News aggregator
Colombia: Rural poor revolt deepens against 'free trade'
Sun, 15/09/2013
By Christian Tym
Representatives of the Colombian rural poor (campesinos) began negotiations with the government on September 12, three-and-a-half weeks into an uprising against “free-trade” policies.
By blockading highways and stopping work since August 19, Colombian campesinos made a dramatic statement for a fairer economy and greater independence from the United States.
The central demand was and is the abolition of the free-trade agreements (FTAs) with the US and EU, and guaranteed minimum prices for their agricultural products.
Bill Shankly — Liverpool’s determinedly socialist football manager
Mon, 16/09/2013
By David Renton
Red or Dead
By David Peace
Faber & Faber, August 2013
No socialist in 60 years of British life has had more followers than Bill Shankly; no-one on the left has had greater success.
Taking over as manager of Liverpool Football Club in 1959, with his team struggling in the second division, by his retirement in 1974 Shankly had guided Liverpool to three league titles, two FA cups and the club’s first European trophy, the UEFA cup.
POEM: Head spin
Mon, 16/09/2013
By Jepke Goudsmit
The election showed
Most people in our country
Still unwilling to take the plunge
Towards system overhaul
Chosing instead to remain
Blind in the face of climate change
Deaf to the groans of the earth and its poor
Dumb to the call for justice and peace
Heads spinning with doublespeak
And massive media manipulation
Wondering how to cope with this
Collective conservatism and the
Pettiness of political leaders
I wander around the flat
A little bewildered and sad
To find myself in front of
My bedside bookshelves
Metamorphosis
Why Marx was right
Unfinished Animal
Our Common Cause: Beat Abbott back
Wed, 08/03/2006
Health minister Tony Abbott thinks women are having too many abortions. On February 16 he said, "Every abortion is a tragedy and up to 100,000 abortions a year is this generation's legacy of unutterable shame".
The morning after parliament removed
Health minister Tony Abbott thinks women are having too many abortions. On February 16 he said, "Every abortion is a tragedy and up to 100,000 abortions a year is this generation's legacy of unutterable shame".
Germany: Only high vote for left will send strong message
Sun, 15/09/2013
By Sibylle Kaczorek, Berlin
The upcoming federal elections in Germany, scheduled for September 22, are unlikely to change the character of German politics regardless of the outcome.
The two main parties remain committed continuing to represent the interests of German corporations over its people.
Die Linke (The Left Party) provides a left parliamentary alternative, but it has not succeeded in convincing ordinary, working people that a break of the status quo is possible.
New Zealand: Labour rights under attack
Sun, 15/09/2013
By Darryn Loveridge
Trade unions, environmental and Maori groups have united to oppose passage of new laws threatening collective bargaining and basic rights in the workplace.
The Employment Relations Amendment Bill, introduced by the government in April, seeks to remove existing requirements for employers to negotiate collective agreements, and rest and meal break provisions.
New Zealand: Celebrities join protests against deep sea drilling
Sun, 15/09/2013
By Darryn Loveridge
New Zealand celebrities have joined protests against proposed law changes that will remove the right of public consultation on applications for deep sea oil and gas drilling. Law changes will also remove the right to protest at sea.
Actors Sam Neill, Lucy Lawless and Robyn Malcolm, former Supreme Court judge Sir Ted Thomas and many others have joined Maori and environmental groups to condemn the government’s plans.
Catalonia: Huge pro-independence 'human chain' sharpens crisis
Sun, 15/09/2013
By Dick Nichols, Barcelona
About 1.6 million Catalans linked arms to form the Via Catalana, a 400 kilometre human chain demanding a referendum on independence for their country, to mark Catalonia’s national day (the Diada) on September 11.
The country has been a region of the Spanish state since September 11, 1714, when a besieged Barcelona finally fell to the Borbon coalition of France and Spain.
Amazing success
John Pilger: The West's chemical hypocrisy on Syria
Sun, 15/09/2013
By John Pilger
On my wall is the front page of the Daily Express of September 5, 1945, and the words: “I write this as a warning to the world.” So began Australian journalist Wilfred Burchett's report from Hiroshima. It was the scoop of the century.
For his lone, perilous journey that defied the US occupation authorities, Burchett was pilloried, not least by his embedded colleagues. He warned that an act of premeditated mass murder on an epic scale had launched a new era of terror.
Syria: West's hypocritical war drive slowed
Sun, 15/09/2013
By Barry Sheppard
The proposal by Russia, accepted by the regilme of Bashar Al-Assad, for Syria’s chemical weapons to be turned over to an international authority (presumably the United Nations) for destruction, has temporarily put off Washington’s plans for war against Syria.
Obama has postponed asking Congress to approve of his plans to attack Syria. This represents a political defeat for the war drive.
Even if Washington scuttles the proposed agreement and goes ahead with war, it will do so with even less support at home and abroad than it had before the Russian proposal.
Regional queers fight for marriage rights
Sat, 14/09/2013
By Paola Harvey
The first marriage equality rally in Nowra, south of Wollongong, was held on September 6. About 100 people attended the rally and chalk rainbows were drawn on the footpath.
Rally organiser Tobi Harris told the Illawarra Mercury: “The seat of Gilmore has been held by the Liberals for 17 years, and we want to remind them to stand up for the gay community.”
Long-time queer rights activist Paola Harvey addressed the crowd. Her speech is reprinted below.
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Tamils still face repression in Sri Lanka
Sat, 14/09/2013
By Chris Slee
“The worst genocide of this century” was how Paul Newman, professor of human rights at the University of Bangalore, described what has happened to the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.
Newman was delivering the Eliezer memorial lecture, in memory of Professor CJ Eliezer, the founder of the Eelam Tamil Association of Victoria, at Monash University on August 25.
Newman was speaking on democracy in south Asia. He began by outlining some common features of the south Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, before discussing Sri Lanka in more detail.
New NSW bill to threaten reproductive rights
Sat, 14/09/2013
By Pip Hinman
Pro-choice activists fear that a new bill, soon to go to NSW parliament, will pose a threat to women’s reproductive rights. “Zoe’s law” will create a new offence that recognises crime or harm against a foetus.
The Crimes Amendment (Zoe’s Law) Bill 2013 No. 2 was introduced by Liberal MP Chris Spence. It is named after the stillborn daughter of Brodie Donegan, who was 32-weeks pregnant when she was hit by a car on Christmas day in 2009 near Ourimbah on the central coast. Donegan suffered severe injuries and an emergency caesarean was too late to save the foetus.
DFAT told to stop funding human rights abuses in West Papua
Sat, 14/09/2013
Supporters of the Freedom Flotilla to West Papua, including the Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy, gathered outside the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Brisbane on September 2.
They were protesting against the arrest of four supporters of the Freedom Flotilla in the West Papuan city of Sorong on August 28 and who are now facing charges of treason for raising the West Papuan Morning Star flag.
Freedom flotilla sails into West Papua
Sat, 14/09/2013
The ">West Papua Freedom Flotilla released this statement on September 12.
***
Evading the Indonesian navy, two tiny boats met near the Australia-Indonesia border to ceremonially reconnect the indigenous peoples of Australia and West Papua. The ceremony was the pinnacle of a 5000 kilometre journey beginning in Lake Eyre, in which sacred water and ashes were carried and presented to West Papuan leaders.
GLW issue number 981
Sat, 14/09/2013
Socialist Alliance builds left voice at election
Sat, 14/09/2013
By Kerry Smith
The Socialist Alliance ran seven lower house candidates and a Senate team in NSW in the recent federal elections. Through letterboxing, campaign stalls, public forums and polling day, it engaged people who wanted to be involved in activism and politics in a meaningful way.
Green Left Weekly needs you
Sat, 14/09/2013
By Peter Boyle
Since the election of Tony Abbott’s Coalition government, Green Left Weekly has had a rush of new subscribers and many renewals. These people recognise the critical role Green Left Weekly will play in the trying period ahead.
One regular subscriber bought a subscription for her daughter. "She needs to know what is going on under this terrible man, Tony Abbott," the subscriber said when I took her call.
Her trepidation is shared by many — with good reason.
Socialist Alliance victim of hate page set up
Sat, 14/09/2013
By Sue Bull
Socialist Alliance members in Geelong have been victims of a vicious, post-election smear campaign. Federal police are investigating a Facebook page that called for the assassination of PM-elect Tony Abbott.
The creator of the page has not been identified, but they claimed an association with the Geelong branch of the Socialist Alliance and appeared to be posting from Geelong Trades Hall, where Socialist Alliance has its office.
Carlo's Corner: Abbott's right, climate change is pretty crap
Sat, 14/09/2013
By Carlo Sands
Well, turns out some bastards won the federal elections. I knew some bastards would win. I said it beforehand, I said: “Some bastards are going to win this one, you wait and see.”
I was right. I even tried to put some money on some bastards winning, but no bookies would give me odds.
