The reasons why we participate in the International Anti-imperialist, Anti-capitalist Meeting in Athens (May 4-7 2006), by Manolis Arkolakis, ILPSIn early May, in Athens, the International Anti-imperialist, Anti-capitalist Meeting and the session of the European Social Forum will take place. These two parallel and politically antithetical international events raise again the issue on whether the anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist left forces should participate or not in the European Social Forum, if this participation is useful and significant. This discussion, and many times the dispute, particularly the recent past years has taken international dimension and concerns seriously many social and political movements. The Mumbai-Resistance 2004, the RESISTANBUL 2004 and other similar … [read more]

Anti-democratic campaign of pro-U.S. forces against al Kubaysi failedAll seats were taken at the two public meetings with Abduljabbar al-Kubaysi in Vienna on March 24th and 25th. On both days, about 200 people came to hear about the situation in Iraq and the perspectives of the resistance from the point of view of someone who is involved.Al-Kubaysi is one of the figureheads in the project to create a political front of the Iraqi resistance to unite all the different currents and organisations who fight against the occupation in various ways. From September 2004 to December 2005, al-Kubaysi had been a political prisoner of the U.S. occupation forces in Iraq. Now he has been touring Europe to speak at political meetings in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Austria, and other countries.The … [read more]

Athens May 4-7 2006Thursday 4/5/2006Main Panels18:00 Assault on democratic rights. Terrorist hysteria, Guantanamo, kidnappings, terrorist laws, black lists, white cells.Participants1. Naime Kara - TAYAD, Turkey2. Kostoula Kandilioti - lawyer, Greece3. Marina Meintani - journalist, Greece4. Dan Enriquez - Revolutionary Council of Trade Unions, Philippines5. Sandra Bakutz - journalist, Austria6. Thodoros Koutsoumpos - journalist, Greece7. Antonia Legaki - Committee for Constitutional Rights of Lawyers' Association of Athens8. Aliyah Brunner - ATIK, Turkey9. Dimitris Belantis - lawyer, Greece10. Kostas Avramidis - member of the Association Against State Terrorism, Greece11. Bertell Olman - Professor of Political Sciences N.Y., USA19:00 The imperialist … [read more]

Peasant march against corruption, bureaucracy, reformism - implement the contractsCommuniquà© of the National Peasant Front Ezequiel ZamoraWe, the peasant movement, take to the streets of Caracas coming from different federal states in order to get the contracts implemented which we have achieved by our struggles. We demand:1. Representation of the peasant movement within the institutional framework. Election of the functionaries. Compensation of the victims of violence by the big landowners. Appointment of special prosecutors and a special parliamentary commission to persecute the perpetrators of crimes against the peasants within the armed forces and the police.2. Implementation of the decisions of the Miraflores workshop: The results of this meeting between the peasant … [read more]

by Free Iraq Committee NorwayThe Norwegian Committee for a Free Iraq has strong reason to believe that illegal surveillance of six of its members has taken place from October 2004 and further on for 15 months. The Committee demands to know if this presumption is correct and expects an apology.The Norwegian parliament's (Stortinget) supervisory committee for intelligence, surveillance and security agencies (the EOS committee) has recently published their yearly report for 2005. Among other things the report reads that the Police Security agency (PST) in 2004 registered 6 persons in their working registers on basis of "statements to the media encouraging giving support to oppositional groups that also used violent means and terrorist actions in their resistance to the regime in a state".It … [read more]

International Anti-imperialist Anti-Capitalist Meeting Athens 4-7 MayBecause we live in a multiform crisis period of the system and the totality of gains and rights, the very life of workers and peoples across the planet have been targeted by an increasingly fierce assault from imperialism and capital. Because "another world is not possible" through the "centre-left" scenarios and the reformist concepts, prevailing in the various Forums. We - the organizers of the International Anti-imperialist - Anti-capitalist Meeting, Athens 4-7 May 2006 - INVITE:Every class conscious toiler and young activist, social and political organization, trade union and local entity, commission and association, in national and international scale, to coordinate our efforts in order to consolidate the mass … [read more]

by New Left Current Greece (NAR)For An International Anticapitalist- Antiimperialist Meeting In Athens On Spring 2006On the 4-7 May of 2006, Athens will be host to the European Social Forum. The conducts of Forums constitute international political events that affect not only the movements of the later years (movement against globalization and anti-war movement), but also the future of the international left movements. They give rise to several conversations and initiatives of all currents associated to these movements. Moreover, these events affect the political balances of every country, by strengthening several viewpoints or undermining others concerning the left and especially the revolutionary left and its perspective.We believe that it is necessary to underline our view in the … [read more]

Final Declaration of the Cairo Conference 2006The fourth Cairo Conference is taking place at the time of important and dangerous developments in the struggle against Imperialism and Zionism. In Iraq the armed resistance is continuing to spread against The American and British occupation and their agents, and the puppet government is becoming more and more paralyzed and isolated. But at the same time the occupation is persistently trying to instigate tensions between Sunnis and Shiites in an attempt to weaken the resistance, change its course and damage its image.In Palestine and despite the da ily killing and blockade by the Zionist army, the Palestinian people have again proved in the last elections that their choice is that of struggle and resistance. The Hamas victory was not only a … [read more]

Symbol of unnamed torture victims in Abu Gharib visits TurkeyHaj Ali-al-Kaysi, the man behind the hood, visited Turkey in the name of solidarity against occupationHaj Ali-al-Kaysi who has become symbol of the unnamed torture victims of Iraq, after having been photographed while being tortured by electricity, hooded and wired at Abu Gharib Prison, visited Turkey for a "Solidarity for Iraq Meeting" last week. Al-Kaysi also visited some Islamic human rights and political organizations as well as Free Thoughts and Educational Rights Association- Ozgur-Der in solidarity and to exchange opinions.Haj Ali-al-Kaysi visited Ozgur-Der, central office 23th of March, Friday. Al-Kaysi met with Hulya Sekerci, Secretary General of Ozgur-Der and with Muslim writers, activists and intellectuals. Here … [read more]

Police repress protestsThis year it was mostly devoted to the memory of Slobodan Milosevic. Muscovites and St.Petersburgers also wanted to blame the USA imperialism for its crimes in Yugoslavia (bombardments in 1999 and riots in Kosovo in 2004), in Iraq and Afghanistan. We also wanted to support a little independent country Transnistria (Pridnestrovie) that does not want to enter the pro-western Moldova and now it suffers from economic blockade. And of course -to congratulate Lukashenko, who coped with the "velvet revolution" inspired by imperialists. Yet the meeting was forbidden - without reasons. In this situation Muscovites invited the Deputy of Duma - they have rights to organise a little meeting without preliminary admissions. When we gathered and began to prepare portraits of … [read more]

Interview with Haj Ali on the Pentagon's imposture allegationsWhat is your reaction to the allegations in several newspapers based on US military sources, that you are not the man on the photos that became the symbol of abuse and torture in Abu Ghraib?Haj Ali: The truth to this is that I was not the only one who was tortured in this barbaric fashion. Almost all prisoners in the part of the prison that I was familiar with were tortured in this way. That doesn't change the fact that I was one of those who had to stand on that cardboard box, with a black hood placed over my head and electrical wires attached to my hands. As an Iraqi person who has gone through Abu Ghraib, I represent all those tormented people.What is the reason for this campaign to discredit you?Haj Ali: First they denied … [read more]

by the Hungarian Left FrontOn 18th of March 2006 an anti-war-demonstration took place in Budapest for the 3rd time. About 100 person participated in this demonstration which was organized by the Civil for Peace NGO. Some organizations joined this demonstration, like Attac Hungary, Alba Circle, János Kádár Friend Association, Hungarian Social Forum as well as the Hungarian Left Front.The demonstration started from the Liszt Ferenc Square and on the West Square we made a street theatre. At the Parliament we handed over a petition to the Prime Minister, Ferenc Gyurcsány. We would have liked to hand over a petition to the Embassy of the Unites States of America, but they as usual they did not accept it.At the Square of Freedom some speakers addressed the crowd, for example Pà©ter … [read more]

On the third anniversary of the US aggression on Iraq people agitated on the streets in Dhaka, Bangladesh for consecutive 2nd day against the ongoing occupation in Iraq today. The participants along with chanting slogans against war crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan demanded immediate and unconditional withdrawal of occupying forces from there. WE THE PEOPLE UNITED (WTPU) Bangladesh, a non-partisan citizens coalition along with Anti-War Movement (AWM) Bangladesh jointly organized the two-day events as part of the Global Days of Action declared by the antiwar activists worldwide.On the first day of action (March 19) a rally was held in the Muktangon (speakers' corner) of Dhaka.Representatives of seven organizations including the sponsor two addressed the rally. Echoing the call of … [read more]

Newsletter March 2006 There are about 120 women political prisoners at present in Israeli jails: in Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond) about 107, in Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle) six, and several more in detention centers. 'Etaf 'Alyan, 42 years old, administrative detainee, from Ramallah, mother of a 16 months old baby. On 22 December 2005 she was taken from her house in Ramallah by the Israeli army to Hashron Prison (Tel Mond). Following an appeal, her six months' administrative detention order was reduced to four months. On 20 February 2006 'Etaf went on a hunger strike protesting her detention and demanding to have her baby with her. The prison authorities refused. Three days after she began the hunger strike the prison authorities transferred her, as a punishment, to Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle), … [read more]

Movement split over Prodi's governmental ticketOn the third anniversary of the US aggression on Iraq some 50.000 people demonstrated in Rome against the ongoing occupation in which Italy is implicated as the most important non Anglo-Saxon ally of Washington.Since the very beginning of the occupation the main divide within the movement runs between those who support the centre left coalition longing to seize governmental office on one hand and the anti-imperialist forces refusing to lend support of whatever side of the pi-polar regime on the other hand. Although the centre left led by the former president of the EU's commission, Romano Prodi, has promised to withdraw the Italian troops from Iraq they try to proceed without endangering the relations to the big brother in Washington. … [read more]

Public meeting with Member of European Parliament and Social Forum's leaderAbduljabbar al Kubaysi, secretary general of the Iraqi Patriotic Alliance (IPA), is scheduled to address the Austrian public on March 24 in Vienna. For a Arab community a separated meeting is planned for March 25. Kubaysi has been invited by the Anti-imperialist Camp.Al Kubaysi is mentor and spearhead of a common political front to be built by the forces of the Iraqi resistance and opposition to the US occupation. He was arrested by the US occupation forces in 2004 and kept as a political prisoner in the high profile detention centre at Baghdad's airport. In an attempt to relax the situation around the elections of December 15 as well as to woo parts of the Sunni-based resistance some dozen of high ranking … [read more]

Defending the Yugoslav-Serb resistance against the "New World Order" and Milosevic's contributionSlobodan Milosevic, the epitome of the bad during the 90s, is dead. There is, however, no lack of new bad. It seems to steadily grow and multiply: Saddam Hussein, Ahmedinejad or an entire people like the Palestinians which votes for the bad. Everywhere new Hitlers whose proliferation can allegedly only be barred by the military might of the US and their pre-emptive war.This is not only the point of view of Washington's regime but has grown into an outright Western civil religion promoted by big parts of the servile Western intelligentsia. It is a kind of generalisation or enlargement of the Zionist pattern according to which history is driven by the absolute bad i.e. anti-Semitism represented … [read more]

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Condemns the Arrest of Its General Secretary and Calls on All to Shoulder Their Responsibilities by The Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestineRamallah: The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine condemns all those who directly or indirectly caused the criminal arrest of its General Secretary, his comrades, Brother Fu'ad ash-Shawbaki, and numerous other militants of various patriotic and Islamic forces who were subject to arbitrary political imprisonment based on American-Zionist dictates. The PFLP declares that the invader forces committed the crime of that arrest, as well as the attack on the Jericho prison and the destruction of the Muqata'ah building inside, with the complicity of America and Britain, as the officials … [read more]

By Sara Flounders Co-Director, International Action Center, NYC March 16, 2006--In the summer of 2004 I met with former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic in Scheveningen prison when I was approved as a defense witness. Before I could get in, I had to pass four totally separate check points, unable to take in anything but papers. Each level of security was more rigid than the one before. No one who has met with President Milosevic over the past four years would believe he would risk killing himself rather than finishing his trial. And no one who visited Scheveningen in The Hague would believe the outlandish claims that somehow he was able to smuggle in un-prescribed medications on a regular basis. … [read more]

James Petras and Robin Eastman-AbayaIntroduction Since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo joined the US global "War on Terrorism", the Philippines has become the site of an on-going undeclared war against peasant and union activists, progressive political dissidents and lawmakers, human rights lawyers and activists, women leaders and a wide range of print and broadcast journalists. Because of the links between the Army, the regime and the death squads, political assassinations take place in an atmosphere of absolute impunity. The vast majority of the attacks occur in the countryside and provincial towns. The reign of terror in the Philippines is of similar scope and depth as in Colombia. Unlike Colombia, the rampaging state terrorism has not drawn sufficient attention from … [read more]