The ruling military junta of Burma, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), continues to suppress pro-democracy groups and activists. Detention, torture and murder are used systematically against these campaigners, and there are
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Howard, Reith must go!In its war against the Maritime Union of Australia, the Howard government suffered a double blow last week. First, an opinion poll showed a big drop in support for the Coalition. Then the current
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Education minister David Kemp has indicated the next target on the government's union hit list: student unions. He has asked his department to prepare legislation for "voluntary student unionism", which would prevent student unions
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Countless hours of research, writing and editing go into each issue of 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly. The paper's production team puts a great deal of effort — along with a pinch of hair-pulling and stress — into producing Australia's leading alternative
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Left unity Your coverage of the MUA dispute in GLW #314 was excellent as to fact, background and political economics. It must surely have won us a large new readership among the wharfies and those who showed solidarity with them. We must, of
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The bit what's left In a standard working day of eight hours, it may take me four hours to produce the equivalent of my wages. If the time needed to cover my wage packet is reduced from four to two hours, then the bit what's left increases from
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Education and the free marketThe final report from the West Review into higher education has provoked a national debate on what is the most efficient and economically viable way to provide quality post-secondary education. The
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intro = If the Maritime Union of Australia stands on the brink of a great victory, it is because workers, union activists, community campaigners and those who recognise a threat to basic democratic rights have responded to the call
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Equality of outcome In a submission last week to the Howard government's review of the Affirmative Action (Equal Employment Opportunity for Women) Act, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry proposed that the name of the legislation be
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New MUA solidarity group LISMORE — The Lismore Wharfies Support Group has been set up to organise local solidarity activity for the Maritime Union of Australia and to inform people about the Howard government's attacks on working people. The
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The current discussion about labour productivity is not new. Ever since trade unions began organising last century to restrict the ability of capitalists to exploit workers, capitalists have been trying to persuade (or force) workers
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Daffodils By Brandon Astor Jones "I wandered lonely as a cloudThat floats on high o'er vales and hills,When all at once I saw a crowd,A host, of golden daffodilsContinuous as the stars that shineAnd twinkle on the milky way.Ten thousand saw I
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Actively Radical TV — Sydney community television's progressive current affairs producers tackle the hard issues from the activist's point of view. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Thursday, 10pm and Saturday, 7pm. Ph 9565 5522. Access News —
News
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Positive thinking "We'd like to see the [Affirmative Action] Agency in a more positive role, as a resource centre, not as it's seen now, as an enforcer." — Reg Hamilton, from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, calling for an end to
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New EIS for Jabiluka demandedEnergy Resources Australia (ERA) is seeking to shift the milling of uranium extracted at its proposed mine at Jabiluka from the existing Ranger mine to the Jabiluka site. This is despite opposition
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Regional coordination The following resolution was moved by the Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference organisers and adopted by acclamation. Given imperialism's escalating attacks on the peoples of this region through the deepening and widening
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MELBOURNE — Hundreds of protesters successfully thwarted attempts by anti-abortion campaigners from reaching Parliament House here on April 26. Braving inclement weather, pro-choice supporters held a colourful rally and speak-out
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Residents target CityLinkMELBOURNE — More than 250 residents from Moreland and Moonee Valley attended a public meeting on April 26 to express their concerns about the continued failure of CityLink/Transurban to consult them on
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NSW unionists rally for the MUA By Lachlan Mallochand Shane Bentley SYDNEY — Around 3000 unionists packed Sydney Town Hall on April 28 in support of the Maritime Union's fight against Patrick Stevedores. The meeting was called by the Labor
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MELBOURNE — The decision by Victoria's planning minister, Robert Maclellan, to allow a CSR toxic waste dump in suburban Werribee has outraged opponents of the dump. The Werribee Residents Against Toxic Dumps (WRATD) have vowed to
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New institute to promote democracy and developmentBy Max Lane During the Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference, the interim council of the Asia Pacific Institute for Democratisation and Development met and confirmed its membership. The members are
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Despite staunch opposition from the East Timorese people and increasing international pressure, Indonesia stubbornly maintains its illegal occupation of East Timor.
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Raid on TWU a 'payback'BRISBANE — Transport Workers Union (TWU) Queensland secretary Hughie Williams described a raid on the union's Brisbane office by officials of the Employment Advocate as a "payback" for the TWU's court
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Asia Pacific women link upThe currency crisis in Asia and the International Monetary Fund's "rescue packages" are having, and will continue to have, a devastating effect on the peoples of the Asia Pacific region. Already at the
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Freedom for East Timor The following statement was presented to the final plenary session on behalf of Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor — ASIET. It was adopted by acclamation. This conference condemns the Indonesian government's
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Solidarity with the Maritime Union of Australia and uniting to fight the Howard/Reith government were the key themes of May Day marches around Australia last week. The marches were bigger and broader than in recent years, clearly due to the
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ALP addresses pro-choice forumCANBERRA — On April 29, 50 people attended a public meeting on abortion held by ACT Pro Choice. The meeting discussed abortion law reform, access to abortion and women's right to choose how to
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Miners spurn Rio Tinto offer IN AN UNOFFICIAL secret ballot, 98% of workers at the Hunter Valley No. 1 coalmine voted on April 30 to reject a new enterprise agreement proposed by management. The mine is owned by Rio Tinto, the world's biggest
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UNSW staff and students support wharfiesAround 100 staff and students at the University of NSW enthusiastically expressed their support to the wharfies at a meeting on April 30. A Maritime Union Support Group has been established
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'Bloody Friday' in Villawood detention centre SYDNEY — The following report of a vicious attack on refugees in the Villawood Detention Centre is abridged from the Arab community newspaper, El-Telegraph. It was translated for 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly by
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Solidarity with Australian waterside workers In the final plenary session of the Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference, a statement of solidarity with Australian waterside workers and the Maritime Union of Australia was adopted by acclamation.
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CANBERRA — Derek Corrigan, brother of Patrick's boss Chris Corrigan, spoke at the University of Canberra on April 29 and the Australian National University on April 30. The forums were organised by Resistance. Corrigan
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Historic domestic violence appeal By Anne O'Casey A "Freedom Bus", carrying 30 of the many supporters of Heather Osland, arrived in Canberra in the early hours of April 23. We had travelled from Melbourne and Bendigo to be present at the High
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Sandinista activist speaksBRISBANE — More than 50 people attended a forum on land rights and autonomy in Nicaragua at the Resistance Centre on April 27. Sandinista national directorate member Dorotea Wilson spoke
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Participants representing overseas and indigenous people's struggles Participants representing overseas and indigenous people's struggles Aceh Muhammad Dahlan — Acehnese Association of Australia Aotearoa/New Zealand Hone Haranira —
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Police brutality at community picketFREMANTLE — The Richard Court WA government has come under fire over its massive mobilisation of police and their violent behaviour. On April 20, more than 400 police were bussed into
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BRISBANE — Around 200 people crammed St Mary's Catholic Church on April 27 to here a report on the sacked Patrick wharfies' campaign for reinstatement. Earlier in the day, the church's priest, Father Peter Kennedy, was
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HOBART — A three-week strike by workers on the Emu Bay Railway in Tasmania's remote west coast, has defeated moves by the railway's new owner to sack the entire work force and contract out the jobs. The EBR once carried passengers,
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Democracy for Indonesia This resolution was presented to the final plenary session on behalf of Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor — ASIET. This conference supports the valiant struggle of the pro-democracy movement in Indonesia
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Blow to Hinchinbrook legal fightBRISBANE — Friends of Hinchinbrook, the group spearheading the campaign against developer Keith Williams' environmentally destructive Port Hinchinbrook resort, may be crippled after the full bench
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Francesca Davis On April 28, a young protester from the blockade of the Eden woodchip mill was released after spending five days in Mullewa Women's Prison in Sydney. Bella Jones had been charged with preventing passage of a vehicle at the mill and
Analysis
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Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference: continuing the struggleMore than anything else, the Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference in Sydney on April 10-13 was a conference of struggle. International conferences of community organisations
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Editorial: Dancing on Arab graves Dancing on Arab graves Television news viewers last week saw hundreds of thousands of Israelis fill the streets to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the state of Israel. As the cameras focused on boisterous,
World
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Russian anti-nuclear protesters gassed MOSCOW — On April 23, to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, activists with the radical environment movement the Rainbow Keepers held a protest near the Ministry of Atomic Energy. The
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A new magazine, Free Indonesia, was launched during the Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference. The publication is intended to provide a background to the Indonesian people's fight against the Suharto dictatorship, and the role the
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Thousands of workers are putting the slogan "workers of the world unite" into practise by providing vital solidarity for the Maritime Union of Australia. In South Africa, the Transport and General Workers Union on April 21
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Encouraged by statements from US President Bill Clinton during his Africa tour in March, Nigerian dictator General Sani Abacha has moved rapidly to scuttle the country's already discredited "transition to democracy". On April 21, the
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As the crisis in Indonesia deepens, dictator Suharto has deployed more than 30,000 special army troops in Jakarta to crush the rising tide of protests against price hikes, mass unemployment and the lack of democratic rights. Added
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Activists describe kidnapping, torture"I speak up with the knowledge that I am risking my life", said Indonesian activist Pius Lustrilanang, in testimony before the National Human Rights Commission on April 27, were he
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Sri Lanka — Tamil Eelam This resolution was presented to the final plenary session on behalf of participants in the workshop on Women and the Tamil struggle. It was adopted by acclamation. This conference is gravely concerned by the continued Sri
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Nike sued in AsiaA Reuters article published on the Internet on April 20 reports that lawyers have filed a civil suit charging Nike Inc. with lying about "sweatshop" conditions in its shoe factories in Asia. Filed in the San
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Anti-APEC conference scheduled for New ZealandThe Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation group, APEC, is holding its 1999 summit meeting in Auckland, New Zealand, on September 13. Democratic rights activists are planning a counter
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EDWIN GOZAL, one of two Indonesian People's Democratic Party (PRD) representatives to attend the Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference, is the party's Asia Pacific representative. MAX LANE asked him about his impressions of the conference and the PRD's
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International briefs Cuba eliminates German measles Cuba has become the first country in the world to eliminate German measles, according to the head of the Cuban health ministry's national vaccination program, Miguel Angel Galindo. Only 78 of
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Ireland: loyalist violence continuesOn April 21, Adrian Lamph, a 29-year old father of one, was shot twice at close range at his place of work in Portadown, Northern Ireland. The lone gunman, wearing a red, white and blue scarf,
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The Philippines elections, on May 11, will be dominated by the trapos (traditional politicians). In the style of US presidential elections, millions of dollars are being spent to buy votes. The frontrunner for president in the polls (by a huge
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Zimbabwe cops shoot studentRiot police shot and seriously wounded a University of Zimbabwe student in Harare on April 23. The shooting followed two days of escalating tension as students and staff attempted to protest against the
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South Asia conference planned for DecemberThe Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference opened a new chapter of combined strategies and struggles against capitalist attacks. The resolutions on the need for independence in Tahiti, East
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Amid massive student protests across the country, the Indonesian government has called for "dialogue", and at the same time threatened to use "repressive measures" to stop the demonstrations. But the threats and the
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Counter-APEC conference in 1999 The following resolution was motivated by Matt Robson, a member of parliament for the New Zealand Alliance, and adopted by acclamation. This Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference endorses the call for a conference in
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Philippines: a new approach to student and youth campaigns GERRY ARANCES, a student at the Technical University of the Philippines, is a member of the Filipino socialist youth organisation Kamalayan, and attended the Asia Pacific Solidarity
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Germany's Chancellor Helmut Kohl promised the east prosperity when he manipulated the annexation of former East Germany in 1990. Since then, a near-zero jobless rate has soared to more than 30%; with the impending introduction of
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WASHINGTON — The US Department of Energy (DOE) plans to replace existing nuclear weapons with modified or new ones. This was revealed on April 21 when the agency was forced to release a declassified version of its October 1997 "Stockpile
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MOSCOW — The left in Russia is not extremely popular among young people, but this does not mean that neo-liberalism is. During the '90s, young people, students in particular, earned the reputation of being very apolitical. It
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Statement by the Pacific delegates The following resolution was proposed by Rex Rumakiek, from the Free Papua Movement, on behalf of the conference participants from the Pacific region, and was adopted by acclamation. We delegates from indigenous
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Burma This statement was presented to the final plenary session on behalf of the All Burma Students Democratic Front and adopted by acclamation. 1. We call on the illegitimate military regime, the State Peace and Development Council, for the
Culture
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Those Whales of Wharfies The wharfies are powers of men whose strain of hard fought gains isculling the flock.In fact those blokes are whales of males who have seen the tide turnedWebb and dock. Cranes, and craniums,Cargo holds and crusty
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Jimmy and Pat meet the QueenBy Pat Lowe and Jimmy PikeBackroom Press, 1997 Desert DogBy Pat Lowe and Jimmy PikeMagabala Books, 1997 Review by Stephen Langford I have waited before writing this, partly because my usual "thing" is East Timor, partly
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The slimy Patrick's scab Words by Geoff Francis & Peter Hicks Tune: works well with "The Sydney Market Boys" — or try your own!We are pleased to donate this song to assist the MUA in their struggle. Please use it widely and pass it on. If
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Ironic treatment of Bosnian terror Clark in SarajevoBy Catherine ZimdahlDirected by Ros HorinStables Theatre, SydneyUntil May 17 Review by Brendan Doyle When people start pointing guns at each other, I usually want to go home. Even when the
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From ignorance to understanding RefugeBy Libby GleesonPuffin Books, 1998. $11.95 Review by Kieran Bowtell Award-winning children's novelist Libby Gleeson did not set out to write her most recent book about East Timor or Timorese refugees. Refuge
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MUA vs NFF The day the Australian government sacked its maritime workers andreplaced them with farmers was the same day it sacked allof its poets and replaced them with sub-editors, itsfootballers with swimmers, its jockeyswith tag-wrestlers (the
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SYDNEY — Black is back loud and proud on Koori Radio 96.9FM. The Australian Broadcasting Authority has granted Gadigal Information Services a four-week test transmission licence from April 19 to May 18, so Koori Radio is back on
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A Resourceful Minister I am a sharecropper,harvesting richesthat others create.Divvying spoils.filling pockets,bodyswerving taxes ... I am happy as a pigin shit.My snout sodeep in the troughI may choke onmy own greed ... But when all is saidand