GLW issue 790, published 2009-04-05.

Australian Tamil hunger strike against genocide

Three young Tamil Australians began a hunger strike on April 11 to demand that the Australian government press for a permanent ceasefire by the Sri Lankan Army. The SLA is carrying out a brutal military offensive against the Tamil people in the

Indigenous land claim resolved

On March 30, a Federal Court hearing at Nepabunna gave a consent determination finally confirming the Adnyamathanha people’s native title rights over their traditional lands.

Our rights at work: Where the bloody hell are they?

If Lewis Carroll’s Alice were to suddenly come to life in Australia today, there’s one place she find familiar — the Wonderland world of industrial relations minister Julia Gillard’s Fair Work Act (FWA).

Workers rally against prison privatisation

More than 3000 workers, organised by the Public Service Association, marched on NSW Parliament House on April 2 to oppose the planned privatisation of the Goulburn and Cessnock jails.

Further

Australian News

More international guests to attend World at a Crossroads

Leader of the International Socialist Organisation Zimbabwea and former MP for Highfield in Harare, Munya Gwisai, along with two representatives of the external relations committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Le Vinh Thu and Le Gia Kien, are the latest additions to the growing international speaker line-up at the World at a Crossroads conference.

Monash activist disciplined for Palestine solidarity

Omar Hassan is the Education (public affairs) officer for Monash University’s student union. He is also a member of Students for Palestine. On March 31, the Monash Student Council (MSC) sanctioned Hassan for his involvement in the group.

Further Australian News

International News

The cost of exposing Sri Lanka's murderous regime

The article below is by Brian Senewiratne, who is from Sri Lanka’s Sinhalese ethnic majority and a long-time Tamil rights activist. For his uncompromising stance against the long-term oppression, and current brutal military offensive, against the Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority by the Sinhalese chauvinist regime, he was recently barred from entering Malaysia and was singled out and victimised by Canadian and Australian immigration officials.

Britain: Left alliance formed for EU elections

A new left alliance has formed in Britain to stand in the European Union elections set for June 4.

Further International News

Comment and Analysis

ALP 'fixes' Aboriginal education

Labor governments at state and federal levels are persisting with two unpopular proposals for education in remote Aboriginal schools — the scrapping of bilingual education and the linking of welfare payments to school attendance — despite opposition from communities and educators.

Renewed struggles against privatisation in NSW

The struggle against the privatisation schemes of the NSW government is beginning to revive. On April 2, an angry demonstration of prison officers besieged parliament house, protesting against prison privatisation plans.

Further Comment and Analysis

Editorial

Their crisis, our challenge

As the only weekly newspaper in Australia to regularly house news, discussions and debates on capitalism’s crises and socialist solutions, Green Left Weekly is proud to be hosting the World At A Crossroads conference, to be held at Sydney Girls High, over the Easter weekend (April 10-12).

General

Green Left Weekly's $250,000 fighting fund: Their summit, our summit

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown proclaimed at the conclusion of the London G20 summit: “We have resolved that from today we will together manage the process of globalisation … We have agreed that in doing so we will build a more sustainable and more open and fairer global society.”

Alistair Dickinson 1934-2009

It is with sadness that we inform you that long-time left-wing Alistair Dickinson passed away on March 13. Dick was 75 years old. He had fought hard for some months against cancer.

Resistance!

'I decided to do something about it'

As capitalism sinks into a growing crisis of war and economic meltdown, people around the world are waking up to the fact that something is drastically wrong with the system that is throwing millions into poverty, wrecking our climate and turning entire countries into battlefields.

Pope 'manipulates science' on HIV/AIDS

According to a 2008 report by UN agencies UNAIDS and the World Health Organisation, an estimated 1.9 million people were newly infected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa in 2007, bringing the number of people living with HIV in the region to 22 million.

Cultural Dissent

Installation criticising Israel's occupation and Veolia causes stir

Visual artist Van Thanh Rudd created a stir in Melbourne with his installation “Economy of Movement — A Piece of Palestine”. Rudd was invited to exhibit at an art space called the Platform, in the group show Resisting Subversion of Subversive Resistance. The Platform is situated directly beneath Melbourne’s Flinders Street train station.

Swedish rockers take a stand

The (International) Noise Conspiracy (T(I)NC) formed in Sweden in 1998. It’s well known for its strong political stance on many progressive issues. The band will be touring Australia until May 29. Dates are available at http://www.myspace.com/internationalnoiseconspiracy.

Further Cultural Dissent

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Supporters raise $24,000 for Green Left Weekly fighting fund in May

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