For immediate release.
Today in Kampala, 50 supporters of civil resistance campaign Students Against EACOP were arrested for attempting to stage a nonviolent march in support of Oil Kills – an International Uprising to end oil, gas, and coal by 2030. They are calling for their Governments to achieve this by creating a Fossil Fuel treaty. [1] [2]
The march was called today in service of Students Against EACOP’s two major demands: ending the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and for the Ugandan government to create a Fossil Fuel treaty.
At 9:20am (Uganda time) more than 50 student supporters were travelling to the start point of the march using public transport. Kampala Metropolitan Police had mounted several roadblocks to prevent the march from starting, and staged a mass arrest of the students before they had reached the start of the demonstration.
They arrested 45 of the students who had come to march peacefully, and the three bus drivers that were transporting them. Two remaining students regrouped and began the march to the Ugandan Parliament building alone – but before long they were violently arrested. Their aim was to deliver a petition to Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among, the Speaker of Uganda.
Kamya Carlos, 25, is a student at Kyambogo University and spokesperson for Students Against EACOP. Today he said:
“New oil, gas and coal infrastructure continues to exacerbate the climate crisis. As the global temperatures hit their tipping points leading to increased global carbon emissions it is clear that projects such as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline should never be constructed in the first place.
These projects – being used by the rich people to enhance their wellbeing and go on holidays using planes which pollute the atmosphere- should never be allowed by right thinking members of society. We demand the government to sign a fossil free treaty and call upon an end to EACOP; thus our protest action at the parliament of Republic of Uganda.”
At present, all 50 remain in custody and have been denied access to legal support. Students Against EACOP have no ways to check their safety, and have expressed concerns for their wellbeing.
The A22 Network and Stay Grounded have affirmed their support for the action today. [3] [4]
Inês Teles, 34, a spokesperson for Stay Grounded:
“It’s past time to end fossil fuels. Flying is the fastest way to fry the planet so it’s key to start by cutting pointless and unfair flights like private jets or short haul flights. The actions today and yesterday, disrupting airports, should be a shock to the system that is driving us towards climate catastrophe”.
Today’s actions are just the start. Governments and fossil fuel producers are waging war on humanity. Even so-called climate leaders have continued to approve new coal, oil and gas projects pushing the world closer to global catastrophe and condemning hundreds of millions to death. We need an emergency international response to save lives. As long as political leaders fail to take swift and decisive action to protect our communities from the worst effects of climate breakdown, we will remain in resistance. Our work remains essential, morally right and ever more urgent. The link between oil, gas and coal, and human lives is now crystal clear: Oil Kills.
ENDS
Press contact:+44 7762 987334
Press email: [email protected]
High-quality images & video here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JPirDH2_rF9M47r7_UWldjOJuvvw95wE?usp=sharing
Website: https://oilkills.org/
Twitter: https://x.com/_oilkills
Groups supporting the international uprising to end fossil fuels:
Students Against EACOP [email protected]
Just Stop Oil, UK [email protected] +44 7762 987334
Letzte Generation Austria [email protected] +43 680 4027795
Letzte Generation Germany [email protected] +493023591611
XR Netherlands [email protected] +31642020897
DROP Fossil Subsidies, Switzerland [email protected] +41 77 486 59 46
Act Now, Switzerland [email protected] +41 79 727 99 29
Last Generation Canada [email protected] +15144304545
Folk Mot Fossilmakta, Norway [email protected] +47 48416001
XR Boston [email protected] +1 (941) 809-8189
XR Finland [email protected]
Futuro Vegetal, Spain [email protected] +34 687558436 (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish)
Scientist Rebellion, Sweden [email protected].
Extinction Rebellion, Sweden [email protected]
Stay Grounded, International [email protected] +351912656904
Notes to editors:
[1] Oil Kills is an international uprising to end fossil fuels – an unprecedented coalition of civil resistance groups from over 10 countries across Europe and North America. We are taking nonviolent collective action at airports – a key pillar of the fossil fuel economy – to demand an end to oil, gas and coal by 2030.
Our demand in full: Our governments must work together to establish a legally binding treaty to stop extracting and burning oil, gas and coal by 2030 as well as supporting and financing poorer countries to make a fast, fair, and just transition.
This can be accomplished by endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative and seeking a negotiating mandate to establish the treaty.
Our recruiting, training, and capacity building is supported by the Climate Emergency Fund, which strategically supports ultra-ambitious organizations demanding solutions to the climate crisis at emergency speed.
Safety notice: Supporters receive training in nonviolence and will undertake all possible steps to ensure that our actions do not compromise the safety of those using airports, as well as those in the air. This includes avoiding going on any active or inactive runways.
[2] The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative is a diplomatic initiative working with a global network of thousands of civil society organisations and first mover governments who are spurring international cooperation to end new development of fossil fuels, phase out existing production within the agreed climate limit of 1.5°C and develop plans to support workers, communities and countries dependent on fossil fuels to create secure and healthy livelihoods.[3] Stay Grounded is a network of 200 initiatives to counter aviation for a just mobility system. They stand up against greenwashing climate strategies like carbon offsetting and the largely illusory promise of so called Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).[4] A22 Network is an international network racing to save humanity. We have a recipe for effective civil resistance. Support us. Join us. You are needed.