Issue 103

News

By Andrew Watson PERTH — Angry workers under attack from the Court Liberal-National government have forced the WA Trades and Labor Council to call a 24-hour strike for June 17, the opening day of the WA parliament. About 1000
By Peter Boyle The Keating government's June 3 release of a cabinet discussion paper on legislation to deal with the Mabo case confirmed the bad impression created a week earlier by the government's support for Northern Territory legislation
By Sam Wainwright World Environment Day was celebrated in cities across Australia June 5-6. The events, organised in most centres by the Environmental Youth Alliance under the theme "Environmental Justice for All", show that people are as
Meeting against technology park By Janet Parker SYDNEY — More than 100 people attended a public meeting in Alexandria on May 27 to oppose plans for an advanced technology park (ATP) on the old Eveleigh goods yard site in Redfern.
24-hour stoppage by media workers By Anthony Thirwall and Melanie Sjoberg ADELAIDE — Workers from three unions involved in the production of the Advertiser, Adelaide's only daily, went out on a 24-hour stoppage on June 4 in response
Bank evicts farmer By Chris Spindler ADELAIDE — The South East Action Group staged a blockade of a fellow farmer's property on June 3 after Westpac bank foreclosed on the mortgage and moved to evict the farmer and family. The bank,
By Norm Dixon Charges against Bougainville human rights campaigner Rosemarie Gillespie have been dropped after the uproar following her arrest for possession of "restricted substances" — prescription drugs destined for Bougainville. The
Ewart appeal rejected By Stella Simmering MELBOURNE — The appeal of Shannon Ewart was rejected by Judge Dyett the County Court on May 26. Ewart, arrested for writing graffiti on the South Melbourne police station, presented detailed
$8 wage claim floundering By Max Lane SYDNEY — A week after its announcement, the push for an $8 wage claim by a group of unions from the right wing of the NSW Trades and Labour Council is already faltering. The group had

Analysis

By Ernest Mandel Since the mid-'70s there has been a worldwide offensive of capital against labour and the toiling masses of the third world. This offensive expresses the sharp deterioration of the relationship of forces at the expense of

World

PNG 'terrorism' law draws protest By David Robie PORT MORESBY — Papua New Guinea's harsh new Internal Security Act has been attacked as the "most disturbing" law passed by the country's parliament since independence in 1975. Part
On May 15, some 5000 people marched through the Scottish city of Dundee in solidarity with sacked Timex workers. Two days later 3000 people bused from around Britain to stand on the Timex picket line; several hundred police were there to shepherd
South African election date set By Norm Dixon South Africa is likely to hold its first non-racial general election next April 27, it was announced on June 3. The African National Congress described the announcement as a vital
By Judith A. Pasimio Apo Sandawa is the ancestral home of more than 100,000 Lumad (the indigenous people of the island of Mindanao in the Philippines). It is one of the ASEAN Heritage Sites and is also on the United Nations List of National
JEREMY CRONIN was interviewed by Green Left Weekly's FRANK NOAKES, in Johannesburg. Cronin is a member of the African National Congress National Executive Committee and a central leader of the South African Communist Party. He is the editor of

Four years ago the Chinese government sent in soldiers to clear Tiananmen Square of students, workers and other citizens who were demanding democratic reform. While the students and citizens sang the "Internationale", the army attacked. Hundreds

Academics worry about free expression By Jeremy Smith MELBOURNE — National stop-work meetings were organised on May 26 by the Federal Council of Academics, the Union of Australian College Academics, and the Federation of Australian

In May, young people carrying a banner "United Front Against Golf Course Development" demonstrated outside the offices of the minister for youth and sport in Jakarta, leading to a heated polemic in the newspapers. A private

By Zanny Begg "Apartheid not only degrades the inhabitants of our country, it degrades the earth, the air and the streams ... the greening of our country is basic to its healing" writes Albie Sachs, a spokesperson for the ANC. Erosion,
By Alberto Gomes We are almost half way through the International Year of Indigenous Peoples, but for some Jahai, a Semang aboriginal people in the northern Malaysian state of Kelantan, the year is turning out to be a bad one. As a result of
By Barry Sheppard Kendra Alexander, a leader of the Committees of Correspondence both nationally and in northern California, died in an accidental fire in her home in Berkeley on May 23. Because of the central and unifying role she
By Norm Dixon The Clinton administration on May 19 finally made good its pledge to recognise the embattled government of Angola, which was elected with a clear majority last September. Long-time US ally Jonas Savimbi and his UNITA forces
Right wing feared Hani would be president By Norm Dixon South African Communist Party general secretary Chris Hani, assassinated on April 10, was targeted because the right wing believed he was Nelson Mandela's most likely successor,
By Jana D.K. in Jakarta and Mitchell Hamilton in Sydney The Indonesian government is attempting to escape political pressures following the trial of Xanana by creating the false impression that the East Timorese resistance leader has changed
New SACP leader elected South African Communist Party deputy general secretary Charles Nqakula has been elected general secretary to replace the assassinated Chris Hani. Nqakula, a former journalist, was a close confidant of Hani. He said he
Indonesian students and army clash By Max Lane Sources in Jakarta report that 50 students demonstrated outside parliament on June 2 following a one-day occupation of their campus by the army. On May 22, 150 soldiers plus police

Culture

By Bernie Brian They have been together for 41 years, have released 27 albums since 1964 and have played with everybody from the Rolling Stones to the pope. (It may disappoint Rolling Stones followers to know that the pope attracted over 1
By Karen Fredericks Anima Mundi, the latest work from Godfrey Reggio, writer, director and producer of the unforgettable films Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi, will screen at the Sydney Film Festival's special "Green Screen" event on June 25.
Timewatch: Bloody Sunday SBS TV Monday, June 14, 7.30 p.m. (7 in Adelaide) Reviewed by Bernie Brian Bloody Sunday, the Channel Four film on the fatal shooting of 13 unarmed civil rights marchers on January 30, 1972, by an elite British
SA crisis under musical microscope Hello down there! Writing coordinated by P.P. Cranney Junction Theatre Company, Adelaide Reviewed by Liam Mitchell Hello down there! is one of those rare pieces of theatre which speak about
Blade Runner, The Director's Cut Directed by Ridley Scott Screenplay adapted from a story by Philip K. Dick Starring Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer and Daryl Hannah Reviewed by Francisco de Caneiro The "director's cut"
Destined to become a classic Forbidden Love Written and directed by Aerlyn Weissman and Lynne Fernie Reviewed by Bronwen Beechey In the 1950s and '60s, lesbianism was definitely "the love that dare not speak its name". Yet throughout
Mississippi Masala Directed and produced by Mira Nair Written by Sooni Taraporevala Starring Denzel Washington, Sarita Choudhury, Ranjit Chodhry, Tico Wells, Roshan Seth, Sharmila Tagore, Natalie Oliver Commences at KINO early July
Promises Written by Crying Out Loud Directed by Margaret Trail Performed by Karen Hadfield, Marcia Ferguson, Jane Bayly and Maude Davey Napier St Theatre, Melbourne, until June 22 Reviewed by Bronwen Beechey The mythology of
Street Beat Kev Carmody Festival Records Warrior in Chains — The Best of Roger Knox Roger Knox Enrec Records Reviewed by Ignatius Kim Kev Carmody is a master storyteller with a sharp, stirring lyrical style. His stories are

Editorial

Unemployment 'solutions' One third of the official 1 million unemployed, or 371,000 people, are now classified as long-term unemployed. Prime Minister Paul Keating's announcement of a new committee to look at "policy options" for responding