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Max Lane, Perth All of those who were involved in working for East Timorese independence are terribly saddened by the sudden death of Dr Andrew McNaughtan. All the activists in Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor, and later Action
Doug Lorimer Immediately following the December 13 announcement that US troops had captured former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, the corporate media in the US, Britain and Australia was full of claims that the resistance movement had been
Jason MacLeod On December 3, Indonesian security forces detained four West Papuan students for their part, two days earlier, in releasing West Papuan flags — known as the Morning Star — attached to balloons in the central Java town of
Will you please observe through the wire I am sewing my feet together They have walked about as far As they ever need to go Will you further observe Through the wire I am sewing my heart together It is now so full of The ashes of my days It
Boris Kagarlitsky, Moscow With more than 36% of votes the pro-Kremlin United Russia party looks like the only real winner in Russia's parliamentary elections, held on December 7. It also succeeded in getting a massive victory in single-member
Igor O'Neill, Jakarta On January 7, riot police opened fire on local residents protesting against the environmental and social impacts of Melbourne-based mining company Newcrest's Toguraci goldmining operation on the Indonesian island of Halmahera.
Richie Venton, Glasgow In a monumental breakthrough for socialism and genuine political representation for working people, the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union (RMT) in Scotland has voted to ditch the British Labour Party and affiliate to
"Any kind of discrimination and privilege between the citizens of Afghanistan are prohibited. The citizens of Afghanistan — whether man or woman — have equal rights and duties before the law." This statement was enshrined in Afghanistan's new
Sarah Stephen Asylum seekers held in the Australian-funded detention centre on the Pacific island state of Nauru suspended their hunger strike on January 8, due in part to news of the Nauru government's request for an independent Australian
Alan Maass, Chicago The US administration claims that it wants to see Saddam Hussein put on trial for his many crimes. But what about his co-conspirators? Will those who helped Hussein rise to power, supplied his weapons and supported his
The anti-war movement Sue Bolton (Write On #561), like Raul Bassi and Pip Hinman (Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly #560), have missed the central point of my original contribution (GLW #560). That is, we as socialists have a responsibility to move the movement,
Lisa Macdonald In December, the pro-US Patriotic Union of Kurdistan twice threatened to shut down the Suleimaniyiah office of the Organisation of Women's Freedom in Iraq. The PUK's security forces claim that the OWFI does not have a "licence" to