World

Second Romanian mine disaster adds to river pollution

By Jim Green Melting snow and torrential rains broke a dam at the Baia Borsa lead and zinc mine in Romania, 375 kilometres north-west of Bucharest, on March 10. More than 18,000 tonnes of sediment laden with lead, zinc, copper and a small

What happened to the Democratic Republic of East Timor?

What happened to the Democratic Republic of East Timor? DILI — The small, unassuming office of the CPD-RDTL (Council in Defence of the Democratic Republic of East Timor) in Balide belies the debate that is brewing over the restoration of the

New Zimbabwean party is 'a half-way house'

New party is 'a half-way house' Patrick Bond spoke with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in Johannesburg. Question: How can the MDC's industrial worker and urban community activists persuade the rural folk to abandon Mugabe's "nationalism". We're

All eyes on Zimbabwe's new 'workers' party'

All eyes on Zimbabwe's new 'workers' party' By Patrick Bond JOHANNESBURG — The Shona-language slogan of the popular new political party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has spread far and wide throughout the countryside: Chinja!

Job seekers demonstrate in East Timor

Job seekers demonstrate in East Timor By Vanya Tanaja DILI — Frustration and discontent spilt over into another demonstration here on March 7 as 300 job seekers gathered outside the offices of the United Nations Transitional Administration in

PUK attacks human rights in Iraqi Kurdistan

By Moayad Ahmed Serious events are taking place in the areas of southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) where the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by Jalal Talabani, is imposing its rule. The PUK has violated the political freedoms and human

Workers strike for sacked colleagues

By May Sari SURABAYA — One thousand five hundred workers at PT Surabaya Meka Box in East Java, Indonesia, began a strike on February 21 to protest against the dismissal of three colleagues who were representing workers in negotiations for a new

Cancel Mozambique's debt!

On March 16, the Paris Club of rich creditor countries announced a suspension of Mozambique's debt repayments until July, following the floods that devastated the country earlier this month. The Jubilee 2000 coalition, which campaigns for the

Hindu fundamentalists knocked back

Hindu fundamentalists knocked back By Eva Cheng The February attempt by India's main Hindu fundamentalist party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to seize power through the back door in India's second largest state, Bihar, has failed miserably.

Cuba's battle for socialist renewal

Cuba's battle for socialist renewal By Rafael Hernandez HAVANA — "What will happen when Castro dies?" That's the inevitable question I'm invited to talk about on Cuba overseas. Curiously enough, I also get a repeated question from the most

Human rights abuses in Indonesia still rampant

By James Balowski Indonesia has moved toward a more pluralistic democracy but human rights abuses remained rife in 1999, according to a US State Department report released on February 25. In June, Indonesia held its first free elections since

Leftists attacked in Iraqi Kurdistan

Leftists attacked in Iraqi Kurdistan The Worker Communist Party of Iraq (WCPI) has accused the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) — which jointly rules Iraqi Kurdistan with the Kurdish Democratic Party at the behest of Washington — of a savage