>The week before this demonstration Maryland's highest court >threw out the conviction of the police sergeant who killed >Preston Barnes in 1996. > >Barnes, unarmed, held his hands in the air and was shot in >the armpit. He lay in the street for hours after police >refused to send for an ambulance or let his mother come to >his side. > >City officials have given a green light to the cops. They >talk of "zero tolerance"--a code word for unleashed racism >and repression. These politicians stand for more executions >rather than more jobs and education. > >They've gotten the green light from the rich man's courts >that have never kept a cop in jail for killing a resident of >Baltimore. > >They've gotten the green light from the corporate media and >the financial powerhouses that consider poor and working >people as the "help"--necessary for their businesses to make >big profits, but expendable. > >The Nov. 23 demonstration was part of a movement exposing >injustice and demanding that killer cops be jailed. It's a >movement demanding community control of the police--the >community's right to hire, fire and punish the cops. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 20:54:19 -0500 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Seattle Newspaper Strike Gets Broad Support >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Dec. 7, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >SEATTLE: STRIKE SOLIDARITY RATTLES NORTHWEST >NEWSPAPERS > > >By Charles (Kaz) Susat >Assistant Chapel Chair, Graphics Communications >International Union 767-M >Seattle Times Chapel > >At 2 a.m. on Nov. 21, over 900 members of the Northwest >Newspaper Guild went on strike against the Seattle Times and >Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspapers. > >The Guild, affiliated with the Communications Workers union, >represents reporters, photographers, customer-service >representatives, advertising salespeople and many others. > >The newspaper workers had worked without a contract since >July 22. Workers at both newspapers are demanding an end to >the erosion of their wages and the two-tier pay scale. > >The Post-Intelligencer is a Hearst Corp. paper. Knight- >Ridder owns 49.5 percent of the Seattle Times and the >Blethen family owns 50.5 percent. > >Both papers are produced by the Seattle Times under a joint >operating agreement. Both are flush with profits. > >Within days composing-room printers affiliated with the >Communications Workers and Operating Engineers unions joined >the Newspaper Guild on the picket line. Photoengravers >affiliated with the Graphic Communications International >Union voted to honor the lines. > >Newspaper home-delivery drivers, who drop the papers on >doorsteps and are not organized, are visiting strike >headquarters and asking to join the Guild. > >Despite an earlier unanimous vote to support the Guild and >honor its picket lines, Graphic Communications Local 767-M, >the bargaining unit representing press operators, was >manipulated by what strike leaders termed a "weak and >frightened leadership" to stay on the job and scab. But well >over a dozen press operators are refusing to cross the >picket lines. > >The press operators are to meet again Nov. 30 to take up the >question. > >UNIONS, COMMUNITY EXTEND SOLIDARITY > >Protesters against the World Trade Organization who plan >several big demonstrations on the anniversary of the Battle >of Seattle Nov. 30 pledged not to talk with scab reporters >and to bar them from news conferences. > >Seattle Mayor Paul Schell, most City Council members and >many other local politicians vowed not to give interviews to >scabs. Professional athletes and team officials from local >sports teams, including the Seahawks, Supersonics and >Mariners, are refusing to talk to scabs. > >Workers at the Mariners reported that Seattle Times co-owner >Frank Blethen was so outraged at the team's support for the >strikers that he canceled his season tickets. > >The Times headquarters is in the midst of a major remodeling >project. Union construction workers have refused to cross >the picket lines. That leaves the bosses and scabs sitting >in a cold, half-gutted building. > >Rather than work for the Times, union plumbers donated their >time and expertise to repair the women's bathroom at strike >headquarters. > >Union engineers from Boeing built and donated dozens of >environmentally safe burn barrels to warm picketers. >Professional and Technical Engineers Local 17, the Guild's >landlord, has donated additional office space and stopped >charging rent for the strike's duration. > >The People's Coalition for Justice, an African American >group fighting police brutality, has backed the strike and >refused access to scab reporters. The Out Front Labor >Coalition, the local affiliate of the lesbian, gay, bi and >trans labor organization Pride At Work, is organizing its >members to walk the picket line. > >Strikers also report countless people honking, joining the >picket line, bring donations or otherwise offering support. > >STRIKERS PRINT OWN PAPER > >The Guild set the strike deadline for Nov. 21 to disrupt >production of the "thanksgiving day" issue, the biggest and >most profitable edition of the year. On Nov. 20, the eve of >the strike, both papers issued their holiday supplements >three days early, outraging advertisers, subscribers and >workers. > >The first scab edition of the Times was a scant 24 pages. >The Sunday Nov. 26 edition was only 40 pages. > >In a futile attempt to keep circulation up, the papers are >being given away free. The Times, which prints and delivers >both papers, has refused to let people cancel their >subscriptions. > >In neighborhoods where home delivery is continuing, signs >are going up saying "No scab papers here!" > >The first print edition of a strike paper called the Seattle >Union Record appeared Nov. 24 and was distributed throughout >the area. It has been on-line since day one of the strike >and can be found at the Web site www.unionrecord.com. > >All the support for the strike has the companies on the run. >After vowing that their final offer was definite and forcing >the strike, management has asked to meet with the federal >mediator again. That meeting takes place Nov. 28. > >Rallies have been called for that day at noon at Times >headquarters and 5 p.m. at the Post-Intelligencer. Newspaper >Guild President Linda Foley will address the strikers and >heat up pressure on the companies. > >The King County Labor Council, Washington State Labor >Council and AFL-CIO have called a massive rally and march on >the Seattle Times for Dec. 2. The rally begins at noon at >Cascade Playfield, located at Pontius and Harrison streets. > >The writer is one of the GCIU Local 767-M members honoring >the picket lines. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 20:54:19 -0500 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Argentina General Strike vs. IMF Plans >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Dec. 7, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >ARGENTINA: GENERAL STRIKE CHALLENGES IMF AUSTERITY >PLAN > >By G. Dunkel > >Millions of Argentinean workers went out on a 36-hour >general strike Nov. 23-24. They shut down businesses, >schools, banking, transportation and even soccer matches. > >Cops arrested 34 strikers. One striker in the northern >province of Chaco was shot dead and another was grievously >wounded by a motorcyclist who claimed to be upset that >burning tires had kept him from crossing a bridge. > >All three major labor confederations in Argentina, even the >government-allied General Confederation of Workers, >participated in the strike. It was called on only 10 days >notice, which indicates the anger of the working class. > >The country has been in a serious economic recession for >over two years. It has a 15 percent unemployment rate. > >On Nov. 25 the government announced it was willing to >negotiate with the unions over its deep cuts in wages and >social security, increased taxes and a five-year spending >freeze. The International Monetary Fund demanded this >austerity package as a precondition for granting Argentina a >$20 billion bailout to pay the interest on its $125 billion >international debt. > >Argentina Labor Minister Patricia Bullrich said the >government was willing to negotiate with unions but there >were "guidelines on what could be discussed." Argentina's >foreign debt and pegging the peso to the dollar "were not up >for discussion," Bullrich said, indicating that further >struggles lie ahead. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 20:54:21 -0500 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >Content-transfer-encoding: Quoted-printable >Subject: [WW] Report from Vieques Tribunal >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Dec. 7, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >REPORT FROM VIEQUES: TRIBUNAL CONDEMNS U.S CRIMES >IN PUERTO RICO > >By Berta Joubert-Ceci >Vieques, Puerto Rico > >>From Nov. 17 to Nov. 21 an "International Tribunal on >Violations of Human Rights in Puerto Rico and Vieques" was >held on the small island of Vieques. It was called by the >Committee on Human Rights. > >For two days, Nov. 18-19, in a packed room at the Museum >"Fortin Mirasol," jurists and human-rights leaders from >around the world, along with the general public, heard >powerful and often moving testimony from witnesses. > >The Tribunal, through five lawyers representing the people >of Puerto Rico, charged the United States with: 1. violation >of the right to self-determination and independence; 2. >repression, persecution and imprisonment of the opponents of >the colonial policy of the U.S.; 3. violations of the human >rights of the people of Vieques, this being equal to >genocide. > >Also: 4. increasing the militarization of Puerto Rico in >violation of international law and world public opinion; 5. >the economic domination, exploitation and dependence on the >U.S. that prevents the development of a viable Puerto Rican >economy; 6. displacement of the population; 7. general >destruction of the environment; 8. crimes against women and >their reproductive rights; and 9. crimes against the >language and culture of Puerto Ricans. > >Testimony was delivered by expert witnesses who experienced >first-hand oppression, repression and exploitation by U.S. >colonialism and imperialism. > >These witnesses included Alicia Rodriguez and Eliazam >Escobar, two of the 11 former political prisoners freed last >year thanks to the growing movement on their behalf in >Puerto Rico and internationally. > >The Tribunal marked the first time since their freedom that >seven of the former prisoners were together in one room. >Because of the onerous conditions imposed on their release, >they could not be seated together. > >LOLITA LEBR=D3N: 'I AM VERY PROUD' > >That first day of testimony was filled with national >sentiment and pride, both from the witnesses and from those >Puerto Ricans who were listening to them, people of all ages >who felt proud for the acts of courage of the witnesses. > >The audience was moved to tears when Juan Mari Bras, a >longtime independence leader, recalled the political murder >of his son Santiago Mari Pesquera in 1976. They rose to >their feet with applause for Lolita Lebron, who was jailed >for 25 years for her participation in an attack on the U.S. >Congress. > >Lebron said at the end of her deposition: "I had the honor >of leading the act against the U.S. Congress on March 1, >1954, when we demanded freedom for Puerto Rico and we told >the world that we are an invaded nation, occupied and abused >by the United States of America. I feel very proud of having >performed my duty, of having answered the call of the >motherland." > >The next day was equally charged. Witnesses testified on the >environment, crimes against women, attacks to the language >and culture, and the situation of Vieques. > >U.S. GUILTY OF 'SYSTEMATIC VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS' > >On Nov. 21, the Tribunal judges issued their final >statement. > >They concluded that "the United States has committed >systematic violations of human rights regarding Puerto >Rico's right to self-determination; has persecuted opponents >to United States colonial policies; has increased >militarization on the islands and, thereby, threatened peace >in the region; has continued the economic exploitation; has >forced the displacement of much of the population of >Vieques; has caused the economic and political repression of >Puerto Ricans in the Diaspora; has caused a general >degradation of the environment; has committed abuses against >women and against the cultural rights of the population. > >*This Tribunal urges that the United States of America take >the following steps without any further delay: > >"1. Transfer all sovereign powers to the People of Puerto >Rico, without any conditions or reservations. > >"2. Release the remaining political prisoners and cease all >forms of repression against those working against >colonialism. > >"3. Take immediate steps to end the military exploitation >and colonial oppression of the people of Puerto Rico, >including the immediate cessation of bombing in and around >Vieques and the removal of all military installations from >the territory of Puerto Rico. > >"4. Redress all damages caused to the natural wealth and >resources of Puerto Rico and Vieques, caused by the military >activities of the United States, and provide for full >reparations for the injuries caused to the people of >Vieques, and the damage to their environment, including all >measures for the complete decontamination of the island and >surrounding air and waters, and for the economic recovery >and development of the island. > >"Only in this manner will the People of Puerto Rico be in a >situation to fully exercise their right to self- >determination and freely pursue their economic social and >cultural development," the Tribunal judges concluded. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > _______________________________________________________ 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] _______________________________________________________
