Issue 524

News

500 protest in the ACT BY MARK ABBERTON CANBERRA — On January 31, 500 people participated in rally opposing a war on Iraq. The protest was called by an ACT Network Opposing War (ACTNOW) public meeting on January 23. Bob Douglas from
BY RALF SCHARMANN DARWIN — Traditional owners in several Top End communities have offered sanctuary to 84 Darwin-based East Timorese asylum seekers who are facing deportation. Marie Munkara, traditional owner of Cape Fourcroy on Bathurst Island
SYDNEY — At 8am on January 31, Dean Jefferys and Marlene Obeid scaled the Sydney Opera House to display three huge banners in protest at the Australian government's support for a US attack on Iraq. The banners read: "No war against Iraq, No
BY JULES GREEN HOBART — Even before the year's first meeting of the Hobart Peace Coalition was held on February 2, the city's umbrella anti-war organisation, organised and spontaneous expressions of anti-war sentiment have mushroomed. Despite
BY BILL MASON &TIM STEWART BRISBANE — In an extraordinary move against food-irradiation protesters, the Queensland Labor government, through its Department of State Development, has taken out charges in the Supreme Court against an individual
Nettle to speak against war CANBERRA — Federal Greens senator Kerry Nettle will speak at a Socialist Alliance public forum on February 19. The topic is "How can we stop the war?". Phil Griffiths, who will speak on behalf of Socialist Alliance
BY STEVE CAMPBELL PERTH — Since a 2500-strong anti-war, anti-militarism protest against the sea swap agreement on January 19, the campaign against war in Iraq has continued to gather momentum in WA. The sea swap agreement between Australia and
BY LACHLAN MALLOCH SYDNEY — In an historic local action that reminded participants of the anti-Vietnam war movement, six-hundred people gathered on a Saturday evening to march through the Norton Street caf‚ strip on February 1, showing their
BY LIAM MITCHELL SYDNEY — Corporate warmonger Sikorsky was the target on February 1 of a spirited demonstration against war on Iraq. Sikorsky manufacturers helicopters used by armed forces in many imperialist countries. The rally, which drew
BY RENFREY CLARKE ADELAIDE — Throughout five years as a Labor member of South Australia's state parliament, these were the rules Kris Hanna was expected to abide by: stay quiet as party leaders steered the ALP in behind Howard government
BY LESLIE RICHMOND ADELAIDE — As the US and Australian governments' drive for a war against Iraq intensifies, so too does people's incredulity, anger and willingness to act. The Network Opposing War And Racism (NOWAR) has organised several
BY CLAUDIA QUINNELL MELBOURNE — On January 31, a small but vocal rally, attended by 50 people, was held outside the department of immigration to oppose the likely deportation of 190 Iranian asylum seekers. The rally was called following a
BY PATRICIA SADLEIR SYDNEY — Despite near 40-degree heat, more than 100 people gathered in Bicentennial Park in Glebe on January 26 for a "picnic for peace", the first public event of the recently formed Leichhardt Stop the War Group. The
BY VANNESSA HEARMAN MELBOURNE — At a public meeting, entitled "Counting the Cost of War", held by the Victorian Peace Network on January 29 at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's Storey Hall, a number of speakers highlighted what war
BY NICK FREDMAN & MATT EGAN KYOGLE — In one of several recent anti-war actions in the area, around 3000 people marched down the main street of Coffs Harbour on February 2. Exceeding organisers expectations, the crowd took over the town's main
BY JENELLE DAVY MELBOURNE — January 30 brought another Catholic Church attack on Melbourne's queer community: the Catholic Theological College hosted a forum titled "How to be cured from homosexuality". Around 40 students, organised by the

World

BY ORLANDO SEPULVEDA PORTO ALEGRE — Brazilian President Luis Inacio "Lula" da Silva spoke to tens of thousands of people at the World Social Forum (WSF) on January 25. It was the first time that Lula, a former factory worker and union leader,
BY LEE SUSTAR PORTO ALEGRE — At the first World Social Forum (WSF) in 2001, delegates assembled to challenge the elite World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with a live debate via videoconference. "[T]he best gift that the 2000 corporate
BY AHMED NIMER RAMALLAH — January 28 was a typical day in the life of Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Nine Palestinians — including a 13-year-old girl — were shot dead by Israeli soldiers. Three others were killed by an
BY DEBRA PAYNE NOTTINGHAM — On January 25, 500 people gathered here to rally against the impending US-British war on Iraq. The action was organised by the local Stop the War Coalition. There were many banners from the groups in attendance, but
BY FEDERICO FUENTES PORTO ALEGRE — This year's World Social Forum (WSF), a countersummit to the corporate elite's World Economic Forum, held in this southern Brazilian city, January 23-28, attracted 100,000 participants, including 20,763
BY GORIK OOMS MOZAMBIQUE — "It is very genocidal for one part of the world to have the cure for the AIDS disease while millions of people in another part are dying from the same disease. The developed world is challenged to make antiretroviral
BY JEFF SHANTZ TORONTO — On January 25, several hundred people took to the streets of Montreal, Quebec, to defend the nearly 1000 non-status Algerians facing imminent deportation from Canada. The protest action was the most recent in a broad

Culture

SYDNEY — Imagine you're on the TV set of a Sydney soapie — fast paced, full of conflict, emotion and energy. That describes A Moment on the Lips. The play is written by Jonathan Gavin and features Nicole Winkler, Susan Godfrey, Kirrily White,
REVIEW BY KATHY NEWNAM 8 MileDirected by Curtis HansonWritten by Scott SilverStarring Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi Phifer, Eugene ByrdAt major cinemas "This world is mine for the takingMake me king, as we move toward a new world
Peace Not WarVarious artistsStop the War Coalition (UK)Order at <http://www.stopwar.org.uk/#cd> REVIEW BY LUKE SMITH With the world music industry becoming more commercialised everyday, and with most major record labels being reluctant
Women of TroyWritten by Euripides, translated by Jenny GreenDirected by Jenny Green and Robert KennedyA Hoi Barbaroi productionPlayed by Jeanette Cronin and Zoe HoughtonBelvoir St Downstairs Theatre, Surry Hills, SydneyUntil February 16Tuesdays, 7pm;
I am Woman, Hear Me DrawCartoons by Judy HoracekState Library of Victoria, Keith Murdoch Gallery, Swanston Street, MelbourneUntil mid-FebruaryFree REVIEW BY RACHEL EVANS Cartoonist Judy Horacek's work, now showing at the Victorian State Library,