International activists speak

Brazilian MST leaders tour

Roberto Baggio, one of two leaders of Brazil's Movement of Landless
Workers (MST), currently in Australia on a national speaking tour, explained
that this 20-year struggle has mobilised hundreds of thousands of farm
workers and their supporters. He said that the MST is organised around
cooperatives based on around 10 family groups. These units come together
to make up 1000 or more people who camp out waiting for the most opportune
time to occupy the idle and unproductive farmland of absentee landlords.

Fellow MST leader Amelia Franz emphasised that the cooperatives adopt
principles of community leadership, gender balance and equality. As well
as land reform, which helps to assure a food supply, MST activists are
involved in health care, popular education and cultural activities in their
settlements.

The speaking tour organised by the Committees in Solidarity with Latin
America and the Caribbean also visited Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Cuban activist tours

Condemning the US-imposed economic blockade against Cuba, Duque estimated
that the illegal 43-year blockade has cost Cuba US$60 million. He documented
the numerous attacks on Cuba including incursions of airspace, jamming
of airwaves, burning of cane crops and bombings of Cuban hotels.

He explained that Cuban doctors have offered free medical care to the
prisoners held by the US Navy in Guantanamo Bay, but the US government
rejected the offer.

When asked about international anti-globalisation protests, Duque told
Green Left Weekly: “the movement's character, to succeed, must be
clearly anti-capitalist and its goal must be to fight for socialism”. Duque
also held meetings with the Communications and Electrical Trades Union,
the Migrant Worker Resource Centre and the Queensland Council of Unions.

Acehnese independence activist speaks

Kautsar told the meeting that 708 Acehnese civilians were killed since
Megawati’s election, until February 2002. “The Acehnese have made a decision
not to compromise again with an Indonesian government”, he said.

Arguing that Australians must campaign against their government’s ties
with the Indonesian military, Kautsar said that international solidarity
campaigns were effective and had led to his recent release from jail.

Kautsar’s responses to challenges against his argument for Aceh’s independence
that came from people aligned with the Indonesian consulate, were met with
much applause.

Dita Sari tours Perth

As well as meeting with union officials, Sari was able to meet with
workers at three unionised workplaces: Construction, Forestry, Mining and
Energy Union members at a Multiplex worksite, Maritime Union of Australia
members at P&O and Patricks wharves, and Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous
Workers Union members at the Perth Red Cross Blood Bank.

The public meetings, at Murdoch University on April 4 and in the Perth
Resistance Centre on April 5, attracted 75 people in total. Sari outlined
the reasons for the FNPBI's rejection of Reebok's hypocritical US$50 000
“human rights” award, and urged Australian unions to support the campaign
to close the refugee detention camps.

In his introduction to the Perth meeting, maritime union activist Chris
Cain praised the efforts of Dita Sari and the FNPBI in spearheading an
independent, fighting trade union movement. Sari received greetings and
gifts from Aboriginal activist Clarrie Isaacs, Mick Beattie from the Communications,
Electrical and Plumbing Union, and Chris Latham from the newly launched
Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific.

From Green Left Weekly, April 17, 2002.

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From GLW issue 488