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Time to unite for a strong Socialist Alliance

BY RAUL BASSI I am thrilled about the level of discussion on left unity. I have never before seen such a large number of contributions to such a discussion. I come from an old tradition of activism, politics and trade unionism. The best I can do is

Growing movement against war in the NT

BY SIBYLLE KACZOREK DARWIN — On November 30, 300 people rallied and marched against the looming US-led war on Iraq. In Alice Springs, 100 people also rallied. Col Friel, a veteran human rights and environmental activist, told the

Tunisian asylum seeker to be deported

BY SARAH STEPHEN A Tunisian asylum seeker held in Woomera detention centre faces "voluntary" deportation to Syria in late December, along with two Palestinian men. They are the latest victims of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and

PALESTINE: Israel kills more than 50 civilians in November

BY AHMAD NIMER RAMALLAH — As the Palestinian people's intifada (uprising) enters its 27th month, the Israeli government has escalated it strategy of collective punishment. At the time of writing, all Palestinian cities in the West Bank, with the

Christmas parade floats cause a stir

BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE HOBART — Two floats in the November 30 Launceston Christmas parade have sparked a string of letters in the Examiner, the town's daily tabloid. The Peace on Earth float was entered by a coalition of No War on Iraq,

Socialist Alliance does better in Footscray, Geelong

BY KAREN FLETCHER MELBOURNE — Although the big news of the November 30 Victorian election was the massive swing to Labor and the Greens' remarkable results (particularly in inner-city seats), the Socialist Alliance has been quietly celebrating

BRITAIN: Blair takes on the firefighters

BY PAUL CLARKE LONDON — Britain's firefighters are locked in a bitter battle over pay and conditions with British Prime Minister Tony Blair's right-wing New Labour government. The struggle has been dubbed by some commentators "Blair's miners'

Candlelight vigil for peace

BY CLAYTON McDONALD BRISBANE — "Separately, our voices are weak, together we are strong and can show that the majority of Australians are people of peace", Reverend David Pitman of the Wesley Mission told the 500 people who gathered on December 2

'No to war'

BY CHRIS LATHAM PERTH - On December 8, more than 1000 people rallied in Perth to oppose the impending war in Iraq. Organised by the NOWAR Alliance, the protest demanded: no war on Iraq; no Australian support for war; an end to sanctions on Iraq;

Harry Quick: 'I'll vote against the war'

HARRY QUICK, ALP federal MP for Franklin in Tasmania and deputy opposition whip, spoke to Green Left Weekly's JAMES VASSILOPOULOS about the impending war against Iraq. Why do you oppose the planned war on Iraq? I've always been a pacifist. My

EAST TIMOR: Anger at poverty and corruption sparks unrest

BY JON LAND Dili, the capital of East Timor, was hit by a wave of protests and riots on December 3-4. The unrest culminated in at least two deaths and scores of injured, when police fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse angry crowds of

Peggy Errey remembered

BY MARG PERROT WOLLONGONG — The life of prominent union leader and left political activist Peggy Errey was commemorated by 150 people at her funeral in Wollongong on December 5. Peggy Errey was born in Ireland in 1914 to a staunchly republican