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VIDEO The story of cap and trade

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:52:20 PST

With the CPRS upon us like bad smell it is worthwhile considering what trading in carbon means. From the great Story of Stuff people

The Story of Cap & Trade is a fast-paced, fact-filled look at the leading climate solution being discussed at Copenhagen and on Capitol Hill. Host Annie Leonard introduces the energy traders and Wall Street financiers at the heart of this scheme and reveals the "devils in the details" in current cap and trade proposals: free permits to big polluters, fake offsets and distraction from what’s really required to tackle the climate crisis. If you’ve heard about Cap & Trade, but aren’t sure how it works (or who benefits), this is the film is for you.

The Story of Cap & Trade from Story of Stuff Project on Vimeo.

Leggoland and the far left

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 03:35:13 PST

Now and then I seek intellectual entertainments and will ferret around for a profound thought. And what could be more profound than a thought about thought.Take it away , Lev:

Thought is born through words. . . Consciousness is reflected in a word as the sun in a drop of water. A word relates to consciousness as a living cell relates to a whole organism, as an atom relates to the universe. A word is a microcosm of human consciousness." Lev Vygotsky (from Thought and Language)

In part this penchant we humans have to deploy words as tools to think with may explain some of the inability of the far lefts to relate to one another.

Perhaps you are thinking that surely all the far lefts speak the same language -- the language of Marxism?

Yes...and no.

In my experience each left tendency has its own cant and its own patented world view that is sustained by using language as a sort of Leggo. Before you can build the next floor, the next level of the thinking construction (often referred to as "the program"), you have to presume that another rests below it and that for all intents and purposes we are all speaking the same language sitting on the shoulders of the "words" -- especially buzz words -- that have gone before.

The complication being that inasmuch as you are isolated from the main business of society you tend to enclose and turn inwards as much with your outlook as your language.In part this explains some of the inability to win an argument on the far left because to concede one point here and there may bring down the whole house of cards.Rather than allow that to happen , many groups will establish shibboleths in order to defend their conceptual identity from all comers. These act as struts to hold the Leggoland in place being so sacred that they become identifiers akin to architectural styles. I guess you could call them 'kit' homes.

This may all seem a bit of a wank. And I guess I have to plead guilty .

But a recent post on Splintered Sunrise -- and Ireland based blog -- tackles this habit -- I guess it's a habit -- with a telling critique of language deployed by the British Socialist Workers Party. Currently experiencing a bit of an internal faction fight, the SWP disputation is so rhetorically strong that Splintered Sunrise has a field day pulling out the threads and unraveling them.

It may all seem a bit esoteric as you may not have one iota of interest in a barney in a party at some distance to your self, over matters you have no familiarity with. Granted that that is a drawback. Nonetheless what Splintered Sunrise does is approach the challenge posed by the dispute with such a sharp eye for contradictory use of language and the mismanagement of fact that I think we can all learn from the approach.

I find reading SWP Pre-Conference Bulletins something of an enervating experience, requiring you to work yourself up into that willing suspension of disbelief that dramatists aim for. There used to be an awful lot of ringing declarations of the party’s infallibility; statements so sweeping you would hope (usually in vain) that the more bumptious element wouldn’t take them literally; and libertyvalanced versions of events that you were sure didn’t happen like that. The factional situation this time round at least means there are two sides doing the libertyvalancing, and the claims of infallibility has been replaced by an acknowledgement that yes, some minor mistakes were made, but it was all the other lot’s fault. If you remember the polemics between Taaffeites and Grantites when Militant split, it’s a bit like that. There are also some good (and one or two quite strange) contributions from further down the hierarchy, which unfortunately will probably get lost in the mix.

Essentially what Splintered Sunrise is seeking is a return to materialism. This is why SS prefaces his comments with, what seems,a digression on G yörgy Lukács.

That may seem tenuous except that I think SS has a strong point: to make that this left which insists that it is loyal to the materialism of Karl Marx is infected limb and branch with a gratuitous idealism. and it is blithely unaware of how much its assessments of and its interventions in everyday reality are ruled and formatted by a the aspirations embedded in ideas rather than the actual occurrences. It's a sort of doublethink. Templated first in a mindset and imposed on reality via so many schemata that it is now so very difficult to grasp the living real world because there is so much cant in the way.

Seen in Caracas

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:42:26 PST

GLW Caracas Correspondent and Socialist Alliance delegate Kiraz Janicke with Chavez

and with Saras (from Socialist Party of Malaysia) at historic left
party conference in Venezuela last weekend.

Venezuela’s Chavez Calls for International Organisation of Left Parties | venezuelanalysis.com

CRIME FICTION Sjöwall and Wahloo's denoument for the post war boom

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:55:21 PST

Cop Killer by Maj Sjöwall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Is this the best of the 10 written by Sjöwall and Wahloo? Ironic, more bitter and cynical than its predecessors (it is the second last novel published), more than any other it is sharply critical of Swedish society of the mid 70s. If there is a Martin Beck world view, and Martin is no ideologue, this is it. Separated from Stockholm and working a case in Skane there's more opportunity for reflection and for the plot to explore a wry satirical look at the way modern journalism and state power bends reality for preferential ends.

The way these two writers construct their plots and engineer their POV is superbly crafted. They set a threshold for crime fiction that seems now only to relate to those Swedish writers who came after them. The pity is that they warrant much more deference than they get. This isn't pulp fiction by any stretch of the imagination but literary works that masquerade in a simplicity and coherency of language that ensured that none of these novels are either over written, or dramatised to the point of exaggeration. Beck is not living a fictional lifestyle, or inhabiting a mythic capacity to solve crime. He is a character in a broader existence which he cannot control or manipulate but which throws at him -- and us -- the capacity for evil through what we do to one another as our society trims our options and corporatizes our resources.

The irony is that the political dialogue that is housed in the Martin Beck series is a dénouement for the post war e boom that by the time Beck was being written up was running its course. If the welfare state was the best of all possible worlds then god help us, it is a sham.

So for those who may share a mixed nostalgia for the days before Neo-Liberalism took over, the novels of Sjöwall and Wahloo are a sharp warning that the trickle down effect wasn't trickling much at all even in everyone's favorite welfare state template, Sweden.

The one draw back with the Beck series is that after you've read the ten novels, that's it.One was published after Per Wahloo's premature death and we've had to wait until this recent republishing to be reminded of what a remarkbale series these novels are.

So there's only one thing for it: read them again, and again....

View all my reviews

Tasmanian Aboriginal site being destroyed

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:10:39 PST

Tasmanian Aboriginals are blockading the construction site of the Brighton Bypass this morning. The area has many significant Aboriginal archelogical sites that are yet to be explored or protected, but the state government has ignored this and are building a highway across the area. The Tasmanian Aborignial Centre have declared a black ban on all other sites of Aboriginal significance across the state if construction doesn't stop immediately, this includes their work with the state government on two other major roads being built at the moment.

Four SA comrades are at the protest this morning. Call Tim Dobson on 0430 209 865 to get more info or send messages of support to nala.m@tacinc.com.au

THE Tasmanian Aboriginal community is preparing for a "fight to the death" over the Brighton bypass site.

One protester has been arrested and eight others could face charges after a protest at the site yesterday.

And tensions are expected to run high again today with a larger group of Aboriginal protesters vowing to return to the work site and stop construction any way they can.

Activist Aaron Everett yesterday was charged with trespass after Aboriginal community members entered a work site near Brighton and tried to stop bulldozers and excavators making a start on the $164 million roadworks -- southern Tasmania's biggest infrastructure project.

After being told to move off the site, the group complied but later returned and Mr Everett was arrested.

TAC legal adviser Michael Mansell said the community had been assured that work would not begin on the project until next week when he would meet Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Arts secretary Kim Evans to discuss trying to divert the planned highway away from Aboriginal artefacts that allegedly litter the valley.

An angry Mr Mansell said as soon as the TAC had been advised that work had already started the group converged on the site to try to halt the works.

But the developers were ready with security officers who were sitting in vehicles beside the machinery.

As soon as the group, including outspoken Aboriginal activist Trudy Maluga, walked towards the machinery the two guards attempted to escort them back to the Midland Highway.

When that did not work, police were called.

"The site has artefacts that we think date back 18,000 years and because our history is not written down, once it has gone we can no longer learn from it. This is the equivalent of building a McDonalds on top of the Great Pyramid in Egypt -- these people are a disgrace."

If the artefacts do date back 18,000 years, they would pre-date the pyramids by more than 15,000 years.

A spokesman for DPIPWE said the TAC had been offered the opportunity to meet Mr Evans on Monday but they still had not responded.

Mr Mansell has renewed threats that work on the bypass will only happen "over my dead body". He says the road should be widened on its current route and the bypass abandoned.

"We will do whatever we have to do. We will take our fight to UNESCO if we have to," Mr Mansell said.

The area runs at least 15km along the Jordan River.

FACTS ON ARTEFACTS

• Evidence of items dating back 18,000 years.

• Archaeological digs have found the artefacts 600mm below the surface.

• Remains include food scraps, middens, tools.

• Estimated population over several thousand years of up to 500,000.

• Unlike transient communities around the state, evidence suggests this was a stable, constant community.

• The community in the Lower Jordan Valley was made up of several tribes including members of the Big River, Oyster Bay, Stoney Creek, Nuenone (Bruny Island) and Mouheeneener people.

• It is believed the area may include burial sites.

• John Glover painted Aboriginal habitation of the Lower Jordan.

CRIME FICTION Rain Gods -- living out our tragedian lot

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:47:11 PST

Rain Gods: A Novel by James Lee Burke

Not your regular James Lee Burke character but an aging town sheriff with more in common with King Lear than a mythic Wyatt Earp. Burke's protagonists are usually pursued by demons -- often gathered up in past imperialist wars -- and with Sheriff Hackberry Holland the dead hand of the Korean War rests on his mind as a nightmare of regret.

Despite the very busy plot, this novel is about the mind of a man who knows that life is finite and often, in the choices we are forced to make, the nemesis with which we struggle is so often a mirror of what rests within ourselves. So in his pursuit of mass murderer and elusive apocalyptic madman, Preacher Jack, Holland has to stretch his measure if only to keep up with the slaughter with a few notches of his own.

It can be bloody hell in Texas, even today -- but when Burke addresses the criminal intersection between people smugglers, drug dealers and pimps; his novels function as tragedies -- or, to be more precise, near tragedies -- as despite the murder and mayhem some one has to live through it all so there can be a sequel.

That Holland or another Burke hero will survive may be a given, but en route it's all about the getting of wisdom and Burke's novels are meditations on the human existence formatted by competing moralities and coarse pragmatisms played out at the point of a gun.

Evil makes sense in Burke's world. All deeds are sensible. What may seem like a good idea at the time is really about making a living the best any character knows how. There is judgment that separates good from evil, and punishes accordingly and the price for victory is always too high. But at least, in the end, things can get back to normal.

That we fight these fights in a world of stunning beauty, of sunsets and lightning storms, is mere ambiance not the gods making a ruling on our petty squabbles at the point of a gun.

In that sense 21st Century James Lee Burke has moved on from William Shakespeare and now under the regime of our modern democracies we get to live out a tragedian's lot so long as we do harm to others.

View all my reviews

VIDEO The Union Show - Climate Change

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:58:38 PST

This is our last Union Show episode for 2009.
We hear from the CFMEU's General President, Tony Maher, as well as other union leaders including the ETU's Dean Mighell about the challenge of climate change and the unions.

Pamphlet to download: Marta Harnecker's `Ideas for the Struggle'

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:10:36 PST

This 12-part series of articles by Marta Harnecker (translated by Federico Fuentes ) on ideas for how to organise for socialism in the 21st century first appeared in /Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal/. It is now available download free as a pamphlet in PDF format.

Marta Harnecker is originally from Chile where she participated in the revolutionary process of 1970-1973. She has written extensively on the Cuba Revolution, and on the nature of socialist democracy. She now lives in Caracas and is a participant in the Venezuelan revolution.

Download it at http://links.org.au/node/1374

Latest Alliance Voices Volume 9, No 5, November 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:21:49 PST

alliancevoices.blogspot.com

Current Issue - Volume 9, No 5, November 2009

Download pdf version for printing

SEVENTH NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Deadline for national conference resolutions and Alliance Voices

DISCUSSION

______________________________

Deadline for national conference resolutions and Alliance Voices

The November 19 meeting of the SA national executive set a deadline of midnight on December 15 for all submissions to Alliance Voices this year. This deadline will allow the comrades who produce the discussion bulletin to get the final pre-conference issue published before taking a break for Christmas. All draft resolutions for the Seventh na...
Resolution on Afghanistan

By Trent Hawkins (Melbourne), Pip Hinman and Tony Iltis (Sydney) are presenting this policy draft for consideration at the 7th National Conference. We think that Socialist Alliance should formally adopt the position we have been campaigning on: to demand the Rudd ALP government withdraw the troops from Afghanistan.* Preamble: The Socialist A...
Resolution on child-care policy draft

By Kerryn Williams, Sydney West Preamble: Over the past two decades, the childcare sector has become increasingly corporate-dominated. This shift began when in 1991 the federal Labor government ended public subsidies to non-profit childcare centres and instead began providing payments to individual parents to use at a childcare centre of their...
Ecosocialism: why we need it

[The following article is based on a presentation by Aaron Roden of Sydney West Socialist Alliance.] Let’s start with the climate science. The CSIRO website offers some data. Over the past century the global average surface temperature has risen by 0.74 ºC. In Australia there has been a 0.9ºC warming since 1950. Average northern hemisphere temp...
Assimilation is genocide

By Pat Eatock, Sydney Central [The following talk was given at the launch of The Aboriginal Struggle and the Left on November 22 in Sydney West. We are here to launch Terry Townsend’s book, Aboriginal Struggle and the Left. I may also refer sometimes to Socialist Alliance’s other recent publication, the policy document on Abori...

Contact the Socialist Alliance

Chavez' announces Fifth International plan at international left conference in Caracas

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:46:30 PST

Rough slightly edited google translation

President Chávez announces the Fifth Socialist International

President Hugo Chavez urged the leftist parties in the world to create a true leftist socialist forum, willing to face up to imperialism. He outlined the creation of a preparatory committee to make formal convening of the Fifth International. "I take responsibility bfore the world", Chavez said

The president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, said it was time to create a Fifth Socialist International, linking the progressive movement, facing the challenge posed by the current "global crisis".

"I think it was time to convene the Fifth International, and I venture to make the call, which I think is a necessity. I venture to request that we create my propsal. I think it is decided", said Chavez during the closing of the World Meeting of Left Parties and Movements.

The head of state invited the representatives of the countries present at the meeting to participate in a truly new project "that the meeting of the socialist left should be genuine, willing to fight against imperialism and capitalism," he said.

Chavez explained that "some representatives of the parties [here] must make calls and think a bit before adopting the final document creation. Take your time, discuss, make the calls to be done, but let me call the creation of the new body, I take responsibility before the world, "he said.

The Venezuelan president also proposed that the list of member parties set up a preparatory committee to formally call for the Fifth International.

"The constitution of the preparatory committee could be one of the conclusions of this First Meeting of Parties of the Left," he said.

"There is no time to lose. It is very urgent, because the global crisis is accelerating," warned Chavez.

This international meeting ran from Thursday 19 November to Saturday 21 November.

This important political event involved over 150 delegates and 40 groups from around the world who discussed the threats of the empire, the installation of seven U.S. military bases in Colombia, the coup in Honduras, the fall of capitalism and Socialism of the XXI century.

This meeting was attended by 26 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, seven from Europe and six from Africa, Asia and Oceania.

This meeting was conceived as a platform to develop democratic proposals from a socialist vision and committed people throughout the world.

Read more detailed report on Links -- Venezuela: Chavez calls for new international organisation of left parties

Green Left Weekly - A new Spanish-language supplement

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:09:58 PST

For environmentalists, Indigenous rights activists, feminists, socialists and all progressive people, Latin America is a source of hope and inspiration today. The people of Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador and El Salvador, among others, are showing that radical social change is possible and a better, more just society can be imagined and built.

The tide of rebellion and revolution now sweeping Latin America is posing a serious challenge to imperialism’s brutal global rule. For anyone who wants an end to war, exploitation and oppression, Latin America’s struggles to create alternatives are crucially important.

Green Left Weekly is strongly committed to supporting the growing “people’s power” in Latin America. We are proud of the fact that GLW is the only Australian newspaper to have a permanent bureau in Latin America, based in Caracas, Venezuela.

Through our weekly articles on developments in the region, GLW strives to counter the corporate media’s many lies about Latin America’s revolutions, and to give a voice in English to the people’s movements for change.

The continent-wide rebellion is weakening imperialism’s power. As a result, it is taking increasingly threatening steps to push back the power of the people. Our solidarity, to help the people of Latin America defend and extend their tremendous achievements, is vital.

Through providing facts and analysis, and publicising and organising Latin America solidarity activities in Australia, GLW has sought to promote greater understanding and solidarity between the people of Australia and Latin America.

We are therefore delighted to publish the first edition of Latin America Social Forum, a Spanish-language supplement to be produced regularly by the Latin America Social Forum in Sydney.

We hope the supplement will help build stronger links and solidarity between the Spanish-speaking communities in Australia and all those involved in the urgent struggles for the people and the planet. In the words of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez: “Time is short. If we don’t change the world now, there may be no 22nd century.”

GLW congratulates the Latin America Social Forum for launching this important publication, and looks forward to continuing to help build solidarity in Australia, and around the world, with Latin America’s movements for freedom, democracy, sustainability and justice.

AUDIO Guatemala and Mining Rape

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:51:45 PST

5.6Mb 128kbps 6 minutes 7 seconds.

Graham Russel of Rights Action talks to community radio about the latest outbreaks of violence in Guatemala - no it isn't guerilla or terrorist acts - they have been commited by the 'security' guards paid by a Canadian mining company, that has been in cahoots with a corrupt Guatemalan military establishment that goes back to the 1960s.

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Original audio source (RightsAction_GrahameRusselGuatemala22_Nov_2009.mp3)

AUDIO Timor - Guns in the Parliament?

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:48:35 PST

6.2Mb. 128 kbps mono 6 minutes 42 seconds

Jose Texeiro, Fretilin Parliamentarian questions the need for armed gunmen inside the Parliament of Timor Leste.

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Original audio source (JoseTPt1_21_Nov_2009.mp3)

AUDIO: Timor - Budget debate up for grabs.

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:43:46 PST

2Mb. 128 kbps 2 minutes 11 seconds

Jose Teixero, Fretilin Parliamentarian comments on the budget debate in the Timorese Parliament, that does not seem to be fulfilling the needs of the majority of the Timorese people.

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Original audio source (JoseTPt2Budget21_Nov_2009.mp3)

AUDIO El Salvador - Pacific Rim gold mining intimidation

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:42:17 PST

6Mb. 128 kbps. mono 6 mins 34 seconds.

Alexis, spokesperson for CISPES (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) talks about the activities of the Pacific Rim Mining Company in El Salvador, currently sueing the government for closing down its operations after the deaths and disappearances of anti-mining activists.

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Original audio source (CISPES21_Nov_2009.mp3)

Australia: Elected socialist's goal of `campaigning' local council gained wide support

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:11:11 PST

Sam Wainwright with Justine Kamprad.

Justine Kamprad is a co-convenor of the Fremantle branch of the Socialist Alliance, in Western Australia (WA), and was the party's campaign director for the October 17, 2009, Fremantle City Council election, which saw socialist Sam Wainwright top the poll and get elected with 33.44% of the vote. Wainwright is the first member of the Socialist Alliance to be elected to public office in Australia, and one of only two socialist party members currently in an elected local council position in the country. Jim McIlroy spoke to Kamprad about the successful campaign.

* * *

What were the main aims of Sam Wainwright’s election campaign?

The main goals of the campaign were to engage the local community, and create the hope that their activism could be effective. That was a huge part of the campaign. When Sam announced he was going to run a number of people approached him about forming policy with him and actively engaging in developing community interest.

The clearest example of this is the disability rights area. There were many people who came to Sam wanting to become involved as individuals and with their organisations in writing quality policy for the Fremantle council around disability support services.

But also they had the respect for Sam as an activist who they thought they could work with to try to get that policy implemented, knowing full well that even if Sam was elected he wouldn’t hold the majority of votes on council.

The Socialist Alliance wasn’t running as a ticket to take over the council, to create a council that would be able to do all these things on behalf of people. Sam was running as a councillor to give a community voice for peoples’ campaigning, to be another tool in the campaigning arsenal in the Fremantle area.

Often we know that for all the good intentions of the councillors, sometimes policy doesn’t get voted on or isn’t exactly what people want, or it gets trapped in the bureaucracy or the committee stage.

This was about getting an activist onto council, rather that somebody who wanted to be involved in the bureaucracy.

Sam is a declared socialist, well known in the local area, and had run for the Socialist Alliance in the previous state government by-election for Fremantle. What was the structure of this campaign? Did he get support from other groups and individuals to run for the council?

Sam has been a longstanding candidate for the Socialist Alliance in the Fremantle area. He has been living in the community for about six years. He is very well known as an activist.

But in this case, there was additional support that was quite deep and came from a variety of political backgrounds. There were a number of reasons for this. One was that most people believed his campaign was winnable. And another was that they believed that Sam was a very genuine activist, non-sectarian and that he would work tirelessly for the community and its campaigns.

Sam has built up that level of credibility over a long time. Those things coming together meant that there were a number of people who would not necessarily support us in other elections who were prepared to support us this time.

Also we received a large amount of publicity during the Fremantle by-election. In some ways Sam was already a well-known public figure. During the course of the council campaign, people walked up to him in the local hardware shop and supermarket saying, “You’re that Sam guy, good on you”, and that kind of thing. So he was already well recognised when the council campaign started.

What did the local Socialist Alliance membership see as the purpose of the campaign?

As a co-convenor of Socialist Alliance, I was really supportive of Sam’s campaign, and there were a number of reasons for that. One is that to have an open socialist elected in the way that Sam was brings a degree of legitimacy to socialism in Western Australia. It brings a level of respect to all those who talk about being socialists and wear that badge quite proudly.

The other part of it is that the Socialist Alliance is genuinely engaged in campaigning in Western Australia. We believe that Sam winning this position won’t be a panacea for the various campaigns. It certainly won’t fix some campaigns that are huge on our radar like the campaign against uranium mining and export.

But what [the election result] will do is put an extra tool in the toolkit for activists to draw on and to use to further their cause.

What made the Socialist Alliance’s campaign different from other parties?

All of the policies Sam campaigned on are values the Socialist Alliance supports. In particular, in the election policy leaflet, Sam clearly stated that he was co-convenor of Socialist Alliance in Fremantle and had served on the state executive. He explained that as a trade unionist [he is a member of the Maritime Union of Australia] and as a socialist, he had learnt important skills that would help him represent the community in a positive way.

It wasn’t about saying, “I am qualified to do this job because I am a socialist”, but rather, “These are the skills that being a socialist brings me, and means that I will bring to you in supporting your campaigns.”

So the election campaign strongly supported the ideas of socialism. And for me, one of the strengths of the Socialist Alliance is that we are a collective of activists, a collective of people who want to change the world.

All the things the Socialist Alliance is fighting for, if they were fundamentally implemented, would make Fremantle a better place. And some of them would make the world a better place. And that’s what Sam’s campaign was all about.

It’s about having hope as well. It’s was about having the hope that we can campaign and that we can win by openly being who we are, as socialists. That we can speak openly to the community as socialists, not shying away from the fact.

What were the main policy planks of Sam’s campaign?

First, we said we wanted to make Fremantle a “fight climate change” council. There have been many environmental campaigns that have a strong base in Fremantle. There’s a large base of the Sea Shepherd environmental group in Fremantle. There’s also an organisation called the Fremantle Anti-Nuclear Group. They had a little bit of a break for a year or so. Unfortunately due to the election of the Liberal Party state government, there’s very much pressure on WA once again to be part of the nuclear industry.

Climate change is one of the issues around which Fremantle residents are very conscious. If Sam’s plans for council action on climate change are implemented, it will serve as a model in WA for how councils can shift to a less wasteful and more climate-friendly footing.

But it also puts responsibility on the councillors to speak out against wasteful things and negative things in terms of our environment. When someone is elected on that platform it allows him or her to engage with and help the climate movement — climate change activists — who want to make a difference.

The second plank was better public transport, including linking Fremantle to [the suburbs of] Beaconsfield, Hilton and Samson with free Central Area Transit (CAT) buses. That links in with the first policy. Public transport is one of the practical steps that we need to take in order to de-congest our roads, to stop spending the inordinate amount of money that we are now on roads and also to get people out of their cars and into public transport.

The original CAT buses were in Perth. The fundamental principle of the CAT bus is that it is a free service. There are only two such services in WA. One is the Perth Free Transit Service and the other is the CAT bus, which runs basically as a tourist service in Fremantle — and it only goes to suburbs that you have to have a lot of money to live in the first place. We should provide free public transport for the people who live in the poorer suburbs of Hilto, Hamilton and Willagee to give them more of a chance to engage in our community.

We would like the Fremantle City Council to have a look at the needs of the community, and fundamentally shift from being a car-based community to being a public transport and bicycle-based community.

Sam's campaign also focused on fighting for the rights of council and community workers. This is quite a hot topic. In the Fremantle state by-election there was a lot of debate. The outgoing mayor had been preselected for the Australian Labor Party (ALP) for the seat of Fremantle.

One of those who spoke out and urged people not to vote for him was the union that represented the employees of the Fremantle City Council, the Australian Services Union (ASU). Council workers are now on a non-union collective agreement. And some work conditions have been undermined for future workers.

The existing workforce managed to keep hold of what they had, but some provisions of the new agreement adversely affected new workers. The ASU and its members didn’t want that to go forward. They thought that it essentially meant taking [rights and conditions from] the next generation of workers. Their opposition created a large amount of conflict within the council.

Sam’s position was clearly to support the right of workers to be unionised. One of the things that he’s done since he’s been elected has been to engage with his union (the Maritime Union of Australia), and a number of other unions, to organise a community float for the Fremantle Festival, which is called “Unions: Part of the Fremantle Community”. The ASU was one of the initiators of the float. It was about putting Fremantle back on the map as a trade union town, has it has been for a long time and needs to stay that way. That we need to respect workers’ rights within our institutions.

Another big campaign issue for the Socialist Alliance was maintaining the area’s beaches, parks and green spaces for everyone. Fremantle is a beautiful place. The beaches are very nice. And there’s a lot of open community space. But there has been the move to privatise those spaces, and sell some of them off for high-density urban development. This includes the Three Harbours Project, which was trying to create a Dubai-style development in WA. Sam was involved in the campaign to stop that. But more fundamentally, we need to keep the beaches as public property — available to everyone.

For a long time Fremantle was a poor working-class area, but when people caught on to the idea that it was a beautiful place they started to move there. And unfortunately that has been a contradiction. Although we welcome people to our area, it has resulted in development pressure on beaches and so on. We want to make sure we maintain the green spaces that we do have. But not only the big ones like the beaches, but we want to maintain in our suburbs places for children to play and places for people to walk and to enjoy the green spaces when they want to.

All this makes us a more healthy community.

Next, we said council rates should be based on the ability to pay. I’m quite excited about this. We have a really massive problem in Fremantle, which is that there is a lot of land which is exempt from rates -- educational institutions, state government-owned properties and those kinds of things.

Where the state government isn’t putting in its fair share, we need to be looking at making sure that this is actually happening. And that includes land such as that owned by the Fremantle Port Authority, and other places like that. But also we need to make sure that where educational institutions are private and run for profit, that they’re not taking advantage of the rates situation.

Notre Dame University owns quite a lot of land in Fremantle’s western end, and many of the buildings there have been saved because of council orders around heritage. It is a rapidly growing institution, which is run for profit. The ironic thing is that every time Notre Dame buys another building, that undermines the council rate base. So there’s a memorandum of understanding between the council and Notre Dame University and it needs to be reviewed to make sure that it is paying at least the equivalent of business rates that would be paid by any other private profit venture.

We have a lot of long-term residents who may have bought their properties before Fremantle became a trendy place to live in. We want to make sure that those older and longer-term residents are valued and that they are encouraged to stay in the area.

I don’t think there is any magic formula in terms of rates, but it really does need to be looked at by the community, as to how we keep these people, whether it’s rate freezes, or banding like they have in England. There, they have a number of different bands, which can mean that some residents are exempt from rate rises.

Nearly all the rates in our area, whether it be Melville Council or Fremantle, have gone up much higher than inflation and we need to look at how we are going to address this problem in Fremantle.

And the last major issue we raised, a big one, is “council democracy”. As socialists we argue for more democracy. More democracy in the council arena is definitely a good thing. But what we need to do is to give the community real control over its resources, how money is spent and where it is spent, and also how we address key issues.

At present there are regular precinct meetings, which allow residents to bring up issues. But there is no binding mechanism on the council to actually address issues that are raised. We need a discussion about how we can get people more involved, and how we can bring new standards of democracy to the council. But what it is really about is encouraging activism, and valuing our activists. We need to get people speaking their minds and thinking of real solutions to the problems that we face.

Could you clarify the concept of a `campaigning council'?

It’s about saying that the council needs to more than just be a functional institution for running local government. It should have a deeper role in our community than that. One of the things the council can do is to get behind and support key campaigns that they know the Fremantle community is on board with. For example, we know that the Fremantle community is overwhelmingly against the nuclear industry and has been for a long time.

It’s not just about standing up periodically and saying we’re against the nuclear industry, but looking at a real plan for how we can support those campaigns being run by the anti-nuclear groups and deciding what the council is willing to do to prevent the expansion of the nuclear industry in WA. That’s the question that Sam will be looking closely at.

It seems ironic that the council has a formal position of being anti-nuclear, and yet there was a large uranium mining conference held here only months before the state election.

What about the campaign for Aboriginal people's rights?

There’s a large Indigenous community in the electorate, mainly in the suburb of Hilton. There is also a very vital campaign being run in regard to the death of an Indigenous elder, Mr Ward, in a prison van. It is very important that we build support for that campaign in Fremantle.

But more broadly than that, we have to look at the criminalisation of our young Indigenous people and the huge incarceration rate they suffer.

One of the things that we do need to look at is how to make positive community change. There’s the Nungar patrol that’s happened in Fremantle for a long time. Basically it’s a service to make sure that Nungar people [the local Aboriginal people] are not left on the streets, when they are vulnerable to attack. At night it helps Nungar people get home and it is also a culturally relevant service in terms of conflict resolution and so on.

Part of Sam’s campaign was to support the Nungar patrol being extended into the suburbs. It is a culturally relevant solution, rather than criminalisation.

How did this relate to Neighbourhood Watch?

Essentially, there are a layer of people in our community who are older and are frightened, and to whom law and order issues are very real. And they do feel threatened. We have to make sure that the solution that the community comes up with doesn’t just mean more criminalisation of young people. We have to actively engage in this dialogue, rather than just shut it out and say, “Oh that’s just law and order politics, and socialists just don’t do it.” It is not ok to abstain in these discussions. We want to have an open dialogue with Neighbourhood Watch that says that if there are police in our community, they have to be accountable. We have to recognise the negative role of the police, but we also have to look at ways to make our communities a better place to live in, which includes stopping the cycle of violence and criminalisation in our communities.

And if we can open that dialogue up with people who are campaigning around law and order issues, it will be a much more positive dialogue — rather than the one that tends to happen, because the mainstream media presents all of this fear-based politics.

The main solution currently offered is: if we lock everyone up, all of the community’s problems will be solved. That hasn’t worked, and we need to engage with the community members directly, to find out what the their concerns really are.

A lot of work went into the election campaign. How did it develop?

Sam and others did a lot of work during this campaign. But we did use a formula, devised by the campaign team at the start of the effort. Essentially that formula went something like this: Sam had to tell people exactly who he was, but he also had to ask people what their opinions were.

A very powerful tool that he used was to survey every household in the community, asking people what their priorities were for their community. Sam doorknocked the majority of people in the area. He held community BBQs and picnics in an attempt to find out the issues that were impacting on the community. Because there is no point saying you want to represent people if you don’t know that community, if you’re not genuinely interested in the views and concerns the community has.

Now that you have a socialist elected to the Fremantle council, what is the future for the community and the campaign for socialism?

It’s a very positive sign for socialists. There were a lot of people who said, “Look, people really like you, but this socialist thing really scares them”, or “You can’t do that if you want to get elected”.

Despite this, Sam said clearly on the front of all his leaflets that he was a socialist. He was running because he was a socialist, he was committed to left-wing principles, and if people didn’t want to vote for that, they shouldn’t vote for him.

And it was a really positive sign that he was elected. It is positive for the Socialist Alliance, but also for activists in WA. The state needs more activism. We need more people to get out on the streets and get into all these different forms of campaigning to effect some real change from the grassroots level.

Sam will be a spirited activist in favour of that form of change, and I’m sure he will lead the way in that area. I’m really excited about what he’ll be able to achieve, and what socialists in WA will be able to achieve.

There are a lot of positive lessons that socialists around Australia can learn out of the campaign. But what it clearly shows is that people aren’t afraid of socialist ideas. The community in general isn’t afraid of people campaigning on principled ideas.

One crucial idea is that capitalism has had its day. And we need to replace it with something that is more positive, more humane and more environmentally sustainable.

That a socialist could be elected in Fremantle, or anywhere, to represent that idea, and be proud to wear that badge, is a really positive change.

It’s breaking out of the idea that the inner-city “left ghettoes” of Sydney and Melbourne is where change and activism happens. It shows the outlying capitals and the regional areas have just as much to contribute in terms of conscious political change as those other places do, and just as much power to make it happen.

AUDIO El Salvador - Ex - guerilla in politics, visiting Australia (Spanish/Espanol)

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:58:05 PST

14.5Mb. 128kbps. mono 15mins 51 seconds (Spanish Language)

En jefe del editorial del Tasmanian Times , James Dryburgh hizo este entrevista con David Rodriguez Noviembre 16 2009, en Hobart. David esta visitando Australia como un Diputado de la Asamblea de El Salvador, y representante del FMLN. James pregunta - como es, ser politico despues de tantos anos como guerillero? Pueden las experiencias de vivir como guerillero informar el comportamiento politico?

Editor at large of the Tasmanian Times James Dryburgh interviewed visiting Salvadoran Parliamentarian David Rodriguez on November 16 in Hobart. James has some interesting questions for David, especially how his experience as a guerilla fighter informs his role as a politician. Something our more comfortable Australian pollies might want to think about.

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Original audio source (David_RodriguezConverted.mp3)

Fact Sheet and Calls for International Solidarity for the Tamil’s Asylum Seekers in Indonesia

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:35:12 PST

From Indonesian Working People's Association - PRP

Nov 18, 2009

Profile

Some 255 asylum seekers from Sri Lanka since 11 October 2009 still live in a wooden boat leaning on Harbor Indah Kiat, Merak, Banten. Merak in Banten Province is a small city 120 km or about 3 hours drive from Jakarta. The wooden boat they use is about 100 feet2 (30.48m2). On the ship they share a place among 195 men, 29 women, one of them is 5 month pregnant, and 31 children. They are Tamil who came from some areas in Sri Lanka such as Jaffna, Batticaloa, Mullaittivu and Colombo. They left their home country, Sri Lanka, a result from prolonged conflict between the government and LTTE armed groups. There are six main reasons why they left Sri Lanka: Racial Discrimination, oppression by LTTE to join them, genocide, persecution, kidnapping and murder. Now in Sri Lanka over 250,000 people are suffering in so-called refugee camps, which are in fact torture camps. In all parts of Sri Lanka Tamil-speaking people have been arrested and killed.

The Travel of Asylum Seeker

In Malaysia

The Asylum Seeker leaved Sri Lanka not at the same time then meets in Malaysia. In Malaysia they stay at detention center. Some of them managed administer their refugee documents in the UNHCR Malaysia office. The total number of person who has Refugees Document from UNHCR is 109 people. Another 24 have UNHCR letters stating they are in the final stages of refugee determination. However, because Malaysia has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, they cannot get their rights as refugees. Among those rights are the right to work and the right to a decent livelihood. Another problem in Malaysia is: the health service came late despite being sick. It is hard and sometime they do not get medical services from the hospital, despite brought the documents required and also the lack of education for their children. They stated also that the Sri Lanka Government belief that Tamil people residing in Malaysia is involved with the LTTE. Because of that condition, they decided to flee from Malaysia on October 1, 2009 to continue the journey to Australia in the hope for a better life.

In Indonesia

By using wooden boat they began to depart from Malaysia to Australia. On October 10, 2009, they were intercept by the Indonesian Navy, and force them to dock at the port of Indah Kiat, Merak, Banten, Indonesia. Since then, they were in detention Indonesian Navy. Next the authority was switch to the Banten Immigration Office and also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the help from IOM (International Organization on Migration).

They refused to leave the ship and to be moved to a building near the port which is provided by the immigration authorities because of fears of arrest, deported back to Sri Lanka. They worry that there is no guarantee of fulfillment and protection of human rights, including rights to health and education for their children. Indonesia hasn’t signed the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugee.

The desire of the Asylum Seeker

They refuse to be send to their home country Sri Lanka. Fears of persecution by the Government of Sri Lanka became the main reason for the rejection. They also didn’t want to meet with representative from Sri Lanka Embassy. For fearing of their identity might be known by the Sri Lanka government and it will affect their relatives in Sri Lanka.

They also requested that the Government of Indonesia does not hold them, and to release or let them continue their journey.

They want the UNHCR to visit them as soon as possible to discuss the fate and the protection of their rights as asylum seekers/ refugees.

They wanted to be in a contry that can give assurance of their life existence as Tamils ethnic. They wanted a better life especially for the economy, education, health, and other fundamental rights for their children in countries that have the ability to fulfill it. Like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc.

Indonesian Government Policies

The existence of diplomatic agreements related to immigration flows between the Government of Indonesia and Australia’s "Indonesian solution", pointed out as a major factor for the detention of this asylum seekers from Sri Lanka. Related to these asylum seekers, Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has requested the help of the Government of Indonesia to continue holding asylum seekers in Indonesia. For these purposes, the Australian Government would provide the budget.

On the other hand, Indonesia does not have a framework for dealing with asylum seekers or refugees. Indonesia also hasn’t sign the UN Convention on Refugee Status. This resulted in lack of clarity about the fate of asylum seekers and refugees. Fundamental rights, of those are guaranteed by the civil rights and political covenant, as well as covenants of economic rights, social, and cultural became ignored. The asylum seekers cannot obtain a decent living in this country. More severe, asylum seekers are often classified as illegal immigrants in the context of Indonesian law that can be detained and treated as criminal immigration, which then leads to the arrest and deportation. Such policy is clearly a threat to asylum seekers, as well as refugees.

What We Do?

We consolidate several organization to build a coalition, those organization are: Confederation Congress of Indonesia Union Alliance, Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, Legal Aid Institute Foundation and Human Rights Working Group. And we named our coalition: Civil Society Solidarity for Asylum Seeker and Refuges. We have visited the refugees three times. The last one is with Indonesia Human Rights Commission. We have also had a meeting with UNHCR.

In the meeting with UNHCR, they said that Indonesia UNHCR is maintaining a silent publicity. This is due to Indonesia hasn’t sign the UN Convention. UNHCR also stated that they have been asking for an access from the Foreign Ministry. But their request was rejected.

In a meeting between the Asylum Seeker, Working Peoples Association, Indonesia Human Rights Commission and our coalition, the Human Rights Commission promises several things: they will contact the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to provide better basic needs and they will contact the Foreign Ministry to pressure them in finding a solution for the Asylum Seeker.

On Sunday, 15 November 2009, Working Peoples Association with Confederation KASBI visited Merak again for the purpose to giving several goods that they need but not provided by the IOM. Among other things are; mirror, comb, SIM card, mobile phone, laptop and some Indonesian currency to be exchange with the foreign currency they have. The other is to ask what other things they need but not being given by IOM. From our campaign some of Working Peoples Association members and other peoples have given donation. But we are forbidden to enter the area. On Tuesday, 17 November 2009, PRP and Coalition held press conference urging the Indonesian government to give access to Indonesian people’s solidarity, UNHCR and other humanitarian aid.

The condition of the Asylum Seeker

They perform daily activities in the wooden boat ranging from bathing, washing, cleaning, cooking, eating, drinking, playing, etc. They have to take turns to sleep on the narrow deck. International Organization on Migration (IOM), Indonesia became the supplier of their basic needs while they dock in Merak, Banten. Under the coordination of the Merak Immigration, IOM distributed staples such as water, food, and some other needs.

On 26–30 October 2009, the distribution of their basic needs was stopped. This is done to force them to move from the ship and live in buildings that have been provided. However, the Asylum Seeker stays and refused to move. The Merak immigration authorities denied that they stop the supply of basic needs for the asylum seekers. Although they acknowledge the facts about the supply of basic needs was stopped and implicitly that the termination came from initiative of the Government. They stated that it would be better that asylum seekers living in the building provided by the immigration authorities.

IOM and the Indonesian government give them 3.000 liter water a day, one t shirt and one shorts for male and a set of cloth for women. Pillow only for women and children and one mat for two people. The refugees complaining that the food had worm, needle and small stone in it and all the 31 children is losing weight.

After Working Peoples Association last visit with the Civil Society Solidarity for Asylum Seeker and Refugees and Indonesian Human Rights Commission, the refugees was called by Indonesian Navy guarding them. A Colonel, named Irawan, socialized government decision to state the area as a restricted area and not to allow UNHCR and media to go to the area. Later when we came we know that Indonesian people’s solidarity was also forbidden to enter the area.

Heavy rain since couple of days has complicated the asylum seekers condition, especially women and children. The boat only use tarpaulin roof that torn in several spot and doesn’t cover all the room. Children are infected with pneumonia, fever and diarrhea. On Saturday, 14 November 2009, there was an incident: The conditions of the refugees are deteriorating because of the weather and the Indonesia government attitude in stalling the time in giving proper solution for the Refugees. Deteriorating condition causes one woman fainted and unconscious. Panic and tension then happen when International Organization of Migration (IOM) is disincline to come to the boat and treat the woman. After some time finally the woman was taken to Krakatau Steel Hospital. Now International Organization on Migration, who previously distributing daily needs given by the Indonesia government, moved outside Indah Kiat Harbor area. The generator that supplies electricity for the refugees is also taken by IOM. Often the asylum seekers are starve because of the food that deliver by Indonesia Navy was late (after IOM pull back). They also have to use their own money to pay for ambulances to transport sick and unconscious people to hospital.

We are calling all International Organization

1. To support the Asylum Seekers and our demand:

a. The Indonesian government must immediately open humanitarian aid access from the people of Indonesian to the Asylum Seeker.

b. The Indonesian government must stop banning media to cover the Asylum seeker condition.

c. The Indonesian government must immediately give access to UNHCR.

d. The Indonesian government must stop becoming a puppet regime for the Australian government’s “Indonesia Solution”.

e. The Indonesian government must give protection and humanitarian aid to the Asylum seeker in the form of:

i. Protection and accommodation while they are in Indonesian territory.

ii. No limitation for their rights of mobilization.

f. The Indonesian government must signs the UN Convention on Refugees.

2. By giving urgent action; letters, fax, phone call, lightning action, etc in the Indonesian embassy.
3. By holding a demonstration at the Indonesian embassy on your country on the 5th December 2009.

Ign Mahendra K

Vice Chairperson of International Department

Time to take a stand for refugees--- and more from the latest GLW...

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:26:29 PST

Time to take a stand for refugees

On November 15, Indonesian authorities said they had shot and wounded two Afghan refugees they said were trying to escape after their boat was intercepted three days earlier.

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Queensland abortion arrests: defend the right to choose

Many Queenslanders assume abortion is legal, since 14,000 terminations occur every year in the state.

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John Pilger’s 2009 Sydney Peace Award speech: Breaking the Australian silence

The following speech by renowned journalist and film-maker John Pilger was delivered on November 5 as he accepted the 2009 Sydney Peace Prize. To read more of John Pilger's work, visit www.johnpilger.com

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Unionists speak out for refugees

On November 6, the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and the mining division of the Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) announced they would jointly donate $10,000 to the 78 asylum seekers aboard the Oceanic Viking.

Clive Hamilton: ‘We can make Higgins a turning-point in Australian politics’

Well known author and environmentalist Clive Hamilton recently announced he will stand for the Australian Greens in the December 5 by-election for the seat of Higgins in Melbourne.

Gov't report condemns NT intervention

The Northern Territory Emergency Response, a “tough love” government intervention into remote NT Aboriginal communities, has been renamed by the federal ALP government. Its official name is now "Closing the Gap NT".

Green Left Weekly fighting fund: Don’t let Rudd play the race card

In a recent reflection, veteran Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro noted that 237 members of the US Congress — 44% — were millionaires, including President Barack Obama.

Honduras: ‘The elections are fraudulent’

“On November 29, we are not going to have time to vote”, Juan Barahona, a leader of the National Resistance Front Against the Coup on Honduras (FNRG) told the media in front of the Honduran Congress on November 12, Rightsaction.org said that day.

United States: The making of the Fort Hood tragedy

People across the world were shocked at the news that a US Army psychiatrist went on a shooting rampage on November 5 at Fort Hood army base in Texas, killing 13 people and injuring dozens.

Interview: The fight for intersex rights

Earlier this year, South African track athlete Caster Semenya was vilified in the international media for allegedly having both male and female biological characteristics. People with such characteristics are known as “intersex”. Green Left Weekly’s Farida Iqbal spoke to Gina Wilson from the Organisation Intersex International (OII) about Semenya and intersex politics.

Venezuela: Chavez denounces war threat as unions organise

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez declared on November 8 that his country is prepared to defend itself against a possible act of aggression from Colombia or the United States.

Climate logic of the madhouse

As the November 2-6 international climate change talks in Barcelona ended in poorly-concealed acrimony and weary expressions of “official optimism”, a funny thing happened in mainstream Australian media.

Iraq: Government pushes oil privatisation

Before and after the invasion of Iraq, the war’s goal of privatising Iraq’s oil to the benefit of Western oil corporations was highlighted not just by the war’s opponents, but also by many of its supporters.

Sri Lanka: Australian complicity in genocide

National Party leader Senator Barnaby Joyce has sought political capital by promoting an even harder line than the Rudd government on Tamil refugees. “Send the Oceanic Viking to Colombo and you will have made a strong statement”, Joyce told the Nine Network on November 8 about the 78 Tamil people refusing to leave the Australian custom ship to be imprisoned in Indonesia’s Tanjung Pinang Detention Centre.

Sri Lanka: The campaign for justice for political prisoners

Thirty years ago, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was enacted in the Sri Lankan parliament. It was meant to be merely a “temporary” provision, to stamp out the encroaching terrorist menace.

ACT makes civil unions legal

The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly passed a civil unions bill on November 11 to allow same-sex couples the right to legally binding ceremonies. Civil unions with ceremonies have been a key demand of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) movement in the ACT since 2006.

Don’t forget the men of Guantanamo

When United States President Barack Obama issued an executive order in January to close down the military-run prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, a collective sigh of relief spread across the world.

El Salvador: Appeal for donations for victims of floods and mudslides

Rains have caused 176 mudslides and 13 large floods in El Salvador. The town of San Vicente, was buried in mud and stones from the slopes of the Chinchontepec volcano.

Traveston Dam project blocked by federal government

A huge community campaign in opposition to the construction of a new dam on the Mary River, north of Brisbane, ended last week with a victory for people power.

UN vote: Australia backs Israeli war crimes

Australia was one of 18 countries to vote against the United Nations Goldstone report into Israel’s December-January war on Gaza at the UN General Assembly in New York on November 5.

Abuse of guest workers is the real threat: Noonan

“What threatens Australian workers is the abuse of guest workers and the use of guest workers to drive down Australian workers’ wages and conditions”, Dave Noonan, national secretary of the construction division of the Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) told Green Left Weekly.

Britain: Travel company says carbon offsets don’t work

A British travel agent has said it will no longer offer its customers carbon offsets because they are a diversion from dealing with climate change.

Chris Harman: 1942-2009

Chris Harman, a leading British socialist and author of dozens of books and pamphlets on politics, economics, history and the Marxist tradition, died of a heart attack on November 6 at the age of 67.

Community services workers march for pay equity

On a 35-degree day, community services workers in not-for-profit organisations mobilised from across Victoria to call for equal pay. The Australian Services Union, which covers the workers, estimated almost 4000 people rallied.

El Salvador: Twenty years since radical priests murdered

At about 2am on November 16, 1989, Salvadoran soldiers burst into the home of six Jesuit priests teaching at the University of Central America. They proceeded to slaughter them.

Germany: Twenty years since the fall of the Wall

Here in Berlin, radio and TV are celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall 20 years ago so intensively there’s hardly a moment for the weather report, which, unfortunately for all the planned events, turned out nasty and rainy.

Gov’t takes over coffee firms

The government has taken over Venezuela’s two largest coffee makers, Fama de America and Cafe Madrid. FdA has been nationalised and CM turned into a partially state-owned mixed-enterprise.

Hundreds attend Sri Lankan rights meeting

More than 200 people, many from the Tamil community, attended a public meeting at Monash University on November 10 called “Sri Lanka: Human rights issues and media representation”.

On the box

Palestine: Abbas to not stand again as way forward questioned

President of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority (PA), Mahmoud Abbas, said on November 5 that he would not run in the presidential election scheduled for January 24.

Protests demand maternity care choice

Thirty supporters of maternity care choice staged a sit-in inside the Lismore office of local federal MP Janelle Saffin on November 9. They said the federal government must end plans to require independent midwives to have indemnity insurance.

AUDIO Andres Conteris - from inside the Brazilian Embassy, Honduras

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:41:22 PST

6.72Mb. 128kbps mono 7 minutes 20 seconds

Andres Conteris, journalist for Democracy Now has been inside the Brazilian Embassy with President Zelaya since day one. A month and a half later the one hundred or so inside the Embassy is down to 30. Nevertheless, the commitment to resist the coup regime honestly and calmly is as strong as ever. President Zelaya is counting on the international community not to recognise the illegal, and heavily compromised 'elections' of November 29 to bring some kind of social equity and natural justice to the Honduran people.

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Original audio source (AndresConteris12_Nov_2009.mp3)

Looking back/looking forward: the DSP merges into the Socialist Alliance

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:46:10 PST

In January next year -- less than two months away -- the Democratic Socialist Perspective will more or less cease to exist and merge into the Socialist Alliance.

For the past six years I have been active in the Alliance, playing a dedicated role committed to shepherding it towards becoming a new Multi Tendecy Socialist Party (MTSP). How far we have come is a cause of some dispute on the left, but the project and its aspirations remain buoyant and the Socialist Alliance has charted a unique course in recent Australian political history.

I think the merging of the DSP into the SA -- a move that had been delayed because of internal (a bitter factional dispute within the DSP over its SA orientation) and external factors ( the re-election of the Howard government in 2004 which impacted on all movements for social change ) -- is an efficacious means to break the political logjam that bears down upon the socialist left in this country. In effect, what the DSP has decided is to go for broke with its commitment to the Alliance.

This courageous act can only prove itself one way or the other in practice. But with the DSP being shifted to idle mode, I think it's worthwhile contemplating what the culmination means.

Since I was present at the birth of the DSP in 1972, I can now witness, at similar close quarters, its passing. I don't want to get all nostalgic and compare then with now, per a column by column measure of this and that. Instead, I want to point out who was present at the founding conference of the DSP (foundered as the Socialist Workers League in January of that year) and who have remained politically active in the 37 years since.

While it is standard to point out that a day is a long time in politics, 37 years is a very long time. But among those who attended the DSP's founding conference -- four will see it off: Geoff Payne, David Holmes(seen addressing the founding conference --right.--that's me behind him), Jim McIlroy and myself. I'm not in the same league as these others as I've been in and out of the DSP a few times( although for the past four years I've been back in it., and for a good part of my adult life -- just over 25 years -- I've been a party member ) Geoff, Dave and Jim have been party stalwarts consistently since Day One. The same can be said of another two other comrades -- Renfrey Clarke being one of them, who were members but not at the conference.

I know what politics has been like for all of that time and I know how very few among those who fought the good fight back then are still fighting today. But what is so interesting, among those who still fight on, is that a major thread and personal and political resource has been their party membership.

Aside from we four conference going founding members who I've listed, another three unfortunately split from the DSP 18 months ago -- John Percy, Ian Jameson and Doug Lorimer. However as far as I can make out another ,at least, four others are members of the Socialist Alliance -- Dave Kerin, Robynne Murphy, Greg Adamson and Jamie Doughney . I think there could be more but I don't know everyone in the Alliance.

So on the basis of my rough calculation at least ten founding members of the DSP, 37 years later, have signed on as Socialist Alliance activists.*

On top of that there are at least four Greens members that I know of who were founding DSP members , including the NSW Greens MP, Sylvia Hale. So from a room in the Sydney's Buffalo Hall at which the party was foundered from among I guess 100 attendees -- sixteen at least are still politically active and engaged in party related activity.

In comparison, almost all of those of my generation who remained outside the party building experience,or were sucked into the ALP vortex, only have their nostalgia to look back upon.

My figures may even be a bit askew, and I may be doing some people a disservice by not noting their connection, but the ability of parties to sustain and format activism should not be ignored. That's my point.

There is always a persistent anti-party sentiment in the left milieu -- except, I've always found , when it came to the ALP when it was de riguer to consider it the real 'workers party'...and the last 37 years have been rough weather... but building and sustaining parties rather than not building and sustaining parties, is the only real anchor for holding the line. and of returning to the attack again and again.

This achievement doesn't come without a price.As a recent DSP report put it:

Small socialist organizations operating in relative isolation in the working class movements, or sometimes substantially outside these movements because they are composed almost totally of small groups of “socialist intellectuals” are chronically plagued with what might be called “Marxist” identity politics. That is they are more concerned about “proving” to themselves that they are “real Marxists” than actually applying what Marx, Engels and Lenin taught which is to build real socialist leadership in the working class. In fact, the further away such groups are from that objective, the more loudly they assert their “Marxist” identity. What passes as politics in “the left” as we have it in this country can degenerate to little more than a ridiculous I’m-more-Marxist-than-you pissing competition. We’ve all seen this time and again with various little sects. And we’ve also seen this tendency in our own organization.

Just because the DSP merges into the Alliance it doesn't follow that its set to be beer and skittles, but from January next year the perspective of building the Socialist Alliance -- and only the Socialist Alliance -- becomes the core task of a group of activists who carry on where the DSP left off

* There has also been unfortunately some deaths: Jim Percy, Dr John McCarthy, and Dot Tumney.

AUDIO VIDEO Darah Juang

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:27:23 PST

Facebook Group.

Sana Lagi lyrics by Innerbeauty
Here our country
Place of rice spread
Rich Samudranya
Our fertile land lord ...
This gorgeous Dinegri
Millions of people covered rugah
Child labor was the school
Rural youth do not work ...
They are deprived of the right displaced and hungry mothers blood relakan our struggle to liberate the people ...
They are deprived of the right displaced and hungry mothers blood relakan you fight us on our promise ...
[Innerbeauty - Darah Juang lyrics on

AUDIO Honduras coup regime reneges on agreement - with US support.

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:22:25 PST

7Mb 128kbps mono 7mins 36 secs

Toni Solo reflects on the shocking retraction of the US' professed commitment to recognise the November 29 elections in Honduras if President Zelaya is reinstated. De facto president Micheletti signed an agreement brokered by the US to reinstate President Zelaya on October 30, but refused to convene the Honduras Congress to ratify the agreement. President Zelaya is still a virtual prisoner trapped inside the Brazilian Embassy, even though it was assumed that he could resume the Presidential seat after the November 5 deadline.

On the weekend of November 7 the US unexpectedly announced that the US would recognise the November elections, whether Zelaya was reinstated or not - thus conferring a spurious legitimacy on the regime and dividing the Organisation of American States in its original position of not recognising the elections if Zelaya was not reinstated beforehand.

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Original audio source (ToniSoloPt1_10_Nov_2009.mp3)

AUDIO Honduras - - Karen Spring on the people's preparations

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:20:28 PST

7 Mb. 128kbps mono 7 mins 34 seconds.

Karen Spring with Rights Action talks with community radio about the response of the people to efforts by the coup regime of Honduras, and the US to legitimise the elections of November 29. The Resistance Front claims that conditions for a free and fair election do not exist, and that hold the elections before President Zelaya is reinstated is in contradiction of the spirit agreement signed on October 30. The US appears to be in compliance with the position of the regime.

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Original audio source (karenjspring_11_Nov_2009.mp3)

VIDEO: Remembrance Day -- The Green Fields of France

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Riley) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:50:14 PST

Written and sung by Eric Bogle.
AKA The Green Fields of France and Willie McBride.

My grandmother's first husband died on the Somme. She brought up his 3 children alone ..