GPJA #456 (Part 2/2): International news and analysis

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER No. 456, March , 2013

STATS OF THE WEEK

Viral Video Shows the Extent of U.S. Wealth Inequality http://mashable.com/2013/03/02/wealth-inequality/

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“I am convinced Socialism is the only answer and I urge all comrades to take this struggle to a victorious conclusion. Only this will free us from the chains of bigotry and exploitation.” Malala Yousafzai, young victim of terror attack in Pakistan http://www.marxist.com/historic-32nd-congress-of-pakistani-imt-1.htm

"The important thing is not to stop questioning." – Albert Einstein

"No problem can be solved by the same consciousness that created it. We need to see the world anew." – Albert Einstein

Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act." Albert Einstein

"Hated by the entrenched classes, Hugo Chavez will live forever in history. My friend, rest finally in a peace long earned." – Oliver Stone

FEATURES

The New Propaganda Is Liberal — The New Slavery Is Digital By John Pilger – Today’s "message" of grotesque inequality, social injustice and war is the propaganda of liberal democracies. By any measure of human behavior, this is extremism. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article34289.htm

In case you missed it – ‘The War on Democracy’: John Pilger’ Video: Set in Latin America and the US, this movie explores the historic and current relationship of Washington with countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18236.htm

Is Marxism Facing a Rebirth? http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/shows/2013/02/24/is-marxism-facing-a-rebirth/

War on Terror is the West’s New Religion By Robert Fisk – All the crusading and invading simply plays into al-Qa’ida’s hands – just ask the French.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article34085.htm

Redefining Torture and the Waterboarding of Americans (Turse) http://www.juancole.com/2013/02/redefining-waterboarding-americans.html

The Norwegian Prison Where Inmates Are Treated Like People http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/feb/25/norwegian-prison-inmates-treated-like-people

Torture Inc. Americas Brutal Prisons http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8451.htm

Fascism in the Church: Ex-Priest on "The Pope’s War," Clergy Abuse and Quelling Liberation Theology http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/28/fascism_in_the_church_ex_priest

How the US Denies Justice to Victims of Sexual Violence Worldwide http://www.thenation.com/article/173254/how-us-denies-justice-victims-sexual-violence-worldwide

WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS

Richard Wolff Discusses the Failure of Capitalism with Bill Moyers http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/02/richard-wolff-discusses-the-failure-of-capitalism-with-bill-moyers.html#fT8WvFKSYW3PzEbU.99

Paul Krugman: Austerity, Italian Style http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/25/opinion/krugman-austerity-italian-style.html

Bloomberg: US Subsidy to Wall Street = the Amount of Sequester Cuts; It’s $83 Billion in 2013 http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/item/17828-bloomberg-us-subsidy-to-wall-street-the-amount-of-sequester-cuts-it-s-83-billion-in-2013

Income Inequality May Take Toll on Growth http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/17/business/economy/income-inequality-may-take-toll-on-growth.html

A View From the Biggest Municipal Debt Market, California – LIBOR: Viewing the Biggest Financial Crime in History http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/02/26/libor-viewing-the-biggest-financial-crime-in-history/

Don’t think class war from above is real? Check out productivity and wage growth since 1973 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/07/1192309/-Don-t-think-class-war-from-above-is-real-Check-out-productivity-and-wage-growth-since-1973

LAND, LABOUR AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Hugo Chavez on climate change and capitalism http://climateandcapitalism.com/2013/03/06/hugo-chavez-on-climate-change-and-capitalism/

Too much power in too few hands: Food giants take over the industry http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/too-much-power-in-too-few-hands-food-giants-take-over-the-industry-8508259.html

Reduced Work Hours as a Means of Slowing Climate Change http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/reports/reduced-work-hours-as-a-means-of-slowing-climate-change

Pandora’s Lunchbox: Pulling Back the Curtain on How Processed Food Took Over the American Meal http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/1/pandoras_lunchbox_pulling_back_the_curtain

Why there will be Masses in the Streets Protesting Climate Change http://www.juancole.com/2013/03/bothered-protest-engelhardt.html

Like unicorns, the ‘free market’ doesn’t exist http://climateandcapitalism.com/2013/02/28/like-unicorns-the-free-market-is-a-myth/

Capitalism versus Planet Earth – an irreconcilable conflict http://climateandcapitalism.com/2013/02/25/capitalism-versus-planet-earth-an-irreconcilable-conflict/

Dancing the World into Being: A Conversation with Idle No More’s Leanne Simpson – Naomi Klein speaks with writer, spoken-word artist, and indigenous academic Leanne Betasamosake Simpson about “extractivism,” why it’s important to talk about memories of the land, and what’s next for Idle No More. http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/dancing-the-world-into-being-a-conversation-with-idle-no-more-leanne-simpson

CULTURAL DISSENT

Music Matters: Bob Dylan’s Biography of American Racism http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/03/01/bob-dylans-biography-of-american-racism/

Salt Sugar Fat: NY Times Reporter Michael Moss on How the Food Giants Hooked America on Junk Food http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/1/salt_sugar_fat_ny_times_reporter

The Weird Blend of Apolitical Denial and Shameless Propaganda at the Oscars – See more at: http://www.thenation.com/blog/173080/weird-blend-apolitical-denial-and-shameless-propaganda-oscars#sthash.zidZWJ9q.dpuf

The Oscars Fails Its Own Vision Test http://www.thenation.com/blog/173094/oscars-fails-its-own-vision-test

Zimbabwe: Thomas Mapfumo’s liberation music http://links.org.au/node/3232

“Argo” as Orientalism and why it Upsets Iranians http://www.juancole.com/2013/02/orientalism-upsets-iranians.html

Germany’s forgotten revolution brought to life http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53513

SPORT

Israel: Where Soccer Fans Boo Their Own Players When They Score http://www.thenation.com/blog/173288/israel-where-soccer-fans-boo-their-own-players-when-they-score

Why Major League Baseball Owners Will Cheer the Death of Hugo Chavez http://www.thenation.com/blog/173233/why-major-league-baseball-owners-will-cheer-death-hugo-chavez

AFGHANISTAN

Afghan police ‘sell weapons to Taliban, are addicted to drugs and kidnap and rape young boys’ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2284302/On-Afghan-police-sell-weapons-Taliban-addicted-drugs-kidnap-rape-young-boys.html#ixzz2MAKb5t9e

BOLIVIA

Bolivians Grieve Death of Chavez – Government Officials say Bolivia-Venezuela ties will not change http://tinyurl.com/aaerrtz

CAMBODIA

Cambodian Workers Camp Out, Hunger Strike Against Walmart and H&M – See more at: http://www.labornotes.org/2013/02/cambodian-workers-camp-out-hunger-strike-against-walmart-and-hm#sthash.aEWk0EGR.dpuf

CANADA

Manitoba Métis Win Historic Ruling by Roger Annis – Breakthrough Regarding Legal Liability of Canadian Mining Corporations for Abuses Overseas http://srimonitor.blogspot.co.nz/2013/02/breakthrough-regarding-legal-liability.html

New Democratic Party poised for power, but to what effect? http://links.org.au/node/3234

New Quebec tuition hike draws 10,000 back into the streets http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/ethan-cox/2013/02/new-quebec-tuition-hike-draws-10000-back-streets

Occupy Enbridge: Taking a Stand on Red Lake Sovereign Land http://intercontinentalcry.org/occupy-enbridge-taking-a-stand-on-red-lake-sovereign-land/

CHILE

Pinochet Was Planning New Coup in 1988 http://www.ww4report.com/node/12035

CHINA

Uyghurs face jail for speaking out http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53448

COLOMBIA

FARC has ‘always wanted peace’ in Colombia – RT exclusive: Dutch militant Tanja Nijmeijer – who left the Netherlands 10 years ago to join the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and fight for what she calls social justice – spoke with RT, saying that the rebel organization wants to end the country’s 50-year conflict.

Colombia’s cafeteros take a stand: The stakes are rising as the strike by tens of thousands of coffee growers in Colombia enters its second week, report Judea Beatrice and Stasha Lampert. http://socialistworker.org/2013/03/04/colombia-cafeteros-take-a-stand

ECUADOR

Ecuador’s New Deal: Nothing Succeeds Like Success http://www.cepr.net/index.php/op-eds-&-columns/op-eds-&-columns/ecuadors-new-deal-nothing-succeeds-like-success

GREECE

"A promise from the army has been obtained to not intervene against a civil uprising" http://www.newstatesman.com/world-affairs/2013/02/greece-promise-army-has-been-obtained-not-intervene-against-civil-uprising

INDIA

Greater than the Might of Armies – Over one hundred million workers across India struck work for two days, on 20 and 21 February. http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article2910

Unity, Democracy, Militancy: New Trade Union Initiative in India http://www.socialistproject.ca/leftstreamed/ls166.php

INDONESIA

New ‘secret’ documentary reopens old, long-buried wounds in Indonesia http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2013/02/new-secret-documentary-reopens-old-long-buried-wounds-in-indonesia/

Inside Indonesia: Edition 111 (Jan-Mar 2013): The politics of health http://www.insideindonesia.org/

IRAQ

Oil workers demonstrate in Iraq http://www.industriall-union.org/oil-workers-demonstrate-in-iraq

JAPAN

Japan on the Anniversary of Fukushima: Anger, Protests and Hope http://www.juancole.com/2013/03/anniversary-fukushima-protests.html

MALI

No peace or reconciliation in France-controlled Mali http://www.rogerannis.com/no-peace-or-reconciliation-in-france-controlled-mali/

Mali: The Worst is Yet to Come http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/20/mali-worst-yet-to-come

Clarifying facts on Mali appearing in the Toronto Star http://www.rogerannis.com/clarifying-facts-on-mali-appearing-in-the-toronto-star/

PACIFIC

Former BRA commander warns Australia: ‘Don’t meddle in Bougainville affairs’ http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2013/02/former-bra-commander-warns-australia-dont-meddle-in-bougainville-affairs/#more-19278

8 Indonesian soldiers killed in Papua ambush, independence OPM blamed http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2013/02/eight-indonesian-soldiers-killed-in-papua-ambush-pro-independence-militants-blamed/

Solomon Islands teachers’ strike- and win http://fightback.org.nz/2013/02/24/solomon-islands-teachers-strike-and-win/

Kanaky: Politics heats up as independence supporters mobilise for 2014 election http://links.org.au/node/3239

PALESTINE

West Bank Diary | Sebastiya: how Palestine’s trees are being poisoned http://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/west-bank-diary-sebastiya/

The green light for Zionism’s ethnic cleansing of Palestine http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/03/09/the-green-light-for-zionisms-ethnic-cleansing-of-palestine/

PORTUGAL

Mass demonstration against austerity http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article28016

Vast protests point to government crisis http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53571

SLOVENIA

The revolt spreads http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article2894

SPAIN

Basque left nationalism launches strategic rebirth http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53471

Fighting Austerity In Spain: A View From Seville http://anticapitalists.org/2013/03/03/fighting-austerity-in-spain-a-view-from-seville/

SRI LANKA

Sri Lankan forces ‘raped’ Tamils in custody, study says http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21577866

UK

British terror suspects quietly stripped of citizenship… then killed by drones

Exclusive: Secret war on enemy within http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/british-terror-suspects-quietly-stripped-of-citizenship-then-killed-by-drones-8513858.html

Doctors cry foul at NHS ‘privatisation by stealth’ http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/mar/02/doctors-bemoan-nhs-privatisation-by-stealth

What does the UK’s new AA credit rating mean? http://socialistresistance.org/4845/what-does-the-uks-new-aa-credit-rating-mean

Ignore their howls of protest. If bankers leave the country, it would be no loss http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/06/if-bankers-leave-it-would-be-no-loss

Writer Owen Jones speaks at the Unions21 Conference 2013

USA

Racial Wealth Gap Tripled Since Reagan Era As Whites Increased Large Lead Over Blacks: Study http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/racial-wealth-gap_n_2772840.html

WikiLeaks Whistleblower Bradley Manning Says He Wanted to Show the Public the "True Costs of War" http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/1/wikileaks_whistleblower_bradley_manning_says_he

The Drone Strikes We Really Should Worry About http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/03/targeted-killing-critics-drone-strikes-abroad-rand-paul-filibuster

McDonald’s Guest Workers Stage a Surprise Strike http://www.thenation.com/blog/173217/mcdonalds-guest-workers-stage-surprise-strike

Bradley Manning Speaks: In Leaked Court Recording, Army Whistleblower Tells His Story for First Time http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/12/bradley_manning_speaks_in_leaked_court

"Golden Age for Corporate Profits" As Workers Get Whacked – Naomi Klein: "For workers, the ‘recovery’ looks more like a stick-up." http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/04-1

Letter from the US: A tale of two classes http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53604

A Huge Hunger Strike at Guantánamo http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article34237.htm

VENEZUELA

Hugo Chavez presente! http://links.org.au/

Real News: A sea of tears in Caracas (VIDEO) http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53545

Hugo Chavez’ legacy in Haiti and Latin America http://www.rogerannis.com/hugo-chavez-legacy-in-haiti-and-latin-america/

Tariq Ali: Hugo Chávez and me – The late president of Venezuela, who I have met many times, will be remembered by his supporters as a lover of literature, a fiery speaker and a man who fought for his people and won http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/06/hugo-chavez-and-me-tariq-ali

Venezuela’s devaluation doom-mongers – Venezuela’s recent devaluation has excited predictions of an economic collapse. Luckily, such wishful thinking is ill-informed http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/03/venezuela-devaluation-doom-mongers

Hugo Chávez knew that his revolution depended on women http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/08/hugo-chavez-revolution-depended-on-women

U.S. and Canada Isolated as Latin American Leaders Acknowledge Chávez’s Regional Leadership http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/8105

The Achievements of Hugo Chavez http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/12/14/the-achievements-of-hugo-chavez/

The Achievements of Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian Revolution, by Salim Lamrani http://www.facebook.com/notes/tim-anderson/the-achievements-of-hugo-chavez-and-the-bolivarian-revolution-by-salim-lamrani/10151362339306234

Venezuela and Latin America after Chávez : The revolution begins today http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article28069

On the Legacy of Hugo Chávez http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article28042

Hugo Chavez, undefeated

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/derrick/2013/03/hugo-chavez-undefeated

Hugo Chávez: A Giant Has Left Us (Pablo Navarrete)

http://alborada.net/navarrete-chavez-venezuela-0313

Death of a ‘dictator’: Chavez and the media – We examine why many Western media outlets continue to demonise the Venezuelan president after his death. http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestoryamericas/2013/03/201338124134106911.html

New Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addressing May Day rally in Caracas in 2006.

WESTERN SAHARA

Inside Disputed Western Sahara http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/12/201212247936401443.html