#367: Sat rally against Iran executions 10am; Friday Middle East Freedom Forum @ Ak Uni

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER No. 367, March 4, 2010

WHAT’S ON

Saturday, March 5, 10am – 12 noon, Grafton Bridge, Auckland

Human Chain Project’s Worldwide Event – Stop Executions in Iran! Hand in Hand, shoulder to Shoulder in solidarity with those on death row, demanding unconditional release of all political prisoners and an immediate moratorium on the execution penalty in Iran, we will form human chains on bridges across the world! Please support this cause and be the voice of the voiceless. Contact andre

Monday, March 7, 6pm, Cityside, 8 Mt Eden Road, Newton

Keep The Coal In The Hole: Why Southland Lignite Shouldn’t Be Mined: The Coal Action Network Aotearoa presents Jeanette Fitzsimons on the proposed massive expansion of the coal industry and why it must not go ahead. Solid Energy have applied for resource consent for the first phase of its plans to exploit billions of tonnes of dirty lignite coal in Southland. If they are allowed to go ahead this will dramatically raise New Zealand’s carbon emissions and will cause other major environmental and social consequences. Come along for a presentation and discussion on what is happening and what you can do to be involved. Tea and coffee will follow. Entry by koha.

Coal Action Network – CAN’s objectives are to:

1. Phase out coal mining and coal usage within 20 years, initially by opposing new and expanded coal mines.

2. Promote a cultural change so that mining and using coal are unacceptable.

2. Work towards a society where people and the environment are not exploited for profit.

3. Be part of a just transition to a coal-free Aotearoa New Zealand.

http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/

Monday, March 7, 7.30pm, St Marks Catholic Church, 334 Pakuranga Road, Pakuranga

Welfare Reform: Former MP Sue Bradford will speak on the Government’s plans to reform social welfare and the concern of Churches and others that such reforms respect the dignity of the poor.

Saturday, march 12, 2.30pm, The Friends Meeting House, 113 Mt Eden Road

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Public Meeting: You are warmly invited to join with us at 3pm on Saturday 12 March to hear Khylee Quince from the University of Auckland Law School lead a discussion on the possibilities and challenges of establishing an alternative to prison for women. Khylee is from the iwi Te Roroa/Ngapuhi and Ngati Porou. She teaches criminal law, jurisprudence and women and the law and also comparative indigenous peoples and the law. Her particular interests are Maori and the criminal justice system, tikanga Maori and the law, restorative justice and alternative dispute resolution. She has also practices in criminal and family law. 2.30pm for afternoon tea. 3pm start. All welcome. For more information contact Pat ph 520 0179; or Megan ph 373 4434

Monday, March 7, 7pm, The Peace Place, 22 Emily Place, Auckland City.

Films at The Peace Place …exploring social prejudice and scapegoating: Wilde (1998) Director: Brian Gilbert. at 7:00 pm – NOTE THE EARLY START (Running Time: 118 minutes) Rated R in USA. Admission: by Koha / donation.

Wilde (1998): The story of Irish-born Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), genius, poet, playwright, based on the book by Richard Ellmann. Returning to London in 1883 from a lecture tour of USA, Wilde (Stephen Fry) became widely renowned for his wit and literary talent, particularly his plays. But although a devoted husband to Constance (Jennifer Ehle) and kind father to his two sons, Wilde yields to his attraction to men, particularly the spoilt young aristocrat Lord Alfred Douglas, ‘Bosie’ (Jude Law). At the time, homosexual activity was illegal. Wilde suffered enormous torment as he juggled marriage, fatherhood and responsibility with his obsessive love for Bosie.

Bosie’s brutish father, the Marquess of Queensberry (Tom Wilkinson) was outraged by their relationship, and brought sodomy charges against Wilde. Refusing to flee the country, Wilde misguidedly sued for libel but was sentenced by an intolerant Victorian court to two years of hard labour. Wilde was released in 1897, and though his health had suffered greatly, experienced a degree of spiritual renewal. However he was still torn between loyalty to his family and his love for Bosie. The two lived together at Naples for a time, but Wilde died destitute in Paris at the age of forty-six.

Tuesday, March 8, 12.20pm, Sonja Davies memorial tree, parliament grounds, Wellington

Wellington Pay Equity Challenge Coalition, union activists and working women are gathering at lunchtime on Tuesday the 8th of March to recognise International Working Women’s Day. This will be a gathering of friends and colleagues, a sharing of lunch, an expression of solidarity with working women all over the world and a tribute to our working sisters in Christchurch – especially to those who have died in the earthquake. The formal part of the ceremony will be at the Sonja Davies memorial tree at 1230 pm. This tree is just inside the grounds of parliament (Lambton Quay entrance). Before and afterwards we’ll share company and food together. Bring a cushion or rug and your lunch. The Pay Equity Challenge Coalition will launch the pay equity pledge at this event – 100 New Zealand women leaders who have pledged to pay equity.

Friday, March 11, 6.30pm, libB28, Auckland University

2011: A Year of Uprising – Middle East Freedom Forum. Panelists will include Moshen Al-Attar, Zaeem baksh, other political scholars and Academics and Middle Eastern youth. Sponsorsed by Students for Justice in palestine

TARIQ ALI GIVING ROBB LECTURES AT AUCKLAND UNI – MARCH 17, 21, & 23

The prominent political commentator and activist Tariq Ali will lecture on “Empire and its futures” at The University of Auckland next month. As speaker at the 2011 Sir Douglas Robb Lectures he will deal turn with three issues: “Islam and its discontents”, “US power today: The global hegemon”, “The rise of China”. His lectures are on 17, 21 and 23 March (7pm) in the Fisher & Paykel Appliances Auditorium, Owen G Glenn Building, 12 Grafton Road.

Tariq Ali will discuss the likely outcomes of a changing world with American military power transcending US economic weaknesses, the amazing rise of China and the continuing occupations in the Arab world and South Asia. “Is it the case, as many argue, that the US empire is now in irretrievable decline? Will China flex its military muscles one day?”

His opening lecture is particularly topical, looking at the impact on the region and elsewhere as US-backed dictators crumble and fall in the Middle East, heralding a new Arab reawakening. He will also ask how these changes will affect the jihadi groups that have been active in the region. London-based and published on every continent, Tariq Ali has been a leading figure of the international left since the 1960s. He is an editor of New Left Review and has written more than 20 books on world history and politics as well as seven novels.

Born in Pakistan he attended Oxford University where he became involved in student politics and the movement against the Vietnam war. He is a critic of neoliberal economics and his book The Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity was a response to 9/11. His latest book is The Obama Syndrome: War Abroad.

All are welcome at the Robb Lectures and admission is free. Full details are at www.auckland.ac.nz/robb

A life in writing: Tariq Ali – ‘It’s a problem people have had to come to terms with at different times in history: what do you do in a period of defeat?’ http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/may/08/tariq-ali-life-in-writing

Tuesday, April 5, 7pm, AUT WT1004, AUT Tower Building, Rutland Street entrance. Room is next door to Pacific Media Centre; take lift to 10th floor

NEW ZEALAND IS NOT FOR SALE – MURRAY HORTON SPEAKING TOUR: The November 26 election is one of the most important in decades. Both major parties are committed to policies by which the New Zealand economy is even more dominated by transnational corporations; more and more of our farmland is owned by foreigners; publicly-owned assets are privatised; and the country is locked ever more tightly into disadvantageous “free” trade and foreign investment agreements, of which the biggest one being negotiated, in secret, is the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement – this is the means to effect a free trade agreement with the US. There are some differences between National and Labour on these issues, but they are only ones of degree, not principle. A change in government will not, in itself, be enough to change the disastrous course on which this country is set, one of domination by global Big Business and the US. This country needs People Power to let the world know that New Zealand is not for sale!

Murray Horton, spokesperson of the Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA), will speak on: • The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and the dangers it poses to the NZ economy and to our very democracy. • Privatisation of our public assets.

• The relentless takeover of NZ businesses and land by transnational corporations. • The re-absorption of NZ into the US Empire.

•And, most, importantly, how the New Zealand people can fight back; it’s too important to be left up to the politicians.

Local Contact Lynda Boyd 0274 797789; lyndab

KOTARE TRUST WORKSHOP SERIES MARCH 14-MAY 2: MOBILISING SUPPORT FOR UNION CAMPAIGNS

This workshop series is a space for union organisers to strategise on building support for union-wide campaigns with other progressive social justice movements and networks. We want people to come away from the workshops feeling energised and committed about being a unionist, feeling a strong sense of place in a wider social justice movement, and having a range of tools for building support among allies.

The workshops run over four Mondays in March, April and May. It’s okay if you miss some of the workshops, but for those that can come to them all, they will build on each other.

Monday March 14, 4.30pm-7.30pm. Strategy vs. Tactics.

Strategy, tactics, goals, objectives? Understanding the overall strategy for a campaign is critical to choosing the tactics to achieve it. This session will look at elements of campaign strategy, and critical path analysis: what sequence of events needs to happen in order to get to our overall goal?

Monday April 4, 4.30pm-7.30pm. What are our goals?

Discussion on what the critical issues facing workers and their unions are right now. What are the root causes, and what are our responses? This session will use situational analysis tools to go deeper into the context of current union struggles.

Monday April 18, 4.30pm-7.30pm. What techniques do we have to achieve the big goals?

Building on the earlier discussion on strategy and tactics, this session will look at what tools unions have to achieve campaign goals.

Monday May 2, 4.30pm-7.30pm. Who’s affected and how: coalition building

Using tools such as power mapping, this session will look at practical strategies for unions in coalition building with other progressive justice movements and community organisations, such as welfare and beneficiary rights activists.

Venue: All sessions will be run at Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn. Parking is available on nearby side streets.

Cost: $0-$50 sliding scale for each workshop. Please self-assess your payment and consider your means when deciding what to pay. Donations towards Kotare’s running costs are very welcome. If you are on a low income, please feel welcome to attend at a subsidised rate.

Registration: Please register as soon as possible and no later than one week before each session. Spaces are limited and we want to ensure a good representation from different unions. We will be providing snacks/a light meal and need to know dietary needs in advance.

Facilitation team: Tanya Newman, Rachel Mackintosh and Sam Huggard

Registration. Registration is required. For more information and to register, please contact Tanya Newman at education or phone (09) 551 7765 or mobile (021) 0276-9112.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

GUTTING ACC – LET JOHN KEY & NICK SMITH KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

Last Wednesday, 23 February, Cabinet were to be deciding just how they will gut the work account of ACC. The unfolding tragedy of the Christchurch earthquake will have changed all that, but they will be deciding soon.

You can let John Key and Nick Smith know that you oppose all their options by clicking on this link http://issues.co.nz/accfutures/Send+a+message on the ACC Futures Coalition website and sending them an e-mail.

Cabinet will be deciding whether to fully privatise the work account by handing the underwriting over to private insurers, or to partially privatise it by leaving ACC in the market. They are also considering the option of extending the accredited employers scheme but with less regulation and oversight than at present and therefore less protection for injured workers.

All of these options will be bad for workers and will further undermine the scheme. Both the full and partial privatisation will be administratively more expensive, lead to greater costs over time and not lead to the price stability expected. However, most importantly they establish the employer as the client of the insurer, not the injured worker.

The option for extending the accredited employer scheme is superficially more attractive, given that there is evidence that the scheme has been successful. However it has been successful in part because the employers underwrite the scheme themselves and when the employers have managed the claims themselves. The proposals being considered will see greater use of private third party administrators, who have a poor record in supporting injured workers, and the introduction of underwriting by private insurers. This will be compounded by the proposal to further weaken the already minimal regulation and auditing of the scheme.

Let them know what you think.

FOREIGN CONTROL WATCHDOG 125 – DECEMBER 2010

http://www.converge.org.nz/watchdog/25/index25.htm

– Government Happy To Be Doormat For Transnationals But Tries To Quarantine Hot Issue Of Land Sales by Murray Horton

– Money, Dirty Money, Foreign Investment And The Dairy Industry by Liz Gordon

– Corporatising NZ Agriculture: The Growing Crisis At Home And Abroad by Dennis Small

– “Fishy Goings On” In The New Zealand Fishing Industry by Chas Muir- ANZ and ING Frozen Funds Fiasco – Update by Sue Newberry

– Is the Supercity Hide’s Last Stand? by John Minto

– Alert On Welfare Reforms: Tnc Agenda Lurks Here, Too by Sue Bradford

– Issues In Privatisation – Costs And Benefits by Bill Rosenberg

– Who Should Look After Older People Who Need Residential Care? A Charitable Trust? A Merchant Bank Or Private Equity Corporation? The State? by Maire Leadbeater

– 2010 CAFCA AGM Minutes; CAFCA/ABC Organiser Account 2009/10 by Bob Leonard; Organiser’s Report by Murray Horton

– Reviews by Jeremy Agar: No Ordinary Deal by Jane Kelsey; Crisis: One Central Bank Governor & The Global Economic Collapse by Alan Bollard; Man For All Seasons by David Grant; Inside Job A Film by Charles Ferguson; The Global Economic Crisis edited by Michel Chossudovsky and Andrew Gavin Marshall; Beyond The Profits System by Harry Shutt; World Investment Report 2010, UNCTAD;

The Carbon Challenge: New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme by Geoff Bertram and Simon Terry; Cents and Sustainability by Michael H Smith.

– Obituaries by Murray Horton, Ted Howard, Don Franks and Catherine Delahunty

– 2010 Roger Award Finalists Named by Murray Horton

– Murray Horton Speaking Tour April 2011

– Thanks, Greg. Watchdog Webmaster Steps Down After More Than A Decade

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy." – Woodrow Wilson

"To plunder, to slaughter, to steal, these things they misname empire; and where they make a wilderness, they call it peace." – Tacitus

"In the Soviet Union, capitalism triumphed over communism. In this country, capitalism triumphed over democracy." – Fran Lebowitz

"Capitalism has destroyed our belief in any effective power but that of self interest backed by force." – George Bernard Shaw

BEST ON THE WEB

NEW ZEALAND

Hungry for cheaper food http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/4680072/Hungry-for-cheaper-food

Majority want GST off all food http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1102/S00192/majority-want-gst-off-all-food.htm

Matt McCarten: Far right sneaked new party in under radar http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10707465

Government floundered over Egypt http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/the-wellingtonian/4664955/Government-floundered-over-Egypt

Rachel Goodchild (Stuff): My food parcel poverty choice http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/blogs/losing-it/4681010/My-food-parcel-poverty-choice

Kim Knight (SST): Hunger pains http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/4676276/Hunger-pains

UN Report: ‘The situation of Maori people in New Zealand’ – the Advance Unedited Edition of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, is now available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/unsr2010.htm

The implications of the Terrorism Suppression Act by Jared Phillips, Co-ordinating editor, The Spark http://workersparty.org.nz/2011/02/20/the-implications-of-the-terrorism-suppression-act/

Mass Maori imprisonment a major issue facing society http://news.tangatawhenua.com/archives/10352

New Collections structure at Ministry of Justice hits small communities http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/new-collections-structure-ministry-justice-hits-small-communities/5/84215

Farrar illustrates WfF folly http://thestandard.org.nz/farrar-illustrates-wff-folly/

Appeal Court to rule on Ureweras case http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/national/4729813/Appeal-Court-to-rule-on-Ureweras-case

EARTHQUAKE

John Minto: Humanity Trumps Selfishness In Earthquake Devastation http://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2011/02/to-the-front-humanity-trumps-selfishness-in-earthquake-devastation/

Unions support teachers after massive earthquake http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/show.php?id=1534&theme=solidarityfund&final=newzealand

Our great leader http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.com/2011/03/our-great-leader.html

Key: quakes to cost 125,000 jobs http://thestandard.org.nz/key-12b-gdp-loss-from-quakes/

Peter Hyde: Shattered city’s forgotten victims http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10709776

The forgotten people http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/4647685/The-forgotten-people

Christchurch earthquake: Suburbs ‘not forgotten’ http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4725553/Call-for-more-help-in-Christchurch-suburbs

WELFARE “REFORM”

Tapu Misa: Beneficiaries easy target for cattle prod http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10709148

Confrontation at Paula Bennet’s Office http://www.indymedia.org.nz/article/79418/confrontation-paula-bennets-office

Rebstock Report Even Worse Than Expected http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1102/S00216/rebstock-report-even-worse-than-expected.htm

PSA: Welfare Working Group proposal is huge step back to failures of 1990s http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1102/S00220/welfare-working-group-proposal-is-huge-step-back.htm

CPAG: Welfare Working Group shows no understanding of social security http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1102/S00213/wwg-shows-no-understanding-of-social-security.htm

Welfare “reform: – where are the jobs? Fact sheet by the Methodist Mission https://gpjanz.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/welfare4pager72.pdf

NZEI: Blunt Welfare Reform Will Put Children At Risk http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1102/S00224/blunt-welfare-reform-will-put-children-at-risk.htm

Greens: Backdoor benefit cuts will hurt kids http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1102/S00338/backdoor-benefit-cuts-will-hurt-kids.htm

Life on a benefit about to get more impossible http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1102/S00305/life-on-a-benefit-about-to-get-more-impossible.htm

Save on welfare without harsh cuts http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1102/S00314/save-on-welfare-without-harsh-cuts.htm

Gordon Campbell: On the Welfare Working Group final report http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2011/02/24/gordon-campbell-on-the-welfare-working-group-final-report/

Rebstock report a little ripper by Sue Bradford http://pundit.co.nz/content/rebstock-report-a-little-ripper

HONE HARAWIRA

Independent MP Hone Harawira looks to the future http://news.tangatawhenua.com/archives/10405

Matt McCarten: Harawira expulsion may be Key’s undoing http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10708966

NZ WORK RIGHTS

Call centre staff say no pay rise in three years http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/4684045/Call-centre-staff-say-no-pay-rise-in-three-years

Last Monday, 21 February, Unite members at the Salmat call centre went on strike for two hours and held a very lively, upbeat picket outside the company’s office on Great South Road, Penrose. It was one of the most spirited pickets and strikes by Unite members I’ve ever seen. The delegates and members were fantastic. Over 40 members took part with 12 new members joining on the day. After three years of no pay increases the workers rejected the company offer of an extra days leave after one year service and two days after two years service. They decided to strike. The company will be meeting with the union and our delegates on Thursday this week in mediation where we will look for a change in the company’s position. Keep checking our website for updates. Meanwhile here are some pics and videos from the strike.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=275980&id=541487600

$830 hr to save bookshops http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10707900

No four dollar an hour minimum wage in NZ http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1102/S00295/no-four-dollar-an-hour-minimum-wage-in-nz.htm

Government must accept sleepover decision now http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1102/S00172/government-must-accept-sleepover-decision-now.htm

School Support Staff Prepare for Fresh Pay Negotiations in Fight for Fair Deal http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1102/S00082/school-support-staff-prepare-for-fresh-pay-negotiations.htm

NZ ECONOMY

To The Front: Applauding the Failure of Turbo-Charged Capitalism Column – By John Minto http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1103/S00019.htm

Developer paid only $17k tax in 16 years http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10707312

Solutions to debt crisis scarce – Talking Politics GORDON CAMPBELL http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/the-wellingtonian/4636425/Solutions-to-debt-crisis-scarce

Radio NZ Coverage Of NZ Not For Sale Campaign Teach-In On Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/69046/new-zealand-not-for-sale-group-opposes-trade-deal

PSA launches awareness campaign to warn against PPP pitfalls http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1102/S00231/psa-launches-awareness-campaign-to-warn-against-ppp-pitfalls.htm

CULTURAL DISSENT

New book reveals the history of rubber: holocausts, environmental destruction and class struggle http://links.org.au/node/2171

FEATURES

This is an Arab 1848. But US hegemony is only dented – With western-backed despots being turfed out politics has changed for ever. So just how far can the revolution spread? http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/22/arab-1848-us-hegemony-dented

Why Is TeleSur a Flop? Look No Farther than Its Libya Coverage http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/4324/why-telesur-flop-look-no-farther-its-libya-coverage

From Latin America to the Arab World – What’s going on in Libya? By Santiago Alba Rico and Alma Allende http://machetera.wordpress.com/2011/02/26/from-latin-america-to-the-arab-world/

Wadah Khanfar: A historic moment in the Arab world http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/wadah_khanfar_a_historic_moment_in_the_arab_world.html

Behind The Arab Revolt Is A Word We Dare Not Speak By John Pilger http://www.countercurrents.org/pilger270211.htm

Intervention in Libya Would Poison the Arab Revolution By Seumas Milne – In Iraq, 50,000 US occupation troops protect a government which last Friday killed 29 peaceful demonstrators demanding reform. In Bahrain, home of the US fifth fleet, the regime has been shooting and gassing protesters with British-supplied equipment for weeks. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article27603.htm

WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS

How the Rich Soaked the Rest of Us By Richard Wolff – The astonishing story of the last few decades is a massive redistribution of wealth, as the rich have shifted the tax burden. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article27600.htm

LAND, LABOUR AND THE ENVIROMENT

World Food Prices Hit Record Highs Amid Oil Jitters By AFP http://www.countercurrents.org/afp030311.htm

AFGHANISATN

Nine Afghan Boys Collecting Firewood Killed by NATO occupation forces http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/world/asia/03afghan.html?_r=1&=

Afghan president warns Obama about civilian deaths http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41886495/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

BAHRAIN

Bahrain Bleeds For Liberty By Mamoon Alabbasi http://www.countercurrents.org/alabbasi280211.htm

Appeals for protest and solidarity http://links.org.au/node/2172#comment-98554

Bahrain and the Anglo-American oil frontier http://links.org.au/node/2174

Robert Fisk in Manama: Bahrain – an uprising on the verge of revolution http://tinyurl.com/462v3d9

BOLIVIA

Gasolinazo Challenges Bolivia’s ‘Process of Change’ http://boliviarising.blogspot.com/2011/03/gasolinazo-challenges-bolivias-process.html

CANADA

Canada and the Failed Reconstruction of Haiti http://www.socialistvoice.ca/?p=1439

CUBA

The Empire´s Pawns, in Las Razones de Cuba 1/2

The Empire´s Pawns, in Las Razones de Cuba 2/2

We Condemn the Killing of Innocents, But We Cannot Accept Intervention in Libya by Rodolfo Reyes http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/reyes250211.html

EGYPT

Sign on: Labor for Egypt salutes Egyptian revolution http://www.laborforpalestine.net/wp/2011/02/23/labor-for-egypt/

Egyptian Military Cracks Down on New Protest http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/26/world/middleeast/26egypt.html?_r=1

Egyptian Workers Strike for Minimum Wage and Independent Unions http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/mr280211.html

HAITI

Aristide’s lawyer and Canadian journalist slam Globe and Mail editorial supporting Aristide exile http://www.canadahaitiaction.ca/content/aristides-lawyer-and-canadian-journalist-slam-globe-and-mail-editorial-supporting-aristide-e

IRAQ

Interview with protest organiser: ‘Days of rage’ spread to Iraq, shake US puppet regime http://links.org.au/node/2183

Happy 20th Anniversary to the "End" of the 1991 Gulf War…the War That Never Actually Ended http://tinyurl.com/5um69xc

Iraqis get the Tahrir spirit – Last Friday’s day of rage shows Nouri al-Maliki is in danger of becoming the Mubarak of Baghdad http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/cifamerica/2011/mar/02/iraq-tahrir-spirit-maliki-baghdad

IRELAND

Fianna Fáil massacred as left secures first majority http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0228/1224291009421.html?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4d6b411af6a808cf%2C0

LIBYA

Libyan fighters have message for US, UK, etc. http://twitpic.com/4515rt

Libya : Most Libyans don’t want any foreign military intervention – and that includes the vast majority of Gaddafi’s opponents http://alienatedleft.blogspot.com/2011/02/libya-most-libyans-dont-want-any.html

Western powers are no saviours http://peterb1953.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/libya-western-powers-are-no-saviours/

Building a new Libya – Around Benghazi, Muammar Qaddafi’s enemies have triumphed http://www.economist.com/node/18239900

How Gaddafi became a Western-backed dictator http://links.org.au/node/2179

The West’s fear of Qaddafi’s fall http://socialistworker.org/2011/02/24/western-fear-of-qaddafis-fall

How Can We Aid Libya’s Freedom Movement? http://www.socialistvoice.ca/?p=1443

Video report by the Real News Network from revolutionary Benghazi finds A revolution with thousands of leaders. http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=6333

PAKISTAN

Pakistani and Indian Newspapers Say US CIA Contractor Raymond Davis Organized Terrorist Activities http://tinyurl.com/6awy3gg

PALESTINE

Folk music legend Pete Seeger endorses boycott of Israel http://tinyurl.com/4eyrqqz

Suddenly America loves democracy in the Middle East – unless it’s Palestinian democracy: Some Middle East democracies find more favour than others, as Palestinians found out six years ago.

SAUDI ARABIA

Oil-Rich Saudis Try To Stave Off Revolution With Cash By Tarek El-Tablawy http://www.countercurrents.org/tablawy240211.htm

Thousands Of Workers Strike In Saudi Arabia By Socialistworker http://www.countercurrents.org/sw240211.htm

TUNISIA

`Revolution until victory!’ Mass protests force prime minister to resign http://links.org.au/node/2188

UK

UK: Stop the War Coalition statement on Middle East revolutions http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/2276/27/

Angry at the banks? Of course we are! Mervyn King misreads the public mood on the bankers. He should look at our Robin Hood campaign http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/02/deficit-cuts-banks-robin-hood-tax

USA

Huge Gatherings Nationwide in Solidarity with Wisconsin Democratic Uprising http://tinyurl.com/5tvbuy9

Class war in Wisconsin: Lee Sustar reports from Madison on the growing union struggle against Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and his attempt to crush public-sector unions. http://socialistworker.org/2011/02/18/class-war-in-wisconsin

February 21 Too Much: A Wake-Up from Wisconsin http://www.toomuchonline.org/tmweekly.html

U.S. Military Charges WikiLeaks Whistleblower Bradley Manning with ‘Aiding the Enemy’ http://tinyurl.com/4d4wea7

How Unions Helped Bring Economic Justice to Black Workers http://tinyurl.com/4znkccr

Michael Moore: We Face a Global War on the Middle Class – Regular people across the world are standing up to elites and saying "No!" to the future they have planned for us. http://tinyurl.com/488ev7c

Chomsky: Only a Massive Uprising Will Change Our Politics http://tinyurl.com/6xpg5dj

Matt Taibbi: Why Isn’t Wall Street in Jail? http://tinyurl.com/6e5he2q

Right-Winger Scott Walker Overreached, and His Arrogance Has Turned the Political Tide Against Him in Wisconsin http://tinyurl.com/47mkhth

VENEZUELA

Leaked U.S. Cables say Colombia’s Uribe Authorized "Clandestine Cross Border Operations" into Venezuela

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/6022

ZIMBABWE

Socialists and Egypt solidarity activists charged with treason! Protest urgently needed! http://links.org.au/node/2177

OLDER ANNOUNCEMENTS

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN BOLIVIA SOLIDARITY TOUR 2011

Greetings, The Latin American Forums of Melbourne and Sydney invite you and /or your organisation to participate in the first solidarity tour to Bolivia organised from Australia. Under the leadership of President Evo Morales, Bolivia is one of the countries in Latin America that is undertaking a radical progressive change. Bolivia is moving from the unjust and exploitative neo liberal capitalist state to a new form of participative community democracy, where the needs of the people are put before the drive for profits for the minority.

We invite you to participate in this solidarity tour to meet activists from community, environmental, indigenous groups and unions and see for yourself how this transformation is taking place. See attached leaflet for more detail. Please note the deadline for expressions of interest. Please pass on this information to your contacts. Please direct all inquiries to John or Fred (details below)

In Solidarity, John Cleary +61 407500839 or email johncleary271 Fred Fuentes +61 412 556 527 or fred.fuentes

MURRAY HORTON SPEAKING TOUR APRIL 2011

CAFCA is sending Murray Horton on an election year national speaking tour (something he last did in the 2002 election year). The title is New Zealand Not For Sale, providing an overview of foreign control (a hot topic at present, specifically the perennial issue of land sales); free trade deals, specifically the one with the US being negotiated now via the Trans Pacific Partnership; and what people can do about it. The aim is to raise grassroots awareness of these issues and CAFCA’s work in election year. The plan is for it to take place over two to three weeks in April, starting at the Roger Award event in Auckland at the beginning of that month, then heading south, getting home to Christchurch in Easter week.

Thus far, he has confirmed invitations for: Auckland, Whangarei, Hamilton, Thames, Whakatane, Napier, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Golden Bay and Dunedin. There are one or two other possibilities still being explored. Some venues may have to be done as separate one-off trips; just because they can’t be fitted into that time frame and they involve a long journey to get there (this is what Murray did during his 02 tour). It looks like a busy itinerary, so it may need to be done in more than one bite. If you would like to organise a meeting for Murray in your city or town or be otherwise involved with the tour, please contact CAFCA ASAP, by e-mail to cafca The itinerary will be worked out early in 2011 and publicity started shortly thereafter.

JOIN THE MAY DAY 2011 SOLIDARITY BRIGADE TO VENEZUELA! APRIL 25TH – MAY 4TH, 2011

The Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network invites you to observe first-hand the inspiring Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela. The sweeping social changes being carried out by Venezuela’s “people’s power” movements are radically transforming life for the majority in that country – workers, women, Indigenous people, young people and all those who have suffered the injustices of poverty, exploitation and exclusion that accompany corporate globalisation. Along the way, this remarkable revolution is showing the rest of the world that a more rational, socially just and sustainable future is possible.

A special feature of the 2011 May Day brigade will be the opportunity it offers to observe the developing workers’ participation and workers’ control that is a vital part of the Venezuelan revolution, with visits to worker-run factories and cooperatives, and meetings with trade union and community management representatives in a variety of sectors and regions. The brigadistas will also observe Venezuela’s grassroots democracy in action, with visits to the social missions, communal councils and communes. They will meet and speak with grassroots activists in the free, high-quality public health and education services; sustainable development projects; community controlled media; and women’s and Indigenous organisations. Joining the huge May Day rally in Caracas on May 1st will be a another highlight.

This brigade is the 12th solidarity and study tour organised by the AVSN. Participants’ reports and photos from previous brigades are available at http://www.venezuelasolidarity.org

Registration and costs: The deadline for registering for the 2011 May Day solidarity brigade is February 28, 2011. Participants will need to book their own international airfares, but the AVSN can help with advice (please do not book without contacting us to confirm the dates). The AVSN will organise all accommodation, transport and English-Spanish translation for the brigade. People joining from Australia will need to budget for a total cost of $3500-4000, which will cover international return airfares (between $2200-2600 from Australia); all food, transport and accommodation (on a shared basis) during the brigade; and the brigade registration fee ($500 for workers or $300 for full-time students, unemployed and pensioners).

For more information about this or future brigades, please email brigades or phone Lisa Macdonald +61 413 031 108, Roberto Jorquera +61 425 182 994 or John Cleary +61 407 500 839.