Issue 162

News

The Chris Hani memorial tour visited Australia from September 26 to October 6 to give a first-hand account of developments in South Africa. The delegation consisted of Charles Nqakula, general secretary of the South African Communist Party and member
By Pip Hunter Pragmatism rather than principle was what prevented the ALP from expanding its three-mine uranium policy at its national conference, according to many environmentalists. The "pre-cooked" four-day conference, for which
Corrective Services imprisoned By Janet Parker SYDNEY — Employees of the Department of Corrective Services here were imprisoned for an hour by demonstrators barring the entrance to their offices on September 30. The protest,

World

By Frank Enright "The Keating government has compromised the delicate peace negotiations between the Bougainville Interim Government [BIG], the Bougainville Revolutionary Army [BRA] and the Papua New Guinea government", according to the
US to back Three Gorges Dam? A coalition of 15 environmental, development, church and human rights organisations has called on the Clinton administration to oppose the construction of the massive Three Gorges Dam planned for China's
By Jennifer Thompson As Indian authorities struggled with an epidemic of pneumonic plague, prostitutes in New Delhi told a reporter that their business continued even while schools and cinemas were being shut. "We were told once that
Mandela asked to help Nigerians Earthlife Africa, at the request of the pro-democracy movement in Nigeria, is urging South African President Nelson Mandela to make representations to the Nigerian government for the release of Ken
By Pip Hunter SYDNEY — "Historically, it has been easy to discuss class and race in the South African context. But the discussion on gender has been undermined or subsumed", Thenjiwe Mthintso, an African National Congress member of
US blockade causes $1 billion loss to Cuba HAVANA — Speaking at the Mexico-Cuba mixed commission meeting on September 19, Cuban foreign minister Roberto Robaina said US pressures caused close to $US1 billion in losses for the Cuban
By Renfrey Clarke BUDAPEST — Years after the "old left" Communist party regimes collapsed in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, the results are clear: not peace and an expansion of democracy, but a licence for the forces of capital to
Illegal logging on Indonesian island On the Indonesian island of Siberut, about 100 km west of Sumatra, all logging concessions were withdrawn and logging was supposed to be stopped half a year ago. But despite the government decision to
By Renfrey Clarke BERLIN — On the streets of German cities, one of the most common campaign posters for the October 16 federal elections contains not a word of text. All it shows is the head of Chancellor and Christian Democratic Union
By Jon Lamb President Ramos of the Philippines looks set to push through the implementation of RA7716, the Expanded Value Added Tax Law, by the end of October. Progressive and left organisations are stepping up activities in opposition to

Culture

By Penny Farrow ADELAIDE — Red Shed Theatre Company is an artist-driven collective originally formed by graduates of the Flinders University Drama Centre. The company is committed to producing innovative, new Australian work of
By Tim E. Stewart DARWIN — Challenging the daily terror of Murdoch headlines, a group of locals have embarked on an ambition media project. They are setting up a community-based paper in direct opposition to the sex, law and order of
Anarchist newspaper launched By Lynda Hansen BRISBANE — The Anarchist newspaper was launched here last week. Speakers from the newspaper collective Bernadette Le Goullan, Terry Fisher and Brendan Greenhill expressed enthusiasm
Gorky By Henri Troyat Allison & Busby, 1994. 216 pp., $19.95 (pb) Reviewed by Phil Shannon In 1892, Alexey Peshkov adopted a new name for the publication of his first story in Russia, and Maxim Gorky, "the Bitter One",
A useful tool for East Timor activists East Timor Activist Kit Published by Resistance. $3.00 Available from Resistance bookshops Reviewed by Arun Pradhan This booklet is worth getting for the first section alone.
By Kelly O'Callaghan MELBOURNE — Public transport unions plan to stop work for 24 hours on October 14 in support of a 6% wage claim which they have been pursuing for 12 months. The claim arises from last year's "reform" agreement between
Canberra community radio in FM test CANBERRA — Community Radio 2XX powers up on the FM frequency 105.5 on Saturday, October 15, for its "next FM" trial period. "Keep the frequency clear" is the banner under which 2XX is conducting its
Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City ABC-TV, Sundays Reviewed by Dave Riley Would you give up your Sunday movie for a soap? Next time the ratings are published it will be interesting to find out how many do, because Tales of the
Searching for Bobby Fischer Paramount Pictures Starring Ben Kingsley Dendy Theatre, Sydney Late October Reviewed by Frank Noakes A film woven around the game of chess? Don't be fooled. Film titles and even subject
Spider and Rose, Written and directed by Bill Bennett Starring Ruth Cracknell, Simon Bossell and Max Cullen Reviewed by Pip Hinman When Ruth Cracknell was asked to describe Spider and Rose, she said she didn't really know

Editorial

Agent Orange It is past time that the deadly effects of the herbicide Agent Orange, used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War, are officially recognised. The legal decision last week to grant compensation to Australian Vietnam War veterans