Bill Weinberg

Eritrea's Jews: down to one

We wonder how he feels to be briefly on the Reuters wire April 30?

Eritrea's last native Jew tends graves, remembers
58-year-old Sami Cohen has fond memories of friends, parents and families in the Horn of Africa. Now there's little left, apart from an empty synagogue

Tending graves knee-deep in dry grass and purple flowers, Eritrea's last native Jew clutches memories of a forgotten community.

Mexico: strike against Fox labor plans

Tens of thousands of Mexican workers from a wide range of unions left work and took to the streets on April 28 to express their opposition to the labor policies of center-right president Vicente Fox Quesada and to demand the resignation of Labor Secretary Francisco Javier Salazar Saenz. A major focus was the death of two unionists in the government's attack on striking steelworkers in Lazaro Cardenas in Michoacan on April 20. (See our last report, in which, following our source, we incorrectly identified a steel plant in Lazaro Cardenas as "Metal Steel"; the plant belongs to Mittal Steel Lazaro Cardenas, a subsidiary of the huge Mittal Steel multinational.)

In Mexico City, what was intended as a one-hour general strike at noon ended up snarling traffic until past 4 PM. Different unions affiliated with the independent National Workers Union (UNT) held simultaneous rallies at the Labor Secretariat offices, at the offices of the Luz y Fuerza electric company and at other locations around the city. Workers in the Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Campesinos (CROC), an old-line union affiliated with the once-ruling centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), struck at the city's most luxurious hotels and restaurants, while about 400 garment workers affiliated with the CROC walked out in the Tlalpan section of the city. The CROC reported that workers honored the strike at textile, manufacturing and assembly plants in the states of Tlaxcala, Puebla, Mexico, Queretaro and Hidalgo.

Mexico: government roadblocks "dirty war" investigation?

From El Universal, April 16, via Chiapas95:

The special prosecutor's office set up by President Fox to investigate the violent campaign against leftists more than a generation ago failed to file its report on the case Saturday, the day it was due. The Attorney General's Office (PGR), to which the Special Prosecutor's Office for Past Social and Political Movements (FEMSPP) answers, said Saturday that the report "will be delayed."

Uprising in Mexico state; Zapatistas on "red alert" again

Subcommander Marcos of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN), speaking in Mexico City's historic Tlatelolco Plaza May 3, stated that the Zapatistas are officially going on "red alert" in response to violence in San Salvador Atenco, a village in the state of Mexico which has declared as a Zapatista-style "autonomous municipality." (Notimex, May 3) Later that night, six of 14 state and federal police officers detained by Atenco's rebel authorities, the Frente de Pueblos Unidos en Defensa de la Tierra, were released. News reports said they had been severely beaten. (APRO, May 4)

Deuling Mayday marches in Venezuela

From Venezuelanalysis, May 2:

Venezuelans celebrated International Worker’s Day yesterday with two large marches that wound through the streets of Caracas. One in support of the Chavez-led “Bolivarian Revolution,

Canadian Nazis exploit Mohawk uprising

A "hoax"? What the hell is that supposed to mean? If the leaflet was produced by one or two lone wackos instead of an organization, so much the better. But it was assuredly produced by real racists. From CBC News, May 4:

A pamphlet that called on people in Caledonia to discuss a "final solution" to the "Indian problem" is a hoax, says the Ontario Provincial Police.

The pamphlet was handed out as some people who live in and around the southern Ontario town held a rally and march against an aboriginal occupation, which has halted construction on a housing development nearby.

PUK raids Iran; Tehran shells Kurds

Just as the PUK shows signs of losing control of its stronghold in northern Iraq, it launches attacks across the border in Iran—with doubtless US (and likely Israeli) assistance and direction. Iran, of course, replies by bombing Kurdish civilians, which will only inflame things. Also note the role of the PKK in Iranian Kurdistan. This indicates that the PUK raids serve a dual purpose: not only to help destabilize Iran, but to steal the separatist thunder from the PKK-backed guerillas. From AP, May 2:

Nepal: back from brink?

The final capitulation of King Gyanendra to a militant pro-democracy movement that has made common cause with the Maoist guerillas is closely followed by The Rising Nepal website. The king, who had seized dictatorial absolute power last February, reached an agreement with the opposition Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) and on April 27 appointed Nepali Congress Party president Girija Prasad Koirala as prime minister. The following day, Parliament met for the first time since it was suspended in last year's royal coup. SPA leaders called on the citizenry to continue to act as the vanguard of the hard-earned democratic restoration at a mammoth mass meeting at Kathmandu's amphitheatre, and urged participation in an upcoming constituent assembly. The guerillas of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) have announced a three-month unilateral cease-fire. CPN(M) Chairman Prachanda said his army will halt all offensive military operations and work towards serving the people in its zones of control.

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