Remember Saro-Wiwa May Newsletter!

Dear Remember Saro-Wiwa supporter,<?xml:namespace prefix = o />
It's now six months since the highly successful season of events marking the 10th anniversary of the executions of the Ogoni Nine in October and November 2005. There were many highlights among the 13 events, of which you can see pictures on the website, but the most significant for the future was the selection of Sokari Douglas Camp's ''Battle Bus'' and Siraj Izhar's interactive carbon molecule for development into <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />London's Living Memorial.
The big news is that the Battle Bus will be launched in London on November 10th 2006, the 11th anniversary, and Siraj's memorial will join it for November 2007.

Since those incredible weeks, we have been regrouping, consolidating our funding, planning the production and sites for the Living Memorials, and developing our education and communications strategies.

The creation, touring and maintenance of the Living Memorials is a major undertaking, and we are very pleased to tell you that we have already raised £75,000 towards this year's costs. We are still seeking support for a further £50,000 - any extra ideas towards this would be gratefully received.

We'd also like to emphasise that donations of whatever scale from individuals are absolutely useful - both politically and financially. As you no doubt know, it's vital for the campaign to be able to cite how many individuals have shown their commitment for the issues through a donation - from £3 - £100,000! So far over 120 have contributed... If you would like to join our community of supporters, cheques are payable to ''Remember Saro-Wiwa''.

The Remember Saro-Wiwa team has evolved for the new phase: we are delighted to welcome curator Adelaide Bannerman as Project Manager for the Battle Bus. Adelaide has previously worked with InIVA (Institute for International Visual Arts) and ArtsAdmin. Former colleague Lorne Stockman is taking paternity leave, while Dan Gretton will be rejoining us in September 06, but is currently away writing a book ''Desk Killer'' on the nature of corporate genocide. The book includes an exploration of the Ogoni and Ken Saro-Wiwa's struggle. David A Bailey, Project Curator, Tim Sowula, Communications Manager, and Jane Trowell, Education and PLATFORM Co-Director, continue.

In Nigeria, the situation is deteriorating at an alarming rate: news of armed struggle and kidnappings is finally hitting the international media on a regular basis, but with a great deal of misinterpretation. The timing has never been more acute for an intervention in the seemingly unstoppable spiral, and we are determined that Remember Saro-Wiwa plays its part in creating links on the ground as well as drawing people's attention here to our role in changing the future of the lands on whom we depend for oil. Your support is crucial towards this, so if you would like to contribute in any way you feel you can, please get in contact with us.

We look forward to hearing from you
All the best,
Jane, David, Tim and Adelaide
Remember Saro-Wiwa Team
PLATFORM
7 Horselydown Lane
London SE1 2LN

Are you looking for powerful campaign tools? If you would like to buy a copy of the limited edition DVD, which contains the 30 min film ''Refining Memory'' by artist-filmmakers Judy Price and Andrew Conio, an interview with Ken Wiwa (jr) and a ten-page catalogue, you still can: cost is £10 including p&p, cheques payable to Remember Saro-Wiwa. The film was premiered at Museum of London and screened in the Curzon Soho and City Hall over two weeks in November 2005. London's Time Out film critic said ''what gives the film its real power is its understanding that what is happening in Ogoniland affects and implicates us all''. An excellent resource and soon to be a collector's item.

Couple of associated events:
Couple of associated events:
1. Art Not Oil is an exhibition and a campaign, committed to showing powerful political/ecological art, to seeing an end to oil
sponsorship of the arts, and to helping build movements for climate justice both here and throughout the world.
Some Dates:
The 2006 exhibition - which is still seeking work - runs from June 11-24, 12-7pm at the 491 Gallery, 491 Grove Green Road, E11 4AA, next to Leytonstone tube (Central line).
Saturday June 10th, 8pm-midnight: launch gig & oil-free cabaret at the
491 (benefit for the Camp for Climate Action), followed by a week of films, workshops & interactions with the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery.
June 29-July 1: The Foundry, 84-86 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3JL, (Old Street tube)
info@artnotoil.org.uk
www.artnotoil.org.uk
London Rising Tide, which is behind Art Not Oil, is a partner to Remember Saro-Wiwa.
2. Protest the official opening of BP’s Baku Ceyhan Pipeline on 26th May, 5pm, BP HQ, 1 St James Sq, London SW1Y. Called by the Baku Ceyhan Campaign –(a coalition founded by PLATFORM) and London Rising Tide. The pipeline props up authoritarianism in Azerbaijan, has disrupted the environment and local communities in Georgia, and led to imprisonment and torture of critics by the Turkish state.–
Join us in saying ''We're not going away''.