World

  • * Latin American chemical use grows

    Latin America is becoming one of the fastest growing regions for agrochemical sales, according to "Crop Protection in Latin America", a January 1996 publication by Agrow Reports. Latin America accounts for approximately US$2.6 billion, which is 9% of

  • Worsening plight of Cambodian women

    KIEN SEREY PHAL is director of the Cambodian Women's Development Association in Phnom Penh. She spoke to ROSANNA BARBERO about the problem of the trafficking of women. Question: When did this issue escalate? Since 1989, there has been a dramatic

  • Joe shakes up the system

    DUBLIN — "The remarkable performance of the Militant Labour candidate, Mr Joe Higgins, in Dublin West — who came within striking distance of taking the Fianna Fail seat — was not just a vote against water charges: it was a

  • Indonesian militants found party

    From April 14 to 16, more than 50 delegates from around Indonesia met at an extraordinary congress to discuss the future of the Peoples Democratic Union (PRD). During the last 18 months, the PRD has developed as the most systematic, militant,

  • Union militant kidnapped

    MANILA — Romeo Estropigan, a BMP labour organiser, was kidnapped soon after the May Day rally. Eight armed men brandishing pistols blocked the taxi he was in and dragged him out. Seven other members of the BMP who were with

  • Rural workers massacred in Brazil

    At least 19 rural workers were massacred, and more than 50 injured, by police in the Brazilian state of Para in the eastern Amazon region on April 17. At least 80 workers are missing. More than 250 military police ambushed 4000

  • COSATU strikes over new constitution

    The 1.6 million member Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) reinforced its opposition to anti-worker sections of South Africa's draft constitution by bringing the country to a standstill on April 30. The general strike and

  • Election monitor

    In Indonesia, the president is "elected" by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) every five years. The MPR usually meets about a year after the election of a new House of Representatives, including the appointment of its 100 military members. The

  • Lesbian movement emerges in the Philippines

    Lesbian movement emerges in the PhilippinesMANILA — "We want to express our real feelings/ We are women loving women/ We are lesbians." The three young women of the lesbian band Lantad (Coming Out) belted out the song,

  • Engaging with SLORC

    SLORC, the military junta which rules Burma, is well known as one of the most repressive regimes on the planet. Otherwise staid diplomats have used terms such as "hydra-headed" and "barbaric" to describe SLORC's recent behaviour.

  • Safety at Monju reactor questioned

    TSURUGA, Japan — Nuclear expert Professor Jochen Benecke said after meetings with Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) officials at the end of March that he is not convinced by the company's safety analysis of its ability to

  • 'Forced Labour Year' in Burma

    The whole of Burma is gearing up for "Visit Myanmar Year 1996". But it is already March, and the preparations are way behind schedule. Even though the official start of the tourism year has been put back to October, authorities