With an international network of people who care about our future, we’re learning new ways to support each other across the globe. This was evident this week when different individuals and groups in Africa took action in support of American and Canadian activists, who have been getting themselves arrested in a major campaign in Washington DC these last couple weeks.
Protesters have been doing rolling waves of sit-ins opposite the White House, and getting arrested in the process, in a campaign to pressure President Obama to refuse permission to allow the building of a 2,700 kilometre pipeline from the Canadian tar sands in Alberta all the way to Texas. Not only are there huge problems with the pipeline itself, but it would also enable greater exploitation of the tar sands – one of the most climate-damaging fossil fuels out there.
In Nigeria, Olumide visited the Canadian Embassy in Abuja (he was not deterred by the recent bombing there). He handed them a letter protesting Canada’s involvement in the tar sands operations, and calling on Canada to play a constructive role in the upcoming COP 17 climate negotiations.
In South Africa, Tracy did the same to the Canadian High Commission in Pretoria. The Commission staff were extremely unfriendly to her, and did not even allow her to take a photograph outside the Commission on the pavement. She thus walked across the street and took the photo there! No one was going to stop her!
Also in South Africa, activists protested outside the US Consulate in Durban, highlighting its role in the tar sands and how it has obstructed international climate negotiations over the past years.
For other stories on solidarity actions, visit here, and for more information on the tar sands action, including on numbers of activists arrested (843 as of yesterday), visit here.