706

Socialists prepare for parliamentary elections

“The PST has increased its vote slightly on its results in 2000", Avelino Coelho da Silva, secretary-general of the Socialist Party of Timor, told Green Left Weekly by telephone from Dili. Coelho was the PST’s candidate in the country’s April 9 presidential election, the final results of which will be officially announced by the National Election Commission (CNE) on April 16.

New Zealand: Union says workplace bullying a factor in death

In early April, Independent Liquor worker and member of the Unite Union Steve Tipene took his own life, just eight days after he was sacked from his job. Unite had filed a challenge against the dismissal at the Employment Relations Authority shortly before hearing of his death. Unite reported on April 13 that Tipene’s family believed the sacking was a major factor in his death and according to the union, the company has a long history of anti-union practices and workplace bullying. Unite organiser John Minto described 46-year-old Tipene as a strong unionist who understood the importance of workers sticking together. “Steve took part in the strikes last year which gained the first collective agreement at Independent Liquor for 20 years. He has helped make it a bit easy for the employees who follow him at Independent. He was a good man.”

Building a movement against uranium mining

At this year’s national ALP conference, to be held in Sydney from April 27, delegates will determine whether or not to ditch Labor’s current policy of not supporting any new uranium mines (adopted in 1998). The current policy will almost certainly be overturned.

'OILS AINT OILS' (or Peter Garrett's lament)

I once was a greenie but that's in the past As an ALP pollie I've made it at last Once I bellowed and blustered in front of the Oils Now I sit on the front bench — my eye on the spoils CHORUS I once was a greenie but that's in the past As

US grants bail to terrorist

On April 6, notorious Cuban-born terrorist Luis Posada Carriles was granted freedom on bail in the El Paso Federal Court, which will allow him to return home to his family in Miami after the payment of US$250,000. Posada, a former CIA operative, was the mastermind of the deadly bombing of a Cuban airliner in 1976, and has been involved in other terrorist acts and violent campaigns against popular movements in Latin America. Washington has denied requests to extradite him to Venezuela, where he had been imprisoned until he escaped in 1985.

The missionaries pushing the religion from hell!

Free Market Missionaries: The Corporate Manipulation of Community Values
By Sharon Beder
Earthscan, 2006
260 pages, $56
http://www.dadirect.com

Fidel Castro slams biofuel 'genocide'

In his first two articles in the Cuban Communist Party’s newspaper, Granma, since becoming ill last year, President Fidel Castro lashed out at the recently signed ethanol deal between Brazil and the US. In an April 3 article he described it as “the internationalisation of genocide”.

Would you buy a second hand war from this man?

Want to buy a second hand war? Want to buy the war in Iraq? We went there for oil, made Iraqi blood boil now we're asking what for and wondering how we ever get back. The profits have gone and hope is forlorn it's preloved, it's used and we

Howard, Rudd escalate support for US-led Afghan war

Declaring that there “is the distinct possibility of casualties and that should be understood and prepared for by the Australian public”, PM John Howard announced on April 10 that an Australian military task force spearheaded by 300 Special Air Services troops would be deployed to Afghanistan’s south-central Oruzgan province.

Israel resists Arab peace initiative

The 19th Arab League (AL) summit, held in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on March 28-29, voted to re-affirm support for the “Arab peace initiative” proposed by Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah five years ago.

Protest against troop deployment

More than 50 people protested on April 12 against the Australian government’s decision to send 300 extra troops to Afghanistan. The speakout was called at short notice by the Stop the War Coalition. Activists pointed out that the wars against Iraq and Afghanistan are part of the same “war on terror”, are both motivated by lies, and are both wars of occupation in which innocent people are being killed for US corporate interests.

Letters to the Editor

Work Choices The first anniversary of Work Choices is marked by another employer exploiting the Howard government's feudal IR laws to reduce workers' pay and conditions National retail chain Darrell Lea Chocolate Shops expects its 1509 casual