Friday 3.2.2018 New Anti-Coal Camp set up in Pont Valley, England
This past friday at the entrance to the proposed Banks Group mine outside of Dipton and Leadgate on the outskirts of Newcastle in England a new camp and occupation was put in place. In half a meter of snow and surrounded by uprooted hawthorne trees cut to make access to the mine, now serving as good source of fuel to the cold activist, a section 6 was placed on all the structures and entrances. Section 6 states that this location is occupied as living premises and court proceeding starting the eviction process have to take place before baileefs or the police show up to evict. As this was taking place 86 thousand signatures petition was turned in by a coalition of anti-coal mining activists to stop another permiti from being issued in London for a new coal mine in Bradley County, Durham. New opencast mines are being approved in England as publicity is generated to illustrate the country as one that is moving away from coal with its toxicity and effects on the climate.
RWE and Vatenfall continue to receive their Colombian Blood-Coal Imports from 2 companies operating their mines in Cesar region bordering Venezuela. Both of these companies: Drummond and Prodeco have been using right-wing paramilitaries as their private security force which has committed over 3,000 killings, over 59,000 forced removals and the disappearance of at least 240 people all in the region affected by coal mining. Nine different independent sources have confirmed that Drummond AUC made substantial financial contributions to the main right wing group in the region, Juan Andrés Alvares front. The payment methods ranged from direct cash payments to covert transfers via service providers and transfers of f set percentage yields of the mine operators. Drummond also ordered it official private security company AUC to remove “suspicious persons” from its premises. Telephone orders to do so resulted in the killing of these persons.