Amid the hum of words spoken and written here in Ecuador and further afield about the events of Thursday, September 30, two are easily discernible: “coup” and “democracy”. Yet it can be argued that neither concept had much to do with what unfolded on that day.
It would be easy to say that the convulsions that gripped Ecuador on that day were just more of the same. This is a country, after all, that has deposed three elected presidents by different means (none of them impeachment), and at one stage could count 9 different presidents in 10 years.

Indymedia Links:
Failed coup attempt | The new Latin American century, FARC, arms races, US bases & sundry fibs |
Other Links:
BBC article | Chevron's ecuadorian legacy | Lasc contact link (Note to LASC: currently OPEN DNS (wrongly) completely blocks lasc website as a phishing site) |
Video Links:
Chevrontoxico campaign against chevron in ecuador | Democracy now interview with Correa | Correa on Obama and the dollar |
Wikipedia Links:
Rafael Correa | 2010 Ecuador crisis |

The mine owners were so greedy for profits they would not put in the proper safety safeguards and this is why the miners were trapped in the first place. The right wing in Chile are trying to exploit the popularity of the miners. see the right wing president at the rescue site. but it was the right wing who supported their hero the dictator Pinochet who slaughtered tens of thousands of union and left activists. if this had not happened the miners union might have been strong enough to enforce safe conditions in the mine and not been trapped in the first place.

Indymedia Links:
Chilean miners: fake solidarity in the land of "every man for himself" | Solidarity meeting for chilean miners | Whats happening in Bolivia? | Chilean miners can build a worldwide movement
Other Links:
John Pilger's take on the rescue | Chilean miners rescued after ten-week ordeal | Poor safety condemned by workers at San Jose mine | we know what's up | laborsmilitantvoice website
Wikipedia Links:
2010 Copiapó mining accident | Augusto Pinochet

Up to 250 people took part in the 1% Network’s walking tour on Saturday last, October 9th. As people began to gather from as early as 12.30pm it was clear that large numbers were going to to take the opportunity to ‘see how the 1% live.’ The unusually warm weather and low-key Garda presence added to the almost festive atmosphere for this most unusual of political protests.

Indymedia Links:
Billionaires caring for the old & the senile | NAMA board gets pay increase | No to private hospitals. Fund our public hospitals | government must tax the super rich |
Other Links:
Ray Burke | fantasy hour with seanie fitzpatrick | Sticky Fingers |
Wikipedia Links:
Moriarty tribunal | Fingers Fingleton | Seanie Fitzpatrick | Ray Burke | Anglo controversy |

Brave girl but did she have to actually buy it?

On Saturday 4th September Kate O’Sullivan, an activist from the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), made a citizen’s arrest on former British Prime Minister Tony Blair at a book signing in Eason’s. However the Gardaí refused to act on the arrest, preferring instead to detain Ms. O’Sullivan for half an hour in a stairwell. At the protest outside Eason’s, where over 1,000 people gathered to protest the presence of Mr Blair in Ireland, at least three arrests of peaceful protesters where carried out, including that of a secondary school student. All have subsequently been released and are due in court on 30th September.

Indymedia Links:
Hundreds protest war-criminal Tony Blair in Dublin |Blair's Dublin Book Launch735 | Galway Stop Blair Protest at Eason's | Stop Blair - Urgent Call to Action | Arrest Blair Call – When War Criminal Visits Dublin | Photo essay | Eirigi protest
Other Links:
Blair must be arrested - John Pilger (newstatesman.com) | IPSC website | WSM article with videos | Tony Blair | Iraq war |

Thousands take to Letterkenny streets to defend health services

Thousands marched to defend health services at Letterkenny hospital from going under the knife. Anger and hurt was clearly evident on the streets of Letterkenny as pensioners and workers most vulnerable to any cuts in health services brought traffic to halt.

Related Links: Harney moves to close St Luke's Cancer Hospital |No Private Hospitals – Fund our Public Hospitals | Dail passes 'close St Luke's Bill' | Vital centre faces closure | The need for a united European response of workers against the attacks