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UNITED STATES: Rio Tinto tries to choke Bougainville suit

BY MAX WATTS For 10 years the Bougainvilleans have fought, with bullets and guns, against the world's second largest mining multinational: Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto hid behind multiple veils. The war was — the media told us — a civil war between

Labor for Refugees launched

BY MIKE BYRNE BRISBANE — A new group has been established in Queensland to influence the Australian Labor Party's policy on refugees and immigration. Queensland Labor for Refugees was launched on November 27 at a meeting attended by 35

Elfriede Burghardt, 1918-2001

BY STEPHEN O'BRIEN NEWCASTLE — A memorial service for long-time activist and socialist Elfriede Burghardt was held here on November 27. Burghardt was born in Germany in 1918 and grew up as part of an anti-fascist family living under the Nazis.

SPECIAL FEATURE: Revolution and counter-revolution in Afghanistan

BY NORM DIXON Until 1988, the United States at every turn blocked attempts to secure a negotiated settlement between the left-wing Peoples Democratic Party government in Afghanistan and sections of the right-wing mujaheddin opposition. This delayed

Government slammed over press access to asylum seekers

BY PIP HINMAN SYDNEY — The Australian Press Council on November 30 denounced the federal government's restrictions on media access to asylum seekers. Council chairperson Professor Ken McKinnon accused the government of "severely restricting the

Small nation, big message

BY AZIZ CHOUDRY An Evergreen IslandA film by Fabio Cavadini and Mandy KingFrontyard FilmsOrder from <cavadini@tpgi.com.au> We are swamped with information about the impact of corporate capitalism, structural adjustment and the power and

PALESTINE: Hamas and the politics of despair

BY SAMYA NASSER JERUSALEM — While there was never any doubt that the secular groups within the Palestine Liberation Organisation conducted the intifada of 1987, the Islamist Hamas sees itself as the leader of the present one. The Hamas leaders

PALESTINE: Bush gives green light to Israeli attacks

BY NORM DIXON Speculation is mounting over where Washington will select to be the next target in its bogus "war on terrorism". However, the question may have already been answered: it's Palestine. In the wake of three suicide bombing attacks in

Support grows for royal commission into refugee treatment

BY PIP HINMAN SYDNEY — On the eve of immigration minister Philip Ruddock's departure for Geneva to attend a landmark ministerial meeting, beginning on December 12, of signatory states to the 1951 refugee convention, refugee rights activists have

Meeting calls for refugee royal commission

BY TAMARA PEARSON SYDNEY — "The Australian government, supported by the Labor Party, turns away, terrorises and attacks defenceless people who are themselves fleeing terror, war and persecution", declared Max Lane, coordinator of Action in

...and ain't I a woman: Back to the future?

Are women inherently peaceful and men violent? Is there a basic difference between the natures of women and men so that men are the cause of wars and destruction and women are caring and nurturing? Many people argue that this is the case, not just

UNITED STATES: Now, on to Iraq!

BY MUMIA ABU-JAMAL PHILADELPHIA — With the end-game emerging into view of a bomb-drenched Afghanistan that is now apparently newly pacified, we are seeing the re-emergence of Iraq as America's demon-of-the-month. The justification for this new