The current ambiguous situation is reflecting the instable power situation in Cairo itself. The vast majority of the Egyptian people is in support of the Palestinians and want to end Egypt’s subservient role towards Israel and the US. The military regime emerging from the old systems on one side wants to keep things as much as they used to be but, on the other side needs also to respond the popular demands. Hence the half-hearted announcement of the military rulers to stop being a pillar of the creeping genocide on Gaza is already an important success of the popular revolt. Even this simple and minor promise has shaken the entire imperialist set-up of the region. Also the reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, which had been blocked by the West, Israel and Egypt, became possible due … [read more]

This clearance is given on the basis of compliance report made by the Odisha government which is factually and legally incorrect and misleading. Mr. Jairam Ramesh and the state government of Odisha disrespected the resolution of Palli sabha (Village council ) that opposed any handover of land to the proposed project. As per section 6 of the Forest Rights Act 2006 villagers of Dhinkia and Govindpur organised Palli Sabhas on 21st and 23rd of February 2011 respectively. We had sent the copies of the resolutions to the Odisha government authorities and the Environment Ministry for their information. The government authorities deliberately suppressed facts and declared in the government’s submission to the MOEF that such resolutions were fake and said that ‘only 69 and 64 … [read more]

*Scotland's elections shattered political mould - SNP triumphant *The pro-war and pro-Israel Labour, Tory and Lib Dem parties punished *SNP Leader Alex Salmond tried to impeach Tony Blair for war crimes in Iraq *Scottish Government offered open access to Scottish hospitals for Palestinian victims of Operation Cast Lead *Nationalist government must be pressured to match deeds with words Scotland's elections have shattered the political mould, battered every political party other than the SNP (Scottish National Party) and given us a nationalist majority in the Edinburgh Parliament. The voting system was expressly designed to prevent such an outcome. Unlike Palestinians, though, we do not expect to be punished severely for voting in a way that London disapproves of. The Labour, … [read more]

What is the impact of the Arab rebellion on the Palestinian movement within Israel? It is a great push and gives spirit and hope to the movement. It is a powerful inspiration which is already helping the resistance to grow. Furthermore it will strengthen the more determined, more radical forces whether secular or Islamic. What do you think about the reconciliation Hamas-Fatah? Some effects are positive, but not all. First Israel cannot continue to punish the resistance in co-operation with a Palestinian organisation in the same way as before. Second: Israel said not to negotiate with terrorists meaning Hamas. As Fatah is now in co-operation with Hamas, Israel already announced to stop talking to Fatah as well. Shimon Perez called the situation very sad. For the resistance this … [read more]

It is well-established that solitary confinement and isolation are dangerous and detrimental to the physical and mental health of prisoners. It is a technique frequently used against political prisoners, from the U.S.'s Guantanamo Bay and Communications Management Units, to Ben Ali's isolation cells in Tunisia, to the prisons of the occupation. Israel is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, whose articles 10 states that "All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person." On the contrary, isolation cells deprive prisoners of human contact, recreation, and mental stimulation. Sa'adat is regularly denied family visits, newspapers, books, and information in Arabic. While … [read more]

The landscape of the projected candidacies gives an idea of the current situation. In the forthcoming half years things may, however, alter radically. Amr Moussa the current secretary-general of the Arab League is the main candidate of the old regime, the military and the business elite. He tries to present himself as pro-Palestinian and in distance to the old regime. His obvious links to the Mubarak system may, however, cause severe troubles to him. General Magdy Hatata is a retired chief of staff of the Egyptian army. In case Moussa’s campaign collapses he cold be a fall back solution for the reactionary forces as the army enjoys prestige within the people. General Ahmed Bilel had protested against Egypt’s support for the Western attack on Iraq in 1991. He might be a … [read more]

On the eighth anniversary of the Zionist imperialist aggression on Iraq, the American NATO bombers and battle ships committed a cruel aggression on the Libyan territory. They are doing so in preparation to a wider plan targeting Libya’s independence and sovereignty. The armies of America, France, Britain and Italy, the supporters of the corrupt tyrant rulers in our Arab homeland, the enemies of freedom, independence, democracy, progress and justice in our Arab countries, these states are the most hypocrite, wicked and false users of human concepts and values. The West wages the aggression against Libya in the spirit of the crusaders’ hatred against the Arabs, their history and their future. It is a colonial intervention in the inner Libyan affairs in the frame of a western … [read more]

The prospect of the French police arresting Muslim women who dare defy the ban recalls images of the Nazis doing likewise to Orthodox Jews throughout occupied Europe during the Second World War. It is a ban which damns secularism as a religion of intolerance in its own right and which institutionalises racist attacks on a vulnerable minority group. Latest opinion polls in France show that a majority are in favour of the ban. But this in no way should be taken as a positive endorsement or justification for the legislation being implemented. On the contrary it reflects the traction which right wing, racist ideas have gained within mainstream French society, just as they did within Germany as the Nazis gained influence, and just as they have throughout history within the societies of … [read more]

Mr. Sapamcha Kangleipal was arrested on charge of “sedition against the Government” and for “undermining the security of the State”, shortly after the public discussion. Besides, the police team forced to switch off the live broadcast of the public discussion through a local cable TV network (ISTV). The police team reportedly attempted to take him away forcibly at the very outset of the discussion. Soon after Mr. Kangleipal had completed his speech, a (special) police commando team also allegedly entered the hall and a policeman with a black scarf on his face would have pulled him. However, taking advantage of the presence of media and other participants, Mr. Kangleipal sneaked away and went to the dais, where he informed the panellists of the situation and a lawyer requested … [read more]

We have all the proofs and evidences showing that we have been living here for generations and depending on the forest land for our livelihood and there are Other Traditional Forest Dwellers present in the area. Two statutory committees constituted by the MoEF i.e. N C Saxena committee and Ms. Meena Gupta Committee found out clear violation of Forest Rights Act 2006 in the area and recommended the withdrawal of phase-I forest and environmental clearance given to the project. Three Gram Sabhas of the area have passed resolutions opposing the project in our area. Despite our opposition and documentary evidences, the state government is making an brazen attempt to cover up facts and file report in favour of POSCO. It has also closed its eyes on the serious damage the project would cause on … [read more]

As revolutionaries we need to think big. If we do not want to invest politically, if we shy away from necessary risks, we are doomed to lose. Right now we are witnesses to the crumbling of the imperialist architecture of the Arab world, one of the most neuralgic points of the global order. In general and especially now we need to be definitely more audacious than the imperialist elites, not less, not just clinging to hollow gains of the past. In this context we cannot bind the faith of the revolutionary anti-imperialist struggle to figures like Assad let alone Qaddhafi who only defends his own interest. The Egyptian people have brought down the most important western puppet dictator of the region. Certainly his regime remains in place, but it is at least shaken and definitely cannot do … [read more]

The incidents was propagated by the police as an ‘encounter’ between the CRPF and Maoists in which according to the police 36 Maoists have been killed while 3 SPOs [Special Police Officer, member of paramilitary] got killed and 9 other SPOs were injured. The police had celebrated this incident in the media to prove their dominance over the Maoists in this region. However, media persons and fact finding teams were restricted to go inside on the pretext that it is ‘war zone’ and the so-called war between the state and the Maoists are still going on hence it is risky for any outsider to go inside. The fact finding team which comprised of various civil and democratic rights activists and other individuals, went inside this area on the 26th and 27th of March 2011. We spoke … [read more]

The rhetoric of support for the democratic movements is simply ridiculous. The best counter-example are the Gulf states. In Bahrain, they are striking at the democracy movement in a bloody crackdown in the name of order—i.e. capitalism and imperialism—and stability. The same Gulf regimes cheekily do some Arab cheerleading for the western attack. The west itself is no less dishonest. For decades they nurtured Arab dictatorships to control the region. Until the very end the west firmly stood by Mubarak in Egypt, Ben Ali in Tunisia etc., and western support for the worst dictatorship in the region—Saudi Arabia—is undounted. They had also made peace with Qaddhafi, did wonderful business with him and put him in charge of keeping unwanted African migrants out of the EU. But as … [read more]

This letter is to alert you to the developing situation in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, where the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (CMM) – a popular worker-peasant organization - and its cement industry affiliate labour union, the Pragatisheel Cement Shramik Sangh, are coming under intense, concerted attacks from the Swiss Multinational cement manufacturer, Holcim, and the right-wing state government of Chhattisgarh. The latest incident occurred on 6th March, when YP Singh, the Security Officer of Ambuja Cements (which is now controlled by the Swiss cement giant, Holcim) got into an altercation in the village market of Rawan, district Raipur where the Company is situated. According to villagers, YP Singh, is a universally disliked, tyrannical person against whom villagers and workers … [read more]

It was not an easy task, as Mubarak was probably the most important dictator representing the West. His system is still in place. It had enforced neoliberalism at the Nile, impoverished tens of millions of people, while Mubarak and his cronies lived in luxury. His system fomented the conflict between Muslims and Christians, to divide and rule. His system had joined hands with Israel to starve the people of Gaza. His system had supported the United States of America always and everywhere and tortured people on behalf of them. The popular democratic movements are about to bring down the whole neo-colonial architecture of the Middle East. In a sense, they are continuing the movement against globalisation and the resistance against the American Empire on a much broader scale. The popular … [read more]

Anti-imperialist Camp ____________________________ Khelil wrote me this (I cite with his permission and I can confirm his analysis. I have indeed received emails from irate Tunisians who told me that they did not want Ghannushi to step down): "1) The middle class (adult and youth) is greatly irritated that Ghannoushi stepped down (over 2,000 gathered at his home after his announcement to call for his return in a spontaneous affair; Mr Gannouchi, mes excuses chui 1 de la majorité qui ont choisi le silence is a Facebook page and another for Ghannoushi has over 10,000 fans) and now what is being called the "silent majority" is starting to stand up against the UGTT union which is behind the continuing protests. A majority of Tunisians, especially the middle class, is growing … [read more]

So much so, that any social/political movement of the people that talks about the overall well being of the people let alone radical social transformation cannot ignore the challenge of the new buzzword in corridors of power: development through displacement or to put it from the standpoint of moribund capital that is propped up by the agents of Imperialists in India—displacement as development. For, it has become inevitable for these sections to indulge in such rapacious loot of the masses without which their own survival becomes difficult. The destructive trail of pro-imperialist development model We are not saying that this model of development that is being pushed is something very new. In fact, the present phase is the logical culmination of the path of development ushered by … [read more]

On Friday, 25 February, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians had assembled on Tahrir Square in Cairo to voice the demands of the uprising for political and economic reforms. They had followed a call by the “Coordinating Council of the Insurrection of January 25th.” The demonstrators demanded that the resignation of the government of Ahmad Shafiq that had been installed by the dictator Husni Mubarak and had been kept on by the ruling military council. They called for the immediate release of the political prisoners and for those responsible for the violence against the demonstrators to be put on trial. The opposition wanted to reclaim Tahrir Square, which had been cleared by the army two weeks ago, as the focus of continuing protest. In the evening, the army blocked the streets … [read more]

Arundhati Roy is an intellectual icon of the resistance against globalisation. Recently we asked her what she thinks about the democratic movements in the Arab world. Her answer was that the support those rebellions enjoy in the western media makes her rather anxious. How this fact can be interpreted? The Egyptian movement was quite a challenge for the regimes of the west, as Mubarak was one of the most important pro-western dictators. His regime protected Israel and in return received billions of military aid each year. In the true spirit of neoliberalism, Washington also outsourced torture to Cairo. At the same time, the lords of the world have continued to as the keepers of the Holy Grail they call democracy. The Tunisian movement was so powerful that it forced the US regime to … [read more]

BOLÍVAR AND ZAMORA REVOLUTIONARY CURRENT (CRBZ) DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES We are a sum of wills brought together by a great commitment, filled with passion for and love of the Bolivarian Revolution. We are, above all else, men, women, groups, organizations, and collectives, highly aware of the quota of responsibility that we bear in this historic moment of transformations and the arrival of the Patria Nueva, or New Homeland. We understand that Revolution is a question of making dreams into realities, and this is precisely the great challenge of the Bolivarian Revolution: make into a tangible reality the proposed historical and cultural project of our Revolutionary Program, the SIMON BOLIVAR NATIONAL PROJECT. This requires of us revolutionaries a conscious, creative and steady … [read more]