WW4 Report

Somalia: Puntland pledges to resist Islamists

General Addeh Museh, president of Puntland, the autonomous region in northeastern Somalia, has vowed to resist any attack by fighters from the Islamic Courts Union, saying his administration would not accept "radicalism and extremism." Gen. Museh said, "We will continue to resist the spread of Islamic militants."

Cuban terrorist sentenced in Florida

On Nov. 14 a federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, sentenced Cuban American business leader Santiago Alvarez to 46 months in prison for conspiracy to possess an arsenal; his employee, Osvaldo Mitat, received a sentence of 39 months. Both had pleaded guilty to avoid more serious charges; they have been in prison since November 2005, and this will count as time served. Although the US did not charge Alvarez with planning to use the arms against Cuba, the Cuban government has accused him of financing operations against it.

Colombia: national mobilization against trade deal

On Nov. 9, thousands of workers, students, campesinos and indigenous people marched in Colombian cities and towns to protest the economic and social policies of rightwing president Alvaro Uribe Velez. The protesters specifically blasted a free trade treaty (commonly referred to by its initials in Spanish, TLC) currently being negotiated with the US, as well as the planned privatization of 20% of the state oil company, Ecopetrol, and a proposed tax reform being considered by Congress. Marchers also demanded an end to the killing of unionists; the International Labor Organization (ILO) reports that nearly 800 Colombian labor leaders have been killed since 2000. The Unitary Workers Federation (CUT) called the national day of action, but two other labor federations joined it: the Colombian Workers Confederation (CTC) and the General Confederation of Workers (CGT). (El Diario-La Prensa, NY, Nov. 10)

SOA protests at Ft. Benning —and throughout Americas

On Nov. 19 and 20, some 22,000 people gathered outside the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia to demand the closure of the US Defense Department's Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), formerly called the US Army School of the Americas (SOA), a combat-training school for Latin American soldiers. The protest, organized by SOA Watch, is held each November at Fort Benning to commemorate the 1989 murders in El Salvador of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter; some of the killers were SOA graduates. It was the largest protest yet at Fort Benning; last year about 19,000 people attended.

Mexico: Lopez Obrador assumes parallel presidency

Thousands of supporters of Andres Manual Lopez Obrador again filled Mexico City's central plaza, the zocalo, Nov. 20 to witness his swearing in as Mexico's parallel "legitimate president," with a cabinet of 12 mostly drawn from his former administration as the capital's mayor. (AP, Nov. 20) "It is an honor to be the legitimate president of Mexico and above all the leader of free men and women like you," López Obrador told the crowd after leftist senator and human-rights activist Rosario Ibarra de Piedra placed a red-white-and-green "presidential sash" over his shoulder. (LAT, Nov. 21)

US to expand robot operations in Iraq

From Middle East Newsline, Nov. 13:

The U.S. military plans to expand robot operations in Iraq.

Gaza: "human shield" action halts Israeli air raid

From Reuters, Nov. 20:

GAZA - Israel's air force cancelled a planned raid on the home of a Gaza militant on Sunday after hundreds of Palestinians barricaded themselves inside the building, an Israeli military spokesman and witnesses said.

Michoacan: four dead in prison hostage crisis

From El Universal, Nov. 19:

At least three of 10 lawyers being held hostage by inmates were killed Saturday after police raided the prison in the state of Michoacán to rescue them, media reported.

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