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Safety at Monju reactor questioned

TSURUGA, Japan — Nuclear expert Professor Jochen Benecke said after meetings with Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) officials at the end of March that he is not convinced by the company's safety analysis of its ability to

COSATU strikes over new constitution

By Norm Dixon The 1.6 million member Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) reinforced its opposition to anti-worker sections of South Africa's draft constitution by bringing the country to a standstill on April 30. The general strike and

'Forced Labour Year' in Burma

By Richard Horsey The whole of Burma is gearing up for "Visit Myanmar Year 1996". But it is already March, and the preparations are way behind schedule. Even though the official start of the tourism year has been put back to October, authorities

Plans to double Roxby Downs mine

By Rob Graham Western Mining Corporation (WMC) has already started on a $1 billion expansion of its Olympic Dam uranium mine at Roxby Downs. A 113.5 km pipeline is being constructed to pump water from a new bore field ("B"), from the Great Artesian

Students occupy UQ union office

By Bernard Wunsch BRISBANE — Around 150 students rallied outside the student union offices on April 30. Students stormed inside the offices and voted to maintain an occupation until the executive resigns. The occupation is continuing at the time

Union militant kidnapped

By Reihana Mohideen MANILA — Romeo Estropigan, a BMP labour organiser, was kidnapped soon after the May Day rally. Eight armed men brandishing pistols blocked the taxi he was in and dragged him out. Seven other members of the BMP who were with

Indonesian militants found party

From April 14 to 16, more than 50 delegates from around Indonesia met at an extraordinary congress to discuss the future of the Peoples Democratic Union (PRD). During the last 18 months, the PRD has developed as the most systematic, militant,

Action updates

Gun control rally HOBART — A 6000-strong rally here on May 4 called for tighter legislative controls on gun ownership and usage. The rally, which was addressed by speakers from the Coalition for Gun Control and the Royal Hobart Hospital, didn't

Rural workers massacred in Brazil

By Norm Dixon At least 19 rural workers were massacred, and more than 50 injured, by police in the Brazilian state of Para in the eastern Amazon region on April 17. At least 80 workers are missing. More than 250 military police ambushed 4000

Gulliver revisited

Gulliver's TravelsBy Jonathan SwiftEdited by Christopher FoxBoston: Bedford Books of St Martin's Press1995. 480 pp.Reviewed by Graham Milner Why should activists on the left be interested in reading Jonathan Swift? Wasn't he the reactionary Tory

Plans to break Maritime Union

By Chris Spindler SYDNEY — The Australian newspaper on April 27 carried advertisements for waterfront workers. These workers are part of the federal government's plan to break the Maritime Union of Australia by encouraging new stevedoring

New anti-uranium group forms

By Zanny Begg BRISBANE — On April 29, around 45 people squeezed into the miscellaneous workers' union hall and decided to form a new group, the Coalition Against the Mining and Export of Uranium (CAMEU). The meeting was attended by a range of