|
Upcoming Eventsno events match your query! New Eventsno events posted in last week
Blog Feeds
Anti-Empire
Human Rights in IrelandPromoting Human Rights in Ireland
Lockdown Skeptics
Voltaire NetworkVoltaire, international edition
|
international / rights, freedoms and repression Thursday January 03, 2013 - 13:08 by Peter Manson
 27 comments (last - saturday january 19, 2013 - 18:07)  3 images
How the SWP Junta treat their members with contempt. Peter Manson writes on how dissidents are treated. Commenting on the contributions from a minority of Socialist Workers Party comrades in the second of this year’s Pre-conference Bulletins, I wrote: “It is most encouraging that these … comrades … are clear-sighted and courageous enough to make such far-reaching proposals - proposals aimed at transforming the SWP into a genuinely democratic-centralist force, capable of playing a leading role in the struggle for the mass party we so desperately need”. I concluded: “It remains to be seen for how long they would be tolerated if their ideas began to make headway” (‘An anatomical investigation’, November 8). Unfortunately, however, even before those ideas have had a chance to make such headway, the central committee has responded in the only way it knows: by summarily expelling two of the comrades who had written such powerful criticisms, together with two others who are alleged to be involved in “secret factionalism” alongside them. ... read full story / add a comment
international / anti-war / imperialism Thursday January 03, 2013 - 11:37 by Elric
Yassamine Mather writes on the resolutions which have emerged from the Imperialist backed Tribunal on Iran, on how sections of the Iranian Left have damaged themselves through association with it. Some let themselves be fooled but some were scoundrels. Genuine Democracy will not come to Iran through Neo-Cons or CIA Fronts. Full text at link. In the good old days of the Moscow trials it was customary for fallen members of the Soviet leadership to disappear from group photographs, their image wiped out of history, as they fell out of favour with Stalin. How ironic that the 21st century unholy alliance between Iran’s soft left and neo-conservatives in what is known as the Iran Tribunal seems to have adopted the same method in dealing with the embarrassing outcome of its second phase. The Farsi version of the long-awaited final resolution never made it to the IT website and the English version1 has been either removed or hidden away somewhere where it is difficult to find.2 As the embarrassing clauses were translated into Farsi, the organisers were confronted with a barrage of criticism. The soft left has attempted to justify the disappearance of the final statement with the claim that the ‘findings’ were temporary resolutions - although the ‘prosecutor’, Payam Akhavan, and his allies consider the job done and deny the ‘temporary’ nature of the findings. ... read full story / add a comment 
international / environment Tuesday December 25, 2012 - 20:48 by Ban Cruel Sports
1 comment (last - tuesday december 25, 2012 - 23:45) 8 images
Sad to hear that a dedicated campaigner against blood sports in Ireland has passed away. ... read full story / add a comment
international / anti-war / imperialism Friday December 21, 2012 - 20:59 by Elric
1 comment (last - saturday december 22, 2012 - 12:15)
Chris Marsden writes on how the UN have finally accepted that Syria is in the throes of a Civil War. Also on the build up of US equipment and troops in Jordan and false reporting about Alawite on Alawite violence. Full text at link. A United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry has finally admitted that a sectarian civil war is raging in Syria. Its findings are based upon extensive investigations and interviews between September 28 to December 16, 2012. They detail massacres and gross violations of human rights that have polarised Syria between the supporters of a Sunni insurgency and those Sunnis and various minority groups that have aligned themselves with the Alawite-led Ba’athist regime out of fear that its downfall will produce a yet more brutal Sunni chauvinist alternative. ... read full story / add a comment
international / miscellaneous Friday December 21, 2012 - 03:22 by Solidarity to Autonomic Spaces
SQUAT / STATE REPRESSION 20 December 2012 You wont get Villa Amalias. Not even...in your dreams only THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT AN EVICTION: IT IS ABOUT A COMMON ACTION OF AUTONOMY & SELF-ORGANIZATION SOLIDARITY & SUPPORT VILLA AMALIAS GIVES A SERIOUS BATTLE ; NOT FOR SUPPORTING SOME WALLS & BRICKS, BUT FOR THE DESIRES & DREAMS & HOPES FOR A LIFE MORE FOR EVERYONE ... read full story / add a comment 
international / anti-capitalism Wednesday December 19, 2012 - 20:36 by T
1 image
Slovenia is being shaken by the first massive revolt in two decades and the first that is predominantly oriented against political establishment, austerity measures and is in some cities already gaining anti-capitalist character. In less than three weeks there have been 35 protests in 18 cities, where more then 70.000 people participated altogether. Protests often turn into clashes with police that is violently breaking up the demonstrations. 284 people were arrested, some released, some not. Many people have been injured. ... read full story / add a comment
international / anti-war / imperialism Tuesday December 18, 2012 - 16:23 by maolcholann
6 comments (last - thursday december 27, 2012 - 19:36) 3 images
A response to the latest in a series of provocative, offensive, and frankly fratboyish Facebook posts coming from Israel’s embassy in Ireland. ... read full story / add a comment 
international / anti-capitalism Monday December 17, 2012 - 23:57 by fred
1 image
The complexities of the Arab Spring and the struggle for political freedom throughout the Arab world should not obscure what has now become an absolutely essential understanding for all anti-imperialists: the Muslim Brotherhood is one of the most powerful weapons of the Western ruling class in the Muslim world. While that may be a difficult pill for some to swallow for emotional or psychological reasons, one need look no further than the insidious role the organization is playing in Syria and the abuses of power and human rights of the government of Egypt. ... read full story / add a comment 
international / anti-capitalism Sunday December 16, 2012 - 19:45 by fred
1 comment (last - monday december 17, 2012 - 04:42) 1 image
It has become clear that NGO's in Russia have ties with NED and the Orwellian titled "Freedom House". Russia has taken much flak for placing immense restrictions on foreign-funded lobby groups and NGOs, demanding that they exhibit the same level of transparency and honesty that they themselves demand of the government. Evidence has come to light that they were probably correct to do so. Clearly foreign funding and their links with NED and other organisations play a major part in how these people have operated in Russia. ... read full story / add a comment 
international / anti-war / imperialism Sunday December 16, 2012 - 17:38 by Elric
1 image
Joshua Brollier writes on the latest shooting of a Palestinian farmer, Mohammed Qdeih, by the IDF. Joshua also documents the story of ninety five years old Ahmed Hassan Jabbar Qdeih. Ahmed tells how Zionist militias terrorized his farm in 1948. Ahmed was detained, along with his family, and taken to their house where they were forced to watch as his father was murdered in front on them. The militias destroyed their home, bombed the well and set ablaze 60 dunams of land. Additionally, they stole 60 sheep and two cows to take with them. Full text at link. Yesterday in al-Faraheen, Gaza , Israeli Occupation Forces shot and wounded an unarmed 22 year oldfarmer, Mohammed Qdeih, from behind. Mohamed and nine others went out to their fields in the early afternoon, walking approximately 250 meters from the Israeli border. Within minutes, two heavily armed Israeli military jeeps rushed to the security fence. They issued a warning for the farmers and residents to leave the area and shortly thereafter the Palestinians, intimidated by the heavy military presence, began to head back tothe village of Abasan . The soldiers were not satisfied and opened fire, piercing Mohamed's right arm from the backside. Israeli forces continued to shoot rounds of live ammunition while Mohamed and the others frantically evacuated and waited for an ambulance. Another young Palestinian, 19, was shot yesterday near the border in Jabaliya. ... read full story / add a comment 
international / anti-capitalism Saturday December 15, 2012 - 01:58 by John Cornford
1 image
In this week's issue: SWP CONFERENCE: CRAZY CONTORTIONS OF SWP CENTRAL COMMITTEE Following criticisms of the SWP’s culture and practice in the first two Internal Bulletins, the leadership has mobilised to rubbish opponents. Peter Manson reports ISRAEL-GAZA: WHY DID ISRAEL DO IT? The success or failure of the onslaught on Gaza can only be judged against the operation’s aims, writes Israeli socialist Moshé Machover. This is an edited version of a talk given to the December 8 CPGB aggregate The latest edition of the Weekly Worker is now available online at: www.cpgb.org.uk/home/weekly-worker/942 ... read full story / add a comment
international / anti-war / imperialism Tuesday December 11, 2012 - 12:01 by Elric
Sanctions kill, Sanctions are the the waging of War by other means. There are real life victims: All of the surgeries for thousands of haemophilic patients have been cancelled because a shortage of coagulant drugs. A 15-year-old child died at the end of October due to the absence of coagulant medication. Full text at link. No one amongst the leaders or the grassroots of Iran’s legitimate domestic opposition has called for sanctions on Iran. In fact, they have warned that sanctions and war will be the biggest blow to the civil society and democratic aspirations in Iran. These sanctions, which went into effect at the end of July 2012, target, amongst other things, Iran’s banking and export of oil. Export of oil comprises 80 percent of Iran’s foreign revenue which finances infrastructural work, social and welfare services, hospitals, schools, universities, state employees' salaries and pensions. The value of Iranian currency has declined by 80 percent in the past year. The prices of imported machinery, medicine, and many types of foodstuff have risen beyond the reach of ordinary people. Many factories and businesses have folded, and unemployment is mounting. ... read full story / add a comment
international / rights, freedoms and repression Tuesday December 11, 2012 - 00:47 by Elric
1 comment (last - tuesday december 11, 2012 - 22:52)
I really am shocked at this, not because they are harassing him, not because they want to imprison him. I'm shocked because Barrett Brown is facing decades in prison for copying a hyper-link. “Link Barrett accused of sharing was also posted on Cryptome + several blogs. Will these websites be indicted for ‘transferring link’ too?” UK journalist Ryan Gallagher asked on Twitter over the weekend Full text at link. A federal grand jury has indicted Barrett Brown, an activist from Texas with links to the Anonymous hacktivist movement, on a dozen federal charges for sharing a hyperlink inside of an Internet chat room. Brown, 31, had been in federal custody for nearly three months awaiting trial for unrelated crimes when the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, unsealed a new grand jury indictment against him on Friday, December 6 [pdf]. Brown was arrested in September and charged with making online threats against a federal officer after posting a series of YouTube videos and tweets sharply criticizing an FBI agent. Now he has been charged with 12 unrelated counts stemming from his alleged involvement in the high-profile hack of Strategic Forecasting, or Stratfor, late last year. ... read full story / add a comment
international / anti-war / imperialism Tuesday December 11, 2012 - 00:28 by Elric
Once again showing their contempt for human rights the US Military have illegally detained hundreds of Afghan juveniles. Most of these were snatched from their homes. Full text at link. The US military said it has captured more than 200 Afghan juveniles, whose average age is 16, and held them prisoner for about one year without charging them for any crimes. A report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said that more than 200 detainees under the age of 18 were held at a military prison at the Detention Facility in Parwan for being characterized as “enemy combatants”. The teens had not been charged with any crimes, but were each held for an average of one year for the sole purpose of preventing “a combatant from returning to the battlefield”, the report said. Since they were not charged for any crimes, the detainees were not provided any legal assistance and could only defend themselves at open hearings. ... read full story / add a comment 
international / rights, freedoms and repression Monday December 10, 2012 - 14:39 by Zionism-Nazism
2 comments (last - monday december 10, 2012 - 17:05) 1 image 1 attached file
Yesterday an image that is purportedly British street artist Banksy’s Christmas card this year started making the rounds on Twitter. ... read full story / add a comment 
international / anti-war / imperialism Monday December 10, 2012 - 04:47 by lefty
1 image
US conducts a nuclear test on Dec 6th while continuing to demonise Iran and impose ever more crippling sanctions on the Iranian state which mainly just harm civilians, on account of it's non existent nuclear weapons program. This despite Iran's full compliance with the terms of the NPT, unlike the US itself or it's dog wagging tail in the middle east, Israel. This brings blatant US hypocrisy regarding Iran to a new level. ... read full story / add a comment
national / anti-capitalism Sunday December 09, 2012 - 10:27 by Red Banner
Issue 50 of Red Banner is available now from bookshops and the address above, priced €2 / £1.50 ... read full story / add a comment
international / rights, freedoms and repression Friday December 07, 2012 - 14:04 by Elric
7 comments (last - sunday december 09, 2012 - 16:02)
The dark forces of Islamist reaction have been unleashed in Egypt. Looks like an Islamic State means one man, one vote - one time. Full text at link. Muslim Brotherhood (MB) forces supporting Egypt’s Islamist President Mohamed Mursi are carrying out a bloody crackdown in Cairo. Amid intensifying mass protests in the past two weeks against Mursi, the Islamists are mobilizing their forces to try to crush strikes and protests. In scenes recalling the “Battle of the Camels”—when then-President Hosni Mubarak’s thugs attacked protesting workers and youth on Tahrir Square in the initial days of the Egyptian Revolution last year—MB cadres together with forces of the Salafist Call and al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya assaulted a sit-in of several hundred peaceful protesters in front of the presidential palace in Heliopolis in Cairo. ... read full story / add a comment 
international / anti-war / imperialism Friday December 07, 2012 - 13:46 by Elric
1 image
Torab Saleth reviews: Ervand Abrahamian, 'The coup: 1953, the CIA and the roots of modern US-Iranian relations', New Press, 2013, pp304, £16.84. Instead of physically opposing the Coup the Tudeh were out distributing leaflets and getting people to sign petitions. Remind you of anyone? Full text at link. With the continuing efforts made by the self-proclaimed global imperial power, the USA, to achieve ‘regime change’ in Iran, it is timely that a book about the 1953 coup - in which the US, with the help of the British government, carried out exactly such regime change - has been published. The coup was aimed against Mohammad Mosaddegh’s National Front1 government, which had nationalised the British-controlled Iranian oil industries. If Los Angeles-based Iranian TV stations or Facebook campaigns have given the imperialists a false impression that a nation is waiting to be liberated by the US and its allies, this book should remind them why there is in fact still a deep and widespread hostility in Iran towards the USA and Britain: precisely because of this event. ... read full story / add a comment 
international / anti-war / imperialism Friday December 07, 2012 - 12:16 by Elric
1 image
Tony Greenstein writes on the latest extension of Zionist colonies on the West Bank. Full text at link. It is widely accepted, not least amongst Israeli public opinion, that Operation Pillar of Defence - the murderous attack on Gaza, which indiscriminately killed all in its path - achieved nothing, other than emphasising Israel’s growing impotence in the region. ... On November 22 the ceasefire came into effect, and a week later, on November 29, the United Nations general assembly voted to accord Palestine ‘non-member observer status’. Within hours Netanyahu had promised to build an extra 3,000 houses in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and put into effect the ‘E1 plan’ that envisages the expansion of the settlement Ma’ale Adumim, to the east of Jerusalem ... read full story / add a comment |
|
|
