Libya. News.
Libya News and Views Friday, 1 December, 2000: Commenting on the United Nations Secretary-General's report about landmines, Libya's representative to the U.N. said that it was regrettable that the report did not refer to countries that had planted mines in the territories of other countries, and failed to ask those countries to provide compensation. Furthermore, the report did not distinguish between the use of mines for legitimate defence and the irresponsible use of mines by combatant States which already possessed a wide range of weapons. A significant number of mines had been placed in Libyan territory during the Second World War, he said. Those countries responsible should acknowledge their part in the killing and maiming of Libyans and should also provide maps of landmine fields. Compensation should also be provided for adverse developmental and humanitarian effects. [M2] Friday, 1 December, 2000: Russia holds talks with Libya on the resumption of military cooperation, Vice-Premier of the Russian government Ilya Klebanov told journalists on Thursday. According to him, during this year three sessions of the Russian-Libyan Commission for military cooperation took place. At the same time, Klebanov noted, "we have expected a more vigorous growth than it was in reality." "There is no such effectiveness in the sphere of military cooperation, on which we counted," the vice-premier added. Klebanov noted that a strong impetus to the development of cooperation was given to civil projects, in particular, the construction of a gas pipeline and a thermal power-station with Russia's participation. "This may be more important than military cooperation," the vice-premier pointed out. [Itar-Tass] Friday, 1 December, 2000: Commenting on the United Nations Secretary-General's report about landmines, Libya's representative to the U.N. said that it was regrettable that the report did not refer to countries that had planted mines in the territories of other countries, and failed to ask those countries to provide compensation. Furthermore, the report did not distinguish between the use of mines for legitimate defence and the irresponsible use of mines by combatant States which already possessed a wide range of weapons. A significant number of mines had been placed in Libyan territory during the Second World War, he said. Those countries responsible should acknowledge their part in the killing and maiming of Libyans and should also provide maps of landmine fields. Compensation should also be provided for adverse developmental and humanitarian effects. [M2] Libya to Build Five Star Hotel in Khartoum Panafrican News Agency December 1, 2000 Khartoum, Sudan Libya is to build a five-star hotel at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile in Khartoum. The Libyan Arab Foreign Investment Company said in a statement it has entrusted the Quality Project Management Ltd, based in Malta, with the development of the 250-room hotel. The project will include a conference centre, a health centre, office space and a shopping centre spread over a total area of 45,000 square meters. Construction work is expected to start in early 2001. The area already hosts a number of landmark constructions, including the Khartoum Hilton. Copyright © 2000 Panafrican News Agency. Distributed by allAfrica.com. For information about the content or for permission to redistribute, publish or use for broadcast, contact the publisher. ___ 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] ___
press and public
TO THE PRESS AND PUBLIC OPINION WE WILL DESTROY THE ISOLATION CELLS WITH OUR DEATH FAST RESISTANCE NO FORCE WILL BE ABLE TO PREVENT THIS The indefinite hunger strike that we started on October 20 was transformed into a Death Fast in Bayrampasa, Usak, Ulucanlar, Buca and Ceyhan prisons by November 25. On November 25, 2000, the Justice Minister, Hikmet Sami Turk, issued the statement that our Death Fast will not affect the "restructuring programme in the prisons". In the same statement, Minister Turk said the action had reached a dangerous level, and he wanted "support" from all institutions, democratic mass organisations and families to put an end to it. Especially after 1980, the state tried to establish various programmes for political prisoners. The forms these programmes took were different but they all had the same aim, to make the revolutionary prisoners surrender and by extension to achieve the surrender of the people as well. But the state could not put its plans into operation, and every time, due to the determined resistance of the prisoners, they forced the state to take a step back. The most recent example of this was the 1996 Death Fast resistance. This victory, in which we gave 12 martyrs, showed the whole world the power of revolutionary will. At the time of the 1996 Death Fast, the then Justice Minister Sevket Kazan engaged in demagogy and tried to smear our action, and this was actually the policy of the state. And today Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk is engaging in the same practices and implementing the same policy of the state. He issued a press release on November 25 saying the Death Fast would have no effect on the 'F' Type prisons policy, and this was again an attempt to show determination. As happened before in 1982, 1984 and 1996, we will again succeed, and will close down the 'F' Type prisons. Minister Turk, in his press release, said our demands were not limited to the closure of the 'F' Type cell prisons. We declared our demands before the whole of public opinion. There is nothing secret about them. On the contrary, our demands are very clear. Our resistance is to stop all the attacks directed against the people. We stated this from the very first day. In his press release, Minister Turk wanted families, institutions, associations and democratic mass organisations to intervene. This shows in the most concrete manner possible how helpless he is. Our families, by themselves going on hunger strike, gave the most appropriate response to the Minister of Justice. Since the first day we started our resistance, we declared that until our demands are accepted, we will carry on and we are ready to pay the price. The promise we made is our honour. We will not go back on our promise. Until we win victory, our resistance will continue. The efforts of the state to break our action will have no result. By submitting our bodies to hunger alongside our people, We Will Win Victory. LONG LIVE OUR DEATH FAST RESISTANCE All the DHKP-C, TKP(ML) and TKIP prisoners in the prisons begin:vcard n:;dhkc tel;fax:003222802229 x-mozilla-html:FALSE url:www.dhkc.org version:2.1 email;internet:[EMAIL PROTECTED] adr;quoted-printable:;;Rue Belliard=0D=0Abte 8=0D=0A1040 Brussels/ Belgium fn:dhkc end:vcard
UK: AFA on ANL/NF + West Brom by-election
AFA Online: http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/senate/5602/ November 30 2000 == The NF picketed the Cock Tavern (near Euston station, north London) on 28th November following a widely publicised Irish Republican meeting a few days previously. In line with their current strategy the ANL called a counter-demonstration. On the night itself 11 NF were opposed by 70 anti-fascists and the whole event was controlled by over 100 police. Predictably the ANL claimed it was a "humiliation" for the nazis, while the NF, somewhat bizarrely, reckoned they "still rule the streets". The one unusual factor was the appearance of a group of anti-fascists (not ANL) who succeeded in attacking the NF. AFA's position on the NF is well known, but if anti-fascists do mobilise against them clearly this type of activity will create the NF more problems than the lollipop brigade. A number of anti-fascists were arrested and AFA will support these people; having said that there are still critical points to be made. The arrests were largely due to tactical inexperience, and the whole episode does seem to appear as an act of desperation - a desire to be seen as more militant than the ANL, but still within the wrong arena. In other words the cutting edge against fascism today is the ability to confront the political progress of the BNP in working class communities, rather than physically oppose the NF. The fact that underlines this analysis is that only 11 NF were present. Compare this to the 80,000 votes the BNP received in the GLA election, or the 80% who resent the presence of refugees (in a recent MORI poll), and you start to see the big picture. So while AFA can identify with the actions of the militants at the Cock Tavern there needs to be more, much more. One of the main problems for anti-fascists is the lack of opportunity to discuss the different strategies on offer. AFA tried to initiate discussion at this year's October Rally but the Left boycotted the event. In contrast their has been some discussion on one of the left- wing discussion sites on the internet (UK Left Network), even involving members of the SWP/ANL. Although there has been some 'silliness', others have suggested the need for unity among anti- fascists and have voiced criticisms of the ANL's links with the pro- State Searchlight operation. AFA would welcome a development of this discussion because an understanding of the role of anti-fascism at the present time gets to the very heart of the problem - the battle for working class hearts and minds. == November 27 2000 West Bromwich West by-election === Although BNP leader Nick Griffin's vote (4.21%) in the West Bromwich West by-election would be disappointing for the BNP, the ANL's comparison with the 1997 General Election vote was misleading. The National Democrats got 11.39% because all the major parties (traditionally) didn't stand against the speaker of the House of Commons (the MP Betty Boothroyd). It appears that Griffin's recent problems with the Edwards' and other activists in the Black Country played a significant part in the low vote because the 'locals' were reluctant to canvass for Griffin. Despite the setback for the BNP, anti-fascists must not believe any simplistic propaganda that the Far Right can be dismissed. The political vacuum in working class areas still exists. AFA Online: http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/senate/5602/
Vietnam News Dec 2
Greetings on Vietnam-Cuba diplomatic ties anniversary Vietnamese leaders have exchanged greetings with their Cuban counterparts in honour of the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-Cuba diplomatic ties on December 2. In their message, Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu, State President Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and National Assembly Chairman Nong Duc Manh, said the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries immediately after the success of the Cuban revolution has been an important political event, opening the comprehensive relations between the Parties, States and people of Vietnam and Cuba. The Vietnamese leaders noted that they were pleased at the fine development and constant consolidation of bilateral relations over the past 40 years, saying they had become an important factor to the success of the revolution in each country. "The Vietnamese Party, State and people always attach importance to the Vietnam-Cuba traditional friendship and co-operation and will do our best to further consolidate and strengthen the bilateral ties for the interest of both peoples and for peace, stability, co-operation and development in Asia, Latin-America and the world as a whole," the Vietnamese leaders emphasised. They affirmed the Vietnamese people's consistent solidarity with and support for the fraternal Cuban people in their heroic struggle for national sovereignty and national construction along the socialist path under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba headed by President Fidel Castro. The Cuban leaders, including Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, president of both the State Council and the government, Ricardo Alarcon Quesada, National Assembly chairman, said over the past four decades, the two countries' people had carried out undaunted struggles against imperialism for national sovereignty and the right to build a society based on the noble ideals and principles of socialism. They took the occasion to express their thanks to the Vietnamese people and their high appreciation of the solidarity of the Vietnamese people with the Cuban people and pledged to continue doing their utmost to enhance closer fraternal relations between the two countries. (VNA) Activities mark Laos's National Day A meeting was held in Hanoi on December 1 to mark Laos' 25th National Day (December 2). Present at the function were Pham The Duyet, Politburo member and President of the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee; Nguyen Manh Cam, Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister; Nguyen Phu Trong, Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee; and Truong My Hoa, vice chairwoman of the National Assembly. Acting President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations Vu Xuan Hong and President of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association Hoang Duc Nghi were also on hand. Speaking at the meeting, Mr Duyet stressed that Vietnam would preserve and develop the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation with Laos. Vietnam would do its utmost to promote the two countries' economic co-operation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, Mr Duyet added. He also highlighted the Vietnam-Laos traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation, that was fostered by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Kaysone Phomvihane, have been unceasingly consolidated and developed in recent years. The two countries have signed a number of State-level agreements on politics, economics and security. Also on this occasion, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Vilayvanh Phomkhe held a reception in Hanoi tonight. Speaking at the reception, Ambassador Phomkhe affirmed that the Vietnam-Laos relationship has strongly developed in recent years, particularly in culture and economic cooperation. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam affirmed that the Party, the government and the people of Vietnam would do its utmost to promote Vietnam-Laos special solidarity, contributing to peace, stability, co-operation and development in south-east Asia and the world at large. A celebration for the same purpose was also held in Ho Chi Minh City by the Part Greetings to Lao leaders on their national day General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Le Kha Phieu, President Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and National Assembly Chairman Nong Duc Manh on December 1, cabled their greetings to Lao leaders on their country's 25th National Day (December 2). The Vietnamese leaders addressed their greetings to Khamtay Siphandone, chairman of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and State President; Samane Viyaketh, chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly; and Sisavath Keobounphanh, prime minister. They expressed sincere thanks to the Lao Party, government and people for their valuable assistance given to the Vietnamese people, and affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, government,
Radio Havana Cuba-01 December 2000
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000 09:27:08 -0500 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Radio Havana Cuba-01 December 2000 Radio Havana Cuba-01 December 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 01 December 2000 . *FIDEL ATTENDS INAUGURATION OF MEXICAN PRESIDENT VICENTE FOX *DISCUSSION EXAMINES TERRORIST CAREERS OF POSADA CARRILES OTHERS *CUBA COMMEMORATES INTERNATIONAL AIDS DAY *VENEZUELAN PATIENTS TO BEGIN TREATMENT UNDER RECENT PACT *BRAZILIAN OPPOSITION LEADER LEAVES CUBA *SPANISH POLITICIAN CRITICIZES PRESIDENT AZNAR *AFTER PANAMA: CHILL IN RELATION BETWEEN MADRID AND HAVANA . *FIDEL ATTENDS INAUGURATION OF MEXICAN PRESIDENT VICENTE FOX Mexico, December 1 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro, upon his arrival in Mexico City to attend the inauguration of President Vicente Fox, told reporters that he was optimistic about future relations between the two countries. The Cuban leader arrived in Mexico at 9:45 a.m., local time, heading a delegation which includes Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and Jose Miyar Barruecos, the Secretary of the Cuban Council of State. In other news, it was announced that Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque -- following his stay in Mexico -- will begin an official visit to Brazil on Monday, the 4th, and then continue on to Honduras, where he will attend a ministerial meeting of the Association of Caribbean States. The ACS meeting is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, December 7th and 8th, in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital. *DISCUSSION EXAMINES TERRORIST CAREERS OF POSADA CARRILES OTHERS Havana, December 1 (RHC)-- The terrorist careers of Luis Posada Carriles and three other Cuban-born criminals were examined during a special roundtable discussion Thursday evening on Cuban radio and television. Experts on international affairs and leading Cuban journalists participated in the live program, dissecting the numerous terrorist activities of the four-man commando that was arrested two weeks ago. Posada Carriles and his accomplices were taken into custody by Panamanian authorities on November 18th when it was revealed that they were planning an assassination attempt against Cuban President Fidel Castro while he attended the 10th Ibero-American Summit. Several panelists recalled that Luis Posada Carriles has been involved in various plans to kill the leader of the Cuban Revolution over the past four decades. Among his other terrorist exploits include running guns and drugs in Central America, working directly with right-wing contra forces trying to overthrow the Sandinistas in Nicaragua during the 1980s. Participants in the roundtable discussion revealed that Posada Carriles had traveled to Nicaragua on at least two occasions this year and that he was, and is, close friends with high government officials. It was also noted that reactionary Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Aleman decided not to attend the Ibero-American Summit in Panama, without any apparent reason. Recent investigations point to evidence that the explosives smuggled into Panama to kill the Cuban president were actually stored in Nicaragua and taken into Costa Rica before being transferred to Panama City. Speculation has been raised that Aleman knew about the bombing plans, which would have perhaps killed hundreds of people within range of the Cuban leader -- and decided to stay as far away as possible. Panelists pointed out that Cuba has now formally requested the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles and the three other terrorists being held in Panama -- reiterating that Havana does not want revenge, but simply demands justice. *CUBA COMMEMORATES INTERNATIONAL AIDS DAY Havana, 01 December (RHC)--International AIDS Day was commemorated here in Havana today with a multi-cultural event in which a number of people living with HIV/AIDS gave moving testimonials interspersed with poetry and music. The Ministry of Public Health held an information meeting in which the most recent figures on the virus were made available to the public. Of some 3100 Cubans diagnosed with HIV since 1986, 1100 have died. Health officials state that most of these would have survived with the drugs that are readily available in western nations but which the US blockade prevents from importing into Cuba. The island, nevertheless, still has the 5th lowest infection rate in the world. In the evening a song and dance event was scheduled in Old Havana in which numerous well-known classical and contemporary artists will appear. The funds raised will benefit the National Center for the Prevetion and Education of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS. *VENEZUELAN PATIENTS TO BEGIN TREATMENT UNDER RECENT PACT Havana, 01 December (RHC)--Fifty Venezuelan patients accompanied by the same number of friends and family have arrived in Cuba, where they will be treated for a number of ailments, in accordance with an agreement recently signed in Caracas by Havana. The accord provides
First Reports of December Ist Actions in Russia
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000 11:43:29 EST Subject: First Reports of December Ist Actions in Russia To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] RUSSIA INFO-LIST from International Solidarity with Workers in Russia - [EMAIL PROTECTED] ISWoR web-site -http://members.aol.com/ISWoR/english/index.html ** * Sent by ISWoR activist Graham Campbell in Moscow - 2nd December '00. Once again the resistence of the organised working class of Russia to the draconian proposals represented by the new KZoT or Labour code has been demonstrated beyond any doubt. In St Petersburg 1000 workers demonstrated outside the regional assembly blocking the main road Voinova Street for several hours with some minor clashes with police. Workers in Nizhni-Novgorod factories Elektromash, MUP Wodokanakl and Red Sormovo staged meetings and marches and were featured prominently on Moscow and local regional television; as were protestors in Tambov where 100 workers blocked the street forced local their Duma deputy to conduct a question and answer session on TV about the KZoT. Most importantly the Russia dockers union staged a five minute warning strike at all ports at 10 am Moscow time (GMT + 3Hrs) right across Russia to protest the anti-union measure. The FITUR-affiliated trade union for October railway (which runs from Moscow to St Petersburg) also took part, signalling the broad trade union support for the anti-KZoT beyond the two sponsoring unions Zashchita (Defence or Protection) or SOTSPROF (Central Council of Trade Unions) whose regional committees and locals took action in numerous locations. In Moscow - around 100 workers at the world famous ZIL automotive factory staged a protest at the humpbacked bridge near the plant at lunchtime as their contribution to actions across Russia against President Putin's new Labour code (KZoT). Traffic was blocked for a hour. Across Russia the most impressive actions were in Astrakhan led by Duma Deputy Oleg Shein where rallies and strikes were held and are ongoing in tens of factories for a big day of action and rally on Dec 3rd. And in Tyumen Region where rallies were held by Sotsprof at factories in Noyarbsk and an all out strike of educational workers, pre-school and primary school teachers, and correctional school teachers, took place across the region supported by the Tyumen Regional Committee fo Soviet Women, in the Central and Lenin districts of Tyumen city and the following centres: Baikalovsk (Tobolsk), Golismanovo, Kalinin, Lenin area, Medvedevskaya, Yurginskaya region, Yumas village. In the Kuzbass mining region of Siberia, workers at Anzhero-Sudzhensk once again blocked the Trans-Siberian railway in protest. in Kirov a meeting of the regional duma took place accomplanied by rallies and stoppages at two factories Bio-him-zavod and Aviteck as well as school No 16 which was suppprted by Zaschita, local student unions, teachers and the local Congress of Women, and left groups including the RKRP, the Kirov Marxist Group. In Samara, a reception meeting for the two state duma deputies (one from the liberal Yabloko party and one from the Union of Rightist Forces) became a discussion of the KZoT which both deputies went on record in opposing! Meanwhile in Siberia and the far east of Russia, workers from the Energomash BOR Ltd led actrion in Primorye terroitory including the factory trade union organisation at Vladivostok SRZ. In Irkutsk SOTSPROF regional committee also took part along with the sewing factory 'Patterns'; and workers at the Irkutsk State University scientific library. Workers at the Federal Nuclear Centre at the formerly secret city of Arzamas-16 once again staged action assemblies against the KZoT. Workers action also took place in Penza, Sergiev Posad, Orenburg, Ufa, Voronezh, Bashkortorstan and Kazan - - - - - - - There are also other reports of serious events happening in Astrakhan. Info as soon as possible. Or go to our website for latest. ** The RUSSIA INFO-LIST puts out information and analysis from a wide range of sources. If you have something you would like to distribute on Russia Info-List, or want to help in our practical solidarity work, contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Box R, 46 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8RZ, England ** ___ 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 geopolitics. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___
Scores Killed By Colombian Death Squad
From: Rick Rozoff [EMAIL PROTECTED] Staff and agencies Saturday December 2, 2000 The Guardian A rightwing death squad in Colombia killed at least 36 people in the worst massacre of civilians in three years, the authorities said yesterday. Nine days after the raid on the fishing town of Nueva Venecia, on the Caribbean coast, the death toll was still uncertain and one report indicated that as many as 86 people may have been killed. The bullet-riddled bodies of the missing are still turning up in swamps around the town. Nueva Venecia is in the heart of a fishing and banana-producing region where communist-led rebels and ultra-right paramilitary groups have long battled for control. The bloodshed began at dawn on November 22 when gunmen - suspected members of the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), the leading paramilitary force - began calling out the names of towns people on a "hit list" of alleged collaborators of Marxist rebels operating in the area. Colombia's national human rights ombudsman, Eduardo Cifuentes, who is expected to issue an official report on the massacre before the weekend, said 2,000 people had fled the town since the attack. Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2000 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. http://shopping.yahoo.com/ __ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb ___ 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 geopolitics. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___
Turkey. TENS OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TURKS PROTEST JOBS, IMF
Delivered-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TURKS PROTEST JOBS, IMF reuters -- Tens of thousands of Turks on Friday staged strikes and protests against unemployment, low wages and social security cuts many saw as the legacy of a troubled IMF-backed anti-inflation plan. Banners and slogans attacked the government, but much of the anger was directed against the International Monetary Fund. "IMF Get Out. This country is ours!" ran the slogan on posters pinned to the chests of many protesters. The public demonstrations came as the government struggled to cope with a financial crisis that threatened to scupper the IMF-backed plan and with it hopes of curbing the rampant inflation, which has blighted the economy. The IMF on Thursday said it was sending a mission to Ankara at the weekend to discuss an emergency loan. The stock market has fallen over 30 percent since the start of last week and bank rates have soared. Turkish inflation dropped to about 40 percent late this year from 60 percent before the IMF plan was implemented. Police backed by armoured cars stood by as the demonstration, planned before the crisis, filed into the central Kizilay district carrying banners and chanting. Turkish pop music blared over loudspeakers, some protesters danced and some beat drums. NTV private Turkish television estimated the crowd in Ankara at 30,000. Trade unions had pledged to bring the country to a halt, but the effect of the strike call seemed relatively limited in Istanbul, the main commercial center, and in the capital Ankara. There were other protests in smaller cities. One protester criticized the IMF Turkey desk chief Carlo Cottarelli, now a familiar figure in the country. "Yes, we're against the government. But Cottarelli's the one who is running this country," he said. Most protests and speeches targeted an austerity budget, saying wage deals for health sector workers and civil servants were based on what they called unrealistically low inflation expectations. Fears of rising unemployment if privatizations go ahead also spurred demonstrators. Parliament approved an expected 10 percent pay raise for civil servants late on Friday, but the official annual inflation figure was reported at 44 percent in October. The IMF aims to bring annual inflation down to single digits by the end of 2002. However, government officials accept this year's targets of 20- 25 percent are not likely to be met until early next year. Union leaders in Istanbul rallied another 30,000 protestors in the historic Sultanahmet district. "There is no training, no healthcare, no investment, no opportunity, no justice in this budget," said Siyami Erdem, head of the left-leaning KESK union of civil servants. Egitim Sen, a schoolteacher's union, said police had arrested 383 teachers in protests throughout the country. Earlier NTV reported 400 teachers had been arrested. Police were unavailable for comment. -- Press Agency Ozgurluk In Support of the Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Struggle in Turkey http://www.ozgurluk.org DHKC: http://www.ozgurluk.org/dhkc ___ 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 geopolitics. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___
DoD Releases Strategy Report for Europe and NATO [STOPNATO.ORG.UK]
- Original Message - From: Miroslav Antic [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: SNN [EMAIL PROTECTED]; BALKAN [EMAIL PROTECTED]; SIEM NEWS [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: STOPNATO [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 11:45 PM Subject: DoD Releases Strategy Report for Europe and NATO [STOPNATO.ORG.UK] STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK = N E W S R E L E A S E = = OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE = (PUBLIC AFFAIRS) = WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301 = = PLEASE NOTE DATE No. 718-00 (703)695-0192(media) IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 1, 2000 (703)697-5737(public/industry) DOD RELEASES STRATEGY REPORT FOR EUROPE AND NATO Franklin D. Kramer, assistant secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, today announced the publication of Strengthening Transatlantic Security: A U.S. Strategy for the 21st Century. The report, commonly referred to as the "European Strategy Report," explains how the United States, working closely with its allies, can best prepare itself to meet the challenges of European and global security in the coming years. The report highlights the key elements of U.S. strategy, which include enhancing the defense capabilities of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); adapting the multiple existing international structures (and, where necessary, creating new ones) to build security and prevent conflict; and paying special attention to certain key regions adjacent to NATO. To implement this strategy, the United States is enhancing NATO's Partnership for Peace; furthering a gradual, deliberate, and transparent process of NATO enlargement; building cooperative relationships with the Russian Federation and Ukraine; maintaining close bilateral relationships with our allies; and working cooperatively with allies and partners to enhance security beyond NATO's borders. In addition, the report describes U.S. strategy to establish a close, cooperative, coherent and transparent relationship between NATO and the European Union. In the preface to the report, Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen writes, "This report is intended to offer a clear vision of U.S. policy goals in building transatlantic cooperation as a continuing force for freedom. Working with the Congress and our allies, we will vigorously pursue this comprehensive agenda to strengthen our international security in the years ahead." The report also highlights the critical and multifaceted role of the approximately 100,000 U.S. troops in Europe in achieving U.S. security objectives in Europe and neighboring regions. The report is on line at a href="http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/eurostrategy2000.pdf"http://www.defen selink.mil/pubs/eurostrategy2000.pdf/a. -END- -- News releases on the web: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/releases.html -- Department of Defense home page: http://www.defenselink.mil/ -- Today in DoD: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/DailySummary.html __ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb
West Papua. Massacre begins. jc
from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subject: Znet: West Papua massacre begins. jc As explained recently, for the month of December the ZNet (http://www.zmag.org) Daily Commentaries, ordinarily available only to ZNet Sustainers, are also being sent to all ZNet Free Update recipients. -- If you are not a ZNet Sustainer as yet and you want to find out more about the program, including the forums, the online Zine, the commentaries, the commentary writers, and the purpose of the donations, please consult: http://www.zmag.org/Commentaries/donorform.htm -- If you have decided that you would like to sign up and join the Sustainer Program to support ZNet, you can access the form to do so as well as related information through the above link or you can jump directly to the sign up form itself with this link: http://zena.secureforum.com/members/profile_user.cfm The Massacre Starts Tomorrow And Britain will share the blame for what's about to happen in West Papua By George Monbiot Also Published in the Guardian 30th November 2000 There's an odd component of globalisation, which I find myself at a loss to explain. We are, we're assured, living in a global village, whose people are daily brought closer together. Yet we hear ever less about what is happening in distant parts of the world. There is less foreign news in the papers than there has been for sixty years. Foreign documentaries are almost extinct. Parliamentary debate about overseas issues has all but dried up. In the midst of the communications revolution, we are becoming strangers to each other. So the massacres due to begin tomorrow will take almost everyone by surprise. Indeed, there is hardly a news editor who has even heard of the land in which they are scheduled to take place. West Papua is the western half of the island of New Guinea, which has been occupied since 1963 by Indonesia. Tomorrow, local people expect the Indonesian army to launch a one-sided war, bloodier even than the carnage in East Timor last year. The troops and militias have been armed and trained and are awaiting orders. Only the international community can stop them. But, though Western nations such as Britain are up to their necks in it, they haven't the faintest intention of seeking to prevent the Indonesian plan from going ahead. In 1961, the 800,000 Melanesian people of West Papua were promised independence. Holland, the colonial power, began to transfer the administration to local people. In 1962, Indonesia invaded. The attack failed, but John Kennedy, with Britain's backing, coerced the Dutch into surrendering West Papua to the United Nations, on the grounds that if the Indonesian government were not appeased it might succumb to communism. The UN, as planned, promptly gave West Papua to Indonesia, but on condition that within five years its people would be granted "the right of self-determination". In the event, 1000 Papuan men were rounded up and forced to vote on pain of death for Indonesian sovereignty. Since then, tens, possibly hundreds of thousands of Papuans have been tortured, mutilated and killed by Indonesian soldiers. The government launched a eugenics programme whose purpose, according to the former governor, was to give "birth to a new generation of people without curly hair, sowing the seeds for greater beauty". The Papuans have been pushed out of their lands and replaced by people from the central islands of Indonesia, brought in by the government to pacify the province. Its forests have been sold to logging companies, its mountains to western mining firms. When villagers have sought to defend their lands, they have been bombed and strafed. Now the whole place is about to explode. Tomorrow, the indigenous people will make a formal declaration of independence. The Indonesian army has been waiting for months for just such a moment. Since August, thousands of commandos and paratroops have been flown into West Papua. British-made Hawk jets have been overflying the province's central highlands. Their deployment there was, according to the Financial Times, sanctioned by Britain's Foreign Office. Militias are currently being trained by the army outside the town of Wamena, one of the centres of Papuan resistance. Some 12,000 firearms have been flown in, presumably for distribution to Indonesian volunteers. Local people, by contrast, are armed with spears and bows and arrows. The Indonesian army has been encouraging the Papuans to rise, planting agents provocateurs and issuing public statements suggesting that independence ceremonies will be tolerated (all previous rituals have been ruthlessly crushed). Here, as in East Timor, the army will seek to unleash sufficient force to persuade the indigenous people to abandon their hopes of self-determination. Papuan leaders have repeatedly sought to reach a peaceful independence settlement with the Indonesian government. But while President Wahid seems vaguely sympathetic to their cause, vice- president
