Resistance!
Resistance! Resistance!
Saturday 26th May 2001 @ The Malcolm X Centre, Bristol

An independent, non-party organisation of Bristol
Activists representing various shades of opinion from environmentalists to socialists
to anarchists to just plain citizens came together with the aim of putting on
an open event in the city to discuss the important issues. The event looks at
social and environmental concerns and what can be done about them, set in an
un-bias and open space. We want to attract those who are sympathetic to the
various social and environment causes, and are interested in finding out more.
We also aim to provide a platform to inform and engage existing activists on
issues that concern them. The conference offers three main areas;

Information: as without it we can\'t effectively challenge the status-quo.
Organisation:
to teach people how they can empower themselves
Practical Skills: to pick up some usefull stuff!

After months of hard work we\'re pleased to announce the timetable for the day.
Attending you\'ll find speakers from loads of different groups (some in a personal
capacity) including Corporate Watch, Rising Tide, SWP, Voices in the Wilderness,
War on Want, RMT, Campaign Against the Arms Trade, Bristol Genetics, WDM, Save
Our Schools, People and Planet, Vote Nobody, Easton Cowboys, Green Party, Global
Issues Local Lives, Socialist Alliance, Bristol Cycling Campaign, Video Network,
Baby Milk Action, Kebele Centre, Friends of the Earth and Bristol Defend the
Asylum Seekers Campaign.

Tickets are on sale now at £3 for students, unemployed and part-time workers
and £7 for full time workers. They can be purchased from Greenleaf Bookshop
in Colston St. Bristol or
online
using the secure credit card facilities. All
are welcome.

If you can\'t make it. but still wish to support us then you can buy one of our
non-sweatshop produced t-shirts with the bardcode logo on (see top of this article!)
for £8 or a fundraising 5 track CD for £3, using the secure
credit card facilitates.

Date Time: 10.30am - 6.30pm Saturday 26th May
Place: Malcolm X Centre, City Road/Ashley Road, St Pauls, Bristol.





10.30-11.00
Registration


11.00
- 12.00
What
are we Resisting? Why does it Need Resisting?



Globalisation,
neo-liberalism and the New World order
Tariq Ali (Writer and journalist) - giving a global overview
Mel Jarman (Corporate Watch, Rising Tide) - on the rising power of
corporations
Alex Callinicos (University of York, SWP) - on the WTO, IMF and World
Bank

[Facilitator – Nancy Rollason]


12.00-13.15

Lunch / Video Network will be showing some of their recent works - recommended
viewing!




 
Room
A
Room
B
Room
C
Room
D
Room
E


13.15-14.30
Workers
and Globalisation
Weapons
and War
What’s
Happening to our Food?
GATS:
The Mother of all Privatisations
Cyber-activism



We’re
told that Globalisation means jobs and wealth, is this true?

Nick Deaden (War on Want) - on the global workforce
Alex Gordon (RMT) - bringing the issues into a national context
Siobhan McAndrew (Oxford University) - on the economics of globalisation

[Facilitator – Jo Benefield]
The
‘War to End War’ never did, so what’s going on?

Joanne Baker (Voices in the Wilderness) - on Iraq and Depleted Uranium

Doug Stokes (University of Bristol) - on the low-level war now called
‘Plan Colombia’
Chris Coles (Campaign Against the Arms Trade) - on those who profit
from war

[Facilitator – Martin Belcher]
Foot
and mouth, BSE, GM foods, industrialised farming/agriculture and supermarkets.
You all know the score, something’s gone very wrong.

Wilf Mound (Bristol Genetics) - on the global farming businesses

Phil Haughton (Better Food Company) - on local food vs. supermarket
domination
Speaker TBC (Friends of the Earth) - on British Agriculture

[Facilitator – John Devaney]
Just
when you’d had enough of the private rail companies, along comes the WTO
with a big idea – privatise everything!

Mike Sampson (African Initiatives) - on GATS and the corporate loopholes

Speaker TBC (World Development Movement) - what will happen under
GATS
Speaker TBC (Save Our Schools) - bringing the issue into sharp focus
for those living in Bristol

[Facilitator – Roger Geffen]
Not
used a computer much, not got much money but still need a Web site? This
workshop will teach you what you need to know.

[Facilitator – Tom Rawlings and Joey Clark]


14.45-16.00
Climate
Change
Getting
from A to B
Democracy,
Law and the Media
Refugees,
Racism and Asylum
Banner
Making




Britain has been ravaged by some of the worst floods in years while Bush
has pulled out of Kyoto and the politician’s dither – what is really going
on?

Mel Jarman (Corporate Watch, Rising Tide) - on the global climate

Ed Harnett (Friends of the Earth) - on climate change and local
pollution
Alan King (People and Planet) - on campaigning on climate change


[Facilitator – Doug Stokes]

We live in a mobile society where travel is the norm, but with gridlock
in cites and a decaying existent public transport system – a debate is needed.


Roger Geffen (Reclaim the Streets) - on sustainable transport.
Speaker TBC (Bristol Cycling Campaign) - on transport issues in Bristol.

John Devaney (Green Party) - on air travel and its implications.

[Facilitator – Ellie Ni Chathain]

What is the reality of our democratic processes, the law that govern us
and the media that reports it all?

Tony Gosling (Video Network) - on media representation and the Evening
Post.
Kathryn Tulip (Activists Legal Defence Project) - on the law and
protesting.
Nancy Rollason (People’s Action Groups for European Activism) - on
the RIP and Terrorism laws.

[Facilitator – Tom Rawlings]

What causes refugees in the first place and what perpetuates the racism
against those simply fleeing poverty and suffering?

Jerry Hicks (Bristol Defend the Asylum Seekers Campaign) - on the
realties of asylum.
David John (Chairperson; Respect in the West) - on racism and asylum.

Speaker TBC (refugee/asylum seeker) - to give a personal perspective
on a global issue.

[Facilitator – Jo Benefield]

When you need to get the attention of people in the street, one way to do
it is noticeable banners – learn how here.

[Facilitator – Crash]


16.00-16.15
Break






16.15-17.30
Riot,
Resistance and History
Community
Resistance
David,
Dorothy and Goliath
How
can we organise?
Exhibition


 

Uncover the hidden history of Bristol and it’s relevance to today.

Kieran Kelly (University of the West of England) - on Bristol\'s hidden
history/Opposition to the Slave Trade/The 1831 Bristol Riots.
Danny Burns (Bristol University, author \'Poll Tax Resistance\') -
on mass resistance in the UK.
Jim McNeill (Living Easton) - on Riot and rebellion in East Bristol
from 1640 to the present.

[Facilitator – Kevin Skinner]
The
Zapatista shows us that communities hold real strength. Solidarity and positive
action can be fostered in our communities; learn more here.

Ben (Easton Cowboys) - on Zapatistas and building community solidarity.

Erik Empson (Local activist) - on the future of resistance movements.

Chris Hawkins (Global Issues, Local Lives) - on issues of globalisation
in the community.

[Facilitator – Dolan Jones]

Protests often involve huge disparities in resources between the two sides
- that doesn’t mean you can’t try or succeed.

Speaker TBC (Drop the Debt) - on taking on the biggest financial
institutions in the world.
Tom Rawlings (Local activist) - on Nestle and @Bristol.
Speaker TBC (Local activist) – on targeting the Gap and sweatshop
labour

[Facilitator – Joey Clark]


Some discussion and experience on the nuts-and-bolt or organising resistance.


John Devaney (Green Party) - on non-violent direct action and electoral
political organisation
Speaker TBC (Globalise Resistance) - on their experience of counter
conferences and non-violent direct action
Nancy Rollason (People’s Action Groups for European Activism) -
on pan-European organisation
Speaker TBC (Kebele) - on community action

[Facilitator – Roger Geffen]

Video
Network will be showing some film plus an exhibition of photographs around
the theme of activism will be held here.




17.45
- 18.30
Plenary
and close



Just
do it! Comments from the assembled, final thoughts and where from here?

Tariq Ali (Writer, political activist)
Jerry Hicks (Bristol Defend the Asylum Seekers Campaign)
Kathryn Tulip (Activists Legal Defence Project)

[Facilitator – Martin Belcher/Ellie Ni Chathain/Tom Rawlings]



Please note - this timetable
is subject to change, we\'ve go even more to cram in, so watch this space. If you\'re
interested and want tickets - click
here.

www.resistanceconference.org.uk