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INDONESIA: People's congress call gains support

BY MAX LANE  JAKARTA — The Peoples Democratic Party (PRD) launched its new newspaper, Pembebasan (Liberation) at a public meeting held at the Jakarta Media Centre on July 11. Almost 400 people packed the auditorium for a lively

Manic Street Preachers support Cuba

REVIEW BY TYRION PERKINS Louder Than War: the Manic Street Preachers Live in Cuba DVD featuring the Manic Street PreachersSony MusicKnow Your EnemyManic Street PreachersSony Music "I suppose we're making history because of the trade sanctions

INDONESIA: Megawati betrayal may split PDIP

BY MAX LANE JAKARTA — President Megawati Sukarnoputri's support within her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) is falling as she increasingly associates with the political figures from the era of the Suharto dictatorship. Almost

The US health system disaster

BY ALISON DELLIT The US-style deregulated health-care system, with no universal guarantee of care, is what awaits Australia if the federal government has its way. That would be a disaster. Despite it’s so-called “efficient” system of

and ain't i a woman: The Bandit Queen

and ain't i a woman: The Bandit Queen July 25 marks the first anniversary of the murder of Phoolan Devi, who became known as India's "Bandit Queen". After completing it in 1995, Devi described her autobiography, I, Phoolan Devi: "It is an

On the box

Actively Radical TV — Sydney community television's progressive current affairs producers tackle the hard issues from the activist's point of view. Includes the Green Left news. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Sunday, 9pm. Phone 9565 5522. Visit

AFRICAN UNION: Masters and houseboys unite

[The following statement was issued by the Johannesburg Anti-Privatisation Forum, which unites working-class and poor communities struggling against water and electricity cut-offs and evictions which flow from the neo-liberal economic policies of the

Increased vote for Greens a sign of hope

BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE HOBART — The record vote for the Greens in the July 20 Tasmanian election indicates there has been a swing to the left in the electoral arena. At the close of counting on July 20, the Greens had won four lower-house seats. The

Irradiation plant endangers health

BY JASON CAHILL & NICOLE HOYE BRISBANE — In August 1999, the Australian and New Zealand Food Authority quietly lifted a 10-year ban on food irradiation. The impact of that decision is now being felt as a food irradiation facility is being

News briefs

Save women’s studies at Deakin University! GEELONG — Despite a 20-year history of strong enrolments and a national and international reputation, Deakin University’s women’s studies program is about to be gutted. More than 800 students

ACEH: Indonesian-backed militia behind terror?

BY LESLEY McCULLOCH In the remote area of Aceh Tengah (central Aceh) there is a new and growing problem for the civilian population: the presence of Indonesian-backed militia. The rarely visited area has experienced a devastating attack on its

Protesters oppose irradiation plant

BY LEONIE EASTMENT BRISBANE — Since June 13, protesters have maintained a 24-hour protest camp outside the Narangba site that Steritech proposes to build a food irradiation plant upon. Although the protesters managed to delay