Globalising Resistance to Radiation – From Mutiny Zine #66

by incubateNo Comments
The below article appears in the July/August issue (#66) of Mutiny Zine, a paper of anarchistic ideas and actions from Sydney. You can find the entire zine online HERE as well as individual articles from the zine on the Mutiny Zine blog. Another article from this issue of the zine which might be of interest to ASEN folks is by Kylie and discusses climate summit counter-protests and some ways forward for the climate justice movement. Love and solidarity- Mutiny Zine editors. Globalising Resistance to Radiation: From Australia to Japan By Alexander Brown, Tokyo Throughout June and July thousands and now tens of thousands of people have been gathering every Friday outside the prime minister’s residence in Tokyo, to protest prime minister Yoshihiko Noda’s plans to re-start Japan’s nuclear reactors. Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March last year, nuclear reactors that went offline for routine maintenance and testing were not restarted due to stringent new testing requirements imposed by the government as a...
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Diversity in student organisations – here’s looking at you, and you and you.

by ASENadminNo Comments
As someone who has been involved for a number of years in various avenues of progressive organising, from SRC to unions and political groups, I have observed the interaction with these organisations and identity politics. I have learnt that  certain aspects of a person’s background matter when it comes to how they are treated within the organisation, just as it matters to how they are treated in broader society. In particular, political groups are dominated by people of privilege - mostly, white, middle-class, able-bodied men. This leads to  those who are more socially privileged feeling more comfortable to stand for elections for positions with names like ‘President’ or ‘Environment Officer’. When many people in positions of ‘power’ look like you, sound like you and has a similar background/experience to you, then it’s a lot easier to put your hand up for similar things – it’s culturally supported. When we turn on the television or look at the names and faces...
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Diversity in student organisations – here's looking at you, and you and you.

by incubateNo Comments
As someone who has been involved for a number of years in various avenues of progressive organising, from SRC to unions and political groups, I have observed the interaction with these organisations and identity politics. I have learnt that  certain aspects of a person’s background matter when it comes to how they are treated within the organisation, just as it matters to how they are treated in broader society. In particular, political groups are dominated by people of privilege - mostly, white, middle-class, able-bodied men. This leads to  those who are more socially privileged feeling more comfortable to stand for elections for positions with names like ‘President’ or ‘Environment Officer’. When many people in positions of ‘power’ look like you, sound like you and has a similar background/experience to you, then it’s a lot easier to put your hand up for similar things – it’s culturally supported. When we turn on the television or look at the names and faces...
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Anti-Uranium Protesters Arrested at Breakfast

by ASENadminNo Comments
This morning three student activists were arrested at the Lizards Revenge anti-nuclear festival. Thirty protesters were breakfasting on the road to the Olympic Dam uranium mine in order to blockade trucks entering the mine site. Six people were arrested in total while eating toast with intent. They have been taken to Roxby Downs  police station and are likely to be held without bail overnight. Many others have driven to town in solidarity to wait for the arrestees’ release. The blockade was part of a week of peaceful non-violent protest to promote creative alternatives to the nuclear industry. Lizards Revenge is in solidarity with the Arabunna and Kokatha indigenous nations in opposing the expansion of the Olympic Dam uranium mine on their sacred desert lands. Think Priscilla with a cause. Asked why he opposed the mine’s expansion, one protester explained: ‘uranium leaves radioactive waste for thousands of years, it’s used in nuclear weapons, and any accidents – like at Fukushima – are really dangerous. We...
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Anti-Uranium Protesters Arrested at Breakfast

by incubateNo Comments
This morning three student activists were arrested at the Lizards Revenge anti-nuclear festival. Thirty protesters were breakfasting on the road to the Olympic Dam uranium mine in order to blockade trucks entering the mine site. Six people were arrested in total while eating toast with intent. They have been taken to Roxby Downs  police station and are likely to be held without bail overnight. Many others have driven to town in solidarity to wait for the arrestees’ release. The blockade was part of a week of peaceful non-violent protest to promote creative alternatives to the nuclear industry. Lizards Revenge is in solidarity with the Arabunna and Kokatha indigenous nations in opposing the expansion of the Olympic Dam uranium mine on their sacred desert lands. Think Priscilla with a cause. Asked why he opposed the mine’s expansion, one protester explained: ‘uranium leaves radioactive waste for thousands of years, it’s used in nuclear weapons, and any accidents – like at Fukushima – are really dangerous. We...
Read More