The Camp for Climate Action Scotland has been informed that anonymous activists have successfully sabotaged the Glentaggart opencast coal mine in South Lanarkshire. The unknown individuals have disabled the conveyor belt that moves coal from the mine to Ravenstruther rail terminal where the coal is then sent to Drax power station in Yorkshire.
Scotland’s Climate Criminals
The following is a list of the operations in Scotland which profit from the exploitation of fossil fuels. None of these operations are compatable with the vision for a zero-carbon Scotland as such they will be targetted with direct action in order to ensure we can make a just transition towards a sustainable future.
Longannet and Cockenzie Coal Powerstations
Glasgow, Edinburgh, Preswick and Aberdeen Airports
Oil & Gas operations in Aberdeen-shire
Grangemouth Oil & Gas Refinery
Hunterston coal terminal
All open-cast coal mines
Coal distribution network including;
Ravenstruther coal terminal
Crowbandsgate Rail Facility
Glentaggart Conveyerbelt
RBS HQ
Scottish Power HQ
Scottish and Southern Energy HQ
Motorway constructions such as M74
Date: 7th July 2009
Location: Douglas, South Lanarkshire
Embargo: none
This afternoon, protestors from Mainshill Solidarity Camp near Douglas paid a visit to Lord Home to highlight the dangers of open cast coal mines. The campaigners
peacefully played frizbee on Lord Home’s garden and held banners to highlights links between local health issues and the wealthy peers’ plans for a new mine at
Mainshill. The event attracted 25 people and passed off peacefully.
People walked down the house along the road with banners. On getting to Lord Home’s house people played frizbee and other games with the children who
accompanied the march. People had a picnic around the back of the house before walking to Mainshill Solidarity Camp, again in a peaceful procession.
Mainshill Solidarity Camp said, “Why does Lord Home enjoy great wealth and health while it is the local community who will ultimately have to pay the price. He will
make 3 million turning his land over to Scottish Coal. Next week he will be enjoying shooting parties with Princes Charles, William and Harry, while locals are
suffering.”
Lord Home has an agreement with Scottish Coal to turn over part of his estate at Mainshill Woods, a popular walking venue for the local community, for a new open
cast coal mine. It will be the fifth such mine in the Douglas area in four years, making it the most heavily mined in Europe. The new mine will be less than a
kilometer from the local hospital, the Lady Home.
Health issues are worrying the local community considerably. A new document produced this week based on local GP and NHS statistics demonstrates that since the
new open cast mines started up there has been a dramatic rise in health issues. In particular chronic lung diseases have increased 60% in the Douglas area.
Local campaigner Harry Thompson, chairman of the Mainshill Opencast Rejection Action Group today said, “We are calling for an immediate end to all further
expansion and development of opencast mines until a proper and independent epidemological study is carried out to look at the impact of open cast mining on
health of neighbouring communities. We believe that preliminary sanalysis clearly justifies the need for such an investigation.”
The Mainshill Open Cast Rejection Action Group and Douglas Community Council have both demanded independent health assessments.
Mainshill Solidarity Camp continued, “If Lord Home really cared about the people of this area he would break his agreement with Scottish Coal immediately. Until he
does we remain on the site, dug in and prepared to protect the site, to support the local community and to highlight the problems of open cast mining where ever
we can.”
The Mainshill protest camp has been in place for nearly two months with a camp in the woods were various defences have been built to deter work from starting on
the site. Lord Home, the Chairman of Coutts Bank, is under investigation by the FBI for his role in the Calcott financial scandal in the US and also by Scotland Yard
over his House of Lords expense claims.
-end-
Notes for editors
1. A spokesperson for Mainshill Solidarity Camp can be reached at 07722 708 760. A website in support of the campaign is at
http://coalactionedinburgh.noflag.org.uk/
2. A leaflet outlining the figures on chronic pulmonary obstructions and other illnesses in the Douglas area is available on request. For further information contact
the author Kirsty Stramler, Ph.D. on 07722 710 863.
3. Harry Thompson, the Chairman of the Mainshilll Open Cast Rejection Action Group can be reached on 01555 851 845.