663

VENEZUELA: Congress discusses indigenous rights

Around 450 delegates from some 35 indigenous communities, representing more than 500,000 people across Venezuela, met on March 24-26 for the Fifth National Congress of Indigenous Peoples.

IRAQ: US massacres unarmed civilians

Doug Lorimer A storm of outrage has been expressed by Shiite politicians against the US occupation forces following a raid by US troops and Iraqi commandos on a Shiite mosque in eastern Baghdad on the evening of March 26. The next day, Iraqi

A writer of political and social truths

Dickens: His Work and His WorldBy Michael Rosen and Robert IngpenWalker Books 200595 pages REVIEW BY ALEX MILLER According to Peter Ackroyd, Karl Marx once said to Frederick Engels that Charles Dickens had "issued to the world more political and

HAITI: Election result 'a blow to Haitian elite'

Patrick Elie has been a leading figure in the popular movement in Haiti since his youth, during the years of the Duvalier tyranny. He was a minister of the first government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, 1991-96. He helped found a political

UNITED STATES: 'We are workers, not criminals'

Barry Sheppard, Los Angeles In what the LA Times called "A thunderous display of clout", up to 1 million immigrants — with immigration papers and without — and their supporters marched through the streets of Los Angeles on March 25 demanding

Police capsicum spray Mamdouh Habib

Raul Bassi, Sydney At about 10.30pm on March 29, dozens of residents gathered together after two young men were gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Blaxcell Street, in Sydney's western suburb of Granville. Among the residents were Mamdouh Habib

Blair gets 'welcome he deserves'

Nick Everett, Canberra British PM Tony Blair received a 21-gun salute and gushing praise from both PM John Howard and Labor leader Kim Beazley when he arrived at federal parliament on March 27. But a more fitting tribute was provided by 150

Catholic school teachers launch pay campaign

Nick Everett, Canberra On March 28, 100 teachers from the ACT's 27 Catholic schools, meeting at the Manuka Oval, voted unanimously to strike. The ACT's 780 Catholic school teachers are seeking a pay increase of 13% over three years after their most

Media bosses censor union campaign

Sue Bolton, Melbourne The implications of the Howard government's draconian new workplace laws have dominated the airwaves over the last couple of weeks. You would therefore think that the decision by a meeting of 1800 union delegates to support a

Artist challenging American values

Changing ClimateExhibition by Ron GuyCusp Gallery, 238 High Street NorthcoteApril 4-22Phone (03) 9482 2731 REVIEW BY VANNESSA HEARMAN Ron Guy is an artist and a shift worker, as well as the union representative on his job. He is a passionate

PAKISTAN: World Social Forum opens democratic space

Pip Hinman, Karachi It had been touch and go for this six-day World Social Forum, postponed from January because of the devastating earthquake last October. But in the end, more than 35,000 people attended — mostly Pakistanis but also activists

Venezuela from a Venezuelan's perspective: Neither heaven nor hell

Edward Mercado For the last seven years, a great majority of Venezuelans, including myself, have defended a new democratic administration being built under Venezuela's new constitution. This is the only constitution in our history that has ever