From the Newswire: "The old city in Nablus and Balata Refugee Camp have been under almost relentless siege since Dec.25th. There's a very compelling call to action posted on www.electronicintifada.net by a Nablus resident. With house to house searches and demolitions, a large number of people wounded and over ten killed, the use of collective punishments (a suffocating curfew, the blocking of medical relief crews and of humanitarian aid) and what amounts to weapons of mass destruction when unleashed on a captive, mainly civilian, population - tanks, a.p.c.s, apaches, high-velocity bullets, racism, impunity - the situation is desperate. Palestinian blood has been cheapened to the point that this siege is not being covered by the mainstream media. Instead the potential of dialogue (between a corrupt, incapable, complicit P.A. and the Israeli Govt. -that uses their own particularly well-planned form of state-sponsored terrorism as a negotiating tool - the brutalisation and humiliation of Palestinians until they capitulate seems to be Sharon's bottom line) is making the headlines. This is only a distraction that serves to normalise an occupation that is illegal and blatantly unjust." . . . continues

Related Stories:
Nablus: Media Blackout
ISM 4th January Press Release
Palestinian Prime Minister slams International Silence
Recent Wave of Resistance to Apartheid Wall
117 Palestinians killed during media's "relative calm"

"A young Zapatista read out the end of year message in Oventic. It did not address the quite momentous achievements of the previous 10 years of Zapatista resistance but instead concentrated on the concrete gains of the past year- the consolidation of the autonomous municipalities, the creation of the 5 Caracoles and the new Juntas of Good Government.

“We have been able to advance in our struggle, in our different tasks. During 2003 we made important gains…” the masked Zapatista read. “We ask that the companeros and companeras in each region and each municipality, simply, continue working….”

No rhapsodic communiqués of love and rage, no poetic convocations to global revolt, none of the signature tunes of Sub Marcos, just the nuts and bolts of local resistance, of building radical communities and autonomy in action."

Zapatista Related Resources:
Documents of the New Mexican Revolution
Zapatista resources - Irish Mexico Group
Zapatistas Communique 31/12/03
Zapatistas 1997 Communique on Independent Media
Indymedia.org radio feature
Spanish feature (from Indymedia Argentina)
Portugese feature (from Indymedia Brazil)

It appears that Weapons of Mass Destruction ™ are only of interest to the Bush administration if they are in the hands of Arabs, Muslims or "rogue" states. Likewise the big news corporations in the US were ignoring this particular story of genuine weapons capable of mass destruction found in the hands of a white supremacist group in the Bush home state of Texas. This story was originally published on the Newswire on December 8th. Since then, the only big US newpaper to cover the story has been the New York Times.

FROM THE NEWSWIRE:
"The language McDowell used at the December 1st conference is too weak for me. `The body could reflect the interests of all parties'. Why did he not say the Council definitely WILL reflect the interests of all parties? He is the Minister for Justice and he is bringing in a Press Council so the fact that he is unwilling to say anything definite is an indication of what I fear will happen in January when a foolish Cabinet that is wary of the Press will bring into law the Statutory Press Council proposed by the Legal Advisory Group on Defamation.

At that Cabinet meeting will be An Taioseach, who was displeased with coverage of his daughter Georgina’s wedding. Beside him will be Mary Harney who has twice sued for libel. Also there will be Ministers Noel Dempsey, John O'Donoghue and Seamus Brennan, who have all sued or threatened to sue a newspaper. Not forgetting Charlie McCreevy who in 2002 took Ireland from the international vanguard of open government into the dark ages of secrecy when he butchered our freedom of information laws. A society that has been rocked by revelations of corruption took a step back into secrecy. I would offer that the Cabinet is prejudiced and may use the opportunity to get us meddling journalists."

Other newswire articles:
A Dummy's Guide to the Press Council Issue
Why good journalism needs libel reform

The Crumlin / Drimnagh / Walkinstown anti bin tax campaign has started to return packaging to supermarkets under Section 29(i) of the Waste Management Act 1996.

Superquinn, Tesco and Dunnes all received trolleyloads of packaging.

After solidarity blockades, regular public meetings of 500+ and widespread non-payment (estimated at 80% +), the D12 campaigns tonight tried a new tactic - returning the packaging.

Each of the main supermarkets got a visit with about 15 at Superquinn, Sundrive Road and 50 at the Crumlin shopping centre (where Dunnes and Tesco have branches). The Supermarkets had got wind of what was up and had placed signs on the doors saying 'No Litter - we pay Repak and don't have to take packaging back.'

However, the campaign had letters to hand in to the store managers which quoted the relevant legislation

29 (i) requires the the owner or manager of a supermarket, service station or other sales outlet to provide, free of charge, specified facilities at such an outlet for the removal by customers opf packaging... and receptacles for the deposit of such packaging.

Each of those who returned packaging handed in the letter where they described themselves as ...

'a customer, consumer, environmentalist, a recycling fanatic and someone who demands that my rights be recognised'.

In Superquinn they accepted the rubbish, providing trolleys which were filled with packaging - I'll report later on how things went in Tesco and Dunnes.

Remember - Dec 12th the High Court, Monday 14th the estimates. The campaign hasn't gone away you know.

The Sweet Tale of a Small Bin Tax Victory in Dun Laoghaire Here
Every Sweet Tale Needs A Mr. Scrooge
Report on Anti-Bin Tax Campaign conference