================================================
01 Aufruf zur Mitarbeit: Don´t hate the media -> become the media!
From: "IMC Austria" <IMC.Austria@reflex.at>
================================================

Sei kurzer Zeit ist Indymedia Austria unter der Adresse
http://austria.indymedia.org erreichbar. Indymedia bietet ein Forum für
kritische Informationen, die in bürgerlichen Medien nicht vorkommen. Wir
rufen alle Interessierten auf Indymedia zu nutzen und zu verbreiten!

Die Geschichte von Indymedia begann im November 1999 mit den
Anti-WTO-Protesten in Seattle. Indymedia trat unter diesem Namen und den
damit verbundenen Medienstrategien an die Weltöffentlichkeit indem die
IMC-seite während dieser Zeit minutiöse Berichterstattung von
AktivistInnen über das Geschehen vor Ort lieferte. Seitdem entstanden v.a.
im Zusammenhang mit politischen Grossveranstaltungen weltweit immer mehr
neue Indymedia-Zentren (IMC), die sowohl regional als auch international
alternatives Nachrichtenmaterial veröffentlichen.

Rund um die Proteste gegen das WEF in Salzburg Anfang Juli 2001 soll das
Konzept von Indymedia in der Praxis getestet und dadurch der
interessierten Öffentlichkeit eine alternative Informationsquelle geboten
werden. Schon im Vorfeld des Wirtschaftsforums wird Repression in Form
manipulativer Berichterstattung offensichtlich. Die Medienhetze muss als
Teil einer Kriminalisierung gesehen werden, deren Ziel es ist, kritische
Stimmen bereits vorab zu diskreditieren. Unabhängige Berichterstattung
erscheint daher mehr als notwendig. Die Anti-WEF-Aktivitäten sollen nur
der erste Fokus sein; nicht zuletzt diese Ereignisse werden die weitere
Arbeit bzw. Ausdehnung des Projekts prägen. Welche Themen zentral werden
sowie zukünftige Schwerpunktsetzungen bleiben derzeit noch offen.
Indymedia ist immer Teil der Bewegung über die es berichtet.

Eine wichtige Eigenschaft von Indymedia ist der offene Zugang zu
Ressourcen. So werden bei Grossereignissen Arbeitsplätze für frei
denkende, arbeitende und kommerziell unabhängige JournalistInnen
eingerichtet. Die Webseite von Indymedia dient als Sammelstelle für alle
multimedialen Nachrichten und kann von jedem ohne Zensur benutzt werden.
Einfach Publish auswählen, das Formular bespielen und schon erscheint Euer
multimedialer Beitrag als open posting in der rechten Spalte. Je nach IMC
wird die Mittelspalte von Redaktionsgruppen betrieben und bestimmte
Schwerpunkte gesetzt oder es werden Open Posting Beiträge in der
Mittelspalte gefeatert. Indymedia hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt KonsumentInnen
zu AktivistInnen zu ProduzentInnen zu machen.

Indymedia will bestehende Strukturen miteinander vernetzen und
unterstützen; es soll keine Konkurrenz zu bestehenden Angeboten
darstellen, sondern mit diesen in aktiven Austausch treten. Gerade die
extrem hohe Medienkonzentration in Österreich macht es unabhängigen und
alternativen Medien in Österreich fast unmöglich gehört zu werden. Seit
Feber Null nutzen Antiregierungsbewegungen das Internet um diesem Trend
etwas entgegenzuwirken und sich stärker zu vernetzen. Bei Indymedia gibt
es keine kommerziellen Auswahlkriterien. Dies ermöglicht den AktivistInnen
ihre Sicht der Dinge darzustellen - so subjektiv sie auch sein mag. Durch
den Wegfall der Hierarchie von Sender und Empfänger lebt Indymedia
Basisdemokratie.

Indymedia kann nie mehr sein, als die Summe der Stimmen, Wörter und Bilder
der Beteiligten. In diesem Sinne: Beteiligt Euch! Postet Eure Beiträge!
Und falls Ihr am Indymedia-Prozess mitarbeiten wollt oder an einer
inhaltlichen Diskussion über Indymedia interessiert seit schreibt Euch in
die Mailingliste ein. (siehe: http://austria.indymedia.org/contact.php3 )

do indymedia!

Indymedia Austria
http://austria.indymedia.org
imc.austria@reflex.at

================================================
02 Internet-Kontrolle
From: Helmut Poller <helmut.poller@chello.at>
================================================

Das Menschenrecht auf Privatsphäre ist durch in den letzten Wochen bekannt
gewordene Bestrebungen von europäischen Geheimdiensten und Polizeibehörden
massiv bedroht.

Cybercrime-Convention:
Am 22. 6. 2001 wurde von einem speziellen Ausschuss des Europarates
die so genannte Cybercrime-Convention nach langen Vorarbeiten beschlossen.
Sie soll im Herbst dem Ministerkomitee des Europarates vorgelegt werden,
danach
kann sie in den unterzeichnenden Staaten in nationales Recht umgesetzt
werden.
Diese Konvention wird von Bürgerrechtsgruppen und technischen Experten
wegen
schwerer Eingriffe in die Privatsphäre kritisiert. In den Medien ist dazu
fast nichts zu finden, obwohl die Umsetzung der Konvention zu bedeutenden
und in dieser Form bis jetzt unbekannten staatlichen Eingriffen in die
Vertraulichkeit und Meinungsfreiheit führen würde.

Verbindungsdaten:
Die Behörden wollen von den Internetprovidern verlangen, sieben Jahre lang
alle Verbindungsdaten aufzubewahren.
Was sind Verbindungsdaten im Internet?
-wer mailt wann wem? (Mail-Logfiles)
-wer besucht welche Website? (Logfiles der Zugangsprovider)
-welche (österreichische) Website wird von wem besucht? (Logfiles der
heimischen Content-Provider)
Diese Daten sind zur Verfolgung tatsächlicher schwerer Verbrechen völlig
ungeeignet, da es für Personen mit entsprechenden Kenntnissen ohne weiters
möglich ist, sich vor solchen Beobachtungen zu schützen (z.B. durch
Verwendung von Anonymisierungsproxies, die irgendwo am Netz hängen).
Gleichzeitig stellen die Daten aber eine schwere Beeinträchtigung der
Menschenrechte dar. Es ist nicht einzusehen, warum staatliche Behörden
noch so lange im nachhinein in der Lage sein sollen, festzustellen, wer
z.B. welche Websites besucht hat.

Abhörstandards:
Im Februar 2001 gab es einen Entwurf des österreichischen
Verkehrsministeriums
(Überwachungsverordnung) welcher unter anderem vorsah, die Provider
zum Einbau automatischer Abhöreinrichtungen zu zwingen. Diese den so
genannten ETSI-Abhörstandards entsprechenden Geräte ermöglichen einen
ständigen Zugriff durch Behörden auf ALLE Verbindungsdaten (siehe oben)
und ALLE Klartextdaten, z.b. unverschlüsselte E-Mail). Der Provider hat
keine Möglichkeit zu sehen, welche Behörde wann welche Daten liest. Der
Entwurf wurde zwar wieder zurückgezogen, weil die Provider die enormen
Investitionen nicht selbst zahlen wollen, irgend ein öffentlicher Protest
gegen die Idee an sich fand aber abgesehen von einem Statement des
Abgeordneten Pilz nicht statt. Es ist nicht anzunehmen, dass Justiz-,
Innen- und Verkehrsministerium von den Bestrebungen zur Totalüberwachung
des Internet mittlerweile Abstand genommen haben. Vielmehr soll durch
gezielte Desinformation der Boden für die Durchsetzung der Maßnahmen
bereitet werden. Das geht soweit, dass bei einem kürzlich stattgefundenem
Symposium ein Beamter des Innenministeriums sogar behauptete, dass es
möglich sei, jemanden via Internet anonym und nicht-verfolgbar zu ermorden
...

Der Politik-Teil der Website
http://www.spurlos.at
enthält ausführliche und gut dokumentierte Informationen zur Politik und
Technik der Überwachung des Internet in den USA, in der EU und in
Österreich.

Helmut Poller

================================================
03 Kritik am Justizsystem im Kosovo
From: fiona.canina@aon.at
================================================

Artikel http://www.jungewelt.de/2001/06-22/004.shtml

Startseite junge Welt Ausland
________________________________________________________

22.06.2001

Kritik am Justizsystem im Kosovo
Amnesty International: Kein Recht im UNO-Protektorat
_________________________________________________________________

Die UNO hat bei ihren Bemühungen, im Kosovo ein funktionierendes
Rechtssystem aufzubauen, versagt. Dies erklärte Amnesty International
(ai) am Mittwoch in London. Die Menschenrechtsorganisation verweist
als Fallbeispiel auf das Gerichtsverfahrens gegen drei Serben, gegen
die im Kosovo wegen des Verdachts verhandelt wurde, verschiedene
Verbrechen während des NATO- Angriffskrieges begangen zu haben. In
diesem Zusammenhang verweist der britische Nachrichtensender BBC
darauf, daß ähnliche Beschuldigungen wie die von ai auch von
Vertretern der UNO erhoben werden. Diese hätten ihrer Sorge Ausdruck
gegeben, daß im Kosovo Gerichtsurteile unter politischem Druck
zustande kommen. Seitdem die UNO vor zwei Jahren damit begann, das
Rechtssystem der serbischen Provinz nach ihren Vorstellungen
umzubauen, gab es von verschiedenen Seiten Kritik. So haben unter
anderem Vertreter der OSZE wiederholt festgestellt, daß die
Vorherrschaft albanischer Richter und Ankläger zur Folge hat, daß
Mitglieder anderer ethnischen Gruppen kein faires Gerichtsverfahren
bekommen. Um dem entgegenzuwirken, hat die UNO zunehmend
internationale Richter und Staatsanwälte an die Gerichte im Kosovo
geschickt. Nach Meinung von ai habe dies aber nicht die gewünschten
Ergebnisse gezeitigt. Am Montag befand etwa ein Gericht im Kosovo, das
sich aus zwei internationalen und einem albanischen Richter
zusammensetzte, den Serben Zoran Stanojevic für schuldig, am »Massaker
von Racak« beteiligt gewesen zu sein. Stanojevic wurde zu 15 Jahren
Gefängnis verurteilt. Das, obwohl ein eigens von der EU beauftragtes
gerichtsmedizinisches Team nach Untersuchungen im Kosovo nicht davon
ausging, daß es in dem Dörfchen im Januar 1999 ein Massaker an der
albanischen Zivilbevölkerung gegeben hat.

BBC-Berichten zufolge sind juristische Berater der UNO der Meinung,
das Urteil gegen Stanojevic beruhe auf zweifelhaften Beweismitteln.
Außerdem sei die Gerichtverhandlung voller Unregelmäßigkeiten gewesen.
Die Zeugenaussagen seien nicht schlüssig sowie widersprüchlich
gewesen, und die gerichtsmedizinischen Beweise hätten eindeutig der
Anklage widersprochen. Außerdem seien der Angeklagte und dessen
Verteidiger durch Drohungen einer aufgebrachten Ansammlung von
Albanern an der Teilnahme bei der Rekonstruktion des angeblichen
Verbrechens ausgeschlossen worden. UNO- Vertreter, die den Prozeß
genau verfolgt haben, hätten - so BBC - darauf hingewiesen, daß die
Richter ursprünglich den Fall wegen mangelnder Beweise einstellen
wollten. Allein wegen der »politischen Sensibilität » sei der Prozeß
dann aber aufgenommen worden.

In einem anders gelagerten Strafverfahren gegen zwei Serben letzte
Woche haben BBC zufolge die UNO-Vertreter insbesondere das Verhalten
eines deutschen Richters kritisiert. Sowohl gegenüber den
Gerichtsbediensteten als auch gegenüber den Zeugen sei er ausfallend
und beleidigend gewesen. »Sollen wir ihn foltern lassen«, habe er
vorgeschlagen, als ein Zeuge keine befriedigende Antwort gab,
berichtete der britische Nachrichtensender. In der ai- Erklärung vom
Mittwoch heißt es denn auch, daß die Art, wie die Prozesse im Kosovo
geführt werden, den armseligen Zustand der Justiz im UNO-Protektorat
widerspiegeln.

Rainer Rupp

Artikel per Mail versenden

© junge Welt

================================================
04 Göteborg und danach - AGM-Stellungnahme
From: "Arbeitsgruppe Marxismus" <agm@xpoint.at>
================================================

Göteborg und danach

Polizeirepression, EU-Demokratie und der antikapitalistische Widerstand

1) Was in Göteborg am 15. Juni passiert ist, war nicht die Überreaktion
einiger überforderter schwedischer Polizisten, die sich gegen wildgewordene
"Polit-Hooligans" nicht mehr anders zu helfen wussten. In Göteborg wurde von
Staat, Politikern und Medien eine verschärfte Repressionspolitik des
europäischen Kapitals exekutiert.

2) Bereits im Vorfeld des EU-Gipfels wurde die vielgerühmte Reisefreiheit
innerhalb der Union außer Kraft gesetzt. Busse mit Demonstrant/inn/en aus
Deutschland und Dänemark wurden teilweise bis zu zehn Stunden grundlos in
Militärkasernen festgehalten, etliche Personen umgehend abgeschoben - mit so
vielsagenden Begründungen wie etwa, dass sie in Deutschland bei
antifaschistischen Demonstrationen teilgenommen hätten. In Göteborg selbst
umstellte die Polizei dann am Morgen des 14. Juni das Hvitfeldska-Gymnasium
und hinderte die etwa 300 Personen, die dort untergebracht waren, mit
massiver Gewalt am Verlassen des Gebäudes. Bei Befreiungsversuchen kam es
schließlich zu den ersten Auseinandersetzungen. Am 15. Juni wurde
schließlich der Demonstrationszug Richtung Konferenzzentrum - obwohl bis
dahin noch kein Stein gegen die Polizei geworfen worden war - rasch gestoppt
und mit Schlagstöcken, berittener Polizei und scharfen Hunden (Dutzende
Demonstrant/inn/en wurden gebissen) ins Stadtzentrum zurückgetrieben. Dort
errichteten Demonstrant/inn/en dann aus dem Mobiliar der Straßencafés
brennende Barrikaden als Schutz gegen die Polizeiangriffe und einige
versuchten die uniformierten Schlägerbanden mit Steinen zurückzutreiben.
Nachdem sich die Situation wieder beruhigt hatte, attackierten Polizei und
einige Faschisten schließlich eine Straßenparty, stießen dabei aber auf
erbitterten Widerstand, mussten sich immer wieder zurückziehen, sogar einige
ihrer Autos aufgeben und verloren die Kontrolle über Teile der Innenstadt.
In der Folge mussten einige Staatsgäste in andere Nobelhotels umziehen und
wurden einige Banken und Luxuslimousinen demoliert. In den
Auseinandersetzungen am frühen Abend des 15. Juni wurden schließlich drei
Demonstranten von der Polizei angeschossen - wie Filmmaterial und
verschiedenste Zeugenaussagen belegen, keineswegs um "in Notwehr einen
tödlich bedrohten Kollegen zu retten", sondern in der Auseinandersetzung mit
Steine werfenden Jugendlichen. Der 19-jährige Schwede, dessen Überleben
unsicher ist, wurde im Davonlaufen von hinten angeschossen. Insgesamt wurden
über 1000 Demonstrant/inn/en festgenommen, registriert und fotografiert.
Viele wurde in sogenannten Schnellverfahren wegen Landfriedensbruch
verurteilt - oft ohne die Möglichkeit einer Unterstützung durch einen
Rechtsanwalt.

3) Die Geschehnisse in Göteborg sind eine Möglichkeit, Jugendliche und
Arbeiter/innen, die noch Illusionen in den bürgerlichen "Rechtsstaat" haben,
über seine Funktion aufzuklären. Verwunderte Empörung über das Vorgehen des
schwedischen Staates ist freilich nicht angebracht, denn es ist Sinn und
Zweck von Polizei und Justiz (und überhaupt des bürgerlichen Staates)
Repression dann auszuüben, wenn die Herren und Damen in den Konzernzentralen
und Regierungen das wünschen. Diese freilich sind langsam genervt, dass sie
nicht mehr in Ruhe konferieren können, dass sie von Seattle bis Nizza
ständig mit diesen lästigen Protesten zu tun haben. Auch wenn diese Demos
die Macht der Bosse und ihrer politischen Handlanger nicht wirklich
gefährden, so geht es der herrschenden Klasse doch darum, eine Ausweitung
der Bewegung frühzeitig zu verhindern und möglichst viele Leute durch
Repression und Einschüchterung von der Teilnahme an solchen Demonstrationen
abzuhalten, keine kämpferischen Massenkundgebungen, sondern nur noch einige
kleine und klar begrenzte symbolische Aktionen weitab der Tagungsorte
zuzulassen, Reisefreiheit und Demonstrationsrecht deutlich einzuschränken.

4) Göteborg hat sich für die Umsetzung dieser Pläne weit besser geeignet als
etwa Genua oder Salzburg. Eine derart verschärfte Polizeirepression durch
die italienische oder österreichische Rechtsregierung (mit rechtsextremer
Beteiligung) hätte auch bei Sozialdemokrat/inn/en, Grünen und der liberalen
bürgerlichen Öffentlichkeit mit mehr Widerspruch und Kritik rechnen müssen
als im sozialdemokratisch-liberalen Schweden. Hier konnte glaubhafter
gelogen werden, dass man doch mit einer Dialogstrategie alles versucht habe,
um Ausschreitungen zu verhindern, und dass man von der "Gewaltbereitschaft"
der "kriminellen Randalierer" bitter überrascht worden sei. Was für eine
"Tragödie"!

5) Dass nun, angesichts der Krawalle durch diese "Desperados" und
"Verbrecherbanden", mit aller Härte durchgegriffen werden muss, darüber
waren sich das politische Establishment der EU und seine Medien rasch einig:
Ein- und Ausreiseverbote, stärkere EU-weite Polizeikooperation, stärkere
Überwachung der radikalen Linken, bürgerkriegsmäßige Aufrüstung der Polizei,
Demonstrationsverbote oder -einschränkungen. Die Umsetzung ist bereits für
Salzburg und Genua geplant. Die "Krawallmacher" - damit ist, da sollte sich
niemand täuschen, die ganze radikale Linke gemeint - sollen von den braven
Demonstrant/inn/en, den sogenannten "friedlichen", die die staatlichen
Vorgaben im allgemeinen und das polizeiliche Gewaltmonopol im besonderen
akzeptieren, isoliert werden. Dass die bürgerlichen Medien, auch die
liberalen, diese Kriminalisierungsstrategie, wie sie nun beispielsweise nach
Göteborg massiv durchgezogen wird, voll unterstützen, sollte ebenfalls
niemanden verwundern. Das ist ihr Job!

6) Wir halten es für absolut notwendig, das Demonstrations- und Reiserecht
gegen die staatliche Repression zu verteidigen, auch das Recht, direkt bei
Konferenzzentren zu demonstrieren. Wir lehnen auch Blockaden und
Offensivaktionen nicht prinzipiell ab. Entscheidend ist aber, dass es sich
nicht um isolierte Aktionen von kleinen Gruppen handelt, dass größere Teile
der Bevölkerung für den Kampf gegen das Kapital und seine politischen
Institutionen (IWF, Weltbank, WTO, G7, EU etc.) gewonnen werden können.
Davon und von konkreten Kräfteverhältnissen hängt die Taktik auf
Demonstrationen ab. Der bürgerliche Staat hat, anders als die revolutionäre
Linke und die Antikapitalist/inn/en, ein Interesse daran, die
Auseinandersetzung auf eine "militärische" Ebene zu bringen - und damit weg
von der politischen. Wir glauben nicht, dass Zerstörungen den Kampf
entscheidend weiter bringen (auch wenn wir an sich natürlich nichts gegen
zerstörte Banken und Luxusautos haben) und lehnen das als sinnloses Risiko
und als kontraproduktiv für die Einbeziehung größerer Teile der
Arbeiter/innen/klasse ab. Im Vordergrund steht für uns aber die Solidarität
mit denen, die sich in Göteborg gegen die Polizeirepression gewehrt haben,
die das Demonstrationsrecht verteidigt haben und dort Auseinandersetzungen
mit den Repressionsorganen ausgetragen haben. Die jämmerliche Kapitulation
der schwedischen Linkspartei (der dortigen KP) und von verschiedensten
zivilgesellschaftlich orientierten Globalisierungskritiker/innen vor der
Hetze der bürgerlichen Öffentlichkeit, spielt nur dem Kapitalist/inn/en und
ihrer Polizei in die Hände. Ein "Antikapitalismus", der ohne Konflikt mit
dem Staatsanwalt auskommen will, ist wohl bestenfalls lachhaft.

7) In Göteborg zeigten sich auch erneut mit aller Deutlichkeit die Grenzen
des "kreativen", "humorvollen" und "friedlichen" Protestes. Wenn der Staat
Lust dazu hat, macht er diesem Spiel rasch ein Ende und jagt die
"gewaltfreiste" und kreativste Straßenparty mit berittener Polizei
auseinander. Dagegen hilft perspektivisch auch keine besser Ausrüstung oder
militante Vorbereitung von Aktivist/inn/en, denn der staatliche
Repressionsapparat wird einigen hundert oder einigen tausend
Demonstrant/inn/en letztlich immer überlegen sein. Es besteht die reale
Gefahr, dass die Kapitalist/inn/enklasse damit erfolgreich ist, den
radikaleren Teil der Bewegung zu kriminalisieren und zu unterdrücken und den
braven Teil mit ergebnislosen "Dialogen" und genehmigten "kreativen"
Volksfesten zu domestizieren. Dass das nicht gelingt, kann nur mit einer
Ausbreitung der (bis dato vor allem aus Jugendlichen der Mittelschicht
bestehenden) Bewegung, mit einer Verankerung der radikalen Linken in der
Klasse der Lohnabhängigen verhindert werden. Denn allein Klassenkämpfe haben
das Potenzial, die Herrschaft der Konzerne wirklich in Frage zu stellen. Mit
einer starken revolutionären Organisation und als Ausdruck von
Massenbewegungen der Arbeiter/innen/klasse stehen dann auch die Chancen in
der Auseinandersetzung mit dem bürgerlichen Staat wesentlich besser. Wie die
Schritte hin zu dieser Verankerung aussehen, hängt von einer Reihe von
Faktoren in den verschiedenen Ländern ab (Klassenkampftradition, Stärke der
revolutionären Organisationen etc.), ändert aber nichts an dieser
grundlegende Perspektive.

AGM, Wien am 20. Juni 2001

================================================
05 SWEDEN: IN THE FRONT LINE IN GOTHENBERG
From: newswire <lrci@easynet.co.uk>
================================================

WORKERS POWER GLOBAL WEEK >> WELCOME TO ISSUE #52
E-newswire of the LRCI
22 June 2001
Subscribe to: newswire@workerspower.com
http://www.workerspower.com

>>SWEDEN: IN THE FRONT LINE IN GOTHENBERG
Workers Power Global, REVO eyewitness account

The 60-70 year long Swedish social peace is now broken. An important
bastion of social peace ("The Swedish model", "The third way") has now
fallen, although the Swedish capital has tried to erode it since the 1970s.
The events in Gothenburg are a turning point in Swedish history.

The last time demonstrators were shot in Sweden was the famous evens of
Ådalen 1931 during the Great Depression, when it was the military and not
the police that shot five demonstrators dead, events that led Social
Democracy into power (1932) until now, with some shorter periods of
bourgoeis party rule, and the social peace agreement between the working
class movement and the bosses.

When the police surrounded the Vitfeldska gymnasium on Thursday 14 June
about 150-200 people tried to break through. Twenty white overalls were in
the forefront and the rest at the back.
The black block people were behind the white overalls, and acted as a
second line of defence that would use more violent methods when necessary.
This was a very coordinated action.

The white overalls tried to make a breakthrough several times. When the
situation got out of hand the people behind the white overalls started to
throw stones. One of the white overalls were lying on the ground and two
police started to beat him up, but his gear protected him, and the police
tried to use the steel batons against his face, and he was save only by the
stones thrown.

After the 10000-strong Bush demo, on Thursday, we tried to convince the
demo-leadership to go take the demo to Vitfeldska gymnasiet (actually we
also tried to get the demo march directly to the school from the gathering
point, the Black Block did split from the demo, but we stayed on order to
convince people to on Witfeldska), but as it at the moment controlled the
stalinists, they refused saying that we show solidarity on the spot and
going to Vitfeldska would only escalate the violence.

Of course the opposite is true (the larger demo the less risk of brutal
violence), and the LRCI convinced the CWI (which was also in the
demo-leadership, but were blocked by the stalinists) to take an initiative.
The CWI were completely confused, and we had to instruct them in great
detail what was to be done. We got 2000-3000 people to march on Witfeldska,
and the mood was very militant. It was only through having these people
that about 30 in Witfeldska could escape (of which one escaped is a
comrade), the demo struck the police and started to throw things at them
for every escape.

One from the so called Non-Violent Network came to me critising me for
throwing things on the police, saying they are also human beings, and this
was precisely when one person successfully escaped only because we were
throwing things on the police. The CWI didn't know what do to do, they were
now forced to lead (on our initiative) something more radical then
themselves, and tried to call of the action several times, but were unable
to do that and was booed out by the rest of the demo.

The Black Block action of 200-300 didn't achieve anything concrete,
besides getting some stones thrown and being chased by the police, and
later some of them participated in the demo split of from anti-bush demo,
which had a quite broad composition from Black Block, us, CWI, IS, some
stalinists, and some pacifists.

The provocation at Witfeldska was the thing that escalated the violence on
Friday. The white overalls coudn't conduct our action, but also the black
block was severly weakened. This meant that the self-defence and attack on
the police took a much more unorganised and unplanned route, giving extra
room for the most individualistic Sternerite anarchists, which escalated
the violence.

The planned blocks on Friday morning could not be realised, instead we
took an initiative for a common demonstration going behind the
anti-capitalist march (led by CWI and IS). The 3000-strong march was
stopped, and could have initially broken through the police lines. We were
precisely behind the CWI and IS in the front and tried to push for breaking
through the lines.

Again the CWI was leading something more radical than themselves, and they
formed chains stopping the demo behind to go on the police! If they don't
want to be involve why lead an illegal demo, and why not leave the front...
The CWI also claims they want to shut down the meetings of imperialism, but
don't really understand what it implies in practice.

The police attacked, and tried to disperse the demo, a mad tactic from
their point of view, especially as no direct violence was involved before.
The black block people came from the behind and partly defended the demo,
and partly used just purposeless violence, then they split off and trashed
the whole city. From info I got the AFA, and their leading core, was not
involved as an organised force in these trashings, it was probably more
unorganised individuals, though this could be difficult to confirm. The
ones who trashed the stores also systematically left all the immigrant
stores alone.

Instead of one day of heavy violence (as for example in Prague or Nice),
we got three days. The shooting in the evening was a consequence of this
escalation. If the police wouldn't have raided Witfeldska their still would
be riots, but not at this scale.

On the peaceful demo on Saturday we had 55-60 people in our block (the
CWI, IS and Mandelites did not have more than a 100 each), and at the
public meeting (which turned out to be more internal) 40-50.

On Saturday evening their was a spontaneous completely peaceful
demo-meeting of 800, with no incidents what so ever, against the shooting.
500 police surrounded the demo, and provocatively declared that they could
let out the majority, but will detain a minority for which their were
looking for, something which also happened. When the police surrounded the
demo all the participants sat down except us, about 20 comrades, to mark
against pacifism, this we were also later praised for by some of the
anarchists we co-operate with.

The opinion on the side of the police is now massive, which is not
surprising. 97 percent or so supports the police, 90 percent or so thinks
the police should have acted harder. When the police went through the
streets of Gothenburg they got spontaneous applauds from people standing
by. One demonstrator told that two of the neighbours, which otherwise are
very peaceful, thinks all the 400 involved in the trashing should be shot
and killed, that is the mood amongst a wide layer of the population.

The reaction is preparing for a massive propaganda. Most of the left is
politically on the retreat, some saying it was wrong to cooperate with AFA
in the Gothenburg Action (this in spite of AFA keeping their deal in the
peaceful march on Saturday, disciplinging its participants, and none of the
500 in the black block were involved in any incident during the demo on
Saturday).

This opinion is a consequence of the deep-rooted reformism amongst the
vast majority of the Swedish working class, which leads to reactionary
conclusion when the struggle takes a more militant form, but which in the
longer run also exposes itself. Reformism and pacifism, when tested in
harsh circumstances, is a direct high way towards reactionary conclusions.

We must not give in to pacifism. It is precisely at this moment of
reaction that we must stay firm, and defend the right to use violence for
self-defence and the use of organised mass-based offensive action with
clear purpose. Of course the task is to win opinion on our side and we have
to argue very pedagogically, but only through given crystal clear answers
on what our politics are. On the trashing of stores we have to make sure
that our criticism has nothing in common with the critisism from the
pacifistic left, or even worse from the bourgois. We don't condemn together
with the right. Our criticism is from a tactical point of view of how to
conduct struggle, not from the perspective of bourgois society.

In spite of this the tactic to smash stores and purposeless violence
against the police is a mad one, and is strengthening the forces of
reactions, we also have several indications that police spies were involved
in the riots (a Swedish paper for example reported that the police arrested
one of their own infiltrators, who they let go immediately). We have to put
the blame of the trashings completely on the police, as it is their series
of violent attacks, beginning with Stockholm, Malmo and Vitfeldska, that
has provoked them.

The violence of demonstraters is nothing compared to the violence of
imperialism, which causes tens of millions of deaths every year. The
imperialist order can, in the last instance, when threatened, only be
defended by violence, and has to be combatted by violence.
http://workerspower.com/wpglobal/gothenburgbalance.html

================================================
06 SWEDEN: RELEASE THE GOTHENBERG PRISONERS NOW!
From: newswire <lrci@easynet.co.uk>
================================================

WORKERS POWER GLOBAL WEEK >> WELCOME TO ISSUE #52
E-newswire of the LRCI
22 June 2001
Subscribe to: newswire@workerspower.com
http://www.workerspower.com

>>SWEDEN: RELEASE THE GOTHENBERG PRISONERS NOW!
Workers Power Global, Berlin

Fifty eight protestors are still imprisoned after the protests that took
place one week ago. They are charged with a serious breach of the peace
and some of them also with criminal damage.

Amongst the 58 there are six comrades, young school students, students and
trade unionist who are facing this charge. Most of them have been arrested
in the afternoon of the 15 June miles away from any action. They were
brought before the examining magistrate on 18 June who decided that they
will be further held in prison until the 29 June. Then the courts will
decide if there is enough evidence against them to warrant a trial!

For the next two weeks they will be in solitary confinement. Only their
lawyers can have direct contact with them! The rest of the 58 probably
suffer a similar fate. What disgusting hypocrisy! The young people were
arrested for nothing, somewhere in the streets of Gothenburg. The Swedish
state and the police need evidence for their claim that "terrorists" wanted
to raid the city - therefore they need people in prison.

On the same day the six comrades from Berlin were arrested, cops shot
three demonstrators. Where are these police now? Brought before the courts?
In solitary confinement? Isolated from their families, their friends etc?
Of course not! They are free. That is not an accident, but only one more
illustration how the bourgeois state works, just an expression of its class
character.

The "official investigation" the police announced into the shootings
cannot be trusted by any serious democrat, not to speak of anti-capitalists
or communists. We demand the opening of all communication, plans, orders
given by the police, the Swedish government and the EU-officials! Such an
investigation has to be conducted by human rights organisation and legal
observers, by the workers' organisations and representatives of the
demonstrators and their organisations. Only then can the full extent of the
police repression and their political backers be exposed.

Solidarity committees have been set up with the comrades in Berlin (and
many other German cities) as well as in Gothenburg. We demand their
immediate release and the dropping of all charges. Since last Saturday,
demonstrations in solidarity with the prisoners, against police repression
and against the violation and restriction of democratic rights have been
organised in many cities in Germany. In Berlin there has been one on the
16. with about 100 and one on the 18.6. with 300 demonstrators. A large
demonstration is planned for next week. In Dresden the police attacked a
solidarity demo with force, provoking a street-fight with the activists.

The Berlin mobilising committee for Genoa has expressed its solidarity
with the imprisoned and we hope that the national one will follow suit.
Also some support came from trade unions. A caucus of the international
subcommittee of IG Metall Berlin expressed its disgust about the repression
of youth and workers in Gothenburg and called for the regional leadership
to officially protest against the police action at the embassy and support
all actions in solidarity with the imprisoned.

In all countries the bourgeois press if full with distortions, lies and
blaming the anti-capitalists to be "apolitical hooligans and desperados".
This serves several functions. One these can be seen in our solidarity work
very clearly. The parents, relatives, friends of the imprisoned are
intimidated as well by the states and medias campaign against us.

F.e. the mother of one of the arrested, who is quite sympathetic to his
cause, gave an interview for a daily paper (Tageszeitung, 20.6.01) where
she - like the other parents insisted that the name of her son must not be
published, since she fears intimidation by her neighbours as the "mother of
a hooligan". That's how the "objective" bourgeois press works!

The defence of the prisoners, the struggle for their release has to be
combined with the struggle against the extension of the "Gothenborg" model
into Europe. We know of Schröders and Berlousconis plans to seal of the
border to Genoa, to try to ban individuals and groups from leaving the
country. The Austrian government has already announced it want so follow
Sweden in lifting the Schengen agreement in order to prevent activists
coming to Salzburg to demonstration against the World Economic Forum on 1.
July.

We have to respond to this with courage and determination, we have to
mobilise for Salzburg and Genoa with full force. Behind the reactionary and
undemocratic attempt to weaken, split, destroy our movement we can already
smell the fear of our enemies. They are right to fear us, if we learn the
lessons >from Gothenborg.

FOR MORE ON THE ANTI-GLOBALISATION MOVEMENT SEE:
http://workerspower.com/wpglobal/gothenburgbalance.html
http://workerspower.com/wpglobal/Nicesummit.html
http://workerspower.com/wpglobal/gttenburgG8.html
http://workerspower.com/wpglobal/globalisation.html
http://workerspower.com/wpglobal/FTAA.html

================================================
07 SLOVAKIA: FOR THE LIBERATION OF ROMA!
From: newswire <lrci@easynet.co.uk>
================================================

WORKERS POWER GLOBAL WEEK >> WELCOME TO ISSUE #52
E-newswire of the LRCI
22 June 2001
Subscribe to: newswire@workerspower.com
http://www.workerspower.com

Workers Power Global, Vienna

In this final part of our series of articles we will outline the
characteristics of a revolutionary solution of the oppression of Roma.

In the last article we explained that the oppression of Roma has led to
the situation that they could not develop to a nation in a Marxist sense.
They are rather an ethnical, racial oppressed group, which got stuck in the
nation formation process for historical reasons of its oppression. This
attempt for a scientific Marxist definition of the national character of
Roma was not a academic exercise but the necessary pre-condition to develop
the correct strategy for the liberation of Roma.

While we can not exclude the possibility that Roma could develop in a
future period under specific conditions towards a nation as Marxists we
have to start from the present day situation. And this situation is marked
by the fact that the Roma want to get rid of their social and cultural
oppression and want to become accepted as equal in the society.

Therefor as Marxists we fight for the full and real integration of Roma.
This integration can only be achieved in a revolutionary way.

The Roma have no reason to trust the traditional leaders of the many Roma
parties including the International Roma Union. This little and big
caudilios - who are leading like patriarchs or Clan leaders without
democratic election and control by the rank and file - are only looking for
posts and privilegies for them and their friends. Sad examples are those
Roma leaders who made alliances with the reactionary chauvinist Meciar
party HZDS in Slovakia or who get bribed by EU-money and become integrated.

Their methods are typically bourgeois: appeals in the arena of official
congresses, diplomatic notes, petitions to the rulers, deals behind closed
doors. To FIGHT for the rights of Roma is an alien word for this
self-declared leaders.

The starting points for a useful future-orientated strategy are broad mass
mobilisations and militant actions on the streets and in the enterprises,
democratic organisation of the broad mass of Roma, orientation not towards
an alliance with the domestic ruling classes or of the EU but with the
workers and peasants of the non-Roma population.

Here we can not outline a complete program against the Roma oppression.
This is a task which in the end should be solved by revolutionary Roma
activists. But it is possible to outline the main characteristics.

One of the most burning problems of Roma is unemployment. Therfor we
demand:
* Creation of jobs for Roma through a public program!

The living conditions of Roma are terrible too.
* For a building program of high-quality houses for Roma! It ist up to the
Roma if they want to live in separate towns/settlements or if they want to
live inside the majority population areas.

In the education sector the de facto apartheid must be abolished too.
Naturally we would respect the wish of Roma if they would want their own
schools. But projects like the Ghandi school in Pecs (Hungary) are rather
an attempt of the small Roma elite to create their own leading corps. The
mass of Roma only wants to have equal rights in the mixed schools
* For a fundamental reform in the education system to offer Roma education
both in the majority population language and Romanes on a voluntary basis!

This leads us to the necessary fundamental changes in the cultural and
social areas. While it is true that Roma got officially recognised as
minorities in some Eastern European countries after 1989 this has only
improved the situation for a small minority of official Roma leaders and
some intellectuals. It delivered nothing for the mass of Roma.
* For the recognition of Romanes as an equal language in the schools,
educational material, media, in official places etc.! For this the
necessary financial means, qualified personal etc must be delivered!

How should this be financed? By progressive taxing and expropriation of
the capitalists who enriched themselves at the cost of the workers and
particularly the Roma!

It is also important that these programmes can not be falsified by the
bourgeois state and must be therefor under the control of democratically
elected representatives of the Roma and the working class.

Given the increasing racist attacks against Roma by skinheads Roma should
not trust the police and the bourgeois state. In fact the state and the
police themselves terrorise the Roma every day. And they often look aside
if Roma are attacked by Skinheads. The Roma and those workers and youth who
support them should only trust themselves. The young Roma Mario Bango gave
us a couageous example how to fight back.
* For organised militant self-defence of the Roma communities against
racists gangs and police attacks!

The struggle against Roma oppression is an international one by its
nature. The Roma are living in many countries and they are oppressed
everywhere. Furthermore they are permanently restricted in the freedom to
travel. We oppose all limitations of the right to cross the borders!
* In the West the workers movement must fight for the full freedom to
travel and to settle of the Roma!

Many Roma have illusions in the EU. But the verbal support of the EU for
Eastern European Roma is only hypocrite. Look how those "defenders of human
rights" treat the immigrants in their own countries! The EU governments
only use the Roma question to make pressure on the Eastern European
governments. They want some improvement for the Roma in Eastern European
because they don't want to have the Roma in their own country! But the mass
of Roma will get nothing from the EU.

The strategy for revolutionary integration includes the struggle for equal
rights. But the goal is not the perpetuation of the separation of Roma and
the majority populations but the unification of the mass of both people to
fight together against the ruling class. Only in and through the class
struggle the Roma can achieve real integration and can the chauvinism of
the majority population overcome. We demand:
* For an active policy of integration of Roma workers (and unemployed) in
the trade unions and other institutions of the workers movement. They must
be represented in all leading bodies and have the right for separate
meetings.

But given the de facto exclusion of Roma from the production process and
the massive racism in the society this demand is not sufficient. The recent
"hunger march" of Roma in Slovakia is a first sign of political awakens of
Roma. We must start from this and build a revolutionary Roma movement based
on a series of democratic and social demands. The decisive point is that
the Roma should not wait until the official workers movement takes up their
demands. Because unfortunately there are no signs for this. Therefor to
build such a Roma mass movement is the task of today and all anti-racist
activists of the majority populations should support such a development.

Such a movement could also overcome the divisions inside the Roma
community and their domination by patriachal leaders. In the end they are
an obstacle for a real integration of the Roma. Such a movement could
transform the Roma from a victim of racist oppression into a central
political actor of social change. For this it is decisive that the Roma
movement does not stop with some democratic demands but oreint towards the
comon struggle with the whole working class for a revolutionary
transformation of the capitalist society and the building of an authentic
socialist society!

FOR MORE ON MARIO BANGO CAMPAIGN SEE:
http://www.workerspower.com/wpglobal/Marioappeal.html
http://sop-lrki.webpark.cz/

================================================
08 BRITAIN: NEW LABOUR AND UNISON - THE ALLIANCE FRAYS
From: newswire <lrci@easynet.co.uk>
================================================

Workers Power Global, Brighton

The eighth annual conference of Britain's biggest trade union, UNISON,
with some 1.3 million members, gathered in Brighton this week.

The five days in the English seaside resort, turned "funky town" of the
south coast, witnessed a significant leftward shift in this key public
sector union, whose leadership had remained critical friends of New Labour
throughout the Blair government's first four years.

The union's leadership suffered a major rebuff on the conference's second
full day as delegates voted by a majority of nearly 92,000 to re-examine
the union's links with the Labour Party through the Affiliated Political
Fund.

The block votes of substantially more than 400,000 UNISON members rejected
the pleas of the union's national executive to maintain the status quo in
terms of the relationship with the Labour Party.

The conference, with 2,000 delegates in attendance, had already heard
General Secretary Dave Prentis launch a credible attack on essential
elements of New Labour's agenda for the second term. The mild-mannered
Prentis, delivering his first address as the union's top elected official,
is a far from charismatic leader- in contrast to his predecessor, Rodney
Bickerstaffe.

Even so, his rhetoric frequently matched the mood of a conference
repeatedly characterised by a new level of disquiet and increasingly
widespread bitterness about the reality of New Labour over the past four
years, not to mention the prospects of far sharper attacks on public sector
workers in the second term.

Prentis declared that "I'll continue to contest the notion that the
private sector is a panacea", before going on to attack sections of the
government as "the true forces of conservatism" for clinging to "the
Thatcherite obsession" with the market.

He went on in a later speech to describe public private partnerships as a
"passport to poverty pay" and conceded that "for far too long this union
has been taken for granted by the government".

Prentis' inaugural speech came within hours of a sorry performance by the
newly appointed Minister for the Environment, Local Government and the
Regions, Stephen Byers, whose speech triggered an unprecedented round of
heckling along with a visual protest from the balcony (almost) spelling out
"NO MORE PRIVATISATION".

As one delegate with several years of experience at the gathering put it,
"Labour ministers normally get a standing ovation at conference, whatever
they say. I've never seen anything like it."

While the debate around the union's Affiliated Political Fund (sparked by
a motion from the Bromley local government branch, led by Socialist Party
supporter, Glenn Kelly) ultimately took place a day later than expected,
the Byers' speech had done nothing to assuage the widespread fears felt
among many Labour-supporting delegates.

These gained eloquent voice in contributions from Middlesbrough branch
secretary, Teresa Higgins, and a young activist from Newcastle branch ,
Chris McDermott - both of them Labour Party members. Higgins declared that
"I think that we need a return on investment after four years. I think that
they [New Labour] call it Best Value.

It's time that we served notice." McDermott, meanwhile, pointed to a
"fundamental cultural shift in thinking", highlighting the high rates of
electoral abstention among young people. He explained these in terms of
huge disillusionment with New Labour's attacks, with the introduction of
tuition fees, the abolition of the student grant and the introduction of a
lower minimum wage for young workers.

He highlighted the prospect of local homecare workers mounting an
electoral challenge in 2002. He stressed the need to create at least the
possibility of UNISON contributing money and resources to such a campaign
against the very immediate prospect of privatisation.

Bolstered by the vote of the City of Glasgow branch, historically
associated with attacks on the organised left in the union, the move to
launch a major review of the union's political funds upset the odds. But
this was only one of symptom of an important shift in a union whose members
are certain to bear the brunt of the next round of Blairite attacks.

UNISON's national executive committee (NEC) not only backed a call to
renationalise the rail, but also supported return to public ownership of
the other privatised utilities and industries. NEC member Dave Anderson
rounded on both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, indicting them for having
failed to "seize the opportunity" to create a more equal and just society.

In defiance of the NEC's pleas, a third of the delegates also backed an
amendment to its motion, proposed by Derbyshire County delegate and Workers
Power supporter, Alison Higgins, who hammered home the case for
nationalisation without compensation to the "fat cat" privateers.

There were other signs of a left turn by the top table at conference, with
the NEC agreeing to put an emergency motion calling for an autumn
demonstration against the fascist British National Party and National Front
in the light of the general election result in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

The union's leading bureaucrats backed off their historic opposition to
the Anti-Nazi League and also agreed to a new working relationship with the
Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers.

There is, of course, a grave danger in taking the previously unheard
"fighting talk" of Dave Prentis at face value. His position is relatively
insecure within the union and he needs to cultivate "left" allies, but at
the same time he also recognised that the union's very existence is under
threat from the proposals lodged within the Queen's Speech, the most
blatant charter for the privatisation of public services yet unveiled by a
British government

The Thursday afternoon debates around rule changes indicated that the
bureaucracy is loathe to ease its stranglehold on the union's internal
affairs and will continue to act as a major obstacle to the kind of
industrial action that will undoubtedly prove necessary to turn the tide of
privatisation and public sector cuts that dominate the second term agenda.

Revolutionary socialists within the recently launched UNISON United Left
that currently bears all too many hallmarks of previous broad lefts must
develop a strategy to sharpen its programme and rank and file orientation.
But they must also relate as never before to a dramatically enlarged layer
of Labour supporters that it is prepared to countenance a showdown with
their historic party and quite possibly break from it.

================================================
09 AUSTRALIA: "WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
From: newswire <lrci@easynet.co.uk>
================================================

Workers Power Global, Melbourne - speech by Andrew Fernandez at Socialist
Alliance Gellibrand Launch

"There's an old picket line song which strikers have sung throughout the
history of workers struggles, which poses the question "which side are you
on". And it is this same question that I wish to put to you tonight.

Because, comrades and friends, just as a strikes force us to pick a side,
the events occurring all around us today are forcing that question upon us
with an even greater urgency. There's a war going on between the haves and
have nots - between the rich minority who have wealth and power and the
struggling majority who make the wealth and should have the power. Pretty
soon, this war is going to affect each and everyone of us, try as we might
to ignore it.

And, wether it's job losses or global justice mobilisations, we don't have
to go much further than the morning paper to watch these events unfold on a
daily basis.

For instance, about six weeks ago I was travelling to work and reading
that free morning paper you get at the train station. The day before I had
been to a community rally in support of the Arnott's workers, where I heard
about generations of family members who had worked in that factory, all of
whom were facing an uncertain future - it nearly left me in tears. And so
here I am the next day reading the Melbourne Express, I turn to page three,
and there's a story about 50 workers about to lose their jobs at a Windsor
Smith factory. And I think to myself well that's bad but at least it's not
another 800 jobs gone just like that. Then I keep reading and a few pages
later, there's a whole section about job losses at three more companies. By
the time I reached worked that day had I read about 670 people who were
going to lose their jobs. And of course since then we've had HIH and
One.Tel and lets not forget the Bradmill workers.

The job losses from all these examples cited, number in the thousands.
Little wonder that unemployment figures are at a two year high.

And those fortunate enough to have a job are doing it hard. Like Sergio
from Werribee, who migrated here from Chile 14 years ago. A typical working
day in Sergio's life starts at 6.30am as a cleaner at the State Library. At
4 o'clock. Sergio leaves for home and then back into the city to do another
two hours cleaning at a bank. Then from 11.30pm to 4 in the morning Sergio
stuffs inserts into papers at a printing press. Sergio also works a full
day shift on Sundays cleaning Melbourne Central Station. And why? Because
at $11.50 an hour, a six day 73 hour week, is the only way that Sergio, a
father of three, can make ends meet.

In fact, last year 30,000 working families went regularly without meals
and could not afford to heat their homes in winter, while one in eight
children lived in a family with an inadequate income to meet their daily
needs.

In the Melbourne's west 40% of families have a weekly income of less than
$500 per week while unemployment averages at about 14%

At the same time executive salaries rose by an average of 26% last year.
Executives in the exclusive million dollar bracket received average pay
increases of more than 60%.

It takes Chief Executive of Coles Myer, Dennis Eck, less than 3 days to
earn the what it takes one of his supermarket checkout workers to earn in a
year. While it takes Kerry Packer only 14 minutes to earn the annual
average income of an Australian worker, and most of that tax free.

Last year, the top one fifth earned 44% of income and the bottom one fifth
earned 6%. And Company profits rose by nearly 7%.

In other words, there exists two Australias: one for the battling masses
and one for the rich minority. And the gap between rich and poor is
growing.

Five years under a Liberal Government has seen to this national divide.

The GST has seen rises in the cost of basic everyday needs, rental
accommodation and the general cost of living. Yet last year, while and the
rest of us paid $67 billion in taxes, companies paid only $24 billion in
tax. About thirty companies paid no tax at all!

Meanwhile, the effects of the industrial relations laws can be felt
everywhere with increased casualisation, unsafe workplaces, falling wages
and pressure from the bosses to cut back on hard-fought conditions.

Privatisation and cuts threaten the most basic of needs - health
,education, welfare and public utilities. Sole parents are under attack and
women in most states cannot get access to abortion on demand.

Services and infrastructure in rural Australia have been decimated.

Meanwhile those seeking refugee status are locked up in detention centres
and migrants have to wait two years to enjoy the same meagre benefits as
the rest of us.

And the majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders remain at the
bottom rung, some living in "third world" conditions, while John Howard
even refuses to say a simple sorry, let alone begin to repair the damage of
a stolen generation and stolen land.

And more and more young people are turning to drug abuse as a way out of
this mess, a problem that particularly affects us here in the Melbourne's
west

For all these reasons the Liberal party's days in office are numbered. But
lets also remember what 13 years of a Hawke/Keating Labor government did to
us.

In the first 8 years of Labor rule, over $100 Billion was transferred from
wages to profits.

Labor started the ball rolling on privatisation and corporatisation,
abolishing centralised wage fixing and watering down the award system. They
oversaw the winding back of wages, conditions, welfare benefits and public
services, not to mention selling out aborigines on land rights and migrants
on citizenship rights.

Started by Labor in the 80s and continued with gusto by the Libs in the
90s, this is the legacy of a society that puts profits before people; where
market values dominate the government's agenda, whether held by Liberals or
Labor. In short, this is the legacy of global capitalism.

It is a legacy that allows Bill Gates to earn $3,500 a second while 1.3
billon worldwide earn less than $1 a day! Bill takes his place amongst the
200 people in the world worth more than $1 Trillion. And just 1% of $1
Trillion would educate all the world's children, not to mention going a
long way to feeding the 20 million people who die of starvation each year.

Oh, by the way, just to put things in perspective for us here, earlier I
mentioned that Kerry Packer earns the average annual income of an
Australian worker in 14 minutes. Well for an Indonesian working in a Nike
or Addidas sweatshop on $2.36 a day, it would take 52 years to earn what
the average Australian worker earns in a year. So it would take an
Indonesian sweatshop worker 52 years to earn what Kerry Packer makes in 14
minutes!

But at the same time as conditions for the majority are getting worse,
there is a growing mood of defiance, both here in Australia and around the
world.

The poor peasants and the urban poor of the Asia, Africa and Latin America
who for years have been waging real and militant struggles against the IMF
and the effects of "free trade" and corporate tyranny are now joined by a
parrallel movement in the west.

The last two years have seen massive mobilisations in Seattle, Washington,
Melbourne, Prague, Nice, Quebec and Gotthenburg, with demonstrations
planned for the G8 summit in Genoa, the Commonwealth Business Forum is
Melbourne and the Commonweatlh Heads of Government Meeting in Brisbane.

In Australia, the MUA pickets in 98, the massive Free Timor rallies in 99
and S11 last year, all show that there is a will to fight. And already this
year we have seen thousands of activists and trade unionists take to the
streets on May Day against corporate tyranny and on June 3 to Free The
Refugees. Meanwhile there have been on going Friday evening protests at the
NIKE superstore in the city for the last three months averaging 2-400 each
week. And these protests have now spread to Sydney.

All indications are that we are witnessing the emergence of a new, dynamic
and militant movementSand it's growingS

"Which side are you on?"

Comrades and friends, say goodbye to nostalgia about the movements of the
sixties and seventies, "cause the times they are a changing" once again!

Infact, there has never been a better time to be active in the struggle,
and there has never been a time when the struggle needs more people to be
active.

As I said at the start of this talk you don't have to go further than the
daily papers to find reasons both to get angry and to do something about it.

So get angry, get active, but most of allS get excited and be part of
history!

And this is why the Socialist Alliance formed, because our struggle today
demands a coherent and fighting alternative to the market driven madness
that we see all around us.

As one comrade recently put it "The Socialist Alliance is the choice of
the S11generation". But more than this we aim to be the choice of every
person whose had enough with the Liberals and knows that Labor will not
deliver; we aim to be the choice of the people of the western suburbs, who
have been some of the worst done by is so many ways.

Our cause is just, our ambition bold: to be a direct action organisation
that fights on the streets and at the ballot box in order to win the
battling masses to a lasting alternative to the current policies of the
major parties and this rotten system.

We have no illusions in the parliamentary process. History has shown that
no lasting change can come through the parliaments. Socialism, the system
that we fight for, a system based on human need and not corporate greed,
can only come from below. It will come from the many struggles that
communities, activists and workers are waging across this country and
around the world. It will come by taking control away from those who reap
the benefits of the wealth created in society and by giving that control to
those who actually create that wealth - the working class.

But to convince the majority that can see no alternative to parliamentary
democracy, we have to take our fight into parliament. And we have to show
in practice how that fight must be linked to a movement for change on the
ground - that things only ever really change when workers, activists and
communities mobilise and organise.

We want to axe the GST and tax the rich, we want to nationalise the
companies that threaten mass sackings, we want to end unemployment, we want
decent wages and conditions for all workers, we want to reverse
privatisation, we want to pour funds back into health, welfare, education
and public utilities and we want to do more.

But neither Liberal or Labor or the Bosses will let have us any of these
things without a fight. And our challenge is to convince the millions who
will cast their votes hoping for change but skeptical that they will see
any, that the only way to get any of these things, the only way achieve
changeS is to fight get it and to fight to keep it.

And we have to show that while the mainstream parties run in elections to
win power for themselves and their rich mates, we want to place power in
the hands of the battling majority of workers and the oppressed, who will
use that power to the benefit of the majority. That will be the only way to
stop the bosses and their supporters from rolling back our gains. As such
we will fight for a government based on real democracy - one based on
decisions made by workers and communities themselves.

To achieve this, our aim is not to just represent the current struggles in
parliament but to fuse them into one giant struggle on the streets, that
can give workers, the oppressed and the majority in our society, control
over their own destiny for the first time in their lives.

And just as there has never been a better time to fightback, there has
never been a better time for the Socialist Alliance. And if you haven't
already done so, this is why you should join us now and get active.

Because to the question "Which side are you on" our answer is clear:

We stand with the workers on the picket lines and in the workplaces
We stand with the unemployed on the dole queues
We stand with the protestors outside Nike
We stand with the refugees in the detentions centres
We stand with indigenous Australians fighting for justice
We stand with urban and rural communities acros Australia fighting for
their living standards and quality of life
>From Timor to Indonesia to Mexico, Prague, Quebec, Gottenburg and beyond:
we stand with every single person bold enough to take a stand against this
rotten system

Comrades we are at war with injustice and corporate tyranny. No one who
can see with their own eyes what is going on, can afford any longer to sit
back and do nothing. It's time pick a side. Pick our side. Join us in the
struggle - because this is our world and it's not for sale!

FOR MORE ON AUSTRALINA ND SOCIALIST ALLIANCE SEE:
http://www.workerspower.com/wpglobal/salaunchinoz/html
http://www.workerspower.com/wpglobal/wpa22.pdf

============================================================

>> BECOME A CORRESPONDENT FOR WPG
The LRCI has members across the globe - but there are many countries where
we have no correspondents. Send us your news and views:
newswire@workerspower.com

============================================================
NOW FORWARD THIS TO A COMRADE >> NOW FORWARD THIS TO A COMRADE

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AKTIONEN UND ANKÜNDIGUNGEN
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================================================
10 PROTEST! - Austellungseröffnung
From: Büro Hummer <abhummer@gmx.at>
================================================

Freitag, 29. Juni um 20.00 uhr: Eroeffnung der Ausstellung PROTEST!

Proteste und Demonstrationen sind politische Ausdrucksformen, die sich
jenseits von und als Ergänzung zu den eingeschränkten Bahnen der
repräsentativen Demokratie artikulieren. In den meisten Staaten werden sie
mit Repression und Gewalt beantwortet, die lediglich in ihrer Intensität
und Ausformung variieren.
In den letzten Jahren mehrt sich weltweit Widerstand gegen eine Politik,
durch
die die Reichen noch reicher und die Armen immer ärmer werden, gegen
Ausbeutung und Verarmung von großen Teilen der Weltbevölkerung, gegen
Hunger, Rassismus und Sexismus. Proteste in Chiapas, Seattle, Prag, London,
Brasilien, usw. machen auf die negativen Folgen der wirtschaftlichen
Globalisierung neoliberaler Ausformung aufmerksam und bekämpfen sie.
Auch in Österreich hat sich seit dem Eintritt der FPÖ in die Regierung eine
unerwartet innovative und rege Protestkultur entwickelt. Der Widerstand
gegen
eine nationale Regierung verweist in seinen thematischen Anknüpfungspunkten
und seinen Ausdrucksformen auf die Proteste der anderen Globalisierung, der
"Globalisierung von unten".
Naehere Informationen zu PROTEST! sind unter
www.members.aon.at/kult-ex/Haupt.html oder www.fdr.at zu finden.

Anm. d. Red.: Die Absender bitten darum, diese Info und das als gif-file
zugesandte Inserat auf Websites zu schalten. Bei Interesse bitte das gif
bei der oa. Adresse anfordern. (Files werden von der MUND-Redaktion NICHT
geöffnet.)

================================================
11 Stmk/KPÖ/Landeskonferenz
From: Parteder Franz <Franz.Parteder@stadt.graz.at>
================================================

Tel. 03 16 / 71 24 36
Fax 03 16 / 71 62 91
email: kp.stmk@kpoe-graz.at
KPÖ Steiermark
Lagergasse 98a
8020 Graz

Samstag, 23. Juni 2001
Presseinformation der KPÖ Steiermark
KPÖ will Landesprogramm erarbeiten
Steirische Landeskonferenz am 13. Oktober in Graz

Der Landesvorstand der steirischen KPÖ hat die 22. Ordentliche
Landeskonferenz der Partei für 13. Oktober 2001 nach Graz einberufen. Neben
der Wahl der Leitungsgremien soll dabei die Diskussion über ein
Landesprogramm der Partei im Mittelpunkt stehen. Der Rohentwurf wurde vom
Willi Gaisch und Franz Stephan Parteder am Freitag vorgestellt und soll in
den kommenden Wochen diskutiert, ergänzt und präzisiert werden.

Im Programm wird vor allem versucht, die Situation, in der wir uns zu Beginn
des 21. Jahrhunderts befinden, marxistisch zu analysieren und erste
Antworten zu geben. Parteder: "Wir hoffen, bis zur Landeskonferenz ein
solides Programm vorstellen zu können, das positiv für die steirische
Landesorganisation, für die Gesamtpartei und vor allem auch für die
Öffentlichkeit unseres Landes ist."

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DISKUSSION
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================================================
12 re: OFT als Menschenfresser? - die erste
From: "udo huber" <huber_udo@hotmail.com>
================================================

Zum Beitrag der Ökologischen Linken im Samstag.MUND - "oft als
menschenfresser?"

Selten so gelacht! Ein Plakat mit dem alten Anarchoslogan "Eat the rich"
wird von der Ökologischen Linken als reaktionär und menschenverachtend
entlarvt. Das sei doch eine Aufforderung zum Kannibalismus, so die Ö.L. So
ein Schwachsinn findet sich nicht etwa in der Kronen Zeitung sondern im
MUND!
Die Ö.L. hat es wieder einmal geschafft, sich komplett lächerlich zu machen
und sich als dogmatische Politsekte zu entlarven. Weiter so!

================================================
13 re: OFT als Menschenfresser? - die zweite
From: "martha nowak" <nowakmartha@hotmail.com>
================================================

der text hat mich etwas ratlos zurückgelassen. die parolen "fresst die
reichen" oder "eat the rich" sind doch schon öfter von linken gruppen
verwendet worden. ich hatte nie den eindruck, das sei ernsthaft eine
propagierung von kanibalismus. der gedanke scheint mir auch reichlich
absurd. das plakat der oft hab ich schon gesehen. es ist natürlich eine
geschmacksfrage, ob frau so eine parole ok findet, aber eine ernsthafte
aufforderung zum kanibalismus kann ich nicht erkennen. darüberhinaus sind
doch die leute von der oft veganerInnen, d.h. die essen gar keine tierischen
produkte. warum sollten die dann das essen von menschenfleisch propagieren?
(wo sie doch tiere und menschen gleichsetzen, laut ökologischer linken)

ich habe fast den verdacht, dass es in dem text gar nicht um eine ernsthafte
auseinandersetzung geht - das ganze liest sich auch eher wie eine
verlautbarung einer ml-kleingruppe. (vorsicht satire: ich finde es echt
beruhigend, dass die leute von der ökologischen linken in salzburg sein
werden, dann gibt es wenigstens eine gruppe die dort gegen "ein system, den
kapitalismus..." protestiert - bei all den menschenverachtenden und
reaktionären anderen gruppen)

================================================
14 re: OFT als Menschenfresser? - die dritte
From: "thomas kannibale" <kannibalethomas@hotmail.com>
================================================

solche gruppen (ökologische linke) und solche texte ("oft als
menschenfresser?") sind der grund, dass viele leute mit der "radikalen"
"linken" nichts zu tun haben wollen.

don't forget to say hello to ökologische linke:
tierrechte, oft, kannibale, globalisierungsgegnerIn, tatblatt, hainburg,
temelin, zwentendorf,

ökologische linke, leave denunciation and join the struggle against
capitalism

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LINKS, VERWEISE, HINWEISE
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================================================
15 Menschenrechtsliteratur
From: "Thomas Hartl" <thomas.hartl@netway.at>
================================================

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

Abschiebungsschutz von Flüchtlingen?

In der Hoffnung, auch einen kleinen Beitrag zur Akzeptanz von Humanität und
von Menschenrechten beitragen zu können, habe ich meine juristische
Dissertation dieser großen Aufgabe gewidmet. Ich schicke Ihnen eine
Mitteilung über mein Buch, mit der Bitte um Aufnahme in Ihre Dateien.

Das Buch befasst sich mit dem Abschiebungsschutz (Non-Refoulement) von
verfolgten Menschen, denen Folter, unmenschliche oder erniedrigende
Behandlung oder Strafe droht.

Die vorliegende Publikation zeigt (in dieser ausführlichen Art in Österreich
erstmalig)

1) die verbindliche internationale Rechtslage zum Abschiebungsschutz.
2) die Rechtsprechung des Europäischen Gerichtshofs für Menschenrechte
3) die dazu teils widersprüchlichen österreichischen Fremdengesetze und die
Abschiebepraxis
4) die Abschiebeverbote bei drohender Todesstrafe.
5) Das Verfahren vor dem Europäischen Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte

Sollten Sie Fragen haben oder weiteres Material benötigen, schicken Sie mir
doch einfach ein Mail. Ich stehe gerne zur Verfügung.

Falls Ihnen das Buch in Ihrer Arbeit behilflich sein kann und Sie ein
Exemplar bestellen möchten, ich biete meine letzten 3 Exemplare um je ATS
350,- zum Verkauf an (statt um 700 ATS im Buchhandel).

Titel: Hartl Thomas; Das völkerrechtliche Refoulementverbot abseits der
Genfer Flüchtlingskonvention; Frankfurt/Main, Lang Verlag.

Kontakt:
Dr. Thomas Hartl
Julius-Raab-Straße 15
A-4040 Linz
Tel. 0676/40 27 805
E-Mail: thomas.hartl@netway.at
http://members.e-media.at/thomashartl

P.S: Ich arbeite auch als Zeitungsredakteur und könnte, falls erwünscht,
auch über Ihre geplanten Aktivitäten berichten.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Thomas Hartl

-top-

Redaktionsschluss: 21. Juni 2001, 22:00 Uhr


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