LL:Anti-NATO war statement - sign on
International statement by progressive organisations and individuals Stop US/NATO war on Serbia! Self-determination for Kosova! We oppose both the US-led NATO war against Serbia/Yugoslavia and the Serbian authorities' genocidal campaign of terror against the ethnic Albanian majority in Kosova (the region termed ``Kosovo'' by the Serbian regime). We support the right of the Kosovar people to self-determination, which includes their right to independence from Serbia. The NATO powers' war against Serbia/Yugoslavia has nothing to do with defending the Kosovar people against Serbian persecution, which began a decade ago and which these powers did nothing against. The real purpose for the US/NATO war is two-fold: First, to win greater public acceptance for the right of the US government to use its war machine anywhere in the world. Second, to block the Kosovar people's struggle for independence from Serbia. The NATO powers have consistently opposed this struggle, denouncing the Kosova Liberation Army as ``terrorists'', and insisting that Kosova remain part of Serbia, regardless of what the Kosovar people want. The NATO powers only began to express opposition to the Serbian government's repression in Kosova when the Kosova Albanians began an armed resistance to this repression. NATO began to insist that Serbia allow NATO troops to occupy Kosova and disarm the KLA because the NATO powers had lost confidence in the Serbian authorities' ability to crush the Kosovar armed resistance movement. The NATO war against Serbia/Yugoslavia will do nothing to bring about a just settlement of the Serbian/Kosovar conflict, which can only be based upon recognition of the Kosova Albanians' right to decide their own affairs free of both Serbian and NATO interference. For these reasons, we believe it is necessary to oppose US/NATO military intervention in the Balkans, to demand an immediate halt to the NATO military campaign against Serbia, the immediate withdrawal of all Serbian military forces from Kosova and removal of all restrictions imposed on the ability of the Kosova Albanians to defend themselves (including the UN-NATO arms embargo). Lisa Macdonald, Editor, Green Left Weekly Dr Syd Husin Ali, President, Malaysian People's Party John Percy, National Secretary, Democratic Socialist Party (Australia) Sonny Melencio, Socialist Party of Labour (Philippines) Patrick Bond, lecturer, University of Witwatersrand (South Africa) Anna Weekes on behalf of the South African Municipal Workers Union Allen Myers, Editor. Links Max Lane, National Coordinator, Action in Solidarity for Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET) Sean Healy, National Coordinator, Resistance (Australia) Dr Helen Jarvis, Asia Pacific Institute for Democratisation Development (Australia) Neville Spencer, Editor, Venceremos Pip Hinman, Asia Pacific Women's Solidarity Network Dave Holmes, Resistance Books. Stephen O'Brien, Committees in Solidarity with Central America the Caribbean (CISLAC) Dr Kamala Emanuel, medical practitioner Peter Boyle, New Course Publications Dr Tuntuni Bhattacharyya, medical practitioner Jill Hickson, film maker Aaron Benedek, Education Officer, Sydney University Students Representative Council Tim Gooden, Secretary, ACT Government Section, Community Public Sector Union (CPSU) Philippa Stanford, Section Councillor, Centrelink Section, CPSU Mark Cronin, Section Councillor, Centrelink Section, CPSU Melanie Sjoberg, organiser, Public Service Association (South Australia) Maurice Sibelle, coordinator, Victorisn TAFE Students Apprentices Network (VTSAN) Sarah Lantz, Student Research Officer, VTSAN Dr Margaret Perrot, medical practitioner Chris Latham, Coordinator, Australia-Indonesia Student Solidarity Brigade Allen Jennings, CISLAC Victoria Ertugral Titiz, Kurdish activist Mark Abberton, Education Officer, RMIT TAFE Students Association Natasha Izatt, Women's Officer, RMIT TAFE Students Association Vanessa Hearman, ASIET Victoria Organisations and positions for indentification purposes only. Initiated by the Australian newspaper Green Left Weekly for publication in the progressive media. Name: ___ Tel: ___ Email: __ Please return your endorsement to Green Left Weekly, PO Box 394, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia. Tel: +61 2 9690 1210 Fax: +61 2 9690 1381. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: Too many parties in NSW?
MEDIA STATEMENT Friday March 5, 1999 Too many parties? A comment by Dick Nichols, the Democratic Socialists lead candidate for the NSW Upper House In the last NSW election, in 1995, there were a record 27 parties standing for the Legislative Council, the upper house of state parliament. This year, with 92 parties registered under state electoral laws, a new record could be set. The NSW Greens have called for Labor and Coalition to support urgent State Electoral Office (SEO) and parliamentary investigations into the "bona-fides of all political parties being 'rush-registered' in the lead up to this election". Conservative independent (former Labor) MLC Franca Arena and Shooters Party MLC John Tingle have supported this call. In response, Labor Premier Bob Carr has said he will ask the SEO to investigate changing the law after the March 27 election to toughen criteria for registering political parties. The Greens say that the large number of newly registered parties (37 in the last month ) is suspicious and that "evidence is mounting that some of the parties may be fronts for other political parties''. However, while there is some evidence that about half a dozen registered parties are "fronts" or "feeder tickets" for other parties, this cannot account for the large rise in small, often single-issue, parties. This development is not confined to NSW or even to Australia and it ultimately reflects the massive disillusionment in the traditional parties of government. A Bulletin poll last year found that 66% of voters were unhappy with Labor and the Coalition. And this should come as no surprise as state and federal governments of both stripes are widely recognised as having a common agenda of austerity and privatisation to boost big business profits. With these two "economic rationalist" parties entrenched in the various lower houses, voters have sought to hold back or slow the social vandalism of governments by voting more smaller parties into the Senate and state upper houses, which in most cases are elected under the more democratic proportional representation system. The Greens say they are worried that the major parties may be trying to discredit the upper house and claim their call for an investigation into new parties is an attempt to pre-empt this attack. Certainly "upper house reform" is high on the agenda of big business and their parties. But the Greens are naive to think that more democracy will come out of this call. Instead, genuine smaller parties -- and especially parties without big business support -- will be the chief victims of tighter eligibility for registration or higher deposits for candidates. Until some party or alliance wins sufficient political authority to pose a real alternative to Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee, many new parties are going to be thrown up. Some will be single issue parties, many will be short-lived and others will be opportunist or something more sinister. A viable alternative will have to be put together through the political sorting out of who stands for what, during and after elections. This process is going on. Parties committed to real change persevere and don't pack up shop after elections. They campaign for the issues they claim to stand for. This wins respect. For instance, many of the single-issue parties that did better than the Democratic Socialists in the 1995 NSW elections have since disappeared or were outpolled by us in the NSW Senate election last October 3. Channel Nine's Footy Show and former Labor Right powerbroker Graham Richardson have set up the What's Doing Party supposedly to demonstrate how "ridiculously easy" it is to set up a silly party. But so it should be. Under capitalism it will always be easy for people with money to set up as many parties as they want to. Toughening the registration criteria will only knock out those with less money and power from running in elections. Making parliamentary politics a more exclusive club than it already is won't advance the cause of democracy, social justice and environmental sustainability. Instead of inadvertently feeding the big parties' campaign to further reduce our democratic rights, the Greens should concentrate on politically exposing of the big and small reactionary parties, not just the handful of possible "front" parties that might have been set up to divert a few votes. Dick Nichols, 53, has worked in the printing industry and on the railways, where he was the Secretary of the Combined Unions at Eveleigh Loco railway workshops. For many years he was involved in the struggle against the privatisation of railway workshop work and, as a branch councillor for the Australian Railways Union (now Public Transport Union), also fought the anti-public transport policies of the Wran and Unsworth Labor governments. More recently Nichols has edited Links,
LL:International Conference on economic sovereignty
Urgent Announcement ** INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Economic Sovereignty in a Globalising World: Creating People Centred Economics for the 21st Century 23-26 March 1999 Bangkok, Thailand * REGISTRATION For more information and registration, please go to our website http://focusweb.org and click to 'Upcoming Focus Conference' If you have difficulties sending the registration form from the website, please print the completed form and fax to us at 66 2 255 9976. You will also find the registration form at the end of this message. You can fill it in and send it to Jim at [EMAIL PROTECTED] All registrations will be acknowledged within three days, so if you do not hear from us please contact Jim at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Registrations close on 7 March 1999 PLEASE NOTE: ALL SPEAKERS, PANELISTS AND PARTICIPANTS MUST REGISTER USING THE FORM ON THE WEBSITE OR AT THE END OF THIS MESSAGE ABOUT THE CONFERENCE Economic Sovereignty in a Globalising World Creating People-Centred Economics for the 21st Century Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University Bangkok, March 24-26, 1999 WHY ARE WE HAVING THIS CONFERENCE? While financial analysts assess the global financial crisis in terms of stock market indexes and currency values, the real impact is being borne by the millions of people who are being pushed further into poverty as we approach the new millennium. Generations will inherit a debt not of their making, and as the human costs of the crisis continue to mount, speculators and currency traders escape virtually unscathed. Uncontrolled speculative investment and currency trading have a devastating effect on economic stability and long-term development. The crisis has shown that national economies no longer have control over vital aspects of economic policy, and that they too are subject to the whims of the market. The inability of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to respond to the crisis with appropriate policies has called into question their capacity to understand and react to the needs of people in a rapidly changing global economy. A growing number of critics are now calling for a thorough review of these institutions' policies and decision making processes. The dire human consequences of this demand our attention. It is imperative that international economic relations be reviewed and reshaped to control speculation, regulate financial markets and reduce inequalities between nations, while promoting economic democracy and fostering sustainable development. All these measures and reforms should aim to give local communities, national governments and regional groupings the chance to pursue economic policies which meet the needs of people, instead of the markets. WHAT ARE WE AIMING TO DO? Develop a deeper understanding of the nature and role of financial capital and its impact on local, national and regional economic development; closely examine existing and proposed regulatory mechanisms, with the aim of regulating financial capital, fostering productive investment and promoting sustainable 'people-centred' development. Review national, regional and international financial institutions and their programs; propose new mechanisms and institutions, or reforms to those already in existence, in order to increase their accountability and democracy. Create a platform of joint action that articulates agreed principles, defines common objectives and demands, and produces concrete proposals for economic reform. WHY IS THIS CONFERENCE DIFFERENT? The unique feature of this conference is that it brings together individuals and networks from all regions of the globe at a time when the issues of financial regulation and financial architecture are high on the international political agenda. During the conference, there will be four working groups, focusing on the areas of: Institutional Reform New Institutions; Market Reform Regulatory Mechanisms; National Political Policy Reform; and People-Centred Alternatives. Each working group will identify priorities, articulate demands and proposals, and develop education and campaign strategies. Each participant will select a working group for the whole conference. Plenaries have been scheduled each day, which explore a broad range of topics related to the conference. There will also be in-depth panels providing information on pertinent issues, such as local responses to the crisis, speculation taxes and capital controls. WHO IS SPONSORING THE CONFERENCE? The conference is being hosted by Focus on the Global South, and is co-sponsored by Development Alternatives for Women in a New Era (DAWN), the Structural Adjustment Participatory Review Initiatives Network (SAPRIN) and Focus on the Global South. Focus, DAWN and SAPRIN have already initiated discussions with groups worldwide. We hope that national and regional working groups can informally
LL:PR: More police = more crime
MEDIA RELEASE Wednesday 24 February 1999 'More police won't mean less crime' "More police obviously doen't spell less crime", said Mr DICK NICHOLS, who heads the Democratic Socialists' Legislative Council ticket in the coming NSW elections. "NSW Premier Bob Carr boasts that he boosted the police force by 2,000 and provided it with a record budget but every day we see more evidence that many police are committing -- not fighting -- crime. Police have been sprung selling drugs, protecting criminals and organising armed hold-ups. "The Wood Royal Commission exposed just some of the corruption that riddles the police force and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has revealed that NSW MPs -- like their federal counterparts -- have been rorting their travel allowances. "That's just the surface. We never get the full story about the casino licences (and their special tax exemptions), the private road tollways, big building projects and the secret deals done around privatisation." Mr Nichols cited as other real crimes: The planned "$25-28 billion heist" -- NSW electricity privatisation. Privatisation is theft of public assets. Thousands of jobs will be destroyed if the Coalition wins but their big business mates would be very happy. Kerry Packer's tax bill, the banks' systematic daylight robbery of its small clients, BHP's destruction of thousands of lives in Newcastle and Wollongong and the mining companies ravaging of towns Broken Hill, Cobar and Singleton with job cuts. Bi-partisan commitment to the social catastrophe of economic rationalism. "While real criminals go free, the poorest and most oppressed sections are locked up for petty offences. In NSW, the prison population grew by 75% over the last decade and the Aboriginal proportion doubled to about 12% . Deaths in custodies continue to take place. And following recent rounds of anti-Arab and anti-Asian crime scapegoating, the NSW police are trying to devise new codenames for racist stereotypes." Mr Nichols said Labor and Liberal politicians were "utterly hypocritical" in their reactionary "law and order" campaign. The Democratic Socialists are also running candidates in 10 Legislative Assembly seats: Lismore, Newcastle, Port Jackson, Heffron, Marrickville, Strathfield, Auburn, Parramatta, Illawarra and Wollongong. Dick Nichols, 53, has worked in the printing industry and on the railways, where he was the Secretary of the Combined Unions at Eveleigh Loco railway workshops. For many years he was involved in the struggle against the privatisation of railway workshop work and, as a branch councillor for the Australian Railways Union (now Public Transport Union), also fought the anti-public transport policies of the Wran and Unsworth Labor governments. More recently Mr Nichols has edited Links, the international journal of socialist renewal. He is presently the Democratic Socialists' national industrial convenor. Dr Helen Jarvis, 53, the no.2 Legislative council candidate for the Democratic Socialists, is a lecturer at the University of NSW. She has stood as a candidate for the Democratic Socialists on numerous occasions. She has been working on documenting the Cambodian genocide since 1995 (Cambodian Genocide Program), and has been involved in a number of human rights and international solidarity campaigns. Dr Jarvis was a founding member of Sydney Women's Liberation in 1969. To arrange interviews contact Peter Boyle 02-9690 1230 -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: Vote left in NSW elections
HOW TO VOTE LEFT IN NSW ELECTIONS Wednesday 24 February 1999 The Democratic Socialists will be running an upper house (Legislative Council) ticket and fielding candidates in 10 lower house (Legislative Assembly) seats in the March 27 NSW elections (for platform, candidate profiles and media statements, visit http://www.peg.apc.org/~stan/ds). Other left organisations likely to field candidates are the Communist Party of Australia and the Progressive Labour Party. NSW Coalition leader Kerry Chikarovski shameless wielding of a $5.2 billion electricity privatisation pork barrel confirms the total moral bankruptcy of the major parties, DICK NICHOLS, the Democratic Socialists' lead candidate for the Legislative Council, said in Sydney today. While Labor Premier Carr has so far failed to force electricity privatisation on his own party, the Coalition is offering householders $1000 or $1100 of shares from a possible $25-28 billion electricity privatisation. The Coalition is also offering another $2.6 billion from the privatisation proceeds for regional projects. "Chikarovski is aping the most corrupt practices adopted by governments in Eastern Europe and Russia to sell privatisation. Those governments have wreaked social and economic vandalism and the Coalition threatens to do the same here. "Chikarovski thinks she can buy votes at $1000 a household, but people -- especially in regional NSW -- are well and truly sick of privatisation. They know from bitter experience that it means you lose your local school, hospital, post office, bank and CES, and, if you haven't already, your job! "Coalition and Labor government share a pro-privatisation agenda but they are badly out of touch with public opinion today", said Nichols. The Democratic Socialists, who obtained the ninth highest vote in last year's NSW Senate election, are campaigning for reversing the Coalition-Labor privatisation drive. "Privatisation is theft and the public has the right to resume ownership of of privatised assets with compensation only to small shareholders." Dick Nichols, 53, has worked in the printing industry and on the railways, where he was the Secretary of the Combined Unions at Eveleigh Loco railway workshops. For many years he was involved in the struggle against the privatisation of railway workshop work and, as a branch councillor for the Australian Railways Union (now Public Transport Union), also fought the anti-public transport policies of the Wran and Unsworth Labor governments. He is presently the Democratic Socialists' national industrial convenor. For interviews contact Peter Boyle 02-9690 1230 Democratic Socialists candidates for the 1999 NSW elections: Newcastle: Geoff Payne Campaign office: Resistance Centre, 19/509 Hunter Shopping Village, Newcastle. Tel: 02-4926 5328. Lismore: Bernie Wunsch Campaign office: Tel: 02-6622 0103 Illawarra: Dr Margaret Perrott Wollongong: Angela Luvera Campaign office: Resistance Centre, 23 Central Chambers, cnr Crown St Mall Church St, Wolongong. Tel: 02-4226 2010. Auburn: Shane Bentley Parramatta: Kylie Moon Campaign office: Resistance Centre, Suite 3, Railway Arcade, Darcy St, Parramatta. Tel: 02-9635 8449. Heffron: Dr Jim Green Marrickville: Dr Tuntuni Bhattacharyya Port Jackson: Marina Carman Strathfield: Stephanie Roper Campaign office: Resistance Centre, 23 Abercrombie St, Chippendale, NSW. Tel: 02-9690 1977. Legislative Council ticket: Dick Nichols, Dr Helen Jarvis. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR:PKK and KDP on Ocalan arrest
Osman Ocalan's Statement About the Arrest In the name of Central Committee of Kurdistan Workers Part and Commanders of People Liberation Army of Kurdistan (by Osman Ocalan) This is our call to our people in The North Kurdistan, East Kurdistan, South Kurdistan and (mini) South Kurdistan, to our people in the metropolis and abroad, to all democratic forces and human right organizations: The October 9th international conspiracy aimed at our leadership has reached a new dimension with the hijacking of our leader to Turkey. First and foremost, the actions taken against our leadership are the prime examples of international piracy; they are flagrant violation of international law and basic humanitarian rules. The behavior of countries that champion "human rights" visa vis the Turkish attacks on our leadership is disgraceful. Our peoples desire to express their longing for peace and freedom has been blocked. Our leadership came to Europe to pursue peace. As the leader of people threatened by genocide, people who have sacrificed everything for an honorable and just existence, he extended the hand of peace and asked that this hand be shaken. However, those who talk of human rights and democracy have adamantly refused the hand of peace, they have instead engaged in acts of piracy that violate all norms of international law and humanity in the pursuit of our leadership. Clearly, this conspiracy is directed at our people. This is a conspiracy by imperialist forces sworn to deny our people the right to live in freedom and peace they so deserve. The western powers have demonstrated unequivocally that their petty interests supersede the rights of people to live in peace and freedom. They want us to submit to Turkish genocide machine, like the lambs in slaughterhouse. The attacks on our leadership is a significant element of genocide directed towards our people. Obviously our people should react to this genocide. Freedom can be attained only through struggle against the imperialist interests. Let it be clear: The imperialists and the reactionary forces around the world has sacrificed our peoples quest for peace and freedom to their dirty interests. They desecrated all human values (for the sake of Turkey). What will be the response of our people? Without a doubt, the wishes of imperialists and the reactionaries will not be realized. Kurdish people, both inside the country and abroad, will intensify their struggle for freedom as directed by our leadership. The hopes of imperialists and reactionaries will be dashed. As for any people, freedom is our birthright. Freedom from genocide is our natural right. No one can take away this rights from us. No economic or politic interest can justify infringement on our right to freedom and peace. The imperialists are asking us to consent to genocide. What a folly! The Kurds live for freedom, for honor and dignity. Let no less be expected! Our people shall continue their struggle for freedom under the leadership of Chairman APO. The life shall become unbearable for the Turkish state. Our party, army and liberation front will accomplish these objectives in the name of our people. We will extract a heavy price from Turkish State for the act of piracy against our leadership. Every Kurd, in particular, those living in the country and the metropolis should take whatever action they deem appropriate on this basis. They should employ all the means available to them. We will not bow to enemy, we will only fight it. The Kurds living abroad should not put themselves on fire, they should put the enemy on fire. They should avoid the armed violence, but use every legitimate avenue to defend their national rights and the leadership. Let no one interfere with this struggle. The US is extremely hostile to our people. We have refrained from any hostile act against the United States. The more we refrained from hostile acts against this country, the more intense American hostility towards our people has became. The American authorities has shamelessly justified the act of piracy by Turkey. All this in pursuit of its dirty interests. The Zionist State of Israel, ever concerned about its dirty interests, has joined Turkey in deny our people their legitimate aspirations. Israel armed Turkish army and cooperated with Turkey in all international matters. We wish not make enemies with Israeli people. However, the harder we tried not to make enemies with Israeli people, the more Israel served Turkey, a criminal enterprise, in oppressing our people. In addition, Germany, Italy, Russia and In particular Greece have taken part in the conspiracy against our people. The Greek foreign minister, Mr. Pangolos, has gone so far as to insult our people. Neither Greek government, nor its representatives have any right to insult our people; they may only apologies to our people for their misdeeds. The threat
LL:PR:Solidarity with Kurds
Solidarity with the Kurds! The Democratic Socialist Party declares its solidarity with the Kurdish people in their international protests for the release of Kurdish liberation movement leader Adbullah Ocalan and their ongoing struggle for national self-determination. The Turkish government charges Abdullah Ocalan with "terrorism" but the real terrorists are the Turkish government and their imperialist backers who have waged decades of genocidal war against the Kurdish minority. Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer's labelling of the the Kurdish protests as "un-Australian" is a racist and hypocritical slur against one of the most oppressed nationalities in the world. How is it that the Australian government's support for repressive regimes and aggressive wars is not called "un-Australian" but the desperate protests of the victims of this repression and aggression is labelled "un-Australian"? The Democratic Socialist Party calls upon all progressive people to join in with the Kurdish community in their protests against Abdullah Ocalan's arrest. Acting National Secretary Peter Boyle Democratic Socialist Party PO Box 515, Broadway NSW 2007, AUSTRALIA Ph: +61 2 9690 1230 Fax: +61 2 9690 1381 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.peg.apc.org/~dsp Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:URGENT APPEAL FOR PROTESTS
*** URGENT ACTION NEEDED Date: 14 January 1999 Violence against left leaders in Sri Lanka Leaders of the New Left Front (NLF), Dr Vickramabahu Karunaratne (General Secretary of the Nava Sama Samaja Party - NSSP), comrade Patrick Fernando (the candidate for the post of Chief Minister in the Wayaba provincial council elections) and comrade Nishantha, their driver, were brutally assaulted by thugs who came in motorcycles decorated with flags of the Peoples Alliance - the ruling coalition - on January 13, 1999 around 10pm in Padeniya Kurunegala, a town situated about 80 km from Colombo. The leaders were returning from a public rally held in Kobeigane in support of the NLF candidates contesting the Provincial Council elections for the Wayaba province which is scheduled to be held on January 25, 1999. The thugs had followed the vehicle carrying the leaders since they left the public meeting and attacked them when they stopped for tea at Padeniya town. As a result of this attack, the leaders sustained grave injuries for which they were treated at Kurunegala teaching hospital. While Dr Vickramabahu along to Nishantha had to be removed from the Kurunegala hospital in view of the security situation, Patrick Fernando is still being treated for head and eye injuries in the teaching hospital, ward 31. A complaint has been lodged at the Wariyapola police station regarding the incident. This incident has come at a time where violence has escalated between the ruling Peoples alliance and the United National Party which is now being directed against the candidates of the combined left represented by the parties of the NLF and the Peoples Liberation Front (JVP). The JVP too has reported numerous attacks on their candidates during the recent past. The NSSP has been particularly targeted by the chauvinistic elements of the PA and other parties because it has called for unconditional talks with the LTTE to resolve the North-East issue. We hold the government totally responsible for this state of violence. It has not only failed to control their supporters but has been unable to provide adequate security and create a peaceful atmosphere to conduct a democratic election. We therefore request you to bring this information to the notice of all relevant organisations throughout the region. Send protest letters to President Chandrika Kumaratunga and general Anurudha Ratwatte, Deputy Minister of Defence, 1. To protest against this attack and requesting to take adequate measures to stop any further attacks on the candidates of the left parties. 2. To conduct an impartial inquiry into this incident and punish those responsible for this brutal attack. The relevant addresses are as follows: H E Chandrika Bandaranayaka Kumaranatunga Her Excellency the President of the Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka Presidential Secretariat Colombo 1 Sri Lanka Tel: 94-1-436371 Fax: 94-1-333703 General Anurudha Ratwatte Deputy Minister of Defence Ministry of Defence 15/5 Baladaksha Mawatha Colombo 3 Sri Lanka Tel: 94-1-445699 Fax: 94-1-439380 Please send copies of your letters to the NSSP, 143 Kew Rd, Colombo 2, Sri Lanka. Fax: 94-1-334822 or 94-074-713308. Dr Sunil Ratnapriya On behalf of the International Affairs Committee Nava Sama Samaja Party, Sri Lanka Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html The Year 2000 Bug - An Urgent Sustainability Issue http://www.peg.apc.org/~psutton/grin-y2k.htm
LL: Further update on anti war protests Further update on anti-war protests
Latest details of some of today's demonstrations against the US/British bombing of Iraq: Adelaide: 5pm, Parliament House. Brisbane: 5pm, King George Sq, City. Canberra: 5pm, British High Commission march on US Embassy. Hobart: 4pm, today, Franklin Sq. Melbourne: 5pm, GPO Steps, City. Newcastle: 4.30pm, Civic Park, Cnr King Darby Sts, City. Sydney: 4pm, US Consulate, Martin Place, City. Wollongong: 7pm, tonight, Wollongong Mall. Details of a Perth protest action (probably tomorrow) will be finalised soon. Peter Boyle Democratic Socialist Party national office PO Box 515, Broadway NSW 2007, AUSTRALIA Ph: +61 2 9690 1230 Fax: +61 2 9690 1381 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.peg.apc.org/~dsp end == Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List As vilified, slandered and attacked by One Nation mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:ANTI-WAR ACTIONS TODAY
ANTI-GULF WAR ACTIONS ** FRI 18 DECEMBER The following actions against the US/British bombing of Iraq will take place around Australia today, Friday 18 December: MELBOURNE: 5pm, GPO Steps, City. SYDNEY: 5pm, US Consulate, Martin Place, City. BRISBANE: 5pm, Queen St Mall, City. PERTH: 5pm, Hay St Mall, City. NEWCASTLE: 4pm, Civic Park, City. In HOBART there will be an ANTI-WAR SPEAKOUT CAMPAIGNING STALL on Saturday 19 December at the Salamanca Markets, 10am-3pm. * SPREAD THE WORD! ** Please let us know if there are any we have missed. Peter Boyle Democratic Socialist Party National Office PO Box 515, Broadway NSW 2007, AUSTRALIA Ph: +61 2 9690 1230 Fax: +61 2 9690 1381 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.peg.apc.org/~dsp Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/
LL:DDA:CANBERRA ANTI-WAR RALLY SAT
There will be another protest against the US/British bombing of Iraq in Canberra on Saturday December 19. 12.30pm Civic Mall. Details: 02-6247 2424 Democratic Socialist Party PO Box 515, Broadway NSW 2007, AUSTRALIA Ph: +61 2 9690 1230 Fax: +61 2 9690 1381 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.peg.apc.org/~dsp LL.AL Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/
LL:AA:Nationwide rallies Iraq bombing
MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday 17 December 1998
Stop the bombing of Iraq!
Nation-wide protests organised
Demonstrations against the latest US/British bombing raids on
Iraq have been called today in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne,
Brisbane, Newcastle and Wollongong by anti-war activists. These
match protests being organised in the US and around the world and
will be probably be followed by more protests over the next few
days.
Details of some of today's demonstrations:
Sydney: 4pm, US Consulate, Martin Place, City.
Canberra: 5pm, British High Commission march on US
Embassy.
Melbourne: 5pm, GPO Steps, City.
Brisbane: 5pm, King George Sq, City.
Newcastle: 4.30pm, Civic Park, Cnr King Darby Sts, City.
Wollongong: 7pm, tonight, Wollongong Mall.
"The US and British government have no right to carry out this
latest act of aggression on the people of Iraq", said Mr Peter
Boyle a national spokesperson for the Democratic Socialist Party,
today. "And PM John Howard should be condemned by all
democratic-minded Australians for supporting this latest bloody
Xmas bombing by the US and its allies."
"The economic sanctions on Iraq, which according to UN figures
have killed 1.6 million Iraqi civilians, should have never have
been imposed" said Mr Sean Healy, national coordinator of
Resistance, the youth group that organised this year's high
school walkouts against racism. "It is a barbaric action that
cannot be justified when the US and many of its allies continue
to possess most of the weapons of mass destruction that exist in
the world today."
Former US Attorney-General Ramsey Clark has condemned the bombing
as a "wanton act of mass murder" which the Clinton Administration
had no right to carry out.
For interviews or more information contact:
Peter Boyle or Sean Healy
02-9690 1230
Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance
PO Box 515, Broadway NSW 2007, AUSTRALIA
Ph: +61 2 9690 1230 Fax: +61 2 9690 1381
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Website: http://www.peg.apc.org/~dsp
Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List
http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton
LL:Updated Iraq bombing protest details
Updated details of some of today's demonstrations: Sydney: 4pm, US Consulate, Martin Place, City. Canberra: 5pm, British High Commission march on US Embassy. Hobart: 4pm, today, Franklin Sq. Melbourne: 5pm, GPO Steps, City. Brisbane: 5pm, King George Sq, City. Newcastle: 4.30pm, Civic Park, Cnr King Darby Sts, City. Wollongong: 7pm, tonight, Wollongong Mall. Peter Boyle Democratic Socialist Party National Office PO Box 515, Broadway NSW 2007, AUSTRALIA Ph: +61 2 9690 1230 Fax: +61 2 9690 1381 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.peg.apc.org/~dsp Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton
