#316: Forum Mon – Jane Kelsey on world financial crisisi

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND
NEWSLETTER No. 316, January 23, 2010

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Jane Kelsey is to speak at first GPJA Forum for 2010. Her topic is "Is the Global Financial Crisis the beginning of the end of global capitalism?" This forum will be on Monday, February 1 at the Auckland Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn. We hope to reestablish the monthly schedule on the first Monday or each month.

DONATING TO HAITI RELIEF
If you want to donate here are a couple of suggestions. Partners In Health is a NGO which is substituting for a state health system but it’s evident that food and medicines are the immediate priorities. The Haiti Emergency Relief Fund is a radical network which supports grassroots activity.
Emergency Earthquake Appeal: Support Cuban-Trained Haitian Doctors – Give your donation staying power… with MEDICC and Global Links http://www.medicc.org/ns/index.php?s=19&p=19
Support the Cuban medical brigades in Haiti: A Cuban bank account has now been opened to receive financial contributions to help with the Cuban medical teams working in Haiti. If you wish to support the Cuban efforts in Haiti directly then you can do so in the following ways: The preferred method: 1. Make a donation via Cuba Solidarity Campaign. We will collate all donations and forward them in lump sums to Cuba to avoid multiple transfer fees (please make cheques payable to ‘CSC’ and write Cuban doctors in Haiti) on the back) and send to address below. You can also donate by Credit Card at 0208 800 0155. All donations will receive acknowledgement. 2. You can make a direct bank transfer to the Cuban bank account (below) set up to receive donations for the Cuban medical effort in Haiti. Please note that making direct bank transfers to Cuba will involve paying significant bank and transfer charges and that you may not receive confirmation or receipts for your donation.
Title: Terremoto Hait (Haiti Earthquake)
Bank: BICSA
Bank Identification Code (BIC) Cdigo SWIFT del Banco: BIDCCUHH
Account number: 01321010770900
Bank Address: Havana, Cuba
Please note: Payments to Cuba should be made in pounds sterling or euros, NOT US dollars.
For details of the Cuban efforts in Haiti including video reports see http://www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk/news.asp?ItemID=1768

HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE AUCKLAND SUPER CITY- LABOUR/GREENS PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THE 3RD SUPER CITY BILL
Labour and the Greens are running a series of public meetings across Auckland to encourage people to make parliamentary submissions on the flawed and undemocratic third super city bill. The meetings will include briefings on the issues, as well as practical advice on how to prepare a submission. All are welcome and of course there will be time to discuss and debate.
Waiheke – 7.15 – 9.00pm, Thursday 28th January, Morra Hall, 115 Ocean View Rd, Waiheke, hosted by Phil Twyford, David Clendon and Jacinda Ardern
Rodney – 7.00 – 9.00pm, Tuesday 2nd February, Catholic Hall, Alnwick St, Warkworth, hosted by Darien Fenton and Rajen Prasad
Maungakiekie and East- 7.30 – 9.00pm, Tuesday 2nd February, Onehunga Community Centre, Church St, Onehunga, hosted by Phil Twyford, David Clendon, Carol Beaumont, Carmel Sepuloni and Ashraf Choudhary
North Shore- 7.00 – 9.00pm, Wednesday 3rd February, Rawene Centre, 33 Rawene Road Birkenhead, hosted by Darien Fenton
Waitakere- 7.00 – 9.00pm, Wednesday 3rd February, New Lynn Community Centre – Recreation Room, Totara Avenue, New Lynn, hosted by Phil Twyford, David Clendon, David Cunliffe, Chris Carter, Lynne Pillay, and Carmel Sepuloni
Auckland Central- 6.30 – 8.30pm, Thursday 4th February, Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn, hosted by Phil Twyford, David Clendon and Jacinda Ardern
Mt Albert/Mt Roskill- 7.00 – 8.30pm, Monday 8th February, Owairaka Primary School, 113-115 Richardson Road, Mt Albert, hosted by Phil Twyford, David Clendon, David Shearer and Carmel Sepuloni

WHAT’S ON IN AUCKLAND

Friday, January 29, 7.30pm, Auckland Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn.
HAITI- FROM REVOLUTION TO OCCUPATION – BLACK JACOBINS AND SHOCK DOCTRINES. A Socialist Aotearoa forum With Gerald Perreira and Joe Carolan. Tens of thousands of people in Haiti are dead and hundreds of thousands more wounded or homeless after the earthquake that tore through the country last Tuesday. People across the world will feel deep sympathy for those who have lost so much, and a great desire to help. Earthquakes are natural events: but the scale of the suffering depends on where they happen and how much assistance the victims receive. The world’s great powers have been criminally slow to respond. They have dragged their feet while huge numbers of people are left without food or clean water and have to sleep in the open. The US can always get a cruise missile to its target anywhere in the world. There is never a lack of money for a military “surge”. But there’s always delay and lack of resources when poor people suffer. Haitians will not get even 1 percent of the trillions handed out to the bankers to shore up the financial system. And even now while Haitians face such pain, the millionaire tourists are still enjoying luxury in the Dominican Republic that shares the same island as Haiti. By last Friday sections of the starving and thirsty population of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince were building barricade of bodies in protest at the lack of aid. The destruction in Haiti is so serious because of its extreme poverty, and because it has suffered from two centuries of imperialist intervention. Sixty percent of the housing in Port-au-Prince was sub-standard. Even before the earthquake prices for rice, beans, water, cooking oil and gas had skyrocketed to the point where many Haitians simply cannot afford to eat. The Associated Press recently ran an article reporting that many Haitians were now eating “mud cookies.” Over half the population survive on less than $1 a day. This is all the legacy of capitalism and imperialism. In the eighteenth century thousands of slaves were transported to Haiti by the European powers. The great slave revolts under Toussaint L’Ouverture not only defeated the slave-owners and three European armies but also struck a magnificent blow against the whole slave system. The revolt frightened and enraged the rich everywhere – and still does. While most people have reacted to the earthquake by trying to help, the racist US evangelist Pat Robertson said that Haitians had “sworn a pact to the devil” when they rose up against slavery. Although freed from slavery, Haiti was forced bymilitary threats to pay compensation to France of 150 million francs (theequivalent of $25 billion today) – which it did not finally finish payinguntil 1947. In 1915, the US invaded Haiti to police debt repayments and toprotect US firms. The troops stayed until 1934, running Haiti as a virtualcolony. The US then backed the brutal Duvalier dictatorships from 1957 on thebasis that they represented a barrier against Communism. In 1986, a massiveuprising overthrew “Baby Doc” Duvalier, who fled the country. ButWestern interference continued. Haitians elected Jean-Bertrand Aristide to bepresident after he promised land reform, better housing and improved wages butthe US then backed a coup that removed him from office. US president BillClinton eventually restored Aristide – but only on the condition that heimplement the US neoliberal plan – which Haitians called the "plan ofdeath." When Aristide was slow to do his master’s will, the US conspiredwith Haiti’s rich to drive out Aristide again. US and then UN troops haveoccupied the country ever since. We say: •Rush food, shelter and other aidto Haiti now; •No to the use of aid as a political weapon to impose theUS’s will; •End the neoliberal policies that squeeze Haiti’spoor; •End the occupation of Haiti by foreign forces. http://socialistaotearoa.blogspot.com/2010/01/black-jacobins-and-shock-doctrines.html

Saturday, January 30, 12 noon, Devon Lifestyle 308 Ti Rakau Drive.DON’T BUY KWILA!! The first action for the decadeagainst the sale of rainforest kwila is being organised for Saturday 30 Januaryby Rainforest Action and Indonesia Human Rights Committee (Auckland). "Don’tBuy Kwila" demonstration in Auckland: 30 January 12 noon outside kwilafurniture retailer: Devon Lifestyle 308 Ti Rakau Drive. Protect the Rainforestand the people of West Papua . Protect the climate. Save kwila from extinction.Please advise if you can come and if you need transport or can offer transport.Maire Leadbeater, Indonesia Human Rights Committee, maire@clear.net.nz

Monday, February 1, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, GreyLynn
GPJA FORUM: Jane Kelsey is to speak at first GPJAForum for 2010. Her topic is "Is the Global Financial Crisis thebeginning of the end of global capitalism?"

Friday, February 5, 8pm, Socialist Centre, 86 Princes St, Onehunga,Auckland
INVITATION TO PUBLIC MEETING: IS CAPITALISM ON A PATH TO COLLAPSE? Organised bySocialist Worker. Speakers: GRANT MORGAN, International secretary of SocialistWorker; JOHN ROBINSON, global trends researcher, author of The Limits to Growthand Excess Capital; ROB GEORGE, eco-activist & union organiser. A quintetof contradictions are besetting global capitalism, they are the profitabilitycrisis, the resource crisis, the ecological crisis, the imperial crisis, andthe legitimacy crisis. As a result of these interconnected crises, couldcapitalism collapse within a historically short time span? What will replaceit? Join us at the Socialist Centre to debate these questions. Each speakerwill talk for a maximum of 30 minutes, followed by open discussion andquestions from the floor.

Monday, February 22, 7.30pm, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street,Ponsonby, Auckland.
"Stop the Search and Surveillance Bill Now!" We already have Green MP KeithLocke confirmed as a speaker. The Greens are the only party who voted againstthe bill on its first reading.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EYEWITNESS TO A REVOLUTION IN NEPAL – NZ SPEAKING TOUR BY BENPETERSON, 21-26 MARCH 2010
Ben Peterson is a young Australian socialist who spent one year in Nepal inclose association with the revolutionary forces who recently overthrewfeudalism and are today confronting capitalism and imperialism. Ben is crossingthe Tasman for a speaking tour of New Zealand from 21-26 March. His visit willbe a great opportunity to learn more about the exciting events in Nepal. Benhas this to say about the struggle: "In 2006, a Peoples’ Movementoverthrew Nepal’s ruling monarchy. They’re fighting to build a newNepal free of poverty, oppression and discrimination by sex, caste or race.When I was in Nepal I met amazing people, peasant farmers, workers, students,youth, and the elderly, all fighting for a democratic future. Everywhere I wentthere was a common desire for something better. Leading the struggle is theUnified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), who built on support earned duringthe Peoples’ War (1996-2006) to win a majority of votes in democraticelections, enabling them to form a revolutionary government. That governmentwas undermined by forces hostile to the Peoples’ Movement. Today, thestruggle continues at all levels of Nepalese society. It’s not over, butthe people of Nepal are experiencing more control over their lands andcommunities. And if this 21st century revolution continues it will impact onthe lives of many more.” To find out more about Ben’s experiences and theNepal Revolution go to Ben’s blog: http://maobadiwatch.blogspot.com/Activists from the Workers Party and Socialist Worker are organising the tour,with meetings planned in Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurchand Dunedin. We’re inviting other interested groups and individuals to supportand promote Ben’s tour. If you would like to help out, contact these regionaland national coordinators: Auckland – Daphna Whitmore, wpnz(at)clear.net.nz.Hamilton – Jared Philips, jared(at)unite.org.nz, 029-4949 863. Rotorua – BernieHornfeck, bernieh(at)clear.net.nz, (07)345 9853. Wellington – Alastair Reith,alastair.reith(at)gmail.com, 027-711 9591. Christchurch – Phil Ferguson,philp.ferguson(at)canterbury.ac.nz, 021-443 948. Dunedin – Andrew Tait,andrewmtait(at)hotmail.com, 027-606 9549. National coordination/publicity -Vaughan Gunson, svpl(at)xtra.co.nz, 021-0415 082. As meeting details arefinalised a full tour itinerary will be circulated. You can join the Facebookgroup: BenPeterson NZ Speaking Tour. More information and links will be posted there.A PDF publicity flyer can be downloaded here.LINKS ON THE NEPAL REVOLUTION: Mike Ely, Eyes on the Maobadi: FourReasons Nepal’s Revolution Matters. Introductory PDF pamphlet – ARevolution at the Brink: Stand with Nepal. More in depth PDF pamphlet – KasamaArticles: On the Maobadi and the Crisis in Nepal.

REMINDER: WHITE POPPY PEACE SCHOLARSHIPS APPLICATIONS
this message is to remind you that the closing date for applications for WhitePoppy Peace Scholarships for the 2010 academic year is Sunday, 31 January.Information about the Peace Scholarships, how to apply and how you can supportthem is below; this message is available online at http://www.peacescholar.org.nz
About the Peace Scholarships
The Peace Scholarships comprise two grants which are awarded each year toassist with research into: •the impacts of militarism, militarisation andwarfare; •alternatives to militarism, militarisation and warfare; or•collective non-violent responses to state violence. The PeaceScholarships are for students at any tertiary education institution in AotearoaNew Zealand. Each grant is a minimum of $1,000 – one is for a Maori or Morioristudent, and the other is open to any student with NZ citizenship or permanentresidency. The Peace Scholarships were launched by Professor Cynthia Enloe ather public lecture in Wellington on 30 October 2009, http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/pslaunch.htm
How to apply for a Peace Scholarship
Guidelines for applicants are available at http://www.peacescholar.org.nz andthe application form is available on request from emailpeacescholarship@ymail.com The deadline for applications for Peace Scholarshipsto assist with research during the 2010 academic year is Sunday, 31 January2010.
How you can support the Peace Scholarships
The White Poppy Peace Scholarships are entirely funded by donations, includingthose collected during the White Poppies for Peace Annual Appeal. The amount ofthe grants awarded annually is determined by the amount raised during eachyear. There are two ways you can support the Peace Scholarships – by making adonation, or by helping to collect donations for white poppies. Your generositywill help to promote peace by directly supporting research into militarism,militarisation and warfare. To make a donation by cheque, please use the formavailable at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/poppiesform.pdfor if you would prefer to make a donation by direct credit or internet banking,please email White Poppy Peace Scholarships peacescholarship@gmail.com and wewill provide the details for you. A tax credit receipt is sent for alldonations. To support the Peace Scholarships by collecting donations for whitepoppies: •if you can assist with the White Poppies for Peace AnnualAppeal, 17 to 24 April, please fill in and return the form at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/poppiesform.pdfor email White Poppies for Peace whitepoppies@gmail.com; •if youwould like to have white poppies available at your peace event at any timeduring the year, please email whitepoppies@gmail.com with yourrequest.

ROGER AWARD WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED IN WELLINGTON ON THURSDAY, MARCH11
The Roger Award Ceremony – Drinking Liberally presents the annualCAFCA/Gatt Watchdog Roger Award ceremony. The Roger Award is presented eachyear to the worst transnational corporation operating in New Zealand, and thewinner of the 2009 Roger Award will be announced at a ceremony in Wellington onThursday March 11 2010, at the Southern Cross Bar, 39 Abel Smith Street.Speakers include Christine Dann (for the judges) and Murray Horton (CAFCA).Doors open 5.30pm, with some food provided, and presentations will get underwayfrom 6pm. This year’s Roger Award finalists are: ANZ, BNZ, Infratil, Newmont,Rio Tinto Aluminium NZ, Rymans, Telecom, Transpacific and Westpac. For moreinfo: www.cafca.org.nz or contact Kaneon 021-186-3430 or kane.oconnell@gmail.com .

INVITATION TO THE ESSENCE OF ISLAM STUDY CIRCLE STARTING 12FEBRUARY
ESSENCE OF ISLAM an 8 week study circle First session 12th Feb 2010 Time 7:00pm Location Unitec / Gate 4 [Carrington Rd, Mt Albert]. There will be guidespositioned at the gate from 6:40 to 6:55pm. What do the Six Principles of Faithinclude? What do the five pillars mean over and beyond the ritual actions? Whatare the Two Principles of Islam? What is the Triune Model of Islam? An 8-weekjourney into what Islam is really all about From the basic elements to someprofound thought provoking propositions from Islam, the Essence of Islam StudyCircle is aimed to break misconceptions, reinforce Islamic Principles and shedproper light on what Islam really is. Registration Essential: http://www.rmdt.org.nz$40 for full study circle / $5 for acasual session Contact: Ashif 021 122 7833 or email: essence@rmdt.org.nz

SAVE ACC MARCH and RALLY Tuesday 16 February, 12pm,Parliament
A march and rally to protest against the Government’s attacks on ACC willtake place at Parliament in Wellington on 16 February. The rally will be heldunder the banner of the ACC Futures Coalition but will aim to attract manyorganisations and individuals from beyond the coalition to express the widestpossible opposition to the assault on ACC.

LIVING WAGE PETITION – Stalls in your area:
AUCKLAND: Contact Joseph – 029 4455702 joseph@unite.org.nz
WELLINGTON: Contact Joel – 027 600 9282 joel.cosgrove@gmail.com TheWellington crew operate their own e loop 15dollarwgtn@googlegroups.comand regular stalls in different areas and events.
WHANGEREI: Contact Vaughan – 021 041 5082 svpl@xtra.co.nz
ROTORUA: Contact Bernie – bernieh@clear.net.nz 07 345 9853
CHRISTCHURCH: Contact Joe – 029 201 3859 joe@unite.org.nz
DUNEDIN: Contact Chris – 027 781 0371 mr_matahaere@hotmail.com
HAMILTON – Contact Jared – 029 494 9863 jared@unite.org.nz

JOIN ANTI-BASES CAMPAIGN IN SOLIDARITY WITH WAIHOPAI DOMEBUSTERSTRIAL STARTS MONDAY MARCH 8, WELLINGTON DISTRICT COURT
the trial of the Waihopai Ploughshares team has been set to begin inWellington on 8 March, 2010. The Wellington Ploughshares Support group hasbegun planning some of the events that will take place before and during thetrial, and this message is to invite you and your organisation to becomeinvolved wherever you are based, you do not need to be in Wellington to supportWaihopai Ploughshares before or during the trial. There are four sections: somebackground information; details of the next planning meeting in Wellington onThursday, 28 January; support for the Waihopai Ploughshares trial; and a copyof the Waihopai Ploughshares statement. This message is available online at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/pldec09.htm

JOIN THE 2010 `MAY DAY’ SOLIDARITY BRIGADE TO VENEZUELA! APRIL24 – MAY 2, 2010
Registrations close February 1, 2010. The Australia-VenezuelaSolidarity Network’s brigades to Venezuela are a once-in-a-lifetimeexperience – the opportunity to see first-hand an unfolding revolution that isnot only radically transforming the lives of Venezuelans, but is challengingthe greed, exploitation and destructiveness of global capitalism by showingthat a better world is possible. Join the AVSN’s “May Day”solidarity brigade, to run from April 24 to May 2, 2010, and visit worker-runfactories and cooperatives; free, high-quality public health and educationprograms; Indigenous controlled programs of sustainable economic developmentand environmental repair; and community controlled TV and radio stations.Observe “popular power” at work in Venezuela’s new communalcouncils, and speak to a wide range of grassroots organisations, communityactivists, trade unions and government representatives about the radicalchanges being implemented by the Venezuelan people. And join tens of thousandsof Venezuelans at the May Day rally in the capital city, Caracas, oninternational workers’ day, May 1. The 2010 May Day brigade is the 10thsolidarity tour to Venezuela organised by the AVSN. Don’t miss thisunique opportunity to witness the remarkable Bolivarian revolution. Reports andphotos from previous AVSN brigades are posted athttp://www.venezuelasolidarity.org. We are also happy to put you in touch withpeople who have participated in AVSN brigades, if you would like to find outmore. Brigade registration and costs
The deadline for registering for the 2010 May Day brigade is February 1, 2010.To obtain a registration form, please email brigades@venezuelasolidarity.orgor visit http://www.venezuelasolidarity.org.Participants will need to book their own international airfares, but the AVSNcan help with advice. Accommodation, transport and English-Spanish translationwithin Venezuela will all be organised for brigade participants. You will needto budget for a total cost of approximately $4000. This will cover:international return airfares and taxes; accommodation (twin-share basis);transport and basic food while you are in Venezuela; and the brigaderegistration fee ($500 for workers, $300 for students or pensioners). For moreinformation, email brigades@venezuelasolidarity.orgor phone Jim McIlroy 0423 741 734 or Lisa Macdonald 0413 031 108.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“We’re living at a time of extremism, a time of revolution, a timewhen there’s got to be a change. People in power have misused it and now abetter world must be built” — Malcolm X

"Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignoranceprevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organizedconspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property willbe safe". Frederick Douglass

BEST ONTHE WEB

NEW ZEALAND

Paul Buchanan: Why The NZDF Is In Afghanistan http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/print.html?path=HL1001/S00161.htm

Gordon Campbell: On The Three Strikes Policy (& SAS In Kabul) In theBook of Leviticus, God takes a no nonsense, zero tolerance approach tooffending. As history indicates, none of this worked out very well as adeterrent policy. And if it didn’t work for God, the chances are itwon’t work under the Act Party’s “Three Strikes”policy, either. http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2010/01/20/gordon-campbell-on-three-strikes-sas-in-kabul/

Kraft and Cadbury, Victors and Spoils – Barring any last-minute surprises,Kraft, the world’s second-largest food company, will swallow UK-based Cadbury.Barely a month after deriding Kraft as an "unfocused" conglomerate anddeclaring "There is no strategic, managerial operational or financial merit incombining with Kraft", Cadbury Chairman Roger Carr announced that the price wasright. He praised Kraft for its commitment to "our heritage, values and peoplethroughout the world"… and acknowledged the inevitability of job cuts.The only group with a long-term investment in the future of their workplaces,it would appear, is the workers who build the businesses. The Cadbury dealshows just how few cards they hold – and what has to change. http://cms.iuf.org/?q=node/192

Living Wage Campaign – an interview with Joe Carolan

Protesters gather outside Waihopai ‘spy base’ – Video http://www.3news.co.nz/Protesters-gather-outside-Waihopai-spy-base/tabid/309/articleID/138505/Default.aspx

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/protesters-converge-waihopai-spy-base-3340131/video

Spies on the ground beat ears in the sky http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/3257142/Spies-on-the-ground-beat-ears-in-the-sky

Murray Horton’s Waihopai Interview On Plains FM http://plainsfm.org.nz/on-demand/mornings-waihopai-25jan10/

Waihopai protest challenged – Satellite station `keeping Kiwis safe’ http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/3259474/Waihopai-protest-challenged/

Evolution And Not Revolution – Te Papa’s Treaty Debates 2010. – ‘Eachyear we have selected topics that have been in the news, and of concern to NewZealanders, especially in terms of relationships between Māori and theState’, said Dr Orange. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1001/S00193.htm

Auckland Supercity – Another Big Dose Of Neo-Liberalism – by John Minto http://afteramerica.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/auckland-supercity/

ASB Exposed as lying Banksters (MR NEWS) http://www.guerillamedia.co.nz/content/asb-exposed-lying-banksters-mr-news

WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS

Moral Bankruptcy – Why are we letting Wall Street off so easy? By Joseph E.Stiglitz http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/01/joseph-stiglitz-wall-street-morals

FOOD, FARMING AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Due to the the failure of the 15th Summit on Climate Change Bolivia toorganize a climate change conference in 2010 http://www.buenosairesherald.com/BreakingNews/View/20843

SHOULD CLIMATE ACTIVISTS SUPPORT LIMITS ON IMMIGRATION? by Ian Angus andSimon Butler http://www.socialistvoice.ca/?p=966

World’s Glaciers Continue To Melt At Historic Rates By Juliette Jowit http://www.countercurrents.org/jowit260110.htm

Pacific Islanders & climate change: leading the fight, feeling the heathttp://www.greenleft.org.au/2010/823/42359

Avatar is real: Pandora is in Central and South America http://www.greenleft.org.au/2010/823/42355

REVIEWS

AVATAR AGAINST IMPERIALISM http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=5177

Sinomania by Perry Anderson review of three books http://www.lrb.co.uk/v32/n02/perry-anderson/sinomania/print

Hollywood Pretends to Learn from Nelson Mandela by Jason Hickel http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/hickel150110.html

AUSTRALIA

Indian student attacks: Denial of racism will lead to more attacks http://www.greenleft.org.au/2010/822/42293

AFGHANISTAN

Afghan Government Corruption Thrives While the People Starve – In the shadowof the Afghanistan war, corrupt officials live in opulent homes while poorpeople sell their children for food. http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/145306/afghan_government_corruption_thrives_while_the_people_starve

U.S. Envoy’s Cables Show Concerns on Afghan Plans http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/world/asia/26strategy.html?pagewanted=print

CHILE

Who Lost Chile? Conservative Multi-Millionaire is President Elect http://upsidedownworld.org/main/chile-archives-34/2323-who-lost-chile-conservative-multimillionair-is-president-elect

CUBA

Fidel Castro on Haiti: Cuba `sends doctors, not soldiers’ http://links.org.au/node/1477

HAITI

Haiti’s `odious debt’ must be completely and unconditionally cancelled! http://links.org.au/node/1475

Haiti: Spirit and strength will pull Haiti’s people through – As the tremorsand the NGOs recede, Haitians continue the fight against colonialism that theirancestors began 220 years ago By Reed Lindsay The Observer (Sunday section ofThe Guardian-UK) http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/24/haiti-earthquake-aftermath-reed-lindsay

Peter Hallward: Securing disaster in Haiti – Nine days after the devastatingearthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, it’s now clear that theinitial phase of the US-led relief operation has conformed to the threefundamental tendencies that have shaped the more general course of the island’srecent history.[1] It has adopted military priorities and strategies. It hassidelined Haiti’s own leaders and government, and ignored the needs of themajority of its people. And it has proceeded in ways that reinforce the alreadyharrowing gap between rich and poor http://links.org.au/node/1476

Andy Kershaw: Stop treating these people like savages – Haitians have facedtheir tragedy with dignity and stoicism – not that you would know it fromthe way the disaster has been reported http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/andy-kershaw-stop-treating-these-people-like-savages-1874218.html

Haiti: An Unwelcome Katrina Redux By Cynthia McKinney – President Obama’sresponse to the tragedy in Haiti has been robust in military deployment andpuny in what the Haitians need most: food; first responders and theirspecialized equipment; doctors and medical facilities and equipment; andengineers, heavy equipment, and heavy movers. Sadly, President Obama isdispatching Presidents Bush and Clinton, and thousands of Marines and U.S.soldiers. By contrast, Cuba has over 400 doctors on the ground and is sendingin more; Cubans, Argentinians, Icelanders, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, and manyothers are already on the ground working–saving lives and treating theinjured. Senegal has offered land to Haitians willing to relocate to Africa. http://www.globalresearch.ca/PrintArticle.php?articleId=17063

Mark Steel: Consider the risks before you send your cash to Haiti – All ofus must wonder if we’ll ever get our 50 quid back http://www.marksteelinfo.com/writing/default.asp?id=144

Haiti needs water, not occupation – The US has never wanted Haitianself-rule, and its focus on ‘security concerns’ has hampered the earthquake aidresponse http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/jan/20/haiti-water-us-occupation

VIDEO: Haiti, "Metabolic Rift", Gillo Pontecorvo’s Burn! and the spirit ofJos Dolores http://sompost.com/?p=41769

Haitians have faced their tragedy with dignity and stoicism – not thatyou would know it from the way the disaster has been reported – Just a coupleof hours before the earthquake hammered poor Haiti, I was reorganising mybookshelves at home. In the Haiti section I came across a lovely old volumeI’d bought from a wandering bookseller in Port-au-Prince on one of mymany visits to the former "Pearl of the Antilles", once – incredibly– the richest colony in the world. http://liammacuaid.wordpress.com/2010/01/21/stop-treating-these-people-like-savages/

Racism in the portrayal of Haiti – Edna Bonhomme looks at the distortions inthe media and the politicians’ depiction of Haiti–and what they won’t admitabout the real sources of the country’s crisis. http://socialistworker.org/2010/01/21/racism-in-portraying-haiti

A big question – Where is Haiti’s government? http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/22/f-haiti-govt.html

Haiti and the Struggle Against Imperialism – A History of Resistance toSlavery and Occupation http://panafricannews.blogspot.com/2010/01/haiti-and-struggle-against-imperialism.html

US military deployment stirs tension in Haitian tragedy http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/americas/news/article_1527700.php/ANALYSIS-US-military-deployment-stirs-tension-in-Haitian-tragedy

Why Did We Focus on Securing Haiti Rather Than Helping Haitians? http://www.slate.com/id/2242078/

Boojum Hunting in the Caribbean http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/maxwell-Jan-24

Haiti: Media provides sanitized history for American audiences By KenSilverstein http://www.harpers.org/archive/2010/01/hbc-90006353

When the Media Is the Disaster By Rebecca Solnit, Tomdispatch.com. In thewake of the Haiti earthquake, false depictions of victims as criminals hinderthe relief effort. http://www.alternet.org/world/145347/when_the_media_is_the_disaster/

Middle Eastern and Latin American Media – A Thorn in the Side of the U.S.Military in Haiti By Nikolas Kozloff – Watch the U.S. media and its coverage ofthe crisis in Haiti, and you get the impression that Washington is a benevolentpower doing its utmost to help with emergency relief in the Caribbean islandnation. But tune into al-Jazeera English or South American news network Telesurand you come away with a very different view. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article24496.htm

The Humanitarian Myth – Richard Seymour, the author of The Liberal Defenseof Murder, analyzes the propaganda manufactured to justify U.S. actions inHaiti after the earthquake. http://www.countercurrents.org/seymour250110.htm

The Siege Of Haiti By Rachel Cohen & Alan Maass – The ring of mightywarships off the coast of Port-au-Prince is a stark symbol of the trueintentions of the U.S. government in its "humanitarian" mission followingHaiti’s devastating earthquake. The Navy and Coast Guard vessels aren’t therewith food or water or rescue teams. They’re on patrol to make sure thatHaitians don’t escape the disaster and try to get to the United States http://www.countercurrents.org/cohen220110.htm

HONDURAS

Obama’s new puppets on display http://links.org.au/node/1480

JAPAN

Working on the Margins – Japan’s Precariat and Working Poor http://www.japanesestudies.org.uk/discussionpapers/2009/Obinger.html

NEPAL

Ring the bell loudly By Mike Ely – To put this as bluntly as I can: TheNepali Maoists are preparing right now (i mean over the next few weeks) forwhat-may-be a decisive military/political confrontation with the reactionarygovernment and army. http://southasiarev.wordpress.com/2010/01/24/nepal-ringing-the-bell-loudly/#more-7103

PACIFIC

PNG pipeline clash story – tribal feud or Exxon whitewash? http://cafepacific.blogspot.com/2010/01/png-pipeline-clash-story-tribal-feud-or.html

PALESTINE

"We are all complicit": an interview with Ewa Jasiewicz http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11015.shtml

Gaza: Israeli Blockade Jeopardizing Health Of 1 Million United Nationsagencies and their non-governmental partners today warned of the impact of theIsraeli blockade on Gaza’s population and on health services, andrepeated their call for an immediate opening of the border crossings. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1001/S00412.htm

The Lessons Of Boycott, Divestment And Sanctions (BDS) – By Stephen Lendmanhttp://www.countercurrents.org/lendman220110.htm

Gaza Health Fact Sheet – WHO – http://www.scribd.com/doc/25607692/Ochaopt-Who-Gaza-Health-Fact-Sheet-20100120-English-1

UN Expresses Concern Over Health System In Gaza http://www.imemc.org/index.php?obj_id=53&story_id=57722

Israel’s war on Gaza verges on genocide, says British Jewish leader http://www.irna.ir/En/View/FullStory/?NewsId=907719&IdLanguage=3

UK

The Afghanistan war remains unwinnable. Britain should be making plans towithdraw http://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2010/01/afghanistan-war-british-london

Wanted: Tony Blair For War Crimes. Arrest Him And Claim Your Reward ByGeorge Monbiot http://www.countercurrents.org/monbiot260110.htm

USA

What’s the Matter With the Democrats? Post-Massachusetts Reflections onPopular Resentment, the Liberal-Left Vacuum, and Right Comeback By Paul Streethttp://www.zcommunications.org/znet/viewArticle/23720

Obama to indefinitely imprison detainees without charges -What was oncedenounced as a radical "legal black hole" is now official bipartisan consensushttp://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/01/22/detention/print.html

What Happened to the American Working Class? Dan La Botz – The collapse ofthe financial sector of the United States detonated the current global economiccrisis, and its auto industry was soon crumpling as well.[1] Yet, though it allbegan here, American labor unions and workers have been slow to respond andtheir response has been weak. http://www.newpol.org/fromthearchives?nid=179

Obama With Blood On His Hands By Nicolas J S Davies – The entire UnitedStates Congress with 5 exceptions as well as the entire governing apparatus ofthe United States has the blood of a million Iraqi citizens on its hands. Thatis the count provided by Lancet the prestigious English Medical Journal http://www.countercurrents.org/davies260110.htm

VENEZUELA

Venezuela steps up aid effort to Haiti, questions US military deployment http://links.org.au/node/1474

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