WW4 Report

NYC: another victory in Critical Mass struggle

This comes, of course, in response to activist pressure. On Aug. 17, a lively grassroots "public hearing" on the proposed regulations was held at St. Marks Church in the East Village, where at least three City Council members spoke out in opposition to the new regs. The official public hearing scheduled (somewhat perversely) for police headquarters later this week, has been cancelled. From the New York Times, Aug. 19:

Mexico: pre-election plot confirmed?

Former Mexican president Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1988-1994), top officials in the government of current Mexican president Vicente Fox Quesada and a leader of Fox's center-right National Action Party (PAN) were involved in a conspiracy in 2004 to remove Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the center-left Party of the Democratic Party (PRD) from contention in the July 2, 2006 presidential election, according to a tape played on the "Hoy por Hoy" ("Nowadays") radio program on Aug. 18. The tape allegedly records a confession by one of the conspirators, Argentine-born business magnate Carlos Ahumada Kurtz, when he was in custody in Cuba in March and April 2004; he is currently imprisoned in Mexico City on corruption charges.

Fighting in Bekaa Valley—despite Lebanon ceasefire

Helicopter-borne Israeli commandos raided a supposed Hezbollah stronhold in the Bekaa Valley Aug. 20 in what Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora called a "naked violation" of the UN-backed truce. Three Hezbollah guerrillas were reportedly killed in a dawn firefight with the Israeli commandos. The Israeli army said it had suffered one dead and two wounded. Israel said the operation aimed to disrupt weapons supplies to Hezbollah from Syria and Iran. Both countries deny arming the group. (Taipei Times, Aug. 20)

India: Muslim moderates declare jihad on terrorism

India's pro-secular website "Citizens for Justice and Peace" carries the following story on a July 27 fatwa jointly issued by a Muslim mufti (revered scholar) and a Hindu mahant (temple leader) in response to the Mumbai bombings.

Chief Mufti issues fatwa against terrorism
A mahant from Varanasi and a mufti from Punjab came together on a common platform in Mumbai on Thursday to jointly declare a holy war (jihad) against their respective co-religionists who preach hatred and perpetrate violence against innocent citizens.

Mexico: police attack PRD legislators

From EFE, Aug. 14 via Chiapas95 (our translation):

MEXICO -- Mexico's Federal Preventative Police (PFP) today used blows and tear gas to break up a group of legislators who support leftist candidate Manuel Lopez Obrador at one of the gates of the federal Chamber of Depuites which they had been blockading.

FBI cleared in Ojeda Rios assassination

On Aug. 9 the US Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a 237-page report on the killing of Puerto Rican nationalist leader Filiberto Ojeda Rios in the western town of Hormigueros on Sept. 23, 2005, by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The OIG concluded that Ojeda had fired on the FBI agents first and that they were justified in returning fire and in waiting 18 hours after Ojeda was hit before entering his house to check his condition. But the report says the agents should have considered surrounding the house and forcing Ojeda out with tear gas and should have made a greater effort to negotiate a surrender. (Harford Courant, Aug. 10; FBI press release, Aug. 9)

Colombia: police attack march for Lebanon

On Aug. 3, some 600 demonstrators, including many people of Palestinian and Lebanese descent, marched in Bogota to protest Israel's military aggression against Lebanon. The march was called by the Platform of Colombians in Solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon, a coalition of leftist parties and labor and grassroots organizations. When the marchers arrived at the Israeli embassy, an officer of the diplomatic police in charge of security for the building ordered two of his agents to take down a demonstrator who was trying to spray-paint "Free Palestine and Lebanon" on the building facade. A brief clash ensued, and after it had ended a group of mounted riot police from the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD) arrived with a tank and attacked demonstrators with tear gas and water cannons.

UN: Mexico does not comply on indigenous rights

From La Jornada, Aug. 10 via Chiapas95 (our translation, links added):

Iguala, Guerrero -- During the term of Vicente Fox, the Mexican government has not complied with recommendations of the UN to instate consitutional reforms on the rights of indigenous peoples, as mandated under the San Andres Accords, decried the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples, Rodolfo Stavenhagen.

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