From gipfelsoli-l at lists.nadir.org  Sat Jul  1 19:10:45 2006
From: gipfelsoli-l at lists.nadir.org (gipfelsoli-l@lists.nadir.org)
Date: Sat Jul  1 19:10:55 2006
Subject: [gipfelsoli] St. Petersburg -- Stralsund --
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Message-ID: <20060701191045.f9dos7i500wg808w@webmail.nadir.org>

- Basic survival guide for Moscow
- Libertarian forum in Moscow, 8th-12th of July
- Aufruf IL 13.07.06 Stralsund
- Gothenburg court in Finland

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Basic survival guide for Moscow

Money

Currently dollar is about 27.1 rubles, and euro is about 34.0 rubles, ruble is
gaining in regards to both. Best places  to exchange cash are small currency
exchange points in center of the city, as competition is high there - banks and
places more distant from center have worse exchange course. In general currency
exchange points are honest, however better to count the cash before getting out
from there. Usually they change only euros and dollars, but some change any
currency whatsoever.

Usually there is no a separate commission fee, but ask about it  - in case there
is, better to check for another place nearby at least if you are attempting to
change a small amount. Changing money from hand is not necessarily a good idea.
Do not change money in airport, or change about the minimum amount to make you
to center, that is 15-30 rubles for a bus ticket.

Cash automats are widespread, with visa, visa electron, MasterCard etc. you may
draw cash in most of the metro stations, many shops, in about every bank etc.
Thus bringing a card could be a better idea than bringing all the cash you
need. Unfortunately we have no experience on traveler's checks, but probably it
will not be a problem to cash them in any bank - if you need info about them,
ask us and we'll find out.

Transport

There are 6 means of collective transport in Moscow - buses, trolley-buses,
trams, "marshrutnaya taksi" (= private mini-buses), metro and local trains. 
Three first ones use same kind of tickets, in "marshrutnye" you have to pay
each trip separately in cash,  metro and local trains have a separate ticket
system.

A single ticket for both over-ground transport and metro costs currently 15
rubles (around 45 eurocents), prices of marshrutnye vary according route, but
usually they are 15 rubles as well. Practically all over-ground transport has
had turnstiles installed during last few years, but there are still occasional
controls inside as many people share tickets or dug under turnstile (as a rule,
drivers do not care if you do). A bit cheaper tickets for over-ground transport
may be bought from special kiosks; these are around many metro stations. Only
tickets that do not limit amount of travel are monthly ones, so you better buy
a card of 1, 2,5,10 or 20 trips. A single-trip ticket may always be bought from
a driver as well with a price of 15 rubles (could be a bit more expensive is
travel goes beyond Moscow city limits).

"Marshurtnye taksi" (private mini-buses) are faster than buses, because they
skip stations if they get full. You should ask driver well enough before your
station to stop. They often agree to stop also between the bus, tram and
trolley-bus stops, except when that would result a traffic violation. Most
"marshurtnye" carry numbers of the corresponding bus/tram/trolley-bus routes,
others are only operated by "marshrutnye".

Metro tickets are sold in every metro station - only tickets that do not limit
amount of travel are monthly ones, so you better buy a card of 1,2,5,10 or 20
trips. If you want to jump over the turnstile, watch out first for cops lurking
by! There is no any ticket control inside metro. Metro is the main transport
system in Moscow; you should almost always prefer it to an above ground
alternative. First thing you should get in Moscow is a map of metro - without
it you will not get much to anywhere. It is also included in any city map -
normal price for a city map is 50-100 rubles. It is also rather safe anytime of
the day - but if you are piss drunk and sleeping on the floor alone, your trip
may cost you some property. Unfortunately metro closes 1 AM, however this is
only the time when the doors are closed - as last trains are leaving from the
last station 1 AM, it is likely that you will get to your destination if you
get into metro just before 1 AM at least if you do not have to do many changes.
 Opening times vary slightly among stations, but 5:45 AM is rather usual.

Local trains are not much of help in traveling inside the city, but you will
probably use them if you have some business (such as a night place) in suburbs.
Ticket prices vary according to distance, tickets are sold in stations. Most of
the stations have now turnstiles installed, and there are also turnstiles at
exit gates so do not throw your ticket away before exit if you have one -
otherwise you may have to pay extra to get out from the platform! There are
also controls inside trains.

There are two kinds of taxi in Moscow - those with signs and those without.
Latter ones may be twice cheaper than the former ones. Both variants are rather
safe, however if possible it would perhaps make sense to ask local friends to
negotiate price for you before the trip. Drivers prefer negotiating the trip to
using the counter, and you may be fine with that as long as you know what a
normal price is. Thousands of car owners look for extra income by driving
nighttime, thus anytime of the day you may get a ride by waving hand at any
bigger street in five minutes to any part of the city. In nighttime, expect to
pay a lot, at least 300 rubles from a trip to other part of the city. In
daytime, 50 rubles is a normal price for a trip of few kilometers and 200
rubles to opposite side of the city for a trip in "unofficial" taxi. In St.
Petersburg, taxis (as well as collective transport) are slightly cheaper than
in Moscow.

NEVER TAKE A TAXI FROM THE AIRPORT! They may cheat lots of money from you. Use
collective transport instead - "marshrutnye" would be better, as for example a
trip from international airport Sheremetevo 2 in a bus to city takes enduring 2
hours whereas "marsrutnaya" is more than twice faster.

Security

Heavy police presence in Moscow is intimidating - you see plenty of them in any
metro station, extracting bribes from illegal immigrants and small traders.
However you have no reason to be scared of them if you have been in the city
less than 3 days or you have made a registration. ALWAYS CARRY YOUR DOCUMENTS
AND REGISTRATION (or equal document given to you in a hotel) WITH YOU! If you
are busted for being in the city more than 3 days without a registration, call
our number. Otherwise, promptly show police your passport, visa and
registration when asked, and most likely they will let you go. Even if you have
a registration, police has right to take you to police station for "purposes of
identification", but if you are self-confident, they will probably make a
conclusion that there is no easy cash that could be extracted from you and they
will let you go. Even if you do not have a registration, police has no right to
arrest you for more than 3 hours for lack of it, so be tough. But do not be
aggressive even if cops are fucking you up, as they are unpredictable.

Taking into account their size and vast income disparities, both Moscow and St.
Petersburg are relatively safe cities. There is less crime specialized on
tourists (such as pickpockets) than in those major Western European cities that
are also tourist attractions. But this does not mean it is a good idea to count
your cash in the street, to carry mobile phones in easily accessible pockets
etc.

Unlike Russian periphery, Moscow and St. Petersburg are also relatively safe for
people with "alternative" outlooks. Number of racist assaults and murders is
appalling, but both cities are huge and you may spend weeks in them without
seeing a single Nazi. In another hand, these days only few Nazis are wearing
any symbols or traditional skinhead gear, so it is often difficult to recognize
one.

So keep watching around, and if you have "alternative" outlooks, move around
only in bigger groups if coming to or from any political events
(demonstrations, concerts, lectures etc). In other cases we would consider it
rather safe to move around freely.

Best self-defense is always your legs, so if you have any suspicion in regards
to some group of people around, pace up your walk, and leg it if necessary.
Russia has a rather strict regulation in regards to firearms, thus it is
unlikely that these are an option for self-defense for you. However a number of
pepper-gas devices are legal and easy to obtain, these cost from 120 rubles (4
euros) upwards - we will help you if you opt for these. Laws regulating cold
steel have been liberated lately, but sometimes cops do not know this, so if
you want to carry them around consult us first for some specifics.

Libertarian forum in Moscow is paying a lot of attention to security of its
participants, and these issues will be discussed together in plenary of the
forum 8th of July. Please take security concerns seriously, and do not leak any
information about forum or its participators to outsiders unless information is
already published in spb8.net website.

[Moscow group of Network Against G8]



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Libertarian forum in Moscow, 8th-12th of July

A preliminary program of libertarian forum is ready, currently we expect some 70
activists from various regions of Russia to take part, 30-50 from Moscow and few
dozen foreigners. Both forum premises and accommodation will be in Moscow region
close to Moscow. Take sleeping bags and mattresses with you. We may also book
hotels, cheapest places are 600 rubles (24$) a night. Food not Bombs has
promised to feed the conference; we will also prepare a list of affordable
cafes. There will not be fixed price for participation, we suggest that people
will contribute to costs of the event according to their capacities. Unless you
have an agreement with organizers to pick you up from somewhere, you should come
to office of Movement for Human Rights (Dvizhenie za Prava Cheloveka), located
to Maliy Kislovskiy pereulok, dom (house) 7, stroenie (building) 1, metro
station Arbatskaya. A map to find the location will be available later on. From
here, you will be directed to premises of the forum and accommodation. We will
wait you here 7th and 8th of July from noon to 8 PM. In case you are coming
earlier, contact organizers by e-mail or by phone. 12th of July we have planned
a press-conference of participators of the conference - main theme will be
critic against energy policies of G8 summit and renaissance of atomic energy.
We are discussing an alternative to travel collectively to St. Petersburg with
a rented bus. Contacts: moscow_protiv_g8@riseup.net, +7-906-796-88-29.


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Aufruf IL 13.07.06 Stralsund

13.7.2006:
Merkel und Bush die Show vermiesen!

Am 13. Juli kommt Georg W. Bush für eine kurze Stippvisite nach Deutschland -
genauer nach Stralsund in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Vom 15. Juli bis  zum 17.
Juli findet dann in St. Petersburg der G8-Gipfel 2006 statt, an dem  der
US-Präsident gemeinsam mit Angela Merkel teilnehmen wird.

Die Friedensbewegung ruft für Stralsund zu einer Großdemonstration gegen  die
Kriegspolitik der USA und gegen die Beteiligung der Bundeswehr an weltweiten 
Militäreinsätzen auf. Im Rahmen der Proteste gegen den G8-Gipfel in  Russland
finden als "Global Action Day" dezentral überall auf der Welt Aktionen und
Demonstrationen statt, bei denen gegen die Politik der G8 und den
globalisierten Kapitalismus protestiert werden wird. Das sind zwei gute Gründe,
am 13.7. nach Stralsund zu fahren, um dort Merkel und Bush die Show zu
vermiesen.

In Putins Reich findet das diesjährige Treffen der selbst ernannten "Führer der
Welt" statt. Dabei soll es auf Wunsch des Gastgebers vor allem um
Gesundheitspolitik, Bildung und Energiesicherheit gehen. Daneben will Putin die
Gelegenheit nutzen, mit viel nationalem Pomp sein autoritäres Regime zu
zelebrieren. Entsprechend harsch dürfte der Umgang mit den GipfelgegnerInnen
ausfallen, die allen Drohungen zum Trotz Proteste gegen das Stelldichein der
Staats- und Regierungschefs der sieben großen Industrienationen in Petersburg
angekündigt haben. Umso wichtiger, dass wir von Stralsund aus ein deutliches
Zeichen der Solidarität nach St. Petersburg senden - und auch im  Nachhinein
das Vorgehen der russischen "Sicherheitskräfte" nicht unkommentiert lassen.

In Stralsund und Umgebung ist der größten Polizeieinsatz in der Geschichte
Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns  zu erwarten. Nach Presseberichten sollen bis zu 15.000
PolizistInnen eingesetzt werden, Hunderte Kilometer Straße sollen gesperrt
werden, ebenso wie weite Teile der Stralsunder Innenstadt. Unsere Demonstration
soll an den Stadtrand gedrängt werden. All dies ist auch als Generalprobe auf
den G8-Gipfel 2007 in Heiligendamm zu verstehen. Und auch deswegen ist es
wichtig, am 13.7. in Stralsund linke Präsenz zu zeigen.

Mit seinem Zwischenstopp in Stralsund folgt der US-Präsident einer Einladung der
deutschen Regierungschefin.  Merkel will dem Mann aus Washington einfach mal
ihren Wahlkreis zeigen. Wer's glaubt, wird selig. Anstatt um eine beschauliche
Tour durch Vorpommern geht es vielmehr um das Austarieren handfester
politischer Interessen - zum Beispiel in der Energiepolitik. Erst im Mai hat
die Bundesregierung mit der so genannten Zentralasienkonferenz die
Einflussnahme auf das Ressourcengebiet rings um das Kaspische Meer
intensiviert. Gleichzeitig werden die Bemühungen um  eine gemeinsame
Energie-Außenpolitik der EU forciert, die unter deutschem  EU-Vorsitz im ersten
Halbjahr 2007 zu konkreten Ergebnissen führen sollen. Ziel der auf Jahrzehnte
angelegten Planungen ist es, in der Konkurrenz um die globalen Energievorräte
geschlossen gegen die  Konkurrenten USA, China und Indien auftreten zu können.

Die Gipfel der selbst ernannten Führer der Welt sind ein Brennpunkt neoliberaler
und imperialer Politik, ein kleines Tête à Tête im Vorfeld kann da nicht
schaden, um die große Linie abzustimmen. Denn auch die unterschiedliche
Bewertung des Irak-Kriegs, der Menschenrechtsverbrechen im Zug des "Kriegs
gegen den Terror" (ob in Abu Ghraib, Kabul oder Groszny) und die verteilten
Rollen im so genannten Atomkonflikt mit dem Iran können nicht darüber hinweg
täuschen: Egal ob in Washington, Berlin, Paris oder Tokio - ihre Politik ist
angelegt auf die Absicherung und Aufrechterhaltung der kapitalistischen
Globalisierung mit ihren tödlichen Folgen.

Das Treffen von Bush und Merkel in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ist eine gute
Gelegenheit, diese Zusammenhänge deutlich zu machen. Die Demonstration in
Stralsund ist damit auch ein wichtiger Schritt in der Mobilisierung gegen den
G8 Gipfel 2007, der vom 8. - 10. Juni 2007 in Heiligendamm, also ebenfalls in
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern stattfinden soll.

Merkel hatte erklärt, Bush solle bei seinem Besuch "auch mal ein Stück kennen
lernen von dem, was in den neuen Ländern geschaffen wurde." Das ist in der Tat
zu befürchten. Schon kursieren Aufrufe aus der Nazi-Szene, die ein eigenes
Auftreten in Stralsund ankündigen. Diesem Ansinnen gilt es offensiv und
entschieden entgegenzutreten. Es muss deutlich werden, dass der Widerstand
gegen Neoliberalismus und kapitalistische Globalisierung nichts mit
nationalistischer Beschränkung und rassistischer Ausgrenzung zu tun hat,
sondern im Gegenteil internationale Solidarität und Globalisierung von unten
meint.

Es geht um mehr als einen bloßen Protest gegen den US-Präsidenten. Wir wollen
uns solidarisch und offensiv auf die Gipfelproteste in St. Petersburg beziehen,
und dadurch in Stralsund die Kraft einer globalen Bewegung von unten sichtbar
machen, die gegen die Macht und angebliche Alternativlosigkeit  des
globalisierten Kapitalismus auftritt.

Auf nach Stralsund! Interventionistische Linke, Juni 2006

Großdemonstration:
Do, 13. Juli 2006, 13 Uhr, Stralsund, Innenstadt

Aktuelle Infos zur Demo und zur Anreise: www.g8-2007.de
//www.bush-in-stralsund.de

Anreiseinfos:
Berlin: Hauptbahnhof (tief) ab 09:41, an Stralsund 12:51. Treffen wg.
Koordination der Brandenburg- bzw.Mecklenburg-Tickets 9.00, Europaplatz vorm
Hbf (Nordseite). Infos: fels-g8-mob@nadir.org
Hamburg: Busse 8:00 Uhr ab Moorweide (neben der Tankstelle). Fahrkarten für
18,./10,./5,- Euro bei: GNN-Verlag, Neuer Kamp 25, Tel. 43 18 88 20 und
Linkspartei.PDS, Kreuzweg 7, Tel. 3 89 21 64 Infos: www.hamburger-forum.org
Lübeck: Bus, 9.00 Uhr ab alternative, Willy-Brandt-Allee 9, Weitere Infos (auch
zur Anreise aus anderen Orten Norddeutschlands): www.avanti-projekt.de

Berlin, 10.7.2006: (K)ein vergessener Gipfel? Info-Veranstaltung rund um die
Proteste in St. Petersburg. Kato (Schlesisches Tor), 19.30, von der Gruppe Fels
(fels-g8-mob@nadir.org)

Frankfurt, 14.7.2006: Kundgebung zum Global Action Day
16 Uhr Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), Bockenheimer Landstr./Zeppelinallee
(Nähe Bockenheimer Warte). G(ib)8 Rhein-Main: Glocal group Hanau, Libertad!
Frankfurt

Ostseeküste, 4.-13.8.2006: Camp Inski
Camp 2006 "für globale Rechte und ein ganz anderes Ganzes", um gemeinsam die
Voraussetzung für kraftvolle Tage des Widerstands in Heiligendamm zu schaffen!
Infos: www.camp06.org

[V.i.S.d.P.: S. Schneider, Schweffelstr. 6, 24118 Kiel]


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Gothenburg court in Finland

More than five years after protests against EU summit in Gothenburg in  June of
2001, district court of Helsinki has been felony charges of "violent riot"
against two Finnish activists, Reko Ravela and Tapio Laakso (names have been
published in mainstream media in Finland) earlier this week. Sentence is due to
6th of July.

Charges are related to failed attempt of white overalls to charge out from
surrounded Hvitvedtska school. Accused have not attempted to deny their
participation, but defence it as a legitimate means to defence against illegal
imprisonment. Both accused were given charges years ago, but they were frozen
in Finnish courts as Swedish courts were looking for legality of siege of the
school. However both Gothenburg district court and court of appeal in Sweden
refuted claims of Swedish ombudsman that siege  was illegal, thus giving free
light to process in Finland.

As case of prosecution is not very strong what comes to level of "violent
rioting" of white overalls, defendant are yet quite optimistic. At least
statutes of limitations of "violent rioting"  just passed, so no charges may be
pressed against other people anymore.

[alter-ee]

