and join the

PROTEST AGAINST NEXT SATURDAY'S HOLOCAUST DENIAL CONFERENCE IN ITALY

Please join the Simon Wiesenthal Center in urging Italian Prime
Minister Silvio Berlusconi to ban an international conference of
antisemites, neo-Nazis, Holocaust deniers and speakers who promote the
'big lie' that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were carried out by the
United States and Israel. The gathering is slated for next Saturday,
October 12, 2002 in Verona, Italy.

Organized by the neo-Fascist Trieste-based Nueove Ordine Europe, the
conference, "In Memory of the Millions of Civilian Victims
of the Democracies and Their Lies" includes veteran neo-Nazi activists,
Holocaust revisionists, and supporters of Osama-Bin Laden.

The Center is urging Prime Minister Berlusconi to personally speak out
and launch the necessary measures to stop this international
hatefest. In addition, the Center is demanding that Italian authorities
arrest and deport any speaker who is a fugitive from justice in
another country.

Please act now! Make your voice count. Time is of the essence

The petition:

Saturday, October 5, 2002

Dear Prime Minister Berlusconi:

We join with the Simon Wiesenthal Center in demanding that Italy not
permit itself to be a venue for an international meeting of
neo-Nazis, Holocaust deniers, racists, and Jew haters. At a time when
the civilized world is under attack from the threat of terrorism
and violence, such a gathering will only bolster the forces of
transnational hate.

We therefore urge the government of Italy to do everything in its power
to ban an international conclave in Verona, next Saturday,
October 12, 2002.

The Center's letter to Prime Minister Berlusconi:

September 13, 2002

Mr. Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Palazzo Chigi
Rome, Italy

Dear Mr. Prime Minister:

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre has learned that an international conference
is to convene in Verona on 12 October, entitled ?In
Memory of the Millions of Civilian Victims of the Democracies and Their
Lies.?

Organized by the neo-Fascist Trieste-based Nuovo Ordine Europeo, the
speakers are to include:
áAhmed Rami, who fled from Morocco to Sweden after his assassination
attempt on the late King Hassan. He has been convicted in
Stockholm for incitement on his Radio Islam, and is currently again
under investigation.
áAhmad Soroush Nejad of the Neda Institute in Iran.
áthe Swiss organizers of a Holocaust denial conference scheduled for
last Spring in Beirut, but cancelled by President Rafiq Hariri.
These are Rene-Louis Berclaz of ?Verite et Justice? and veteran neo-Nazi
activist Gaston-Armand Amaudruz.

Other Nuovo Ordine Europeo international supporters include:
áthe revisionist Jurgen Graf, who fled a Swiss court and now resides in
Teheran.
áFrederick Toben of Adelaide, Australia, released on bail from a German
court. A notorious apologist for Osama Bin-Laden.
áRuss Granata, an American who insults the memory of 9/11 victims in
claiming the attacks were organized by the United States and
Israeli intelligence services.

On this anniversary of the mass murder of innocents in New York and
Washington, D.C., we appeal to you to take all necessary
measures to ban a gathering that is an abuse of Italian hospitality, and
can only encourage the forces of hate, violence and terror.

We also urge your authorities to arrest those fugitives from justice who
might enter Italy for this hatefest and to hold them for
extradition to those countries where they are sought for trial.

Mr. Prime Minister, by such measures, Italy can take the lead for Europe
in the war against terrorism.

Most respectfully,

Rabbi Abraham Cooper
Associate Dean Simon Wiesenthal Center, Los Angeles

Dr. Shimon Samuels
Director for International Liaison
Simon Wiesenthal Center, Paris

cc: Rabbi Marvin Hier
Dean and Founder
Simon Wiesenthal Center Los Angeles

==================================================
10 PROTEST GEGEN DIE EU-TERRORLISTE
From: DHKC InformationsbŸro
==================================================
AnkŸndigung:

PROTEST GEGEN DIE EU-TERRORLISTE

UND DEN KRIEG gegen IRAK

26. OKTOBER 2002, BR†SSEL

12 Uhr: Pressekonferenz
14 Uhr: Demonstration
18 Uhr: Veranstaltung auf der Universitþt

Bisherige Sprecher:

- DHKP-C TŸrkei
- PFLP
- FARC Kolumbien
- Koldo Gorrostiaga, Baskenland, Europþischer Parlamentsabgeordneter zum Verbot der Batasuna
- KADEK Kurdistan
- NDF Philippinen
- Antiimperialistische Koordination

"Schwarze Liste" der EU = Au§erkraftsetzung der demokratischen Rechte

Verteidigen wir sie!

Seit dem 11. September vergangenen Jahres haben die Vereinigten
Staaten von Amerika unterstŸtzt von der Europþischen Union ein Klima
der "Terror-Psychose" mit dem Ziel geschaffen, das Recht auf
Meinungsfreiheit und Zusammenschluss anzugreifen und sich nicht nur
der Opposition in der "Dritten Welt", sondern auch jener in den
Metropolen selbst zu entledigen.

Die USA befinden sich an der Spitze dieser demagogischen Kampagne
gegen den Terrorismus und sind in voller Vorbreitung neuer Kriege
gegen jene Všlker, sie sich ihrer Herrschaft widersetzen. Das Ziel der
Kriegstreiber, die Afghanistan in Schutt und Asche gelegt und einen
Krieg gegen den Irak angekŸndigt haben, ist es, ihre Herrschaft Ÿber
die Welt zu sichern und die Krþfte des Widerstands zu zerschlagen und
dauerhaft niederzuhalten.

Seit dem 11. September hat der Westen signalisiert, scharfe Ma§nahmen
gegen den "Terrorismus" zu setzen und den Ruf nach Sicherheit zum
Abbau der demokratischen Rechte zu nutzen. Nach einigen Monaten der
Bombardements gegen Afghanistan haben die USA die "Achse des Bšsen"
proklamiert. Aber das reichte nicht aus: Der CIA-Direktor George Tenet
publizierte eine Liste zu "eliminierender Organisationen". Man fragte
sich, gegen wen die USA und ihre VerbŸndeten als nþchstes schlagen
wŸrden.

Die Verletzung der nationalen Souverþnitþt jedes beliebigen Landes,
die UnterdrŸckung und Auslšschung von Volksorganisationen und die
Ermordung ungezþhlter Menschen werden nunmehr als legitim betrachtet,
ohne dass man dagegen die Stimme erheben kšnnte. Die amerikanische und
europþische Presse orchestriert diese Propaganda.

In den USA wurden unter diesen Vorwþnden neue antidemokratische
Gesetze beschlossen. In Europa wurden die Bestimmungen Ÿber den Schutz
der Privatsphþre in Telekommunikation und DatenŸbertragung
gelockert. Personenbezogene Daten kšnnen von den Behšrden nach
belieben verwendet werden.

Wþhrenddessen werden die Geheimdienste nicht mŸde ihre Ziele
auszuweiten. Die USA und die EU erweitern laufend ihre Schwarzen
Listen der "auszulšschenden terroristischen Organisationen". Auf
diesen Listen, die sich scheinbar gegen die mit den Attentaten des
11. September in Zusammenhang gebrachten Islamisten (bis heute ohne
einen einzigen ernsthaften Beweis) richteten, fanden sich bald auch
Krþfte wie die Revolutionþre Volksbefreiungspartei-Front (DHKP-C), die
Kurdische Arbeiterpartei (PKK), die Volksfront zur Befreiung
Palþstinas (PFLP).

Damit war die wirkliche Intention ihrer Redakteure klar, nþmlich die
mit ihnen verbŸndeten diktatorischen, die Všlker unterdrŸckende Regime
wie Israel oder die TŸrkei zu schŸtzen. Damit treten sie auch das
Všlkerrecht mit FŸ§en, das explizit den Widerstand, einschlie§lich des
bewaffneten, gegen die koloniale Besatzung als legitim erklþrt. Dann
wurden die Revolutionþren Streitkrþfte Kolumbiens (FARC) auf die Liste
gesetzt.

Auch auf nationalstaatlicher Ebene nutzte man die Gelegenheit zum
Angriff. Die baskische Partei Batasuna wurde kurzerhand verboten, weil
sie unermŸdlich das Selbstbestimmungsrecht fŸr das baskische Volk
forderte. Und vor einigen Wochen haben die USA auch die Kommunistische
Partei der Philippinen (CPP) auf den Index gesetzt. Holland hat sofort
die EU aufgefordert, es den USA gleichzutun.

Die Auslšschung der revolutionþren Opposition in den
F-Typ-Gefþngnissen in der TŸrkei, der Plan Kolumbien, der das
Bestreben des kolumbianischen Volkes nach Unabhþngigkeit und Frieden
mit sozialer Gerechtigkeit mit F٤en tritt, die Operationen auf den
Philippinen, die sich angeblich gegen die Abu-Sayyaf-Gruppe richten
aber tatsþchlich einer amerikanischen militþrischen Intervention TŸr
und Tor šffnen, die Kriminalisierung der Globalisierungsgegner durch
Berlusconi sind nur verschiedene Aspekte ein und desselben Planes.

Die Schwarze Liste der EU

Die Schwarze Liste der EU wurde durch eine Institution mit dem Namen
COREPER zusammengestellt, die aus den stþndigen Botschaftern beim Rat
des Europþischen Parlaments besteht. Um eine Organisation als
terroristisch zu denunzieren, muss der COREPER kein Argument
vorbringen, noch ist er verpflichtet eine Motive šffentlich zu
machen. Kein Einspruch und kein Rechtsmittel ist gegen die
willkŸrliche Kriminalisierung mšglich.

Die Diplomaten haben sich also einfach das Recht genommen wen immer
sie wollen als "Terroristen" abzustempeln. Die nationalen Gesetze
werden gerade an diese Konzeption abgepasst und eršffnen die
Mšglichkeit die Opposition gegen die antidemokratischen Ma§nahmen als
UnterstŸtzer des Terrorismus zu verfolgen. In diesem Klima kann von
der Wahrung der demokratischen Grundrechte keine Rede mehr sein.

Im Gegenteil, die Liste der terroristischen Organisationen stellt eine
UnterstŸtzung fŸr mšrderische Regime dar.

Der Terrorismus, Werk des Imperialismus

Seit Anbeginn seiner Entstehung hat der Imperialismus Milliarden zu
Arbeitslosigkeit, Elend, Repression und Folter verurteilt. Der
Imperialismus ist fŸr die Verletzung der Souverþnitþt zahlloser Lþnder
verantwortlich.

Dutzende Millionen mŸssen und mussten mit dem Leben bezahlen oder
unter unmenschlichen Bedingungen vegetieren. Der Imperialismus betrieb
Staatsstreiche, Massaker und Všlkermord in Lateinamerika, Asien,
Afrika und im Mittleren Osten. Er hat die Hitler, Mussolini, Franco
geschaffen und finanziert, genauso wie er Tausende notorische
Folterknechte ausbildete.

War es nicht er, der sich immer als "modernes und zivilisiertes
System" prþsentiert hat? Erinnern wir uns an den Krieg der
Zivilisationen Berlusconis. Doch wo ist diese Zivilisation? In
Deutschland und Holland greift der Rassismus um sich. Was ist aus dem
Humanismus geworden, auf den diese Lþnder so stolz sind?

Hšren wir die Erklþrungen Blairs in Bezug auf sein Verhþltnis zu den
USA. "Wir sind bereit den Preis des Blutes zu zahlen". Von welcher
Barbarei spricht er? Wessen Blut will der Premier vergie§en. Nichts
als Heuchelei, denn es waren sie, die die Schwarze Liste entwarfen.

Wer

a.. die Verletzung der demokratischen Rechte verhindern,
b.. den in Europa wŸtenden Rassismus und Kulturchauvinismus
insbesondere gegen die islamische Gemeinde bekþmpfen,
c.. die gegen oligarchische und diktatorische Regime kþmpfende
Organisationen unterstŸtzen,
d.. sich den neuen Kriegen entgegenstellen will, mit denen der
europþische Imperialismus die Všlker bedroht,

ist aufgerufen sich an der Mobilisierung gegen die Schwarze Liste der
EU zu beteiligen, die am 26. Oktober in BrŸssel stattfindet.

a.. Die demokratischen Rechte dŸrfen nicht auf die Schwarze Liste!
b.. Nieder mit den diktatorischen und faschistischen Regimen im
Dienste des Imperialismus!
c.. Setzen wir diese Regime auf die Schwarze Liste der Všlker!
d.. Weg mit der Schwarzen Liste der EU!

Diese Demonstration richtet sich gegen den imperialistischen
Terror. Sie wird folgedessen auch eine Protestaktion gegen den
angedrohten Krieg im Irak sein.

Folgende Organisationen unterstŸtzen die Mobilisierung fŸr
26. Oktober:

DHKC International / RKL (Revolutionary Communist League) Austria /
Abnaael el Balaad (Children of the Land) Palestine / Bayan,
Philippines / Comunitarismu et Indepentzia, Sardinia / Movement for
the Confederation of Communists, Tuscany, Italy / BsB (Movement for
Social Liberation), Austria / CMKP (Communist Workers' and Peasants
Party, Pakistan / D17 (Direction 17), Italy / EHK (Communist of Euskal
Herria), Basque Country / Land and Liberation, Sicily / IAC
(International Action Centre), USA / ILS (International Leninist
Current) / IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party), Ireland / Campaign
against Legal Impunity in Colombia / Communards Ittiri / Communards,
Sardinia / LUPO, Osimo, Ancona / Moro Islamic Liberation Front,
Philippines / New Left Front, Hungary / PFLP (Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine) Palestine / RCG (Revolutionary Communist
Group), Britain / Red Action, Nuremberg, Germany / Latin American
Resume / Red Umbria, Italy / RKL (Revolutionary Communist League),
Thuringia, Germany / Red Action, Duisberg, Germany / SJK, Serbia
(League of Communists of Yugoslavia, Serbia) / Loyalty of Man and
Earth, Lebanon / Chad Action for Unity and Socialism / Support Group
for the Mothers of May Square, Basque Country / People's Democratic
Left, Mexico / People's Committee for Support of the Palestinian
People and the Struggle against Normalising Relations with the Zionist
Enemy, Tunisia / YPKP (Institute for Investigating the Massacres of
1965/66), Indonesia / Mohamed Regraigui (Activist of the Revolutionary
Left in Morocco)

==================================================
11 SA walks out of racism conference
From: <ahda@chello.at>
==================================================
owner-antiracism@magenta.nl (by way of I CARE )
Datum: 2002/10/07 Mo AM 08:26:05 GMT+02:00
An: antiracism@icare.to

05 October 2002 11:12
Johannesburg Mail and Guardian Online
Sunday, October 6, 2002

Saying they'll have no part in discrimination, delegations from South
Africa, Russia, Cuba, Colombia and France's overseas territories on
Friday abandoned an anti-racism conference that voted to exclude
whites.

The walkout, on the fourth day of the six-day African and African
Descendants World Conference Against Racism, came after a day of
negotiations failed.

"Cuba will never support any action aimed at segregating a group of
people. Furthermore, Cuba believes that such a decision is intolerant
and contrary to the purposes of this conference," Maria Morales, the
spokeswoman for Cuba's delegation, told the conference reading from a
prepared statement.

The South Africans said that the conference had gone adrift and that
they could not endorse the decision to exclude non-blacks. It was
unclear how many delegates left the conference late Friday, and
whether all were black.

But most of the 250 delegates at the meeting hosted by the Barbados
government whistled and cheered their approval as chairwoman Jewel
Crawford of the United States stood by the vote.

"The motion will stand and the democratic process will be respected,"
Crawford said. "The motion of exclusion was the will of the majority
because there are sometimes when we feel that we just want to have a
meeting of our own."

Ghanaian delegate Maya wa Taifa agreed, arguing that Africans are
normally too generous for their own good and that "our
over-hospitality" backfired on the conference.

The move to exclude whites was proposed by the 60-strong British
delegation, which said it was under the impression that the conference
was entirely for blacks to discuss issues from racial profiling to
reparations for slavery.

Some 200 delegates voted Wednesday for whites and Asians to leave the
deliberations, saying slavery was too painful a subject to discuss in
front of non-Africans.

Fifty delegates abstained and more than a dozen white and Asian
journalists, interpreters and delegates left the meeting.

In an ironic twist Friday, delegates were shocked by an impassioned
plea from Mauritanian Bakary Tandia for the conference to denounce
slavery in the African countries of Mauritania and Sudan.

He said such conferences lay too much emphasis on demands for
reparations from former white colonisers and "hardly focus on what is
happening on the continent, where slavery is alive in some places".

Tandia, co-chairman of the New Jersey-based Africa Peace Tour lobbying
group, said Arabs in Mauritania and Sudan hold blacks against their
will. He charged up to 900 000 black Mauritanians, mostly women and
children, work without pay as domestic servants and herders.

"These people are owned as property by Arabs and are so enslaved that
they cannot even give testimony in a court of law ... They have no
rights," Tandia said.

Conference organisers said they planned a resolution of condemnation
before Sunday's end to the meeting, billed as a follow-up to last
year's UN anti-racism conference in South Africa. - Sapa-AP

All material copyright Mail&Guardian

==================================================
12 RAWNEWS on Latin America
From: "RAWNEWS" <rawnews@btopenworld.com>
==================================================
RAWNEWS on Latin America

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48589-2002Oct5.html
Coup Said Thwarted in Venezuela
By Christopher Toothaker

Associated Press Writer
Saturday, October 5, 2002; 7:49 PM

CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez said Saturday that his
government uncovered plans for a military coup after intelligence
agents found evidence of one during a raid.

"We, in recent hours, have avoided a coup. I'm sure of this, but we
have to remain alert," said Chavez told supporters in Caracas.

He said the coup was planned for Sunday. Chavez, a leftist former
paratrooper who was elected in 1998, was briefly ousted by dissident
generals in mid-April. His statements came after agents from the
Military Intelligence Directorate raided the home of former Foreign
Minister Enrique Tejera Paris, who was suspected of aiding the
dissident generals.

Chavez said agents found videos, lists with telephone numbers and a
large map of strategic areas in Caracas titled "The Final Solution" in
Tejera's home. Tejera was not placed under arrest and his lawyer,
Luis Valdivieso, said agents violated his client's rights by raiding
his home without a warrant. Valdivieso told Globovision television
that his client would cooperate with authorities "to dispel the
accusations against him" and accused agents of planting the map.

Chavez also said Tejera had drafted a decree to dissolve the
Constitution once he assumed the presidency.

The raid comes as the government investigates dozens of military
officers, and several civilians, who allegedly played a role in the
April 11 coup that briefly ousted Chavez. Loyal officers returned
Chavez to power two days later.

AP. 1 October 2002. Venezuelans Reluctant to Endorse General Strike
Against Chavez.

CARACAS -- Opposition labor and business leaders in Venezuela are
hoping the third time will be the charm as they prepare yet another
general strike against the government of President Hugo Chavez.

But the idea has encountered resistance from crucial members of the
labor and business communities. Some opposition politicians, too, are
doubtful they can muster popular enthusiasm for another work
stoppage.

Fedecamaras, the country's largest business association, announced
Monday it would organize the strike within 30 days. The Confederation
of Venezuelan Workers, the largest trade union, has promised to
announce a strike date during an Oct. 10 opposition march in Caracas.

But Chavez trumped his opponents by signing a two-year contract with
oil workers in record time. The Sept. 16 contract gave workers a 35
percent pay raise, in a deal that persuaded Fedepetrol, the largest
oil union, to abandon strike plans.

"We won't call on our oil workers to support a strike that is strictly
political," Fedepetrol Secretary General Oswaldo Caiveth said
Monday. "We have just signed a collective labor agreement, and there's
no reason to call for a strike."

Unless oil workers join, "the strike will be pathetic and will more
likely demoralize the opposition," said Teodoro Petkoff, director of
the opposition afternoon daily Tal Cual.

Chavez foes insist he must step down before his term ends in 2007, but
the opposition is divided on how to oust him. Some prefer less
confrontational routes -- such as a referendum to shorten the
president's term and pave the way for early elections.

"Chavez came and will leave through votes," said Leonardo Carvajal,
president of the opposition civic group Assembly of Education. "We
want the least traumatic way out."

"Oust Chavez? Hugo Chavez, I warn you, will govern until 2007,"
Chavez said Sunday during his weekly radio and television show.

Still, the government isn't leaving anything to chance. When subway
workers in Caracas unexpectedly walked off the job Aug. 23, the
government hurriedly offered each worker a $4,300 bonus. Chavez,
meanwhile, has crisscrossed the country delivering speeches to steel,
electrical and public workers.

The president's efforts "have made the terrain difficult for a strong
strike," said Luis Vicente Leon, director of polling firm
Datanalisis. "It could still be a success ... but it will be an
uphill battle."

S.O.S.
SINTRAEMCALI PRESIDENT URRIBE ORDERS THE MILITARY OCCUPATION OF EMCALI
EICE WORK PLANTS

SINTRAEMCALI, the Cali Public Services trade union, denounces to the
national and international community the action of President Alvaro
Urribe who has ordered the military occupation of EMCALI work plants.
This action aims at preventing workers from entering the CAM Central
Administration Building and Bulevar (another work plant). Up until now
no workers have been able to enter and carry out their duties.

The Events:

1.- In the early hours of 30th September, a contingent of military
personnel from the Third Brigade accompanied by the local police and
an anti riot squad occupied the entrances to both the CAM Tower
administration building and the Bulevar Telephone office.

Initially they prevented the entrance of workers, and later disrupted
the Permanent Assembly that workers have been carrying out since 25th
September due to the failure of the government to fulfil signed
agreements with the trade union which were agreed on 29th January, and
also in protest at the actions of the water manager CARLOS VITALIANO
SANCHEZ

2.- The order for the military takeover of the plants was given
directly by President AlvaroUribe Velez, according to the
Superintendent of Public Services MARIA DEL PILAR ORDSQEZ MENDEZ, the
commander of the Third Brigade JORGE PINEDA CARVAJAL and the Commander
of the Metropolitan Police OSCAR ADOLFO NARANJO TRUJILLO.

3.- The Superintendent stated that Alvaro Uribe had ordered the
military occupation of the plants via the Superintendent of Public
Services due to a fear that the trade union and its members were
planning to occupy the installations. Authorisation was given to use
all necessary measures to prevent workers from occupying the
installations and to ensure the continued provision of services
provided by the company, and the security of the infrastructure.

Background:

Since 24th September EMCALI workers affiliated to the trade union
SINTRAEMCALI have exercised their constitutional rights and
international norms to carry out a Permanent Assembly with the aim of
pressuring the government to fulfil its obligations under an agreement
signed with the trade union on 29th January 2002 aimed at
strengthening and saving EMCALI EICE.

The trade union last week denounced the bad management of water plant
manager VITALIANO SANCHEZ and the head of the Maintenance Department
JAIRO VILLAREAL, who have both put in jeopardy the provision of water
to more than 70% of the local population.

Since the appointment of the Water Manager the plant has been on the
verge of collapse two times, despite the verbal and written
protestations of the trade union. The union called for a Shock Plan
which would remove those in the administration responsible for these
acts, and extra financial measures to pay for necessary equipment and
repairs. The union received no response.

The Puerto Mallarino Plant is crucial for the supply of water to the
city of Cali responsible for nearly 70% of the population s water
supply. The union suspects that the actions of the manager are a
deliberate attempt to destabilise the company and seriously effect the
provision of water to the local population.

CARLOS VITALIANO SANCHEZ, was involved as an adviser in the public
services and mining industries in the Atlantic Coast and Cundinamarca
regions which have been privatised. He was a consultant for Carbocol,
a company that has now been brought by Drummond and Minercol.

The most serious of all is that the action of the manager goes against
signed agreements between the Colombian government and the trade union
which aimed at guaranteeing the survival of the company and the
implementation of cost saving measures such as Mingas Comunitarias
(Community Work-ins) where workers give up their weekend to work for
free carrying out repairs.

We denounce these attempts that seek to yet again provide the terrain
for the privatisation of the company EMCALI E.I.C.E and furthermore we
also denounce the blatant violation of basic trade union rights of
association, expression and protest which are protected in both the
National Constitution and International norms that protect workers
rights throughout the world.

We call on all of you to demand that the Colombian government respect
these minimal guarantees and above all that they fulfil obligations
signed in the 29th January 2002 Agreement.
30th September, 2002

S.O.S. SINTRAEMCALI PERMANENT ASSEMBLY URIBE'S GOVERNMENT DECLARES WAR
ON THE WORKERS OF EMCALI E.I.C.E

SINTRAEMCALI, the Municipal Corporation of Cali Workers Trade Union,
and the undersigned members of the National and International Human
Rights Campaign Against Privatisation, Corruption and the
Criminalisation of Social Protest denounce to the national and
international community the serious events that happened today, 1st
October 2002, in which several workers have been injured as the result
of being hit by tear gas bombs and shrapnel grenades thrown at them by
the state security forces, particularly by members of the Mobile
Anti-Riot Unit ESMAD of Cali Metropolitan Police under the command of
Colonel CELIS.

The Events:
1.... [background as above]

2. The incident started at 9:30 in the morning at the Sewerage
Treatment Plant located at No.59-85, 15th Street when a joint team of
Army and National Police arrived throwing tear gas bombs and shrapnel
grenades, wounding two workers at this plant, while three others with
symptoms of asphyxia had to leave immediately for emergency medical
treatment.

3. 50 tear gas bombs were thrown in the space of 20 minutes into the
Sewerage Treatment Plant. These are prohibited in international law
because of their fatal characteristics. They were of the type MODEL
7290 FLASH BANG, 1.5 SECOND DELAY U.S, MADE IN USA. Others used,
equally noxious but less powerful, were GREN HAND A/RIOT IRRT SMK
MULTIPLE PN770 1063 SP 98 CS.

The security forces launched a renewed assault on the workers in this
plant at 1:30 p.m., just as students from a nearby college were coming
out of their classes - putting the lives of more than one hundred
minors in danger.

4. Previously, from 10:30 a.m. another operation was launched against
the workers at Bodegas Navarro Plant, situated at No 27 A 40 25th
street, where again the state forces attacked the workers with MODEL
7290 FLASH BANG tear gas bombs, which fell very close to the leaders
of SINTRAEMCALI, who were there giving a report to more than one
hundred workers gathered at the plant. The gas bombs were also thrown
into the cellar where the work implements are stored.

5. Then at 12:30 p.m. at the Colon Telecommunications plant, situated
at Nos. 33-40 on 14th Street, members of the Mobile Anti-Riot Unit
assaulted the workers by throwing gas canisters in a way that put
their and customers' lives at risk. The state forces threw the tear
gas at the public service centre, just where members of the community
were in attendance to pay for their public services. The missiles hit
against the windows of the centre, and affected the staff of
Megabanco, of Banco de Occidente, and EMCALI's own customer service
workers, as well as the security guards from Gran Colombia corporation
who provide services to this plant.

Other tear gas canisters hit the windows of Colon Warehouse, where
functioning telecommunications equipment is stored. Meanwhile, tear
gas canisters were falling across the whole plant affecting all its
EMCALI EICE workers and cleaning workers from the Washroom Services
company.

The state forces deployed tanker vehicles with water cannon directed
at the broken windows of the Communications Centre, putting at risk
equipment that is being used for the benefit of the community. At the
same time the tear gas was also affecting people in residences in the
surrounding area.

During these events members of NOMADESC human rights association
arrived to confirm the reports of an attack. Just as they were getting
ready to protest the conduct of the state forces, throwing tear gas
that provoked the workers and affected the community, the NOMADESC
workers were threatened with death by one of the Anti-Riot Squad
agents, who signaled that they were in his sights and that they would
be the next to be hit with a grenade attack.

The NOMADESC workers sought out the Police commander directing the
operation and protested what was happening. He aggressively refused to
identify the agent who had made the death threat, so they then
communicated with Coronel Novoa of the Police, with the Ombudsman and
the Regional Prosecutor, managing to get this last official to come to
the Colon telephone centre to verify what had been going on

6. Simultaneously, state forces were attacking the electricity workers
gathered at the South Zone Energy Centre CAES, which is at Kr 80
No. 18 -12. They threw tear gas and shot into the air, breaking the
entry gate and tried to enter by force.

We emphasise that the workers EMCALI EICE have guaranteed the supply
of public utility services to the whole city, in spite of these
serious events and the assault against them by the state forces.

We point out that the national Government headed by President of the
Republic ALVARO URIBE VELEZ, Superintendent of Domestic Public
Services EVA MARIA URIBE TOBON and the highest officers of the
military and the police are responsible for this warlike treatment of
a social conflict and the just demands of the workers to continue
contributing their defence of EMCALI as a Industrial and Commercial
State Corporation (EICE) that operates for the benefit of the whole
community.

We know that the interest of URIBE and his Superintendent, is to
Privatise EMCALI EICE, as has already showed when two days after his
inauguration he came to Cali to say that that EMCALI should be a share
holding company, and now he has resorted to the use of force violating
the workers' most basic rights.

We ask you to direct protests to the Colombian government demanding
that the Agreement it signed with the workers on 29th January 2002 be
implemented, and to avoid a catastrophe without precedent in the
history of the city of Santiago de Cali.

Sindicato de Trabajadores de Las Empresas Municipales de Cali -
SINTRAEMCALI
Asociaci—n Para la Investigaci—n y Acci—n Social NOMADESC
Corporaci—n Servicios Profesionales Comunitarios SEMBRAR
La Uni—n Sindical Obrera USO
Sindicato De Los Trabajadores Universitarios De Colombia
SINTRAUNICOL
Central Unitaria De Los Trabajadores CUT - VALLE DEL CAUCA
Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Miner’a en Colombia SINTRAMINERCOL
Movimiento Estudiantil del Valle del Cauca y Nari–o
Uni—n Sindical de Trabajadores de las Comunicaciones _USTC_
Fundaci—n ComitŽ De Solidaridad Con Presos Pol’ticos Seccional Valle del
Cauca
Sintramunicipio Bugalagrande
Sintramunicipio Yumbo
Sintramunicipio Dagua
Sintrametal Yumbo
Sutev
Asonal Judicial Valle del Cauca
Sintrahospiclmnicas
Sinaltrainal Bugalagrande
Sintradepartamento Antioquia
Campaqa de solidaridad por Colombia _Reino Unido
CAMPA„A NACIONAL E INTERNACIONAL DE DERECHOS HUMANOS CONTRA LA
CORRUPCIîN, LA PRIVATIZACIîN Y LA PENALIZACIîN DE LA PROTESTA
SOCIAL
Santiago de Cali, 1 October 2002.
SEND PROTEST MESSAGES TO:

ALVARO URIBE VELEZ
Presidente de la Repœblica
Fax 00571 337 5890, 00571 566 2071
Try also (00571) 3342921-- 2431023 - 3342841
FERNANCO LONDO„O HOYOS
Ministro del Interior y de Justicia
Fax 00571 286 8025
mininterior@myrealbox.com
minisint@col1.telecom.com.co
MARTHA LUCIA RAMIREZ
Ministra de Defensa
Fax 00571 222 1874
siden@mindefensa.gov.co

SEND COPIES TO

Colombian Embassy (UK): mail@colombianembassy.co.uk
Denis MacShane Foreign Office (UK):macshaned@parliament.uk
CUT Human Rights Department: derechoshumanoscut@cc-net.net
Colombia Solidarity Campaign (UK) colombia_sc@hotmail.com

Additional News

1. Two JPEG pictures available on request.

2. Official DAS creditation has been withdrawn from eleven bodyguards
of the trade union leaders detained on Friday 20th September. These
comrades were part of a Humanitarian Delegation taking food,
mediciines and blankets to peasants surrounded by army units in
neighbouring Cuaca department. The Humanitarian Delegation was held
for 14 hours to stop it from bringing relief to the peasants.

3. The University of Valle de Cauca in Cali has announced it has to
cut a hundred workers. The union SINTRAUNICOL has a programme of
workshops and protests to mobilise against these sackings.

Announcements

PICKET THE COLOMBIAN EMBASSY Wednesday 30th October 4.00 - 6.00pm

3 Hans Crescent, London SW1 (back of Harrods, Knightsbridge tube) No
to Criminalisation and Repression! End the State of Internal Unrest!
For the Right of Social Protest!

Public Meetings on Emergency in Colombia

Belfast the Colombian Trade Unionists Solidarity Campaign meets at
4.30pm on Friday 4th October at the Duke of York, Donegal Street and
the first Friday of each month thereafter

Bristol Wednesday 27th November 7.30pm Cube Cinema, Dove Street South,
Bristol, BS2 8JB

Video: The Tower of Victory - SINTRAEMCALI and the struggle for social
justice in Colombia

Cambridge Thursday, 3rd October 7.30pm Wesley Church, junction King
Street and Short Street organised by CamPeace

Cardiff - Friday 4th October, 7.30pm Students Union, Cardiff
University Devon - Wednesday 16th October 7.30pm Bogan House, High
Street, Totnes London Saturday 5th October 2.00pm CORAS, 161 Lambeth
Walk, LONDON SE11 (nearest tubes Vauxhall or North Lambeth) and
Wednesday 16th October 7.00pm University of London Union, Malet
Street, WC1 (nearest tubes Goodge Street and Warren Street)

Interested? - help form a branch of the Campaign. Call a vigil in your
area for 10th December, International Human Rights Day, to remember
all the human rights violations in Colombia this year.

SUBSCRIBE TO COLOMBIA SOLIDARITY

Four or five editions a year. Taking out a subscription also entitles
you to be a member of the campaign. Annual Rates: Individuals £6
unwaged, £12 waged. Organisations £25 branches/small (2 copies),

£50 medium/regional (5 copies) , £100 large/national (10 copies). Mark
your category of required subscription and return with payment to
"Colombia Solidarity Campaign" and completed slip below.

Name ___________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________
Telephone _____________________ E-mail_____________________________

Colombia Solidarity Campaign, PO Box 8446, London N17 6NZ. E-mail:
colombia_sc@hotmail.com

Andy Higginbottom
Co-ordinator

==================================================
13 RAWNEWS - on Cental Asia
From: "RAWNEWS" <rawnews@btopenworld.com>
==================================================
RAWNEWS
- on Cental Asia

1) UZBEK PRESIDENT AGAINST PULLOUT OF U.S. SERVICEMEN FROM CENTRAL ASIA
2) Danish air force mission in Afghanistan - IRNA (Iran)

UZBEK PRESIDENT AGAINST PULLOUT OF U.S. SERVICEMEN FROM CENTRAL ASIA

[Uzbek President Islam Karimov, whose official debut as NATO frontman
in Central Asia occurred at the Fiftieth Anniversary NATO Summit in
Washington in 1999, for which the seventy nine day terror bombing of
Yugoslavia was arranged as a pretext for the launching of a renewed,
expanded NATO global mission, is acting right on cue.

Once the pretext of the much-vaunted 'war against terrorism' - and
such luminaries as former US National Security Advisor Zbigniew
Brzezinksi never fail to remind us whose terrorism is in question -
was dispensed with in George W. Bush's state of the union address at
the beginning of this year, the naked truth of successive propaganda
ploys shines through the disinformation fog:

The US and its key NATO adjuncts intend to establish military command
posts at or near every major geostrategic choke point, shipping lane,
petroleum reserve, and 'forward thrust' military outpost from
Northwest Africa to the Chinese border.]

DUSHANBE, OCTOBER 5, 2002 /FROM RIA NOVOSTI'S CORRESPONDENT NAJMIDIN
AZIZOV/--

The president of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, has spoken up against the
withdrawal of American servicemen from Central Asia until peace and
stability come to the region. Karimov said this in Dushanbe, where he
had arrived to participate in a summit of member countries of the
Central Asian Cooperation Organisation.

"Americans should stay here as long as is required to bring stability
and ensure peace in Afghanistan," said Karimov.

The Uzbek president said that Afghanistan should become "a zone of
peace and accord with the neighbours and meet all international
norms." In his opinion, this cannot be brought about without backing
the decisions on giving a massive financial support for Afghanistan.

If the impoverished people of Afghanistan get no financial aid, they
will lose trust in Khamid Karzai and the central government and then a
new stage of tensions and ethnic clashes will begin, believes Islam
Karimov.

http://www.irna.com/en/world/021001184128.ewo.shtml
Danish air force mission in Afghanistan

Brussels, Oct 1, IRNA (Iran)-- Danish soldiers at the Ganci base in
Kyrgyzstan are prepared for war in Afghanistan, Danish news agency
Ritzau reported Tuesday quoting daily Jyllands-Posten.

The deployment marks the first time the Danish Air Force will have
participated in an actual attack, breaking the long-standing Danish
tradition of participating in 'low key' activities.

"We are at war. There is no other way to say it. When we dispatch our
fighter planes, then it becomes a fact that Denmark is at war," the
daily quoted Lt. Col. Anker Koch, supreme commander for the Danish
troops at the base just outside of Kyrgyzstan's capital city of
Bishkek, as saying.

Lt. Col. Anker could not speculate as to the duration of the Danish
Air Force mission in Afghanistan.

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LINKS / VERWEISE / HINWEISE
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==================================================
14 on that war
From: "kultur" <der.krusche@kultur.at>
==================================================
in der leiste *jump the rails* haben wir auf kultur.at nun die ecke
*on that war* aufgezogen: