In Indonesia last year, the air was filled with a dense pall of acrid smoke which as far afield as Japan. More than a million hectares of forest burned uncontrolled. Meanwhile, the drought which had begun as far back as April last
-
-
Charity By Brandon Astor Jones "Those who would administer wisely must, indeed, be wise, for one of the serious obstacles to the improvement of the [human] race is indiscriminate charity." — Andrew Carnegie (1889) The Scottish-born US
-
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 —
-
... and ain't I a woman?: What's glamourous about oppression? An African-American woman with shackles on her neck and wrists, her arms chained together in a slave-like fashion. Another with the elongating neck rings that are designed to stretch
-
1998 was a record year for hurricanes, droughts, floods and other "natural" disasters. Fifty-six countries were hit by severe flooding, and at least 45 were stricken by drought. The events displaced millions and killed thousands.
-
ETU to challenge Labor's industrial policyMELBOURNE — The leadership of one of Victoria's more militant unions, the state branch of the Electrical Trades Union, is attempting to force the state Labor Party to endorse an alternative
-
This week in history November 28, 1820: Frederick Engels born The son of a wealthy Rhenish textile manufacturer, Engels took a position in a factory which his father owned in Manchester, England, in 1842. Two years later, he first met Karl Marx
-
Call for unions to end support for Labor PERTH When the state secretary of the WA branch of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU), BILL GAME, called on workers to vote for the Greens in the last federal election during a WA
-
Write on: Letters to the editor Reform or revolution Re. "How do you change society?" (GLW, 18/11/98) by Keara Courtney about the ineffectiveness of reform: When we talk of "revolution", many people think immediately of the romanticised images
-
Gay men targeted in anti-paedophile purge WA's gay and lesbian lobby group has expressed alarm over Health Department plans to screen 25,000 employees for criminal records. Gay and Lesbian Equality WA (GALE) claims that gay men risk losing their
-
Oink! Oink! B.J. Habibie: It is unfortunately true that today in Indonesia the people have forfeited the confidence of the government. The recent spate of street heat during the meeting of the Consultative Assembly has only served to distance
-
The decline and disappearance of frog populations worldwide remains a mystery, despite efforts by hundreds of scientists to determine the causes. The other major problem facing frogs — massive deformities observed since 1995 in
-
Aboriginal health body rejects spending myth Aboriginal health body rejects spending myth By Margaret Allum The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) has denied media reports implying that Aboriginal health
-
By Sean Martin-Iverson PERTH — The WA government is pushing through its native title "reform" package, with the aim of de facto abolition of land rights. The legislation has met considerable protest from Aboriginal and social justice groups, but
News
-
Radiation leak in Kakadu Uranium mining operations are directly threatening the long-term integrity of Kakadu National Park, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) said on November 19. The statement followed news of a radioactive spill which
-
In recent months, Resistance's national resources have been stretched to the limit as we have organised one of the largest campaigns in our history, the high school anti-racism walkouts. Obviously, we don't have wealthy backers.
-
On November 19, stop-work meetings of Centrelink staff around the country voted overwhelmingly to walk out in protest at plans to cut 5000 jobs. Centrelink is the federal government's major welfare service delivery agency. Members of
-
A proposed gold mine at Timbarra plateau has been the subject of controversy for some months. Environmentalists complain that the method of gold extraction involves the use of highly destructive chemicals such as cyanide which, if released into the
-
NSW Jabiluka Action Groups meetPEARL BEACH — Activists from Jabiluka Action Groups across NSW met on November 21 to discuss the way forward for the campaign to stop the Jabiluka uranium mine. Around 20 activists attended,
-
Feverish "We are confident that by 2000, when Olympics fever has again gripped Australia, few will let this opportunity escape." — A spokesperson for the Olympic organising committee, commenting on a poll which showed that 8% of Sydneysiders plan
-
BRISBANE — A day of action to protest against the Jabiluka uranium mine was held on November 21. Around 200 protesters gathered in Queen's Park for a rally addressed by Dave Perry from the Maritime Union of Australia and Pat
-
Activists to discuss nuclear issuesMELBOURNE — Friends of the Earth (FoE) will be hosting a "Nuclear Free Australia" forum here on December 5 and 6. The forum has been called to bring together organisations and activists to
-
Resistance's EMMA MURPHY spoke to ALEX TILMAN, a member of the Timorese National Youth Resistance (RNJT) in Melbourne about the struggle for self-determination in East Timor. Question: What is the RNJT? RNJT is a Melbourne-based coalition of East
-
Defend the Espy!MELBOURNE — More than 1000 people demonstrated outside the historic Esplanade Hotel in the suburb of St Kilda on November 15 to oppose a proposed 38-storey shopping and hotel development on the site. The
-
The first issue of Resistance inspired many Resistance members — new and old — to get out into the streets. In Melbourne, we sold more copies than we've sold all year — a record 260+. Other branches also had significant
-
Liberal amendments revive anti-abortion bill Liberal amendments revive anti-abortion bill By Amanda Lawrence CANBERRA — Just as the campaign to defeat ACT independent MLA Paul Osborne's anti-abortion bill looked to be gaining ground, proposed
-
The final edition of Gravity, the magazine put out by the Griffith University Student Representative Council, has outraged many students by including a lift-out centerfold featuring a naked woman with the words "Gravity Reveals All".
-
Memorial for journalists killed in invasion of East Timor Memorial for journalists killed in invasion of East Timor By Craig Cormick CANBERRA — Despite 23 years having passed, the deaths of the six Australian-based journalists killed in the
-
One consequence of increasing hot air, which rarely rates a mention amongst the reports on droughts and tempests, is the unseasonably early arrival of hordes of roly-poly men in red and white suits at shopping centres all across the globe. Attracted
-
Indonesian consulate picketed SYDNEY — Supporters of the struggle for democracy in Indonesia picketed the Indonesian consulate in Maroubra on November 18. Protest organisers from Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET) and
-
NSW Premier Bob Carr claims that his decision to protect 375,000 hectares of public forests, as an outcome of the upper north-east and lower north-east comprehensive regional assessments, is a great one for the forests. Conservation
-
Outrage over WA gay bashing PERTH — Four days after the largest ever Gay and Lesbian Pride march here [on October 31], two gay men were bashed and tortured in the outer southern suburb of Waikiki. The men were in their home when a man broke into
-
LISMORE — Tree felling in the Beury State Forest, 100 kilometres north-west of here, has been disrupted by blockades set up on November 16 by the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA). This is in response to the NSW Labor government's
-
NTU faculty amalgamation angers indigenous students NTU faculty amalgamation angers indigenous students By Bernie Brian DARWIN — A proposal to amalgamate the nine faculties at the Northern Territory University into four has angered students
-
One Nation gets a free ride in Newcastle By Stephen O'Brien NEWCASTLE — With 77% of the vote in the November 21 Newcastle by-election counted, the ALP has 27,244 votes, (47.7%), One Nation 9577 (16.77%), Greens 5481 (9.6%) and the Democrats
-
Ships of shame The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) Australia won A$156,000 in back pay for exploited Asian crew on board two vessels in Australian ports during the first three days of its "Asia Pacific flag of convenience"
-
PERTH — On Wednesday November 18, Resistance members were invited to speak at John Curtin Senior High in Fremantle by a social studies teacher who loves Resistance. More than 35 students watched video footage of Resistance's high school walkouts
-
On November 18, a motion was put to the ACT Liberal Party policy convention by members of the Young Liberals, calling on the ACT government to legislate "for Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) in the tertiary institutions under ACT
-
A national survey conducted by NUS has revealed that (surprise!) universities are charging students an increasing level of fees. The survey revealed that students are being charged for course materials, reading lists, workbooks and assignment
-
1996 July 27 — Suharto cracks down on a protest at the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) after Megawati Sukarnoputri was deposed as PDI leader by the military. Riots break out and the regime blames the People's Democratic
-
SYDNEY — On November 14, a demonstration was held here to remember the East Timorese killed in the Dili massacre of 1991. RYAN LIDDELL spoke to a few of the demonstrators about why they attended. LANCE GOWLAND: East Timor is the closest nation to
-
The events of the last two weeks have demonstrated the determination of the Indonesian people to achieve "reformasi total" — a total democratisation of Indonesian society. The massive demonstrations, of more than a million people on some days, were
-
Victory for Werribee anti-dump campaignMELBOURNE The campaign against the Werribee toxic waste dump has won a major victory. CSR, the company that wanted to build the dump, has been forced to sell the land which was the proposed
-
CPSU members vote with their feet against Telstra agreement"Is she with Telstra or the union?", was the innocent whisper during a workplace meeting at which the Community and Public Service Union (CPSU) telecommunications section
Analysis
-
Howard: who's pulling the strings? When US President Bill Clinton called on the Australian government to back a US military strike against Iraq, Prime Minister John Howard enthusiastically agreed. In 1991, Labor's Bob Hawke was just as
World
-
KUALA LUMPUR — On the eve of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum here, two courageous women, feminist activist Irene Fernandez and eye surgeon Wan Azizah Ismail, occupied centre stage at the Asia Pacific People's
-
Kurds in Sydney support PKK leaderSYDNEY — Activists with the Australian Kurdish Association here reject Turkish government charges that Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), is a "terrorist".
-
Second national strike stops Zimbabwe Zimbabwe's workers on November 18 again brought the country to a standstill with the second of their weekly national strikes. The strike, called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, was held to protest
-
Kurds begin hunger strikeCANBERRA — On November 18, members of the Australian Kurdish community began an indefinite hunger strike on the lawns of Parliament House in protest at the arrest of Kurdish independence leader
-
Worldwide protests demand asylum for OcalanA Rome court on November 20 ordered the release on bail of Abdullah Ocalan, general secretary of the left-wing pro-independence Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), while his appeal for
-
Doctors in Peru performed about 110,000 sterilisations last year, plus 10,000 vasectomies, as part of a government birth control campaign. The number of women sterilised was more than three times the number in 1996. Since 1961,
-
The US government's push to open up Asian markets was dealt an embarrassing blow at the summit of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Kuala Lumpur, which closed on November 18. Meeting for the sixth time — and
-
MANILA — The Asian economic crisis has had a massive impact on the production, availability and accessibility of basic food products, leading to serious food shortages in south-east Asia. In the Philippines, formerly an
-
SAN FRANCISCO — On November 7, a militant demonstration of 2500 people here broadened the support for a new trial and for freedom for US political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, whose appeal against his frame-up conviction on a
-
There are grave fears for the well-being of several East Timorese youths missing after Indonesian soldiers ransacked the villages of Turin and Taitudak in the Alas subdistrict on November 15. Eyewitnesses said that four youths in
-
MOSCOW — The setting could have been Germany in the 1930s. Over a period of about a month, a well-known parliamentary deputy claimed that "Yids" were responsible for the country's economic problems; vowed before media reporters
-
Indonesia: 'The radicalisation will spread' Following the mass protests in Jakarta November 10-14, 91̳ Weekly's MAX LANE spoke to MA'RUF, a leader of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) who has been monitoring developments. Question: What
-
Ballots for the government-run elections for president of the Teamsters union were mailed out in early November to the union's 1.4 million members. The two major candidates are millionaire lawyer James Hoffa, Jr, and Tom Leedham,
Culture
-
Saving Private RyanDirected by Steven SpielbergWith Tom Hanks and Matt DamonScreening everywhere Review by Graham Matthews Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan is an extremely impressive film. It's meant to be. From the very first frames, you get
-
Aboriginal programming at radio 3CR There has been over a decade of Koori programming at Melbourne's community radio 3CR, with Not Another Koori Show (Mondays, 2-4pm) and the Koori Survival Show (Tuesdays, 9-11am). Lisa Bellear, Destiny Deacon,
-
Uncommon People: Resistance, Rebellion and JazzBy Eric HobsbawmWeidenfeld & Nicolson, 1998360 pp., $49.95 (hb) Review by Phil Shannon "Common" people, "ordinary" people, the "average" man and woman — these labels are not just neutral
-
Life on the PicketVideo released by CFMEU, Vickery Lodge6 McAndrew St, Gunnedah 2380Phone (02) 6742 0821 to order Review by Alex Bainbridge Vickery was a small coalmine near Gunnedah in NSW. It employed only around 50 workers, but it was on and
-
Good fun and home truths Only Heaven KnowsBy Alex HardingDirected by Peter NettellNew Theatre, NewtownFriday-Sunday until December 19Bookings 9873-3575 Review by Helen Jarvis Sydney forms the setting and the subject of this musical play. Not just