Sunday, 26 February 2012

Capitalism can't save the planet : Harpal Brar

Capitalism Killed 257,089 in Colombia

Facebook Collisions: Notes on the State via the BSF Torture Video Spam and the Freedom of Expression Debate

http://sanhati.com/excerpted/4650/



February 25, 2012

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By Shaunak Sen

Spam(s)

Ranciere, a French historian once asked, what if our truest sorrow lay in not being able to enjoy the false ones? What if our real indignation resided in a drive to cling to the possibility of being angry at that which has historically angered or upset us?


In the last few days a chat-spam of a particular video has been surfacing frequently in numerous Facebook newsfeeds. Youtube counts suggest over 50,000 hits. It’s a gruesome video, terribly upsetting to watch – somewhere in the Murshidabad district in West Bengal, on a cold wintry December morning, a group of BSF men fully strip, hogtie and mercilessly beat up a young Bangladeshi villager with sticks. The fascinating thing about the Facebook newsfeed is of course that it situates in close proximity what seem like entirely disparate voices. These fleeting and ephemeral meetings sometimes yield unlikely collisions. As hoards of writers jostled at the Diggi Palace front lawns to register their protest against the Satanic Verses fracas, the other spam-like spread through various social media sites was of another germinal term: freedom of expression. This otherwise unlikely encounter lends a fresh vantage point to think of why this particular video has suddenly enjoyed the brand of currency it has, and how it gives us a fresh perspective through which to think of spaces of protest and ideas around freedom of expression, especially vis a vis the State.

A Peace in Pieces: Context of the Failed “Peace talks” in Jangalmahal

http://sanhati.com/excerpted/4649/

February 25, 2012
parbati-sabdavali.jpg
By Partho Sarathi Ray
Introduction
The collapse of the so-called “peace talks” process in the Jangalmahal of West Bengal as a result of the brutal killing of Mallojula Koteswara Rao or Kishenji, senior politbureau member of the CPI(Maoist), by security forces in what is evidently a false encounter, is highly instructive, as it deepens our understanding of the nature of such attempts at making “peace”, and also raises disturbing questions about the entire proposition of peacemaking in the context of the peoples’ struggles that have been or are going on in India over the last decade. It is also to be understood that although the murder of Kishenji was the culmination of the process that has been going on for the last eight months since the formation of the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led government in West Bengal, it is in reality a byproduct of a much more dangerous process that has led to the stamping out of the democratic upsurge that Jangalmahal had witnessed over the last two years. This understanding about the nature of these so called “peace talks” is important for the revolutionary forces and peoples’ movements that are actively struggling against the Indian state and interests that the latter serves, and also for members of the so-called civil society who stand in solidarity with such struggles.
Background: The Failure of the Talks and Violence-counter-violence
Every one knows about the immediate context of this particular “peace process”: the newly-elected TMC-led government in West Bengal appointed a committee of interlocutors, who, styling themselves as representatives of civil society, signed an agreement with the government to take an initiative to “peacefully solve the problems of Jangalmahal” (quotation from the text of the agreement signed by the home secretary on behalf of the West Bengal government and the interlocutors “on behalf of civil society”, published in Jago Bangla, dated 14th-15th July, 2011). Following this the interlocutors initiated a process of discussions with representatives of the state committee of the CPI(Maoist). After a couple of round of such discussions, in an increasingly vitiated atmosphere created by continuing atrocities and a clampdown on all democratic activities in Jangalmahal by state security forces and TMC-organized vigilante forces and retaliatory strikes by the CPI(Maoist) armed squads against the leaders of the TMC-led vigilante forces, the peace talks completely collapsed at the end of November 2011 by the killing of Kishenji at the hands of the security forces.
A More Careful Probe of the Background

Friday, 24 February 2012

Syria: the rise of counter-revolutionary forces among the opposition

From A World to Win News Service

February 20, 2012. A World to Win News Service. Following is an edited version of an interview with Hassan Khaled Chatila, a Syrian revolutionary living in Europe. Although we have done our best to faithfully represent his views on the questions addressed here, they remain his own.
The balance of forces among the opposition now favors counter-revolutionaries, because [under current circumstances] the militarization of the movement against the regime favors international interference. Alongside the unarmed protests in the streets there are now significant armed actions. But there has not been much change in the political consciousness of the mass movement, which remains a spontaneous revolt whose unifying goal is the fall of the regime. Now street slogans call for armed action to achieve this.
The head of the Free Syrian Army [formed by officers and soldiers who left the regime's armed forces] has been calling for foreign intervention since early on. It's not clear who they are. It seems that the name actually covers several armed groups aided and sheltered by Turkey. Because there is no real organization and little political unity among these army deserters, they often act more like armed gangs, carrying out looting and rape. The FSA [claims its purpose is to] protect demonstrations in the cities from government attack. Their tactics are bad – they shoot at government soldiers who return fire and kill civilian protesters. Their real strategy is to militarize the clash between the movement and the regime so as to provoke foreign intervention.

Syria: No to Assad, no to foreign intervention!

From A World to Win News Service

Note from Revolution: As this article points out: “We can't predict what will happen – how the U.S. and its allies might try to solve their dilemma and make a grab for Syria. But we should know by now, after all that we've seen in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and so many other places, that what the imperialists are capable of is sometimes worse than we can imagine – and the results of their intervention are always disastrous for the people.”

In this light, we feel our readers will find this article of interest.
February 13, 2012. A World to Win News Service. The U.S. military has "begun to review potential military options" in Syria, according to the New York Times. (February 11, 2012) An unnamed American military official told this authoritative newspaper, "We're looking at a whole range of options, but as far as going to one course of action, I haven't seen anything." The report says the "possible options" that would be considered include "everything, including humanitarian assistance, army rebels, covert actions, airstrikes, deploying ground troops or doing nothing.”

China: The Wukan uprising and its lessons

Posted by kasama on February 23, 2012
The following appeared on the Socialist Worker (2/23). The authors are part of the Chinaworker project.
by Vincent Kolo and Zhang Shujie
Wukan is the fishing village in southern China’s Guangdong province that achieved worldwide fame as a symbol of mass resistance. Like thousands of other rural communities in recent years, the 13,000 inhabitants of Wukan rose up against corrupt local officials who have stolen land and made millions in profits. But Wukan achieved something else, by displaying a new level of organisation and mass mobilisation, setting up independent popular committees and campaign structures. In so doing, Wukan has become a benchmark for future struggle in China.
Strikes and local rebellions use slogan “Learn from Wukan”
Its people waged a daring and impressive four-month long struggle that ejected the local ‘communist’ (Chinese Communist Party) government, and set up their own elected council to run the community. Finally, in the face of repression, arrests, a siege by thousands of paramilitary police, and the death of a protest leader in police custody, a dramatic settlement was reached on 21 December that seemed to meet most of the villagers’ demands. At that time, chinaworker.info warned that the agreement with provincial CCP representatives could not be trusted; that continued mass pressure through the building of democratic grassroots organisations and links with other mass struggles was needed. Our warnings have been confirmed.

Orissa - Press note on violence unleashed by corporations

February 23, 2012

CORPORATE HIMSHA VIRODHI SAMANAWAYA SAMITI, ODISHA
(Coordination Committee Against Corporate Violence in Odisha )
Ever since the frontiers of the country were nakedly made open to the global economic and market forces for ruthless exploitation of the rich natural resources and for the launching of an unethical, unreasonable and unjust market with growing potential to expand itself to meet the artificially engineered needs of an expanding middle class, the pillars of democracy started crumbling down. History of centuries old, which keeps us reminding every now and then that India is land of unique and ugly social inequalities and which do overlap with economic boundaries quite often, was conveniently ignored. The dominance of market over everything else- social, political and economic was designed without giving any thought to the possibility that the gaps only will widen and the bridge may not be a reality in future history. The 1990s not only marked the rise of big capital and corporate raj, it did also witness the beginning of the death of democracy which could not be revived again without hardships and sacrifices. The 10th year of reforms began with bloody tribute to the corporate raj when three tribals Abhilash, Raghunath and Damodar laid down their lives in the altar of Utkal Alumina led by the Birlas while defending their right to life, livelihood and democracy on 16th December, 2000.

Open Letter to Navin Jindal Open Letter to Navin Jindal

http://sanhati.com/articles/4645/
February 23, 2012
by Himanshu Kumar
I just finished watching a few videos showing security forces mercilessly beating villagers in Orissa, along with some heart wrenching pictures of the attack. One of the pictures was of a year and a half old child with a broken foot, another of a seventy year old woman with her blood drenched face, and yet another of a tear stricken eighty year old man with blood oozing from his forehead. Another video shows a labourer lying on a hospital bed with his broken leg, moaning from an unbearable pain, and unable to work for next three months.
I was seized with uncontrollable anger and shame as I watched these videos. I was ashamed of myself that while all these atrocities were being perpetrated, I was powerless to stop them. And who was the target of my anger? This I will describe in this letter.
Mr Jindal, according to one survey, you are the richest person in this country. You make more than 66 crore rupees annually. That comes to more than 5 crore rupees per month. As per Government economists, any villager who earns more than Rs 28 per day is not considered poor. So according to the Government, your income is 66000 times the income of an average person above the poverty line.

Thursday, 23 February 2012

Punish all responsible for the West Bengal government’s patriarchal offensive on a rape complainant

February 22, 2012
by Kavita Krishnan
The response of the West Bengal Government to a recent complaint of gang rape in the state capital, is yet another instance that has underlined the deeply patriarchal biases embedded in institutions of power and in the state machinery.
A woman reported that she had been gang-raped at gun-point in a moving car in Kolkata. She further stated that when she sought to file a complaint, she was subjected to humiliation and sexually suggestive remarks at the hands of the police. As this incident came to the light of the public, the West Bengal Police establishment and senior leaders of the Cabinet including even the Chief Minister herself, branded the rape complaint as false.
The Police Commissioner of Kolkata, RK Pachnanda, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, both said the rape complaint was fabricated and ‘staged’ to malign the Government. The Chief Minister’s media adviser said that the police was looking into the rape complainant’s family background, cheating cases against her father, etc. Supposed ‘holes’ and ‘inconsistencies’ in the complainant’s version were leaked selectively by police to the media. In other words, the complainant herself was treated as though she were a suspect whose innocence was on trial!
Meanwhile, a close aide of the Chief Minister, Minister Madan Mitra, resorted to the age-old patriarchal strategy to discredit rape complainants: insinuating that the complainant was of questionable moral character, since she was separated from her husband and visited nightclubs. Speaking to a TV channel, Mitra said, “Why did a woman with kids at home, who is separated from her husband, go to a nightclub? For all you know, she may still be drinking at a club.”
Moral judgements on a woman’s personal life, and all sorts of details about her family background, were invoked in order to discredit her complaint of rape – in violation of the well-established principle, oft upheld by the Supreme Court, that irrelevant details about the rape complainant’s personal life and ‘character’ cannot be used to undermine rape complaints.
Eventually, the rape complaint was vindicated, with the Kolkata police arresting three of the accused. The medical evidence clearly showed injuries consistent with the assault described by the complainant. Also, it emerged that so-called ‘inconsistencies’ and ‘falsehoods’ in the complainant’s statement had a perfectly logical explanation.
The kind of attitudes displayed by the West Bengal police and government are, unfortunately, all too common when it comes to rape complaints, and this is undoubtedly one of the factors contributing to the rise in sexual violence on women. Recently, a DGP of Andhra Pradesh blamed women for ‘provoking’ rape by wearing fashionable clothes. His remarks were soon echoed by many in responsible positions in other states, too. According to such patriarchal discourse, rape is not rape, when it happens to women who do not conform to prescribed norms of behaviour. And the credibility of any rape complainant can be undermined by questioning her clothes, her behaviour, or her morality. And Governments, realising that rape cases and police insensitivity reflect badly on their regime, are often quick to stoke patriarchal ‘doubts’ about the rape complainant’s character and credibility.
Not long ago, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, eager to cover up allegations of rape against an MLA of his party, questioned Rupam Pathak’s character on TV channels. The Delhi Police chief, responding to charges of police insensitivity in cases relating to violence against women, said that women who ventured out without a (male) guardian at 2 am, have only themselves to blame for rape.
In West Bengal itself, the statements made by Mamata Banerjee and Madan Mitra echo the remarks made by their predecessors in similar circumstances. Responding to the mass rape at Birati in 1990, a leader of the ruling CPIM’s women’s organisation had referred to the questionable moral antecedents of the victims. In the Dhantala mass rape case of 2003, the West Bengal Government had dismissed the rape charges as ‘concocted lies.’ In another instance of rape of a woman CPI(M) supporter in Cooch Behar in 2003, allegedly by CPIM activists, the then State Secretary of the CPIM had deemed the charge to be ‘concocted’, and had questioned the ‘character and lifestyle’ of the complainant. In the case of the rape and murder of Tapasi Malik in Singur, too, senior CPIM leaders had made patriarchal insinuations about Tapasi and her family, in order to defend their own cadre who were accused.
This trend of branding rape complainants as liars by invoking their ‘character’ is rampant in society. But when those in positions of power and responsibility do so, it is even more serious and condemnable. If such persons go unpunished, it can only encourage this trend, and embolden perpetrators of violence on women.
The West Bengal Chief Minister owes a public apology to the rape complainant, for the shameful way in which the latter was branded a liar by the Government, and by the CM personally. The Chief Minister should also relinquish the Home portfolio that she now holds, as a penalty for the way in which she sought to malign a rape complainant, and bias the police proceedings. For his highly offensive remarks, Madan Mitra must be removed from his position in the Cabinet. The charges of sexual harassment against police personnel must be speedily investigated and sternly punished. The Kolkata Police Commissioner must also be removed from office for his irresponsible statements that were a great injustice to the rape complainant. It may be remembered that, following his public pronouncements justifying the honour crimes of industrialist Ashok Todi towards Rizwan-ur Rehman, the then Police Commissioner had to lose his post. This time, too, the current Police Commissioner must go.

Maoists in Manipur oppose burdens on children and families

Posted by redpines on February 23, 2012
 
The Imphal Free Press, an English language publication from the region of Manipur (currently occupied by the Indian state), reports on a press release from the Maoist Communist Party, Manipur. The Maoists have issued demands on local educational institutions in an effort to advance the new democratic revolution in the region and to fight for quality education for the oppressed masses here.
[Intro by Joe]

Maoist warns private schools to forego multiple dress code, other extravagances

The Maoist Communist Party, Manipur in a press release by its publicity secretary Nonglen Meitei came out strongly against the imposition of two or three sets of uniform on its students by private schools.
It stated that the multiple uniform sets caused unnecessary financial burdens to the parents especially those belonging to the financially underprivileged section. The Maoist`s statement assured that the party stands against such exploitation and will not remain a mute spectator.
The Maoist advised that there should be only one uniform set for the students, whereas the choice of colour of the apparel will be the prerogative of the school authorities.
Further, the Maoist questioned the private schools need for keeping three different sets of uniform code in a week. Aside from uniforms, beginning from note books to handkerchiefs, the schools have imposed strictures which are futile exercises. It may please the eyes but the amount of hardships which the poor families incur in keeping with the private schools norms may not be obvious to the school authorities, but is evident to the Maoist party.
The imposition of such petty rules without concern of the overall economic status of the state is not in the interest of the public. Such un ethical practices in the private education sector have led to circumstances where the parents can no longer afford to give proper education to their wards, the Maoist will not compromise their stance in the regard.
Further, schools cashing in on printed material including handkerchiefs, school bags in the name of seeking popularity should be stopped. If the school wants to popularize itself, then it may give free education and sponsor some underprivileged students instead of trying to mint money.
The parents should also introspect into the matter and collectively try to stop malpractices in the education sector.The Maoist in its New Democratic Revolution movement stands for the welfare of the commons; it stands for bringing quality education but stand against exploitation.
The release mentions that to check the announced guideline, the Maoist cadres will begin scrutinizing the schools beginning from February 20 onwards. If any school is found violating the mentioned norms, then the concerned authorities will be viewed as anti-people by the outfit.It appeals the concerned that the Maoist is tackling issues which are aimed at public welfare while continuing the liberation movement and seeks support from all, the release concluded

On the Brink: Fiscal Austerity Threatens a Global Recession

Sunday, 19 February 2012

Socialism vs Capitalism in China

US and China - Crisis, Collaboration and Contention

Mises on Nazi Economics Debunked

Syrian Girl - Fallujah War Crimes

Syrian Girl - Why Al Qaeda is Al CIAda

Sunday, 12 February 2012

US Marines Support Nazi Symbol

Friday, 10 February 2012

Bradley Manning Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Sunday, 5 February 2012

Orissa: Police assault, arrest villagers defending their land from eviction

http://southasiarev.wordpress.com/

Posted by redpines on February 6, 2012
Amnesty International demands that charges be dropped on 47 protesters facing charges (including “attempted murder and rioting”) for protesting forced eviction in Orissa, India. The land is being taken from these people and sold to British-owned Vedanta Aluminum to build a toxic waste dump. Maoists in India have been involved for years in organizing widespread resistance against Vedanta’s land grabs in tribal areas. This video shows footage of adivasis (Indian tribal people) demonstrating against the eviction and the resulting police violence against them. (Thanks to Joe for the intro)

Defend the Party of the Committee's to support Resistance - for Communism (CARC) - Italy

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.in/

Demonstration at Italian Embassy London on Wednesday 8th February Against trial of 12 comrades in Bologna including members of the CARC.

Visit Facebook and Join the Demonstration Page
http://www.facebook.com/events/292179184171133/

"Soccer" Uprising : Egyptian's Battle Police Forces in Second Day of Protest

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.in/




For the second day in a row, Egyptians battled police forces in cities around the country. In Cairo, thousands of protesters took on the police in front of the hated Interior Ministry, blamed for being responsible for the deaths of 74 people killed when a major soccer match erupted in violence on Wednesday. 


Protesters threw rocks at police, who fired back with tear gas, buckshot and rubber bullets. More than two thousand have been injured and nine killed in two days of fighting, according to the Health Ministry.


The violence took place one block from the now infamous Mohamed Mahmoud Street, where similar street battles took place less than three months ago. Then, thousands were injured and 40 people were killed by security forces, many by asphyxiation from tear gas. 


The Military Council installed a new cabinet, and the new Interior Minister vowed not to use tear gas on protesters again. That promise was not kept. But protesters have proven more resilient than ever, tearing down an enormous concrete block wall erected by the military after the Mohamed Mahmoud battle, and occupying a government tax building. 


Withstanding a steady barrage of tear gas and buckshot, the protesters continued fighting throughout the day. 


These images of the front line at the northwest corner of the Interior Ministry were filmed on Friday afternoon, February 3, by TRNN videographer Roddy Hafiz

Anonymous Message to Greece plus Defend the Greek Working People from March 26th Movement

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.in/



A sketch of four controversies: Communist strategy in the Third World

Posted by redpines on February 5, 2012

This theoretical essay originally appeared on our sister site, Kasama. It addresses a number of important issues, including: How has revolution occurred in the Third World? Can it occur in the same way under current global conditions? Can we apply the strategies for revolution in the third world in the advanced capitalist countries? 
by Mike Ely
A great many of us attracted to revolutionary politics in the U.S. (and similar “developed” countries) often see radical change through the prism of our surrounding society — where feudalism has been largely absorbed into capitalist agriculture, and where only a small-and-declining proportion of the working classes are on the land.
So when revolutionaries in the third world (for example: India, Nepal, Peru, Turkey) talk of the political tasks facing both communists and the people because of major feudal elements — the discussion often seems a bit strange. Their discussion involves problems of genuine national independence, village-level land reform, basic industrial development, basic infrastructure (roads, sewage, electrification…), ending the patriarchy of peasant life… burning questions that aren’t  concerns of any revolutionary movement in the U.S.

Shit the FBI Says

Posted by onehundredflowers on February 4, 2012



Things should come with labels….

http://kasamaproject.org/


Posted by Mike E on February 4, 2012

Orissa - Statements against brutal attack on protesters at Jindal’s Angul steel plant

http://sanhati.com/articles/4563/


Press Note
by Prafulla Samantara (Convenor, NAPM)
Everyday in different parts of our state, people of Odisha especially Adivasis and farmers became victims of forceful displacement. Those that are displaced, they are again victimised by the corporations and the government. More than 15 thousand people have been displaced for Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. company in Angul district of Odisha in last 5 years. The Govt of Odisha had suppressed the anti-displacement movement at the beginning, People had opposed the project in the public hearing conducted by the State Pollution control Board and managed by the district administration. Though the officials had declared that another public hearing would be done, but it did not take place. The first hearing was manipulated and fabricated by which the company got environment clearance. Practically four thousand acres of land were acquired by the government for the company by using police force as well as alluring high payment or compensation and employment guarantee. But after acquisition of land, the displaced people are being betrayed and left unemployed without source of livelihood. Now the company have grabbed another 5000 acres of forest land destroying more than 4 lakhs Sal tree without any clearance. They have been demanding justified compensation, rehabilitation and permanent employment. The government remains silent where as the people have been waiting for justice.
On 25th January 2012 just before the Republic Day, 4000 unarmed, displaced people including women went to company gate to demand their right to livelihood and life with dignity. But in the presence of police, they were attacked physically by the security guards of Jindal company without any provocation. The security force used lathis and iron rods by which people are being beaten mercilessly. Women were attacked in such a inhuman way, that their clothes were torn and they were being injured severely from tip to toe. More than 200 persons became seriously injured and admitted in the Angul district Hospital and some of them were shifted to SCB medical college, Cuttack, without any assistance or help of the government. Many injured women are not in the hospital being feared. Now they are in their homes without medical treatments. Six days already passed but no justice is given to the victims. Now thousands of people have been demonstrating before company gate, they are not allowing for any construction work. In the local police station, F.I.R was lodged against CEO of the company, but no executive officer was arrested till now except the security officer.
The heinous attack by Jindal company is a conspiracy with district administration to suppress the voice of the displaced people to not to fight for their right to life and livelihood.
Recently 48 Tribal and Dalit people are being bitten by the police at Lanjigada and kept in jail as the people opposed to destruction of village road for Vedanta company. Hired goons of Posco used hand bombs to attack on struggling people of Dhinkia in presence of police in last November.
Till now the chief minister of Odsha did not react on the said inhuman, barbaric attack by the Jindal company on the displaced people of Angul.
I as the convenor of NAPM being associated with their protest preferences appeal to the activists and democratic peoples’ organizations to write letter of protest to the chief minister of Odisha and appeal to the National Human Rights Commission to set up an inquiry and take appropriate action in giving justice to the displaced and victims. Let us campaign against corporate crime and inhuman displacement everywhere in the country.
Prafulla Samantara
(Convenor, NAPM)
**************************************************************
Joint Statement against brutal attack on protesters at Jindal’s Angul steel plant
We are extremely shocked and distressed over the barbaric inhuman violence on peaceful protesters especially woman by the security guards and hired goons of Jindal steel plant in Angul, Odisha. There has been series of attacks on unarmed peaceful protesters against forcibly land grab all over Odisha. On 25th January 2012 when the entire Nation was gearing up for the Republic day celebrations and the Indian ruling classes, the big business and the corporate media was busy trumpeting the arrival of India major economical power house these recurring brutal violence by the corporate goons on mass movements in Odisha exposes the hollowness of our rulers claim of India being the world largest democracy.