Issue 365

News

Sacked workers reinstated after protest By Tom Flanagan SYDNEY — After lively protest actions at Woolworth stores, involving building workers and other unionists, students, activists and parliamentarians, around 30 workers sacked by
University of Sydney wage dispute By Tyrion Perkins SYDNEY — Staff at the University of Sydney are angry and frustrated after eight months of enterprise bargaining negotiations. National Tertiary Education Industry Union (NTEU) members believe
By Stuart Martin CANBERRA — The ACT Trades and Labour Council has launched a campaign in defence of jobs, pay and work conditions against the ACT Liberal government. After a motion to the TLC from the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) and
Environment groups slam NSW parliament 'reform' SYDNEY — Environment groups have attacked a proposal to "reform" the NSW upper house put forward by NSW Labor treasurer Michael Egan. Egan has proposed a deadlock provision which would allow the
Good turnout at activist conference By Mel Bull MELBOURNE — On June 5-6 more than 200 people attended the "Educate and Activate" weekend conference at Melbourne University. The weekend was attended by land rights and environmental activists
By Jenny Long SYDNEY — Even before the newly re-elected Labor Party's NSW budget was released, rumours of savage cuts to the state public service were confirmed. Cuts, which will effect every department, have been announced in several
Sydney solidarity with East Timor and Indonesia By Jenny Long SYDNEY — On June 18, 60 people attended a forum here on the results of the Indonesian elections, to discuss the prospects for democracy in Indonesia and independence for East Timor,
By Dick Nichols Incomplete counting in the Maritime Union of Australia elections indicates incumbent officials will be returned in a majority of contested positions, both at the national and branch level. However, opposition forces tickets have
Public universities defence group launched By Jonathan Singer MELBOURNE — Carlton's Readings Bookshop featured a forum on academic freedom on June 16, when about 120 people gathered to launch the Association for the Public University. The
Queensland Labor votes to sell TAB By Bill Mason BRISBANE — The Queensland Totalisator Agency Board (TAB), the government-owned centralised betting agency, will be sold to investors in a $200 million privatisation endorsed by the ALP state
Freeway protest BRISBANE — About 50 people attended a rally on June 17 to protest against the city council's plans to construct a six lane city-valley bypass road. This road will supposedly help solve traffic congestion problems. The rally was
International day demands end to Third World debt By Paul Oboohov CANBERRA — A spirited and noisy group of 100 people braved a cold early morning outside the Treasury building on June 18 to tell the government to drop Third World debt. The
Jabiluka World Heritage decision soon By Jim Green On July 12, the World Heritage Committee will decide whether the Kakadu National Park, which surrounds the Jabiluka uranium mine in the Northern Territory, will be listed as “World
Diana Ingram, October 8, 1948-June 3, 1999 By Leigh Howlett The rainbow flag of the peace movement draped Diana Ingram's coffin as her family and friends farewelled this handsome, gallant woman who played an influential role in Australia's peace

World

Pesticides on apples endanger US children Ten years after the US public demanded that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ban the cancer-causing pesticide Alar, children are no better protected from pesticides in the nation's food supply,
India: the perils of pro-Congress politics By Dipankar Bhattacharya DELHI — Amidst deepening political instability and collapsing coalitions, India is awaiting yet another mid-term election, in September-October. This will be the fifth election
By Max Lane On June 4, an anti-Golkar demonstration by People's Democratic Party (PRD) activists in the East Java town of Gresik was attacked by the Police Mobile Brigade. About 20 PRD activists and 100 onlookers were chased into alleys and beaten.
Meeting the workers of Solo By Edward Johnstone Solo is a small city by Indonesian standards — around 1 million people. It is also the centre of the textile industry for Central Java. Numerous textile factories, each covering hectares and
Tiananmen commemorated ABOUT 70,000 people joined a candlelight vigil on June 4 in Hong Kong in remembrance of the pro-democracy protesters massacred in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, 10 years ago. China resumed control over Hong Kong two years ago,
Ocalan's execution will trigger 'new uprising' warns PKK By Norm Dixon The presidential council of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) on June 10 warned the Turkish government and military that the Kurdish people would launch a "new uprising" if
The plutonium threat in orbit The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched the Cassini spaceship on October 15, 1997, on a seven-year mission to study the planet Saturn, purportedly in the hope of "understanding the birth and
The third year of Tory Blair By David Osler LONDON — Two years into their term of office, most British governments are buffeted by mid-term blues of an intensity only equalled by those proverbial blind sharecroppers, deftly finger-picking slide
[The following communiqué was issued in May by the command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army.] Once again the State Department of the United States, has classified the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's
Revolutionaries elected to European Parliament By Norm Dixon Europe's ruling social democratic and labour parties were dealt a sharp rebuke by voters in elections for the European Parliament (EP) held June 11-13. Social Democrats
Ever wondered why the world is so right wing? Killing Hope: US Military and CIA Intervention Since World War 2By William BlumCommon Courage Press, Monroe, ME. 1995. Review by Martin Schenke When you realise just how far Washington and the CIA

Culture

Primo Levi: Tragedy of an OptimistBy Myriam AnissimovAurum Press, 1998. 452 pp., $49.95 (hb) Review by Phil Shannon Eight thousand Italian Jews were deported to Auschwitz during World War II. Only 600 came back. Primo Levi was one of these few. As
Divorcing reality Divorcing JackDirected by David Caffrey Review by Tyrion Perkins The first thing I heard about Divorcing Jack was that it was a controversial film set a year in the future, in an independent Northern Ireland. It sounded
Union Power By Geoff Francis The US Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE!) has released a new CD by the Whiteville Choir — Union Power. The CD can be purchased on the internet at Hard Miles Music,
Celtic heavy metal? IndomitusSamainBloodless Creations through Modern Invasion MusicA Journey's EndPrimordialMisanthropy RecordsVisit <http://www.cs.hmc.edu/~nbassett/primordial/> Review by Ben Courtice I was attracted to the CD by
Social Change, Suburban LivesBy Lois Bryson and Ian WinterAllen and Unwin, 1999. $29.95 Review by Maree Roberts Do sociologists have important things to say about social change? In their "update" of An Australian Newtown (1972), Bryson and Winter
Meg's GST By Geoff Francis and Peter Hicks Mum and Dad and Daisy went to graduation day at Tassie Uni,(It was a long hike from Glenorchy).Someone had to go to get the shopping first and it was me who drew the card,I did Coles, K-Mart and Target
Films on Ho Chi Minh The Vietnam Film Institute is looking for films about Vietnam's former president, Ho Chi Minh. It would like information about films produced internationally, including for television. The institute would appreciate
The debt chain around the Third World's neck Your Money or Your Life!: The Tyranny of Global FinanceBy Eric ToussaintTranslated from French by Raghu Krishnan (with Vicki Briault Manus)Published by Vikas Adhyayan Kendra, India(e-mail:

Editorial

Kosovars, not NATO, must decide their future The US-directed NATO air war against Serbia appears to have ended. NATO forces are occupying Kosova. NATO's bombing campaign continued by violent means its policy of seeking to preserve the political

General

By Chris Lotham SYDNEY — On June 6, around 750-1000 people participated in a rally and march opposing NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia. The protest, organised by an ad hoc committee called Australians for Peace in Yugoslavia, highlighted the impact
By Ralph Schoenman As the blood flows across Serbia and Kosova, the imperial sharks seek to crowd each other out as they circle in a scarcely concealed feeding frenzy to devour the cadaver of a destroyed Kosova. "Rivals Compete to Administer a

Resistance!

By Grant Coleman and Marce Cameron PERTH — World Environment Day came alive in the market atmosphere of Fremantle on June 5. About 100 people joined Resistance members in a rally and march to save the eucalypt forests in WA. Much of these
Bilingual cuts reveal racism in education By Natalie Zirngast DARWIN — In December the Country Liberal government in the Northern Territory decided to phase out bilingual teaching programs in 20 schools in remote indigenous communities. The
Timbarra: fighting corporate greed By Corinne Batt-Rawden LISMORE — On June 7, more than 80 protesters gathered at Timbarra Mountain, near Tenterfield in northern NSW, in an action against the Timbarra gold mine. The activists, who came from
By Sean Healy "The primary thing that Bangladesh students are demanding is a pro-people education policy" Ziaul Haque Zia, president of Students Unity of Bangladesh (SUB) told Resistance. Zia is visiting Australia. "The government is following the
By Kathy New "It is your choice", I am told as I begin to tune out to yet another lecture as part of my "mutual obligation" activities. "But if you do choose to leave, you should be aware that your benefits may be suspended." Some choice! It is
Inciting hatred: behind the KKK By Peter Robson and Adam Baker BRISBANE — For a few days this month, far right organisations operating in Australia dominated the mainstream media. Several members of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party were