2010 Aug 11: SEAFIELD STENCH COMPANY FACES BOYCOTT CALL

Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign: Media Release

 

SEAFIELD STENCH COMPANY FACES BOYCOTT CALL

 

Edinburgh Council is being asked to reject a bid by the company responsible for the notorious Seafield stench to take over other public services in the city.

 

The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) says that Veolia, which runs the wastewater plant as part of Scottish Water, should be excluded from Council contracts because of the company’s involvement in Israel’s Occupation of Palestine.

 

The French multinational has already lost major contracts around the world because of its work on a tram line set to link Israel to some of its illegal settlements in Occupied Palestine. In April, the United Nations Human Rights Council condemned Israel’s “decision to establish and operate a tramway between West Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Pisgat Zeev, which is in clear violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.”

 

SPSC chair Mick Napier was hopeful that Edinburgh would follow the lead of councils such as Dublin which voted “not to sign or renew any contracts with Veolia” back in June. “Veolia is assisting Israel in its illegal Occupation of Palestine. Armed with this information, I am confident that Edinburgh Council will stand up for human rights in the same way that Dublin, Swansea, Melbourne, Stockholm and many others have”, said Napier.

 

Veolia has been shortlisted by the Council to take over services such as rubbish collection, street cleaning and ground maintenance.

 

 

ENDS

 

 

Notes for editors:

 

 

1. The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign started in autumn 2000 in response to the Palestinian second uprising against Israeli occupation (Intifada). The SPSC has branches and groups of supporters in several Scottish cities and universities, as well as individual members across Scotland and elsewhere.

 

For further information, contact:
SPSC Chair, Mick Napier: 0131 620 0052; 07958002591

Email: media@scottishpsc.org.uk
Website: www.scottishpsc.org.uk 

 

 

2. Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council: A/HRC/RES/13/7
14 April 2010

Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan

“The Human Rights Council… 5. Expresses its grave concern at: … (g) The Israeli decision to establish and operate a tramway between West Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Pisgat Zeev, which is in clear violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions”.

 

 

3. Dublin City Council passed a resolution calling on the City Manager not to sign or renew any contracts with French multinational Veolia on 12^th June 2010:

 

 

4. Israeli press indicates Veolia losing contracts due to involvement in the tram project:

Haaretz, 08.06.09:

Jerusalem rail operator jumps ship, Tel Aviv group isn't even responding

“According to various reports abroad, the French firm had been losing major projects in Europe because of its involvement in the Jerusalem job.”

 

 

5. Reports of Veolia being shortlisted to run Edinburgh Council services:

Edinburgh Evening News, 21 June 2010

Seafield and tram firms bid to take over city services

 

 

6. Edinburgh Councillors were each sent the following Veolia Briefing Document:

 

 

7. The Council is being asked to:

a) exclude Veolia Environnement or any of its subsidiaries - Veolia Transport, Veolia Environmental Services, Veolia Water, Onyx, Cleanaway, Connex , TMM - from all Edinburgh City Council contracts.
b) cancel contracts and/or ad-hoc arrangements that are in place to use services provided by Veolia Environnement or any of its subsidiaries.

 

 

8. More details of the SPSC campaign against Veolia can be found here: