Issue 88

News

Picton arrests HOBART — Around 60 protesters blockaded the Picton road in Southern Tasmania on February 9 in an effort to prevent vehicles travelling to the five major logging sites in the area. The blockade is part of the Wilderness
Keep Green Point green By Nicole Brett NEWCASTLE — More than 500 people attended a regatta and picnic at Croudance Bay Park, Lake Macquarie, on February 7 to support the preservation of Green Point. Speakers included the mayor of
Joh trial TV show whips up a storm By Bill Mason BRISBANE — Even before it has been screened, the "docu-drama" Joh's Jury has created a storm of controversy, with some legal circles claiming the program (showing on February 16 on ABC
Peace protest planned at Nurrungar By Chris Hannaford A national peace demonstration and desert festival will take place at Nurrungar during Easter, April 9-12. Nurrungar is a US Star Wars base near Woomera in South Australia's far
Socialist campaign launched in Adelaide By Liam Mitchell ADELAIDE — The Democratic Socialist election campaign for the South Australian seats of Adelaide and Hindmarsh was launched with a "Meet the Candidates" public meeting on
A prisoner of business interests By Maurice Sibelle BRISBANE — Leaked minutes of the Queen Street Mall advisory committee show how council was urged by mall traders to launch its campaign against democratic rights. The minutes are the
Young activists call day of action By Sean Malloy The youth activist organisation, Resistance, is planning a national day of action on March 8 to highlight the Labor and Liberal attacks on young people's rights and living standards.
Forum calls for Hilton inquiry By Richard Davis SYDNEY — On February 13, 15 years after the Hilton bombing, a public forum organised by the Justice Campaign for Hilton Bomb Victims renewed calls for a joint NSW-federal government
By Maurice Sibelle BRISBANE — Hundreds of people gathered in the Queen Street Mall on February 12 to protest against the Brisbane City Council ban on political activity there. This was the second Friday evening action against the council's
Bougainville war crimes inquiry By Bill Mason BRISBANE — A public inquiry into war crimes by the Papua New Guinea government against the people of Bougainville has been set for Saturday, February 20, at the Axion Room, University of
Walk-off at submarine site By Chris Spindler Adelaide — Some 200 Automotive, Metal and Engineering Union members at the Osborne submarine construction site struck on February 11 after the Australian Submarine Corporation classified

World

By Irina Glushchenko MOSCOW — Russians travellers are mostly still obliged to cover the huge distances in our country by rail. While no-one would expect the Russian railways to be an oasis of order and efficiency within the current general
By Renfrey Clarke MOSCOW — Who really has the right to rule Russia — President Boris Yeltsin, elected by 57% of voters in June 1991? Or the Russian parliament, elected more than two years earlier in a vote that was only partly
By Margot Pepper Imagine what would happen if an industrialised country with over 10 million inhabitants were to have its petroleum reduced by 40% and consequently had to cut the bus fleet in its capital in half, cut petroleum used for
By our correspondent PHNOM PENH — The series of limited military offensives by the government at the end of January has boosted morale after months in which the Khmer Rouge had manipulated the cease-fire to make military gains. The
MALIK MIAH is a leading member of the northern Californian committee of the US Committees of Correspondence, formed after a split in the US Communist Party. In this interview with SEAN MALLOY, Miah outlines the main debates in the process of
By Will Firth BERLIN — In the south-east German region of Lusatia (Lausitz) lives a small ethnic group — the Sorbs. Also called Lusatians or Wends, the Sorbs are of Slavic descent and speak a language closely related to Czech and Polish.
Shetland anger turns on officials By Catherine Brown Anger on Shetland over the use of dispersants on the Braer oil spill last month has deepened after the government's admission that some of the chemicals used failed the Agriculture
Victory for Tongan democracy movement The Tongan pro-democracy movement has won a sweeping victory in elections for the nine seats reserved for commoners in a parliament dominated by the country's hereditary nobles. Under the present
In Cuba with the Southern Cross Brigade 'All they asked us to do was tell the truth' By Bernie Brian In 1959 Fred Huntley, as a young British merchant seaman, made a brief stopover in Cuba. Over 30 years later, he made a return visit as
Austrians demonstrate against racism By Catherine Brown In the biggest demonstration in Vienna for 50 years, more than 250,000 people at the end of January demonstrated their anger at a racist "Austria First" petition organised by the

Culture

Why boys are boys Boys Will Be Boys By Myriam Miedzian London: Virago, 1992 Reviewed by Chris Slee Most acts of violence are carried out by men. For example, 89% of violent crime in the United States is committed by males. Is this
Dirty Dirty Sonic Youth Geffen Records Available on CD and cassette Reviewed by Steve Bavaro Dirty, the eighth album from the US thrash/grunge quartet Sonic Youth, maintains the group's focus on important social issues. On their
By Tracy Sorensen SYDNEY — An empty shop in Cabramatta has become a hive of artistic activity. With the help of artists from either side of the US-Mexican border (the "Border Art Workshop" — BAW), young people are being taught a range of
Free Kuwait? Connections: Free Kuwait SBS Television Screens Friday, February 26, 8.30 p.m. (8 p.m. in Adelaide) This hard-hitting documentary made by Britain's Channel Four looks at how non-Kuwaitis are suffering persecution,
By Norm Dixon and Sean Malloy Humorous and fun are the two key words that describe the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. Their performance at the Basement in Sydney was a sight to behold. Imagine nine people with salmon pink suits, of classic
Glengarry Glen Ross Written by David Mamet, directed by James Foley With Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Jonathon Pryce Showing at Village Cinemas Reviewed by Norm Dixon Based on the Pulitzer
From politics to music, or vice versa By Karen Fredericks Luke Shaw, engineering student, Young National and "Friend of Sir Joh" is in for a rough time this week, when his activities as foreman of "Joh's Jury" are depicted on the ABC.
Dark At Noon Directed by Raul Ruiz With John Hurt, Didier Bourdon, Lorraine Evanoff, David Warner and Daniel Prevost Showing at the Glebe Valhalla, Sydney Reviewed by Norm Dixon Exiled Chilean avant-garde film maker Raul Ruiz's latest

Editorial

Fred Hollows Fred Hollows' death last week was felt by everyone who knew of his remarkable efforts and achievements in improving the health of Third World peoples in Africa, Asia and the Australian outback. Official society did its best