Red Flag: Globalization: The New Look Of Imperialism #No. 27, Feb. 2001 (2/2)
* THE RED FLAG * (Electronic Version) = For building the Revolutionary Communist Party (Organizing Committees) Vol. 4, No. 3 (27) - February 2001 GLOBALIZATION: THE NEW LOOK OF IMPERIALISM This resolution dealing with imperialist globalization and the coming Summit of the Americas was adopted at the Revolutionary Communist Conference held in Montreal, on November 25-26, 2000. 1. Since the start of the Nineties, as the Eastern Bloc had come to its demise, international relations have undergone reorganization. Since the end of the Second World War, the US was pitted against the Soviet Union. At the beginning, this opposition was depicted as a confrontation between capitalism and socialism. It soon degenerated in an opposition between two imperialist superpowers. At the time, it was incumbent upon the US to assume the cost of this conflict. This hefty price tag came along with the privilege of being top dog within the capitalist camp. Powers such as Germany and Japan made good on this economic strain exerted on the US by consolidating their own economies. At the beginning of the Nineties, these two countries had become so strong that they posed a threat to the supremacy of the US. The demise of the Soviet Union relaxed tension on the American purse strings. As a consequence of this, they reinvested their freed up capital in other sectors. This is how they kept on top. 2. However, three trading and economic blocs have seen the light of day. They are undergoing steady consolidation. East Asia is one of them. Japan heads it, but upstart China is making headway. Another one is in Europe. Its leader is Germany. The third one is American. The US presides over this one, of course. Each economic bloc is cut out into regional work divisions. Natural resources, like mining or agriculture, are taken care by one country. Other countries serve as huge workshops, sub-contracting in industrial parts. Others are outfitted for specialized labour involving high technology. 3. It is in Europe where economic and political integration are the most developed among the top countries. From plain economic agreements, the European Economic Community and the countries that agreed to the Maastricht treaty have reached important political agreements. Some East European countries are slowly being integrated in this political and economic covenant (the later serve as sub-contractors to richer and more powerful countries such as Germany and France). In Asia, only economic ties have been sowed. However, regional work division is highly predominant, and high tech is still mostly in Japanese hands. 4. In America, there is a history of political and economic hegemony of US imperialism. However, faced with the progress of the Asian and European blocs, the US (in cahoots with Canada) have recognized the need to consolidate their economic domination in their zone. Firstly, an economic agreement was reached between these two countries. Then Mexico and Chilli followed suit. Now, all of the Americas, save for Cuba, is invited to join a vast free trade zone that will extend from the North to the South poles. 5. To unite America under their rule, the Yankee imperialists, and the Canadian ones, must go beyond mere economic agreements: a political integration of the various countries is also necessary. For the most part, the Haitian, Peruvian, Cuban and Colombian peoples are the ones most mistreated by the US. The "Colombia Plan" is the latest attack conjured up by the US. Using the war against drugs as an excuse, broad agricultural zones will be destroyed, ruining scores of peasants. The US are simply looking for an excuse to move in so they can crush the rebel forces of this country, as well as those of neighboring countries (Peru, being one of them). Also, despite the end of the Cold War, Cuba is still hit by a US embargo. 6. The various economic agreements and trade measures are mainly aimed at allowing goods and services to move more freely. The circulation of capital too is facilitated. But how about labour? Far from easing up on emigration, the wealthy North American countries are on the contrary tightening border control. They also hope that labour in their respective countries remains as compliant as possible in order to level attacks on their living and working conditions. After the North American Free Trade agreements, our national trade unions, engrossed in class collaboration and capitalist management, have been overtaken by an unbelievable panic, cringing when firms announce they will move if their demands are not met. Instead of denouncing capitalism as being a dead-end for workers, trade-unions woo governments and business circles so they will preserve our jobs (only for a week longer, let's face it), even at the expense of poorer working conditions and complete lack of job
UK: Wearing A T-Shirt Makes You A Terrorist - Guardian (UK)
FROM: THE GUARDIAN, 22 FEBRUARY 2001 Wearing a T-shirt makes you a terrorist === Anything with a slogan could put you outside the law now Special report: human rights in the UK By George Monbiot Britain, Tony Blair announced at Labour's spring conference on Sunday, is on the brink of "the biggest progressive political advance for a century". To prepare for this brave new world, two days before his speech Mr Blair bombed Baghdad. On Monday, the progressive era was officially launched, with the implementation of an inclusive piece of legislation called the Terrorism Act 2000. Terror, in the new progressive age, is no longer the preserve of the aristocracy of violence. Today almost anyone can participate, just as long as she or he wants to change the world. Beating people up, even killing them, is not terrorism, unless it is "designed to influence the government" or conducted "for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause". But since Monday you can become a terrorist without having to harm a living being, provided you believe in something. In that case, causing "serious damage to property" or interfering with "an electronic system" will do. Or simply promoting or encouraging such acts, or associating with the people who perform them, or failing to tell the police what they are planning. Or, for that matter, wearing a T-shirt or a badge which might "arouse reasonable suspicion" that you sympathise with their activities. In his speech on Sunday, Tony Blair called for a "revolution" in our schools, and spoke of "noble causes... asking us to hear their cry for help and answer by action". So perhaps we should not be surprised to learn that you can can now become a terrorist by supporting government policy. British subjects writing pamphlets or giving lectures demanding a revolution in Iraq can be prosecuted under the new act for "incitement" of armed struggles overseas. The same clause leaves the government free to bomb Baghdad, however, as "nothing in this section imposes criminal liability on any person acting on behalf of, or holding office under, the crown." By such means, our new century of progressive politics will be distinguished from those which have gone before. There will be no place, for example, for violent conspiracies like the Commons Preservation Society. The CPS launched its campaign of terror in 1865, by hiring a trainload of labourers to dismantle the railings around Berkhamstead Common, thus seriously damaging the property of the noble lord who had just enclosed it. The CPS later split into two splinter groups called the Open Spaces Society and the National Trust. Under the new legislation, these subversive factions would have been banned. Nor will the state tolerate dangerous malefactors such as the woman who claimed "there is something that governments care far more for than human life, and that is the security of property, and so it is through property that we shall strike the enemy" and "the argument of the broken windowpane is the most valuable argument in modern politics". Emmeline Pankhurst and her followers, under the act, could have been jailed for life for damaging property to advance a political or ideological cause. Indeed, had the government's new progressive powers been in force, these cells could have been stamped out before anyone had been poisoned by their politics. The act permits police to cordon off an area in which direct action is likely to take place, and arrest anyone refusing to leave it. Anyone believed to be plotting an action can be stopped and searched, and the protest materials she or he is carrying confiscated. Or, if they prefer, the police can seize people who may be about to commit an offence and hold them incommunicado for up to seven days. Under the new act, the women who caused serious damage to a Hawk jet bound for East Timor could have been intercepted and imprisoned as terrorists long before they interfered with what Mr Blair described on Sunday as his mission to civilise the world. So could the desperados seeking to defend organic farmers by decontaminating fields of genetically modified maize. Campaigners subjecting a corporation to a fax blockade become terrorists by dint of interfering with an electronic system. Indeed, by writing articles in support of such actions, I could be deemed to be "promoting and encouraging" them. Which makes me a terrorist and you, if you were foolish enough to copy my articles and send them to your friends, party to my crime. I don't believe the government will start making use of these new measures right away: after all, as Mr Blair lamented on Sunday, "Jerusalem is not built overnight". But they can now be deployed whenever progress demands. Then, unmolested by dangerous lunatics armed with banners and custard pies, the government will be free to advance world peace by
Vietnam News Feb 22
VNA NA standing committee calls for legal drafts' completion The National Assembly's Standing Committee has called for completion of draft laws on cultural heritage and the customs service before its ninth session, which is scheduled for the second quarter of the year. Members of the Standing Committee, who ended a five-day meeting on February 19 in preparation for the ninth session of the National Assembly, agreed that the next session would focus on building the nation's legal system. In reviewing the draft law on cultural heritage, Standing Committee members said the law would help protect the nation's traditional culture and meet people's increasing demand for more useful and interesting cultural activities. Meanwhile, the body described finalising the customs bill as an urgent task. The new customs law would create a legal framework to readjust relations between socio-economic activities relating to the customs service, it said. The law would also be expected to make positive changes to the import-export sector and domestic goods production and circulation, and further the nation's administrative reform process. All this would contribute to maintaining political stability amidst social demand for a fast and sustainable economic growth, said a communique released by the National Assembly's Standing Committee. The meeting chaired by Nong Duc Manh also previewed legal documents to be revised on new penalties for administrative violations, and an ordinance on the national archives. Another highlight on the ninth session's agenda, according to the Standing Committee members, will be a review by NA delegates of the government's supplementary reports on last year's State budget and plans for this year's budget. (VNA) Russian president to visit Vietnam The president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, will pay a three-day official visit to Vietnam from February 28. The visit is being made at the invitation of President Tran Duc Luong. This was announced in a communique released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 21. Trade agreement to be ratified: US congressman A US congressman has said he believes the US Congress will ratify the Vietnam-US Trade Agreement soon. Chairman of the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, James Sensenbrenner emphasised the ratification would be made soon. This was during a reception given in his honour by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam in Hanoi on February 21, Mr Sensenbrenner added that the US House of Representatives and the President would support the Agreement. The US parliamentarian exchanged views with the Deputy Prime Minister about such issues as ownership of intellectual property and Vietnam's laws concerning the implementation of the agreement. The deputy prime minister welcomed the visit by the Judiciary Committee chairman, saying that the co-operation between the two legislatures had helped boost the relationship between the two countries. He also said he believed that the chairman would continue his support for the bilateral Trade Agreement so that it would soon be ratified by the US Congress as well as Vietnam's National Assembly. Earlier the same day, Mr Sensenbrenner had working sessions with the National Assembly's Law Committee Chairman Vu Duc Khien and Deputy Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong. They exchanged views about issues relating to laws, justice and others issues of common concern. During his stay in Vietnam until February 24, Mr Sensenbrenner will meet with leading officials of the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuracy and the Science, Technology and Environment and the Culture and Information Ministries. He will also visit Ho Chi Minh City. (VNA) Australia helps Mekong flood victims Representatives of the governments of Australia and Vietnam signed an agreement yesterday on a project of Post-flood Reconstruction and Recovery for the Mekong delta. The AU $4 million project concentrates on the reconstruction and recovery of schools and health stations for the five Mekong delta provinces of An Giang, Dong Thap, Kien Giang, Long An and Tien Giang which were hit hard by floods last year. Lai Chau overcoming earthquake aftermath People in the northwestern mountainous province of Lai Chau are now pooling efforts to mitigate the aftermath caused by an earthquake which hit western Dien Bien Phu valley on Monday night, February 19. The quake, the biggest in Dien Bien Phu township for a decade, measured 5.3 on the Richter scale. Immediately after the quake, local leaders instructed the local administration to seal up all houses in danger of collapsing and build improvised houses for quake victims. Pupils of heavily damaged schools which are now closed must come to other schools to continue their study. About 100 houses in the heavily quake hit communes of Thanh Hung and Thanh Luong in Dien Bien Phu district which are in danger of collapsing could be
New Worker Online Digest - 24/2/2001
_ From: New Worker Online [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 12:40:28 + New Worker Online Digest Week commencing 24th February, 2001. 1) Editorial - Outrage! 2) Lead story - Arab anger at Baghdad bombing. 3) Feature article - The NHS is not for sale! 4) International story - South Korean police storm factory. 5) British news item - Terrorism Act threatens protesters. 1) Editorial Outrage! THE bombing of air defence targets on the outskirts of Baghdad by United States and British warplanes is such a blatant and shocking act of big power aggression that protests immediately swept around the world -- including a quickly organised picket at the entrance to Downing Street. The mealy-mouthed apologists for this act of imperialist bullying -- Robin Cook, Geoff Hoon, Tony Blair and company -- offered the feeble explanation that Britain had to act in order to protect our planes and aircrews from anti-aircraft fire as they patrolled the skies of Iraq. Their whole argument is staggering in its arrogance. First of all the large areas designated as "no-fly zones", covering northern and southern Iraq, were imposed, without any agreement from the United Nations or any other country, by the United States and Britain after the War against Iraq ten years ago. The very existence of these no-fly zones is a gross violation of Iraq's sovereignty, and Iraq, like any other country anywhere in the world, is doing what it can to defend its national air space from illegal incursions by foreign military aircraft. We say that if our government is so concerned about British aircrews' safely it should bring them home and end it's years of aggression against Iraq. In fact the national and world-wide protests have put Anglo-American policy towards Iraq once more under the spotlight. Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic are giving us another blast of anti-Iraq propaganda as they struggle to explain themselves away. Once again the imperialist powers are asserting that the no-fly zones are needed "to prevent Saddam Hussein from murdering his own people" -- a staggering statement given that it is coming from the very governments which blanket-bombed Iraq and went on to bring death through sanctions to millions of Iraqis. The imperialist powers assert that the northern no-fly zone is in place to protect the Kurdish people who live in the north of Iraq. And yet the imperialist powers had little to say when Turkish troops invaded northern Iraq as part of their own action against the Kurdish people, and Turkey is not condemned for its ill treatment of Kurds inside Turkey. But then Turkey is a Nato partner and a useful strategic base for imperialism. And of course there's not much said about the oil deposits in northern Iraq -- deposits the West does not want Iraq to control while the government of Iraq remains off the imperialist leash. The bottom line of Anglo-American propaganda against Iraq is the image of Saddam Hussein as some kind of political mad axeman -- a bloodthirsty beast who must be kept in a cage. It is an image used down the years by colonial rulers to justify repression, troops and killing. Iraq's neighbours give the lie to all this nonsense. Britain and America just went out and dropped their bombs -- they were not asked to do this by the Kurds, the Marsh Arabs, Iran or even the puppet princes of Kuwait. Indeed, the Arab world is outraged by the treatment of Iraq -- the Arabs throughout the region are on the streets burning the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack. Many here see Bush and Blair as the murderers and believe that George Bush is trying to prove his Presidential virility. These latest actions are also regarded as a ham-fisted attempt to intimidate the Palestinians and any Arabs who take up their cause. Progressive people across the world will have none of this. We should step up our protests at both the US embassy and at Downing Street. We call for an end to all bombing, the withdrawal of British warplanes and crews, an end to the no-fly zones and an end to all sanctions against Iraq. * 2) Lead story Arab anger at Baghdad bombing. by Our Middle East Affairs correspondent ANGRY ARABS are demonstrating throughout the Arab world against the latest crimes of Anglo-American imperialism. Last Friday's bombing of Baghdad, ordered by President Bush and backed up by Tony Blair, sparked off anti-Western protests from Morocco to the Arab Gulf. Everyone knows on the Arab street that Bush's guns are blazing to reassure his Israeli pawns and America's Arab quislings that the US imperialism is still the master regardless of what is happening in Palestine. But if that was the intention it has failed dismally. In Iraq the people took to the streets in defiance ofthe USAF and RAF to close ranks around the government of Saddam Hussein. And in the rest of the Arab world anger against US and
Russia Condemns 'Barbaric And Inhumane' New Iraq Attacks
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Rick Rozoff) [In a speech in Ireland a year ago Nelson Mandela warned that unilateral U.S.-British acts of mind-boggling aggression against Yugoslavia and Iraq "could lead to a third world war." Now the two archetypal imperialist powers are running amok and threatening the entire world. H.G. Wells: Either we do away with war or war will do away with us.] Friday, February 23 1:54 AM SGT Moscow slams new US raids in Iraq MOSCOW, Feb 22 (AFP) - Russia on Thursday denounced US air strikes in northern Iraq, describing them as a slap in the face to the international community. General Leonid Ivashov, head of international relations at the Russian defence ministry, said the attacks were "a new defiance of world opinion," the Interfax news agency reported. The general described the raids as a "barbaric and inhumane" treatment of the Iraqi population, adding: "There was no military justification for the strikes." The strikes "harm the prestige of the international organisations, in particular the United Nations Security Council," he said. UN acceptance of the strikes "could lead to an escalation on the part of (US President George W.) Bush's team towards other countries," he warned. __ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] _ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __
Portugal: Communists condemn the bombing raids by the USA and Great-Britain against Iraq
- Original Message - From: SolidNet [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2001 9:34 PM Subject: Portuguese CP, The PCP condemns the bombing raids by the USA and Great-Britain against Iraq SolidNet The purpose of the Solid Net ( Solidarity Network ) is to inform on the activities as well as the ideological and political views of different Communist and Workers' Parties on National and International issues. All articles in the SolidNet are the responsibility of the authors and in no way commit this Web Site. mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] , http://www.solidnet.org Portuguese CP, The PCP condemns the bombing raids by the USA and Great-Britain against Iraq --- From: Portuguese Communist Party, 19.02.2001 http://www.pcp.pt , mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] = PRESS OFFICE The PCP condemns the bombing raids by the USA and Great-Britain against Iraq The Portuguese Communist Party firmly condemns the systematic bombing raids by the USA and Great-Britain against Iraq, in a clear violation of an independent State's sovereignty and of International Law. It particularly condemns the bombing raids carried out on February 16th against the outskirts of Baghdad where numerous Iraqi citizens were injured. They constituted a disquieting assertion of the aggressive military course that the new U.S. Administration intends to give to the USA's foreign policy. The PCP underlines the explosive situation which exists in the Middle East, as a result of the brutal repression by Israel against the just struggle of the Palestinian people, a repression that Ariel Sharon's government intends to intensify and the imperialist aggression against Iraq tends to aggravate. The PCP demands that the Portuguese government unequivocally condemn the aggression against Iraq, and it appeals to the continuation of solidarity with the Palestinian people, the Iraqi people and the other Arab peoples which are victims of the Zionist and imperialist aggression. The Press Office of the PCP 19.02.2001 *End*
Privatisation of Serbia
- Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Bob Petrovich bojanp@hom Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2001 12:09 PM Subject: Counter-Revolution, Privatization, Chossudovsky, Yarker, and the Fake US Left Serbia eyes new privatisation law by April by Beti Bilandzic Reuters Jan 28, 2001 BELGRADE, - Serbia's new privatisation minister said he was preparing new legislation allowing the use of different models in the planned sell-off of some 7,000 state or socially-owned firms in the impoverished Balkan state. Speaking a few days after Serbia's new reformist government took office, Aleksandar Vlahovic said he expected the law to be ready by April. He said it would largely abandon the privatisation model used by Slobodan Milosevic's ousted authorities. "The new privatisation law will certainly mean abandoning the insider privatisation concept, but not fully, it will be a combination of different approaches and models," Vlahovic told reporters on Saturday evening. Under the existing ownership transformation law, passed by Milosevic's government in 1997, up to 60 percent of a company's capital is given to its workers and pensioners in the form of shares and the rest sold to investors in exchange for cash. Vlahovic said this way of selling state firms did not allow for growth and development because it was unclear who the majority owner was and who ran the company, saying workers would be better off with a successful firm than with worthless shares. "The message is that it is better to live and work in an economy that is growing and developing, it is better to be a well-paid worker than a poor shareholder," he said. Vlahovic was speaking at the end of a two-day seminar to discuss privatisation experience in other ex-communist European countries, attended by representatives of the World Bank and experts from Poland, Hungary, Estonia and Slovenia. Their experiences will be valuable when Yugoslavia draws up its own privatisation concept, Vlahovic said. He said that out of some 7,000 Serb companies to be privatised, 631 had started the process with an estimated book value of $1 billion. Their real value could only be determined by the market, he added. There would be no revisions of privatisations conducted so far, only if there had been flagrant violations of the law. He said priorities were to bring in new strategic partners and create an environment for the development of small businesses, seen as crucial to help the Serbian economy recover after a decade of conflict and economic sanctions. "We consider that with the development of small and medium-sized businesses we can syphon off the surplus workforce and change the structure of the economy," he said. There would be no deadline for privatisation as some companies could start the process immediately and others, such as large energy companies, needed more time. "I expect that four years from now socially-owned capital will be completely eliminated, we will have private and state ownership and we will start privatisation of big systems but it will still be under way in some cases," he said. 11:40 01-28-01
Fw: [CubaNews] Rob: Privacy battle looms in England. Faxes banned
- Original Message - From: John Clancy [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, February 23, 2001 3:10 PM Subject: [CubaNews] Rob: Privacy battle looms in England. Faxes banned from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subject: Rob: Privacy battle brews in England. Faxes banned Delivered-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Undisclosed [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: "robert rodvik" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: BIG BROTHER ALIVE AND LURKING IN U.K. Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 Privacy Battle Brews in England by Michelle Delio Clean up your hard drive and mind your manners if you live in or are traveling to the United Kingdom. Police there may soon be able to copy and store the contents of computers, collect and warehouse samples of human DNA and fine people for misdemeanors without having to arrest them first. The new Criminal Justice and Police Bill, which began what is expected to be its long journey through British legal and political channels on Friday, is being promoted as a defense against "yob culture." Yob is a British slang term for punks or hooligans, and the bill gives police extended powers to deal harshly with the drunk and disorderly. But the bill covers more than quality-of-life crimes. It also allows the police to expand their DNA database by permitting all legally acquired DNA samples to be stored indefinitely -- *even if those samples belong to people who were later acquitted or not even charged with a crime.* Section 49 of the bill gives British police officers and customs guards the power to copy the disk of any computer device found during a legal search in order to be able to carefully examine the contents at a later time. "They have to have a reasonable basis that the disk contains something relevant to what they are searching for, but it (the bill) would seem to give them carte blanche to seize computers since it would almost always be reasonable to assume that a computer in a premises would or could contain information relevant to the search," said Edward Hayes, a Manhattan attorney. Hayes also pointed out that under the new bill, importing pornography would be considered, in the bill's wording, a "serious arrestable offence," and so any suspicion that porn lurks on a computer could provide a reason for a search of that computer by customs officers. "The answer to whether they would take advantage of that to routinely copy the contents of computers would depend on your personal level of paranoia," said Hayes. "At this point in time I have no reason to think that they would or wouldn't." British customs guards have been checking the contents of travelers' computers since the late '90s, an HM (Her Majesty's) Customs and Excise spokesperson acknowledged, but until now they haven't been able to do more than a fast scan of the contents. "These checks were and continue to be performed in an effort to keep pornography out of England. And suitcases and computers are the same to us," the spokesperson said. "Travelers must be prepared and willing to have the contents of whatever they are bringing into our country checked." He declined to say what software was used for the scans, and said there were no current plans to make copies of the contents of hard drives. "We will see what happens with the Police Bill. Currently we are simply allowed to check hard drives for pornography. Our current law does not entitle us or the police to seize material from one place in order to examine it elsewhere." "But since we are looking for pornography, not product plans or personal banking information, normal people shouldn't worry." Some corporate travelers, who are sensitive about the privileged company information stored on their computers, are still concerned about the new regulations, as are some journalists, who may have an odd assortment of research on their hard drives. "A quick look through my files would shows information on hackers, viruses, antigovernment protests, espionage and drugs," said Jeff Leydon, a Los Angeles freelance writer who contributes to computer and underground culture magazines, and often travels on assignment. "Anyone who scanned my drive, or examined the contents out of the context of knowing what I do for a living, would have to assume that I am a major threat to peace. At the least, that would get my name on the 'do him deep and long' body cavity search list," said Leydon, whose computer has been examined at the Canadian and Israeli borders. "Both times it took several hours for them to clear me and it was a very uncomfortable situation. And I'm sure they only skimmed the surface of my computer. If they could have copied it and examined it in detail, at their leisure, who knows what could have happened?" Locking the files down with password protection or encryption won't help, under Britain's recently passed Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIP), the police are allowed to demand decryption keys or passwords. Not providing it can land you
Tony Blair: European or American?
- Original Message - From: Miroslav Antic [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: BALKAN [EMAIL PROTECTED]; SIEM NEWS [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: NATO [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2001 3:24 AM Subject: Stability of world at risk, warns Blair [STOPNATO.ORG.UK] STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --- ListBot Sponsor -- Build a marketing database and send targeted HTML and text e-mail newsletters to your customers with List Builder. http://www.listbuilder.com -- http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/archive/22-2-19101-0-44-39.html Stability of world at risk, warns Blair CATHERINE MacLEOD Tony Blair yesterday launched a blistering attack on the anti-Europeans in a part of the Conservative party who would risk "the stability of the world" if they forced the UK to choose between between the European Union or the United States. Insisting that the only people to benefit from the US and Europe pulling apart were "bad people", the prime minister raised the stakes in his battle to position the UK as the bridge between the US and the EU. As the prime minister and his wife Cherie left London for a transatlantic trip to Canada and Washington, Mr Blair discounted any critics claiming his pro-Europe credentials would undermine Britain's relationship with the new Bush presidency. He said: "I have a very clear view which is that it is a disastrous misjudgment either to push the EU or America apart or to try and tell Britain in terms of our own political scene here that we should choose between America and Britain." And in language which will certainly impress any Americans harbouring doubts over the UK's commitment, and a shot across the bows of the Tories who have questioned the prime minister's Atlantic agenda, Mr Blair explained his determination to cement the UK relationship with the new regime in the US. He said: " It is essential for the stability of the world that the Americans and Europeans have a common understanding and, sure there will be differences that arise from time to time on trade and how we handle some of these defence questions, but what unites us is formidably more important than what divides us." Setting out his intention to stand four square beside the Americans on the international stage, the prime minister said: "The only people who rejoice when Europe and America don't get on together are bad people, to put it in blunt terms. "What will the Saddam Husseins of this world think if they can pull us apart on these issues. Or dictators in different parts of the world, or organised criminal gangs which have got tremendous power now, or people trying to develop nuclear weapons which they shouldn't be. "I think that it would be tragic, particularly if the obsession of anti-Europeanism in a part of the Conservative Party today is then used as a force to try and say: 'Look, really Britain has got a choice here. It either is a partner in the European Union or it is a big buddy of the United States, but it had better choose between those two'. "It is so important that Britain can help Europeans understand America and Americans understand Europe. We have in that sense a very, very important role to play, and I think we should play that role without hesitation and we should play it with confidence, and I think it is a big mistake for people to try and block that or worse pull us part. I really do. I believe that so strongly." Mr Blair did not waver on the UK/US offensive on Iraq. Defending their actions as "absolutely essential", he told journalists: "I can never understand how people can look at the history of Saddam and come to any other conclusion other than that he is an extremely dangerous man, probably the most dangerous ruler at the present time anywhere in the world, and if he is allowed to, will visit even more terror on his own people and would threaten the external world as well." The prime minister was sympathetic to the plight of the Iraqi people but made it clear that their lives were not likely to improve until Saddam was removed. "I feel really sorry for the Iraqi people. I feel sorry for them being under the heel of Saddam, I feel sorry about their suffering, I feel a real sense of tragedy about the lives many of them lead. But the truth is that while Saddam remains there, things will not get better for them, and what we cannot do is allow him to threaten his neighbours and the stability of the rest of the world." As The Herald revealed yesterday, defence will be high on the agenda of the talks between president George W Bush and the prime minister. The British government believes there will be no conclusive talks on the US plans for a national missile defence system. On the European rapid reaction force, Mr Blair will assure the Americans that he would not contemplate its formation if it would undermine Nato. He said: "If it was set to
Radio Havana Feb 21. Cuba gears up Cultural Campaign
from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subject: Radio Havana Feb 21. Cuba gears up Cultural Campaign Radio Havana Cuba-21 February 2001 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 21 February 2001 . *POLICE ARREST MAN WHO THREATENED MEXICAN AMBASSADOR TO CUBA *RICARDO ALARCON TO VISIT FIVE MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES *VENEZUELAN GOVERNORS ON VISIT TO CUBA *RECORD NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISIT VARADERO BEACH RESORT *NATIONAL FOLKLORIC COMPANY WANTS TO PRESERVE HERITAGE OF CUBAN FOLK DANCE *REPORT FROM THIRD HABANO CIGAR FESTIVAL *OUTGOING ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BARAK WITHDRAWS FROM SHARON'S CABINET *ANGOLA DEMANDS STRICTER SANCTIONS AGAINST UNITA TERRORISTS *LATIN AMERICA: 20 MILLION MORE POOR THAN IN 1997 *DESMOND TUTU CALLS FOR WORLDWIDE STRUGGLE AGAINST POVERTY *Viewpoint: CUBA GEARS UP CULTURAL CAMPAIGN WITH ART INSTRUCTION TRAINING . *POLICE ARREST MAN WHO THREATENED MEXICAN AMBASSADOR TO CUBA Havana, February 21 (RHC)-Cuban police arrested Elizardo San Pedro Marin last Saturday in Havana accusing him of having sent threatening letters to Mexico's ambassador to Cuba, Ricardo Pascoe. According to the island's Interior Ministry, Marin acknowledged having written the threatening letters to the Mexican ambassador and admitted his ties to the Miami based anti Cuban terrorist group Alpha 66. The Court of Justice, said the Interior Ministry, will try Elizardo San Pedro Marin for implicit death threats and causing fear and apprehension in the Mexican embassy. *RICARDO ALARCON TO VISIT FIVE MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES Havana, February 21 (RHC)-The President of the Cuban Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon is scheduled to tour five Middle Eastern countries at the end of the month. The head of the Cuban Parliament's Information Office, Lazaro Barredo told Prensa Latina news agency that Alarcon will visit Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. The Cuban official will meet with parliamentary and government officials as well as visit places of interests. The objective of the visit is to strengthen relations between Cuba and the Middle Eastern countries. *VENEZUELAN GOVERNORS ON VISIT TO CUBA Havana, February 21 (RHC)-The governors of the Venezuelan states of Lara and Portuguesa, Luis Ramos and Antonia Munoz, toured on Wednesday the Research Institute on Sugar Cane derivatives and the International Sports School, both located in Havana province. The Venezuelan governors met on Tuesday in Havana with the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon who expressed his interest in strengthening bilateral ties in the context of the integral cooperation accord signed last year between Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Cuban President Fidel Castro. The Venezuelan officials also visited Havana's Latin American School of Medicine and met with those Venezuelan students who are studying on the island. *RECORD NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISIT VARADERO BEACH RESORT Havana, February 21 (RHC)-Varadero Beach Resort located east of Havana, has so far this year welcomed a record number of vacationers amounting to 20,157 tourists. An expert of the Tourism Ministry in Varadero, Vivian Valle said that the 42 hotels located in Varadero currently have an average occupancy rate of 98 per cent. She added that the number of vacationers in January was much higher than the same month last year, in addition to the economic earnings. The tourism expert also pointed out that another one thousand new hotel rooms will be finished by the end of this year. *NATIONAL FOLKLORIC COMPANY WANTS TO PRESERVE HERITAGE OF CUBAN FOLK DANCE Havana, February 1st (RHC)-The Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba, or the Cuban National Folkloric Company, will be traveling to Mexico this year after completing a successful tour of Martinique, announced its director, Juan Francisco Fernandez today. In a press conference to discuss the company's overall future direction, Fernandez said that efforts are being made by the University of West Virginia and the University of California, Los Angeles, for the group to also visit the United States as it has done on previous occasions in 1980, 1996 and 1998. Juan Francisco Fernandez spoke of the need to extend Cuban folk dancing into the provinces before people forget the rhythms and dances of their past. He said that many people no longer learn the music and that there were, for example, areas such as Alamar on the outskirts of Havana, where rumba is very popular but there are no regular rumba events as there are in the capital. He added that it was good to see young people dance other forms such as casino but that if efforts weren't made to preserve even that style, then 50 years from now it will be completely forgotten along with those dances it succeeded. The Conjunto Folklorico, which celebrates it's 39th year in May, also gives dancing lessons to Cubans and foreigners, and has an exchange program with dance schools in Italy. The director said that other possible tours
Turkey. DHKC Statement: 161
From: dhkcbureau [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 23:59:44 +0100 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: "[Ozgurluk.Org]" DHKC Statement: 161 (Disappearance of Yusuf Kirmizioglu) Date: February 13, 2001 Statement: 161 THE POLICE HAVE CONFESSED TO MAKING YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU DISAPPEAR! WHERE IS YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU? THEY MUST EXPLAIN! On February 14 there was news broadcast on Kanal D TV about YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU, who has been missing since January 6. Before the February 14 statement we had asked Kanal D and all other TV channels for information about him but we had not received a positive answer to our request. Here is the news Kanal D broadcast on February 14, based on police sources: YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU was a "living bomb": YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU was a wanted person, from Izmir the police had trailed him through the use of technology. First he went to Istanbul, then he went to Hatay, and because his phone was blocked the police lost track of his whereabouts. THE POLICE ARE TELLING LIES, THEY WANT TO MAKE THE DISAPPEAANCE OF YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU APPEAR LEGITIMATE. The police claim made in the TV news that YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU was a living bomb is a COMPLETE LIE. If they have proof of it they should produce it. The statement is meant to legitimise making YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU disappear. The police say YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU was wanted. We already said that in our statement No 157 of February 3, 2001. In the same statement we explained the direction he used to travel to Istanbul, what time, where from, which coach company, and we gave the identity of Aziz Gungor that he was using. The police said they were trailing YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU by means of his mobile phone. At the same time they stated that he was a "living bomb". If that was the case, the police allowed a living bomb to travel for 2,000 kilometres and 48 hours while they knew about it all the time. So, somebody who had a bomb on them and was being closely watched by the police went from Izmir to Istanbul and then to Hatay. And then all of a sudden they lost him in Hatay. If he were a living bomb and the police knew it, then why did they not intercept him and disarm the bomb? The "living bomb" claim is rubbish. Again if you remember, in Hurriyet newspaper on February 13 a list of "living bombs" was published by the police. If the police knew that YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU was a "living bomb" since January 6, why did his name not feature in that list? Perhaps the police knew that he was no longer dangerous because he had already been made to disappear? Hatay is where YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU'S family lives. We mentioned that in our February 3 statement. The police mentioned Hatay. They wanted to give the impression that they followed him but did not catch him and he had gone to see his family. They claimed to have looked for him and lost him in Hatay but they never asked his family or others there. If the police say, "We didn 't catch him, he went to his family," it is the duty of the police to find out where he is. His family are still alive in Hatay. He did not contact his family and they do not know where he is. If we leave to one side the lie about the living bomb and accept that he was trailed by the police; THE POLICE HAVE ADMITTED THAT THEY DETAINED YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU AND MADE HIM DISAPPEAR BECAUSE THEY MADE KANAL D TV BROADCAST NEWS ABOUT HIM. The meaning of this Kanal D news is that the police have confessed to it. The police have to explain how they detained YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU and how they made him disappear. Kanal D TV should not help the police in trying to make their disappearances seem legitimate. They have a responsibility to public opinion to tell the truth. This is an inescapable responsibility. The disappearances clearly show that Susurluk is continuing. Susurluk is on duty by means of the gendarmerie, the government and the police. They are continuing to slaughter and make people disappear. All public opinion which says it is against Susurluk must ask, "Where is YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU?" If you don't want to be a victim of disappearance yourself, you must ask about what happened to the disappeared, you have to hold the guilty accountable. WHERE IS YUSUF KIRMIZIOGLU? DEVRIMCI HALK KURTULUS CEPHESI (REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE'S LIBERATION FRONT) _ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __
Korean Central News Agency Feb 22
TODAY'S NEWS (February.22.2001 Juche 90) [CONTENTS] * Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry on new U.S. administration's policy towards DPRK * SPA chairman meets Iranian ambassador * Daewoo Motor Co. unionists protest forcible layoff * Iranian ambassador gives reception * Reception given by Egyptian ambassador * U.S. establishment of "NMD" system under fire * Traditional paper handicrafts * Construction makes headway in Pyongyang * Celebration functions held abroad * Abolition of "Security Law" called for * Greetings to Guyanese President For Spanish-speaking people * vocero de minrex de rpdc declara * construccion de capital de rpdc * "rodong sinmun" se refire a peligrosidad de sistema de "defensa nacional de misil" Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry on new U.S. administration's policy towards DPRK Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK Wednesday released a statement as regards the new U.S. administration's policy towards the DPRK. The statement says: There are a variety of opinions in the U.S. over the issue of its policy towards the DPRK, which draw its serious attention. Foreign and national security policy team of the new U.S. administration are increasingly assertive for a "hardline stance" towards Pyongyang, claiming that the former Clinton administration only offered things to the north, tempted by it, the new administration would pursue an "engagement policy" different from that of the Clinton administration and it would make "phased access" and "conditional and strict reciprocity." This once again disclosed the U.S. aggressive and brigandish true intention to stop the DPRK-U.S. relations from developing in the direction of reconciliation, cooperation and improved ties in keeping with the present international trend towards peace and stability and break the DPRK's will with "strength." this compels us to heighten vigilance. If this is an official stand of the new U.S. administration towards the DPRK, this can not but draw a serious attention. Both the DPRK and the U.S. agreed to remove the root cause of long-standing distrust, confrontation and misunderstanding and normalize relations in the Geneva DPRK-U.S. agreed framework and the New York DPRK-U.S. joint communique, etc. Accordingly, both sides are committed to terminate the hostile relations, build confidence and remove their apprehension. The "conditional reciprocity" and "phased access" touted by the U.S., therefore, mean that it would fulfil its commitments only when the DPRK moves first. In other words, it wants the DPRK to totally disarm itself first. The U.S. is seriously mistaken if it thinks that Pyongyang will accept its demand. It is the consistent stand of the DPRK that it will be able to clear the U.S. of its worries over its security only when it assures the DPRK that Washington does not threaten the DPRK's security by taking substantial measures to terminate the hostile relations. As for the "reciprocity" asserted by the U.S. it has never offered anything to the DPRK gratis but caused only losses to it. The DPRK-U.S. agreed framework calls for simultaneous actions on the part of the two sides and the DPRK has so far kept its nuclear power facilities frozen according to it. However, the U.S. has not sincerely implemented its commitments under the agreed framework, causing huge losses to the DPRK. The LWR project which had been scheduled to be completed by 2003 is unlikely to become a reality and the U.S. has not yet set out even a timetable for the offer of heavy oil for a new fiscal year that began from October 22 last year. The U.S. is obliged to compensate for the DPRK's loss of electricity caused by the delayed LWR project. If it does not honestly implement the agreed framework as today, there is no need for us to be bound to it any longer. We cannot but consider the existence of the KEDO as meaningless under the present situation where no one can tell when the lwr project will be completed. The United States must clearly know that we cannot wait for its completion for an indefinite period. The U.S. insisted on establishing the NMD alledgedly to cope with the "missile threat" from the DPRK, calling it a "rogue state", not away from its outdated way of thinking, though humankind greeted the new century of genuine peace after putting an end to the 20th century marked with war, confrontation and blood. This is a brigandish logic. We advanced such reasonable proposals as declaring a moratorium on the test-fire of long-range missiles while the missile negotiations are under way because the U.S. asserted that our missiles for self-defence pose a threat to it. We made to the U.S. side a series of reasonable proposals that we might accept a substitute satellite launch if our satellite launch posed a threat to the U.S. security, though it is no more than scientific and technological
China. People´s Daily Feb 23
Extracts. China Opposes Taiwan Leader's Stopover in US China is opposed to Taiwan http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/taiwan.html leader stopover in the United States http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/usa.html on his visit to Central America, foreign ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said Thursday. Zhu said at a regular press conference that China has repeatedly stated its stand on Taiwan to the United States, opposing any Taiwan leaders or high-profile politicians to visit or make any stopovers in the United States. "We have made clear our attitudes and I think the United States knows our stand," he said. "We hope that the United States could handle this issue according to its commitments to us and the three Sino-US joint communiques. We hope more and more countries could realize that there is only one China in the world." FM Spokesman Refutes Allegations of Assisting Iraqi Air Defense System The US has ulterior motives by alleging that China is aiding Iraq http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/iraq.html 's air defense system, and this move will be futile, Chinese Foreign Ministry http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/ spokesman Zhu Bangzao said Thursday. Zhu said, in a statement at the routine press conference, that China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has always strictly and earnestly implemented all the council's resolutions on the Iraqi issue. The US and Britain http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/uk.html utterly violated the UN Charter and norms guiding international relations, by bypassing the Security Council and taking a unilateral military action against Iraq, thus met with extensive condemnations from the international community, the spokesman said. The US side, by criticizing China, attempted to confuse public opinion and divert public attentions with ulterior motives, and this will be futile, Zhu added. China's Customs to Implement New Anti-Corruption Measures China will step up the auditing of directors of customs nationwide, starting March 1, as a way to curb corruption among customs officials, the General Administration of Customs announced Thursday. All directors of customs will have to pass auditing before they leave their post, whether the director will get promoted, transferred to new position, retire, resign or get fired, according to a press release issued by the administration. The new measures are aimed at strengthening supervision and management of customs directors, and preventing corruption from its' roots, an official of the administration said. Key auditing areas will cover general administrating, fees and tax collection and handover, use of power in application granting, handling of smuggling cases and confiscated goods, management of customs finance, among others. The official said all directors will have to receive auditing from a superior level before they leave their current position. If necessary, a superior auditing department can do a surprise audit. "The new measures will be a kind of restriction to customs directors," said the official. "They will be under pressure to seriously carry out their duty according to law, and run the customs in a clean manner." Aged Citizens Urged to Fight Against Falun Gong Cult The China National Committee on Aging issued a notice recently encouraging its subcommittees at all levels and aged citizens in general to join the fight against the banned Falun Gong cult. The notice emphasized that the self-immolation incident of Falun Gong practitioners in Tiananmen Square on January 23 further exposed the cult's evil anti-humanity, anti-society and anti- science nature, as well as Li Hongzhi's sinister ambition to overthrow the Chinese government. All aging committees are asked to attach importance to the ideological work concerning old people by explaining to them issues involved. The local committees should organize more entertainment and exercise activities suitable for elderly people, said the notice. And the building of more facilities for such activities should be made priority items for communities. Japan Urged to Stop Issuing Text Books Harming Sino-Japanese Ties China demands Japan to take prompt and effective measures to stop issuing textbooks which denies and beautifies its history of aggression, so as to safeguard Sino-Japanese relations. "Japan should be true in word and resolute in deed," said Zhu Bangzao, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, in Thursday's regular press conference. Zhu said that the issue of a Japanese history textbook is a political and principled issue of great importance, and it concerns the feelings of people who were the victims and is related to Japan's stance and attitude towards its history of aggression. Chinese government and people have closely watched the recent pulse in Japan on the issue of its' history book, he noted. "It should be pointed out that Japanese right-wing groups make all efforts to concoct a
Potugal: Communists Condemn Bombing Of Iraq By US/UK
Portuguese CP, The PCP condemns the bombing raids by the USA and Great-Britain against Iraq --- From: Portuguese Communist Party, 19.02.2001 http://www.pcp.pt , mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] = PRESS OFFICE The PCP condemns the bombing raids by the USA and Great-Britain against Iraq The Portuguese Communist Party firmly condemns the systematic bombing raids by the USA and Great-Britain against Iraq, in a clear violation of an independent State's sovereignty and of International Law. It particularly condemns the bombing raids carried out on February 16th against the outskirts of Baghdad where numerous Iraqi citizens were injured. They constituted a disquieting assertion of the aggressive military course that the new U.S. Administration intends to give to the USA's foreign policy. The PCP underlines the explosive situation which exists in the Middle East, as a result of the brutal repression by Israel against the just struggle of the Palestinian people, a repression that Ariel Sharon's government intends to intensify and the imperialist aggression against Iraq tends to aggravate. The PCP demands that the Portuguese government unequivocally condemn the aggression against Iraq, and it appeals to the continuation of solidarity with the Palestinian people, the Iraqi people and the other Arab peoples which are victims of the Zionist and imperialist aggression. The Press Office of the PCP 19.02.2001 *End* SolidNet The purpose of the Solid Net ( Solidarity Network ) is to inform on the activities as well as the ideological and political views of different Communist and Workers' Parties on National and International issues. All articles in the SolidNet are the responsibility of the authors and in no way commit this Web Site. mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] , http://www.solidnet.org __ To subscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
