UNITED STATES: Bush lifts Libya trade sanctions
US President George Bush lifted his country's trade embargo on Libya on September 20. Most of the sanctions were suspended in April, following Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qadhafi's December announcement that his regime had abandoned "substances, equipment and programs that could lead to [the] production of internationally banned weapons". However, Washington is keeping several terrorism-related sanctions in place. Libya is now expected to pay more than US$1 billion in compensation to the families of the victims of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. Tripoli had threatened to cancel compensation payments if the sanctions were not lifted by September 20.
HAITI: Hundreds killed by deforestation
As the death toll from floods in Haiti climbs over 600, the country is debating the solution to the country's over-farming and deforestation. The poor soil and lack of trees in the country's hills and mountains means that water cannot be absorbed and instead cascades down upon villages and towns. More than two-thirds of Haiti's desperately poor people live in rural areas. Most farmers overwork their plots, and many earn extra cash by cutting down trees for coal production. Although the country receives money under International Monetary Fund agreements, these agreements do not easily allow for it to be spent on reforestation campaigns, or fertiliser subsidies, irrigation projects, agricultural tariffs or other measures to assist farmers. Unelected Prime Minister Gerald Latortue suggested in May that retired soldiers could be employed to shoot peasants illegally cutting down trees.
UNITED STATES: Socialist hall firebombed
In the early morning of September 11, the US Socialist Workers Party's election campaign headquarters in Pennsylvania was firebombed. The prompt action of a neighbour in calling the fire brigade ensured that none of the upstairs residents were killed, but the hall was badly damaged and a large stock of books and campaign literature destroyed. The SWP is running a presidential ticket in 14 states, and local candidates in several places.
BRITAIN: BNP gains, Home Office considers ban
Following a September 17 council by-election in which the far-right racist British National Party picked up its first councillor in a decade, the British Home Office announced it is considering barring BNP members from the civil service. Dan Kelley won more than 50% of the primary vote in the housing-estate based Gorsebrook ward in Essex. On September 20, the Home Office confirmed media rumours that there was "ministerial consideration" being given to plans that would ensure all civil servants, and applicants to the service, would be asked if they were members of the BNP. Those who were would be asked to leave the service, or not employed. The proposal to sack people based on their political views has outraged supporters of civil liberties.
BRAZIL: Indians attempt to reclaim land
Just before dawn on September 8, several hundred Guarani Kaiowa Indians returned to part of their ancestral territory of Guyraroka in Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. This marks their fourth attempt to return to their land since they were evicted by cattle ranchers and tea planters in the 1950s. Since 2000, the Indians have been camped in appalling conditions on the side of a highway, living under tarpaulins and surviving off food aid. The government's Indian Affairs agency has just "identified" their land, but the legal process to have it officially mapped out will take a long time. The Indians, desperate to be on their land and plant crops, decided to occupy a small portion of it. The rancher is attempting to get a court order to evict the Indians. For information on indigenous struggles worldwide, visit <http://www.survival-international.org>.
SOUTH AFRICA: Unions negotiate over settlement
South Africa's public service unions announced on September 22 that over the next week they will consult their members on whether to accept or reject the African National Congress government's latest pay offer. On September 16, 800,000 government workers held a national strike in protest at the government's pay offer of 6% this year, followed by pay increases pegged to the inflation rate in the following two years. The government's latest offer is for 6.2% this, followed by rises of 0.4% above the inflation rate for the following two years. According to press reports, most unions are likely to accept the deal. However, not all are happy. "It's a sell-out, let's be honest", Success Mataitsane, general secretary of the National Union of Public servants and Allied Workers Union, told the September 22 Johannesburg Star. "I've told the other unions not to give in so easily."
PALESTINE: Horrific month for Palestinians
The monthly report on Palestine and Israel given to the UN Security Council on September 17 revealed that at least 80 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the preceding five weeks, and another 600 had been wounded. Seventeen Israelis had also been killed, and 133 wounded, in clashes with Palestinians. UN under-secretary general for political affairs Kieran Prendergast also said that Israel demolished 60 Palestinian buildings, leaving hundreds homeless, and had often prevented ambulances from reaching victims as well as impeding UN operations, in what he described as a "terrible month in the Middle East".
SOUTH AFRICA: Moore film screening shut down
More than 200 people attempting to attend a free screening of Michael Moore's Farenheit 9/11 at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal were outraged by the cancellation of the screening. Half-an-hour before the screening was due to start, the film's local distributor, United International Pictures, delivered a letter to the university threatening legal action if the film was shown. The screening had been organised by the Centre for Civil Society in order to make sure that those organising in poor communities could see the film.
US ships weapons grade plutonium to France
On September 21, Greenpeace International reported that British commercial ship had picked up 300 pounds of weapons grade plutonium in the US to ship to France. According to Greenpeace's Tom Clements, "This shipment is part of a misguided plan to put weapons grade plutonium into commercial use by converting it into MOX fuel for use in nuclear reactors. This shipment sends the strongest signal that the US holds little regard for global efforts to keep nuclear weapons materials out of commerce."
From Green Left Weekly, September 29, 2004.
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