>Millions of workers stayed off their jobs in the largest national strike in >years that virtually paralyzed Argentina. It started on 23 Nov. morning and >continuing on 24 with demonstrations all over the country. The date was chosen >because a delegation of the IMF is coming here those days. During the strike >violence erupted when a worker was shot dead and another wounded in >northeastern Chaco province. Protesters blocked roads and highways across >Argentina with flaming tires. The strike forced schools and businesses to shut >down, and transportation, energy and banking services were all closed. It is >the third and largest strike during De la Rua's year-old presidency, who >announced a five-year public spending freeze, an increase in the retirement >age and changes to the pension system. The new sacrifices came on top of an >earlier austerity campaign that raised taxes, lowered salaries for state >workers and reformed labor laws. The measures are backed by international >lenders who say they are needed if Argentina is to receive billions of dollars >worth of fresh loans. The strike climaxed when on 24 Nov. the country's >biggest union joined the strike. > > ><!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> ><HTML><HEAD> ><META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type> ><META content="MSHTML 5.00.2314.1000" name=GENERATOR> ><STYLE></STYLE> ></HEAD> ><BODY bgColor=#ffffff> ><P class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="COLOR: black">ML </SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Update : ></I>A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine</B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Vol.-3; No.-47; >29-11-2000<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = >"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Editorial<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: >Helvetica">Images >of Globalisation and the Gospels of Vajpayee </SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoBodyText><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> ><P class=MsoBodyText><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">After his knees, Prime >Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has now become worried about the 'image' of >globalisation in this country. Addressing the India Economic Summit sponsored >by >the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) >in >the capital on November 26, Vajpayee proposed a nine-point social charter for >business which he believes can change the 'image' of globalisation. Instead of >being perceived as a 'threat', he wants globalisation to be treated as an >'opportunity'. The Prime Minister of course noted the growing trend of global >protests against globalisation and reassured the foreign and Indian big >capital >that his government was determined to overcome all resistance and push through >the entire gamut of pending reforms at an increasingly quicker pace. ><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>Under the BJP-led NDA dispensation, the government of India >has already been withdrawing itself rapidly from almost every field of >industrial production and financial service. Now the government wants to >retreat >even from the social sectors like healthcare and education and hand over the >reins of almost all spheres of public life to the private industry. Newspaper >reports of the Sunday summit say that the CII has 'spontaneously' accepted the >entire charter proposed by the Prime Minister the details of which have >however >not been revealed. The CII has only declared that all its members will take >charge of at least one primary school and one primary healthcare centre! Not >to >be left behind, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry >(FICCI) is also organising an international conference on globalisation and >democracy in Delhi on December 5-6.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>Interestingly, all these consultancy and counseling >sessions >to improve the image of the economic reforms are taking place at a time when >farmers are exploding in rage in every state around Delhi and the capital >itself >has been witnessing a pitched battle being fought by lakhs of workers and even >owners of the small-scale industry in Delhi. While the Prime Minister whiled >away his lazy Sunday philosophising on the 'image' of globalisation which also >overshadows the 'image' of his pseudo-swadeshi government, Delhi began the >next >week with a total bandh on a usually busy Monday. </P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>The 'image' of globalisation, and for that matter of the >biggest 'swadeshi' contractor of this project, will of course continue to be >decided by the actual events on the ground, the real implementation of the >policies and the impact experienced by the concerned people. Take the case of >Delhi. The Supreme Court has asked the Union Urban Development Ministry and >the >Delhi Government to enforce the Master Plan 2001 for the capital. Now this >plan >is nothing but a design of deindustrialisation of Delhi. And the apex court of >India is serving in this case as a ruthless destroyer. Having ordered the >closure/relocation of 168 'noxious and hazardous' industries on July 8, 1996, >the Court is now asking for similar relocation/closure of 97,600 small and >medium industrial units employing an estimated two million workers for the >reason that these units are located in areas earmarked as 'residential' or >non-industrial localities. </P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>The opposition to industry is not prompted by the fear of >pollution alone. And the figures, in any way, do not support the pollution >argument. Compared to 1970-71 when the industry used to account for 56% of >Delhi's air pollution with vehicles contributing only 23%, the proportion >today >is vastly changed. The four million strong vehicular population in Delhi now >supplies 76% of Delhi's air pollution while the share of industry has come >down >to only 20%. And this spurt in vehicular population and pollution is a direct >offshoot of the neglect and collapse of Delhi's public transport system. Even >in >terms of water pollution, while municipal waste amounts to 1900 million litres >per day (MLD), industrial waste stands at 320 MLD. The deindustrialisation >design is also marked by a not-so-concealed prejudice and hatred against the >immigrant worker and the squatters. The Union Urban Development Minister >Jagmohan, notorious for his demolition activities since the Emergency of 1975, >has said "The migrants and squatters, like plague or some other rare kind of >fever, will cripple and kill Shajahanabad too. Its tradition, its culture, its >charm ... will all be swept by the flood of migrants and squatters." The >official report on Jhuggi-Jhopri (Slum areas) Settlements in Delhi (Part II) >clearly shares this attitude: "Bastis are the plague spots in any urban >setting. >... They are concentrated areas of insanitation, crime and vice that are both >a >disgrace and a danger to the city as a whole." </P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>The designers of globalisation want to remove all industry >and workers and the settlements of toiling people from Delhi. They want to >reserve the capital for the affluent elite, the political brokers, and their >foreign mentors and masters. If this is how an elected 'democratic' government >treats the ordinary citizens right in the capital, one can easily imagine the >fate of the rural poor and dalits and adivasis labouring away in far-flung >areas. The problem lies with the brutal reality of globalisation and not with >its 'image'. And the 'image', Mr. Prime Minister, cannot be altered by duping >the people with illusions, however heavily your state-in-retreat may choose to >subsidise the illusion industry. And as the saying goes, you can't fool all of >the people all of the time! </P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: >Helvetica">Press >release<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.05in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: >Helvetica">Party >Condemns Civil Liberties Activist's Murder</SPAN><o:p></o:p></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>The CPI(ML) strongly condemned the murderous assault on the >prominent civil rights activist T. Purushottam in Hyderabad on 23 Nov. The >barbaric manner in which this popular figure of the civil rights movement was >murdered indicates a deliberate attempt on part of the Chandrababu Naidu >Government and its police machinery to terrorise and silence the movement for >civil liberties in Andhra Pradesh. This is further borne out by the fact that >Purushottam was recently targeted for attack by the notorious >Greyhounds-backed >vigilante force, the “Green Tigers”. </P> ><P class=MsoNormal>The Naidu government’s crackdown on the civil rights >movement >ties up with the spiralling incidence of civil rights violations all over the >country in the NDA regime, of which Naidu’s TDP is a partner. In order >to >bulldoze its anti-people policies of privatisation, the NDA and its partners >in >their respective states are not only crossing all limits of civil rights >violations in their crackdown on peoples’ protests, but are also >resorting to >brutal terror tactics to silence the voices of dissent in society. Expressing >solidarity with the APCLC in its ongoing battle for civil liberties in the >state, Party also supported the demand by civil rights activists that the >Chief >Minister Naidu should take responsibility for the murder.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: >Helvetica">Picket >Before Councilor </SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt">On Nov. 26, Shakarpur (Delhi) >unit of Jhuggi-Jhopadi Samyukt Sangharsh Samiti (slum dwellers united struggle >forum ) and RYA organised a picketing in front of the local BJP councillor. >The >agitators took him to task for his criminal negligence towards the basic >minimum >needs of the slumdwellers, viz., drinking water, ration card, sanitation, >school, road and electricity. The picket was lead and addressed by CPI(ML) >leader Sunita, RYA leaders Shashi Bhushan, Ravi Kumar and others.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt">Earlier, on Nov. 19, >Mandawali<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(East Delhi) Nagarik >Sabha staged a dharna in front of the local Congress(I) MLA, charging her for >gross negligence towards developmental work in the area and demanded >submission >of accounts of the development fund to public.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Land >Struggle in W. B.</SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt">On Nov. 10, No.12 Barua area >unit >of the Party under Raiganj P.S. of North Dinajpur led the landless labourers >to >seize 4 bighas of vest land in Chatrapur village and distributed it among 52 >poor families as house sites.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt">After a prolonged struggle, on >Nov. 9 peasants succeeded in harvesting paddy crop on 11 bighas of land in >Bhatigram under Itahar P.S. They had obtained pattas for this land 20 years >back, but the local landlord forcibly kept it under his occupation.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt">In Fadilpur of Raiganj, >hundreds >of peasants successfully harvested 7 bighas of land that was under occupation >of >hoodlums backed by CPI(M), belonging to the neighboring village. Peasants of >the >village had obtained patta for 16 bighas of land 20 years back. It should be >remembered that five years ago, a CPI(ML) supporter Com. Rohini Das died a >martyr in the struggle centering this land.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: >Helvetica">Report >From Chhattisgarh </SPAN><o:p></o:p></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt">A demonstration-cum -dharna was >organised in front of the BDO office, Bilha on Nov. 13 against the illegal >appointment of the Works Committee president. The BDO was ultimately compelled >to cancel the appointment and entrust the work to the surpanch. He assured to >immediately arrange for installing hand-pumps and digging the ponds.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt"> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 11.5pt">A Party delegation submitted a >memorandum to the Governor through the D.C. on Nov. 21, demanding proclamation >of 11 districts as drought-hit and ensuring all-out relief operations on >war-footing. <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Dharna in Dispur</SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>National Electricity Workers and Engineers' Coordination >Committee called for a nation-wide dharna on 15 Nov. on demand of withdrawal >of >"Electricity Bill-2000". In Assam, a dharna was organised in Dispur (near the >Assam Assembly gate) jointly by the Association of Power Engineers of Assam >& Meghalaya and Assam State Power Workers' Union.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 1.45pt 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 1.45pt 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 1.45pt 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Tea- >Worker demanded a Special Assembly Session</SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>Assam Sangrami Chah Shramik Sangh (ASCSS), the tea-workers' >union affiliated to AICCTU has demanded from the Governor, through a >memorandum >submitted on Nov. 6, that a special Assembly sesion be convened to discuss the >demands and problems of tea garden workers, viz., a minimum daily wages of Rs >49, apart from providing residential quarters, medical and other facilities. >Although the expert committee set up by Assam Govt. in 1998 had recommended >these things, the Govt. did not implement them. On the contrary, it extended >tacit support to the arbitrary wages (Rs.37) and conditionalities imposed by >the >owners violating the labour law. Thus this vast population of tea workers is >forced to live in inhuman conditions.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>Meanwhile CPI(ML), Pragatisheel Nari Santha, RYA and ASCSS >jointly demonstrated in front of Dibrugarh DC protesting the murder of a >tea-garden worker in Nahrkatia tea-garden and demanding roll back the hike in >the prices of petro-products. In a memorandum to the Governor they demanded >life >imprisonment to the murderer and due compensation to the family.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: >Helvetica">Rally >to Demand Autonmy to Mishing People </SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>Mishing Memang Kebang (MMK) and TMPK held a massive "Unity >Rally" on 25 Nov. to demand delimitation of the boundaries of Mishing >Autonomous >Council (MAC) and handing them over the functional powers. It can be recalled >that Assam Govt. had signed a treaty with organisations like MMK, TMPK and >TMMK >on 28 April 1998 to revise the MAC Act within 8 months and implement other >demands. But so far the Mishig problem remains to be solved.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0.05in 0in"><B >style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: >Helvetica">Bihar >: Police-raj</SPAN></B></P> ><P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P> ><P class=MsoNormal>"Here, police is the friend in need of the criminals and >enemy indeed of the people", observed the "Itawa- Shahpur police firing" >investigation team headed by CPI(ML) leader and Ex-MP Rameshwar Prasad. For >the >last one month Itawa-Shahpur area has been turned into a haunting ground for >the >criminals with local police remaining 'silent' even after getting reports from >the villagers. In this course, one Sagartwiha of Itawa village was murdred by >the criminals in the nearby field at 7 p.m. of Nov. 16. Police was informed >immediately. But they did not even move to nab the criminals. Next morning, >the >villagers apprehended of a suspect, handed him over to police. But the police >let him free without any proper investigation. The same evening , on the way >back home from Shahpur market, two villagers were robbed and beaten-up by the >criminals. Again the police remained conspicuously silent. Bursting with >anger, >the villagers blocked the nearby highway in the night of 17 Nov. Next morning >police chased the villagers with lathi and bayonets and even resorted to >firing >killing a 17-year old youth Ramesh Rajak moving with his ass and seriously >injuring 5 other villagers.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: ZapfDingbats"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> ><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: ZapfDingbats">n </SPAN>Amarpura >(Patna), Nov. 10, 2000. Two CRPF jawans of the Police camp asked two students >to >fetch them countrymade liquor. On their refusal to oblige, the 'jawans' hit >the >teenagers with bayonet causing serious injury. Enraged masses of the area took >to the streets in protest. In face of the uncompromising mood of the people, >the >authorities well compelled to suspend the CRPF men.</P> ><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN >style="FONT-FAMILY: ZapfDingbats"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> ><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: ZapfDingbats">n </SPAN>Parsa >Bazar >(Patna), Nov. 17. One Bala Manjhi of Jhaichowk village was crushed to death by >a > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
