martinho),=20 aefjn@village.uunet.be (Margret/AEFJN), WGpop@arcadis.be (MARY STOPES=20 INT/Costanza de Toma), movimondo@euronet.be (MOVIMONDO, Josita Profeta),=20 mpdl.brux@mail.beon.be (MPDL,Irune Aguirrezabal,Bxl), savechildbru@skynet.be=20 (SAVE THE CHILDREN / Diana Sutton), 100664.2557@compuserve.com (SOLIDAR),=20 solidar@skynet.be (SOLIDAR/skynet), cisp.bxl@euronet.be (Stefania Petrosillo=20 - - CISP-Bxl), una.international@club.innet.be (UNA-Annalisa Rocco, Bxl.),=20 united@antenna.nl (UNITED for Intercultural Action), wide@gn.apc.org (wide),=20 jbrew.wide@agoranet.be (WIDE, Jo Brew), 101662.1314@compuserve.com (Amnesty=20 Europe), idea.int.brussels@planetinternet.be (Dirk DRIJBOOMS / IDEA),=20 KR@humanrights.dk (EuroMed HR Network), fidh.bruxelles@linkline.be=20 (FIDH/Caroline Stainier), hrwatcheu@skynet.be (Human Right Watch, Brussels),=20 tfeeney@oxfam.org.uk (OXFAM/Tricia Feeney), alba@alba.zpok.hu=20 (alba@alba.zpok.hu), 100747.1725@compuserve.com (ARCQ Pierre), pbibe@beon.be=20 (BPI), DavidMcR@aol.com (DavidMcR@aol.com), forum@vredesaktie.ngonet.be=20 (Forum Vredesaktie), eguelcher@europarl.eu.int (pgahrton),=20 hansdijkman@yahoo.com (Hans DIJKMAN), N.vdhorst@ifor.org (IFOR),=20 ipb@gn.apc.org (ipb@gn.apc.org), isis-europe@tornado.be (ISIS-Europe),=20 101363.304@compuserve.com (Jim Forest), serfo@village.uunet.be (Koen Moens),=20 palazzini.arci@tin.it (Licio Palazzini (ARCI)), regis@arpnet.it (Nanni=20 SALIO), quakers@agoranet.be (QCEA), sworld@gn.apc.org (SAFER WORLD),=20 serpaj@wamani.apc.org (SERPAJ), timbrown@gn.apc.org (Tim Brown),=20 vd@vd.antenna.nl (vd@vd.antenna.nl), warresisters@gn.apc.org (War Resisters'=20 International), yannisch@otenet.gr (Yannis Chryssoverghis) =20 -- [ From: Biesemans Sam * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] -- =20 =20 PRESS RELEASE =20 Statement by the NGO-EU Liaison Committee (represensiting 900 NGOs of the 1= 5 EU Members Sates) =20 * * * War and Humanitarian Crisis in the Balkans * * * =20 =20 Meeting as representatives of organised European citizens committed to peace, development and democracy, we are appalled by the human and social disaster under way in the Balkans. Military and political forces are trampling on the rights of innocent people across the region and the rules of international law. Refugees, internally displaced persons, victims of ethnic cleansing and war crimes, civilian victims of bombing raids and othe= r military actions have all been failed by the international community as wel= l as their own government. Among the casualties is the emerging democratic civil society in Yugoslavia, undermined by the inevitable nationalist mobilisation in a society under military attack. Apart from the immediate needs of refugees and other victims, massive resources will be needed to rebuild after the destruction which has taken place.=20 =20 As European Union citizens, we are deeply concerned by the failure of European Union foreign policy to protect human rights and the right to peac= e for all people in the region. We are also concerned by the way in which humanitarian principles are being undermined by the confusion of political and humanitarian objectives. =20 People's rights cannot be safeguarded as long as war continues. Military action can never be the ultimate solution to human rights violations. Therefore we demand an immediate return by all sides to the peace process: in particular we call on the EU to support the efforts of the UN Secretary General to resolve the crisis. Equally, we demand the immediate cessation of war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Peace, and the creation of supportive conditions for civil society in Yugoslavia and throughout the region, are basic preconditions for reconstruction and reconciliation. =20 Looking to the future, we demand the democratisation of the system of international governance to stop future politically-created disasters. We call on the international community to start this democratic approach now, in the search for a political solution to the conflict. In particular, we call for a strong and effective European Common Foreign and Security Policy with conflict prevention and the protection of basic rights among its key principles. Only in this way will the European Union work for people as wel= l as economic goals. We call on the UN to play its central role in preventin= g and resolving crises, including reform of its decision making procedures to make them workable. We call for cooperation with the international bodies dealing with war crimes, and the refusal of impunity for those responsible.=20 =20 Meanwhile we appeal to the international community and in particular to th= e European Union, all sides in the conflict and the neighbouring governments to give absolute priority to protecting the human rights of all civilians and maintaining humanitarian standards. We call on politicians and the medi= a to refrain from inflammatory statements that demonise whole population groups. =20 We demand a rapid and flexible humanitarian response to meet the needs of the refugees and protect their rights, with special awareness of the needs and rights of women, children and older people. A humanitarian corridor an= d safe zones are also needed. Governments, the EC and other bodies must provide rapidly a high level of assistance. The relief effort must work via civil society and must include appropriate coordination between the different actors. EU member states must be ready to provide asylum for refugees, while working for their safe return to their homes. Massive investment will also be needed for postwar reconstruction in Yugoslavia, Albania and FYROM when circumstances permit. This investment must be provided in addition to, not at the expense of, assistance to developing countries. =20 Brussels, 16 April 1999=20 =20 _____________________ =20 -- _____________________________________________ Sam BIESEMANS Press and European Parliament Relations Liaison Committee of Development NGOs to the EU square Ambiorix 10 1000 Brussels tel.: 0032 -2 - 7438785 (direct) tel. sec.: 0032 - 2 - 7438760 GSM (Mobile phone): 0032 (0) 477268893 fax. :0032-2-7321934 E-Mail: sbiesemans@clong.be Web site: http:/www.oneworld.org/liaison _____________________________________________ - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 11:30:44 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Fwd: Michael Moore on Kosovo Dear Dorrie, Out application was reviewed and we were told that we have to be in business for three years before receiving approval. So, I guess this September we'll try again. Thanks for the kind words. Regards, Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 12:00:57 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) NATO Summit For those of you planning to attend the De-Nuke NATO rally on Friday, April 23, Washington, DC, 10:00am, on the Mall, Constitution and 14th St., and for those of you who are considering it, here's some background. I really hope we can get a big turn out down there. Also, note the part about corporate sponsors of NATO. An earlier news item reported that corporations such as Raytheon and Lockheed were paying $250,000 a pop for the privilege of "sponsoring" and hawking their wares to all the potential armaments buyers. What a world! Peace, Alice Slater NATO Official Washington Summit home page: http://www.nato50.gov/ THE CHALLENGE OF PLANNING FOR THE WASHINGTON SUMMITS By Ambassador Robert H. Frowick State Department Coordinator for the NATO Summit 12 March 1999 NATO Publications http://www.nato50.gov/text16.htm (Ambassador Frowick responds to questions on planning and logistics for the Summit events, to be held April 23-25 in Washington.) Q: What are the Washington Summits, why are they being held in Washington, and who will attend? Ambassador Frowick: The NATO 50th Anniversary Summit events will represent the largest gathering of world leaders ever to take place in Washington. NATO will be celebrating its remarkable success over the past half century and making commitments to deal effectively with the challenges of the next century. It is appropriate to center the Summit sessions in Washington's Mellon Auditorium, where the North Atlantic Treaty was signed on April 4, 1949. Leaders of 44 countries, their Foreign and Defense Ministers, and military Chiefs of Staff will be present for these important events. Q: What is the formal schedule of events for the summits, and what kinds of special celebrations are planned to mark NATO's 50th anniversary? A: The overall program will commence with a Commemorative Event on April 23 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Alliance. It will take place at the Mellon Auditorium. A NATO Summit working session will take place on April 24 with the participation of the leaders of all 19 member countries of the new NATO. On Sunday, April 25, the 19 NATO leaders will hold the first formal meeting ever with the highest ranking leaders of 25 NATO partner countries in a Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Summit. The program also will include a NATO-Ukraine Commission Summit event, and possibly a NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council session as well. Beyond these official meetings, there will be a large number of official social events, Congressional receptions and other programs being arranged, in particular to honor the three newest members of the Alliance -- the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. Q: What are the major themes expected to be addressed at the NATO Summit? A: The major themes for the Summit are: "Safeguarding Freedom," "Celebrating Democracy," "Strengthening Partnerships," and "Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century." Q: What does the United States hope the Summit will accomplish? A: The United States government expects the Summit to honor NATO's extraordinary record of accomplishments over the past 50 years and to chart an effective course for meeting the complex challenges that will face the new NATO in the next century. Q: How many media representatives are expected to be in Washington to cover the Summits? What kinds of arrangements have the organizers made to handle the Summit press corps? A: Up to 3,000 media representatives are expected to be present for the event. Elaborate preparations are under way for establishment of an effective media center in the International Trade Center, adjacent to the Mellon Auditorium, for extensive coverage of the April 23 Commemorative Event, the NATO and EAPC Summits, and for press conferences. Q: The Host Committee is playing an important role in helping to plan and organize the Summits. Would you please explain what the Committee is and what contributions it is making to the success of the Summits? A: The Host Committee, which includes CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) of several prominent American corporations, will contribute significant sums of cash and in-kind donations to help defray Summit costs, co-host Senior Officials' Receptions at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the National Building Museum, and organize some other important social events as well. Q: What are the major challenges faced by the organizers of an event of this magnitude? A: There are three main challenges in organizing the Summit program -- substantive, administrative, and communications outreach. Substantive tasks include work on a new Strategic Concept, with due attention to growing European responsibilities through a European Security and Defense Identity initiative, confronting the problems of weapons of mass destruction, and carrying forward an Open Door program to prepare others for eventual entry into the Alliance. Administratively, the challenges involve extensive site preparation, complex transportation, lodging, and communications arrangements, and due attention to security. The communications outreach effort will have to convey to the public an in-depth picture of the Summit events in particular and the current stage of the evolution of NATO in general. Q: Are there other events planned for the Summit participants following the April 23-25 meetings? A: Several events are planned to follow up the Summit. Some will involve seminars to discuss Summit decisions and the future of the Alliance. Some will be convened to celebrate NATO enlargement. Such events will take place both in North America and Europe. Q: What are some of the special events being planned for the spouses of the Summit participants? A: Mrs. Clinton is planning to invite the NATO leaders' spouses to luncheons at the White House and Blair House. Mrs. Gore will organize a luncheon for Ministers' spouses at the Vice President's residence. And Mrs. Cohen will be hosting a luncheon at the Kennedy Center. There will also be a special reception for spouses to honor efforts of "Race for the Cure" in fighting cancer. Latest Texts and Transcripts Secretary of State Albright at NAC Brussels Meeting on Kosovo, (4/12/99) http://www.usia.gov/topical/pol/eap/albnac12.htm Secretary of State Albright on "A New NATO for a New Century," (4/6/99) http://www.usia.gov/topical/pol/eap/albrook.htm Ambassador Alexander Vershbow on U.S.-Russian Relations, (3/25/99) http://www.usia.gov/topical/pol/eap/versb325.htm U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Lyndon Olson on "Reinventing Security in Europe: NATO at 50 Years" (Lund, Sweden, 3/15/99) http://www.usia.gov/topical/pol/eap/olson15.htm NATO Accession Ceremony (Independence, Missouri 3/12/99) http://www.nato50.gov/ceremony.htm Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott on "A New NATO for a New Era" (London, 3/10/99) http://www.usia.gov/topical/pol/eap/talbot10.htm JCS Chairman General Henry Shelton on "The Transatlantic Commitment" (London, 3/8/99) http://www.usia.gov/topical/pol/eap/shelt08.htm Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 12:22:36 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) depleted uranium coming to consumer goods Dear Friends, Here's some awful news. Paducah is sitting with a literal mountain of radioactive scrap metal which they are trying to use again in consumer products. The DOE "privatized" the Paducah plant, selling it off to the USEC after it no longer was used to process uranium for the weapons complex. This has to be stopped!! Regards, Alice Slater >Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 21:32:19 -0400 >Subject: Radioactive Pork for Paducah >Priority: non-urgent >X-FC-MachineGenerated: true >To: bananas@lists.speakeasy.org, nuke-waste@igc.org >From: bobschaeffer@earthlink.net (bobschaeffer@earthlink.net) > > SCHOOL EXPECTS TO BE HOME TO URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE STUDY CENTER > Associated Press > April 17, 1999 > > PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) -- Paducah Community College expects to be the site >of >a new center for the study of commercial uses for depleted uranium >materials >from the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. > Energy Secretary Bill Richardson says that by 2002, the U.S. Department >of Energy will start building a facility to recycle the hexafluoride >materials, now stored in 37,000 cylinders kept at the plant. > A new partnership between the University of Kentucky and Ohio State >University is studying ways to use the recycled materials to create jobs. >The $5 million center would be used to further that effort, Tom Osborne, a >member of the Paducah Junior College board of trustees, said Thursday. > The plant, owned by the agency and operated by the U.S. Enrichment >Corp., uses a gaseous-diffusion process to enrich uranium hexafluoride gas >into a material used to produce nuclear fuel for power plants around the >world. > The University of Kentucky has committed $2.2 million toward the >project. The rest is being sought from the state and the Energy Department. > Bob Schaeffer, Public Policy Communications > 73 Trowbridge Street, Belmont, MA 02178 >ph: (617) 489-0461 fax: (617) 489-6841 email: bobschaeffer@earthlink.net > Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 13:12:31 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: [csdgen] Threat of Ecological Catastrophe <--> NATO Bombings !! >Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 11:09:47 -0400 >Subject: [csdgen] Threat of Ecological Catastrophe <--> NATO Bombings !! >Priority: non-urgent >X-FC-MachineGenerated: true >To: csdgen@undp.org >From: jeaton@FOX.NSTN.CA (jeaton@FOX.NSTN.CA) > >I received this message from Dmitar Lakusic >Serbian Ecological Society, University of Belgrade, Faculty of >Biology at approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon April 18, 1999. >[Nova Scotia time] > >The message speaks alarmingly of the bombing, in the early >hours of the morning of April 18th at 1:00 a.m., in Pancevo, >northern suburb of Belgrade, of a petrochemical complex which >completely destroyed an Ammonia plant ("Azotara") and Vinyle >Chloride Monomere (VCM) plant ("Petrohemija"). It notes that a huge >dark cloud of VCM appeared over the city of Pancevo - "a huge dark >cloud [which] is spreading over the territory of SouthEastern >Europe." The authors say "we are faced with serious ecological >catastrophe." > >To confirm this report I called the University of Belgrade Phone # >appended to their press statement to see if I could reach either of >the authors of the statement. I was unable to reach either of them >at that location but spoke with a woman biologist who confirmed that >the bombing had occurred about 20 kilometres north of Belgrade last >night in early hours of morning and she referred to it as a serious >ecological catastrophe. She gave me Dmitar's Lakusic's home phone >number and I reached him a few moments later. He also confirmed >the bombing but for further information he felt that I should be >talking to his colleague - Associate Professor Radoje Lausevic. > >Minutes later I spoke at length with Radoje Lausevic, Associate >Professor of Biology, University of Belgrade and he confirmed >that at 1:00 a.m. April 18th NATO jets bombed plants of the >Petrochemical Complex in Pancevo. > >Professor Lausevic said " Only one sure thing is that the whole >petrochemical factory has been destroyed. It was hit by at least >three bombs. I was at home about 3 kilometers away and heard the >sounds of explosion very well and saw the flames in the dark sky last >night- a huge flame." > >He also confirmed that there had been an earlier bombing of an oil >and petrol plant and a second bombing in the early hours of the >morning of April 18th of another plant in Novi Sad 100 kilometers >north of Belgrade. He said he hoped to speak to his colleague at >Novi Sad University tomorrow about the bombing. He also said that >public health authorites were saying that the level of contamination >was not dangerously high after this April 18th bombing in >Pancevo but he could not confirm this. Professor Lausevic >also likened this to the reports coming out of Chernobyl which said >the same thing after the catastrophe there!! > >An Associated Press Report Sunday April 18 2:55 PM ET >http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ap/ap_headlines/story.html?s=v/ap >/19990418/ts/yugoslavia_kosovo_658.html > >entitled NATO Steps Up Air War on Yugoslavia >By GEORGE JAHN Associated Press Writer > >>>>From BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) noted NATO launched its most active >day of airstrikes Sunday in its assault on Yugoslavia, pummeling >refineries, bridges and dozens of other targets in what it >claimed were ``highly successful'' operations. > >Specific references in the AP article to bombings in this area were >as follows: > >Thick black smoke mixed with choking fumes rose above an area >targeted by a NATO attack on an oil storage depot and nitrogen >fertilizer plant in Pancevo, just six miles northwest of Belgrade. > >An immense fire also sent pillars of smoke into the sky after a strike >on a refinery in Yugoslavia's second-largest city, Novi Sad. > >All the very best, >Janet Eaton > >p.s. I particularly wished to confirm this report from the Serb >Ecological Society before forwarding it widely because of its >alarming nature and also because I have been preparing and have ready >to post an annotated list of internet communiques received over the >past two weeks which are about "Environmental Threats and Health >Hazards" from the NATO bombings. Obviously I want to include this one >as well !! je > > >Dr. Janet M. Eaton, >Educator, Researcher, >Public Policy Consultant. >Wolfville, Nova Scotia, >CANADA >jeaton@fox.nstn.ca > >--------------------------------------------- > > >------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- >Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 20:01:23 +0200 (MET DST) >To: (Recipient list suppressed) >From: Dmitar Lakusic >Subject: VCM > >Return-Path: Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 09:26:52 +0200 >From: Radoje Lausevic >To: Dmitar Lakusic Subject: VCM > >Belgrade, 18th April, 10:00 > >VCM over our heads. >We are faced with serious ecological catastrophe. > >Dr Slobodan Tresac, Director General of HIP PETROHEMIJA d.p. has >announced: > >"It is my duty and obligation to inform the domestic and >international public that on 15th April 1999 at 22:40 NATO forces >heavily bombarded the plants of the Petrochemical Complex in Pancevo >which were in regular operation. > >Installations and equipment of the Vinyl Chloride Monomer plant and >Ethylene plant were directly hit. Indirectly, heavy and destructive >explosions damaged the Chlor-alkali plant and Polyvinylchloride plant >and buildings inside the complex as well as a large number of >civilian houses and flats in the surrounding area. > >The fire broke out and huge quantities of toxic matters such as >chlorine, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride monomer flowed out. >The transformer stations were also heavily damaged and very toxic >transformer oil flowed out. > >Unfortunately but unavoidably a large number of people were injured >and intoxicated. At this moment we do not know the exact number of >intoxicated and injured civilians who were evacuated. > >Due to the power failure and utilities and auxiliary fluids >interruption a large quantity of combustible, explosive and toxic >matters remained trapped in the equipment, installations and tanks. >It will take a lot of time to drain and evacuate all those matters >from the plants before the plants could be considered safe for a >wide surrounding area. >The plants have been heavily damaged and cannot be put in operation. > >According to all the terms and rules of warfare accepted and followed >so far, the plants of chemical process industries of this type have >never been military targets and objects of strikes. The range of >products of "HIP Petrohemija" d.p. Pancevo is of extremely civilian >nature and bombardment of these plants represents the worst war >crime and it reveals genocidal intentions of the aggressor. >Therefore, we call upon the petrochemical producers, licencors and >engineering houses all over the world to raise their voice and warn >those who give orders for bombing of the danger and catastrophic >consequences which might be caused by bombing of this kind of >plants." > >Heavily bombing of the plants of the Petrochemical Complex in Pancevo >has been repeated last night (18th April, about 01:00). Ammonia plant >("Azotara") and Vinyle Chloride Monomere (VCM) plant ("Petrohemija") >has been destroyed completely. Huge dark cloud appeared over the >city of Pancevo (northern suburb of Belgrade). The cloud is >expanding in northwest direction. > >According to Encyclopaedia Britannica vinyl chloride, also called >chloroethylene, a colourless, flammable, toxic gas belonging to the >family of organic halogen compounds, is used principally in making >polyvinyl chloride, an important synthetic resin. > >Vinyl chloride was first prepared in 1835 by the reaction of ethylene >chloride with caustic potash; its slow transformation into a flaky >solid when exposed to sunlight also was noted but not recognized as >polymerization until many years later. An industrial process for >making vinyl chloride from acetylene and hydrogen chloride in the >presence of mercury (II) chloride was discovered early in the 20th >century, but commercial production was not begun until World War II, >when substitutes for natural rubber were required. The process based >on acetylene has remained important in Europe, but in the United >States vinyl chloride is commonly manufactured from ethylene >chloride, either by heating it to temperatures of 480 -510 oC (900 >-950 oF) or by treating it with a dilute solution of caustic soda. >Its chemical properties are similar to those of olefins, but, apart >from its conversion to polymers, its only important reaction is that >with hypochlorous acid, forming chloroacetaldehyde, which is used in >making pharmaceuticals such as sulfathiazole. Prolonged exposure of >humans and laboratory animals to vinyl chloride vapour has been >linked to several forms of cancer. > >Huge dark cloud is spreading over the territory of SouthEastern >Europe. VCM is over our heads. Who has rights to do that? > >Serbian Ecological Society >Univ. Belgrade, Fac. Biol. >Inst. Bot. & Bot. Garden "Jevremovac" >Takovska 43, 11000 Belgrade, Yugoslavia >Tel: +381 11 767-988 >Fax: +381 11 769-903 > >M. Sci. Dmitar Lakusic, President >dlakusic@Eunet.yu > >Ass. Prof. Dr. Radoje Lausevic, Secretary >rlausevi@EUnet.yu >========================================== > Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ End of abolition-usa-digest V1 #115 *********************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. 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