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INDIA/PAKISTAN: Left stages coordinated protests against war drive

BY EVA CHENG  Thousands rallied on June 13 in at least nine cities across India and Pakistan to protest against the war drive and the threat of nuclear devastation on the subcontinent. “How can arms traders be peace-brokers?” was a

PACIFIC: Decolonisation far from over

BY MICHELLE BREAR SUVA, Fiji — Since the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) movement's formation in 1975, the campaign for self-determination for Pacific island nations under colonial rule has been central to its work, and that of its

EAST TIMOR: People to people solidarity

BY SARAH STEPHEN I participated in a work brigade in East Timor from May 13 to 26, organised by Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor/Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific (ASIET/ASAP). Seven people made the trip to Dili to

APHEDA delegation returns from Palestine

BY MELANIE SJOBERG SYDNEY — The first Australian delegation allowed into the devastated Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank returned to Australia with emotional and harrowing stories. The delegation included union movement activists and a

CUBA: Millions declare 'socialismo si!'

BY JORGE JORQUERA HAVANA — In front of us in the throng marched a man holding a flag emblazoned with Che Guevara's face and the slogan Hasta la victoria siempre (To victory ever onwards). His arm did not bend once to rest as we passed the Office

Punk rock's Silver Jubilee

BY SIMON WHITTLE The Sex Pistols re-released their anti-monarchist anthem “God Save the Queen” at the end of May, 25 years after the national uproar the record received on its original release back in 1977. It was again timed to clash with

FRANCE: Some gleam in the election gloom

BY DICK NICHOLS In the April 21 first round of France's presidential elections, 2.84 million people (10.44%) voted for far-left candidates, chiefly Lutte Ouvriere (LO) and the Revolutionary Communist League (LCR). On June 9, in the first round of

Images of struggle and survival

Behind the Tears ... Triumphant Voices: East Timor, a Photographic JourneyPhotographs by Ross Bird, David Dare Parker and Stephen DupontCurated by Emmanuel SantosPost Master Gallery, Australia Post House, corner Exhibition and La Trobe streets,

BRITAIN: Labour follows Ruddock's lead on refugees

BY SARAH PEART & MATT PRESTON GLASGOW — Joining Kylie Minogue and XXXX beer in the list of embarrassing Australian exports to Britain is Canberra's racist policies towards asylum seekers. Judging by the British Labour government's

Writers' Festival profiles activists

BY NICK EVERETT SYDNEY — A June 1 public meeting entitled "How the West views the East" proved to be a popular focal point of political discussion and debate at the Sydney Writers' Festival. The meeting featured Tariq Ali, Egyptian writers and

ITALY: World hunger: what went wrong?

BY PETER ROSSET Why do more than 800 million people still go hungry in a world marked by incredible affluence? Representatives from 180 countries gathered in Rome for the World Food Summit from June 10 to 13 to address just that question. At the

Unions attempt to stop deportation

BY CHRIS LATHAM PERTH — On June 1, Iranian asylum seeker Nader Sayadi Estahbanati was deported from Esperance in WA on the Iranian freighter Mazardaran. In 2000, Estahbanati and two friends stowed away on the Mazardaran to flee persecution in